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The Minnesota Vikings are set with Matt Kalil and Phil Loadholt as their starting offensive tackles. They are easily the best tandem in the division and on the league's best.
The top reserves, however, are also primarily guards. Charlie Johnson is the starting left guard and likely backup to Kalil at left tackle. Recently signed free agent Vladimir Ducasse is expected to be the top reserve at both right guard and right tackle.
Beside the two starters, the only offensive linemen that are primarily tackles are unproven second-year veterans Kevin Murphy and Mike Remmers. Murphy spent all of last season on the Vikings' practice squad. Remmers has had a more adventurous NFL career. He spent the 2012 season on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers practice squad after signing with the Denver Broncos as a rookie free agent. He then spent last season with the San Diego Chargers and played in one game before being claimed off waivers by the Vikings.
The Vikings are unlikely to select a tackle early in the draft, but could be looking for depth in middle and late rounds. Here are the top five offensive tackles as well as an underrated, an overrated and a sleeper prospect.
No. 1 - Greg Robinson, Auburn
Robinson is a big and powerful prospect that could be a cornerstone left tackle. He was a big part of the Auburn's running game with a dominating blocking style. He has enough athleticism to control defenders at the second level. There are concerns over the simplistic system that Auburn ran along with his tendency to play to high. He still needs to improve as a pass blocker.
The 6-foot-5-inch, 332-pound redshirt sophomore has drawn comparisons to Anthony Davis of the San Francisco 49ers.
No. 2 - Taylor Lewan, Michigan
Lewan was considered one of the top tackle prospects in last year's draft before he decided to return to the school. He did nothing to hurt his stock and looks like a lock to be selected in the first 10 picks. The exact destination has fluctuated and has gotten as high as the No. 2 overall pick. He is big and athletic with good feet and technique. He has gotten away from his technique at times this season.
The 6-foot-7-inch, 309-pound redshirt senior has drawn comparisons to former No. 1 overall draft pick Jake Long of the St. Louis Rams.
No. 3 - Jake Matthews, Texas A&M
Matthews has outstanding bloodlines. His father, Bruce, is one of the most decorated offensive lineman in NFL history. Jake is continuing the tradition with a strong ability to pass protect as well as clearing a running path. He may be the safest pick of the top three tackles with very good strength and technique. He will play light and get run over by power rushers, but it is a knit-picking weakness to his game.
The 6-foot-6-inch, 308-pound senior has drawn comparisons to Joe Staley of the San Francisco 49ers.
No. 4 - Cyrus Kouandjio, Alabama
Kouandjio was one of the most sought after recruits in the country coming out of high school, but raw and underdeveloped skills have pushed him into the second round or later. His best asset is his run blocking, despite not having a mean streak or mauler mentality. He didn't present the athleticism he possesses in games at the combine. He has a high-ceiling, but has yet to prove capable of reaching it.
The 6-foot-7-inch, 322-pound junior has drawn comparisons to Tyron Smith of the Dallas Cowboys.
No. 5 - Antonio Richardson, Tennessee
Richardson (No. 74 in the picture) climbed his way into the discussion as a possible first round draft pick. However, he hasn't lived up to the billing at the combine or in workouts. He has a good, massive frame that can be imposing for defenders. His technique wavers at times and he will lose defenders on quick, side-to-side moves.
The 6-foot-6-inch, 336-pound junior has drawn comparisons to former Dallas Cowboy Erik Williams.
Underrated - Billy Turner, North Dakota State
Turner may be the best FCS prospect in the draft. He was not recruited by any FBS schools and started right away at North Dakota State. He has NFL caliber size, athleticism and body control. He has good bloodlines with a father that was a running back in the NFL along with having a brother that was drafted in 2008. He has good footwork and a mean, nasty mentality. He still needs some polish to his game, but can be an instant contributor to an NFL team.
The 6-foot-5-inch, 315-pound senior enjoyed a well decorated collegiate career with three national championships, two first team all-conference and two first team FCS All-American honors.
Overrated - Seantrel Henderson, Miami
Henderson (on the right in the picture) was also one of the most sought after prospects in his high school class. There was at least one college coach that questioned whether Henderson would fill his potential at the collegiate level. He did all right for the Hurricanes, but never was dominant. He has the skill set to be a cornerstone left tackle in the NFL, but does he want to? That is the question. He has dealt with injuries and off-field issues.
The 6-foot-7-inch, 331-pound senior has drawn comparisons to D.J. Fluker of the San Diego Chargers.
Sleeper - Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, McGill
There are few Canadian prospects that can develop pre-draft buzz. Duvernay-Tardif (one of the many offensive linemen pictured) was able to do that after moving from the the defensive line to the offensive line in 2011. He quickly became a starter. He has the size and athleticism to be a cornerstone left tackle. He is smart with a good frame and low-center of gravity. He is very raw with his technique and consistency.
The 6-foot-5-inch, 298-pound senior will not be an immediate starter in the NFL as he learns the difference in the rules between the Canadian and American game.


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There's some chocolatiers that can do no wrong in my mind and Christopher Norman Chocolates is one of them. I originally discovered them last year at the New York City Chocolate Show where I was graciously given some of their signature bonbons to try. Aside from the fact that I was blown away by the incredible quality and flavor, I was also drawn to the acute artistic sense that was applied to the bonbons. Christopher Norman was a painter before becoming a chocolatier and he now combines his two passions to create chocolates with his modern sense of painterly design. The result? Well, for my taste buds at least, everything is nothing short of a masterpiece.
Dark Chocolate and Blood Orange: These bars are beautifully wrapped and neatly folded in gold foil. I was surprised to find the bar was not a singular slab, but made of six filled connected squared sections. It smells mainly of the dark chocolate and hardly any scent of orange at all. It you concentrated enough you can detect a little, but it's very, very faint. The inside is a chocolate filling that has a unique texture: think of it as a cooled, soft, not very dense ganache. The blood orange flavor is pronounced with a lovely fresh and very real orange flavor that's not to sweet and delivers the perfect amount of tartness. It balances beautifully with the rich, complex dark chocolate and it really a masterpiece to taste. This is a great sophisticated bar if you're looking for a chocolate orange comibination, but don't want to restort to something cheap and artificial like Terry's Chocolate Orange.
White Chocolate Lemon Crisp: This bar also follows the same format with six squared sections as opposed to one large bar. It's a wonderfully creamy white color and just beautiful to look at. The white chocolate is the most delicate I've ever tasted, and by that I mean that's it's not overly sweet or bursting with vanilla like most of the other white chocolates I've had. This is subtly sweet, very creamy, and you can taste the creaminess of the cocoa butter.
Of course, this is all lightly accentuated by a hint of lemon. It's amazing how the flavor is incorporated since I think "white chocolate" when I eat this, not "oohh, this is lemon flavored". The flavor is mixed in and balanced so well, that it just makes the white chocolate stronger and more natural tasting. It reminds me of how just a hint of lemon can really brighten a cheesecake, and this is a similar thing. The crisps are like bits of corn flakes and provide a nice texture to the bar and thankfully they do not compete with the chocolate. The amount is perfect too: not too little not too many and it isn't like a Nestle crunch at all, thankfully.
I just love this bar, because it managed to find elements that compliment the white chocolate rather than hide it, which is what I find most companies do. Christopher Norman managed to find a way to add ingredients that allowed the white chocolate to shine and really show how good it can be when done right.
Words fail me in describing how much I loved these. I cannot wait to make it back to the Christopher Norman store so I can buy more of these and sample some of their other flavors. Do yourself a favor and get your hands on these chocolate bars.
Rating: Hoard
Christopher Norman Chocolate
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subset: commoncrawl


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Jim Ross returning to commentary
May 10, 2014 - by Steve Gerweck
Jim Ross announced that he will be doing boxing commentary for Fox Sports 1 on Memorial Day. The May 26 event will be a Golden Boy Promotions
special saluting the men and women of the Armed Forces with a Golden Boy Live! show at Fort Bliss' Stout Fitness Center in El Paso, Texas. The show
will be headlined by Nicaragua's Rene Alvarado defending his WBC Silver Featherweight Title against Texas native Rocky Juarez. Ross already has a
working relationship with FoxSports.com where he writes stories for the website.
(thanks to Colin Vassallo)
(Visited 1 times, 1 visits today)


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Make plans to tee off and putt for Special Olympics Texas in the inaugural Birdie on the Bay Golf Classic, on September 13 at the Northshore Country Club in Portland.
Check-in begins at 11:00 a.m., followed by lunch at 12:00 p.m. and tee off at 1:00 p.m., immediately followed by an awards ceremony and refreshments, as well as a chance for participants to enter into a drawing to win fantastic prizes, including a tailgating package, a one-day shallow water fishing adventure for two and an Axis doe deer hunt.
Registration is $100 per player and $400 per four-person team. Proceeds support more than 1,500 Special Olympics Texas - South Texas area athletes.
Click here for a registration form or contact Alice Fulton-Garza (email@example.com) at 361.857.5679. For sponsorship information, contact Melissa Matherne (firstname.lastname@example.com) at 512.491.2927.
About Special Olympics Texas
Special Olympics Texas (SOTX) is a privately funded non-profit organization that changes lives through the power of sport by encouraging and empowering people with intellectual disabilities, promoting acceptance for all, and fostering communities of understanding and respect. SOTX provides continuing opportunities for more than 44,000 children and adults with intellectual disabilities throughout the Lone Star State to realize their potential, develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage and experience joy and friendship. To learn more, visit www.specialolympicstexas.org or call 800.876.5646. Engage with us on: Twitter @SOTexas; fb.com/SpecialOlympicsTX; youtube.com/specialolympicstexas.
Coca-Cola Refreshments, Food Town, H-E-B Tournament of Champions
Charitable Trust and the Law Enforcement Torch Run
Ramonica Jones
Public Relations Coordinator
Special Olympics Texas
Ramonica Jones


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- About this Journal ·
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BioMed Research International
Volume 2013 (2013), Article ID 835850, 9 pages
Complex Assessment of the Incidence and Risk Factors of Delirium in a Large Cohort of Cardiac Surgery Patients: A Single-Center 6-Year Experience
1Department of Cardiac Surgery, Upper Silesia Medical Center, Medical University of Silesia, 47 Ziołowa Street, 40-635 Katowice, Poland
2Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Upper Silesia Medical Center, 40-635 Katowice, Poland
31st Department of Cardiology, Upper Silesia Medical Center, Medical University of Silesia, 40-635 Katowice, Poland
4Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Upper Silesia Medical Center, Medical University of Silesia, 40-635 Katowice, Poland
5Department of Biostatistics, Chair of Public Health, Medical University of Silesia, 41-902 Bytom, Poland
Received 10 April 2013; Revised 5 September 2013; Accepted 23 September 2013
Academic Editor: Matthias Thielmann
Copyright © 2013 Łukasz J. Krzych et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Citations to this Article [6 citations]
The following is the list of published articles that have cited the current article.
- Łukasz J. Krzych, Maciej T. Wybraniec, Irena Krupka–Matuszczyk, Michał Skrzypek, and Andrzej A. Bochenek, "DElirium Screening in CARDiac surgery (DESCARD): a useful tool for non-psychiatrists," Canadian Journal of Cardiology, 2014. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar
- Katie J. Schenning, and Stacie G. Deiner, "Postoperative Delirium: A Review of Risk Factors and Tools of Prediction," Current Anesthesiology Reports, 2014. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar
- Francisco J. Noriega, María T. Vidán, Elísabet Sánchez, Andrea Díaz, José A. Serra-Rexach, Francisco Fernández-Avilés, and Héctor Bueno, "Incidence and Impact of Delirium on Clinical and Functional Outcomes in Older Patients Hospitalized for Acute Cardiac Diseases," American Heart Journal, 2015. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar
- Vera van der Zanden, Sara J. Beishuizen, Rikie M. Scholtens, Annemarieke de Jonghe, Sophia E. de Rooij, and Barbara C. van Munster, "The Effects of Blood Transfusion on Delirium Incidence," Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 2016. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar
- Yong Guo, Peiyu Jia, Junfeng Zhang, Xuemin Wang, Hong Jiang, and Wei Jiang, "Prevalence and risk factors of postoperative delirium in elderly hip fracture patients," Journal Of International Medical Research, vol. 44, no. 2, pp. 317–327, 2016. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar
- Masieh Abawi, Freek Nijhoff, Pierfrancesco Agostoni, Marielle H. Emmelot-Vonk, Rehana de Vries, Pieter A. Doevendans, and Pieter R. Stella, "Incidence, Predictive Factors, and Effect of Delirium After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement," JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 160–168, 2016. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar


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Jul 24, 2014 8:50 AM
Ugh, credit card debt. You've wracked up quite a bill this past month on frivolous purchases. Cutting up your cards may seem like the best option, but it's actually only your second best option. Even better is turning those trouble-enabling cards into guitar picks. Before chopping up those cards, make one last totally justifiable purchase: the Guitar Pick Punch ($25). At least that way your cards will be worth something once you write a hit song about those bill collectors who keep hassling you.
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©1982 Terry Brooks; (P)2003 Books on Tape
I've been an Audie Awards judge since 2008. I have enjoyed audiobooks since the days when they were called "Books on Tape".
"Great story"
Carrying on two generations later from "Sword of Shannara", you taken on another fantastic journey. Though this story is filled with great action, it lacks any occasional humor to help endear the reader to the characters, leaving the story a little dry. Also the continous waves of action seem repetivite when the story hits on large scale events, but does not take away from the enjoyment. Just don't try to listen to the battle events at 1AM. I can't wait till the next book.
"Good book. a bit excessive on some details for me"
got way to excessive on some of his details and lost me during the long ones but I liked the book overall good story
"A good story"
Terry Brooks is often accused of plagiarising J.R.R. Tolkien's the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I would encourage people not to think of these books as plagiarism but as a further exploration of a world that we didn't get to see enough of before Mr.Tolkien's death. After I finished the Lord of the Rings I really wanted more. There were so many corners of Middle Earth that were left unexplored, so much more to see. I think that's what authors like Terry Brooks offer us. His world is not Middle Earth, as that's a copyrighted name, but it's clearly based off of it. None of the ideas here are unique. They are taken from better series like the Lord of the Rings and put into a post-apocalyptic world just like Stephen King's Dark Tower series but if you want more of the same, which I did, these books will deliver. I wouldn't recommend them as your first fantasy novels, I'd recommend LoTR, Dark Tower, The Song of Ice and Fire and The Wheel of Time series first, but when you're done with those and want more, as many fans do, the Shanarra books are a good read. They have all your favorite monsters and creatures revisted. There are better books out there but I feel the Shannara stories are good extensions of those tales for people who don't feel like they've had enough yet.
"Read the book"
I remember enjoying this book when I first read it, many years ago, so I was pretty excited to get the unabridged audiobook... Then I started listening. Scott Brick's voice is clear and rich, pleasant to listen to, but his narration style makes me want to stab myself in the ear with a sharp object. EVERYTHING is dramatic- extremely dramatic- whether or not anything important is happening in the story. This style might work for reading Poe or Shakespearean drama but it doesn't work here. It completely destroys the flow and pacing of the story by trying to add artificial tension. The overall effect is 23 hours of torture. My advice is to read the books and spend your Audible credits elsewhere.
"Reader is overly dramatic"
He reminds me of a pastor delivering a sermon. It actually is making it difficult to get into the story.
Fanatical Endurance Athlete, who listens to a lot of books while training.
"Fantasy Classic"
This is the second book of the Shannara series and it should be noted that it is the one of the first epic fantasy books written after Lord of the Rings. It started the the flood of the many fantasy offerings that we have today.
I could be biased, being a fanatical Terry Brooks Fan, but this book is probably my favourite of the Shannara series. Without giving too much away, a magical tree is dying, and the next generation of Ohmsfords' (the main family of the series) must aid the search for the magic required for the rebirth of the tree.
The thing I really like about Terry's work, he normally has more than one story thread running at the same time, but rarely more than can be followed, makes the reading of the book hard work. Sometimes simple is best.
The book is a long read. So if you get into the series, be prepared to lose many hours of your reading time on this story. But in my opinion its a rewarding escape.
Mac Bear
"A Good Story But..."
I may recommend this story but I would have to offer some caveats.
They all blur together. I think the thing that I will remember is how insecure and whiny the characters all are.
The narration was overly dramatic. I think that some of the weaknesses of the story were exacerbated by Scott Brick's overblown reading. I think in my mind, when I read the book, I read them with a little less emotion. Maybe more sincere and less exaggerated.
I liked the story, I really did. But I got annoyed with the characters questioning and questioning everything. The main character is absolutely certain he will never be able to use the Elfstones again after ONE FAILURE. I could understand him wondering what went wrong but he is just ready to pack things in because they let him down one time. I think that Scott Brick, whom I adore reading many other books, simply was overly dramatic on this one. A more measured approach may have make the listening more enjoyable. It is almost like he highlighted all the weakness of the writing.
"Great story, bad narration."
I love brooks novels, but I plan to stick with reading them if this narrator is my only choice.
Yes. To reread this series the old fashioned way.
I also enjoy classics and think Brick does a good job with those.
"I couldn't take the narrator"
When I read the book I really enjoyed it, however I could not take the narrator and had to stop listening to the book. He uses the exact same cadence for every sentence, excitement at the beginning and fading almost completely by the end. It actually becomes rather droning. Even though he changes inflection, it doesn't go with what is happening in the story. It'll put you right to sleep, if it doesn't annoy you too much first.
Very well read entertaining book. Terry Brooks is a very good writer and I would recommend all of his work. Scott Brick is awesome in his ability to tell the story and makes it very entertaining.
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Posted by ccoleman on 04/30/2014 3:10pm MDT tags: Photo
(AP) A key election for a new Iraqi parliament was underway in Iraq, Wednesday, April 30, 2014. The vote comes as the death toll in Iraq last year climbed to its highest levels since the worst of the sectarian bloodshed in 2006 and 2007. The United Nations says 8,868 people were killed in 2013, and about 2,000 people were killed in the first three months of this year alone. High-profile attacks have killed dozens in the days leading up to the vote, but security forces largely closed down the capital, Baghdad, on Wednesday. Authorities declared a weeklong holiday around the vote as well.


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How Well Do You Measure Performance?
Regarding the way their organization conducts performance appraisals, a hefty 75.2% rate their organization as average or above. Details:
While the FLSA allows some very specific pay deductions for exempt employees, such as taxes and wage garnishments, it's typically quite strict about the fact that exempt employee pay shouldn't be reduced for exempt employee absences in most cases. It's important for employers to understand when certain payroll deductions may be perfectly legal, and when others may not be under federal law so they can keep their organization in compliance.
Let's take a look at some of the exceptions—some of the rare instances where exempt employee pay can be reduced for absences.
PTO helps to bridge the gap between being required to pay salaried employees their full salary in a given workweek (even if they don't work a full workweek), while also balancing how much time off can be taken without it becoming a problem.
Employers often find themselves in a conundrum, however, over how to handle miscellaneous time off that was never even requested as PTO. For example, what happens when the work hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., but an employee has a personal appointment that requires him or her to arrive late? Usually this is not much of a question—that employee takes PTO for the time off and comes in as soon as possible and still receives a full salary for the week. But what if that employee doesn't have any more PTO left to use? What if it's not an appointment, it's just a significantly late arrival time?
Can an exempt employee be given a loan that is repaid via payroll deduction, or does this violate the idea that exempt employee pay cannot be reduced? What is the maximum amount that can be deducted from an employee's pay if they have multiple different garnishment orders? These thorny questions were addressed by Sharolyn Whiting-Ralston in a recent BLR webinar. Check out those questions and more here:


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i'm newbie on ubuntu.I have a problem that i can't connect to the internet.But the wireless network are working good.
The main problem is i have internet connection but when i open up firefox its say
Server not found ,
Firefox can't find the server at.start.ubuntu.com.
I use dualboot Windows 7 & Ubuntu 12.04.On my windows 7,the connection are just fine.Please help me, i cant wait to explore Ubuntu without any internet connection.


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Channellock® 5-in-1 Rescue Tool
High-quality Channellock® rescue tool was designed by a fire captain to meet the needs of first responders, but we think it can also be used by anyone who needs a useful tool on the jobsite. The Channellock rescue tool weighs only 26 oz. and measures 10-1/2"L. Channellock rescue tool includes laser-treated wire and cable cutter, heavy-duty pliers with aggressive cross-hatch teeth, gas valve shut-off slot, spanner wrench to tighten/loosen hose coupling, and 1"-wide prybar. USA made.


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Photo from Made by Gypsy Briohny Smyth is our Solow ambassador for our exclusive FP Movement x Solow line. Today she talks to us about the benefits of Yoga and how it can help you through certain things in life. (…) Read more
Tagged: solow
Yoga Essentials: What to Pack for Your First Yoga ClassJul 02, 2012
Yoga essentials for beginners: When I first went to yoga I wasn't really familiar with what to wear or with what essential items I would need for my first class. (…) Read more
Yoga: We Introduce You To Briohny SmythJul 02, 2012
For our FP Movement we've collaborated with Solow to create a line of fashionable and fun yoga pieces. With the launch of this collection, we get to know one of Solow's ambassadors: Briohny Smyth. Her inspiration behind yoga is truly moving. (…) Read more


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Handling animals humanely
Cargill extends its commitment to animal welfare with training for emergency responders
Learn how Cargill's commitment to animal welfare and humane animal handling extends to emergency situations while hauling livestock.
With more than 100 trucks delivering hogs daily to each of Cargill's pork facilities in Beardstown, Illinois, and Ottumwa, Iowa, accidents occasionally happen, especially in inclement weather. Preparing for accidents illustrates Cargill's commitment in extending animal welfare and humane animal handling practices from start to finish, regardless of everyday circumstances or unexpected occurrences.
Training on humane handling of animals in accidents
Cargill Pork's training sessions are for those who may be called to act should there be an accident while hauling livestock. Local first responders and livestock industry colleagues learn how to humanely handle live hogs at the site of a transportation accident.
Cargill has teamed with renowned animal welfare expert Jennifer Woods for more than five years on training Cargill personnel and first responders in accident response and hog euthanasia.
|A recent November training session, held at the Beardstown facility, was attended by members of the Beardstown Police Department, officials from the Illinois Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture.
Training session attendees learn how to secure an accident site, ensure human and animal safety, cut open a livestock trailer to extract live animals and euthanize injured hogs humanely.
Cargill also maintains five rescue units throughout the United States Midwest to respond to livestock transit accidents. Recently, a Cargill team responded to the Macomb, Illinois accident and was cited by the Macomb deputy police chief for excellent work in handling a precarious situation.
Building a network for humane animal handling
Around the central part of the United States, more than 150 individuals have been trained by Cargill, including local and state law enforcement officers, local fire fighters and area transporters.
Cargill continues to plan more training sessions to ensure that, when the unexpected happens, employees and first responders can be as prepared as possible.


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A man faces multiple charges after police said he cut the locks on 23 storage facilities and stole property from each one.
Police said that 28-year-old Dustin Riggle stole approximately $10,000 in property.
According to the arrest report, the property was discovered by the owner of the storage facility.
Multiple victims were able to positively identify their property.
Riggle is charged with multiple counts of burglary.
The views expressed are not those of this site, this station or its affiliated companies. By posting your comments you agree to accept our terms of use.blog comments powered by Disqus


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An unprecendented work of art featuring the custom prose and unique illustrations of the funny, sweet, angry and happy faces of a 2-year old boy named James. Share his story with your child and see the faces he makes, he's quite a character! Or better yet, have a book made using the faces and expressions of your own child. It's something you will cherish forever.
BabyJack Books creates custom keepsake books about your child. No two books are ever exactly the same because the art and prose feature each child individually. BabyJack Books was inspired by the silly and funny faces of the author's own son Jack. A face like that really ought to be immortalized in print. The funny thing is, we bet you feel exactly the same way about your child --so order a book!
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Come Play With Me! Publicado 23 de abril de 2008
In Evelyn's Eyes Publicado 01 de marzo de 2008
My Brother, My Best Friend Publicado 25 de febrero de 2008


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Although the hotels immediately surrounding the Austin Convention Center have sold out for the first few SXSW Music check in dates we're here to help you navigate the dozens of other options for your stay. March 10th and 11th are not available, but there are still several hotels in the immediate area beginning March 12th and even more options beginning March 13. Enter your dates on the availability page and see which properties are available right now (listed in order of distance from the Convention Center). Adjust the dates by a day or two and you will see more options.
Even if all your desired dates aren't currently available you might want to secure a room at your preferred downtown hotel and get on the waiting list for check-in on the 11th or 12th. You can do this by booking your room for the available dates and clearly specifying your desired check-in date in the "Notes & Special Requests" fields. If those nights become available -- and there is no guarantee that they will -- we will add those nights to your reservation.
In addition to the walkable properties, we have some great hotel partners just outside the downtown area and most are just a 10-15 minute drive to the convention center.
For instance, our other full service hotels available today will make you forget you're not steps away. Just south of downtown you'll find the Wyndham Garden Hotel, Marriott South available to choose right now. Just minutes up the road you can stay at our nearby Hilton Airport. In addition, traveling 4-6 miles north of downtown takes you to Embassy Suites Central, Crowne Plaza, DoubleTree Austin, and Holiday Inn Mid-Town.
Maybe you're looking for a more budget-friendly alternative to a full service or downtown hotel. There are over 30 other clean and comfortable hotels with easy access to downtown listed on our site right now to choose from. From Courtyard to Staybridge, Hyatt Place to Hampton and Homewood, and La Quinta to Comfort Suites, we have something for everyone.
Bottom line – we have hundreds of rooms remaining to book for your stay and at rates you won't find anywhere else as soon as you register to attend. We're here today to help you find the right hotel for your stay.


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Results tagged ' Red Sox '
The Cowboy
The Twins lost again to the Red Sox today (and looked pathetic doing it), so instead of evaluating that pitiful performance, I'm going to take my anger out on a different source:
Yep…"Cowboy" Joe West, major league umpire. I know that major league players and managers get fined for criticizing umpires, so writing this makes me look over my shoulder a bit, but consider:
On Friday night, Joe West interjects himself into the Terry Francona row:
On Saturday afternoon, he calls a runner out at second base (trying to steal) when the batter at home plate had drawn ball four.
Earlier today, a Jason Kubel fair ball down the right field line at Fenway Park clips him, turning an easy extra-base hit into a single.
Now, from what I have always understood, umpires are supposed to be "seen but not heard". In fact, they really shouldn't be seen whatsoever, either. Of course, I realize that their job is much more difficult than anybody gives them credit it for (look what happened to Jim Joyce last season), but this Joe West just seems to rub me the wrong way. Same with our manager, as Gardy won't even look at him anymore.
My two hopes for tomorrow: 1. A Twins win, so they can avoid another series loss; and 2. A game with the only mention of Mr. West being his pregame introduction.
Preview (12-20, 4th, 3.5 GB DET): Nick Blackburn (2-4, 4.41) vs. Josh Beckett (2-1, 2.35)
The Exception?
Alright…with Manny Ramirez retiring suddenly this past week to avoid a second suspension for failing a drug test, it begs the question: HOF?
Taking steroids out of the equation, this guy is a first-ballot HOF-er. I would argue that he was the greatest righthander hitter in baseball from 1995-2008, and one of the greatest pure hitters in baseball history. Sure, he was a complete spaz and couldn't field a lick, but when you hit like that it doesn't really matter. During the mid-1990s he and Jim Thome provided potency to the Cleveland Indians, then he and David Ortiz teamed up as perhaps the most dominant 3-4 combination since Ruth-Gehrig. Even his stint with the Dodgers (before the first suspension that signaled the end of his career) was incredible.
Some of the career stats: .312 BA, .411 OBP, .585 SLG, .996 OPS, 2,574 H, 555 HR, 1,831 RBI.
He was always a favorite player of mine (when not tormenting Twins pitching, of course) for just his pure hitting ability. The guy didn't give a lick about anything, but he was blessed with the ability to hit a baseball really, really hard with surprising frequency.
Of course, much like Andy Pettitte, the steroid issue will cloud Manny's candidacy. Like Pettitte and, say, A-Rod, Manny is a confirmed steroid user. That being said, he didn't make up ridiculous stories in his defense (e.g. Barry Bonds), didn't become a jerk about it (e.g. Roger Clemens), didn't refuse to speak about the past (e.g. Mark McGwire), didn't blatently deny his usage (e.g. Rafael Palmeiro), and didn't forget how to speak English when questioned (e.g. Sammy Sosa). Basically, he just got caught and served his time.
My feeling on the matter right now is that I would put Manny in the Hall, but not after a few years of "punishment waiting" sitting on the ballot. Perhaps I am being too sentimental and should be harder on the guy, but at least he didn't deny, deny, deny and make baseball look like a bunch of guys trying to pull the wool over our eyes.
Time will tell.
How I Know I'm A Blogger…
The other day, I realized that I've started to think like a blogger. As soon as I heard the news that Carl Crawford…
…was nabbed by the Boston Red Sox, my first thought wasn't even about the unfairness of the baseball economic system or even the rising of a new "Evil Empire" (the fact that it's the Yankees, Red Sox, and everyone else right now).
No, my first thought went to Rays Renegade (a fellow MLBlog) and how disappointed he must have been to lose his star talent. Hang in there, man, it happened to me with Torii Hunter and Johan Santana, too. The Twins still thrived without those talents, and I'm sure the Rays can too (granted, making the playoffs is a thousand times more difficult in that division).
Whew…That Was Close
Whew…the Twins managed to avoid a sweep today at the hands of the Tigers thanks to another solid outing from Carl Pavano and some much-needed clutch hitting (that didn't produce too many double plays).
With pretty much the entire rotation struggling at this point, Pavano took the rotation on his back and turned in 7.2 IP while allowing just three earned runs. Heck, he even managed to keep Miguel Cabrera from completely destroying us!
Multi-hit games from Young, Cuddyer (who is finally starting to hit the ball again), and Kubel allowed the M&M-less offense to come out on top.
This was a big win for the Twins, as heading into the break three games back is much better (if only psychologically) than five.
-Justin Morneau, due to his lingering concussion symptoms, will not start in the All-Star game (or play whatsoever) on Tuesday night. Cabrera will start the game, while Paul Konerko of the White Sox has been added to the roster.
-Sad news today in hearing that longtime Yankees PA announcer Bob Sheppard passed away today. I know that he hadn't been doing the PA for a few years now, but his recorded broadcast still introduces Derek Jeter to this day. Younger fans may not remember the name, but the voice will likely be familiar.
Preview: Home-Run Derby! Here are this year's participants:
National League: Chris Young (Diamondbacks), Corey Hart (Brewers), Matt Holliday (Cardinals), Hanley Ramirez (Marlins)
American League: David Ortiz (Red Sox), Nick Swisher (Yankees), Miguel Cabrera (Tigers), Vernon Wells (Blue Jays)
Evolution of A Curse
Before 2004, the year in which a staggering chain of events (begun with this)…
…released the Boston Red Sox from their Yankee-dominant purgatory, the Sox were seemingly "cursed" by the inability to: A. Win the big game; and B. Win ANY meaningful game against the arch-rival Yankees.
After watching (in person) the Twins fall twice to the Yanks in one day today at Target Field, I now have my own little theory as to where that curse went and where it is dwelling now…
In both 2003 and 2004…
…the Yankees defeated the Twins in the ALDS. From that point forward, we haven't been able to touch them. At home, we are something like 10 games under .500 against them in the Ron Gardenhire era. On the road, we have won (literally) a handful of games in that same time period. Plus, the 2009 playoffs brought another ALDS defeat at their hands, this time a clean sweep.
Could it be possible that the Red Sox, free from the "1918" chants, somehow transferred the curse to us, seeing as it was us who allowed the epic 2003 and 2004 ALCS' to transpire in the first place?
Today, the Yankee heroes were primarily three-fold:
First, Derek Jeter provided the lone offense in the resumption game today, then proceeded to make a spectacular "jump-throw" (his trademark) to gun down a runner at first that, if safe, would have allowed the tying run to score.
Then, Pettitte again basically shut us down for eight innings, only allowing two measly runs.
Finally, the back-breaker came from Nick Swisher, who launched a bomb into the right field bleachers in the bottom of the eighth inning (with two outs, of course) off Jon Rauch to give the visitors a lead they would not relinquish.
Let's just say this: Remember those old "whose your Daddy" chants that Yankees fans used to hurl at Pedro Martinez? They now apply for a completely different reason.
Preview (26-20, 1st, 1.0 GA DET): Javier Vazquez (3-4, 6.69) vs. Nick Blackburn (5-1, 4.50)
My Thoughts On Target Field
Quick recap:
Since my last blog, the Twins got caught by two hot pitchers in Boston (Bucholz/Lester), then righted the ship by beating up on the Brew Crew over the weekend (taking two of three and coming within a big hit of sweeping).
About three weeks ago, though, I saw my first two games at Target Field…
…and never really commented on the experience. Although I loved the experience and thought that the new digs put the Metrodome to shame, there was just something about it where I couldn't gush over our new home too much. I think I may have finally figured it out.
In the old days, ballparks were built with all kinds of quirks that made them stand out. Some examples:
Polo Grounds: Almost 500 feet to center field (which featured a garage in the field of play!), and just 250 ft. down the lines (picture a giant horsehoe).
Ebbets Field: A crazy little nook out in center field, a huge wall in right, with band-box dimension all around.
Baker Bowl: ENORMOUS brick wall out in RF that puts even Boston's Green Monster to shame!
LA Coliseum: Just look at the picture!
Old Yankee Stadium: Monuments and flagpoles IN PLAY; centerfield almost 500 feet deep.
Then, after going through the terrible cookie-cutter stadium movement of the 1980s (Veterans Stadium, Skydome, Astrodome, etc.), ballparks started to improve in fan amenities, but (for the most part) those little quirks/nuances had disappeared. In the past few years, there are only a few stadiums I can recall that really spark my interest:
Wrigley Field: Ivy, brick walls.
Fenway Park: Green Monster, Pesky Pole
Minute Maid Park (?; that's the name I'll always remember it as!): CF slope, neat LF architecture.
And, dare I say it…
Metrodome: Vampire seats, Baggie
Basically, my point is this: I really like stadiums with distinct visual features, and I feel as if Target Field is a bit lacking in that area. Besides the patches of Limestone and HD scoreboard (but that doesn't really count), it feels like "any other great ballpark". Kind of a double standard, I know, but I guess I am more than a bit of a sentimentalist towards those "good old days" of quirky baseball stadiums.
Preview (26-18, 1st, 1.0 GA DET): AJ Burnett (4-2, 3.86) vs. Scott Baker (4-4, 4.88). Time to create a little bit of new history against the Yanks? I hope so.
Take You Back
Oooh boy…as if the Twins needed anything more to be positive about after two road series wins and the opening of Target Field, earlier today Francisco Liriano pitched up to his 2006 form, styming the Red Sox for seven innings (with eight whiffs) while the Twins' bats exploded (or perhaps this is just their normal capacity?).
One of the weaknesses that I perceived in the Twins this year was the lack of a true ace that could kill them come playoff time as it has in past seasons. Baker, Blackburn, Pavano, and Slowey all give you a chance to win day in and day out, but none are a real stopper in the Johan Santana mold. If Frankie keeps locating his fastball and curving that filthy slider, he's the guy that can match up against the Sabathia's, Beckett's, or Hernandez's in the first game of a playoff series.
Preview (7-3, 1st, 0.5 GA DET): Zack Grienke (0-1, 3.55) vs. Scott Baker (1-1, 3.86). I smell a pitcher's duel…
2010 MLB Picks
My "official" predictions for the 2010 MLB season (before the season gets too far along and starts to affect my judgement!):
AL East
New York
Boston (Wild Card)
Tampa Bay
AL Central
Kansas City
AL West
Los Angeles
NL East
Atlanta (Wild Card)
New York
NL Central
St. Louis
NL West
San Francisco
Los Angeles
San Diego
AL Champ: New York
NL Champ: Atlanta
World Series Champ: Atlanta Braves
Questions, comments, rants, profanity-laced tirades?!
The Answer
A few weeks ago, I wrote a blog post about the rough shape that major league baseball is in when it comes to parity and competitive balance. I was then challenged by another blogger to provide a solution to the problem. To me, the solution is relatively simple…it's the implementation that is the tough part. Here are my thoughts…
First and foremost, baseball needs a salary cap akin to the system in the NFL. Sure, baseball has the luxury tax, but that is like asking a billionaire to pay a thousand-dollar fine everytime he does something wrong. It sounds like a lot, but to the billionaire it is relatively little, thus he will continue to repeat his bad behavior (e.g. buying up and keeping contracted all the best players). In the NFL, teams can only spend a certain amount (in 2009 the figure was $128 million) per season. Plus, there is even a "minimum floor" clause of sorts that says a team has to spend at least so much money (like a minimum speed limit on the freeway) in order to prevent some franchises from just packing it in and hoarding $$$ to line their wallets if the season isn't shaping up as planned. Sure, there would still be bad teams. However, general suckish-ness would be based on poor team management, like, say, starting this guy at QB…
Secondly, the TV pot needs to be broadened as well…
Once again, the NFL (which I considered to have the best professional sports economic system out there today) requires TV rights to be shared between both teams competing. In baseball, all the revenue goes to the home club. So, the Yankees, because of their enormous and populace viewing area, can create their own TV network and rake in the dough, while the Twins (after trying that approach with Victory Sports Network and failing miserably) plod along with Fox Sports North and, comparatively speaking, get chump change in return.
Those two changes would go a long way towards making baseball much more economically sound (in terms of honoring the heritage of the game, not just turning the biggest possible profit by assuring the Yankees and Red Sox in the playoffs every year), and would not be all that difficult to implement. However, major obstacles still exist in the implementation of the plan.
The biggest problem (and this will probably be the biggest understatement I ever post on this blog) is this guy…
Allan H. "Bud" Selig, baseball's commissioner, was once an owner himself (of the Milwaukee Brewers), so he is very sympathetic to their causes. Thus, he will NEVER impose sanctions on their freedom, even if it means destroying the fabric of the game in the process.
Because of this, the Players Union (once headed by Donald Fehr, but now led by Michael Weiner, pictured below)…
…won't, and doesn't, budge an inch, as they are always terrified that former owner Selig is out to get them. That is why implementing a salary cap or steroid testing is like pulling teeth. A new, much more impartial commissioner would go an incredibly long way towards rectifying the situation, but since the players are still raking in the dough and the owners are protected by Buddy-Boy, the status quo hasn't quite been shaken enough yet to oust Selig.
Of course, in a certain humerous turn of events that even I can smile at, Selig's contract expires after the 2012 season. In other words, right before the world is supposed to end (!)…
So, I guess our only hope is to pray that the Mayans were wrong…as after '12 baseball might get back on the right track!


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Consider rotational presidency for peaceful transition
By Kennedy Kabonge
Posted Saturday, June 7 2014 at 01:00
Posted Saturday, June 7 2014 at 01:00
The East African of May 31 reported that some politicians in South Sudan have revived debate on federal system of government with rotational presidency as a way of ending the on-going conflict.
This was supported by church leaders who said, "We have tried a centralised form of government and decentralised system but have failed. We now suggest considering a federal system of governance to address the ethnic and regional imbalance in the national constitution".
These words fit well with Uganda's situation. Uganda is a nation which has been at war with itself since independence and has never changed power peacefully.


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Tag Archives: Italian Festival
We ate, we drank, we were ITALIAN!
The days definitely had an autumn feel to them this past weekend for M Resort's Second Annual Italian Festival - a bit chilly in the morning but warming up nicely as the days progressed. "Festive" it certainly was - red
Eat, drink and be ITALIAN!
Autumn has finally arrived here in Las Vegas - the weather has turned, the leaves are falling and alas, pool season will soon be relegated to memory. But while bikinis, hip DJs and umbrella-clad drinks may be gone, something wonderful
Eat, Drink and Be Italian!
Drum roll please….the Italian Festival is back - Viva Italia! Now, some of you might remember the Italian Festival and some of you might not, so we'll do a quick refresher course and then talk about this weekend's big event!


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Dec. 27, 2005
Both Northwestern and UCLA attended Fort Bliss to eat breakfast with army and navy personnel. The majority of the service men and women stationed at Fort Bliss are shipped out to Iraq, or have recently completed tours of duty in the Middle East.
Dan Nelson, a former Marine, was thrilled to get the opportunity to meet with the Army personnel.


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Was this student a potential terrorist planning something evil here in Atlanta?" Why did he have these items in his apartment and what were his intentions?
Follow this link to the AJC for the latest update. Explosive device, gasoline found in burned student's apartment.
"Akhshabi is studying in the College of Computing at Tech, where he has attended since 2009, according to his web page. He was scheduled to graduate in May, Nagel said Wednesday. Prior to moving to Atlanta, Akhshabi completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Tehran in Iran" He was burned over 90% of his body and is being treated at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta.
PREVIOUS STORY: Posted yesterday on February 5, 2014
Last night, there was a multitude of law enforcement personnel on the ground near an apartment on Tenth Street in Mid-Town Atlanta.
The address where the fire took place is 275 Tenth Street, near Piedmont Park, in Atlanta. The explosion occurred about 4:15 p.m. on Tuesday, February 4, 2014.
The first reporter on the scene knew that something other than a normal house fire was apparent. The area was swarming with local, state, and federal personnel. On the scene were the ATF, the FBI, Atlanta Police as well as the Joint Terrorism Task Force. There were a number of items found outside the apartment that concerned investigators.
Not much is known about the student or what caused the fire. He was badly burned. One by-stander told the reporter that he was horribly burned on his chest, arms, and neck. He is being treated at a local hospital.
Georgia Tech released the following statement shortly after 10 p.m. on Tuesday evening.
"Georgia Tech is working with law enforcement to notify the victim's family. Until that notification is made the Institute is not able to release the victim's information. We are able to confirm a Georgia Tech graduate student was involved in an incident involving a fire in a building off of 10th street this evening. Our primary concern is to provide appropriate assistance to the victim and for his family as well as his classmates. We continue to cooperate with the investigation of incident."
It appears the student is a Turkish national.
Photo/video released shows badly burned mattress and what appears to be a plastic bottle containing lighter fluid. First reports said that the student was burned by an incendiary device. People were asked to vacate the building in the other apartments for their own safety.
Additional coverage can be seen here.
Read more: Follow @FOX5Atlanta on Twitter | FOX5Atlanta
Retro: Two Georgia Tech students were badly burned in 2010 out behind their frat house when they were mixing volatile chemicals.
For updates on this story you may wish to return to the sites above for additional information and the day goes on.
You may wish to subscribe to this page by using the tab above to receive in your inbox all future articles published. It is free
You may also wish to read other articles in Atlanta News You Can Use by clicking the author's "Content" page.


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The level of Lake Cumberland will stay right where it is.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said on July 27, 2007, the water level will hold at 680 feet unless project conditions worsen.
Lake Cumberland was lowered in January 2007, after Wolf Creek Dam was classified as high risk for structural failure. The new level reduced pressure on the dam and allowed engineers to begin repair work. The Corps said the project has responded well to the level. The lower water level has had some impact on the surrounding area.
In February 2007, the Corps requested that 11 municipal and private water supply users extend their water supply intakes to 650 feet. This would give the Corps the ability to lower the water level even more without affecting the water supply.
Several boat ramps also had to be extended because of lower levels.
The Corps is expected to decide on future pool elevations in September 2007.


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|Miami, FL
|High School:
|K12 International Academy
Did not compete in the fall ... Joined the team in January ... Won her first 16 dual matches, going undefeated in January and February ... Ended the season with a 23-5 overall singles record ... Lost just four dual matches on the year, going 20-4 ... Played mostly at the Nos. 4-6 positions ... Reached a season-high singles ranking of No. 78 on March 13 ... Defeated USC's Gabrielle DeSimone 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 at No. 5 singles on March 1, clinching a 4-3 victory for the top-ranked Bruins at No. 2 USC ... Posted two ranked singles wins on the year, downing No. 66 Mary Clayton of Duke and No. 103 Cecilia Estlander of Cal ... Went 12-5 overall in doubles ... Was 11-3 in dual matches ... Teamed with five different players, seeing action with Kaitlin Ray, Pamela Montez, Robin Anderson, Carling Seguso and McCall Jones.
High School/Juniors
Singles finalist and doubles winner (w/Kyle McPhillips) at the 2011 U.S. International Grass Court Championships in Philadelphia ... Also reached the doubles final (w/McPhillips) at the 2011 ITF Easter Bowl in Palm Springs, Calif. ... Recorded a third-place showing in doubles (w/McPhillips) at the 2011 USTA Girls' 18s National Championships in San Diego ... Took home the 16s title at the 2008 Orange Bowl Junior Tennis Championships ... Singles finalist at the 2009 USTA Girls' 16s National Championships ... Reached a career-high ITF world ranking of No. 49 in January of 2011 ... Played in three of the four junior Grand Slams (Roland Garros, Wimbledon and U.S. Open) ... Singles winner at the 2010 Argentina Cup ... Has also played extensively on the ITF Women's Circuit ... Singles semifinalist in Evansville, Ind. ...Also captured the doubles title (w/ Kelsey Laurente) in Montego Bay in 2011.
Born on Jan. 19, 1994 in Miami ... Parents are Tam and Letty ... Lists playing on stadium court at the U.S. Open as her greatest athletic thrill ... Admires Rafael Nadal ... Wanted to attend UCLA from a very young age ... Enjoys hanging out with friends in her spare time.


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Category Sponsor
Samsung Galaxy SIII
The phone geek that leans Android.
Hordes of the faithful may line up for the latest iPhone, but some folks prefer to forget the hype and focus on the product. The Samsung Galaxy SIII is one of the hottest smartphones of 2012 thanks to a sleek design, powerful hardware and loads of features. Android runs the show beneath the vivid 4.8" HD touchscreen. Features like motion-and-voice-based input, S Beam content sharing and Pop up Play picture-in-picture technology turn a nice phone into a true killer.


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1 option(s) to choose from.
The Gretsch G5435T Electromatic Pro Jet Guitar With Bigsby B50 tailpieces take on a new identity and voice with hump block fretboard inlays and black top filtertron pickups. The two tone body color scheme (black or gold top with walnut stained back and sides), fabricated with an arched maple top chambered basswood body resonates true to That Great Gretsch Sound. The G5435T has all the classic appointments such as the adjustomatic bridge, threaded knurled strap buttons, G arrow knobs and a Gretsch logo on the pickguard are proudly featured.
The Gretsch G5435T Electromatic Pro Jet Guitar With Bigsby Features


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Ellery Eskelin/Andrea Parkins/Jim Black: It's A Samba
It's A Samba
Ellery Eskelin (tenor sax), Andrea Parkins (piano, accordion, sampler), and Jim Black (drums)
Arcanum Moderne (hatOLOGY 588)
Ellery Eskelin (tenor sax), Andrea Parkins (piano, accordion, sampler), Jim Black (drums).
Composed by Ellery Eskelin.
Recorded: New York, May 31, 2002
Rating: 89/100 (learn more)
The title is truth in advertising, but with some intriguing twists. Black seems to be able to slip a heavy rock backbeat into most any material he's presented with, even within this samba. In the first phase of the song, he's given ample room to accentuate the rhythm as a response to the melody statements. The chord progressions presented by Eskelin and Parkins seem innocuous, even mirthful at first, and then grow more discordant. While Parkins's accordion moves to more dissonant territory, Eskelin holds onto traditional saxophone phrasing, eventually cutting loose and culminating in a single chord blurted out in pairs in lockstep with Parkins. That signals a return to the original drum solo/head pattern of the first section, then a brief coda by a single chord from Parkins's accordion. The Eskelin/Parkins/Black trio excels at taking a familiar, safe musical concept and subverting it. "It's A Samba," all right, but it's a samba turned on its head.
Reviewer: S. Victor Aaron
Tags: 2000s jazz
Comments are closed.


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Pre Physical Therapy
Pre-Physical Therapy is one of the undergraduate concentrations offered by the Department
of Kinesiology. Students who pursue this concentration earn the Bachelor of Science
in Exercise Science degree. Typically, these students plan on pursuing a master's
or doctoral program in Physical Therapy after completing their bachelor's degree.
The Pre-Physical Therapy program is designed to prepare students for admission into UT's
Doctorate in Physical Therapy (DPT) degree program. Thus, the curriculum has been
designed to provide all of the courses required for admission into that program.
Through electives in the Pre-PT concentration, students have the opportunity to customize
their curriculum to meet unique admission requirements that may be needed for PT programs
at other universities. An additional and very unique feature of the program is the
option for students to simultaneously pursue the DPT degree and a Ph.D. degree in
Exercise Science. This option is ideal for those who wish to ultimately pursue a
career in physical therapy education and research.
There are many factors that set the Kinesiology department's pre-PT program apart from those at other colleges and universities. These include state-of-the-art teaching labs, advanced training in human anatomy that includes experience in a cadaver lab, the opportunity to combine a degree in athletic training with the pre-PT curriculum, and an on-campus rehabilitation center in which to get clinical experience. There is no better place to prepare for a career in physical therapy than the University of Toledo's Department of Kinesiology.


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Well, it looks like President Obama has appointed another RIAA sock puppet to the US Department of Justice.
During the presidential race concerns were raised that Joe Biden (Now US Vice President) was very much in the pocket of the MPAA and the RIAA. It seems those concerns are now bearing fruit.
The latest appointment is Donald Verrilli who is the leach, um I mean lawyer that helped RIAA win $220,000 from a single mother. He will be given the post of Associate Deputy Attorney General. Verrilli's other accomplishments include pulling the plug on Grokster and suing Google on behalf of Viacom.
This is the latest in a string of RIAA lawyers that Obama has put into the DOJ.
Read more


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Does anyone know if an IME for Japanese exists which is based on the shapes of characters rather than the pronunciation. For example, I have been using Cang Jie for Chinese input recently and find it is helpful in remembering how to write characters. I was hoping I could do the same for Japanese.
Thank you :D


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What Are Shed Kits?
Shed kits were developed to reduce the hassle of building sheds from scratch. A shed kit contains parts that need to be assembled together to build a shed. It also includes detailed plans and step-by-step instructions on how to put the parts together. It should have everything you need for a shed; your only contribution will be your tools and labor.
There are plastic, metal, and wood shed kits to select from. Plastic sheds are very versatile and look good in any setting, may it be in the garden, the backyard or just beside your home. They make great storage units because they are tough and durable. Metal sheds are the cheapest and the easiest to assemble. Wooden sheds may take some time to put together, but it is definitely worth the effort and time when you see the finished product.
There is also another type of shed that uses enhanced polyethylene covers, these tent-like sheds are high grade and have powder coated steel to make the shed sturdier. The steel used for the frame is rust, corrosion and paint chipping resistant. They may not be as visually pleasing as the others, but it does its job by keeping your stored items protected. These kinds of sheds are usually used for small vehicles like bikes, motorcycles and ATVs, and also big equipment like lawn mowers and tractors, but there are bigger tent sizes that can cover something as big as a truck or a small-sized boat or yacht. They are very easy to assemble and require little to no experience to set up.
There are several sizes available in shed kits. There are small storage closets, small sheds, lockers for bikes and motorcycles, sheds that would fit bigger equipment and garages. Customers may view several products from online stores. They can pick what design they want from hundreds of available shed kits and accessories. Some special offers may even include freebies.
Over the years, manufacturers have continuously developed sheds to improve their quality. They were wise to take advantage of modern technology to build tougher and more durable sheds that we have today.
Metal Carports Vs. Garages
A metal carport and a metal garage are both made of galvanized steel and have the same functions – to create a parking spot for your vehicle and to keep your vehicle safe from the elements. To most people, carports and garages seem to be just one thing. So how are they different?
Metal Carports:
The one thing that distinguishes a carport from a garage is that it has no doors. No doors means less or no security at all. Carports usually do not have walls, although some carport kits contain one or two walls that can cover the sides. Sometimes carports even have a back wall. The idea here is just that carports have at least one side open, of course, it is the side where the car would go through. Needing fewer materials to build a carport, they are way cheaper than garages and quicker to assemble. They can also be used for other purposes besides parking cars. Because they are light and portable, you can use them for outdoor parties, when you're having a barbecue or when you just want some shade from the sun. Carports do not need special flooring. Depending on the model, you can set it on cold hard concrete or have it freestanding on a dirt road or on grass. Since carports do not have a door, its entrance is wide. It prevents your vehicle from being scratched or dented while parking.
Metal Garages:
Metal garages on the other hand, offer more protection for your vehicle. Since they are designed to keep your car fully enclosed, they protect it from bad weather conditions and harsh elements. Since all sides are covered, you will know that your car is safe and snug. Metal garages are more secure than carports because they keep your vehicles enclosed and they have lockable doors. Installed alarm systems give additional security. You can also make the doors easier to roll up and down, swing or slide with automatic door installations. Garages are very versatile in the sense that even though they are mainly there for cars, they can also be used as a storage area for your tools and equipment. Since they keep your stuff hidden from outside, they can double as storage sheds.
There are hundreds of metal carport and garage options to choose from online and in stores. Why choose metal, you may ask? Because it offers years of durability and warranty, ease of use, easy maintenance and assembly. Most of all, because it would save you a lot of money. Metal carports are a better choice for those who are on a tight budget. They are a good alternative for garages. Contact your home improvement center or metal shed dealer to find a good deal on a carport or garage.


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Dec 17, 2009 8:48 AM
We're seriously crushing on the Twelfth St. by Cynthia Vincent Outlaw Clutch ($298)! We're loving the combo of tribal influence with a bit of a city edge. The gorgeous colors, leather tassel, studs and whipstitching are also fab little details. And best of all, this clutch is rather oversized so we can fill it with our cash, plastic, cosmetic goodies, communication devices and more.
If you've got a product or service that you'd like to promote on Outblush, click here to find out about our advertising opportunities.
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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If I had an unlimited budget, I would hand my gold Amex (hey, we're dreaming here) right over to Lauren and ask her to just go to town on my house (still dreaming). Her design aesthetic (and kick-ass styling abilities) are incredibly impressive. The girl use to work for Camille Styles... I mean HELLO. Like this (see here) shoot she did the other day was eye candy heaven to me. And this home (see here) and this home (see here) she designed. And this room re-vamp on a budget (see here) she did with one of my favorite people. And this (see here) awesome DIY project I recreated for my home.
Ok, you get it. Lauren is awesome and now her home tour is on The Everygirl. I did nothing but interview her, try to narrow down my favorite photos (very hard), and force her into an online friendship.
See the entire tour here: http://theeverygirl.com/lauren-kelps-phoenix-home-tour


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Do you ever think about how often you use the word "trust" or find yourself thinking about issues of trust in your working relationships? In communications there is a concept that says, "the meanings of the words we use are often in the people who use them, not in the words themselves." Talking about trust is a common example of the concept.
We say, "I don't trust that person." Have we defined the "standard" we use to decide whether or not to trust that person? Have we communicated that standard to the person? Do we give honest feedback when they earn our trust or fail to earn it?
Our network of relationship can be small or large. In either case we need to define for ourselves, person by person, what our standard is for trusting that person. We might discover that we have one standard for all or different standards for different reasons. Our past experience shapes our willingness to trust but that experience might be completely separate from the person who I am now reluctant to trust. For example, I was recently coaching an individual who commented that one of the things he struggled with was lack of trust that the company was telling employees the "whole story" about business conditions. As a result regardless of whether the message about the business came from his boss or the General Manager, he always left the meeting believing there was more than he had been told. It turns out, this is his first job following a lay off that took him completely by surprise because the employee briefings at that company had always painted a positive picture of the business.
Are we prepared to accept the responsibility that comes with telling people we are reluctant to trust others? It is easy to say we are cautious in trusting others but more difficult to look in the mirror and ask ourselves how easy or difficult it is for others to trust us. Another example: in recently coaching a team both individually and collectively part of my work had been to conduct psychological testing, benchmark each person's data, develop a written report and provide an in-depth one-on-one feedback and coaching session. During the sessions I review the supporting data in detail, explain what metrics relate to what strength or development areas, explain the science and methodology of assessments, etc. Throughout the process I repeatedly ask questions such as, "does what the data indicate look, feel, sound familiar to you?" "Does it seem to be accurate?" I also tell them, "If there are areas in which you disagree I will go back over the data with you again and I encourage you to seek feedback from others about the things you disagree on."
In the course of the coaching work with the team, I became aware that outside of the one-on-one sessions, this person was telling others that he didn't believe a few tests could accurately identify your strengths and development areas, he was involved because it wasn't optional and he thought "this team building stuff" is a waste of time. At our next session, I asked him about his level of trust with the members of the team. He began to talk about a myriad of reasons that he was reluctant to trust certain members.
I asked him, "As an example, if you discovered that one of them was making negative comments about something you felt was important and useful but they had never told you that is how they felt, you would not view them as trustworthy? Correct?" His immediate answer was, "Yes." So I next asked him, "So if in working with this team as a coach other members of the team told me that another member of the team was making negative comments about the process and thinks it is a waste of time, I would have reason not to trust that person. Correct?" He went pale.
My coaching and feedback to him was this: If people are going to build trust in their relationships it is a two way street. I can't label you as not being worthy of my trust and then do things that make you question my trustworthiness. So, let's talk about your feelings regarding this process and your opinions and perceptions of it. I will respect your opinion even if it is the complete opposite of others on the team. I owe you that respect. What you owe me is a truthful opinion expressed directly to me. The same holds true for every relationship you have with your teammates. The question you have to answer for yourself is how truthful you are willing to be.


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Verizon Casio G'Zone Commando Android 2.3 Gingerbread update now rolling out
Verizon's rugged Casio G'Zone Commando has now caught up with its higher-end non-rugged counterparts in the Android world, for it has received an update to Android 2.3 Gingerbread, which is the latest version of Google's mobile operating system.
We heard that this was going to happen, and according to Android Police the update is now rolling out. The G'Zone Commando launched running Android 2.2 Froyo back in April, and that has been one of its major downsides ever since. Now though you won't need to worry. Not only will the Casio G'Zone Commando impress your friends with its ruggedness, but you won't have to look away in shame when OS versions are discussed.
The update comes over-the-air, so your device should notify you when it's available. If you're impatient, you can always go to Settings > About phone > System updates > Check new.
Aside from the Gingerbread platform upgrade, this update brings with it a decent amount of bug fixes and performance enhancements. The full list is available in this PDF. Verizon also provides full update instructions via this PDF.


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One of the few wireless speakers that caught my attention amid a mass of competitors at the 2014 CES was the incredibly versatile Soundcast Melody.
A winner of the 2014 International CES Innovations Design and Engineering Award, the Melody is a portable, all weather Bluetooth speaker, with an appealing state of the art design, built in 20-hour rechargeable battery and an extraordinarily rich eight-speaker design with 360-degree stereo sound. Weighing just nine pounds, the Melody can be transported just about anywhere, from parks and beaches to outdoor parties and receptions. The system is equipped with the latest in Bluetooth technology – version 3.0, has a typical range of up to 32 feet, operating in the 2.4GHz band and is splash resistant.
The Melody Speaker comes with an AC adapter, USB cable, 12V auto adapter, 1/8" (3.5mm) audio cable and a Quick Start guide. The faceplate has just a handful of buttons to familiarize oneself with the operation – power button, Bluetooth, volume up, volume down and a tracking unit similar to a DVD player, with a track back button, pause, play and track forward. The rear of the unit has a small section for an auxiliary input or micro USB power input.
After charging the Melody the suggested amount of time using the AC power adapter, the next step is to pair the device with a music player, such as an iPod or smartphone. The Melody also works with music apps, such as Pandora, Spotify, Rhapsody, and iTunes from either Mac or PC platforms. With a simple press of the Bluetooth button, it was remarkably easy to connect the device with an iPhone and literally discovered and paired the smartphone in seconds.
A legendary rock band that performed at a private event during the 2014 CES, Fleetwood Mac, was an excellent choice in analyzing the Melody's sound quality. The result was phenomenal, with crystal clear clarity, even when pushing the volume to its higher ranges, enough to fill the entire home and outdoors. After five selections, a range of musical tastes were experimented with, including the likes of Black Sabbath, White Stripes, Kings of Leon, Rihanna and Macklemore and each time, the Melody continued to impress with excellent results, even outdoors at the beach and later within a redwood forest.
Powered by four full-range drivers and four bass radiators, with no noticeable distortion, even after a the power boost function was enabled, the Melody Bluetooth speakers seems to be well deserving of its 2014 CES award. Soundcast says users "may experience some distortion or noise" when the battery is running low, although during testing over a few days, there was no discernible evidence of distortion or noise.
In summation, the Melody Bluetooth speaker is a certifiable winner and well worth the investment for consumers looking for a high-end device with superior sound. For this review performed within the home and outdoors, the Melody gets a five star rating.
San Diego-based Soundcast Systems offers a full line of extraordinary portable music systems and wireless audio solutions. For more information or for purchases, please visit their official website.
Soundcast Melody Specifications
Four full-range drivers + Four bass radiators in a stereo
360º array using IMPP cones and rubber surrounds.
Proprietary Soundcast DPAT (Dynamic Power
Amplification Technology) with burst power, provides
maximum power and battery efficiency to delivery high
volume, distortion free audio to the 8 speaker system.
3.5mm auxiliary audio input
Micro-USB for USB charging (.5mA to 2.1A)
High-capacity Lithium ion rechargeable internal battery
Bluetooth V3.0
A2DP V.1.2 (aptX and AAC codecs support)
Proprietary 16 bit
Diameter 9.0" (22.9 cm) Height 9.5" (24.1 cm)
9 lbs (20.3kg)


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The full question :
Find 2 functions $f,g: \mathbb R \to \mathbb R$
$f,g \neq 0 $
so that $fg = 0$
The confusing part is the way it is written, as far as I can tell there is no product of anything other than $0$ which yields $0$, is there??
Perhaps they meant $f(g(x))$ in this question?
Thanks in advance


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|Berkeley Parents Network
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|What's New
Please Note! BPN is now a 501(c)(3) non-profit and has moved to a new website: BerkeleyParentsNetwork.org
Play Structures
Please Note! BPN is now a 501(c)(3) non-profit and has moved to a new website: BerkeleyParentsNetwork.org
|Related Pages
Any thoughts out there on whether it is more cost effective to build or buy a kids fort w/ attached play equip. i.e. tire swing, slide, or climbing structure? They have full service vendors, and then they have places you can order the equip, but hire your own carpenter or contractor. Has anyone done this recently. I'm not good at these decisions and have no idea of costs. I have a designated space in our yard, a visual idea of what we want for my 5 year old. She'd like to have something like a tree house or fort to make her own, w/ a tire swing and climbing rope. Can you also recommend a carpenter for me to talk to? Anxious to get started!
Has anyone bought one of the big backyard play structures - the really big ones, that have a couple of swings, a big slide, a raised fort, monkey bars, etc.? Where did you get yours? How did you choose? My mom wants to get one for her house for the kids to play on when they're there, and we're debating between a plastic one (e.g., from Little Tikes or Step 2) and a wooden one. What were they like in terms of assembly, upkeep and sturdiness? Thanks - Lisa
Hi, I was thinking of buying one of those large wooden play structures for my children to play on. However, we will be living in a rental for another year before buying a home. My question is how difficult would it be to assemble and then disassemble and move one of these structures? Is it worth it to go ahead and get one (which I really want to do) or better to wait until it has a permanent space? Thanks Lisa
Can anyone suggest a good place to get a wooden backyard playstructure for kids? There seem to be a lot of options and I'm a little overwhelmed. Also, anyone have a good person to install and build the box that it will go in? Thanks so much! heidi
my daughter is 6 years old and we finally have a backyard to fit a play structure. I was wondering though, how old do kids usually play on them until (tire swing, monkey bar, rings, play house on top of structure, climbing wall etc) it's so expensive and i'd hate to spend all that money for a year or 2. thanks. bb
We are looking for a put-it-together-yourself swing set. We would like 2 swings and a trapeze plus a wood frame and all the nuts and bolts necessary to secure everything together. Can anyone recommend a place where we could buy this - locally or on the internet? Thank you. David and Vivienne
I'm looking for a two swings and a slide play structure. I've seen similar in many Berkeley back yards, but don't know where to get one. The archives mention one place in Martinez, one place in San Mateo and one catalog. Is there any place local? Has anyone bought one lately? (Some of the recommendation are from 1996.) Karen
We got our playstucture last May and the kids (age 4 and 2) played on it everyday!! Even now they like to play on it while bundled up in coats!! Yes, it's expensive, but if you move, the playsture can move with you. After seeing ours, a girlfriend went and ordered one too. Any questions, e-mail or call me. Kathleen
Leslie (July 1999)
Can anyone tell me the name of that cushy rubbery ground cover you see on newer playgounds to soften falls? Does anyone know where it's available? If it turns out to be too expensive, can anyone recommend a good alternative for covering dirt in a backyard (20 ft. x 20 ft. space) with a safe material that's safe for kids to play on? Thanks a bunch! Mom looking for playstructure ground cover
We could use recommendations on what to use to fill in a play area for our toddlers outdoor play structure. We need to add a cushioning material under the play structure and its slide. We cannot use sand because of the number of wild cats in our area (they would use a sand box as a litter box!). We will likely keep this play area a number of years and replace the toddler structure with larger play gear for older kids as ours grow up. Bark does not appeal to us either because it isn't very soft. Any ideas? Anon Mom with twins
Anyone have experience with various materials used to cover the ground around a swingset or fort? If you used woodchips, what kind did you use? Did you have a problem with bits of it sticking to kids clothes? thanks in advance for your recommendations, karlyn
Wanting to buy some backyard slides and stuff like that, I've been looking for ground covering materials that might make a backyard slide safer. I didn't find anything until we bought a very small slide that just so happened to contain much of the needed information. The information with the slide came from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and you can find out more about Playground Surfacing Materials at: The CPSC is at: http://www.cpsc.gov.
Possibly more relevant are their safety publications at: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/pub_idx.html
The Playground Surfacing Materials brochure is good reading: they discuss rubber mats, sand, wood mulch, wood chips, bark chips. My take is that "double shredded bark mulch" is a good choice: relatively inexpensive at Home Depot (I priced something like that (but was it double shredded?) at $2.99 for 2 cubic feet), relatively attractive to look at, relative unattractive for cats and dogs. 9 inches of "uncompressed bark" protects for a fall up to 10 feet. 9 inches of "compressed" bark protects for a fall up to 7 feet. Now all that said, my particular problem is still present: I have a concrete backyard, and the CPSC says that this mulch should not be applied over existing hard surfaces (so maybe I'll just add more...?)
To the person wanting to make concrete safe: My son is allegic to dust mites, so we had to get rid of all our rugs. We put down a "rug" made from rubber 1-ft-by-1-ft squares -- the alphabet squares that you often see in catalogs and kids stores. You might want to check if they are sturdy enough for outdoor use.
The house we moved into a year ago has an old homemade play structure that's in pretty bad shape. The main problem is that the wood is very weathered, split & cracked; the neighbor kids informed us when we moved in that it was all splintery and not good to play on. I don't know what kind of wood it is--certainly not redwood, probably whatever was cheapest 10-15 (20?) years ago. It looks like the whole thing could use a good sanding, which would be a big job. Does anyone have any experience with this kind of thing, or know someone who might be able to either refurbish it for us or look at it and tell us if it's worth trying to save? Our son wants to be climbing it, and I'd like to figure out soon whether to tear it down or try to fix it up. Any suggestions for people or approaches would be great. Thanks.
''There is nothing in medicine more expensive or more futile than attempting to keep a corpse from stinking'' Some Greek dude, long dead himself.
The question reminds me of various techniques used for the temporary resuscitation of dead wooden rowboats. Yes, you can patch it up so it doesn't leak, much, but it's still a dead boat.
The tools are similar, and are commonly found in the Roofing section of Home Depot.
First, is the play structure sound enough to bother with. You, the adult, should stomp, swing, attack it with a pocket knife and otherwise give it a right good rogering to determine if it will collapse under similar ministrations by Junior. This is called Proof Testing, and is common in engineering practice. Rot is your enemy - checking, twisting, and splintering can be ignored for the time being.
If it survives the Parent Proof Test, and you do too, then it's time to preserve what you've got left. Hit the whole structure with some sort of primer - I like Firzite, you're looking for a thin, runny sort of stuff WITHOUT silicone in it. Next, give the whole thing 2 coats of aluminized roof paint. This will seal out the water and rot spores, and smooth out the rough bits.
Advanced repairs may involve wood butchery to replace rotted sections with new, and using roofing tar, roofing nails and flashing to seal any gaps, cracks, and plywood end grain that are notorious rot pockets. You, the Carpenter in Charge, need to constantly evaluate whether this structure is worthy of your attentions, given your wallet, the remaining years your kids will use the structure, your time, your level of risk tolerance, etc.
You could always cart the whole thing down to Adventure Playground....
''Been There, Done That, Still Standing''
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