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I currently ride my road bike with mountain bike shoes which are
pretty heavy, how much would i benifit my getting a lighter weight shoe?
And what is a good shoe that is not too expensive?
Best shoes for me on the market are the new Giro line of shoes. They offer different levels of performance that include Easton carbon soles. They fit 'like a glove' and are arguably the most comfortable lightest, and stiffest shoes I ever owned.
When I began road cycling, I used to wear a pair of mtn bike shoes, and when I made the transition to a road shoe, it was almost night and day. Now I have a pair of Giro Factors and all I can say is 'wow'. I recommend whatever shoe you go with, definitely make sure that the sole is stiff and the shoe is light. Make sure that there is no flex at the toe too.
The best cycling shoe is one that fits your feet. Yes, that is kind of a given, but you would be amazed at how often people buy shoes because of some advertising message or price and the shoe doesn't fit. Anyway, on road bike shoes you want a very stiff sole (different from mtn bike shoes where you want flex for walking). Amount of mesh, velcro straps or ratchet, etc are personal preference. Weight won't differ much from one to another, the biggest benefit over mtn bike shoes is stiffness, allowing greater force to the pedals). Finally it is important to have a shoe that will mount your preferred cleat/pedal system. Go to a local bike shop or two and try them on. Price will vary widely; you can also order online (see second sentence) from places like Nashbar, Performance, Colorado Cyclist, etc as long as you can return them if they don't fit.
Tried many shoes, but I have to say the Specialized Body Geometry are by far the most comfortable
I'm guessing you are useing mtn. shoes because you have a big foot. First pair of road shoes .......hhhhmmmmm Shimano. They have a big toe box, and depending on your wallet. You can go cheap (less than 100 bucks), or go for all the whisles and bells. They won't stear you wrong. Keep the tires on the pavement, good luck.
I've used many brands. I like SIDI the best. Entry to Professional levels in all styles. I have a wide-ish foot. I just wear the men's shoe.
I have to agree that Specialized Body Geometry (Pro Road in particular) are my favorites. I happen to have a great barely used pair of 46A's available for sale. See the listing here: https://post.craigslist.org/manage/2586944708
Your post does mention a good shoe that is not too expensive. SIDI makes perhaps the best quality shoes, but they do come at a price...The best value out there currently is the GIRO Factor...It is reasonably priced, and packs features that even more expensive shoes do not offer...The 2 biggest features that benefit performance, are 1)a good quality stiff carbon sole, and 2) a fastening system that forms the shoe to your foot for maximum fit and comfort...The GIRO Factor does both...It has a stiff and light Easton EC90 carbon sole, and a ratcheting strap for on the fly adjustability...The tongue is also slit to form to the top of your foot, and the insole has different arch inserts to match your foot...These shoes are extremely light as well...as a comparison, I own a pair of the best road shoe SIDI has to offer, the Ergo 2....I LOVE this shoe...but I also LOVE my GIRO Factors, and they are 60 grams per shoe lighter than the SIDI's!...That's 120 grams of rotating weight...That is significant, considering how many revolutions per minute you have to move those shoes over the course of a ride....There are many good shoes out there, but when you're looking at product value, the GIRO Factor is it...They're about $269...(The SIDI Ergo 2s are $500)...Good luck!
Go to a bike shop and try some shoes on. Everyone's feet are different. Certain brands will not fit your feet as good as others because of the size and width of your foot. This one bike shop only carried in stock Louis Garneau shoes and he told me that they didn't fit my feet real good and even though he'd like to sell me a pair of shoes, what he had didn't fit my feet good. So he sent me to another bike shop and they had some Scott shoes and they fit my feet really good, so that's what I bought. They were about $90, so not too expensive.
ACTIVE is the leader in online event registrations from 5k running races and marathons to softball leagues and local events. ACTIVE also makes it easy to learn and prepare for all the things you love to do with expert resources, training plans and fitness calculators.


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- Ultimate Collection!
- Currently Unavailable
Own every official FIFA World Cup match ball since 1970.
adidas has recreated every official FIFA World Cup™ ball since 1970 to celebrate the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™.
This special package contains all 11 of those legendary match balls. (1970-2010).
Each includes the year the ball was used and the location of that FIFA World Cup™.
Set comes with 12 display rings, one for each of these balls and one for the 2014 ball.
Lamentamos que todavia no hay descripción en español para este producto.

subset: commoncrawl


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GLENWOOD SPRINGS - A wild idea grew out of a recent chat between local ski maker Matt Cudmore and Joe Risi, production assistant for the Carbondale-based backcountry skiing blog, WildSnow.com.What if they harvested an aspen tree near Marble, and transported it by bicycle trailer to a local mill?From there, the rough-cut boards would be taken, by bike again, to Cudmore's new Meier Skis production shop at Cattle Creek, where they would be turned into a pair of Meier skis.The newly crafted skis would then be biked back to Carbondale for delivery to Lou Dawson, a backcountry ski legend, author and founder of WildSnow.He would eventually bike up to the base of Mount Sopris, skis in tow, hike up to the summit and ski down.Voil, a completely local, low-carbon-footprint ski adventure, from forest to alpine ski descent.Of course, it's just a brainstorm at this point, with a lot of technical details to work out.But that's kind of how it all got started for Cudmore and Meier Skis.And it's just the kind of notoriety he has gotten used to over the past year since his locally grown "Skis Made from Colorado Trees" business has taken off.What began in a small garage shop a couple of years ago, has now expanded to a full-scale commercial production shop and small showroom in the Valley View Business Center on Highway 82.After building 50 or so pairs of skis per year by hand since starting the business in 2009, Cudmore is now looking to top 300 pairs this season."Our goal is to do six pairs a day, and the way things are going we should be able to double that next year," Cudmore said. "The community has really embraced us, and is excited about what we're doing."A recent grand opening at the new shop drew 350 people, and the Meier Skis' Facebook page has 700 fans and growing each day."We have way more work than I ever imagined last year at this time," Cudmore said. "But it's awesome, I'm living the dream."
A series of local and regional newspaper articles last ski season about Cudmore's journey from building his own "perfect pair of skis" to making them for others helped spread the name.Meier comes from his wife Rosanna's maiden German name, Meier-Grolman.Cudmore's skis use nothing but Colorado-grown aspen and pine, including a regular stock of blue stain beetle-kill pine."We're taking the devastation from the beetle kill and turning it into something beautiful with these skis," Cudmore said.Word quickly spread about his unique approach to ski-making, including the fact that he was looking for an investor to help expand the business.That person surfaced in a Colorado businessman and ski enthusiast from the little Front Range foothills town of Pine by the name of Ted Eynon."I needed a partner who was fully wanting to work on this with me," Cudmore said. "I interviewed Ted up at Sunlight last year. He's not only really into what we're doing, he's a rippin' skier himself."Meier Skis has since gained mention in Denver's Westword, Time Magazine, Outside Magazine and the Wall Street Journal.And, while Meier Skis are making their way around the world, the focus is still very much local.Delta Timber Co. supplies the wood, "and everything else is done right here in the shop," Cudmore said. "We do the engineering, build them, market them, everything."His wife, Rosanna, quit her job to handle promotions and marketing for the new business.Woodshop veteran Chris Kennedy and recent college graduate Chris Dean round out the production team with Cudmore.Cudmore also took a business start-up class through the Roaring Fork Business Resource Center.Meier Skis can be found at Sunlight Ski & Bike Shop in Glenwood Springs, and this season at the new Cripple Creek Backcountry Exchange in Carbondale."We're working on locations in Aspen, Vail, Beaver Creek and Breckenridge," Cudmore said.Customers can still order from the selection of skis online at MeierSkis.com. But even those sales are now funneled through local retail outlets, all in keeping with the sustainability theme."We want to save the brick and mortar stores, and not screw them out of things," Cudmore said. "That way people are also paying sales tax and supporting their community."
Meier Skis also now has nine sponsored athletes, including a recent winner in the Teva Mountain Games who pulled a front flip on a pair of Meier telemark skis."We'd love to see one or more of them in the X Games this year at Buttermilk," Cudmore said. "That would be huge."New to the Meier Ski selections this year is the "Johnny Ringo." Glenwood Springs High School students Tim Burr and Dylan Hogan helped with the ski's design.Meier Skis is also working to develop more involvement with area youth, as well as other local business relationships.The shop itself hosts regular events geared toward the younger set, including movie nights and ski film screenings.The shop also offers a ski tuning service, and will rent demo skis for the day during the upcoming ski season.And, the "Meier Mobile" van can be found at demo days at Sunlight Mountain Resort and other Colorado resorts throughout the upcoming ski firstname.lastname@example.com


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CORPUS CHRISTI – The Texas A&M - Corpus Christi dance team will be previewing its National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) and the National Dance Alliance (NDA) Collegiate National Championships dance routine on Tuesday, March 19, at 7 p.m. in the Fieldhouse on the campus of Texas A&M - Corpus Christi. The event, which will last approximately 30 minutes, is free and open to the public.
"We would love to have the community come out and cheer on our team as we perform our routine publicly," Head Cheer and Dance Coach Melanie Lowry said. "Our dancers have worked so hard on this routine, and they get really pumped up when they get to perform in front of big crowds. It should be a fun event for our team and for spectators alike."
The Islanders will be performing a high energy jazz this year and are looking to defend their National Championship from a year ago at the Division I American Dance/Drill Team Collegiate Championships on Saturday, March 23. The team will then compete at the NCA/NDA Collegiate National Championships in Daytona Beach, Fla. on April 10-14.
For the latest on Islanders Dance, like the team on Facebook (Islanders Dance), follow them on Twitter (@IslandersDance) and visit www.GoIslanders.com.


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International Military Staff
The International Military Staff (IMS) is the executive body of the Military Committee (MC), NATO's senior military authority.
- The IMS consists of a staff of approximately 500, composed solely of military and civilian personnel from NATO member countries, working from NATO HQ in Brussels.
- It provides strategic and military advice and staff support for the Military Committee, which advises the North Atlantic Council on military aspects of policy, operations and transformation within the Alliance.
- The IMS also ensures that NATO decisions and policies on military matters are implemented by the appropriate NATO military bodies.
- It is headed by a Director General and is comprised of five divisions.
It is responsible for preparing assessments, studies on NATO military issues identifying areas of strategic and operational interest and proposing courses of action. It also ensures that NATO decisions and policies on military matters are implemented by the appropriate NATO military bodies.
The IMS' work enables the Military Representatives of the Alliance's 28 member countries to deal with issues rapidly and effectively, ensuring that the MC provides the North Atlantic Council (NAC) with consensus-based advice on all military aspects of policy, operations, and transformation within the Alliance.
The IMS is an independent body within NATO that comprises approximately 500 dedicated military and civilian personnel from NATO's member states, working in an international capacity for the common interest of the Alliance.
It is headed by a Director General and divided into five functional divisions and several branches and support offices. It is able to move swiftly into a 24/7 crisis mode for a limited period of time without additional personnel.
The strength of the IMS lies in exchanging information and views with the staffs of the Military Representatives, the civilian International Staff (IS), the Strategic Commanders, the multinational Working Groups, and NATO Agencies, ensuring effective and efficient staff work.
Role and responsibilities
The International Military Staff is the essential link between the political decision-making bodies of the Alliance and NATO's Strategic Commanders (the Supreme Allied Commander Europe – SACEUR - and the Supreme Allied Commander Transformation - SACT) and their staffs. The role of the IMS is to provide the best possible strategic military advice and staff support for the Military Committee.
Working mechanism
The IMS is headed by a Director General, at the level of a three star general or flag officer, assisted by 12 general/flag officers who head the divisions and administrative support offices within the IMS.
Several key positions are located within or attached to the Office of the Director General of the IMS:
- the Executive Coordinator (EXCO): the incumbent manages staff activities and controls the flow of information and communication, both within the IMS as well as between the IMS and other parts of NATO Headquarters;
- the Public Affairs and Strategic Communications Advisor (PASCAD): the incumbent advises the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the MC, and the Director General of the IMS on strategic communications and public affairs matters. The Advisor works closely with the office of the Chairman of the Military Committee, acting as military spokesperson for the Chairman, and as the main source of information for all MC matters and activities;
- the Financial Controller (FC): the incumbent advises key officials on all IMS financial and fiscal matters;
- the Legal Officer (LO): this person provides guidance on all legal issues to the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the MC, the Director General of the IMS and all organisations under the authority of this office, and the MC.
- the NATO Office on Gender Perspectives (NOGP): they provide advice and support to the IMS on gender issues. It is the permanent focal point for collecting, providing and sharing information regarding national programmes, policies and procedures on these issues, including the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions on women, peace and security (UNSCRs 1325 and 1820). It maintains liaison with the NATO IS and international organisations concerned with the integration of a gender perspective into military operations, as well as with gender-related issues.
The five divisions
The IMS' key role is to support the MC, and to do this it is organised into five functional divisions responsible for the following:
- The Intelligence Division provides intelligence support to all NATO HQ elements, NATO member states and NATO Commands. The Division provides strategic warning and situation awareness to all NATO HQ elements. Its core activities are: developing a NATO Intelligence framework, architecture and intelligence capabilities; providing customer-oriented policies and NATO-Agreed Intelligence Assessments; advising on intelligence sharing matters and conducting intelligence liaison activities.
- The Operations Division closely monitors ongoing NATO operations, follows exercises and training and provides advice on all related NATO operations. It also follows the implementation of decisions taken by the MC with regard to NATO operations. The Division's core activities: crisis response planning and operations; management of contingency reactions to international crises; planning and conducting all operations of air, land and maritime matters.
- The Plans and Policy Division is involved in all policy and planning matters such as Alliance defence policy and strategic planning. This division supports and gives military advice to the Director general of the IMS (DGIMS) and the Chairman of the MC essentially on three areas: Strategic Policy and Concept; Nuclear Deterrence and Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defence Policy; Defence and Force Planning.
- The Cooperation and Regional Security (C&RS) Division develops military Cooperative Security Policy and is the main point of contact for NATO HQ military Cooperative Security with partners from the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council and Partnership for Peace, Mediterranean Dialogue, Istanbul Cooperation Initiative and with Partners Across the Globe. Additionally, C&RS is the main military contact with all non-NATO member states who conduct operations with the Alliance. Military advice on NATO involvement in different aspects of disarmament, arms control and cooperative security issues is also developed.
- The Logistics and Resources Division develops and defines policies and principles, plans and concepts on all matters concerning logistics, medical, armaments, research and development, and civil emergency planning. In addition, the Division is the focal point for NATO's military manpower, financial and security investment issues.
Additional functions and offices
- The NATO HQ Consultation, Command and Control Staff (NHQC3S), combines the communications elements of both the IMS and the IS. This means it is an integrated staff with IMS and IS personnel that serves the NAC, the MC and the C3 Board. Two of its branches are mainly coordination branches: one is focused on overall policy and governance of the C3 domain and the other focuses on the implementation aspects. The Information Assurance and Cyber Defence Branch, the Information Communities of Interest Services Branch and the Spectrum and C3 Infrastructure Branch are subject-matter branches.
- The NATO Situation Centre (SITCEN) serves as the focal point within the Alliance for the receipt, exchange and dissemination of information. It monitors political, military and economic matters of interest to NATO and partner countries on a 24-hour basis. The SITCEN also provides facilities for the rapid expansion of consultation during periods of tension and crisis.


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commune 1
1A group of people living together and sharing possessions and responsibilities.
Example sentences
- Setting up communes, where senior citizens can live together with well-provided support structures that they might require from time to time is a good idea.
- I lived with various communes of people in share houses, or on shared land, I lived in tepees, in cars, in tents, in a bedroll.
- I thought it would be neat to live in a peaceful commune and promote world togetherness.
collective, cooperative, communal settlement, kibbutz
1.1A communal settlement in a communist country.
Example sentences
- Peasants at home identified themselves in terms of their membership in the village commune and as Orthodox believers.
- Many peasants were forced to work for the state as a part of a collective commune.
- It started about 20 years ago, shortly after Beijing began testing the waters of market reform by dismantling people's communes and giving individuals the incentive to create their own wealth.
2The smallest French territorial division for administrative purposes.
Example sentences
- Monaco has borders with several communes of the French Department of the Alpes-Maritimes.
- The commune is the smallest administrative level.
- Wines made from grapes grown within the commune of Pupillin have the right to the appellation Arbois Pupillin.
2.1A territorial division similar to a French commune in other countries.
Example sentences
- In other communes a two-thirds majority vote could enforce consolidations for the whole village.
- In Spain in 1857, and in Italy in 1859, education laws imposed on communes the obligation to provide elementary schools, and on parents the obligation to send their children there for at least two or three years.
- At the beginning of the Second World War 45 per cent of the population lived in rural communes, defined as having fewer than 2,000 inhabitants.
3 (the Commune) The group that seized the municipal government of Paris in the French Revolution and played a leading part in the Reign of Terror until suppressed in 1794.
3.1 (also the Paris Commune) The municipal government organized on communalistic principles elected in Paris in 1871. It was soon brutally suppressed by government troops.
Example sentences
- This was followed by the declaration of a Paris Commune, or independent municipal government, in March 1871, an event which recalled the extremism of the French Revolution.
- The director, one gathers, wants a Paris Commune purified of all its difficult and perhaps unpleasant associations, a kind of utopian model to hold out to today's radical protesters.
- The Paris Commune developed spontaneously from the process of class struggle: the need for a new political form arose and the commune was created to address it.
Late 17th century (sense 2): from French, from medieval Latin communia, neuter plural of Latin communis (see common).
Words that rhyme with communeafternoon, attune, autoimmune, baboon, balloon, bassoon, bestrewn, boon, Boone, bridoon, buffoon, Cameroon, Cancún, cardoon, cartoon, Changchun, cocoon, croon, doubloon, dragoon, dune, festoon, galloon, goon, harpoon, hoon, immune, importune, impugn, Irgun, jejune, June, Kowloon, lagoon, lampoon, loon, macaroon, maroon, monsoon, moon, Muldoon, noon, oppugn, picayune, platoon, poltroon, pontoon, poon, prune, puccoon, raccoon, Rangoon, ratoon, rigadoon, rune, saloon, Saskatoon, Sassoon, Scone, soon, spittoon, spoon, swoon, Troon, tune, tycoon, typhoon, Walloon
For editors and proofreaders
Syllabification: com·mune
Definition of commune in:
commune 2
verb[no object]
1 (commune with) Share one's intimate thoughts or feelings with (someone or something), especially when the exchange is on a spiritual level: the purpose of praying is to commune with God
More example sentences
- For the pilgrims who make their way there, Lourdes provides perspective, an opportunity to reflect, a chance to affirm and renew one's faith and to commune with like-minded people before their God.
- I need to commune with you people again - my readers.
- In evangelical symbolism, that meant that a man of prayer was going to commune with God, somewhat like Moses on Mount Sinai.
communicate, speak, talk, converse, interface
1.1Feel in close spiritual contact with: he spent an hour communing with nature on the bank of a stream
More example sentences
- This was an almost sacred space, within which a man communed with the very essence of his creative, spiritual vision.
- There was nothing more intimate and secluded than that celebration in the midst of an open field, a simple place within which people communed with grace.
- However, the effort is invariably rewarded with the sense of well-being that comes from communing with the glories of nature.
2Receive Holy Communion.
Example sentences
- Some bishops have said that offending public figures should be refused Communion, others that they should refrain from communing.
- He has taken the sacrament of Communion even if he has not communed.
- I could only concentrate on emotions he had aroused in me, the way he had stirred an immense desire to admire and worship and commune, and then he had slipped away again before this desire could begin to be grasped; let alone satisfied.
Middle English: from Old French comuner 'to share', from comun (see common).
For editors and proofreaders
Syllabification: com·mune
Definition of commune in:
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= trending


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We Are Proud To Announce that Melissa Bernstein, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Melissa & Doug, Is Now An Expert Advice Columnist For Grandparents.com!
We've been asked innumerable times if Melissa is a real person and we're happy to report that YES she is real! In fact, Melissa is the creative force behind the development of nearly 2,000 toys for Melissa & Doug. She's married to Doug, who is also real, and she is a Mom to her own personal "test market" of 6 children ages 3 to 17!
Read Melissa's Column And Find Out The Best Thing You Can Do For Your Grandkids and Why Boredom Is OK!


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Area Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts will leave hangers on many a Central County front door handles Saturday, seeking donations of nonperishable food as part of the Scouts' national "Scouting for Food" program.
The food collected is given to the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano for its holiday food baskets.
The local food banks alone expect 175,000 pounds of food from Boy Scouts who collect food from residential addresses.
"For the Scouts, this kind of service is called a 'Good Turn,' and over the last 16 years local Scouts have collected over 2.5 million pounds of food to help the needy in our community," said Jim Mattson, chairman of the local Scouting For Food drive.
An estimated 6,000 Scouts are expected to take part first on Nov. 10, when Scouts leave the door hangers, and again on Nov. 17, to pick up bags and boxes of food residents leave on their front steps and porches.
Those who receive a Scouting For Food door hanger are asked to have food on the porch or steps by 9 a.m. Nov. 17, for pickup before 3 p.m.
For more information call Mattson at 925-408-4065 or Joe Squeri at 925-674-6123, or go to the blog at sff-mdsc.blogspot.com.
-- Staff report


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Award-winning storyteller Gladys Coggswell returns Wednesday, May 8, to the Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum to resume her performances of Twain's "A True Story, Repeated Word for Word As I Heard It."
Coggswell will give performances at 10 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. most Wednesdays through Saturdays until October at the museum gallery.
Coggswell's performances are free with museum admission thanks to annual grant money from the Missouri Arts Council. This year, the Missouri Humanities Council will help fund her performances for the first time.
The museum's storyteller-in-residence performs as "Aunt Rachel," a former slave whose real name was Mary Ann Cord, a household servant in Elmira, N.Y.
One evening, Mary Ann recalled her life as a slave and the sorrow of being torn apart from her husband and children on the auction block to Twain. Twain wrote her story and published it in the Atlantic Monthly in 1874.
Location, ST | website.com


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Category:Macfarren, Natalia/Translator
Free public domain sheet music from IMSLP / Petrucci Music Library
(The following text was automatically transcluded from Category:Macfarren, Natalia.)
Natalia Macfarren(14 December 1826 — 9 April 1916)
→Table of Contents: Top - A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z - Chart
xShow works by type/instrument
=Alternative Names/Transliterations: Clarina Thalia Andreae
External links
- Detailed biography: None given
- Recordings: None given
See also
- MusicSack
- Wife of George Alexander Macfarren.
Pages in category "Macfarren, Natalia/Translator"
The following 25 pages are in this category, out of 25 total.


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Map produced by Defenders of Wildlife using wolverine location data from the following sources:
A1—Aubry, Keith B., John Rohrer, Catherine M. Raley, Eric C. Lofroth and Scott Fitkin. 2011. Wolverine distribution and ecology in the North Cascades Ecosystem, 2011 Annual Report. Unpublished interagency report, U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Olympia, WA. http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/sfpnw/issssp/species-index/fauna-mammals.shtml
A2—Akins, Jocelyn 2009. Unpublished internet blog posts for the Cascades Carnivore Project in June 2009, posted online at: http://cascadescarnivoreproject.blogspot.com/
C1—Copeland, J.P. 1996. Biology of the wolverine in central Idaho. Thesis, University of Idaho, Moscow, USA.
C2—Copeland, J.P., and R.E. Yates. 2006. Wolverine population assessment in Glacier National Park spring 2006 progress report. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Missoula, Montana. http://wolverinefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/glacier05-06.pdf
G1--Gehman, Steve and Betsy Robinson 2007. Wolverine detections in the northern Rocky Mountains, a summary of surveys from 15 winters. Unpublished report by Wild Things Unlimited, Bozeman, Montana, August 2007.
G3--Gehman, Steve, Betsy Robinson and Mike Porco 2010. Snow-Tracking Surveys on the Helena National Forest, December 2009 – March 2010. Unpublished report by Wild Things Unlimited, Bozeman, Montana, November 2010.
H1—Heinemeyer, Kimberly, John Squires and Jeff Copeland 2010. Investigating the interactions between wolverines and winter recreation use: 2010 Annual Report. Unpublished report by Round River Conservation Studies and the USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station, October 1, 2010. http://www.forestcarnivores.org/wolverine/
I1-- Inman, R.M., K.H. Inman, A.J. McCue, M.L. Packila, G.C. White, and B.C. Aber. 2007a. Wolverine space use in Greater Yellowstone. In: Wildlife Conservation Society, Greater Yellowstone Wolverine Program, Cumulative Report, May 2007. http://www.wcsnorthamerica.org/AboutUs/Publications/tabid/3437/Default.aspx
I2—Inman, R.M., M.L. Packila, K.H. Inman, R. Spence, and D. McCauley. 2008. Greater Yellowstone Wolverine Program, Progress Report – November 2008. Wildlife Conservation Society, North America Program, General Report, Bozeman, Montana, U.S.A. http://www.wcsnorthamerica.org/AboutUs/Publications/tabid/3437/Default.aspx
I3—Inman, R.M., M.L. Packila, K.H. Inman, B. Aber, R. Spence, and D. McCauley. 2009. Greater Yellowstone Wolverine Program, Progress Report – December 2009. Wildlife Conservation Society, North America Program, General Report, Bozeman, Montana, U.S.A. http://www.wcsnorthamerica.org/AboutUs/Publications/tabid/3437/Default.aspx
I4—Idaho Department of Fish and Game,Idaho Panhandle National Forest (USDA), U.S. Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station (USDA),2011. Inland Maritime Initiative: Forest Carnivores, Winter 2011 Update. Unpublished report available online at: http://www.scotchmanpeaks.org/blog/rare-forest-carnivore-study-report/#more-1307
I6—IPNF 2011. Idaho Panhandle National Forest (USDA) Wildlife Biologist Lydia Allen, personal communication, photograph of a wolverine taken near Pyramid Lake, Idaho, November 2011.
M1—Murphy, K., J. Wilmot, J. Copeland, D. Tyers, J. Squires, R. M. Inman, M. L. Packila, D. McWhirter. 2011. Wolverine conservation in Yellowstone National Park: Final report. YCR-2011-02. National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park, Yellowstone Center for Resources, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. http://www.greateryellowstonescience.org/node/3523
M2—Magoun Magoun, A.J., C.D. Long, M.K. Schwartz, K.L. Pilgrim, R.E. Lowell, P.Valkenburg. 2011. Integrating Motion-Detection Cameras and Hair Snags for Wolverine Identification. The Journal of Wildlife Management 75(3):731-739. http://www.rmrs.nau.edu/wildlife/genetics/publications.php
M3--Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Wolverine trapping locations, December 2007 – February 2010. Data submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, July 16, 2010.
M5-- Moriarty, K. M., William J. Zielinski, Armand G. Gonzales, Todd E. Dawson, Kristie M. Boatner, Craig A. Wilson, Fredrick V. Schlexer, Kristine L. Pilgrim, Jeffrey P. Copeland, and Michael K. Schwartz. 2009. "Wolverine Confirmation in California after Nearly a Century: Native or Long-Distance Immigrant?" Northwest Science 83(2): 154-162. http://www.rmrs.nau.edu/wildlife/genetics/publications.php


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Tyler Rathjen planned to keep going as his wife, Ashley, began giving birth to their son in the passenger seat. But a red light with heavy traffic finally forced him to stop.
"I should not stop, I'm not going to, I'm going to get to the hospital," Tyler Rathjen recalled thinking in an interview with Cedar Rapids TV station KCRG (http://bit.ly/ZOaOiD).
The baby's head and arms were already out by the time Iowa City Officer Kevin Wolfe reached the passenger door.
"We were all having a different experience," Wolfe said.
Ashley Rathjen gave birth to her third son, Owen, just blocks from Mercy Iowa City hospital on March 10.
"I kept saying: there's no break (in contractions) there's no break," she said. "He was coming at that time."
Wolfe helped with the final steps of delivery and then escorted the Williamsburg family to the hospital. His dashboard camera captured the episode.
Owen is now home with his parents and two brothers.
Ashley Rathjen said her newborn son will probably retell the story for years to come.
"I'm sure it will be a life story to tell everybody (about) how he made his grand entrance," she said.


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- May 8:
- Kawakami: Khalil Mack could end Raiders' first-round hex
- NFL draft: 49ers draft safety Jimmie Ward
- NFL draft: Johnny Manziel falls to Cleveland Browns at 22nd overall pick
- Thompson: Raiders might've hit jackpot with Khalil Mack
- Raiders' NFL draft: The Khalil Mack File
- NFL draft: Raiders take linebacker Khalil Mack at No. 5
- NFL draft: Jadeveon Clowney taken No. 1 by Houston Texans
- NFL draft: 49ers' Harbaugh eyeing Aldon Smith replacement?
- Kawakami: Raiders, 49ers good bets to choose wide receivers in first round
- NFL draft prospects for Bay Area players
- May 7:
- Kawakami: Can Raiders avoid NFL draft wackiness?
- NFL draft: 49ers size up the cornerback, receiver market
- NFL draft: Breaking down the Raiders' biggest needs
- NFL draft: Bay Area draft prospects
- NFL draft: Receiver Davante Adams from Palo Alto a potential first-rounder
- Raiders' NFL draft: Steve Corkran's five they could pick
- Raiders' NFL draft: Jerry McDonald's five they could pick
- NFL draft: San Jose State QB David Fales a likely late-round pick
- NFL draft: Silicon Valley company breaks athlete's physical potential down to a science
SANTA CLARA -- Prediction: This college draft will be different for the 49ers in one critical respect.
That would be in the war room. This year, no gray will be permitted. No gray clothing. No gray laptops. No gray furniture. They may even throw anyone with gray hair out of the room.
But mainly, there can be no gray area when considering a prospect with "character issues" on his index card.
After everything that has happened over the past year in terms of off-field issues with the 49ers, it's hard to believe they will take a chance on drafting a player with any such red flags. Instead of "character issues," I prefer a more direct-to-the-point term: "Knucklehead factor."
As this newspaper recently reported, there have been nine arrests of 49ers players since 2012. That's more than any other NFL team during that time span. Four of those arrests came courtesy of Aldon Smith, the troubled linebacker.
Trent Baalke, the 49ers general manager, made thoughtful comments last month about the situation, saying he wanted to "support" Smith but not "defend" him. Baalke also stressed his belief that the team is not "lawless" and that integrity matters in the locker room.
There is no reason to doubt Baalke's sincerity. But now he needs to buttress that stance by avoiding any draftees with dubious or disreputable check marks against them. No gray areas.
Another element at work: The last thing the 49ers want as they open up whiz-bang new Levi's Stadium during a carefully planned rollout with corporate sponsors is another player creating criminal news -- or even just dealing with stories about past transgressions.
Baalke has done an excellent job of maneuvering himself into a fine position for the NFL's annual ritual of choosing up sides. He has 11 total selections. He has six picks in the first three rounds.
With that bounty, Baalke has the capability of making deals to move up from the team's 30th overall first-round spot and potentially pick someone like ... hmmmm ... hey, how about Anthony Barr of UCLA? He is a 6-foot-5 outside linebacker who is projected to be selected in the 9-10-11-12 window of that first round.
Not saying that will happen. I have no clue what will happen. But if Barr is selected, he would be a triple bonus pick.
One, he is a really good football player.
Two, he is a good citizen who after the 2013 season was presented the Ronnie Lott IMPACT Trophy (the capital letters stand for Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity) for the nation's best defensive player who also represents his sport well off the field.
Three, Barr could fill Smith's lineup spot if necessary.
And that surely is going to be necessary, one way or the other.
Smith's legal status remains in limbo until the courts decide his fate later this year. But it's a given that after Smith was arrested for the fourth time in three years, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will punish him with a multigame suspension. It might be a multi-multi-multi game suspension.
When that happens, the 49ers can use someone to step in and be the edge pass rusher that Smith has been -- when he's playing. Last season, he missed five games while undergoing rehab, after a scary incident where he rammed his vehicle into a tree and was charged with suspicion of driving under the influence. Who knows how many games he will miss this season?
My belief, stated previously in this space, is that the 49ers should have found a way to lose Smith from their roster by now. In 35 years of covering the NFL, here is one thing that I have learned: Once a player has lost the complete trust of his teammates, it is very difficult for him to ever regain that trust.
Smith's teammates might all utter the correct and compassionate words about backing his efforts to straighten up and fly right. But the last thing any man in any NFL locker room wants is to stare across at a teammate's cubicle and wonder: Is this guy going to be with us on Sunday? Or is he going to screw up again by getting arrested or suspended or whatever?
So far, Baalke is sticking with Smith. The 49ers recently picked up his option for the 2015 season -- but not because they fully expect to pay and play Smith in 2015. His salary for that season isn't guaranteed unless he is seriously injured this season. The 49ers could cut him before then and owe him none of the 2015 money. There's little risk in keeping Smith around to see if he might finally clean up his act, or to see what might be out there on the trade market for him.
And if you're connecting the dots here, wouldn't it be easier to trade away Smith if you had someone on the roster who could step into that position on the field? Someone with no gray areas?
It is folly to try to outguess Baalke's game plan this weekend. But I would be stunned if he does not use the draft to address the Smith situation one way or another. If he doesn't choose my way, never mind. If he does ... well, remember where you read it first.
Read Mark Purdy's blog at blogs.mercurynews.com/purdy. Contact him at email@example.com. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/MercPurdy.
wish list. PAGE 6
Silicon Valley company breaks athlete potential down to a science for NFL draft.
NFL notes. PAGE 6
UCLA outside linebacker Anthony Barr would be an excellent fit for the 49ers -- on and off the field.


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With the lack of natural snowfall, Summit High's Nordic team has been relegated to short courses at the Breck and Frisco Nordic centers.
"The skiing at both places is really pretty good for the amount of snow we've had," coach Hannah Taylor said, but the kilometer at Breck and half-kilometer at Frisco are still short and narrow for training purposes.
The tracks do exist and are in good shape, given the conditions, Taylor said, but they're still short for training purposes. A two- to three-kilometer course would be ideal.
Taylor has been a coach in Summit schools for nine years, the majority of those years being at the high school. She and assistant coach Joe Howdyshell also coach with the Summit Nordic Ski Club, whose of-age members typically race on the high school team (this year, the entire club is racing on the high school team). Because of the dual duty, Bevan Frost came on board this year as head coach for the high school team, tasked with devoting his time to the high school athletes who don't compete in the club program. The goal is to have a full-time high school coach to be with the program day-in and day-out.
With the first race just two weeks out, the team is focusing on reviewing technique, feeling the skis under their feet and increasing aerobic fitness "to an acceptable level," Frost said.
Roughly 30 skiers are enrolled in the high school program, which is more than last year and triples Taylor's first year as coach roughly five years ago. About 10 of those racers are not in the club program.
Taylor's looking forward to a strong team this year, as 18 returners qualified for state last year, the boys' team is coming off first-place finishes in both classic and skate techniques and the girls' team is looking to bump up its performance from two fifth-place finishes in the middle of the field.
Taylor would like to see all of the team qualify for state, which could be a long shot given the number of freshmen and team newcomers. Frost's goal is equally daunting, as he wants to draw the potential out of his non-club athletes.
"I feel like I can see a lot of potential, but I think we're in search of the proper attitude as a team," he said. "I want to get them to realize they're capable of more than they think they're capable of. I want them to find their fire."
In the boys' team cross-section, there are enough outstanding athletes to field three teams "that would most days beat all of our high school competition," Taylor said.
Out of those numbers, senior Jackson Hill and sophomore Henry Trowbridge anchor the team.
"It's always fun to have a group of kids who are able to push each other in practice and get the best out of each other," Taylor said, adding that there are a handful of boys who she's less familiar with and she's not sure where they'll come out come race time.
"It's awesome to have so much depth," she said.
The girls' team is slightly younger, "but that's not to say they won't be fast," Taylor said.
Sophomore Taeler McCrerey will be a heavy hitter most days, the coach said, adding that young cross-country runners from the fall are also going to be boons to the team. Names like freshmen Ruthie Boyd and McKenna Ramsay and junior Katherine Pappas should ring a bell from the fall season. Sophomores Claire Anderson and Claire Vandeyacht will also be strong as they move up with last year's large freshman class.
Race time will be when Taylor and Frost really know what they have on the team, but Taylor speculates that the boys will remain strong in the field, with Aspen and Eagle Vail posing the biggest threats. The girls will have to work hard to move up through the ranks, and they face stiff competition from Middle Park, Vail Mountain School and Aspen, in particular.
If the Dec. 15 race happens in Minturn, Taylor will be happy. "It will mean we have snow," she said, adding that she's eager to have a race and see where the athletes are compared to last year and compared to preseason training.


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Philip Seymour Hoffman, Christopher Walken on 'A Late Quartet'
Actors Philip Seymour Hoffman and Christopher Walken starred in the independent film, "A Late Quartet," but when they talk about it now, they speak as if they were actually performing on stage.
"I thought of him as papa," Walken said of Peter. "I also thought of him as an actor. And especially it all came together in that way at the end, standing on the stage, it might as well have been in a play."
"A Late Quartet," which has just been released on Blu-ray/DVD, stars Hoffman and Walken as Robert and Peter, members of a string quartet called The Fugue. The Fugue (which also includes Juliette, played by Catherine Keener, who is also Robert's wife, and Daniel, played by Mark Ivanir) decides to perform Beethoven's mighty Opus 131 in their 25th season. But sudden news that Peter receives forces him to consider retirement, and the future of The Fugue.
At one point in the film, Hoffman's character says of another musician: "He saves his heart for the music" (as opposed to the people in his life). The actor reflected on the balance artists may or may not strike between creating art and living their lives.
"When I'm in a play, or especially when I'm in a play, I don't function very well," Hoffman said. "I think it's very difficult to navigate your life when you're in the middle of trying to create something that's bringing up stuff all the time."
Hoffman and Walken sat with The Wall Street Journal to discuss "A Late Quartet."
WSJ: Philip, we last met when you did "Death of a Salesman."
Hoffman: When I think about going on stage, I get so scared now. To do a play is so frightening. Then what you just said reminded me of that time period when I was doing "Death of a Salesman" and, oh god, it's an incredible thing but it's so scary to me.
Walken: Your whole day becomes about it.
Hoffman: It is, I spend most of my life going on, and I'm still so – it's petrifying.
In the film, Daniel recommends a young musician read Beethoven's biography to understand his approach. What preparation or "reading" did you do for this?
Walken: When I was young and I started doing this, I used to do a lot of research, because I noticed that some really good actors did research and had great effect. But I caught on pretty quickly that it was interesting but it did me absolutely no good. I had to take cello lessons and that was hard. I never really got good at it. The rest was being with the actors and getting the dialogue. We did wonderful things with the script just sitting around. A lot of stuff came out of conversations and the movie became conversationally very interesting.
Hoffman: That's true, I forgot that. We got together a few times before we started shooting but even on the days we shot, it was a wonderful dialogue about what the event of the scene was, if the dialogue was helping that. Everyone felt free. It made the scenes better and when we'd do the scene, it was an extension of the conversation we were having. The research, it was being around the teachers who were teaching us how to learn how to fake these instruments, that was the research.
Walken: At one point, I think it was before we started, we had this tremendous treat when we were with [Yaron] Zilberman [the director]. We went into this room and the Emerson Quartet was there and they played the Beethoven piece for us. And it was just maybe 10 or 12 of us with them in the room. When it was over, I said to Yaron, I'm almost sorry I saw that, because it was so intimidating.
Hoffman: Because you just knew, you thought, the commitment. These are people that actually did give their lives to the thing. There's no way they could've been that good without. You didn't have to have many problems actually. They just had to be going through life, and you saw how, to do what they were doing and experience life on top, it was never going to be the easy thing.
Walken: My teacher, anyway, he would sometimes look at me in a way that — as a matter of fact, he called the producer at some point and said, "He won't practice." [Hoffman laughs] He told on me. They called my agent and said, he says he won't practice. I said, I am practicing, I'm just not getting better.
Hoffman: No, they're serious. My teacher is this wonderful young Asian woman who is just incredible and talented. They don't lie. They just tell you. I remember she came and saw me after that, like a play I was in or something, and I remember she didn't come backstage afterward. And I called and left her a message, said how was it? And she didn't like it! So she just knew, she was like, I'm not even going to go.
There is another great line about being a soloist vs. being in a quartet. Are there any parallels to being a lead actor vs. being part of an ensemble?
Walken: Well, when you're an actor, you're always in an ensemble. I don't think that the soloist thing exists for actors. I suppose "Ages of Man" [a one-man play] or something.
Hoffman: I think there's some actors that want to sometimes try and make it a solo [laughs].
Walken: Even if you want to, there's a lot of obstacles. If you're an actor, that's really the fun part. I read scripts – good scripts, not good scripts. I never know, it's like reading a manual. But then we sit at a table, even if it's not all the actors that are going to be in the show, and I hear it. I think, oh okay, now I get it. It's not until that happens and you hear somebody read a line differently than you had thought, it changes the way you respond. It's very much a back-and-forth athletic type of thing.
Hoffman: I like the idea that you can actually have the conversation that you're having. If you're with other actors that you trust and that you like, it can be this real give and take that becomes improvisational. That is about the group, what group you're with. And this film, this group works well together, and the idea of changing it is very threatening.
Thinking of these musicians and their sacrifices, how do you negotiate your artistic passions with your everyday lives?
Hoffman: I don't do it very well. I'm not a good example. I think some people do it well. I know some actors, they know how to have their life, they can compartmentalize it in a way. But me, things kind of go to pot while I'm doing a show, and then the show's over and I can get back to my [life]. But I know that that's kind of the deal I make when I do those things. I think that's also to me what the film was about. Again, it takes something from you to give on that kind of level. To commit that much. What are you willing to risk? What kind of life are you willing to lead to have that? For any serious person doing this, I think that is a question you have to answer. Or at least know that it's a question.
Walken: Well, I'm considerably older, and I also live in the woods. I go to work and I go back to the woods. I live in Connecticut. I don't mean the woods, but it is very quiet. If I don't leave the house, I can not see anyone for weeks. And at this point in my life, that's nice. I don't think when I was younger I would have wanted to live that way.
I used to play violin, and vibrato and moving the bow and having the right posture – it's pretty difficult. How did you manage?
Walken: It's the fingering, both hands, in all of these instruments. With the cello there's a kind of body movement, there's a muscularity to it. I'm not going to go into what they did to make me convincing [Hoffman bursts out laughing] – the others would stand around in stitches. It was hilarious.
Hoffman: It was hysterical. We worked really hard. [The director] really wanted to be as real as possible. He really did, and god bless him, you know what I mean? We all gave it our best [laugh] but it's really hard. I worked my a– off so he could get as much footage of me faking it as well as possible. And I think I worked hard enough to get a few things that he could shoot right on film with my face there and have it work. Everyday I'm like, if you really wanted to do this with any seriousness, it's hours a day. Easy. There's just no way around it.
Follow @barbarachai on Twitter for more arts and entertainment news.


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Sandy Bottom Beach at the north end of Honeoye Lake is closed due to algae. According to the town of Richmond's website, the beach was closed Monday due to algae causing poor visibility.
The state Department of Health is scheduled to visit the beach today, July 23, to evaluate conditions and take a sample.
Location, ST | website.com


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About the Book
"A gripping tell-all….A fascinating look inside the mind of an unrepentant criminal."
—Washington Post
"One of the most beguiling criminal memoirs ever written….A rare gem of a book."
—T. J. English, New York Times bestselling author of Havana Nocturne<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
America's most notorious art thief, Boston-based Myles Connor, tells the unapologetic true story of his life of crime in The Art of the Heist. Co-written with acclaimed author Jenny Siler, Connor's eye-opening memoirs offer readers a rare, detailed, and intimate look into the mindset of a master criminal—a cat burglar, thief, and con man, veteran of numerous brazen museum heists, who shares the unparalleled "rush" of a life lived on the far side of the law.
"There's a rush to it, an elevation of the senses. . . . It's a sweet feeling, one I'll never get tired of, not on my twentieth heist, or my fiftieth, or my hundredth."
Once a promising young rock musician, the son of a decorated policeman, Myles Connor became one of Boston's most notorious criminals—a legendary art thief with irresistible charm and a genius IQ whose approach to his chosen profession mixed brilliant tactical planning with stunning bravado, brazen disguises, audaciously elaborate con jobs, and even the broad-daylight grab-and-dash. New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Smithsonian Institution, Boston's Museum of Fine Art . . .no museum was off-limits. The fact that he was in jail at the time of the largest art theft in American history—the still-unsolved robbery of the Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum—has not stopped the FBI from considering him a prime suspect. Optioned for film by the Oscar-winning screenwriter and director William Monahan (The Departed), The Art of the Heist is Connor's story—part confession, part thrill ride, and impossible to put down.
Educator and Librarian Resources
Critical Praise
"From his daring 1965 jail break at age 22 to his legendary career pilfering treasures from museums all over New England, Connor's life is the stuff of adventure novels." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Product Details
- Imprint: Harper Perennial
- On Sale: 09/07/2010
- Trimsize: 5.313 in (w) x 8 in (h) x 0.685 in (d)
- Pages: 304
- List Price: 14.99 USD
- BISAC1: BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Personal Memoirs
- BISAC2: TRUE CRIME / General


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Tigers have been enigmatic emblems of power, beauty, stealth, strength, and survival in Asian cultures and wilderness for centuries. But even their status as one of the planet's fiercest predators has not saved them from their greatest enemy: humans.
The number of wild tigers has crashed in the last century and without immediate action, they could be extinct within the next decade. As a founding member of the Global Tiger Initiative, the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, in partnership with the World Bank, tiger range countries and other conservation organizations is leading a global effort to save tigers.
In a race to save the remaining 3,200 wild tigers and rehabilitate the population throughout Asia, the Global Tiger Initiative and SCBI's Tiger Conservation Partnership are mobilizing transnational support and building the necessary political will in the final fight to save tigers.


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POSITION: Defenseman
SHOOTS: Right
BIRTHPLACE: Victoria, BC, CAN
DRAFTED: MTL: 2003-79 overall
|Traded to Colorado by Montreal for Michael Bournival, November 11, 2010. Signed as a free agent by Florida (ECHL), November 30, 2012. Traded to Toronto by Colorado for Edmonton's 4th round pick (previously acquired, Colorado selected Zachary Nagelvoort) in 2014 NHL Draft, April 3, 2013. Signed as a free agent by Lev Praha (KHL), September 2, 2013. Signed as a free agent by Ambri-Piotta (Swiss), July 7, 2014. Signed as a free agent by Jonkoping (Sweden), July 29, 2015. Officially announced his retirement, July 27, 2016.
Appeared in a career-high 74 games, collecting seven points (1g/6a)…Led the Avalanche in blocked shots (141) and finished second in hits (180)…His 180 hits topped all Colorado defensemen…Appeared in each of the first 61 games to start the season…Scored his lone goal of the season on Oct. 20 vs. Chicago, his first tally since April 3, 2010 vs. Buffalo…Skated in his 200th NHL game on Oct. 22 at Chicago…Suffered a knee injury on Feb. 22 vs. Los Angeles, forcing him to miss six games from Feb. 24 to March 4…Was placed on Injured Reserve, Feb. 23 (retroactive to Feb. 22) and activated on March 6.
2010-11: Appeared in 64 games with Colorado after being acquired from Montreal on Nov. 11…Tallied a
career-high 10 points (0g/10a) while finishing second on the Avalanche in average time-on-ice (20:24)…Led Colorado in hits (168), finished second on the club in blocked shots (126) and was third in penalty minutes (71)…Also skated in three games for the Canadiens, tallying no points and four penalty minutes…Between the two teams, O'Byrne combined for 179 hits and 131 blocked shots with an average ice time of 20:09… Made his Avalanche debut on Nov. 12 at Columbus, recording six hits and four blocked shots in 24:51 of ice time…Had an assist, a fighting major and was +3 on Nov. 15 vs. St. Louis…Missed four games due to facial lacerations suffered on Feb. 23 vs. Edmonton…Compiled a career-high three-game point streak (0g/3a) from March 11-16…Logged a career-high 25:43 of ice time on March 17 at Calgary.
2009-10: Spent the entire season with the Montreal Canadiens, appearing in 55 games…Suffered a lower-body injury on Oct. 3 at Buffalo, forcing him to miss 19 games…Returned to the lineup on Nov. 20 at Washington…Switched his jersey number to No. 20 after Émile "Butch" Bouchard's No. 3 was retired on Dec. 4 vs. Boston…Scored his second career goal on April 3 vs. Buffalo, snapping a 99-game drought since his first tally on March 3, 2008 at San Jose.
2009-10 PLAYOFFS: Appeared in 13 of Montreal's 19 playoff games…Finished third on the team with 32 hits during the postseason.
2008-09: Split the season between Montreal and Hamilton (AHL) for the second straight year…Skated in 37 games for the Canadiens, notching five assists.
2008-09 PLAYOFFS: Dressed in two playoff games during Montreal's first-round series loss to Boston.
2007-08: Saw his first NHL action with the Montreal Canadiens, appearing in 33 games…Was recalled from Hamilton (AHL) on Dec. 5…Collected two assists in his first NHL game on Dec. 6 at Boston…Missed 16 games with a thumb injury suffered on Dec. 28 vs. Florida…Helped the Canadiens engineer their greatest comeback in franchise history with one assist and a +3 rating in a 6-5 win on Feb. 19 vs. NY Rangers…Led Montreal with a +6 rating in February…Scored his first NHL goal on March 3 at San Jose…Was named to the 2008 Canadian AHL All-Star Team roster for the AHL All-Star Classic as a member of the Hamilton Bulldogs.
2007-08 PLAYOFFS: Made his Stanley Cup Playoff debut, appearing in four games with the Canadiens…Skated in his first career postseason contest in Game 4 of the ECQF at Boston on April 15.
2006-07: Appeared in all 80 regular season games and all 22 playoff contests for the Hamilton Bulldogs (AHL) in his first professional season…Notched the game and series winner for his first professional goal, Game 6 of the North Division Semifinals vs. Rochester on April 6…Scored the winning goal in Game 3 of the Calder Cup Final vs. Hershey.
2005-06: Named to the All-Ivy League First Team after leading all Cornell defensemen in scoring with 13 points (7g/6a)… Won the team's Ironman Award for his ability to fight through injuries.
2004-05: Led Cornell University with 68 penalty minutes as a sophomore.
2003-04: Dressed in 31 games as a freshman at Cornell…Led the Big Red with 71 penalty minutes, finishing third in the ECAC in that category.
Established the Ryan O'Byrne Youth Sports Society, which focuses on giving back to the community by supporting under-privileged kids being involved in Sports…Hosted the 2012 Ryan O'Byrne Charity Camp for Atom and Pee Wee players this past August in Victoria, B.C.…All profits from the camp were given to KidSport Victoria on behalf of the Ryan O'Byrne Youth Sports Society…Participates in the Avalanche's youth player clinics and "Team Fit" community program…Worked as a studio analyst for the NHL Network during the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs…Spends his summers in his hometown of Victoria, B.C.


text: A recent letter writer was very negative regarding Obamacare. I would then question why the Republicans didn't work with President Obama and come up with a better plan instead of just complaining and saying "no." And he didn't mention the Republicans thought of this plan first and Gov. Romney introduced this plan in Massachusetts where it is doing very well. The Republicans have never explained why this was a good health care plan until President Obama introduced it and then suddenly it was no good.


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To me he has to best form and every shooter should try and copy his technique.
Here is my selection: http://innovativeathletes.com/
What do you guys think?
Founder of the worlds first ever online basketball camp, 3-Point Academy
Our home website; Innovative Athletes
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
The best shooter in the nba is, without a doubt, Ray Allen from the Boston Celtics.
I am not a fan of those guys, but it is undeniable that he can shoot the ball!!!
Has to be Ray Allen his stroke is automatic. I feel like everyone is second best to him, even at 34 Allen still strokes it like he is 22.
Totally agree with you Brett, Ray Allen is also my choice!
you have to add Melo to the mix as well
Garnett has killer form on the turn around jump shot
Steve Nash
you guys are all wrong i might be a girl but Kobe Bryant has the best form in the nba.
Kobe Bryant His jumpshot is money and his form is just the way the book says
arm tucked in
find target
follow through
not garnett because he shoots from the back of his head...
not kobe beacause his form isnt textbook but he can shoot good...
not steve nash because he has an unorthodox form....
melo and ray allen have good form and they make a lot of their shots
You're all wrong, it's obviously Shaq
To me I would say its Jesus Shuttlesworth aka Ray Allen
Combine street ball with professional regulation and you get the most creative athelete the game's probably seen after Allen Iverson. Dwyane Wade has the prettiest looking jump shot I've seen in awhile. He's starting to knock down three's in the face of the D, so now he's virtually unguardable.
steve nash.hes on pace to break the season record for when FG% FT% AND 3 PT% ARE combined.he already has the 3, 4 and 5 spot.
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Curriculum Inspirations is a multimedia experience for the middle-school and high-school communities.
Learn TEN PROBLEM-SOLVING STRATEGIES aligned with the Mathematical Practice Standards for classroom and MAA AMC success. Find practice examples galore listed by strategy and by Common Core topic. Bring excitement to mathematics learning, thinking, and doing!
10 Strategies With Examples
Related Resources
Each month James Tanton writes math essays for all to enjoy. Here are the latest:
Online Courses
Written for educators - and their students too! - these short, self-contained, curriculum units prove that mathematics, at all points of the curriculum, can be joyous, fresh, innovative, rich, deep-thinking, and devoid of rote doing. Let's teach generations of students to be self-reliant thinkers, willing to flail and to use their common sense to "nut their way" through challenges, to assess and judge results, and to adjust actions to find success. (Great life skills!)
More courses are in the works.
Examples via Content Standards
MAA K-12 Membership
Register your students for the AMC tests and gain the benefits of MAA Membership
Major funding for Curriculum Inspirations is provided by the Akamai Foundation, MathWorks, and TBL Foundation. A grant from the Mary P. Dolciani Halloran Foundation in support of the 2013-2014 Dolciani Visiting Mathematician Program provided seed funding for Curriculum Inspirations.


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Friday, January 10, 2014
What women want
Posted by Shreve & Co. at 3:03:43 AM in Mémoire (26)
Just like in that hit Mel Gibson movie, it would be awesome to have the power to "hear" how women think, right? Especially after you've gone through a handful of shops and online shopping sites but still remain undecided on what's best to give her. Lucky for us, there's no need to have that super ability to read women's minds just to know what they really want. Why? Because practically all women love diamonds…and then there's Mémoire. If you don't like to rummage through a handful of similarly exquisite diamond pieces, just look for the recently-launched Diamond Bouquets Collection. Endowed with an avant-garde invisible setting method, the Diamond Bouquet features nine stones surrounding a center diamond to generate an appearance thrice bigger that the real carat weight—with every single bouquet meticulously engineered to make each one to sparkle beyond 500 facets. For sure, that's far more than what most women would want!
Shreve & Co. in San Francisco is an authorized dealer for Mémoire.
Reference: http://memoire.com/index.aspx?par=news
Written by Shreve & Co. at 3:03:43 AM in Mémoire (26) | Comments (0)
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Stone Dice Sets
Stone dice sets, including polyhedral dice sets made out of obsidian, quartz, tiger's eye, amethyst, green jade, snowflake obsidian, hematite, and more.
Stone Dice Obsidian 12mm Set and Bag$24.00
Out of stockA full set of stone dice made from Obsidian. This set come complete with 7 Obsidian stone dice in total with red numbers and a black dice bag for easy access. Learn More
Stone Dice Obsidian 14mm Set and Bag$38.95
Out of stockA full set of dice made from Obsidian. They look great and roll well nicely on any game surface. This set comes complete with 7 stone dice in total and a black dice bag for easy access. These dice are for the serious gamer. Learn More


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Get an overview of this hotelBeachfront hotel with relaxing spa services
With a stay at Ixchel Beach Hotel, you'll be centrally located in Isla Mujeres, steps from Mundaca House and minutes from Norte Beach.
This beach hotel is within close proximity of Secreto Beach and Dolphin Discovery.
Make yourself at home in one of the 48 air-conditioned rooms featuring microwaves and DVD players. Complimentary wireless Internet access keeps you connected, and cable programming is available for your entertainment. Private bathrooms with showers feature complimentary toiletries and hair dryers. Conveniences include safes and coffee/tea makers, and housekeeping is provided daily.
Treat yourself with massages and facials. You're sure to appreciate the recreational amenities, which include 2 outdoor swimming pools and a fitness center. Additional amenities at this hotel include complimentary wireless Internet access, concierge services, and babysitting/childcare (surcharge).
Grab a bite to eat at the hotel's restaurant, which features a bar, or stay in and take advantage of room service (during limited hours). Relax with your favorite drink at a bar/lounge or a poolside bar. Continental breakfasts are available for a fee.
Featured amenities include dry cleaning/laundry services, a 24-hour front desk, and multilingual staff. Free self parking is available onsite.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us! Opens in a new window
Ixchel Beach HotelPlaya Norte Isla Mujeres QROO 77400
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
Enjoy the umbrellas and sun loungers for a relaxing day at the beach. After a day at the beach, cool off in one of the 2 outdoor swimming pools at Ixchel Beach Hotel and enjoy amenities like a fitness center.
The hotel offers a restaurant. Guests can unwind with a drink at one of the hotel's bars, which include a poolside bar and a bar/lounge. High-speed wireless Internet access is complimentary. Complimentary self parking is available on site.
- Babysitting or childcare (surcharge)
- Fitness facilities
- Number of floors - 6
- Spa services on site
- Bar/lounge
- 24-hour front desk
- Elevator/lift
- Concierge services
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Gift shops or newsstand
- Number of outdoor pools - 2
- Total number of rooms - 48
- Multilingual staff
- Garden
- Luggage storage
- Restaurant
- Free self parking
- Beach umbrellas
- Beach sun loungers
- Pool sun loungers
- Beach towels
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Tours/ticket assistance
- Free WiFi
- Poolside bar
- Number of buildings/towers - 2
- Wedding services
Family Friendly Amenities
- Family Hotel
- Outdoor pools
- Free Wi-Fi
- Babysitting or childcare (surcharge)
- In-room childcare (surcharge)
- Microwave
- DVD player
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Free self parking
Room Amenities
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
- Room service (limited hours)
- DVD player
- Air conditioning
- In-room climate control (air conditioning)
- Access via exterior corridors
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Coffee/tea maker
- Free bottled water
- Microwave
- Daily housekeeping
- Free toiletries
- Hair dryer
- In-room childcare (surcharge)
- Iron/ironing board (on request)
- Television
- In-room safe
- In-room massage available
- Cable TV service
- Private bathroom
- Shower only
- Free WiFi
Where to Eat
Continental breakfasts are available for a surcharge.
Kalak - This restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Guests can enjoy drinks at the bar.
Room service (during limited hours) is available.
Nearby Things to Do
2 outdoor swimming pools are on site along with a fitness center.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
- Kayaking nearby
- Sailing nearby
- Scuba diving nearby
- Windsurfing nearby
- Snorkeling nearby
- Bicycle rentals nearby
- Scooter/moped rentals nearby
- Ecotours nearby
- Yoga classes/instruction on site
- Boat tours nearby
Spa Services
- Facial treatments
- Massages
To make requests for specific accessibility needs, complete the "Special or Accessibility Requests" section of "Trip Preferences" when you book your hotel.
Hotel Policies
Check-in time ends at midnight
Check-in time starts at 3 PM
Special check-in instructions:
Check-out time is noon
Payment types
- No pets or service animals allowed
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
No pets or service animals allowed
- Resort fee
Optional extras
- Fee for continental breakfast: MXN 130 per person (approximately)
- Rollaway bed fee: MXN 225 per night
Hotel Name
- Hotel Ixchel
- Ixchel
- Ixchel Beach
- Ixchel Beach Hotel
- Ixchel Beach Hotel Isla Mujeres
- Ixchel Beach Isla Mujeres
- Ixchel Hotel
We should mention
A resort fee is included in the total price displayed. The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation. No pets and no service animals are allowed at this property.


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PC specs
CPU: Intel I7 920
Memory: 12 GB ram, 500 HDD
OS: Windows 7 64 bit
devices: PS3 / LG surround sound system
PC <-> ethernet to Linksys BEFSR41 V3 100mbps <-> eternet (DMZ mode) PS3
Default decoders
With verstion 1.60.0, I can transcode videos to PS3
But once I updated to 1.71 and 1.72, it doesn't transcode anything, but it does allow my PS3 to play video formats that the PS3 supports, can also browse all the folders from my PS3, and it does show the thumbnail. I have tried to bring the renderer file from 1.60 to 1.72 as a test, persist.
As for my LG surround sound, it now works with 1.72 but most likely due to additional device renderer support.
In the attachment, I have 3 MediaInfo examples of 3 different videos (not from same encoder) that didn't play and the debug log. They are all mkv files in the example, but even other avi, wmv and ogm file extensions has issues (basically, anything the PS3 shows with [MEncoder] next to the file name)
I'm new to this so sorry in advance if I missed anything. Had checked google code but I only saw one example of a OSX back in 2010
Also, thanks in advance


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Prosecutor says NH ammo maker motivated by greed
Craig Sanborn, 65, is charged with manslaughter and reckless homicide in the Colebrook explosion that killed 56-year-old Donald Kendall of Colebrook and 49-year-old Jesse Kennett of Stratford.
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Fri 23rd Nov at 11:00am daily - 9:00pm except Fri-Sat 10:00pm
The Christmas Arcade
@ Somerset House, London
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The Christmas Arcade
Shop for the perfect gift this season at The Christmas Arcade, this new luxury pop-up shopping mall will transform the beautifully renovated West Wing overlooking the ice rink.
The Christmas Arcade celebrates the best of British design selling winter accessories, jewellery, artisan furniture, gift sets and decorations from exclusively British boutique brands, and featuring over fifty designers and makers, including Handmade in Britain, Tatty Devine, Electrum Gallery and Monster Supplies.
Skaters and spectators can also enjoy festive demonstrations and events taking place in The Christmas Arcade, throughout the run.
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Venue Facts
Venue: Somerset House
Website: somersethouse.org.uk
Enquiries: 0207 845 4600
Bookings: 0207 413 3399
Disabled Bookings: 0207 845 4600
→ Charing Cross 7 min walk
→ Temple 2 min walk


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We woke up to a foot of snow on the ground.
The storm on Sunday and Monday two weeks ago was an improvement over the trek up to Francie's Cabin on Friday, but we knew it wasn't quite enough snow to help out as we trekked through the backcountry. In fact, we enjoyed a slow morning Sunday and then packed up to retreat from the mountains after the snow hit.
Well, we knew we wouldn't be able to see the stuff that would destroy our equipment. Sure enough, as we skied out, we overestimated how far down in elevation we could go before packing out the rest of the way.
Those rocks weren't so soft, but luckily the damage wasn't too severe. Nonetheless, it was a nice descent up high through more than a foot of snow, though it petered out at the lower elevations.
That new coverage is likely gone by now. That's a good thing, though, because if we're not going to get heaps of snow, it's better to know our obstacles.
What's left of this season's snow - and its coverage - were easier to determine on Saturday before the storm hit. We located a snowfield and a couloir to test out. The trek there included some careful steps over wet grass to not damage our skins, but at least with the snowmelt we could see what was an obstacle and what wasn't.
A dusting of snow had fallen Friday night, allowing us to shuffle over much of the skin track, but by the time we returned, the snow had melted in the brilliant sun and warmer temperatures, returning the ground to a mucky mess.
The backcountry is still skiable, though a lot of it is melting fast.
The new snow came in with mostly good bonding potential, though there was some risk of setting off avalanches in the new layer after the storm hit. Now that temperatures have warmed again, though, the Colorado Avalanche Information Center is warning against wet avalanches. In particular, because the upper elevations aren't seeing substantial freezes at night, activity could start earlier in the day.
I decided to add dry pants to my outfit because the sun just wasn't burning off the clouds that covered Steamboat Springs' landscape Friday, and we were planning to get in the water. The pants and top would keep me warm even if splashed by the near-freezing snowmelt.
I and two other Summit County girls decided to head up to where the river is starting to flow - and there's some snowpack to feed it. The Yampa Town Run isn't a terribly exciting run (it's Class II, which equates to only slight technicality), but it's enough to start brushing the dust off our boating skills. And it's just nice to get back on the river.
Though raft guides by training, we opted to plop ourselves in duckies - inflatable kayaks - that would better maneuver a low-flow environment. And maneuver they did. It only took about an hour to cruise from upstream of Fetcher Park to Stockbridge.
The town makes it easy, too. We took one car and ran shuttle via the free bus system.
It was chilly, but by late afternoon - when a handful of kayakers were getting ready to launch - more windows of blue sky were peering from beyond the puffy gray of the damp clouds, warming the air.
Another bonus of heading to Steamboat to get first tastes of boating for the season is you can head to the hot springs to warm up after a few hours of remembering how to rig a boat, reading the water and working those post-winter muscles.


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News 12 at 6 o'clock / Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013
WRENS, Ga. (WRDW) -- Along with having one of the highest unemployment rates in the state at 14.6 percent, Wrens is closing its biggest plant.
"The local folks here are just distraught as we are. They're hit pretty hard by this," said Tom Jordan of the Jefferson Development Authority.
It's big news with an even bigger impact. The Glit Microtron plant in Wrens is closing its doors.
"It's just a hard time for 120 families that will be losing their jobs when the plant is closed," Jordan said.
After more than 30 years, the plant has only 60 more days. Then this big building becomes an empty shell, and 120 wallets get a little emptier, too.
"Can't imagine. These may be the bread winners of the family," Jordan said.
Jefferson County has the eighth highest unemployment rate in the state at 14.6 percent, and experts say this closing will only make that worse.
"I'm sure this will drive us slightly higher than that," Jordan said.
But there might be some hope on the horizon.
"Fortunately, in the area we have some new jobs, some new companies that are going to be hiring in that same period," Jordan explained.
"The road leads to the plant over there. The new plant they're building," construction worker Ricky Habersham said.
It's all cranes and pulleys now, but soon this building will be a new Pyramax Ceramics plant, and hopefully the employer to many of the Glit plant workers losing their jobs.
Habersham says he remembers being in the same boat.
"Has you wondering will I find another job or what?" Habersham said.
The new plant might be the answer for some, but there won't be enough jobs for everyone, leaving the small town of Wrens facing a very big challenge.
"This community is very resilient. We're still going to have to keep our faith and keep our strength to move forward," Jordan said.
We're told some of those laid off workers will get severance packages and others will qualify for retirement, but for the younger employees, they're hoping this new plant is the answer.
The plant that's closing makes janitorial and sanitation products, but the ceramics plant will use similar thermal machines, so many of the workers will be qualified.


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'Cops' Takes the Wheel for a High-Speed Chase of Its Own
Somewhere in Mexico, somebody is probably singing, "Bad boys, bad boys…" Among the burly trucks, buggies and motorcycles pounding through the ongoing Baja 1000, a famously dusty, bone-jarring race through the Baja Peninsula, are multiple black vehicles plastered with the familiar COPS logo. Behind the wheel: the show's co-creator and executive producer, John Langley, and his two sons.
After 24 seasons of "Cops" on Fox, a record-setting run that could be coming to an end soon, it's understandable that Langley would look for thrills elsewhere. After a neighbor introduced him to off-road racing, he went all in, buying his first race vehicle in 2009. He owns a "Cops" racing team with sons Morgan (an executive producer on the show and newer variants like "Vegas Strip") and Zak, who have also been racing competitively for four years.
"It's the same reason I got into crime programming—it makes you feel alive. The next best thing to a high-speed police chase is racing your own car. You get the same rush," John Langley said during an interview in August.
He was planning logistics for a coming race with Zak and other members of his squad at the team's headquarters in a cavernous garage in El Segundo, Calif. The operation includes three full-time mechanics and three race vehicles, including mean-looking cars that look like oversized remote-control toys. But the team swells by about 50 volunteer members for big races like this week's, which winds 1,122 miles through Mexico from Ensenada to La Paz. In both 2009 and 2010, the team won in one of the classes it competed in. (The current race is ongoing.)
It's an all-consuming hobby that would constitute a second career for the Langleys if it didn't cost them so much money. To offset the racing expenses, Langley Production shopped around the concept for a documentary-style TV show about the world of off-road racing. But no TV networks bit. However, they did find a buyer for a one-off movie in 3-D– "Road Warriors: Baja 500″ premieres on the Epix channel Dec. 12.
On Dec. 15, "Cops" begins its 25th season. (Fox, like the Wall Street Journal, is owned by News Corp.) The show has nurtured a stable of minor TV stars, including charismatic bad guys and telegenic law enforcers. One former Las Vegas vice detective who initially hesitated to go on camera turned out to be a gregarious regular, appearing in a dozen episodes. Bill Young was later elected sheriff , an ascent "Cops" might have had something to do with, Langley suggests: "Maybe it lubricated his career ambitions."
Bill Young is now retired from the force, but he's still affiliated with "Cops." The former sheriff was the navigator seated next to Langley as they raced this week's Baja 1000.
Follow @johnjurg on Twitter.


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Splinter Cell Blacklist Misses the Mark
This is a big year for military-themed shooter games, with the release of three new installments from venerable, recurring franchises. The first of the three, Ubisoft's Splinter Cell: Blacklist, came out for multiple platforms earlier this week. Electronic Arts' Battlefield 4 will go on sale in late October, followed shortly by Call of Duty: Ghosts from Activision in November.
I've spent a couple of nights playing through Blacklist on my Xbox 360. It is a credible sequel to and serious upgrade from 2010's Splinter Cell: Conviction, but I'm on the fence about it. While I like some of the game's features, they don't always hold together, and ultimately aren't compelling enough for me to give an unqualified thumbs-up.
Blacklist is an immediate sequel to 2010's Conviction, which sold over 2 million copies. That number wasn't bad, but it is far below the approximately 30 million COD: Black Ops and 15 or so million Battlefield 3 units sold. This time around, Blacklist will be available on all major consoles, including next-gen ones, and the PC. Conviction wasn't available on the PS3.
Blacklist has the most-important thing covered. The game is fun to play, and while not exactly addicting, it's challenging enough to make you want to keep returning to sections you couldn't complete the first time, even on the easiest of four difficulty settings. More on that below.
I give Ubisoft credit for keeping the premise straightforward. A group, calling itself "the Engineers," are fed up with U.S. military intereference around the world, takes out Andersen Air Force Base in Guam. Next up, more U.S. assets around the world. Your job, as Sam Fisher, commander of the Fourth Echelon force, is to stop them before they rub out everyone and everything on their so-called "blacklist."
Ahead of the game's launch, much ado was made on blogs and in forums about the bumping of Michael Ironside, in favor of Eric Johnson, as the voice and body of Sam Fisher. I will make no ado about it all. I simply didn't notice or care, once I started playing.
Other familiar characters returning to the franchise are Anna Grimsdottir, Andriy Kobin and Victor Coste. New characters include sidekick Isaac Briggs and Charlie Cole.
With an update that had to be carried out to my Xbox and the high-definition graphics files that needed to be installed from the game's second disc, it took nearly 20 minutes to load the first time I played. Thereafter, load time was quick, and I was impressed by the developers' lack of pomposity.
I was disappointed that, despite installing 3GB of HD graphics, characters still looked too shiny, waxy and artificial. Eyes did not look even vaguely human in many cases, and most characters seemed to suffer from "grey-teeth syndrome." Lighting was also just so-so. I found the game too dark to play well at times.
There was no attempt to turn the game's open into an "Apocalypse Now"-like cinematic extravaganza, like other, similar games. The opening scenes were short, to the point, descriptive and informative. And I can't believe I'm writing this, but I actually wanted a bit more backstory, a bit of a bigger or hidden meaning.
From the open, the game flows easily into what seems to be a typical single-player campaign mode. But then, at a certain point, you're offered an array of single- and multiplayer options and missions that branch off of the main story. I was struck by the elegant and intuitive in-game menu that lets you choose from among those options and missions. It's a very strong way to let you switch things up without interrupting game flow by having to jump back several screens to a main menu.
The longer I played Blacklist, though, the more I tried to understand why, despite supposedly traveling great distances to carry out missions of great import, I didn't care. Blacklist does not "play big." After awhile, each mission felt pretty much the same. I'm not certain whether its lack of grandiosity and pretension are to be admired or whether I was just bored because the missions and this game played like so many others, with only minuscule differences.
I've always liked the hi-tech and sneakiness aspects of Splinter Cell. They're hallmarks of the franchise (and of the Tom Clancy books), just like teamwork and use of vehicles distinguish Battlefield from other shooter games. You can confound and trick opponents with funky grenades and your own words, peer at them, unobserved through night-vision goggles and plot their demise by choosing multiple targets and the manner of takedown before you actually move in.
That said, I found it extremely hard to be sneaky and survive in Blacklist. I guess stealth is treated pretty realistically in this game — twitch or make a false move around a corner and you get noticed and attacked. I thought the AI of my computer-controlled enemies was good, but too difficult. I tried many different ways to sneak around on all four skill levels, and I greatly appreciated the choice of selecting lethal or non-lethal attacks with my D-pad and the "X" button, at least in theory.
But truthfully, because I kept getting discovered, even my best-laid plans for silent takedowns ended up in bloody gun battles that weren't even as good as you find in games like Call of Duty. And more often than not, because it seems a lot easier to die in this game than in previous versions, it was me, on the floor. Despite all my gear, two or three shots were enough to take me down.
There were no real surprises with controls, and if this is your first time playing, they're not hard to learn. Single touches of the D-pad let you change weapons, and you aim and shoot with trigger pulls. There are weapons to be had throughout the game, actually weapons galore. I found the offerings fairly limited. You also can acquire and use special weapons — lethal and non-lethal.
One fairly pleasant surprise was the Kinect, which, for example, allows you to use voice commands to do things like distract or mislead the enemy or call in an airstrike. Having had fairly bad experiences trying to control my characters in other games with the Kinect, I opted to use my standard controller.
I didn't play the Wii U version, but I watched a video of how the Wii U tablet controller can be used. It made me want to go out and buy that version, though I resisted. Exclusive controls let you tag the enemy using the screen, look at them through sonar goggles and speed through and change your inventory items.
Spies vs Mercs multiplayer mode returns in this game, and I urge you to try it on both the stealthy and hunting/attacking sides.
My parting thought on this game is that it was enjoyable at times, intriguing in some ways, but it is missing the glue that would make this a blockbuster hit.
Splinter Cell: Blacklist retails for around $60, though I bought my legal, retail version for a sale price of just $48 in Hong Kong.


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Andean Bear Cubs Have Their Names, Will Debut May 22
May 2010
One week and nearly 5,000 votes after the opened the online polls to the public to name the male and female Andean bear cubs, we've got two winners: Chaska, pronounced Chas'-kuh, for the female and Bernardo for the male!
Animal keepers and the embassies of Peru and Venezuela submitted names for the online poll that are of Andean or South American derivation. Each name held significant meaning special to the bears or the region in which they are found. Dennis Kelly, the Zoo's director, along with representatives from the embassies of Peru and Venezuela, announced the names on May 19 in a special naming ceremony. See photos.
When the polls closed, Chaska had edged out Paqarina by merely 72 votes (garnering 1,799 votes, or 37 percent of the total). Chaska, meaning the "dawn star," was submitted by the Embassy of Peru. Bernardo, Spanish for "brave like a bear," won by a much larger margin, claiming 2,064 votes, 42 percent of the total . Bernardo was submitted by the Andean bear keepers for the poll but coincidentally is also the name of the Ambassador of Venezuela, Bernardo Alvarez.
The cubs, their mother, Billie Jean, their father, Nikki, and another older female, Bandit, live at the Zoo's Andean bear exhibit in the Beaver Valley section of the Zoo. Due to construction on the Zoo's seal and sea lion exhibit, Beaver Valley is closed to the public during the week but the Andean bear exhibit will be open to the public on weekends from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., beginning May 22.


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Content Area Specific Evaluations
Content Area Specific Evaluations
The departments within the Division of Student Affairs use a variety of content area-specific assessment and evaluation tools such as surveys by Educational Benchmarking, Inc,, the National College Health Assessment, and others. These tools allow the department to compare their areas with national standards developed for their department's content area. The results of the assessment and evaluation will assist the department in program changes and/or improvements.