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· There are no substitutions allowed
· The winner will not be permitted to play any additional contest where the potential value is to exceed more then $600 for the duration of one year from Sunday, September 1, 2013.
· If the winner has accumulated an excess of $600 between January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2013, they will be mailed a MISC 1099 for tax purposes.
· It is the responsibility of the winner to pay any and all taxes associated with this or any other price won from Pikes Peak Television.
· All departure taxes, insurance, fees and fuel surcharges (approximately $310-$368 per person, subject to change) will be advised by Apple Promotional Bookings and must be paid by the traveler to Apple Vacations prior to departure. These taxes include:
o i. Airport departure taxes
o ii. Airport arrival taxes
o iii. Airline Fuel surcharges
o iv. Tour-guard Insurance
6. Contest Dates. Entries for this Contest will be accepted only on Saturday, August 31, 2013 and Sunday, September 1, 2013.
7. Pikes Peak Radio LLC reserves the right to amend these rules at any time without notice.
Name: _______________________________________________


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Design Inspiration from Small Hotel Rooms
If ever a place for efficient space, it's a hotel room. Compact, user-friendly and easy to upkeep, hotel rooms are always an inspirational source for rearranging your furniture.
Whether you're paying for a stay or just stealing ideas, here's a look at few of the hippest little rooms on the market.
• 1,2,3 Ace Hotel, New York
&bull 5; Mama Shelter, Paris
• 6,7,8 Hotel Fox, Copenhagen
• 10 Motel 6

subset: commoncrawl


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Definition of filter feeding in English:
filter feeding
(Of an aquatic animal) feeding by filtering out plankton or nutrients suspended in the water.
Example sentences
- The current can make diving difficult but also acts as a conveyor-belt, supplying all those filter-feeding creatures with food.
- Positively associated with these differences are differences in growth rate and abundance of filter-feeding invertebrates (mussels, barnacles).
- Unlike filter-feeding ducks, which raise self-feeding chicks, lesser flamingos must feed their young for the first ten to twelve weeks of their lives.
filter-feed verb
- Example sentences
- However, it should be noted that these different site-specific growth rates may also be related to increased time to filter-feed for the mussels situated in the low zone.
- Some are parasitic, notably the leeches and myzostomarians; others filter-feed or prey on other invertebrates.
- Some, in particular the basket stars, filter-feed on plankton with their arms.
filter feeder noun
- Example sentences
- Tadpoles tend to school, and be filter-feeders.
- Because they are filter-feeders, pollutants in the water will accumulate in the tissue of mussels until they reach a toxic level killing the organism.
- Alternatively, it may simply have been adapted as a wading filter-feeder on rocky or uneven bottoms.
For editors and proofreaders
Syllabification: fil·ter feed·ing
What do you find interesting about this word or phrase?
Comments that don't adhere to our Community Guidelines may be moderated or removed.
= trending


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One Augusta couple is helping some children in need, and Christmas came a little early. Their own personal struggles led them to spend their lives giving to others.
Henry Walker spent much of his childhood trying to survive life in an orphanage. So the child left on the front steps of a church in his wife Mila's native Philipeans inspired them to help others.
"That orphan didn't come about by us, we think that God gave us this orphan in order to serve him." Walker said.
"I think back to my husband's life, and because of others, he's the person I'm with now," said Mila.
So the Walkers opened an orphanage in the Philipeans. And for children in our area, they collect Christmas presents every year.
Each of the thirty four children will have presents under the tree to open. Around 300 presents fill the room.
Every child gets a box, and every family gets food. Something Hurricane Katrina victim Denise James and her children are very excited about.
"It took a lot of burned off cause we couldn't afford presents this year," James said.
Many families here couldn't afford presents for their children this year, but gifts filled the room at New Life Baptist because of donations by church members and friends.
"Even if we don't get any thank-yous, it's alright, " Mila said.
Because Henry and Mila say their inspiration comes from above. Henry believes his experience growing up inspires him to touch lives today.
"I've never had anyone to pick me up and put me in their arms, and say "I love you. That's the part I missed," he said.
So every year, every day, they try to change the lives of children and let them know that they are loved.
If you want to get involved in Henry and Mila's ministry help orphans overseas, contact Ezra Christian Academy at 706-592-6037 or log on at ezrachristianministry.com


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This is an excerpt from EERE Network News, a weekly electronic newsletter.
March 03, 2010
DOE Offers $100 Million for Innovative Energy Research Projects
DOE issued three Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) on March 2 that offer $100 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding for the third round of its Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E) program. The FOAs, announced at the first ARPA-E summit in Washington, D.C., are focused on innovations in three areas of technology: grid storage, power converters, and cooling systems for buildings. The goal is to promote U.S. leadership in the emerging global market for these advanced energy technologies, while cutting greenhouse gas emissions and reducing U.S. electrical consumption by as much as 30%.
Specifically, the ARPA-E program aims to support the development of modular, cost-effective, grid-scale energy storage technologies, including advanced system prototypes and proof-of-concept projects that address critical shortcomings of existing grid-scale energy storage technologies. For power converters, the ARPA-E program seeks fundamental advances in soft (non-permanent) magnets, high-voltage switches, and high-density charge storage. By coupling these to advanced circuit architectures and scalable manufacturing, the program aims to leapfrog existing power converter performance while offering reductions in cost. The program breaks down power converters into three categories: chip-scale power converters; kilowatt-scale power converters for grid-tied photovoltaic systems and variable-speed motors; and medium-voltage energy converters for high-power applications, such as electrical substations and wind turbine generators. For building cooling technologies, the program seeks cooling systems that use refrigerants with low global warming potential, efficient air conditioning systems for warm and humid climates, and vapor-compression air conditioning systems for hot climates. Technologies should ideally be suited for both retrofits and new cooling systems. Concept papers must be submitted by April 2, but the deadline for complete applications has not yet been determined. See the DOE press release and the FOAs.
Funded last year with $400 million from the Recovery Act, ARPA-E previously selected 37 projects from its first solicitation in early 2009. That initial opportunity sought transformational innovations in energy storage, biofuels, carbon capture, renewable power, building efficiency, and vehicle designs. ARPA-E's second solicitation, announced in December 2009, yielded nearly 500 concept papers focused on new approaches for biofuels, carbon capture, and batteries for electric vehicles. As part of the ARPA-E summit, DOE also released a new video showcasing Sun Catalytix's first-round project to develop a unique technology that mimics photosynthesis. The technology splits water into oxygen and hydrogen, which can be used for fuel. See the ARPA-E Web site and the Sun Catalytix video on YouTube.


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Hi scotster,
You should be able to configure pms-mlx for your needs and the number of files shouldn't be an issue either. For the movies it should be pretty simple, for the series it might require some more manual configuration depending on how you'd like the files to show up.
I'd do it like that:
- In the tree view, add folder called Movies in the Video folder and set a condition 'folder path starts with G'. This way, only files located on your G drive will show up.
- Uncheck 'Show videos' for this folder to avoid having to show all 900 files in this folder (it would take ages).
- Right-click on the created Movies folder -> Add Auto folder -> with Movie property = Genre. This will add a folder for every genre you've got in the library
- Add whatever other folders you'd like to have in there
If you've imported file properties for series with the TheTVDB import plugin and chose to import the SeriesName property, you can proceed the same way as described for the movies.
- Create a 'Series' folder without condition and with sort by SortName ascending
- Uncheck 'Show videos' for this folder.
- Right-click on the created Series folder -> Add Auto folder -> with Tag = SeriesName.
This way you'll have a folder for each series, containing all episodes of the serie, where the episodes will be sorted in ascending order.
Hope this helps


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Love can hurt. But divorce can hurt even more, especially if you are a celebrity. Here are some of the stars' most expensive splits.
Most expensive celebrity divorcesUPDATED 2:00 AM EDT Aug 17, 2016
Slideshow Central
CommentsThe 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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Friday, November 29, 2013
Pure Luxury
Posted by Shreve & Co. at 8:38:17 PM in Furrer Jacot (29)
When you purchase a Furrer-Jacot band, you are purchasing a piece of superb craftsmanship. Each piece of jewelry created by Furrer-Jacot has behind it a tradition of fine craftsmanship that has been passed down from one generation to the next for over 155 years. Blending age-old techniques with innovative high technology, Furrer-Jacot adheres to its tradition of excellence and unsurpassed quality. Every aspect of the jewelry pieces are made one ring at a time by highly-skilled jewelers at the company's shops in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. Unique and individualized, Furrer-Jacot's dramatic designs are made for the people who are not afraid to stand out. Extremely eye-catching, the bands are a pure luxury to wear such as the Men's Brushed Chain Link Wedding Band which is superbly crafted in 18K yellow, white or rose gold. This highly-unique band has a satin smooth finish that fells extremely comfortable against the skin.
Visit Shreve & Co. on Post Street in San Francisco to find the Furrer-Jacot band just for you.
References: http://www.furrer-jacot.com/
Written by Shreve & Co. at 8:38:17 PM in Furrer Jacot (29) | Comments (0)
Commenting has been turned off for this entry.


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Serena Williams back at No. 1 with Qatar Open win
By MICHAEL CASEY AP Sports Writer
Not a subscriber? You can purchase a single-day subscription for only $0.75 to read this and access all of our content and our E-Edition. CLICK HERE purchase a single day subscription.
Become an electronic subscriber to the Republican-American for only $8 a month. CLICK HERE.


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Thanks to Colin M Day and Furtherrr Collective for the video.
The Furtherrr Collective is made up of…
Mars-1, Damon Soule, Oliver Vernon, David Choong Lee, and Nome Edonna.
Symbiosis Gathering at Pyramid Lake, NV was a week long music and arts festival that took place on the sacred land of the Paiute Tribe. This video is a visual tour of the event ranging from the construction during massive wind/dust storms, the artists of Furtherrr painting live in the Trilobite, Vau de Vire Society's burlesque show and the Annular Solar Eclipse that was the climax of the festival.


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Conversations: Clinical Trial Data, Transparency and Patient Privacy
Clinical Trials Data: Balancing Transparency and Patient Privacy
08.20.13 | By
Bringing a medicine to patients, from discovery through FDA review, is a lengthy, costly and sometimes unpredictable process. On average, it takes 10-15 years and an investment of more than $1 billion. As noted previously on the Catalyst, only one out of 5,000-10,000 potential new medicines make it through the multiple and rigorous pre-clinical and clinical trials phases and is ultimately approved by the FDA for patient use. When patients are depending on these advancements to improve or save their lives, the stakes couldn't be higher.
By all accounts, these trials produce significant amounts of statistical data - both positive and negative - on the safety and efficacy of these potential new medicines, as well as data specific to the patients who are participating in the studies. These data are shared with the FDA, NIH and other regulatory bodies.
PhRMA's member companies are committed to enhancing public health through responsible reporting and publication of clinical research and safety information, as reflected in new joint Principles for Responsible Clinical Trial Data Sharing recently announced by PhRMA and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA).
The issue of how best to strike a balance between transparency and patient privacy is critical. It's a conversation that brings a number of unique perspectives to the table. While viewpoints differ, it's clear that the common thread is advancing patient health.
For our question this week, we ask the following:
How do we balance the public health benefit of sharing clinical study information with the need to respect patient privacy and encourage continued innovation?
We hope you take a moment to review the current responses and contribute your own thoughts as well via the comments section.


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mindtoast wrote: I love that Nobel winning guys quote:
"people are looking for innocuous ways to deal with this problem, and there aren't any"
WrathChild wrote: Awesome! Good to see TSIBR getting updated again. Gonna check it out now.
T-Wrex wrote: Welcome back.
Started to wonder if The Fed assassinated you..
redball wrote: Josh, this should have been at least a 3 part post. You can write it all at once and just schedule the postings.
Now that you're back and caught up you shouldn't post anything like this anymore. Basically, you could've posted about a dozen small posts commenting on each article/topic. It would break things up to avoid tl;dr, and it would give a more constant stream of content.
You're a smart dude, we need to build up your following.
Also, check out blogger's newer templates. I know you're more concerned with content than design but there's a lot of evidence that suggests you'll be more trusted as a source if you simply change the template from the default.
jakethesnake wrote: Great post! Although there seems to be some critical information missing. Where do the Rothschilds fit in to the equation of global currency war?
jakethesnake wrote: The bit about the Rothschilds was sort of tongue-in-cheek, but your response was perfect. The part about the value of Gold made me think of it. The Rothschild family has a lot of investment in gold right? What do you think about gold even with the currency situation?
I'm not so sure about the new world order bit. I can definitely see the pros and cons of a single government. Hell, think of just the time or money loss resulting simply from the size of the body needed to govern the whole world...


text: When you're swingin' hard, you can't be afraid of losing your grip! That's why it's important EVERY golfer has a pair of gloves that they trust. And that's why your favorite Golfin' Caveman always keeps a wide variety of golf gloves around The Cave. Whether you prefer FootJoy, TaylorMade, Callaway or another brand of golf gloves, I'm bound to have just what you're looking for! -Scratch the Caveman


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BOULDER, Colo. -- Cal got the early break it needed at Colorado on Sunday afternoon, and it didn't make a bit of difference in an 81-71 loss at the Coors Event Center.
Colorado's Andre Roberson, the nation's leading rebounder, picked up two fouls in the first two minutes and didn't play the rest of the first half.
"Their best player's out with two fouls early," Cal's Allen Crabbe said. "You just feel like that's our spark right there."
It wasn't. The Buffaloes didn't need him while racing to a 34-18 halftime lead in front of 10,132 fans and a dozen NBA scouts. The margin was fueled by frighteningly bad shooting by the Golden Bears.
Cal (11-8, 3-4 Pac-12) shot just 20.6 percent (7 of 34) in the opening 20 minutes. At one point, the Bears scored two points in a span of 16 possessions.
"I thought our shot selection was random, thought we panic-shot a little bit," Cal coach Mike Montgomery said. "The ball was not moving -- that's as simple as I can put it."
Point guard Justin Cobbs and Pac-12 scoring leader Allen Crabbe led a Cal comeback in the second half, combining for 33 points. They had just 10 in the first half.
The Bears got as close as eight points in the final minute, before Colorado iced the game by making eight straight free throws.
Three days after winning at Utah, Montgomery speculated about his team's mindset as they faced the Buffaloes (14-6, 4-4) at 5,345-foot elevation, where they are 41-5 the past three seasons.
"You wonder if they really thought they could win," said Montgomery, noting that starting forward David Kravish was slowed by a minor ankle sprain. "You hate to think that, but that's how kids are. It's like a self-fulfilling prophecy.
"I'm just saying you don't know what's going on (in their heads). So we compounded (it) by just not making good decisions on the shots we took."
Cobbs, who led the Bears with 22 points, said he didn't enter the game with doubts.
"As a competitor, you never go into a game thinking you're going to lose," he said. "I feel like we can beat anyone if we just play together and play like we did in the second half. I don't think we came out with any mindset that we couldn't win."
The Bears were fortunate the game was as close as it was at halftime. Without 10 first-half turnovers by Colorado, Montgomery said, "it would have been a disaster."
Cal scored the first seven points of the second half to close to 34-25, but the Buffaloes shot 71.4 percent in the second half to overcome 10 more turnovers and the Bears' offensive surge.
Guard Askia Booker -- a former teammate of Crabbe's at Price High in Los Angeles -- led the Buffs with 20 points. Roberson finished with 15.
Crabbe totaled 21 points after producing just four at halftime on 1-for-7 shooting. It was the sixth time this season he has scored at least 16 points in the second half, but he has averaged only 6.5 points in the first half of those games, in which Cal is 3-3.
"Allen is unselfish, that's just his game," Cobbs said. "But you have to understand, on this team there's not a lot of guys who can do what he can do."
Crabbe said: "The times when I pass up shots, I'm overthinking. Whatever I need to do to help my team, I'm going to do. If I need to shoot more, I'm going to do that."
Cal scored 53 second-half points on 60 percent shooting.
"Hopefully, we start to figure out how we need to play, what shots we need to take and who needs to take them," Montgomery said. "That would be a great step forward for us."
For more on Cal sports, see the Bear Talk blog at ibabuzz.com/beartalk. Follow Jeff Faraudo on Twitter at twitter.com/CalBearsBANG.


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Chronicling the rise of boxer Irish Micky Ward and the fall and redemption of his half-brother Dickie Ecklund, The Fighter is emerging as the film of the year. Starring Dorchester-born and raised Mark Wahlberg and a nearly unrecognizable Christian Bale, the film is a no holds barred tour through the underside of the American Dream. CAHIR O'DOHERTY reviews the film already hailed by the critics as Oscar bait of the highest order.
If you think The Fighter (the brilliant new film opening on limited release on Friday starring Mark Walhberg and Christian Bale) will just be one more retread of Rocky you have a surprise in store -- Sylvester Stallone never made a film this affecting or this raw.
Based on the true-life story of Lowell, Massachusetts boxing champion Irish Micky Ward, at first glance the plot looks like an all-too familiar outsider chasing the American Dream tale. But thanks to a tight script, flawless direction and some career-best performances from the cast, The Fighter actually turns out to be much better than the sum of its parts.
Wahlberg plays Ward, the true life Irish American boxing hero who keeps missing his opportunity to advance to the big leagues. There's a good reason for that -- he's managed by own mother, with all the conflicts that come with it.
And he's completely overshadowed by his half-brother Dickie (Bale), the once upon a time golden boy who went the distance against Sugar Ray Leonard before morphing into a directionless crack addict. As raw deals go, Micky's working with one the one of the worst of them.
Wahlberg, who shot to fame in the early 1990s as the rapper Marky Mark, and who was born and raised in the Irish stronghold of Dorchester in Boston, has never been better in a role, but the film's emotional center (and its Oscar hopes) belong to Bale and Amy Adams, both of whom are sensational throughout.
In particular Bale, most famous for his Batman roles, will be unrecognizable to his many fans. In The Fighter he's peeled off the pounds to play the former boxing hero turned an emaciated crack addict (his facial wasting is so pronounced that you actually worry about his health). It's hard to think of another actor in recent years who has shown this kind of dedication to a role, or undergone this kind of drastic transformation.
And Adams more than holds her own here too. Dirtying up her good girl image (no more scowling nuns or perky princesses?) she plays Charlene Fleming, a been around the block Irish American beauty who's comfortable being an underachiever until she meets Ward and sees a bright future she never anticipated. The budding romance between the two provides what little sweetness the film offers, and Adams and Wahlberg play their parts flawlessly.
But in The Fighter the biggest fights of Micky's life happen out of the ring in his own family circle. In scene after scene Ward reels from the blows to his heart and soul that are thrown by his own mother and his manipulative older brother, and he doesn't find his feet until his burgeoning romance with Charlene unexpectedly puts him on the road to the championship.
You can see why this project appealed to Wahlberg. Set in exactly the kind of tough working class Irish American neighborhood he grew up in, The Fighter is a film about two siblings (who are often rivals) who have a difficult relationship with their mother.
In the film (and in life) Dickie was famous before Micky, just as Wahlberg's older brother Donnie was a star in the pop group New Kids on the Block long before Marky Mark hit the charts. Even the brushes with the law, the trouble with drugs and lives seemingly spiraling out of control are subjects that both the boxer and the actor know intimately.
That kind of strong identification with a storyline can lead to an unusual degree of authenticity, and it's what makes The Fighter so compelling from its opening reel. Filmed with a sparse, you-are-there style by director David O. Russell, it's has an edgy independent look that suits the gritty subject matter.
Unusually in such a character driven tale, lots of screen time is given to the superb supporting cast too. As Micky's mother and manager Melissa Leo is a fierce mix of maternal pride and selfishness in a performance that should win her a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nod. Each scene in which her frosted blond 1980s hairdo appears is a theatrical smack down in its own right.
Actors and producers like to brag about how difficult the journey was before their film got the go-ahead, but the truth is The Fighter really was a years long labor of love.
Wahlberg first met the real-life Micky Ward in the early 1990s when he was just 18 and he fell under the boxer's spell. But it was years before he realized what a great film his friend's life would make.
"We used to run into each other at different events and stuff like that in Boston," Wahlberg told the press this week. "I was always a huge fan of his," he added. But he admitted it was years before he realized Micky's story would make a powerful film.


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Jasmines, in the genus Jasminum and olive family (Oleaceae), are tropical and subtropical shrubs and vines, mostly grown for the exquisite fragrance.
Last year I tried growing Madagascar Jasmine for the first time. It did not last and died a few months after the blooming period ended.
I have been reluctant to try my hand at the indoor jasmine. But two weeks ago I decided that -- for $9.99 -- I should just enjoy the abundant, dainty, elongated buds and dark green foliage, while visualizing soon to-be-opened white flowers and imagining the heavenly scent through out my living room.
2.26.13 - Jasmine, in the back row
Yesterday the first two flowers opened up, followed by two more today. I have already enjoyed inhaling the lovely fragrance countless times.
The blooming period should last at least a few more weeks.
I am planning to put it in the ground in late spring and bring it indoors in the fall.
Jasmine is used in tea, syrup, oil, perfume and incense.
They are the national flowers of Indonesia, Pakistan and Philippines, according to Wikipedia.
Location, ST | website.com


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Silicon Valley's most fabled venture capital firm says it's ready to do battle with a former partner who's filed a sex-discrimination lawsuit.
Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers had hoped to compel Ellen Pao to take the case to binding arbitration, keeping the suit's scandalous accusations -- and the firm's inner financial workings -- out of the public eye.
But with the California Supreme Court on Wednesday having turned aside that request, a spokeswoman said the firm will "vigorously defend the matter" and is "confident we will prevail."
Kleiner spokeswoman Christina Lee also echoed the firm's earlier contention that Pao's complaint is "wholly without merit."
Meanwhile, Pao's lawyer told this newspaper that he's preparing to add a wrongful termination claim to the lawsuit, which has rocked Silicon Valley's staid tech-investing world.
This past October -- five months after filing the suit -- Pao was pushed out of the firm, which has seeded such tech giants as Google (GOOG), Amazon and Genentech.
Kleiner said then that Pao was asked to leave "because of long-standing issues having no relationship or bearing on the litigation." The firm in court filings has argued that Pao, a Princeton and Harvard graduate, performed poorly as a venture capitalist and that her failure to advance in the firm was due to those struggles, not to a hostile workplace environment.
Pao's lawsuit contends that she was pressured into sex by a former colleague and, when she complained to the firm's senior management, was punished and excluded from lucrative financial opportunities.
A San Francisco Superior Court judge in July 2012 ruled that Pao's employment agreements with the firm did not compel her to submit to arbitration, and a state appeals court agreed this past June. The state Supreme Court this week refused to take up the case, and Kleiner Perkins opted not to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, which legal experts say would have been extremely unlikely to intervene.
Pao's lawyer, San Francisco-based Alan Exelrod, said he's been unable to add the wrongful termination claim to the suit while the case was under appeal. The lawsuit already asserts that Pao's punishment while employed at the firm cheated her out of millions of dollars.
"The next step is then starting with discovery, doing the depositions that are necessary, gathering the documents," Exelrod said.
While he declined to estimate when a trial date might actually be set -- or comment on whether the two sides may pursue an out-of-court settlement -- several legal experts said it could be a year until jury selection occurs.
Contact Peter Delevett at 408-271-3638. Follow him at Twitter.com/mercwiretap.


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Character Development Center
The Character Development Center was established in the late nineties as one of the first organizations focusing on emerging interest in the character development of children and youth, the growing need to implement character education in schools, and the recognized demand to prepare teachers, parents and others for their role as character educators.
The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically…Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
EXCITING OPPORTUNITY!: Are you an educator with students ages 11-13? Dr. Tom Lickona and his partner Dr. Peter Hart are looking for participants for a literature-based character education project in fall 2016.
"Character education is an inclusive term embracing all aspects of how schools, related social institutions and parents can support the positive character development of children and adults.... Relevant virtues include honesty, justice and fairness, trustworthiness, responsibility, respect, altruism, patience, perseverance, appreciation of diversity, and courage.... For a school to foster character development, it must provide a positive social environment characterized by leadership; collegiality; a learning orientation among faculty; and ties among school, home, and community. Finally, practicing the virtues of civic engagement, civility, and citizenship and embracing the values of democracy are necessary for developing character in both the child and the community." (Mobilizing for Evidence-Based Character Education, U.S. Department of Education, 2007)
We believe that education for human service must be grounded in the public's desire for ethical, civic-minded, character-based leaders and citizens.
It is the Center's responsibility to provide services and resources to schools, families, communities, K-12 educators and students, teacher educators, community agency leaders and others interested in educating the "hearts and minds" of children and youth.


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PASADENA -- A small group of TV critics got their first look at Mike Judge's upcoming "Silicon Valley" sitcom Wednesday night, and what they saw has the makings of another comedic hit for HBO.
"Silicon Valley" won't debut until April, but HBO took the wraps off the show's first two episodes during a screening session on the eve of the Television Critics Association press tour in Pasadena.
Unfortunately, the screening came with some conditions: The episodes aren't totally "locked" yet, meaning some changes still could be made, so HBO urged critics to refrain from reviewing them and giving away plot points.
What we can say is that the episodes drew several big, hearty laughs, which is something we've come to expect from the man who gave us "Office Space," "Beavis & Butthead" and "King of the Hill." But beyond the laughter, Judge and his collaborators also displayed a keen sense of place and a great eye for cultural detail. It appears that they did their homework.
And that's not a minor achievement. Hollywood has been enamored with the Bay Area's tech community for several years now, but for the most part, the tech folk haven't been impressed with what has ended up on screen. "Silicon Valley" just might be the first show that not only earns laughs from a wide audience, but some solid insider cred, as well.
The show is tied to the idea that "in the high-tech gold rush of modern Silicon Valley, the people most qualified to succeed are the least capable of handling success." At the center of it all is an introverted computer programmer named Richard, wonderfully played by Thomas Middleditch. He lives with several other social misfits in a startup incubator loosely run by a self-satisfied, pot-smoking dot-com millionaire (T.J. Miller).
Again, we're not supposed to give away major plot details, but essentially Richard doesn't want to be a "lifer" at his huge fictional tech company and he just might have created an incredible search algorithm that could set him free. But he's so quivery and awkward and spineless that he may not have what it takes to capitalize on his success. Middleditch absolutely nails the role, and you can't help but root for him.
With its band of tech brothers, "Silicon Valley" comes with the nerdy-guy types we've all seen before. (There are the usual jokes about how they aren't exactly chick magnets.) But with some sharp writing and nuanced acting, these characters still manage to feel fresh and distinct.
We'll learn more about the makings of the show Thursday afternoon, when Judge and the cast appear at the press tour during an HBO panel session.
The first season of "Silicon Valley" will consist of eight episodes.
Contact Chuck Barney at Facebook.com/BayAreaNewsGroup.ChuckBarney, or Twitter.com/chuckbarney


text: Without Financial Injury, Divorce Civil Contempt Remedies Are Only Prospective By Neil Cahn on June 3, 2013 Posted in Enforcement of Support and Orders No retroactive fine or suspension of maintenance is to be imposed against a wife who violated her so-ordered stipulation not to allow her paramour into the marital residence. Instead, suspension of maintenance and a fine would only be imposed prospectively and only until the wife complied with that stipulation. Civil contempt fines are not intended to… Continue Reading


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April 7, 2012 at 6pm to May 5, 2012 at 7pm – PA Here are a list of some tour dates. More will be posted soon! April 14th - Phillip's Emporium in Bloomsburg, PA April 20th - University of Scranton in Scranton, PA May 4th - North Pocono Battle of t… Organized by Eye on Attraction | Type: concerts
© 2016 Created by Melodic Revolution Records. Powered by


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Alice Statler Library
Statler Wing Room 10
50 Phelan Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94112
(415) 239-3460
Monday-Thursday: 9am - 4pm
Fridays: 9am - 3pm
Saturday - Sunday: Closed
Library is closed on days when classes are not in session.
Welcome to the Alice Statler Library
The Alice Statler Library was established by the Culinary Arts & Hospitality Studies (formerly named Hotel and Restaurant) department alumni with matching funds from the Statler Foundation. Alice, dedicated to educating hotel and restaurant workers, was the widow of the late Ellsworth Statler, recognized as "the father of the American hotel industry." The library supports the curriculum of City College's Culinary Arts and Hospitality Studies department as well as the information and research need of students, chefs and hospitality industry professionals from around the Bay Area and beyond.


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Chaung Tzu was one of the most natural men the world has seen. He has not given any discipline, he has not given any doctrine, he has not given any catechism. He has simply explained one thing: that if you can be natural and ordinary, just like the birds and trees, you will blossom, you will have your wings open in the vast sky.
Source: The Spiritual Path, Buddha, Zen, Tao, Tantra, Osho, Tao Part III (Buddhism: Taoism, Words of Osho)
Contributed by: MarilynnHughes
Copyright © 2016 Gaiam, Inc.


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Teacher Accused of Possessing Marijuana
Published: Monday, April 8, 2013 at 11:47 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, April 8, 2013 at 11:47 a.m.
DAVENPORT | A teacher at Daniel Jenkins Academy was jailed on charges of possession of cannabis and drug paraphernalia over the weekend, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said.
According to a sheriff's report, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on Shamrock Drive East and U.S. 17-92 south of Davenport about 9:11 p.m. Saturday after watching the vehicle's driver fail to stop at a stop sign.
The vehicle was driven by Donya Leigh-Anne Dennard, 36, of Winter Haven. She was the only occupant in the vehicle, the report said.
As the two were speaking, the deputy detected the smell of cannabis coming from inside the vehicle. When the deputy asked permission to search the vehicle, Dennard became nervous and told the deputy she had a bag of cannabis in the vehicle, the report said.
Upon searching the vehicle, the deputy found three bags of cannabis with a total weight of 19.8 grams, the report said.
Dennard told the deputy she is a teacher at Daniel Jenkins Academy in Haines City. She was booked into the Polk County Jail and later bonded out.
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.


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Show of the Week: Angela Easterling at Cribb's Kitchen
Published: Thursday, February 7, 2013 at 3:15 a.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, February 5, 2013 at 8:03 p.m.
Update: Angela Easterling has canceled tonight's show due to illness.
Even as she prepares to give birth to her first child, Angela Easterling has maintained a steady concert schedule. But as the blessed event draws closer, the Greer-based singer-songwriter is finally going to take a break from live performances.
Thursday's gig at Cribb's Kitchen and a show Friday at the Stone Soup in Landrum will be her last for a while, so be sure to take advantage of the opportunity to experience her heartfelt brand of folk and Americana firsthand.
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.


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- Dec 10:
- Obama touts Mandela's message of peace and justice to cheering crowd in rain
- Oakland to honor Nelson Mandela
- Nelson Mandela condolence books collect Bay Area signatures
- Dec 6:
- In South Africa, Mandela remembered with song, dance, tears, prayer
- Obamas will travel to South Africa to honor Mandela
- Tributes to Mandela pour in from around the world
- Dec 5:
- What people are saying about Nelson Mandela
- Contra Costa Times editorial: The world must carry on with Mandela's work
- How Nelson Mandela shaped the world around you
- Nelson Mandela dies at 95
That Saturday in June, 23 years ago, it was a clear, hot day. The Coliseum was packed with people who had come to see Nelson Mandela, recently released from prison in South Africa after serving 27 years as a political prisoner.
When he stepped up to the podium, 60,000 people leapt to their feet and waved yellow, black and green ribbons -- the colors of the African National Congress flag.
He thanked everyone who had been fighting to end apartheid. "It is you, the people of Oakland, the people of the Bay Area, who have given me and my delegation strength and hope to go back and continue the struggle," he said.
"It was one of Oakland's proudest moments," said Sandre Swanson, deputy mayor of Oakland.
Swanson, then on the staff of Congressman Ron Dellums, coordinated the visit. He recalled shaking Mandela's hand after his arrival. "He said how much he appreciated Oakland standing with him when he was in prison. He was excited about the multiracial nature of the crowd and that there were so many children. He came to say thank you. It was very moving."
The Bay Area had one of the strongest anti-apartheid movements in the country, with participation from unions, churches, local governments, artists and, of course, students. It was multiracial and multigenerational. Dellums started introducing anti-apartheid legislation in 1972; he would introduce it 12 times before it was finally passed in 1986.
As mayor of Berkeley, Gus Newport appointed a divestment commission in 1981 and Berkeley became one of the first cities to adopt a divestment ordinance, withdrawing city funds from banks that did business in South Africa.
"At the time, everyone dismissed it as symbolic. But divestment became a major movement," said Louis Freedberg, appointed to the commission by Newport. Freedberg, a white South African, was active in the anti-apartheid movement. He helped organize the United States-South Africa Sister Community Project that developed links between black communities in the two countries. Freedberg is now the executive director of EdSource.
Divestment was the focus of extensive protests at UC Berkeley.
"It started in response to the protests in South Africa boycotting the elections that were going to let Indians and coloreds vote but continue to deny the vote to black South Africans," said Pedro Noguera, then the student body president. He is now a professor of education at New York University. "Berkeley emerged as a leader with one of the largest protests. And it was sustained, lasting for two years."
UC Berkeley had $4.2 billion invested with corporations doing business in South Africa, more than any other university.
"That raised the stakes. By the time the regents voted (on divestment), our movement had become almost mainstream with support from the faculty and staff. People wanted to be part of the movement," Noguera said.
Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, said the first time she got arrested was at an anti-apartheid rally at Cal. She was on Dellums' staff at the time. "There was another big protest in downtown Oakland. We all brought passbooks and burned them in a big bonfire," she said.
Black South Africans were required to carry passbooks to control their movement. She attributes the strength of the Bay Area anti-apartheid movement to the area's history. "We had the Black Panther Party and movements for peace and justice in a big way. People here understood what was at stake and the forces that would try to stop it. They took a lot of risks."
On a trip to South Africa six years ago, Lee discovered Mandela and the ANC were still on the U.S. terrorist watch list. "Can you imagine a Nobel Peace Prize winner, former president of a country, world leader, and he was still on the list?" When Lee returned to D.C., she started working to get Mandela off the list, succeeding in time for his 90th birthday.
In the Bay Area, labor played a central role in the anti-apartheid movement. In 1984, 200 longshoremen refused to unload the South African cargo from a ship docked in San Francisco. They faced loss of pay and possible expulsion from the shipping industry.
"It is an act of conscience," Leo Robinson, one of the protesters, said at the time. "It is an expression of solidarity with the people and the labor movement in South Africa. At some point, your conscience has to take over and ignore the law on the books in respect of a higher law."
There was also a cultural component. The choir on stage with Mandela at the Coliseum was Vukani Mawethu. It grew out of a huge concert in 1986 organized by Fania Davis, an attorney at the time, featuring James Madholpe, a member of the ANC who was called the South African Paul Robeson. Davis brought him to the Bay Area to teach a group of musicians and singers anti-apartheid songs. (Davis now runs Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth.)
"At the end of the concert, he turned to us and said, 'Your name is Vukani Mawethu,'" said Andrea Turner, lead musical director of the group. The name means People Arise. "A core group of us continued to keep the choir together." They sing in Zulu, Xhosa and Sethu, as well as English, and perform throughout the state. Turner said about five of the original choir members are still with the group. In 2009 they traveled to South Africa and had a private audience with Mandela.
"It was paralyzing. To touch his hand, hear him speak. He thanked us for our struggle to bring down apartheid," Turner said. "Some young people were with us and they got to touch and meet him. He told us the fight for freedom is not over, it is never over. He saw how we were passing it on to the younger generation."
Pat Jameson, executive director of Vukani Mawethu, had her two daughters and granddaughter with her. Her granddaughter had drawn a portrait of Mandela and gave it to him.
In thinking back, everyone emphasized that the success of the anti-apartheid movement demonstrated that people can effect change.
"Think of how many protests you get involved with and never win. Not only did UC divest, but Mandela was released. We chanted 'Free Mandela' but no one thought it would happen. Hearing him speak at the Coliseum, it was almost surreal," Noguera said.
Freedberg covered the first negotiation between the South African government and the ANC. "We were on the lawns of the estate built by Cecil Rhodes. People who had been in exile just a week earlier. I can't really even describe it. I just thought I couldn't believe it was happening."
Four years later, Mandela was elected the first black president of South Africa, voted in by the majority of the population.
The night he died, Vukani Mawethu members got together to talk and sing.
"It's heavy, even when you know it's coming," Jameson said. "I am blessed to have been with him in April 2009."
"When I first heard Mandela passed, I felt sadness. I had to be quiet," Swanson said. "But then I had to smile and remembered the opportunity I had to meet him. Over the years I realized how important that was for the community. I am so glad that was one of my experiences."
Brenda Payton, a former Oakland Tribune columnist, is a freelance journalist. Contact her at 510-208-2797 or email@example.com.


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- Home
- Introduction to the Markets
- Investing Basics
- Researching & Managing Investments
- Seniors
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Press Alt + shift + h then Enter to skip to secondary navigation. Mac users press Control + shift + h
Standard & Poor's Depositary Receipts (SPDR) Trust
An ETF designed to replicate the performance of the Standard & Poor's 500 Index. Because of its acronym, the SPDR instrument is referred to as a "spider."


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Since 1939 we have served over 8,000 choristers. Boys from across Southern Arizona learn music, leadership, teamwork, self-discipline and community service.
The Boys Chorus is fun! Boys ages 6 through 11 are welcome to join us.
Join Us Next Season!
April 9, 2016 check in begins at 5:00pm.
Thank you to the many donors that make the Boys Chorus possible. Your gifts make an immediate impact on the boys in our community. Join the team!
Supported in part by the Arizona Commission on the Arts which receives support from the State of Arizona and the National Endowment for the Arts.


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About the Book
"A killer of a thriller with a wonderfully human, perfectly rendered heroine at its center….A terrific read."
—Dennis Lehane, author of Shutter Island and The Given Day<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
"First-rate crime fiction."
—Washington Post (a Best Book of the Year)
The raves keep pouring in for #1 New York Times bestselling author Peter De Jong's Shadows Still Remain. James Patterson calls it, "An absolute knockout and a half," and praises De Jong's fascinating, endearing, but seriously flawed heroine, NYPD Detective Darlene O'Hara, as, "One of the freshest, hippest detective creations in many a year." Every fan of serious crime fiction will agree that this author is a major find.
Thanksgiving, downtown New York City, 2005. In the early morning hours an extraordinary young woman dies horribly—as a topless Kate Moss peers down from a billboard over rain-spattered Houston Street.
Detective Darlene O'Hara of the Seventh Precinct has a drinking problem that only exacerbates the massive chip on her shoulder. When her case–the very bad death of a beautiful, brilliant NYU student–turns high-profile and is handed to a legendary NYPD Homicide detective, she refuses to let it go. But Darlene's unauthorized investigation is dragging her and partner Serge "K" Krekorian far from the ivory towers of academia into the very worst corners of the city—where the same shocking secrets that destroyed a teenager now threaten to obliterate O'Hara's life and career.
Educator and Librarian Resources
Critical Praise
"Startling plot twists. . . . In the noirish, character-driven vein of Dennis Lehane or Michael Connelly." — New York Times
"A hectic, witty and emotionally satisfying thriller. . . . [O'Hara is] a terrific character, fresh and funny and infuriating. . . . A stunner." — Chicago Tribune
"First-rate crime fiction. . . . The book is alive with the sounds and smells and sins of New York. . . . When the crime-fiction aficionados set out to pick their best first novel of the year, SHADOWS STILL REMAIN will be a contender." — Washington Post
"Delivers enough twists and turns for any thriller reader. . . . De Jonge conveys enough texture that it isn't hard to imagine this on the big screen. Here's hoping we see O'Hara again." — Library Journal
"SHADOWS STILL REMAIN is a killer of a thriller with a wonderfully human, perfectly rendered heroine at its center. You can't help but fear for her and root for her in equal measure. A terrific read." — Dennis Lehane
"Peter de Jonge's heroine Darlene O'Hara is one of the freshest, hippest detective creations in many a year. This novel is an absolute knockout and a half." — James Patterson
"SHADOWS has grit, color, suspense, and believable characters, and is delivered in a sharp and gratifyingly terse prose. . . . This guy is good." — St. Louis Post-Dispatch
"[A] cleverly plotted and sophisticated thriller." — Washington Post, Best Book of the Year Pick
Product Details
- Imprint: Harper
- On Sale: 04/27/2010
- Trimsize: 4.188 in (w) x 6.75 in (h) x 0.72 in (d)
- Pages: 288
- List Price: 7.99 USD
- BISAC1: FICTION / Thrillers / General


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STOCKTON - A 40-year-old male was shot and killed at 11:10 p.m. Saturday in an apartment complex parking lot off West Benjamin Holt Drive.
A late-night argument started the chain of events just west of Herndon Place.
A third person tried to intervene in the argument when shots were fired. Officers arriving at the scene on reports of a disturbance heard gunfire.
"It is still an ongoing investigation," said Officer Joe Silva, spokesman for the Stockton Police Department.
Silva said, once finished, the police department's findings will be sent to the San Joaquin County district attorney "to determine if charges will be filed."
Silva said the shooting could be self-defense or justifiable.
There have been no arrests, and those involved in the incident are cooperating with police investigators. Officers also are talking to witnesses at the complex.
"Everybody has been pretty cooperative," said Silva, who described the Benjamin Holt neighborhood as "not a violent-crime area."
The original argument was verbal and loud involving two individuals, attracting the attention of the third person involved.
Location, ST | website.com


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Irving'e karşı Lipstadt
Defense Documents
David Irving, Hitler and Holocaust Denial: Electronic Edition, by Richard J. EvansTable of Contents
|<< (v) The fate of the Roma...
|< (i) Background
(vi) Conclusion.
It is incumbent upon the historian to provide an account of events that is consistent with the facts. When considering the facts relating to the deportation of the Jews of Rome Irving is open to charges of manipulation and willful misrepresentation. Hitler's intervention was not one which 'mitigated' the lot of the Jews. On the contrary it counteracted a concerted local attempt to save them and condemned them to extermination. Hitler's order was not a revision of Himmler's order but a forceful reaffirmation of it. Hitler surely knew that for the Jews to be deported from Italy 'as hostages' was their death warrant, whether it was to Mauthausen or whether this was simply a euphemistic deception on his part. Irving manipulates and falsifies the documentation, suppressing material which he knows runs against his case, in order to support a wholly untenable conclusion which in fact is the exact opposite of the real truth.


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- May 27:
- From Airstreams to teardrops: The joys of retro camping
- Recipe: Smoky Negroni
- Recipe: Zucchini and Harissa Bruschetta
- Recipe: Turkey Black Bean Chili
- Recipe: Rib-Eye Steaks with Pistachio Butter and Asparagus
- Recipe: Ultimate S'mores
- Recipe: Blue Monkey Pancakes
- May 23:
- Afraid to camp? Nothing to fear but fear itself
We know not everyone is as nuts about camping as we are. If you don't like dirt, bugs or not-exactly-hot showers, then sleeping in the great outdoors may lack a certain allure. But come camping with us, and you'll soon forget all that.
Here, settle into this comfy deck chair and have a sip of this smoky mezcal Negroni while we set up the tent -- or better yet, while we wheel this nice rental teardrop camper into place. (It has a well-equipped camp kitchen tucked in back. We had to pack in only groceries.) Care for some Marcona almonds with that Negroni? Briny olives perhaps? Or some bruschetta with grilled zucchini and harissa -- just to tide you over until the grilled rib-eyes with pistachio butter and asparagus are ready?
Yes, the quickest way to convert a reluctant first-time camper lies in two words: great food. Add camping cocktails and some easy hors d'oeuvres -- hello, store-bought hummus -- and even the most outdoor-averse people will melt like s'mores.
It may sound ridiculous to be dispensing appetizers when there's a tent to pitch and gear to unpack, but after traveling an hour or six to reach that state park or commercial campground, your car may not be holding happy campers. Tents get pitched faster when there are appetizers and cool drinks waiting.
A good camp cook needs a few key tools, in addition to decent cooking equipment and a grill or propane stove. It helps to have some killer camp-friendly recipes with a few components that can be made ahead. So the night before we headed off to Casini Ranch Family Campground on the Russian River, we mixed a batch of pistachio-arugula butter in the food processor, using a recipe from Sunset's fantastic new "The Great Outdoors Cookbook" (Oxmoor House, $24.95, 256 pages).
We toasted bread for bruschetta and mixed up a small batch of Negronis, using a recipe from The Cooperage, Lafayette's stylish new bar and restaurant. And we mixed a batch of batter for our family's favorite Blue Monkey Pancakes, inspired by the sublime banana-blueberry pancakes served at Palo Alto's Saint Michael's Alley. (Pancakes are best when the buttermilk batter is freshly made, of course, but even we, perky as we are, do not function well enough before coffee to measure baking soda properly.)
Then, because we are insane, as well as perky, we made our own graham crackers and marshmallows for s'mores -- mostly just so we could say we did. We didn't actually think the results would be so ridiculously, roll-your-eyeballs-back-in-your-head-good that we would never stray back to Jet-Puffed land again. Turns out the bragging rights for homemade s'mores are way out of proportion to the actual work involved. The graham crackers -- the recipe comes from Napa Valley's Cindy Pawlcyn -- are as easy to make as sugar cookies, and they taste great, even without toppings. But DIY marshmallows are like magic in a mixer bowl.
They're even more magical by the fire, with the stars overhead.
Campfire Dinner
Mezcal Negronis
Grilled Zucchini-Harissa Bruschetta (or store-bought hummus and pita chips)
Rib-Eye Steaks with Pistachio Butter and Asparagus or Turkey Black Bean Chili
Ultimate S'mores
Campfire Breakfast
Blue Monkey
French-press coffee


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Many thanks to the Truckee Fire Department and their counterparts at Squaw Valley Fire for saving our home in the middle of the night two weeks ago. We saw first-hand the work of these fine people who risked their lives to save our home.
From the time they showed up after midnight, they spent nearly four hours (dozens of man hours) battling the fire, evacuating the smoke, cleaning up the debris and then investigating the cause.
Nobody should ever have to experience a loss like this, but the good people at Truckee Fire were there for us when we needed them the most.
Further, they continued to support us through this matter with their inspection, reports, and professional guidance. Sincere thanks from our family to you.
Michael Golden


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A Breckenridge woman was arrested Thursday and charged with several felonies including identity theft, burglary and trespassing.
Jessica Christine Sebben, 20, is suspected of using a stolen credit card to make about $430 worth of purchases at local shops and restaurants, according to a December report filed by the Breckenridge Police Department.
Police found fraudulent charges linked to her from City Market, The Lumber Yard Skate and Snow, Clint's Bakery and Coffee House, Downstairs at Eric's and Taipei Tokyo.
Sebben, a former employee of Mountain Vibe in Breckenridge, is also a suspect in a January home burglary and theft in Summit Cove, according to a report from the Sheriff's Office.
District Attorney Bruce Brown charged her with 24 felony counts: 20 counts of identity theft, one each of burglary and trespassing and two counts of felony bond violations.
According to the District Attorney's office, Sebben had not posted the $50,000 bond Friday afternoon and remained in jail.
Her first court appearance is set for Tuesday morning.
If you notice any suspicious or fraudulent activity, contact the Sheriff's Office at 970-453-2232.


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For the ninth consecutive year, Kentuckiana middle school teachers will have the opportunity to "Make Activities Count" in the classroom through McDonald's MAC Grant program, which rewards teachers for innovation and creativity in the classroom by providing funding for hands-on classroom activities.
In the first known study to clearly demonstrate that adult day services is effective in helping reduce stress on family caregivers, Penn State researchers have determined stress is reduced by an average of 66 percent in caregivers who use adult day care services.
Taylor Regional Hospital recently recognized new team members for their first 90 days of service with a breakfast in their honor.
Those honored were Lemuel Baker, surgical services; Natalie Benedict, HCIS; Tiffany Cox, accounting; Billy Dengel, transitional care; Cody Drury, HCIS; Karla Goodwin, ER; Ashley Lee, respiratory care; Beth Lee, rehab services;
Bradley Tucker, left, is the winner of last week's Community Trust Bank Guess the Weight contest. Tucker correctly guessed the weight of a watermelon at the bank's Broadway office. Barry Pennington, Community Trust Bank senior loan officer, presented Tucker with a watermelon.
Roger Benningfield is the winner of Community Trust Bank's Guess the Weight contest. Benningfield correctly guessed the weight of a watermelon at the bank's Broadway office. Lisa Karr, Community Trust Bank branch manager, presented Benningfield with a watermelon.
Nichole and Eric McDuffie have opened The Rustic Room, located at 3501 Elkhorn Road in the old Minor's Jeans building. They have a variety of horse tack, grooming supplies, western decor, Montana West purses, hats, farrier tools, saddles, saddle pads, halters and more.
Taylor County resident, Tiffany Shaw, RN, was one of 31 Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital nurses who recently participated in an intensive two-day Critical Care Registered Nurse/Progressive Care Certified Nurse review class.
Diane Wright has been named the Taylor Regional Hospital Ambassador for summer 2011.
Other nominees for the honor were Phyllis Henderson and Harrison Whitlock.
Wright was nominated by a team member, who wrote:
"Diane is a patient advocate in all she does, always putting their needs and concerns first. Since the weather adversely affects our pulmonary patients, she monitors the weather and coordinates transportation for them.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced recently that a high demand for guaranteed farm ownership and direct farm operating funds has prompted USDA to transfer appropriated funds between programs as authorized by law, to meet the urgent credit needs of producers, including beginning and minority farmers and ranchers.
Copyright © 2016
The Central Kentucky News-Journal is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Campbellsville, KY and the surrounding area.


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lightglitch wrote:And to support xbox you need more extra info, that's why I give chii as an example.
I'll be sure to have a look when the integration actually works, thanks.
First things first!
- Code: Select all
UpnpServiceConfiguration configuration = new DefaultUpnpServiceConfiguration(STREAM_LISTEN_PORT);
Don't need the port, cling will use an automatic given by the system.
Yes, I noticed that. I was more thinking about staying compatible with what we currently offer; people kind of expect to find PMS on port 5001 and the documentation is geared towards that (thinking of firewalls etc. here). For now I didn't want to run into bind problems with the HTTP server at 5001, so I fixed the STREAM_LISTEN_PORT to 5002 for now.
And in cling support you have utils for DLNA headers, and Protocol-info.
Indeed, I'm using those in DLNAResource.getDidlObject().


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Men's Fila 95 Retro Basketball Shoes
Buy Online & Pick Up In-Store
Just because Grant Hill is retired outta the game doesn't mean you can't rock his shoes. The Men's FILA 95 Retro Basketball Shoes are back in some OG color ways so it's like 1995 all over again.
It's leather all over with these unbreakable beasts. Perforations in the toe box keep even the hardest working feet nice and cool. That old school FILA logo is proudly displayed on the lateral side of the midsole and the cushy tongue. Suede wraps around the sneaks to add some contrast and pop. Cop these and get blasted back to the 90's!
- UPPER: Leather and suede
- MIDSOLE: Rubber
- OUTSOLE: Rubber with traction


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Former presidential candidate and retired four-star Gen. Wesley Clark stopped in Marietta Friday to encourage volunteers and make an eleventh-hour pitch for President Barack Obama.
"I'm a foreign policy guy. I spent 38 years in uniform," said Clark, who served as the NATO Supreme Allied commander in Europe. "I know what good leadership is, and we've had it from President Obama."
Clark spoke to more than a dozen local volunteers at the Obama for America headquarters on Putnam Street in Marietta on the eve of a planned canvass around the county, telling them to spread the word to undecided voters about the importance of Tuesday's election.
Article Photos
EVAN BEVINS The Marietta Times
Retired four-star Gen. Wesley Clark, right, speaks with fellow Vietnam veterans, from left, Marietta residents Ken Bigley and Regis Kern and Belpre resident Larry Block Friday at the Obama for America headquarters on Putnam Street in Marietta.
"It's about a president that took over an economy that was down and out," he said. "We need to give him time to finish the job."
For the most part, Clark focused on foreign policy. He said Republican challenger Mitt Romney, in his eyes, has "failed the commander-in-chief test," changing his positions and failing to distinguish his approach from Obama's. For example, Romney has said war would be a last resort in stopping Iran from developing nuclear weapons and proposed sanctions and diplomatic solutions - as Obama has done, Clark said.
"They actually don't have any answers on any single issues that will be better than President Obama's," he said.
Contacted earlier in the day about the visit, Romney's Ohio campaign released a statement that focused on the economy and the auto bailout.
"The facts are clear: despite his false and misleading attacks, President Obama took the auto companies into bankruptcy. His mismanagement of the process has exposed taxpayers to a $25 billion loss. And these companies are expanding production overseas," the statement says. "Under President Obama, we have lost 586,000 manufacturing jobs and the unemployment rate is higher than when he took office. Mitt Romney has a plan to strengthen American manufacturing, create 12 million new jobs in America, and deliver a real recovery."
The release may have been in response to recent criticism of the former Massachusetts governor over ads suggesting General Motors and Chrysler are adding jobs in China at the expense of workers in Ohio. Both companies have called the claims untrue.
A campaign spokeswoman could not be reached for comment Friday evening.
At the Obama headquarters, Clark dismissed two of the main criticisms of Obama on the foreign policy front - the country's relationship with Israel and questions over the handling and response of the attack on the U.S. consulate in Libya in which an ambassador and three other Americans were killed - as political attacks.
Romney has criticized Obama's policy on Israel, including not visiting the country on a foreign tour soon after he was elected. Some have claimed the president showed disrespect to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by meeting with other world leaders but not him during a United Nations summit earlier this year.
Every American president since Harry Truman has pledged to support Israel and Obama may be the strongest, Clark said. The two countries work side-by-side constantly on training and strategy, he said.
"It's an unbelievably close relationship, and to politicize that relationship in this election is just wrong," he said.
As for the attack in Benghazi, Clark said it will take a long time to thoroughly investigate that, just as it did with the bombing of the U.S. Marine barracks in Lebanon in 1982.
"He's had the Republican Party scavenging about trying to politicize the deaths of our American ambassador and three other Americans," he said. "I think you've got to let the facts come out from the investigation."
Romney and others have criticized the Obama administration for not providing increased security to the consulate and blaming the incident on protests over an American-made anti-Muslim film instead of the coordinated attack it was later revealed to be. The changing explanations have led to suspicions that the administration didn't want to acknowledge a terror attack on U.S. personnel so close to the Nov. 6 election, a charge Obama has strongly denied.
Belpre resident Larry Block, 62, was among the volunteers who came to the event and said Clark's opinion carries a lot of weight.
"An endorsement from a retired four-star general like Wesley Clark has got to mean something to somebody," he said.
It did to Ken Bigley, 64, of Marietta, who was also in attendance.
"He hit the nail right on the head," Bigley said. "He's looked out for our country for years, and he knows what it takes."
Clark stopped to chat with Bigley, Block and Marietta resident Regis Kern when he entered the room. All three men served in Vietnam in the late '60s and early '70s, in some cases around the same times and places as Clark.
Clark is the latest campaign surrogate to visit the Pioneer City, following Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden, son of Vice President Joe Biden, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky and Mitt Romney's eldest son, Tagg. The first visit by a member of either presidential ticket to Washington County this year comes Saturday when Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan speaks at Dyson Baudo Recreation Center on the Marietta College campus.
The Associated Press contributed.


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Hotel Ritz Madrid
Hotel Ratings
Greetings from the Hotel General Manager
Welcome to the Hotel Ritz Madrid where tradition meets international panache at the heart of the Spanish Capital. Discover the unexpected pleasure of individually designed rooms and suites, superb cuisine at the Goya Restaurant, impeccable service and the convenience of privileged location in the 'Golden Triangle of Art', within walking distance of the city's major cultural, business, and shopping venues. Surprise and delight all your senses.
Christian Tavelli
General Manager
Insider Tip
- Celebrity spotting is a favorite activity at the Ritz but guests will never glean information from the staff. When American movie star Richard Gere stayed here, staff resisted pressure from press and curious guests. Discretion always prevails.
Hotel Overview
What to Expect:
- King Alfonso XIII wanted a luxury hotel to rival the Ritz in Paris - this six-story palace next to the Prado is the result. Presidents and politicians, successful businesspeople, well-heeled leisure travelers, and the stars sink into its soft carpets, handmade by the Spanish royal family's fabric manufacturers. Service is paramount, and, with a 250:162 ratio of staff to room numbers, each guest is treated to a personalized welcome in the circular, marble-pillared hall and high-ceilinged lobby.
Amenity Highlights:
- The piano plays as afternoon tea and scones is served in the lobby - the ambience is dignified.
Madrid, 28014
- Madrid
Airport:Madrid Barajas Airport MAD
The Ritz Madrid has 162 guestrooms, which surround the large rectangular Lobby. Rooms overlook the hotel's garden, Lealtad Square, or Prado Museum. Fresh flowers, orchids or roses, scent the rooms. All windows are double-glazed. Non-smoking rooms are available. Each room has its own unique decoration, with color tones picked out from the hand-made, patterned carpet. Much of the furniture dates back to the 1910 opening, including the ample fitted wardrobes, which reflect an age when vacationers did not travel light. All rooms have a desk and chair, comfortable armchair and table, and Internet access. In the marble bathrooms, the baths are fitted with a handrail and designer toiletries. Towels hang on radiators, bathrobes and slippers are supplied.
Room Amenities:
- Air conditioning
- Bathrobes
- Bathroom scale
- Bathroom telephone
- Bidet
- Cable/satellite TV
- Climate control
- Cribs (infant beds) available
- Designer toiletries
- Extra towels/bedding in room
- Hair dryer
- Housekeeping
- In-room safe
- Internet access - dial-up
- Internet access - high speed
- Internet access - surcharge
- Iron/ironing board (on request)
- Makeup mirror
- Massage - available in room
- Minibar
- Multi-line phone
- Non-smoking rooms
- Pay movies
- Premium TV channel(s)
- Private bathroom
- Rollaway beds
- Sewing kit
- Slippers
- Soundproofed rooms
- Television
- Turndown service
- Voice mail
- Wake-up calls
- Window opens
Property Amenities
An experienced team of chefs, butlers, and conference managers assists at the range of meeting rooms (capacity for anything from two to 500 people), all five with natural daylight and ISDN connections for video-conferences. A 17th-century Parisian tapestry hangs in meeting room Alfonso XIII, with its 5.7-meter-high ceiling. Salon Real is the largest room, with a capacity for up to 250 people, theater-style. Beneath a large chandelier, the Ritz logo intertwined with the symbol of Madrid - a bear and strawberry tree - is inlaid in the parquet floor.
The business center offers secretarial services, telephones, fax, photocopiers, three computers, printer, and high-speed Internet access (surcharge).
Ritz Fitness Center is located on the mezzanine floor (next to the hairdresser) and equipped with cardiovascular equipment and free weights (complimentary). Sauna, massage, sunbed, manicures, pedicures, and facials are also available (surcharge). Special treatments include eye-lash dyeing, makeovers, and algae-based facial hydration.
The barber and hairdresser are located between the ground and first floors. Photographs of former clients - from the Spanish royal family to astronauts and assorted stars are on show.
- 24-hour front desk
- Air-conditioned public areas
- Airport transportation (surcharge)
- Audio-visual equipment
- Ballroom(s)
- Banquet facilities
- Bar/lounge
- Beauty services
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Business center
- Business services
- Coffee in lobby
- Coffee shop or cafe´
- Complimentary newspapers in lobby
- Computer rental
- Concierge desk
- Concierge services
- Conference room(s)
- Currency exchange
- Doorman/doorwoman
- Dry cleaning service
- Elevator/lift
- Event catering
- Exhibit space
- Fitness equipment
- Hair salon
- Limo or Town Car service available
- Massage - treatment room(s)
- Medical assistance available
- Multilingual staff
- Parking (free)
- Parking nearby
- Patio
- Porter/bellhop
- Restaurant(s) in hotel
- Room service (24 hours)
- Safe-deposit box - front desk
- Sauna
- Secretarial services
- Security guard
- Shoe shine
- Tour assistance
- Translation services
- Wedding services
Extra person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy.
Rollaways and cribs (infant beds) may be available and should be requested at the time of booking; fees may apply.
Photo identification and credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in, cannot be guaranteed and may incur additional charges.
- Small pets only
Check-in time:
Check-out time:
- Noon
Goya RestaurantInformally-dressed guests will be handed a jacket by staff to fit in with the regal atmosphere of this 570-metre high restaurant overlooking the Stock Exchange, with tear drop chandeliers, large draped windows, silver patterned fabric walls, and silver service. Although international cuisine does feature, Spanish specialties are always on the lunch and dinner à la carte menu. Cocido Madrileno (chickpeas, chicken, vegetable, beef and pork stew) is served every Tuesday and Thursday. Although the menu changes daily, Paella is always available on request.
Velazquez BarCocktails and snacks are served in a relaxed atmosphere in this intimate, wood-paneled bar.
LobbySnacks and drinks are served all day but afternoon tea and scones with homemade jam and clotted cream accompanied by live piano music at the Ritz is, for some, as important as a trip to the Prado Museum. The setting is a huge room with two crimson handmade carpets, scattered with sofas and armchairs in maroon, caramel, blue, and green. A white marble statue is set in a scarlet alcove. Large plants attempt to reach the gilded high ceiling but don't quite make it.
Ritz GardenIn spring and summer, snacks, drinks, and à la carte dining from the adjacent Goya restaurant kitchens is served on the terrace garden, with sculptures, pond, and shade to protect from the heat of the sun. Afternoon tea moves from the Lobby to this prime spot, along with live piano music. There is space for 400 people.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or near the hotel; fees may apply.
- Golfing
- Ice skating
- Yoga classes/instruction
Special Offer Details
Manager's Special3 nights from $599 per person
Save up to $647 per couple
What's Included?
- European Riches 2013 with Stay 3 Pay 2
- The 3rd night FREE (maximum 1 FREE night per stay)
- Daily buffet breakfast
- Welcome seasonal amenities in room upon arrival
- Entrance for two to the Prado Museum, once per stay
- One tea for two on afternoon of choice
Available Room Types:Classic Room
Deluxe Room
Important Dates:Book from 10/07/2013 through 10/13/2013
Travel from 12/09/2013 through 12/27/2013
Blackout Dates: May Apply
Minimum Night Stay: 3 Nights


text: Maybe it's because I can't sleep, maybe it's because I'm just naturally curmudgeonly, but I feel a need for a griping thread. We are all (me included) gushing wildly over the show, and I instinctively want to balance that with a little corner of the board for complaints, queries, and general whiny piffle about the little (or big) things in the show which are not as we would like them. Actually I may be letting myself down here by kicking off with what borders on a serious question - in the conversation in ep3 where Ser Jorah and Rakharo are swapping professional opinions, Ser Jorah says that a broadsword's main job is to pierce plate armour. Does that sound right to any resident sword buffs? I'm sure I've read recently that the general current school of thought is that swords were for cowing the populace (i.e. unarmoured civilians), and perhaps equally for simply showing that one was of the knightly classes and above, but that for combat against an armoured knight they wouldn't do much more than inflict bruises; the tool for the job of killing a man in armour being a warhammer, or poleaxe. Any thoughts? Quibble 2: they say "Dothrakki", not "Dothrarki". Being from England may be in factor in this one... Quibble 3: I don't like the pronounciation of "Hoe-dur" either. Too much like odour! In my head it was always "Hoddor", and even though that's clearly wrong it still feels right to me. Come along, one and all, join in the snarkery! We need some antidote to the lovefest!


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BOSTON -- The Warriors boosted their profile this season playing away from home against Eastern Conference teams and found themselves in new territory after drilling Boston 108-88 on Wednesday.
By avoiding a letdown playing on a second straight night and blasting the downtrodden Celtics, the Warriors came away from a winning road trip 14 games over .500 for the first time since the end of the 2007-08 season.
The Warriors have now won 14 of their past 19 road games for the first time in franchise history after seizing their 11th road win against an Eastern Conference team by way of a blowout.
"I feel like this team is peaking, and it's going up from here," Warriors guard Klay Thompson said.
Thompson and David Lee scored 18 points apiece while Stephen Curry added 14 points before leaving the game with 6:43 left in the third quarter due to right leg soreness to get what coach Mark Jackson called "a well-deserved rest."
Jackson was happy with his team after going 4-2 on the road trip and matching the energy it had after knocking off Eastern Conference-leading Indiana the previous night. Boston is one of the worst teams in the NBA, but the Warriors avoided the temptation of taking it easy after a key win to close out the trip.
"Fortunately, we did not fall in love with what we did in Indy, and we came in, and we took care of business," Jackson said.
Said Thompson: "This win kind of validates last night, and we wanted to finish strong. We had a lot of reasons not to."
The Warriors needed Thompson's game-winning shot to beat the buzzer at Indiana and win 98-96 on Tuesday and could have been satisfied to play Boston differently the next night. Instead, Golden State immediately took charge with a 12-2 lead to start the game and continued to press for another win.
"You hit a last-second shot, you kind of ride the wave," Boston coach Brad Stevens said. "And they just looked like they were going to ride that wave all the way through tonight, right out of the gate."
Golden State limited its turnovers to 11 while the sloppy Celtics committed 22 of them while shooting 39.5 percent from the field as the Warriors defense continued to shine.
"The starters really wanted to come out and set the tone tonight and not give this Celtics team any life," said Lee, who also finished with 10 rebounds and four assists.
The Warriors led by as many as 31 points and had an easy time getting to the basket with 58 points scored in the paint.
"I thought we did a great job against a team in all honesty at this point we're better than," Jackson said. "It was the type of game where you can overlook them."
With 20 games left in the regular season, the Warriors are on the upswing, having won seven of nine games after the All-Star break. They've maintained the sixth-best record in the Western Conference.
Curry said after the game that he did not want to come out and probably could have played through his leg soreness.
"I wasn't going to risk it," Jackson said.
Curry looked just fine in the second quarter on one of his four assists, whipping a pass down the court to Andre Iguodala for a dunk. On the Warriors' next trip down the court, Curry hit a jump shot before converting a 3-point play to push the lead to 20. Iguodala hit a 3-pointer to make it 61-40 at halftime.
Curry and Thompson combined to shoot 2 for 12 from 3-point range, but it didn't matter against the Celtics, who couldn't keep up with the Warriors in transition.
Kelly Olynyk led Boston with 19 points.
Jordan Crawford had 15 points against his former team, playing the Celtics for the first time since arriving at Golden State in a trade in January.
For more on the Warriors, see the Inside the Warriors blog at ibabuzz.com/warriors. Follow Diamond Leung on Twitter at twitter.com/diamond83.
Atlanta (26-33) at Warriors (38-24), 7:30 p.m. CSNBA
NBA teams with 20-plus road victories this season:
Team Record
San Antonio 23-8
Oklahoma City 20-9
Golden State 20-14


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CORPUS CHRISTI – The Texas A&M – Corpus Christi dance team will be previewing its American Dance/Drill Team College Nationals dance routine on Wednesday night, March 21, at 8 p.m. in Moody Fieldhouse on the campus of Texas A&M – Corpus Christi. The event, which will last approximately 30 minutes, is free and open to the public.
"We would love to have the community come out and cheer on our team as we perform our routine publicly for the final time before we head to Nationals," Head Cheer and Dance Coach Melanie Lowry said. "Our dancers have worked so hard on this routine, and they get really pumped up when they get to perform in front of big crowds. Wednesday's performance will be a great way for Corpus Christi to send us off to Denton. It should be a fun event for our team and for spectators alike."
The Islanders will be performing a sassy jazz routine to a remix of Tom Jones' hit song, "She's a Lady." The team has been preparing for their routine since the beginning of the school year, with all of their hard work culminating with their performance at Nationals. Irene Cornejo, a native of La Joya, Texas, will be performing a solo work on Wednesday as well.
The team (and Cornejo individually) will be competing at the ADTS College Nationals at the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas, on Saturday, March 24, at 2 p.m. Last year, the Islanders finished as runner-up in the Division I category, just one point from taking first place.


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How Diet Soda Makes You Fat
How do you lose weight? Substitute diet drinks for sugary drinks. Eat low-fat foods. Just eat less of the bad foods — it's all about the calories. We are told, "Just have more willpower."
These ideas are false. They are food- and diet-industry propaganda that makes and keeps us fat and sick. Lies by the food industry combined with bad government policy based on food industry lobbying are the major causes of our obesity and diabetes epidemic.
Now, more than 35 percent of Americans are obese, and almost 70 percent are overweight. This is not an accident but the result of careful marketing and money in politics.
We are told it is all about making better choices. If we all took more personal responsibility, we could stop this obesity and diabetes epidemic. We have been told there are no good or bad foods, that the key to weight loss is moderation. And, of course, if we all just exercised more, all of us would lose weight. These ideas hold us hostage.


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When Father Fidencio Silva first appeared at Oxnard's Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in 1979, he was young, good-looking and charismatic.
He was apparently also far too chummy with some of the 60 altar boys in his charge. He would eventually be accused of molesting more than two dozen of them.
"What it's done to me, it goes deep into my core," one of his victims, Manuel Vega, 49, of Oxnard, said in a recent interview. "I still believe in something good.
"I (just) don't know if I believe in God."
Vega said he was molested by Silva from age 10 to 15.
Personnel documents were released by an attorney as part of the court record in a lawsuit against the archdiocese of Los Angeles this month.
But while the court documents contained details of the priest's Mexican roots and training at St. Johns Major Seminary in Camarillo, there was no mention of molestation.
There was no mention of 25 felony criminal charges filed against Silva for the molestation of eight boys, ages 11 to 15, between 1979 and 1986. The case was dismissed because of a U.S. Supreme Court decision.
There was no mention of the 29 altar boys who had served with Silva and filed a sexual abuse civil suit, or their financial settlements from the archdiocese.
And no mention of how Silva fled to Mexicom avoiding prosecution. The priest has denied the allegations, and has reportedly been serving in a religious order there.
A decade ago, Vega undertook an eight-day Holy Week fast and curbside protest to urge Cardinal Roger M. Mahony to release all the archdiocese's internal files on priests.
Vega, a decorated U.S. Marine and former Oxnard policeman, was a leader in urging Silva's prosecution.
He said the priest, who spoke English in a Spanish-speaking community, was loved and trusted by young people and their parents.
Vega descirbed how Silva asked the boys to model nude for him for a painting of the Risen Christ. Then the molestations began, Vega said, in the rectory and the sacristy behind the altar, which Silva photographed.
While Vega never lost faith, he said the sexual abuse severed his cultural connection, as a Mexican-American, to the Catholic Church.
"The cultural identification a lot of Mexicans have with the Catholic religion," he said. "It's destroyed all that."


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About the Book
A darkly enchanting series from New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray about a teenage witch who battles dark forces in her small town, perfect for fans of the Beautiful Creatures and Hex Hall series.
A boy cursed with visions that lead to madness. A girl granted the powers to save him.
As soon as Nadia arrives in Captive's Sound, she knows something is seriously wrong. The town is shrouded in dark magic, more powerful and complex than she has ever seen. Mateo has lived in Captive's Sound his entire life, trying to dodge the local legend that his family is "cursed" with insanity. When the mysterious girl he has been dreaming of every night appears (Nadia), he fears the curse may be true. But danger is coming, and Nadia and Mateo must work together to stop this unknown force before it destroys everything in its path.
When Nadia's family moves to Captive's Sound, she instantly realizes there's more to the place than meets the eye. Descended from witches, Nadia can sense that a spell has been cast over the tiny Rhode Island town—a sickness infecting everyone and everything in it. The magic at work is darker and more powerful than anything she's come across and has sunk its claws most deeply into Mateo . . . her rescuer, her friend, and the guy she yearns to get closer to even as he pushes her away.
Mateo has lived in Captive's Sound his entire life, shadowed by small-town gossip and his family's tormented past. Every generation, the local legends say, one member of the family goes mad, claiming to know the future before descending into insanity. When the strange dreams Mateo has been having of rescuing a beautiful girl from a car accident actually come true, he knows he's doomed.
Despite the forces pulling them apart, Nadia and Mateo must work together to break the chains of his terrible family curse, and to prevent a coming disaster that even now threatens the entire town, including Nadia's family, her newfound friends, and her own life. Shimmering with magic and mystery, New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray's new novel depicts a dark and unforgettable world of witches, curses, buried secrets, and star-crossed romance.
Educator and Librarian Resources
Critical Praise
"SPELLCASTER is a whip–smart read, sinister and delightful at once." — Kiersten White, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of PARANORMALCY
"Three wounded but valiant protagonists confront a monstrous evil with human roots in this promising series opener. This riveting tale will keep readers up late and clamoring for the next installment." — Kirkus Reviews
"The author's intricate portrayal of witchcraft—including its theories, rules, spells, and history—raises this novel a notch above others in the genre, and Nadia is an appealing heroine as she juggles personal pain and looming supernatural disaster." — Publishers Weekly
"…this is a compelling plot that mines the lore and history surrounding witchcraft to pit good against evil in a literally earth–shaking battle." — Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Product Details
- Imprint: HarperTeen
- On Sale: 03/05/2013
- Trimsize: 5.5 in (w) x 8.25 in (h) x 1.25 in (d)
- Pages: 400
- List Price: 17.99 USD
- BISAC1: YOUNG ADULT FICTION / Horror
- BISAC2: YOUNG ADULT FICTION / Romance / General
- BISAC3: YOUNG ADULT FICTION / Girls & Women


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VIX Still Sleepy, But Volatility in High-Yield Bonds Going Bonkers
While the stock market's so-called "fear gauge" remains fast asleep, volatility is picking up in at least one other market: high-yield bonds.
"If you want to spot the epicenter of the recent gyrations in capital markets, you won't find it in U.S. equities," says Nicholas Colas, chief market strategist at ConvergEx Group. "No — it is U.S. high yield bonds where options traders see the greatest potential for increased volatility in coming weeks."
Implied volatility for junk bonds is up 64% in the past month, according to Colas's calculations. By contrast, the CBOE's Volatility Index, or VIX, trades around 15, well below its long-term average of roughly 20.
The VIX is a measure of equity volatility. It uses options pricing to measure the market's expectations for future swings in the S&P 500.
For frame of reference, Colas offers some background about the high-yield market:
– High yield bonds have been a favorite of retail and institutional investors since the March 2009 lows for risk assets. Over the last three years, for example, U.S. listed ETFs have seen $21 billion of new money into funds dedicated to this investment class.
– Sentiment about this asset class has turned south more recently, with $1.6 billion leaving these same funds thus far in the fourth quarter of 2012. If you exclude internationally-focused funds and limit the analysis to ETFs which focus on the U.S. market, that number moves closer to $2 billion in outflows. In just the last week, $852 million of capital has left high yield bond ETFs.
– Two ETFs – the iShares iBoxx High Yield Corporate Bond Fund (HYG) and the SPDR Barclays High Yield Bond ETF (JNK), represent just over 80% of all high yield bond fund assets under management. Unlike many equity indices, neither has any individual position weighting over 2.0%. They are, in short, reasonable proxies for the state of the high yield market generally.
The muted moves in the VIX have raised some eyebrows, especially since some investors think fear in the marketplace needs to spike for stocks can actually bottom.
More In Volatility
When it comes to high yield, the massive "junk"-bond boom has raised some alarm bells. As WSJ reported last month, so much money has flooded into the junk-bond market from yield-hungry investors that weaker and weaker companies are able to sell bonds. Some large money managers recently have urged clients to reduce their high-yield investments.
With volatility now spiking in the high-yield market, the question is what's next, especially as the looming fiscal cliff continues to weigh on investors.
"My inclination is to think that options players may well be right on this call, but they are also early," Colas says. "Any downturn in economic growth — as a result of a badly handled fiscal cliff or simply the next slowdown for the U.S. economy — will filter through highly levered balance sheets and hurt the value of these bonds.
"But to place that bet right now seems premature," Colas adds. "The hunt for yield is an overarching theme of the last few years, and barring a truly epic meltdown, investors will be looking for opportunities in high yield as we enter 2013."
For more MarketBeat and other streaming markets coverage from The Wall Street Journal, point your mobile browser to wsj.com/marketspulse.


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We should all be robots
So many parodies exist today that I thought I was hearing another one. Perhaps one with a touch of cruelty in it. I was watching on television as a political candidate was described as taking their stillborn child from the hospital home, to introduce it to the other children of the family. At home, they prayed about it and had something to eat before taking it to be prepared for its interment. I thought about Weekend at Bernie's in which a dead man was propped up in different poses to give it the look of being alive so that festivities could take place on the dead man's property. But then later on the news, there was this real life candidate speaking with pride and dignity about what, under the law, is improper disposition and transportation of human remains. Later, this same candidate, a homophobe, would suggest that homosexuality should be punished. At length, he spat upon the separation of church and state, effectively endorsing theocracy as a replacement for American democracy. This man is a forerunner in the field of conservatives hoping to be the President of the United States.
It isn't that I'm a technophile who rejects the concepts of Christianism; I happen to not believe in a god who watches and controls the movements of people, brings the rain as wrath or the sun as reward. That doesn't mean that I reject the current or past existence of a Creator. The fact is that I do. The idea of a god is the only sufficient answer available to questions of the origin of the universe. A conundrum that has caused the itch of curiosity to distract mankind from the outset of coherent thought. Certainly, I accept the Big Bang and the current theories of evolution and the expansion of the universe. Within reason, they explain a lot of the mystery of development. I believe that some theory goes too far because it enters the same realms of mysticism as an involved god, causing the happenings according to ongoing whim and within a plan. Some of the quantum theories make me shake my head and sigh deeply as I listen to descriptions of computers that won't work if you observe their output. Were I to believe in all of the rigamarole expressed by theorists, I may as well listen to it from those who place their explanations in religious context.
I have no feelings against those who embrace their religion for personal comfort. I don't believe that anyone who promotes their religious beliefs should do so from public office because as much as I believe in freedom of religion, I believe in freedom from religion. No society should be forced into the molds of the ideas of a single sect. That totally defeats freedom of religion by forcing another religion on disbelievers. As such, it is anti-democratic.
The thing here is, I like the idea of education. I have three degrees and have studied well beyond my majors and minors in educational institutions, and I place my belief in human endeavor. I believe that humans are even more powerful than nature because we are capable of interfering with nature and bending it from its apparent path –into one less predictable. We can destroy nature and at the same time create our own forces of it. So if there is a god in charge of everything, then we are the stronger by quite some measure. Thus it pains me to see conservatives spouting christianism as their mantra, yet denigrating science and learning, which by their standard, is a creation of the god they represent. As one who enjoys technology and recognizes the tremendous learning and improvement in quality of life, the expansion of knowledge it permits, I shudder at the devolutionist desires of the so called christian right. As a movement they seek to return us to the dark ages, intoning that physical labor is more important than learning, that college is to be despised while petty laboring in service of another is celebrated.
I so believe in exactly the opposite of these ideals that I joined the military to fight against despotic thinking, never expecting it to appear so much in the mainstream of my own country that its proponents are serious candidates for our highest office. Nor would I have thought that the enlightened citizenry of a nation spreading the ideas of democracy, education and technological development would support such lunatics as might spread the seeds of anti-democracy. It is like I went to sleep and then awoke to discover that the lunatic fringe, that societal component that no thinking person could take seriously, was suddenly in charge.
It frightens me to think that so many of those who might be elevated to positions of authority were so firmly entrenched in the 17th century, desiring to bring those antiquated values into modern times. Learning nothing from history, I see so much of my country fiddling as our metaphoric Rome burns to the ground from the torches wielded by maniacs with a greater belief in fairy tales than humankind.
It's as if they would prefer that we all became robots.