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VAIL — Yes, this really is a normal thing.
Three tourists from Ohio stopped Avon's Peter Fralick at the base of Lionshead and asked what all these cyclists were doing on a Wednesday evening.
He explained that this was the Vail Beaver Creek Mountain Bike Races Series and this was the Vail Grind.
"For the Vail Valley, it's normal," said Fralick, who lives in Avon, but is also from Ohio. "Most people wouldn't think it's normal to ride bikes up the hill when there's a perfectly good chairlift. In that way, it's a little bit crazy."
This year's Vail Grind had a new course to prevent the race from becoming a, well, grind. The old course had been an assorted number of loops, also used by previous Mountain Games in June. Since there's a lot of crossover between the Mountain Games and the Wednesday bike series, the Vail Recreation Department changed it up with one new, very long lap with the beginner and sport divisions stopping along the way.
Racers went up Lion Down and then up to Eagle's Nest. In a neat little twist, the course continued down Radio Flyer before going back up Big Mamba before going down to the finish via Hank's Hideaway.
"It was really fun. The descent was really awesome," Breckenridge's Marlee Dixon said. "Before it was the same course as the GoPro Games. It was fun to see what else Vail has."
"I thought it was a lot of fun because it was different," Vail's Barry Davis said. "It was definitely difficult. I'm excited to see a little bit of change. I think everyone was excited to ride the flow trails. The format was strange — up and down. But at the end of the day, it was fun."
One of the added benefits of not doing the multi-lap format were some moments of solitude.
"I liked being up there on our own, kind of away from it all," Fralick said. "It was quiet, kind of peaceful at the top. In the summer, it's a lot more peaceful, a lot less people. There a few people at the top of the gondola hanging out. You've got the wild flowers up there. It's really green."
In the continuing saga of the Js, aka the men's pro division, Jake Wells crushed the descent, winning the race with Josiah Middaugh in second. The latter is gearing up for his Xterra triathlon at Beaver Creek on July 19. Coming off the Firecracker 50, Jay Henry was third.
Also, props go out to Tara Picklo, who won the women's expert division while riding a single-speed bike.
Sports Editor Chris Freud can be reached at 970-748-2934, firstname.lastname@example.com and @cfreud.


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- Sep 8:
- Purdy: Colin Kaepernick not intimidated by Green Bay Packers
- Kawakami: 49ers' Kaepernick-to-Boldin connection looks unstoppable
- Purdy: The good and bad of 49ers' victory over Packers
- Man dies after fall on walkway before 49ers game
- Colin Kaepernick, Anquan Boldin spark 49ers' comeback victory
- 49ers-Packers: Aldon Smith off to fast start
SAN FRANCISCO — Colin Kaepernick found tight end Vernon Davis on a 20-yard completion for the 49ers' first touchdown of the season, giving them a 7-0 lead over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday at Candlestick Park.
Davis, who's 2012 rapport with Kaepernick was questioned as recently as last week by former teammate Randy Moss, raced past safety M.D. Jennings to catch the perfectly thrown pass into the right side of the end zone.
That touchdown pass came on third-and-8, and it was the fourth third-down conversion on the 13-play, 83-yard scoring drive. The earlier conversions: a 9-yard reception by Anquan Boldin, a 2-yard run by Frank Gore and a 3-yard run by Kendall Hunter.
Kaepernick and Davis combined on only two touchdown passes last season: the first came in Kaepernick's first start against Chicago on Nov. 19, and the second was in the NFC Championship win at Atlanta.
Kaepernick was 6-of-9 for 79 yards through the 49ers' first two series.
For more on the 49ers, see Cam Inman's Hot Read blog at blogs.mercurynews.com/49ers. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/CamInman.

subset: commoncrawl


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8 Secrets Your Esthetician Won't Tell You
You shell out major cash for a facial -- but are you really getting your money's worth? Read on
She says that while most of her clients come in every four to eight weeks, others only come in every few months or even once a year. They can get away with this by doing things right at home.
"If you have a proper routine going at home and do your own mask treatments, you don't need to come in that often," Synder says. "One tip I encourage for the client that doesn't come in often is to incorporate a facial massage into their cleansing routine. While applying cleanser, massage your face in upward circles; spending an extra couple minutes doing so can help tone the muscles, remove toxins via your lymphatic system, and improve circulation. Fresh blood flow to the skin is what nourishes the cells and maintains a healthy [cell] turnover."
SEE NEXT PAGE: You can ignore our sales pitches
Older comments
Ah! I love the idea of getting a facial, but the idea of a scarred face is pretty scary!
by NillaButterfly Saturday, March 16, 2013 at 04:25PM Report as inappropriate
Good to know. I think I'll save my time and money by saving home.
by Chica181 Friday, March 15, 2013 at 07:22PM Report as inappropriate
Great story Sarah however # 9 is just not true. As a skin care professional for 18 years I've seen a lot of facials and when excellent products are used for the apppropriate skin type it is very apparent that the skin has had a facial even if its the first time. The skin will look luminous, plump and hydrated.
by linda_harding Tuesday, February 26, 2013 at 02:37PM Report as inappropriate
It would be nice to be to finish reading this article...after page 3 it goes to the end. This is the 10th time it just goes to the end....
by tenshinoyo Saturday, February 2, 2013 at 05:30PM Report as inappropriate
I wish I could read the rest of this artcle, it stops at page 3...this is not the first time. I would rather read the whole article on one page instead of clicking because this is probably the 10th time I can't finish an article.
by tenshinoyo Saturday, February 2, 2013 at 05:15PM Report as inappropriate
That's why I love coming to this site because they give you the REAL answers to questions not just trying to sell or promote something. I do a lot of my masks and stuff at home for one because I don't have money to spend like that and 2 because if anyone is going to do harm to my skin I would rather it be me then anyone else. Although I don't do things to myself without doing a lot of research first and then weigh out the pros and cons.
by pomomakeup Sunday, January 27, 2013 at 04:02PM Report as inappropriate
Interesting facts. I think it is really important to see an Esthetician every now and again (if not more often) for tips, product suggestions or for relaxation. With the right products and techniques, you can do much of the same at home.
by heather_hejna Thursday, January 24, 2013 at 10:47AM Report as inappropriate
Scary, but true.... Before you let anyone touch your precious skin, please ask lots of questions. If you don't feel comfortable or your unsure of the Esthetician or the procedure, don't feel pressured or obligated into it. A good salon will be understanding and accommodating as they want you to be happy... your face is now their potential referral/recommendation.
by Kinipela Tuesday, January 15, 2013 at 12:32PM Report as inappropriate
I've never had a facial but I have a certificate to get one (someday...soon, I hope). These are good things to know! My skin seems to do pretty well with the simple skincare routine I do at home so I can't really see myself making a habit of getting facials.
by tallredamanda Friday, January 11, 2013 at 02:08PM Report as inappropriate
I would love to try a facial
by LittleBunny Thursday, January 10, 2013 at 09:28AM Report as inappropriate
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VAIL - The Vail Valley Partnership is partnering with the Vail Leadership Institute for a series of quarterly educational seminars on leadership insight. The first seminar will take place on April 4 and will focus on "Collaborative Alignment" with Bob Vanourek, the author of "Triple Crown Leadership." Alignment is a transformational leadership process for achieving higher levels of organizational performance.
This event will be held at Manor Vail April 4 from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., with registration starting at 8 a.m. The cost is $10, including a light continental breakfast. RSVP's are required; contact Jennifer Weintraub at firstname.lastname@example.com to register or for more information.


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KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- For all the hard times the Raiders have endured, Arrowhead Stadium has been their personal playground for the past six years.
They've won in Kansas City in each of the past six seasons by margins small and large, all of which will have little or no bearing on how the Raiders fare Sunday in their AFC West showdown.
If the Raiders want proof that a reversal of fortune is possible, they need look no further than across the line of scrimmage.
Kansas City, 2-14 last season including two losses to the 4-12 Raiders, is the first team to lose that many games and start 5-0 since the Detroit Lions in 1980.
Although it's a new coaching staff led by former Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid, it's an old Chiefs formula -- play error-free offense, take the ball away on defense. The team with the fewest mistakes usually wins. Kansas City leads the NFL in turnover ratio at a Marty Schottenheimer-like plus-10.
"These guys are playing extremely well," Raiders coach Dennis Allen said. "They play well at home and we all understand what the challenge is going to be in facing them."
It's been a rough opening for the Reggie McKenzie/Allen regime, having won just six of 21 games. But the Raiders are coming off a 27-17 win over a San Diego team that came in putting up big offensive numbers and with a 2-2 record. It was Oakland's most impressive win since the start of the 2012 season.
Taking down the Chiefs, one of three unbeaten teams remaining in the NFL, at Arrowhead would enter a new realm. The last time the Raiders beat a team with a winning record was Nov. 27, 2011, when they defeated the then 7-3 Chicago Bears, improving to 7-4 before stumbling to an 8-8 finish under Hue Jackson.
"If you want to be a team that's looked at as a challenger, a playoff-contending team, you're going to have to beat good teams," Allen said. "We use these types of games as a measuring stick to see where we're at."
Raiders free safety Charles Woodson, playing in his first Chiefs-Raiders game since 2005, is looking forward to it.
"They're 5-0 and riding high. This rivalry is one of the longest standing in the league," Woodson told Sirius XM Radio. "Kansas City has always been one of my favorite places to play, so it's going to be fun going to Arrowhead and see if we can get the job done.
"We feel good about where we're at. We think we can get a lot better, and this could make a statement for this team going forward."
A formula for a Raiders win would likely include more takeaways against stingy quarterback Alex Smith (they had five against San Diego) and a strong running game to offset the Chiefs' ability to rush the passer and force turnovers through the air.
The Raiders are hopeful that running backs Darren McFadden and Rashad Jennings, both limited in practice during the week with hamstring strains, can get some things done on the ground in support of playmaking quarterback Terrelle Pryor.
"If I have the sidekick D-Mac with me, we'll be good to go," Pryor said. "Definitely with the 1-2 punch with Jennings and Marcel (Reece) doing a little bit ... that would take a great load off me and the (defense) will be guessing."
McFadden, who gained more than 100 yards in each of the wins over Kansas City last season, downplayed any success the Raiders have had at Arrowhead or that he has had against the Chiefs.
"It's something we don't really think about," he said. "Those stats don't really mean anything as far as us going there and winning."
Long-snapper Jon Condo, who joined the Raiders after their last loss in Arrowhead in 2006, has bought into Allen's tunnel vision mantra.
"It's the next game on the schedule," Condo said. "With them being 5-0 an us being 2-3, obviously we have some catching up to do. That's how we're looking at it."
The Raiders' Darren McFadden, who's been limited with a hamstring strain, ran for over 100 yards in both games against K.C. in 2012.


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A Tobyhanna man believed to be driving at a high rate of speed died in a car crash Thursday afternoon.
Hector De La Cruz, 24, was driving south on Route 423 about a half-mile south of the Interstate 380 interchange in Coolbaugh Township when he drove across the northbound lane, off the road and hit several large trees head-on, according to Monroe County Coroner Bob Allen.
Allen said it is believed De La Cruz was speeding just before the crash. He was pronounced dead at 2:45 p.m. at the crash scene.
De La Cruz was wearing his seat belt at the time of the crash. Allen said chest trauma is the initial cause of death.
Pocono Mountain Regional Police are investigating the crash.
Location, ST | website.com


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Set I:
Ya Mar and Llama are your typical super-tight 1995 versions. Great way to start a show, as always. If I Could is notable for containing a neat guitar solo intro, and a pretty type I jam in the outro definitely worth a listen if you like the tune. I love to hear them nail a complicated tune like ATR. It's Ice has a very cool breakdown/chillout section with Trey, Page and Mike all doing fun stuff and Fishman on vacuum. Good news about Fuckerpants - it's one of the shortest of all time. SOAM has an awesome dark jam, must must hear! Jam section is about 12 minutes of everything that is great about 95 Phish. Some great syncopated jamming about 9 minutes in. About 12 minutes in they hit on a melodic theme and take it out of the SOAM beat. Just a wall of sound coming from the band, with everyone feeling it. Head back into the coda of melt about 15 minutes in, with Trey doing some awesome anthemic fills.This is a truly amazing version of Melt, highly recommended. Bouncing is a welcome respite from the intensity of the SOAM. Unexceptional but fun Chalkdust ends the set.
Highlights: If I Could (for the intro), SOAM!!!
Set II:
It took about 10 seconds longer for the crowd to start chanting Wilson in 1995 than it does now. Maze is very fiery version. Theme was still very new at this point; I was aware of it but I'm not sure I even had my Lowell tapes yet. Funny that in the past it could take 6+ weeks to hear a new Phish song. Very cool jam segment, with Trey doing some interesting descending series of notes. Man, it would be great if they could play Theme like this now. But just to show that they weren't infallible in 95, they botch the beginning of Uncle Pen. Most 95 Stashes are spectacular, and this one is no exception. Trey switches to an awesome almost watery tone about 15 minutes in that is a joy to hear, some really delicate playing. Cool solo by Page to close it out and segue into Strange Design, another song that debuted in Lowell. Then Acoustic Army, kinda fun to see live, but really should be banned from the second set. Seriously, they should have just gone straight to the Hood. And this is like the platonic ideal of a Hood, amazing building jam, I definitely got IT at the show during it. Fun Suzy + teases to close out the set, then a Funky Bitch encore dedicated to people on tour who always request it (odd that Funky Bitch used to be comparatively rare).
Highlights: Theme, Stash, Hood!
4 out of 5 stars.


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Perhaps you've noticed that all of your creatures now can be upgraded to 15th level (through Army Management menu).
In order to upgrade a unit, you need to have a certain amount of gold and Strategy Books. The training success depends on the creature type (Common, Special, Legendary) and its current upgrade level. The higher the level, the lower the chance to upgrade the creature on the first try. By training your creatures you improve their basic characteristics and abiliti
es. A 15 level creature will always be stronger than the creature of a lower level.
Strategy book is basically a consumable that's required for performing unit upgrades. It can be made in the item workshop from the resources you get in battles or you can buy some in the Royal Shop (Beginner's set – 5 books, Large set – 10 books, King's set – 20 books).
The amount of books required for upgrade depends on the unit type.


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More Charges Filed Against Man Suspected of Sending Emails to Teen
Published: Tuesday, November 20, 2012 at 4:42 p.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, November 20, 2012 at 4:42 p.m.
POLK | Tony DeSilva, the 41-year-old Massachusetts man who was arrested and accused of exchanging sexual emails and text messages with a Polk County teen, is now facing 64 additional charges, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
PCSO officials say on top of the 10 counts of using a computer to seduce a child and transmission of material harmful to a child, DeSilva now faces two counts of traveling to meet a minor, two counts of encouraging a child to engage in sexual performances, and three counts of using a computer to seduce a child while misrepresenting age, all three second-degree felonies.
He also is being charged with 57 counts of using a two-way device to facilitate a felony, a third degree felony.
DeSilva is being held in the South County Jail in Frostproof on no bond.
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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Customer of the week: Elektrofilm
By chhandomay on Apr 07, 2008
|The digital
media company Elektrofilm chose
Sun's SL3000
tape library to store its
nearly 200 TB of archival data, with the capacity to grow to 750 TB.
According to Electrofilm's Jason Williamson, the amount of data in his environment makes storing it all on disk impractical. "The cost of tape media is about 30 cents per GB, while with a SAN, the total cost can add up to tens of dollars a gigabyte," he said.
(Image courtesy: ELEKTROFILM)
Sun's SAM-FS software helps Jason improve data access time on tape by keeping track of the data on each cartridge and automatically retrieving it from the tape library when it's needed. The combined solution works perfect for Electrofilm!
Get the full details from this SearchStorage.com article.


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STOCKTON - A 52-year-old man was in the garage at his southwest Stockton home in the 5600 block of Brush Creek Drive about 4:45 p.m. Friday when another man approached him and asked if he wanted to buy marijuana, police said.
When the victim declined, the man struck him several times with a handgun, authorities said. The victim and his assailant struggled over the gun, which went off several times during the altercation, officers said.
The gunman then fled the area on foot, leaving the gun behind, police said. The victim was taken to a hospital with minor injuries, authorities said.
The assailant was described as 5 feet 11 inches tall with short, curly hair, gold earrings, a green plaid T-shirt, blue jeans and green shoes, police said.
Location, ST | website.com


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Thomas C. Wondrock and Janae K. DeHaven announce the birth of a son, Thomas Ayden Reid Wondrock.
He was born Nov. 22, 2011, at Unity Hospital North Campus in Shawnee. He weighed 7 pounds, 3 ounces and was 21 inches long.
He is the grandson of Tom and Denise Wondrock and Jim and Johnna Hittell.
He has two siblings, Aiyanna E. DeHaven, age 5, and Alyssa E. DeHaven, age 2.
Location, ST | website.com


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Are you looking to recruit students?
Please consider the following:
Off-Campus Employers
The Career Development Counseling Center offers employers the following opportunities to recruit C.C.S.F. students interested in jobs or internships.
- Posting of all jobs or internships announcements.
- Copies of job announcements can be faxed to the department for posting in the Career Center's job board and booklets. Fax number 415-239-3566.
Employers interested in setting up a recruitment table for students at CCSF should complete the form below:
For further assistance, call (415) 239-3117.


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The only good thing about today's muck and misery is that I finally got to break out those Cole Haan's I'd been yearning to wear. But after a beautiful weekend in Florida, it was less than wonderful to step out into a cold, dark downpour this morning. Yes, New Yorkers, we can officially call this a squall. Let's hope things change soon, because I would really like clear skies for Fashion Week… and of course, my twenty-don't-worry-what birthday, which is on Sunday.
A few tips for making it through the rain!
1. Always, always, always keep a tiny, good quality umbrella in your bag, no matter the season or forecast. I can't tell you how many times I've left the apartment on a seemingly perfect day, only to find myself in line at Duane Reade thirty minutes later buying yet another fifteen-dollar umbrella that would break only one rainstorm later. I nabbed by totes version at TJ Maxx for a cool $15 earlier this summer, and its pale colors and sturdy construction never disappoint.
2. Don't try to be that cute girl who rocks opened-toe shoes in a storm, warm or not. Sure, you might want to hang onto summer past its time, but soggy sandals are just not a good look. And not to go there, but let's just go there. They're stinky. Boot up, sister!
3. Chill with the hair. No matter what you're trying for, you just won't achieve it in nightmare weather like this. I like to stick to a low, side chignon with pieces coming out, or top off my manic waves with a headband to fake some order. Oh, and while you're at it, don't forget plenty of waterproof mascara. When the rest of you is melting, at least your peepers will still pop.


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Terrebonne business group schedules meetings
Published: Thursday, August 9, 2012 at 5:42 p.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, August 9, 2012 at 5:42 p.m.
The Terrebonne Economic Development Foundation will meet att 1:10 p.m. Aug. 14 at the Ramada Inn on Tunnel Boulevard in Houma.
It immediately follows the regular board meeting of the Terrebonne Economic Development Agency, which begins at noon.
For information, call TEDA at 873-6890.
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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Discussion in 'Very Low Calorie Diets' started by yummymummyerika, 10 January 2014 Social URL.
As anyone lost weight with tescos UltraSlim? Am starting today need to lose 5st by April
Register a free account with MiniMins and join in the conversation!
Ultraslim is Tesco's version of a 'slimfast' type diet, where you replace 2 meals with their drinks, and then have a proper meal once a day. It is not designed to be a VLCD (it will not be nutritionally complete), and is not designed to be ketogenic.
Also, (with much love and respect) I'm rather concerned about your need to lost 5st by April. That's nearly a 1/2 stone a week, every week (12 weeks), and even the most restrictive ketogenic VLCD won't promise that over the medium to longer term. Perhaps you ought to rethink your goals a bit.
Good luck, and whichever diet you choose, follow the instructions.
Dont mean to be negative but that's not going to happen. Ultra slim isnt a vlcd so you're not going to get the big vlcd losses.
Even on a vlcd 5 stones by april is totally unrealistic
Thanks for making me feel like crap guys
If you actually come back to read this:-
Sorry, but it's best you get the truth now about what's attainable, than have you panic in several weeks time because you're not losing 'enough'. You should be pleased, chuffed to bits and utterly proud of losing say, 2-3 stone, than feel a failure by not losing 5. Don't blame us, blame science.
I just want you to be pleased with what you do achieve, rather than feel gutted at not managing the impossible. Every step forward is an achievement.
Noone is making you feel crap were just being honest. It would be ridiculous for us to say yes go for it you can manage that
What would make me feel crap is failing to reach a target id set
You could lose around 2 stone by April on Ultra slim That's doable and youll feel better for it
I don't think anyone meant to make you feel crap lovely. As mentioned above its basically Slim Fast type diet which as far as I remember is usually around 2lb loss a week (depending on your start weight etc). There are ways of doing VLCD cheaper than some of the plans look, you can get clearance packs online & you'd have bigger losses but 5 stone is a lot in that amount of time, however you could be a fair way there Is that your end goal weight? X
Nobody means to make you feel bad, it's just that if your weight loss is unrealistic, when you weight in and realize you're not losing enough you might think you're not successful and give up, that's why it's so important to have realistic goals.
In the other hand it's not possible to say if losing 5 stones in a few months is achievable or not without first knowing your weight. If you're 40 stones (560 pounds) for example, this weight loss would be achievable as long as you do vlcd and stick to the diet 100% as well as exercise everyday. However if you are, lets say, 12 stones (168 pounds) then it's not possible.
Calculate your BMR (just google BMR calculator) plenty out there, and work out how many calories you burn in a day then take off your calories intake off your daily calories and what's left is how much you will lose in a day in calories. If you want share your weight in this forums I can do the maths for you.
You need to lose 3500 calories to lose a 1 pounds (approximately, this is NOT exact science), then multiply it by the weeks you have left and you will see how much loss you can expect.
Separate names with a comma.


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Liverpool Message Board
LFC's Response to his "Highness"..
From translation in Spanish news, Liverpool FC have responded to Suarez' repeated comments on wanting to leave the club, by telling him that in order to do so, he must hand in an official written transfer request (which would mean he has a club and contract offer, and doesn't), which would also cause him to forgoe a very high payment for being with the club/roster this season which is said to be in the 1M region, alot of money for doing nothing!!
Shortly after, it was suggested he had changed his tune a bit in comments prior to Uruguay's next Confed Cup match, but those quotes weren't yet made available. I say good on you LFC,call his bluff and tell him to step up, or shut up. End of the day, if Cavani wants to go to Madrid, Madrid will buy him, and they will attempt for Bale and Isco. Suarez is 3rd on their list. Bayern could be the ones, but I also think they have their heart set on Lewandowski even if it means waiting the 12 months, or until January when he's down to 6 months on his contract.
Suarez could still very well go, but if Madrid don't come calling, he could find himself getting a cold eye from alot of his teammates, who've all supported him high and dry, while all he does is cause trouble and ask to leave.. I expect more twists and turns, but hope we do identify a good replacement like Damiao etc.. I'm fed up, AND it's important to remember we don't have him for 6 matches too!Sort: Newest | Oldest | Most Replied Expand all replies
All the English press have been reporting this for 2-3 days, the classic 'put up or shut up'. Most of them suggest that Real have told him to keep talking to drive his price down but LFC are not falling for it. The thing is, if he puts a transfer request in, we can accept a bid from anywhere, be it Gala, Zenit, Anzhi or anywhere else horrid like that and he will have to talk to them. The payment you are reffering to is an ironically named 'loyalty bonus' which a player is entitled to in a transfer should he not put a request in, this is rumoured to be around £3.5m! So no wonder he is trying to wriggle around it.
I expect we will get another instalment after their game tomorrow. If he doesnt put a transfer request in, then he needs to shut the hell up, even Rooney and Torres had the dignity to do so and get called traitors for that. The biggest shame is that we are having a lively transfer window with a great fixture run in so everyone is excited about the season except for him.
Whatever the outcome, stay or go, we need it sorted asap so we can either plan with him or get even more excited about his replacement.
- 1 Reply to Hobitez
I respect and appreciate your counter points and measured responses to this, but if you read Hobs, while maybe he's not stating things as strongly as I am, I can assure you I'm not obsessed with it, but I'm tired of it and just bringing in things as I hear/see them specifically from Spanish media. If I didn't have that ability, and just British/American press, I'd comment alot less, but also, I'm just flat out tired of him. For as much as I love the guy in Red and when he plays well, I absolutely detest all the side shows and always thought if we could get 50M, I would more than likely do it, and if it were my money / choice, tack on the other 8-10M, buy Cavani and go on to score 100 goals and top 3.
That said, every time he goes away, particularly this past year, he says the same things, even did this back in January, and forced Rodgers into a "he's happy and not for sale bit" along with Ayre, and neither of them are commenting now whatsoever. The silence is deafening, and if you care to believe what I read in regards to Mkhitaryan from Shakhtar, they are supposedly considering him as a Suarez replacement, though, 40-50M will see someone more suited for that role. And on that note, the word is the Carroll Money should secure that deal for the 25 goal scoring attacker.
As far as Suarez, just so you know I'm not obsessed or being inconsistent, I was one of the few who desperately wanted to keep Torres at all costs, as he'd just found form under Kenny, was finally getting fit and would have exploded with Suarez having just come in. Torres always got into verbal matches with refs and got yellows, which I hated, and he once kicked the chalk on a pk spot given by Webb at Old Trafford, and my comment was send him off. I do not support poor behavior in any manner, but Torres kept quiet at all costs, rather than talking to every John, Joe and Bob with a mic. That sounds like your Cavani point, but Cavani is also happy to stay and not making threats..
dsteer_lfc_68 dsteer_lfc_68 Jun 19, 2013 14:54 Flag
To be honest Jason I think you might have become a bit obsessed by this story. Every transfer windows players talk about other clubs they would be flattered to play for. Half the rumors you and other post up on here start with a player, an agent, or a family member stating how they'd be "flattered" to play for club X or in League Y. Is this really any different other than its our player making the statement instead of somebody else s?
Suarez is not happy living in England. Maybe much of that is of his own making, but then again can you blame anyone who does not like the strong glare of the British tabloid press? Therefore if a move to the right club were available to him can we not understand why he might not like that? End of the day if Madrid do go for him (which I agree will only happen if other deals don't happen) just like many other players (half the Madrid squad in fact) he'll be off, as the siren call is just too loud. The same thing happened with: Arbeloa, Alonso, DiMaria, Khadira, Modric, Ozil, Benzema, and Ronaldo. All those player were loved by their previous clubs, but all of those were called by the Spanish giants, and many of those when the whispers started either put themselves in the shop window, or had their agents and or family members do it for them in order to engineer the move.
Just food for thought, you can admire Cavani for not talking up a move every time a microphone is put in his face like Suarez, but that might be because he does not have to as his Mum, Dad, his agent, and Marca are doing the talking for him!
LFC_Armchair_Supporter LFC_Armchair_Supporter Jun 21, 2013 15:24 Flag
I agree he should hand in transfer request.. I doubt he will..unless a club is waiting in the wings.. also he's really upset the club and fans.. too far methinks this time..
- 1 Reply to LFC_Armchair_Supporter
He wont because it will cost him his fat loyalty bonus. Maybe that is what Carrolls £1m was?
He's just stirring the brown stuff and I'm convinced in my mind that some one somewhere has told him to do it.


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Now Dora's best friend has his own cake too. Bake Boots' cake together--there's lots for your child to do!
Weekdays on Nick Jr.
Place the cake on a clean work surface. Use the template to cut out the head shape and discard scraps. You can store the scraps in a plastic resealable bag to save for a tasty treat later. Transfer the cake to a serving platter or board covered with foil.
Spoon 2 teaspoons of the vanilla frosting into a small plastic resealable bag. Tint 1 cup of the vanilla frosting a violet pink by mixing some of the red food coloring with 1 drop of blue food coloring. Tint the remaining vanilla frosting a light blue-violet color by mixing the blue and neon purple food coloring together. Spoon each colored frosting and the chocolate frosting into separate plastic resealable bags.
To make the eyes, take 2 Oreo cookies and separate them, exposing the cream. Stack the remaining 4 cookies in 2 stacks and arrange next to the cake to make the ears. Cut one cream-filled snack cake (1 Twinkie) in half on the diagonal to make the hairs on top of the cake. Trim a small piece on the diagonal from the remaining snack cake for the center piece. Arrange all three snack cake pieces at the top of the cake (see photo).
Snip small corners from the small plastic resealable bags containing the blue and pink frosting. Pipe the frosting on the top and sides of the cake, cookies and snack cakes using the template as a guide. Spread frosting with an offset spatula or small knife and make smooth.
Press 2 of the pink fruit chews together. Flatten all of the fruit chews and cut out the tongue and ear shapes using the template. Press the red spice drops together and roll them out in the sugar--large enough for the mouth template. Cut out the mouth shape.
Arrange the candy and cookie pieces on top of the cake for the eyes, mouth and ears as seen in the photo. Add the chocolate mints to make the pupils. Snip a very small corner from the bags containing the chocolate and vanilla frosting. Pipe and outline around the mouth with the chocolate frosting. Pipe small white dots with the vanilla frosting to make the sparkle in the eye.
Dora takes the cake. And in this case, she IS the cake!
Get a taste of the tropics with this healthy, fruity drink!
Thanksgiving guests will want to swipe every last piece
Make this a-DORA-ble autumn treat for the apple of your eye!
Kids will go bananas for Boots' yummy baked treat!
Turn breakfast into an adventure when you make Dora pancakes!
Present your pie with your preschooler's favorite explorer!
Dress up sugar cookies in Dora's festive and fruity attire!
Bake up purr-fect cookies for your Halloween fiesta!
Make this a-DORA-ble sandwich for your sweetheart!
Charm loved ones with Dora's dainty cupcake rings on Valentine's Day!
Warm their hearts with Dora's favorite drink!
Kids will get a kick out of making Boots from bread and bologna!
You'll be a star in your preschooler's eyes when you make these stellar yet easy treats!
Your little star will love exploring this healthy pasta salad!
Share this snack with your little explorers. They're sure to swipe it right off the kitchen table!
Make a cake fit for a princess!
The ice-cold treat is just right for quenching an explorer's thirst.
A homemade holiday tradition with a delicious Dora twist!
Summon a sea filled with sweet starfish covered in icing
Treasure the smiles when you make these cupcakes for your little pirate!
A royal recipe with a sweet surprise!
Ahoy! It's Dora in her pirate gear
Wishing Backpack could join your birthday party? Here's how he can!
Kids of all ages will swipe these cupcakes faster than you know who!
Dora on a cupcake? Delicioso!
Dora takes the cake. And in this case, she IS the cake!
Bake up a perfect party cake for your Peppa fan!
On a mission for an umirrific cake? It's Bot to the rescue!
Bake a cake to look just like your kid's favorite pattern-powered Umi friend!
Shape a cake to look like Geo!
Bake the cake and top it off with Molly and Gil!
Turn plain pound cake into bite-sized cake pops that look like Little Fish!
Here's a fresh cake that will take center stage at your next party!
Take your little Umizoomi fan for a sweet ride with this easy homemade cake
A simple sheet cake gets the royal treatment with frosting & fruit chews!
Make a cake fit for a princess!
Invite Jack to your child's birthday party
Boutique baker? Make it look that way with our template
A royal recipe with a sweet surprise!
Want a clue about what to serve at the next birthday party?
Wishing Backpack could join your birthday party? Here's how he can!
Making Pablo is a piece of cake
It's a cake of everyone's favorite DJ, DJ Lance Rock!


text:
The owner of the club where Chris Brown was accused of knocking a woman to the ground Sunday said Brown never touched the woman. They added that the woman was acting so rowdy that she was thrown out of the club.
The owner of Heat Ultra Lounge in Anaheim told TMZ, "Based on the information which we have gathered from our security company, mall security, and other partygoers which were at Heat on Saturday night; it is apparent that the alleged incident regarding Chris Brown is false."
The woman in question, 24-year-old Deanna Gines, went public Monday, saying she was partying with Brown and, just as the bar was closing, he pushed her to the ground. She said she went to the hospital and discovered she had torn knee ligaments.
Apparently, that's what happens when you pivot wrong while throwing your shoes.
The owner reportedly said Gines repeatedly tried jumping on stage while Brown performed, and afterward tried to rush into the roped-off VIP where Brown was.
Gines supposedly got thrown out and, while being escorted out, threw her shoes at security. Police were called and, eventually, let Gines go home with friends.
This girl sounds like a fun date ... for a guy who likes being pelted with footwear.
Concerning her reported injuries, the club's owner said "Heat staff and security did what they had to do. (Brown) was a complete gentleman."
Hollyscoop.com reported Tuesday that Gines targeted Brown all night and, at some point, fell down stairs.
"The girl spent all night trying to get on stage with Chris but security kept her away," a source told the website. "Then she spent all night trying to get near the VIP area."
After Brown was escorted to his car by security, the real drama supposedly began.
"Three witnesses sitting at a table in the VIP area saw this girl trip and fall on a table, hitting her back on a chair," the source told Hollyscoop. "Chris had already left the building. (Security) came back upstairs and the girl was sitting on some stairs saying she couldn't believe Chris pushed her down the stairs and that she broke her hip. (Security) said Chris was nowhere near those stairs at any point. She then threw her shoe at security and started picking things off the ground and throwing them."
She's going to make a great mother someday.
Contact Tony Hicks at Facebook.com/BayAreaNewsGroup.TonyHicks or Twitter.com/insertfoot.


text:
Season 12 Junkie Access Reset
Posted 03 October 2012 - 08:14 PM
The access reset is just one of the many things we do to keep the content quality as high as possible. Remember that in order to meet the cutoff requirement you must have been at 2400* rating this season.
If you did have your access reset to the Member usergroup, please know that it is not personal and is done across the board without any exceptions. If you think your access was removed in error please send me a PM to correct it. Currently, once you achieve 2400*+ rating you will be granted access again. You can read more about our rules and access in the forum rules thread.
*As this is a start of a new season in a new expansion, we will be keeping a close eye on the rating inflation and rating ranges. If the 2400 cutoff is too high or too low, we will adjust it a bit later in the season to match the ratings players are capable of achieving.
Posted 03 October 2012 - 08:23 PM
would be great
Posted 03 October 2012 - 08:32 PM
Posted 03 October 2012 - 08:52 PM
The God You Once Believed In, Only Better And More Perfect, Godx.
Posted 06 October 2012 - 02:05 AM
Posted 08 October 2012 - 10:19 AM
Posted 08 October 2012 - 02:43 PM
Sibell, on 06 October 2012 - 02:05 AM, said:
Maybe coz you are s9 gladiator? Jk, but it sais you have member and not junkie. Maybe you should PM an admin?
Posted 08 October 2012 - 03:09 PM
Posted 09 October 2012 - 03:17 AM
Chizzey, on 03 October 2012 - 08:23 PM, said:
would be great
how could they possibly know who got boosted and who didnt? :S even if tons of ppl say some1 got boosted It's not always for certain they did
Posted 09 October 2012 - 03:20 PM
tobieplz, on 09 October 2012 - 03:17 AM, said:
Sounds like boosted talk to me! BURN TOBIEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!
Posted 30 October 2012 - 10:45 AM
Posted 30 October 2012 - 10:49 AM
Posted 30 October 2012 - 11:14 AM
Posted 30 October 2012 - 11:26 AM
Dakkrothy, on 30 October 2012 - 10:49 AM, said:
not like last season and the season before that after mmr nerf.. and lets say you would lower the access to 2,2k or something this forum would be infested with retarded warriors ( no offence ) and bm hunters who have played their fotms to 2,2k..
Posted 30 October 2012 - 02:10 PM
Have it your way
Posted 30 October 2012 - 02:19 PM
Jontex, on 30 October 2012 - 11:26 AM, said:
Because that is any different from the rogues, warlocks, and shamans that did last season?
Posted 30 October 2012 - 02:32 PM
Posted 30 October 2012 - 02:57 PM
Udderly, on 30 October 2012 - 02:10 PM, said:
Have it your way
which contributions do to mean?
those contibutions which you find on the offical forums, filled with so many noobstuffs like...mages are so OP because i cant reach him?
yes there are so many flamewars and trashtalk in here, but sometimes there are also useful things and you can catch up the opinions of a lot of very good players.
if everyone would have had access to this forum you will see a lot more posts, but also a lot more trash from some 2k guys who are struggling with RMP as Triple BM Hunter or asking for advice how to bind their first 5 abilities as BM hunter.
To be honest...i dont need those trash since 80% of the 2k rated guys didnt even know what the fuck they are doin right now apart from smashin buttons and looting some facerolled dead bodies.
Posted 30 October 2012 - 03:13 PM
Manglol, on 30 October 2012 - 02:32 PM, said:
I've always wondered, why aren't past season gladiators pruned? Most of the shitposters are people who barely play anymore and got gladiator once 4 years ago and are now struggling at 2k MMR.
Posted 30 October 2012 - 03:21 PM
Additionally, I believe it is now possible for access to be granted based on RBG rating.
I suspect rating requirements will be lowered, should nothing change, with the release of Patch 5.1.
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text:
A unique company
Servier has always prided itself as being different to other pharmaceutical companies (3). Although it is among the top 10 companies in Europe and ranks among the top 30 worldwide, it remains an independent company. In 2004, Servier's ownership structure was changed to a foundation to prevent takeovers. According to the company's founder, Jacques Servier, this is the best way to enable continuity for the company's mission.Its publicly available information highlights the difference between itself and other companies and this has been emphasised by its founder in his rare interviews (4, 5). For example, Servier states that it reinvests a higher proportion of its turnover back into its research. Whereas the top ten pharmaceutical companies reinvest 14% of turnover, and French industry as a whole reinvests 9%, Servier reinvests 25% (3). Servier refers to this as the "invent or die" principle, citing the fact that it has synthesised 50 000 chemical entities as evidence of its innovation credentials.
Another aspect of the company's independent approach has been its internationalisation strategy. It is now present in 140 countries and 90% of its medicines are used internationally. This success stems from adopting a global strategy early on. For example, the company established itself in eastern Europe before the fall of the Berlin wall, which meant that it was well positioned in the aftermath. In 1998, a major economic crisis hit Russia and prompted a number of US companies to withdraw from the market, but Servier chose to stay and has since benefited from the market resurgence.
At present, the company is banking on a number of collaborations bearing fruit in the near future to continue its strong growth. In January 2012, Servier announced a deal with the Swedish company BioInvent International under which Servier will use BioInvent's technology to select an antibody candidate for the development of an unspecified oncology target (5). At the end of 2011, Servier also entered into an agreement with MacroGenics, a US biotech company, for the development and commercialisation of MGA271, a first-in-class monoclonal antibody candidate that is being studied in Phase I for the treatment of solid tumours. The deal is potentially worth $470 million (5, 6). Servier also has an ongoing alliance with Belgian biotech firm Galapagos to develop a novel osteoarthritis drug, which led to a milestone payment of €4 million from Servier in December 2011 (7).


text:
I Love Standards…There Are So Many Of Them
By User701213-Oracle on May 13, 2013
The title is not an original bon mot by me – it's been said often, by others, and by many with more experience than I have in developing standards. It is with mixed emotions that I feel compelled to talk about a (generally good and certainly well-intentioned) standards organization: the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). I should state at the outset that I have a lot of respect for NIST. In the past, I have even urged a Congressional committee (House Science and Technology, if memory serves) to try to allocate more money to NIST for cybersecurity standards work. I've also met a number of people who work at NIST – some of whom have since left NIST and brought their considerable talents to other government agencies, one of whom I ran into recently and mentioned how I still wore a black armband years after he had left NIST because he had done such great work there and I missed working with him. All that said, I've seen a few trends at NIST recently that are – of concern.
When in Doubt, Hire a Consultant
I've talked in other blog entries about the concern I have that so much of NIST's outwardly-visible work seems to be done not by NIST but by consultants. I'm not down on consultants for all purposes, mind you – what is having your tires rotated and your oil changed except "using a car consultant?" However, in the area of developing standards or policy guidance it is of concern, especially when, as has been the case recently, the number of consultants working on a NIST publication or draft document is greater than the number of NIST employees contributing to it. There are business reasons, often, to use consultants. But you cannot, should not, and must not "outsource" a core mission, or why are you doing it? This is true in spades for government agencies. Otherwise, there is an entire beltway's worth of people just aching to tell you about a problem you didn't know you had, propose a standard (or regulation) for it, write the standard/regulation, interpret it and "certify" that Other Entities meet it. To use a song title, "Nice Work If You Can Get It."* Some recent consultant-heavy efforts are all over the map, perhaps because there isn't a NIST employee to say, "you say po-TAY-to, I sy po-TAH-to, let's call the whole thing off." ** (Or at least make sure the potato standard is Idaho russet – always a good choice.)
Another explanation – not intentionally sinister but definitely a possibility – is that consultants' business models are often tied to repeat engagements. A short, concise, narrowly-tailored and readily understandable standard isn't going to generate as much business for them as a long, complex and "subject to interpretation – and five people will interpret this six different ways" – document.
In short: I really don't like reading a document like NISTIR 7622 (more on which below) where most of the people who developed it are consultants. NIST's core mission is standards development: NIST needs to own their core mission and not farm it out.
Son of FISMA
I have no personal experience with the Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002 (FISMA) except the amount of complaining I hear about it second hand, which is considerable. The gist of the complaints is that FISMA asks people to do a lot of stuff that looks earnestly security oriented, not all of which is equally important.
Why should we care? To quote myself (in an obnoxiously self-referential way): "time, money and (qualified security) people are always limited." That is, the more security degenerates into a list of the 3000 things you Must Do To Appease the Audit Gods, the less real security we will have (really, who keeps track of 3000 Must Dos, much less does them? It sounds like a demented Girl Scout merit badge). And, in fact, the one thing you read about FISMA is that many government agencies aren't actually compliant because they missed a bunch of FISMA checkboxes. Especially since knowledgeable resources (that is, good security people) are limited, it's much better to do the important things well then maintain the farce that you can check 3000 boxes, which certainly cannot all be equally important. (It's not even clear how many of these requirements contribute to actual security as opposed to supporting the No Auditor Left Behind Act.)
If the scuttlebutt I hear is accurate, the only thing that could make FISMA worse is – you guessed it –adding more checkboxes. It is thus with considerable regret that I heard recently that NIST updated NIST Special Publication 800-53 (which NIST has produced as part of its statutory responsibilities under FISMA). The Revision 4 update included more requirements in the area of supply chain risk management and software assurance and trustworthiness. Now why would I, a maven of assurance, object to this? Because a) we already have actual standards around assurance, b) having FISMA-specific requirements means that pretty much every piece of Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) software will have to be designed and built to be FISMA compliant or COTS software/hardware vendors can't sell into the Federal government and (c) we don't want a race by other governments to come up with competing standards, to the point where we're checking not 3000 but 9000 or 12000 boxes and probably can't come up with a single piece of COTS globally let alone one that meets all 12000 requirements. (Another example is the set of supply chain/assurance requirements in the telecom sector in India that include a) asking for details about country of origin and b) specific contractual terms that buyers anywhere in the supply chain are expected to use. An unintended result is that a vendor will need to (a) disclose sensitive supply chain data (which itself may be a trade secret) and (b) modify processes around global COTS to sell into one country.)
Some of the new NIST guidance is problematic for any COTS supplier. To provide one example, consider:
"The artifacts generated by these development activities (e.g., functional specifications, high-level/low-level designs, implementation representations [source code and hardware schematics], the results from static/dynamic testing and code analysis (emphasis mine)) can provide important evidence that the information systems (including the components that compose those systems) will be more reliable and trustworthy. Security evidence can also be generated from security testing conducted by independent, accredited, third-party assessment organizations (e.g., Common Criteria Testing Laboratories (emphasis mine), Cryptographic/Security Testing Laboratories, and other assessment activities by government and private sector organizations.)"
For a start, to the extent that components are COTS, such "static testing" is certainly not going to happen by a third party nor will the results be provided to a customer. Once you allow random customers – especially governments – access to your source code or to static analysis results, you might as well gift wrap your code and send it to a country that engages in industrial espionage, because no vendor, having agreed to this for one government, will ever be able to say no to Nation States That Steal Stuff. (And static analysis results, to the extent some vulnerabilities are not fixed yet, just provide hackers a road map for how and where to break in.) Should vendors do static analysis themselves? Sure, and many do. It's fair for customers to ask whether this is done, and how a supplier ensures that the worst stuff is fixed before the supplier ships product. But it is worth noting – again – that if these tools were easy to use and relatively error free, everyone would be at a high level of tools usage maturity years ago. Using static analysis tools is like learning Classic Greek – very hard, indeed. (OK, koinic Greek isn't too bad but Homeric Greek or Linear B, fuhgeddabout it.)
With reference to the Common Criteria (CC), the difficulty now is that vendors have a much harder time doing CC evaluations than in the past because of other forces narrowing CC evaluations into a small set of products that have Protection Profiles (PPs). The result has been and will be for the foreseeable future – fewer evaluated products. The National Information Assurance Partnership (NIAP) – the US evaluation scheme – has ostensibly good reasons for their "narrowed/focused" CC-directions. But it is more than a little ironic that the NIST 800-53 revision should mention CC evaluations as an assurance measure at a time when the pipeline of evaluated products is shrinking, in large part due to the directions taken by another government entity (NIAP). What is industry to make of this apparent contradiction? Besides corporate head scratching, that is.
There are other – many other sections – I could comment upon, but one sticks out as worthy of notice:
"Supply chain risk is part of the advanced persistent threat (APT)."
It's bad enough that "supply chain risk" is such a vague term that it encompasses basically any and all risk of buying from a third party. (Including "buying a crummy product" which is not actually a supply chain-specific risk but a risk of buying any and all products.) Can bad guys try to corrupt the supply chain? Sure. Does that make any and all supply chain risks "part of APT?" Heck, no. We have enough hysteria about supply chain risk and APT without linking them together for Super-Hysteria.
To sum up, I don't disagree that customers in some cases – and for some, not all applications – may wish higher levels of assurance or have a heightened awareness of cyber-specific supply chain threats (e.g., counterfeiting and deliberate insertion of malware in code). However, incorporation of supply chain provisions and assurance requirements into NIST 800-53 has the unintended effect of requiring any and all COTS products to be sold to government agencies – which is all of them as far as I know – to be subject to FISMA.
What if the state of Idaho decided that every piece of software had to attest to the fact that No Actual Moose were harmed during the production of this software and that any moose used in code production all had background checks? What if every other state enumerated specific assurance requirements and specific supply chain risk management practices? What if they conflict with each other, or with the NIST 800-53 requirements? I mean really, why are these specific requirements called out in NIST 800-53 at all? There really aren't that many ways to build good software. FISMA as interpreted by NIST 800-53 really, really shouldn't roll its own.
IT Came from Outer Space – NISTIR 7622
I've already opined at length about how bad the NIST Interagency Report (NISTIR) 7622 is. I had 30 pages of comments on the first 80-page draft. The second draft only allowed comments of the Excel Spreadsheet form: "Section A.b, change 'must' to 'should,' for the reason 'because 'must' is impossible'" and so on. This format didn't allow for wholesale comments such as "it's unclear what problem this section is trying to solve and represents overreach, fuzzy definition and fuzzier thinking." NISTIR 7622 was and is so dreadful that an industry association signed a letter that said, in effect, NISTIR 7622 was not salvageable, couldn't be edited to something that could work, and needed to be scrapped in toto.
I have used NISTIR 7622 multiple times as a negative example: most recently, to an audience of security practitioners as to why they need to be aware of what regulations are coming down the pike and speak up early and often. I also used it in the context of a (humorous) paper I did at the recent RSA Conference with a colleague, the subject of which was described as "doubtless-well-intentioned legislation/regulation-that-has-seriously-unfortunate-yet-doubtless-unintended-consequences." That's about as tactful as you can get.
Alas, Dracula does rise from the grave,*** because I thought I heard noises at a recent Department of Homeland Security event that NISTIR 7622 was going to move beyond "good advice" and morph into a special publication. ("Run for your lives, store up garlic and don't go out after dark without a cross!") The current version of NISTIR 7622 – after two rounds of edits and heaven knows how many thousands of hours of scrutiny – is still unworkable, overscoped and completely unclear: you have a better chance of reading Linear B**** than understanding this document (and for those who don't already know, Linear B is not merely "all Greek to me" – it's actually all Greek to anybody). Ergo, NISTIR 7622 needs to die the true death: the last thing anyone should do with it is make a special publication out of it. It's doubling down on dreck. Make it stop. Now. Please.
The last section is, to be fair, not really about NIST per se. NIST has been tasked, by virtue of a recent White House Executive Order, with developing a framework for improving cybersecurity. As part of that tasking, NIST has published a Request For Information (RFI) seeking industry input on said framework. NIST has also scheduled several meetings to actively draw in thoughts and comments from those outside NIST. As a general rule, and NISTIR 7622 notwithstanding, NIST is very good at eliciting and incorporating feedback from a broad swath of stakeholders. It's one of their strengths and one of the things I like about them. More importantly, I give major kudos to NIST and its Director Pat Gallagher for forcefully making the point that NIST would not interfere with IT design, development and manufacture, in the speech he gave when he kicked off NIST's work on the Framework: "the Framework must be technology neutral and it must enable critical infrastructure sectors to benefit from a competitive [technology] market. (…) In other words, we will not be seeking to tell industry how to build your products or how to run your business."
The RFI responses are posted publicly and are, well, all over the map. What is concerning to me is the apparent desire of some respondents to have the government tell industry how to run their businesses. More specifically, how to build software, how to manage supply chain risk, and so forth. No, no, and no. (Maybe some of the respondents are consultants lobbying the government to require businesses to hire these consultants to comply with this or that mandate.)
For one thing, "security by design" concepts have already been working their way into development for a number of years: many companies are now staking their reputations on the security of their products and services. Market forces are working. Also, it's a good time to remind people that more transparency is reasonable – for example, to enable purchasers to make better risk-based acquisition decisions – but when you buy COTS you don't get to tell the provider how to build it. That's called "custom code" or "custom development." Just like, I don't get to walk into <insert name of low-end clothing retailer here> and tell them, that I expect my "standard off-the-shelf blue jeans" to ex post facto be tailored to me specifically, made of "organic, local and sustainable cotton" (leaving aside the fact that nobody grows cotton in Idaho), oh, and embroidered with not merely rhinestones but diamonds. The retailer's response should be "pound sand/good luck with that." It's one thing to ask your vendor "tell me what you did to build security into this product" and "tell me how you help mitigate counterfeiting" but something else for a non-manufacturing entity – the government – to dictate exactly how industry should build products and manage risk. Do we really want the government telling industry how to build products? Further, do we really want a US-specific set of requirements for how to build products for a global marketplace? What's good for the (US) goose is good for the (European/Brazilian/Chinese/Russian/Indian/Korean/name your foreign country) gander.
An illustrative set of published responses to the NIST RFI – and my response to the response – follows:
1. "NIST should likewise recognize that Information Technology (IT) products and services play a critical role in addressing cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and their exclusion from the Framework will leave many critical issues unaddressed."
Comment: COTS is general purpose software and not built for all threat environments. If I take my regular old longboard and attempt to surf Maverick's on a 30 foot day and "eat it," as I surely will, not merely because of my lack of preparation for 30-foot waves but because you need, as every surfer knows, a "rhino chaser" or "elephant gun" board for those conditions, is it the longboard shaper's fault? Heck, no. No surfboard is designed for all surf conditions; neither is COTS designed for all threat environments. Are we going to insist on products designed for one-size-fits-all threat conditions? If so, we will all, collectively, "wipe out." (Can't surf small waves well on a rhino chaser. Can't walk the board on one, either.)
Nobody agrees on what, precisely, constitutes critical infrastructure. Believe it or not, some governments appear to believe that social media should be part of critical national infrastructure. (Clearly, the World As We Know It will come to an end if I can't post a picture of my dog Koa on Facebook.) And even if certain critical infrastructure functions – say, power generation – depend on COTS hardware and software, the surest way to weaken their security is to apply an inflexible and country-specific regulatory framework to that COTS hardware and software. We have an existing standard for the evaluation of COTS IT, it's called the Common Criteria (see below): let's use it rather than reinvent the digital wheel.
2. "Software that is purchased or built by critical infrastructure operators should have a reasonable protective measures applied during the software development process."
Comment: Thus introducing an entirely new and undefined term into the assurance lexicon: "protective measures." I've worked in security – actually, the security of product development – for 20 years and I have no idea what this means. Does it mean that every product should self defend? I confess, I rather like the idea of applying the Marine Corps ethos – "every Marine a rifleman" – to commercial software. Every product should understand when it is under attack and every product should self-defend. It is a great concept but we do not, as an industry, know how to do that - yet. Does "protective measures" mean "quality measures?" Does it mean "standard assurance measures?" Nobody knows. And any term that is this nebulous will be interpreted by every reader as Something Different.
3. "Ultimately, <Company X> believes that the public-private establishment of baseline security assurance standards for the ICT industry should cover all key components of the end-to-end lifecycle of ICT products, including R&D, product development, procurement, supply chain, pre-installation product evaluation, and trusted delivery/installation, and post-installation updates and servicing."
Comment: I can see the religious wars over tip-of-tree vs. waterfall vs. agile development methodologies. There is no single development methodology, there is no single set of assurance practices that will work for every organization (for goodness' sake, you can't even find a single vulnerability analysis tool that works well against all code bases).
Too many in government and industry cannot express concerns or problem statements in simple, declarative sentences, if at all. They don't, therefore, have any business attempting to standardize how all commercial products are built (what problem will this solve, exactly?). Also, if there is an argument for baseline assurance requirements, it certainly can't be for everything, or are we arguing that "FindEasyRecipes.com" is critical infrastructure and need to be built to withstand hostile nation state attacks that attempt to steal your brioche recipe if not tips on how to get sugar to caramelize at altitude?
4. "Application of this technique to the Common Criteria for Information Technology Security Evaluation revealed a number of defects in that standard. The journal Information and Software Technology will soon publish an article describing our technique and some of the defects we found in the Common Criteria."
Comment: Nobody ever claimed the Common Criteria was perfect. What it does have going for it is a) it's an ISO standard and b) by virtue of the Common Criteria Recognition Arrangement (CCRA), evaluating once against the Common Criteria gains you recognition in 20-some other countries. Putting it differently, the quickest way to make security much, much worse is to have a Balkanization of assurance requirements. (Taking a horse and jumping through mauve, pink, and yellow hoops doesn't make the horse any better, but it does enrich the hoop manufacturers, quite nicely.) In the security realm, doing the same thing four times doesn't give you four times the security, it reduces security by four times, as limited (skilled) resource goes to doing the same thing four different ways. If we want better security, improve the Common Criteria and, by the way, major IT vendors and the Common Criteria national schemes – which come from each CCRA member country's information assurance agency, like the NSA in the US – have been hard at work for the last few years applying their considerable security expertise and resources to do just that. Having state-by-state or country-by-country assurance requirements will make security worse – much, much worse.
5. "…vendor adoption of industry standard security models. In addition, we also believe that initiatives to motivate vendors to more uniformly adopt vulnerability and log data categorization, reporting and detection automation ecosystems will be a significant step in ensuring security tools can better detect, report and repair security vulnerabilities."
Comment: There are so many flaws in this, one hardly knows where to start. There are existing vulnerability "scoring" standards – namely, the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS), ***** though there are some challenges with it, such as the fact that the value of the data compromised should make a difference in the score: a "breach" of Aunt Gertrude's Whiskey Sauce Recipe is not, ceteris paribus, as dire as a breach of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) if for no other reason than a company can incur large fines for the latter, far exceeding Aunt Gertrude's displeasure at the former. Even if she cuts you out of her will.
Also, there is work going on to standardize descriptions of product vulnerabilities (that is, the format and type). However, not all vendors release the exact same amount of information when they announce security vulnerabilities and should not be required to. Oracle believes that it is not necessary to release either exploit code or the exact type of vulnerability; e.g., buffer overflow, cross-site request forgery (CSRF) or the like because this information does not help customers decide whether to apply a patch or not: it merely enables hackers to break into things faster. Standardize how you refer to particular advisory bulletin elements and make them machine readable? Sure. Insist on dictating business practices (e.g., how much information to release) – heck, no. That's between a vendor and its customer base. Lastly, security tools cannot, in general "repair" security vulnerabilities – typically, only patch application can do that.
6. "All owners and operators of critical infrastructure face risk from the supply chain. Purchasing hardware and software potentially introduce security risk into the organization. Creation of a voluntary vendor certification program may help drive innovation and better security in the components that are essential to delivery of critical infrastructure services."
Comment: The insanity of the following comment astounds: "Purchasing hardware and software potentially introduce security risk into the organization." News flash: all business involves "risk." Not doing something is a risk. So, what else is new? Actually, attempting to build everything yourself also involves risk – not being able to find qualified people, the cost (and ability) to maintain a home-grown solution, and so forth. To quote myself again: "Only God created something from nothing: everyone else has a supply chain."****** In short, everyone purchases something from outside their own organization. Making all purchases into A Supply Chain Risk as opposed to, say, a normal business risk is silly and counterproductive. It also makes it far less likely that specific, targeted supply chain threats can be addressed at all if "buying something – anything – is a risk" is the threat definition.
At this point, I think I've said enough. Maybe too much. Again, I appreciate NIST as an organization and as I said above the direction they have set for the Framework (not to $%*& with IT innovation) is really to their credit. I believe NIST needs to in-source more of their standards/policy development, because it is their core mission and because consultants have every incentive to create perpetual work for themselves (and none whatsoever to be precise and focused). NIST should adopt a less-is-more mantra vis-a-vis security. It is better to ask organizations do a few critical things well than to ask them to do absolutely everything – with not enough resource (which is a collective industry problem and not one likely to be solved any time soon). Lastly, we need to remember that we are a proud nation of innovators. Governments generally don't do well when they tell industry how to do their core mission – innovate – and, absent a truly compelling public policy argument for so doing, they shouldn't try.
*"Nice Work If You Can Get It," lyrics by Ira Gershwin, music by George Gershwin. Don't you just love Gershwin?
** "Let's Call The Whole Thing Off." Another gem by George and Ira Gershwin.
*** Which reminds me – I really hate the expression "there are no silver bullets." Of course there are silver bullets. How many vampires and werewolves do you see wandering around?
****Speaking of which, I just finished a fascinating if short read: The Man Who Deciphered Linear B: The Story of Michael Ventris.
*****CVSS is undergoing revision.
****** If you believe the account in Genesis, that is.


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Preview: Ole Miss vs. Wisconsin
Dawg Post Top Stories
UGA QB: Jacob Eason's Job to LoseATHENS - Georgia is preparing to start freshman Jacob Eason against North Carolina.
Dawg PostFriday at 4:40 PM
Dawg Post Friday Recruiting Update:Dawg Post gives an update on some of the best high school games this weekend and where Georgia targets will be playing.
Dawg PostFriday at 8:48 AM
Dawg Post Insider Practice ReportATHENS - Andrew Stephens' report from Georgia's practice on Wed.
Dawg PostWednesday at 3:42 PM
Dawg Post: Wednesday Recruiting UpdateDawg Post give you the latest on Georgia Bulldogs' recruiting
Dawg PostWednesday at 2:31 PM


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15 Sundance Short Films You Can Watch on YouTube
As the Sundance Film Festival gets under way next week, more than 45,000 movie fans will converge on the ski resort of Park City, Utah, eager to watch some of the 120 feature films.
For film lovers who can't make it to Utah — many ticket packages are sold out, and airfare and lodging prices are now high — the Sundance Institute will present 15 of the short films on the Sundance Film Festival YouTube channel starting Jan. 16.
"In recent years we've turned to digital tools and technology to extend the festival experience to audiences who are not with us in Utah, and our initiatives this year make the festival more accessible than ever before," said Keri Putnam, executive director of the Sundance Institute. "Our initiative with YouTube allows people everywhere to see a selection of short films at the same time they premiere at this year's festival bringing more awareness to one of the favorite and most renowned sections."
The short films that will premiere on YouTube and at the festival are:
Allergy to Originality by Drew Christie
The Big House by Musa Syeed
Burger by Magnus Mork
Catherine by Dean Fleischer-Camp
Chapel Perilous by Matthew Lessner
Crime The Animated Series (Marcus McGhee) by Alix Lambert and Sam Chou
Cruising Electric (1980) by Brumby Boylston
Dig by Toby Halbrooks
Funnel by Andre Hyland
Gregory Go Boom by Janicza Bravo
MeTube: August Sings Carmen 'Habanera' by Daniel Moshel
Notes on Blindness by Peter Middleton and James Spinney
Passer Passer by Louis Morton
Rat Pack Rat by Todd Rohal
Tim and Susan Have Matching Handguns by Joe Callander
Events such as the first day's press conference, the shorts awards and the festival awards ceremony will be livestreamed on YouTube. In addition, for the first time, the Sundance Institute will collaborate with Weber Shandwick to broadcast a "Live@Sundance" show each day featuring films, artists and events.
In late January, the institute will screen nine of the festival films in nine different cities, including a discussion with the filmmakers. Those cities and films will be:
Ann Arbor, MI: Infinitely Polar Bear (Director-screenwriter Maya Forbes)
Boston, MA: WHITEY: United States of America v. James J. Bulger (Director Joe Berlinger)
Chicago, IL: Happy Christmas (Director-screenwriter Joe Swanberg)
Houston, TX: Cold in July (Director Jim Mickle, Screenwriters Jim Mickle, Nick Damici)
Nashville, TN: Low Down (Director Jeff Preiss, Screenwriters Amy Albany, Topper Lilien)
Orlando, FL: Little Accidents (Director-screenwriter Sara Colangelo)
San Francisco, CA: Camp X-Ray (Director-screenwriter Peter Sattler)
Seattle, WA: The Skeleton Twins (Director Craig Johnson, Screenwriters Craig Johnson, Mark Heyman)
Tucson, AZ: Young Ones (Director-screenwriter Jake Paltrow)
Follow @barbarachai for more news and updates from the Sundance Film Festival.


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crash wrote:
Thats the beef between writers and street artists.
Jesse wrote: just because it's an unintended result that only comes with mass practise and has nothing to do with an individual's action doesn't mean that it doesn't happen at all, but it does undermine that concept as an apologia for the habit of writing on things.
Jesse wrote: It's so patronizing to talk about graffiti as anything other than the quest for notoriety and visual ubiquity.


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I finally did it. I started a very small organic bakery in my home where my customers are friends and neighbours. This was an idea I toyed around with after doing an insane amount of baking for the street fair at the boys' school. Since I still have a real job, I bake twice a week--it is a great way to relax and decompress after a day of teaching. Since Wednesday night is a baking night, I won't always have a blog post for that day (as you probably noticed yesterday). But I am sure you can all get along without me.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
The Bakery is Open!
36 comments:
- Lisa -- Cravin' Veggies said...
Wow! That's fan-TAS-tic!! Congratulations and good luck!!!
- September 18, 2008 at 12:23 PM
- Holly said...
Hi there,
Congratulations! Where can the goods be picked up? The lemon currant rolls sound great..
- September 18, 2008 at 12:26 PM
- VeggieGirl said...
- September 18, 2008 at 12:34 PM
- megan said...
Lucky neighbors! Those lemon currant rolls sound delicious.
- September 18, 2008 at 12:35 PM
- Vegan Dad said...
Send an email to the address in the bottom of the right column of this blog and I can give you the specifics.
- September 18, 2008 at 1:07 PM
- carrie said...
Congratulations vegan dad, I wish you much success!!
- September 18, 2008 at 1:13 PM
- Colleen said...
I wish I didn't live all the way over in Alberta, that's a great idea!
- September 18, 2008 at 1:14 PM
- Hannah said...
Congratulations, that's incredible! I hope you keep us updated with how the bakery's doing, although I'm sure it will be a hit!
- September 18, 2008 at 1:45 PM
- Dayna said...
Congratulations! I hope it is wonderfully successful.
- September 18, 2008 at 2:36 PM
- Justin Fox Burks and The Wife said...
congrats. it'll be your only job before you know it.
- September 18, 2008 at 3:48 PM
- allularpunk said...
this is awesome! my mom did this for awhile when i was in high school. people really appreciated her breads, and i'm sure, by the looks of what you're offering, that your community will as well.
- September 18, 2008 at 4:02 PM
- Melisser; the Urban Housewife said...
Congratulations from a fellow twice a week baking business!
- September 18, 2008 at 5:07 PM
- Teresa said...
Congratulations! I hope your bakery takes off! Wish I were local.
- September 18, 2008 at 5:49 PM
- Bianca said...
Sweet! Congrats! I wish I was a neighbor so I could order those Lemon Current Rolls. Those sound fabulous!
- September 18, 2008 at 5:56 PM
- erin32mc said...
Congratulations! That is really exciting news. I wish I was one of your neighbors so I could buy some goodies from you.
- September 18, 2008 at 5:58 PM
- shelby said...
Congratulations! Thats so great =)
- September 18, 2008 at 6:45 PM
- Janet said...
yep, these need to be available for mail delivery. ;)
- September 18, 2008 at 6:47 PM
- Jan Scholl said...
Not Fair!!! It's not MY neighborhood.
- September 18, 2008 at 6:52 PM
- Ron said...
Congratulations, VeganDad, and as others have said: lucky neighbours and friends.
Ron ...
- September 18, 2008 at 6:56 PM
- Anonymous said...
VeganDad, good for you! Make sure you are costing the ingredients for your recipes; also include your time, per hour, and the energy cost for baking your bread! If you are handy and have the outside space, you might consider building your own outdoor wood burning oven. It gives you even more fantastic tasting bread.
- September 18, 2008 at 8:39 PM
- Vegan Dad said...
I did do a cost analysis of the materials (energy was a little tricky to calculate) to arrive at my prices. The prices are fair, give me some profit, but I am not going to get rich off this business. I am just spreading organic vegan love around the neighbourhood. I think the wood oven will have to wait, though it sounds totally awesome.
- September 18, 2008 at 8:46 PM
- Karina said...
Vegan Dad,
This is awesome! I hope all goes well. How interesting - I just started a bakery from home as well! (www.snailhousebakery.com)
Good luck!
- September 18, 2008 at 10:49 PM
- wingraclaire said...
Sounds great, and it inspires me to go and bake some bread, as I don't live in the neighborhood....
- September 18, 2008 at 11:11 PM
- Arundathi said...
wow - good going - congratulations! :) all the very best!
- September 19, 2008 at 3:52 AM
- Susan G said...
That's wonderful! I am envious of the people lucky enough to be your customers!
- September 19, 2008 at 10:03 AM
- Janet said...
Congratulations, Vegan Dad! Best of luck with your new venture :)
- September 19, 2008 at 10:41 AM
- Eesh said...
How wonderful! Congratulations! I drooled over your bread baking skills for the street fair. I only wish I lived closer to buy some!
- September 19, 2008 at 7:09 PM
- tasteslikeyum said...
Who knows, this could be the start of something much bigger! Congrats!
- September 20, 2008 at 12:04 AM
- jenny said...
Congrats!! :)
- September 20, 2008 at 8:19 AM
- chow vegan said...
Congratulations! If only I lived in Canada, I would so be there!
- September 20, 2008 at 11:50 AM
- xybermatthew said...
Hey, congrats.
First, are you running this business out of your home or do you have a shop? I'm curious to know, because I'm a vegan dad too and love working in the kitchen and wondering if this is something I could do in my neighborhood.
Second, it looks like from the comments people are looking to order over the net -- there is a start up company that I know of in my "neck of the woods" that might be able to help you out. It's http://foodzie.com/. Foodzie is an online marketplace where you can discover and buy food from small artisan producers and growers.
Anyway, best of luck to you.
- September 21, 2008 at 4:35 PM
- Vaala said...
Wow! I wish I lived near you! I'd totally be ordering. Good luck :)
- September 21, 2008 at 10:50 PM
- Vegan Dad said...
I run the bakery out of my home. People place an order, I bake it, they pick it up. Easy.
- September 22, 2008 at 10:06 AM
- Debyi said...
I am so excited for you!!! That has also been a dream of mine for a few years. How did you go about starting your bakery business? I would love any tips you could give those of us that would like to follow along in your footsteps.
- October 20, 2008 at 11:05 PM
- Vegan Dad said...
I started very small. A few people expressed an interest in my baking after I made some stuff for a school street fair, so I sent an email out to a few of them. Word of mouth brought in a few more customers. This way I could see how much I could bake in a night, and how many customers I could handle. I put orders into a spread sheet, develop a baking plan for the night (rising and baking times). Everything has been smooth so far, and I think I could take on a few more customers. I like the bake to order system since I don't make any extra bread or have leftover inventory. I feature a new bread ever month to keep things interesting.
- October 21, 2008 at 11:47 AM
- xybermatthew said...
I recently made some new vegan friends and found out that they have just started to sell their bakery items on http://www.etsy.com/, maybe you could gain those few extra customers here. :-)
- October 21, 2008 at 11:51 AM


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Mo. finances to take hit from higher federal tax
Budget director says reduced revenue should not be surprise
Missouri's finances could take a $60 million annual hit because of a recent 2 percentage point increase in federal Social Security payroll taxes.
State budget director Linda Luebbering said the lost revenues resulting from the federal Social Security tax already had been taken into consideration for budget projections. She said the reduced revenue should not come as a surprise to state officials.
The Social Security tax reverted to 6.2 percent this month after the expiration of a 2 percentage point cut that had been in place for a couple of years.
A rise in federal taxes results in a decrease in state taxes, because people can claim their federal taxes as a deduction on their state income tax forms.
Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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1. The leather saga is over and it looks like we've come out good here. I've spent a lot of time messing with the leather to get it to work as I want it to. The leather is great but I found that it was a bit too dry to accept the Dupont diamond spray. The solution is to condition the leather through light oiling.
I'm extremely pleased with the results this gives in how the leather accepts and holds the diamond compound, in the feeling of surface draw provided, and in how I can load up on the diamond spray without worry of curling or buckling of the leather pad.
I've decided that as long as we can get this leather we'll be buying it and selling it and that I'll continue to condition it to avoid any potential problems. This is the best leather stropping product we've ever sold.
We now have the All-U-Need Strop Kit in stock but only in limited quantities.
2. I've decided to pre-charge all leather pads (both those sold in the kits and inidividually) with our Dupont 0.25 micron diamond spray. This means you get ready to go OTB - no worries about how much spray to apply - leather stropping surface.
In the case of the individually sold pads you can buy without having to purchase diamond spray initially making for a significant cost savings.
3. In stock in a very limited quantity are the felt pads, leather pads, & felt blocks.
4. Out of stock still are the diamond spray & chromium oxide powder. These items will be back in stock shortly.


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Heidi Russo, a 44-year-old registered nurse who now lives in a Denver suburb, was a 19-year-old single mother in Milwaukee when her six-week old son was adopted by Rick and Teresa Kaepernick. She told Yahoo Sports that although she knows being raised by the Kaepernicks was the best thing for Colin, there were many times she wished she could get Colin back.
She has contacted the Kaepernicks as well as Colin over the years, and even went to see him play a game while he was at the University of Nevada. Russo's preferred method of reaching out to Colin has been through Twitter, where they've exchanged some messages.
However, Kaepernick who has made no secret of his devotion to his adoptive family, has thus far not been interested in meeting in person with Russo.
"I watch him now and I see how happy he is and I'm thrilled for him," Russo told Yahoo Sports' Jason Cole. "I have to respect" his decision not to meet.
Virgil Green, a Denver Broncos tight end and Kaepernick's former teammate and roommate at Nevada, told Yahoo Sports that Kaepernick has strong feelings for resisting overtures from his birth mother.
":I think he would view it as almost treasonous to them to meet with his biological mother or father," Green said. " They did such a great job giving him everything he needed to be successful in life."
Rick and Teresa Kaepernick have said they have always supported any decision Colin makes in terms of his interaction with his birth parents. Russo said the couple used to send her letters as well as pictures of Colin until he was 6 or 7, then the correspondence stopped.
Russo, who has an 8-year-old son, attended a 49ers preseason game in Denver on Aug. 26 with her son. While she hoped to meet Colin afterward, Russo did meet up with Rick and Teresa Kaepernick for the first time in decades.
"It was like meeting old friends after 25 years," Russo told Yahoo. "You couldn't ask for better people than Rick and Teresa, how they have loved him and taken care of him. As a parent, you never think that anyone could love your child as much as you do, but they have.
"You can see that everything he wants and everything he has worked for is coming together," she said. "That's something that any parent would be happy to see for their child."


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Knitter's Review
March 26, 2009
Are knitting needles merely a means to an end, pointy sticks that help us turn yarn into fabric?
To some, maybe. But needles are integral to our craft. This week I show you some masterpieces of high-performance, high-precision knitting needle engineering. They're the DPNs from Signature Needle Arts.
This Week in Ohio
In the Forum: Purling Problems
Need help logging into the Forums?
As always, I thank you for your readership and your support.
Happy knitting, and I'll see you in the Forums!
P.S. Do you have friends who would enjoy Knitter's Review? If so, don't hesitate to forward this email to them.
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Participate in our Knitter's Review Poll and you'll see an instant tally of all the votes.
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Quaint and charming are two words that immediately come to mind when describing historic downtown Greensboro. Even though the destination is located between Atlanta and Augusta, once you set foot on Main Street, you'll think that you've stepped back in time – and that's a good thing.
As you spend hours (or half a day) meandering through the various shops and antique stores, not only will you come across some "must-haves" but also residents who exemplify a strong sense of community and southern hospitality.
You can't go wrong with anywhere you visit, but you definitely don't want to miss Genuine Georgia, where you can purchase something made by artisans from the state. Time your visit right, and you may see an artist working on their craft. You can play the part of a picker when you visit Greensboro Antique Mall. With all of the browsing and shopping, you are sure to work up an appetite. You can't leave downtown without visiting both The Yesterday Cafe and The Potted Geranium. Ask for a slice of buttermilk pie at The Yesterday Cafe, and chance are you might take home a whole pie to share. Enjoy sipping tea in an antebellum home at The Potted Geranium.
If you have an interest in history, Greensboro doesn't disappoint in this aspect, either. While walking on Main Street, you've already passed a piece of history, '"The Big Store" J.H McCommons Company. This was the largest retail store between Atlanta and Augusta, and sold nearly everything. Like in many southern towns, the courthouse is a historic building. Build in 1849, the structure is an example of Greek Revival. Behind it is the Old Gaol, which if you are time-crunched this is a must-see. It's believed to be the oldest existing jail structure in the state, and had remained basically the same since the early 1800s. It was last used in 1890. There is also the Greensboro City Cemetery, featuring unique stone and iron work. It is filled graves of prominent Georgia figures, a Revolutionary War solider and more.
And when it comes time to relax, there's golfing just minutes away from downtown as well as Lake Oconee (Georgia's second largest lake) and the many opportunities to explore it. If you really want to indulge, consider staying overnight at The Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation. The 251-room property located on the banks of Lake Oconee is all about relaxation and rejuvenation. Book a spa treatment, visit the pool or sit at the lake -do all three or none at all. Enjoy a meal at one of their many restaurants. One thing is for certain, you aren't going to want to leave anytime soon.
Watkinsville, Ga.-based freelance travel writer and blogger Apryl Chapman Thomas enjoys traveling throughout Georgia and the Southeast to discover what all the region has to offer. You can read more of her work at Southern Hospitality Traveler Magazine (southernhospitalitymagazine.com) and Exploration Travel Magazine (explorationtravelmagazine.com), and by end of the month at her own travel blog, Southern Trippin, southerntrippin.com.


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All Sorts of Weird Stuff offers news and information about George R.R. Martin, in particular about his A Song of Ice and Fire series.
"When I was young, I read all sorts of stuff. One week it would be Lovecraft, the next Vance. It was all imaginative literature, or as my dad called it 'Weird Stuff.' It was all 'Weird Stuff.'"
George R.R. Martin
New to the series? Read our spoiler-free review of A Game of Thrones.
Read our Privacy Policy.
Copyright © Funko
Funko Pop! releases a series of collectible Game of Thrones vinyl figures. Ned Stark is the second in the series of six. Due to be released on November 1, 2012.
The Westeros network consists of several different sites, including a forum and a wiki, for all your A Song of Ice and Fire needs.


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Please see "More Info" box below for the card sentiments.
2. Yellow roses in blue mug
Front: Happy Birthday Wishes
Inside: Wishing you a year of collecting happy memories.
3. Pink flowers in white jar
Front: On Your Special Day
Inside: Wishing you only the best and loveliest, today and always. Happy Birthday
4. Dark pink roses in white porcelain
Front: Warmest Birthday Wishes
Inside: Sending sunny thoughts your way! Happy Birthday
5. Red tulip bouquet
Front: Sending you a Wish
Inside: May your birthday be filled with sunshine, smiles, and the ones you hold most dear!
6. Girl with yellow flowers
Front: Thinking of You on Your Special Day
Inside: Your birthday is always such a pleasure to remember... just like you! Happy Birthday
7. Yellow daffodils in pot
Front: May birthday joys...
Inside: ...blossom all around you!
8. Pink and white bouquet and gift
Front: Beautiful Birthday Wishes
Inside: Sending you a wish for a birthday to remember.
9. Yellow sunflowers in blue vase
Front: Enjoy the beautiful moments...
Inside: ...of this special day. Happy Birthday
10. Blue, yellow, and orange bouquet in tan vase
Front: Happy Birthday
Inside: May your birthday find you surrounded by all the things that make you happiest!
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ABC has chosen�Chris Soules�as the next star of�The Bachelor, it was announced�Wednesday�on�Good Morning America.
"I was humbled, flattered, grateful," he said during the reveal. "Coming from a small town, I never expected to have this opportunity to be on either show, let alone be the lead on The Bachelor. So, it's been awesome."
Soules, 32, became a fan-favorite on the most recent season of�The Bachelorette�and made it to the Final 3. During his fantasy suite date with�Andi,�she decided to let him go before the night was over. Following his exit, the Iowa farmer told us, "It's OK to [be vulnerable]. When I get the opportunity with the right person, I can do that and still survive if it doesn't work out and still do it again. This helped me learn a lot about myself and how to cope and put yourself in situations and manage it as an adult and without family and friends. I know it helped me grow."
The Bachelorette�fan-favorite farmer Chris: I left heartbroken
When we asked host�Chris Harrison�about the prospect of Soules becoming the Bachelor he told us, "He'd be a great bachelor! He's a sweet guy, really honest and hard-working."
Are you excited for Chris to be the next Bachelor? Watch our interview with Andi and her fianc� Josh below:
View original And the New Bachelor Is at TVGuide.com
Other Links From TVGuide.com
Location, ST | website.com


text: Audiology is part of our Neurodiagnostic Service. The staff provides high quality, caring services to patients and clients with neurological, developmental, musculoskeletal and other disorders. In addition, complete hearing evaluations and hearing aid dispensing is available through the audiology department. For more information, please contact the Audiology Department at (330) 297-2427.


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- Comfort and protection!
- Currently Unavailable
A SPRfit adjustable ratchet lets you change sizes and get a perfect fit in seconds. . . with one hand! The EPP liner and dovetail liner system fit perfectly for comfort that lasts all game long. "No-slop" fit so you can focus on the game. The visor, shell and chin are low profile for a fast, sleek helmet. It's ultra-light, weighing only 1.9 lbs. The CPV visor and chin are tailored to accommodate a wide range of head sizes. FreeFlow venting keeps you cool. Designed for a great view, a slightly dropped V in the center of the bars makes all the difference for looking downward and up the field.