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Intelligence: IS Planning Attack in US, Europe – Middle East – News – Arutz Sheva
Members of the Islamic State (formerly known as ISIS) are planning to carry out major terror attacks against targets in the United States or in Europe, American intelligence officials said Saturday.
Five intelligence officials stated to Bloomberg News that there is evidence that the organization is running a sleeper cells around the world, outside of Iraq and Syria. The goal: to gain a greater foothold in the Islamic world – politically and militarily.
According to retired U.S. Army Colonel Derek Harvey, the Middle East is gripped in a "competition for jihadi leadership" between IS and Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri, following the falling out between the two groups last year.
Harvey also said that US President Barack Obama has severely underestimated IS's current hold in Iraq and Syria, due to a reluctance to put his "toe, foot, and then leg" back in Iraq.
How could Islamic terrorists possible get into the US in the first place? Our borders are tight as a drum, right?
Oh, wait…

subset: commoncrawl


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Just Cavalli Aims Higher
Just Cavalli, the younger line from Italian designer Roberto Cavalli, recently switched licenses, which is changing its approach and positioning.
For years, Just Cavalli was produced by Italian license group Ittierre; this season is the first made by denim giant Diesel's subsidiary Staff International. With Staff's manufacturing muscle, the brand is trying to move into the "designer contemporary" market segment.
"We no longer wanted Just Cavalli to be considered a second line," Roberto Cavalli Chief Executive said in an interview. "Of course it features many details belonging to the Cavalli heritage and the line will definitely maintain a different price tag, but we want it to be considered a first line, just aimed at a different public."
Just Cavalli presented a debut collection featuring bright colors and dresses to be worn both night and day.
The Look: Romantic rocker. Pastel-colored and metallicized denim was used for pants, shorts and miniskirts as the mainstay of the collection. Animal prints were used for shirts and nappa leather for cowboy jackets and gilets, or vests.
The Contrast: Apparel made of silk, cotton gauze and crepe paired with edgy ankle boots in suede with python details.
The Sparkle: Super shiny eye shadow and long, silky hair


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Friends of Temple Theatre Seek Support
Updated: 08/11/2010 - Officials with Meridian's Temple Theater have started the Friends of the Temple Theatre campaign to help make repairs to the historic building.
Updated: 08/11/2010 - Officials with Meridian's Temple Theater have started the Friends of the Temple Theatre campaign to help make repairs to the historic building.
Updated: 08/11/2010 - The MSU Riley Center announced its lineup for educational shows that will include Meridian's own Young People of Praise.
Updated: 08/04/2010 - The new season for Meridian Community College's Arts & Letters Series was announced Wednesday.
Posted: 07/29/2010 - An entire weekend is quickly approaching that is dedicated to celebrating Mississippi's music heritage.
Updated: 07/27/2010 - The Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Center announced Tuesday that it has acquired the former Montana's Restaurant property.
Updated: 07/26/2010 - The Neshoba County Fair entered its first full week of activities Monday.
Updated: 07/23/2010 - Mississippi's Giant House Party is underway in Neshoba County.
Updated: 07/22/2010 - The Temple Theater was a fitting back drop for an announcement Thursday of Meridian being designated the state's first Entertainment District.
Posted: 07/22/2010 - A program about the life of country entertainer Marty Stuart and his Sparkle & Twang collection of memorabilia will be broadcast on WTOK's stations.
Updated: 07/19/2010 - The Mississippi Junior Miss program is this week in Meridian, at least, the program formerly known as Junior Miss.
Updated: 07/16/2010 - Mississippi's 121st Annual Giant House Party is just around the corner, and officials are getting ready.
Updated: 07/14/2010 - The 61st Annual Choctaw Indian Fair gets underway Wednesday evening with a message from Miko Beasley Denson and then the Choctaw Indian Princess Pageant.
Updated: 07/13/2010 - The 61st Annual Choctaw Indian Fair will be held July 14-17.
Updated: 07/13/2010 - Meridian native Sela Ward will join the cast of 'CSI: NY' in the fall.
Updated: 07/12/2010 - The Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Center board says it's dedicated to locating in downtown Meridian, but has not finalized its plans.
Updated: 07/09/2010 - An internationally-known clothing designer for music stars is in Meridian this weekend, taking part in the big Sparkle & Twang Exhibit: Marty Stuart's American Musical Odyssey.
Updated: 07/09/2010 - Marty Stuart is a four-time Grammy Award winner, and is now one of the few with a star on the Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Center's Walk of Fame.
Updated: 07/08/2010 - The Sparkle & Twang Exhibit: Marty Stuart's American Musical Odyssey premiered Thursday night, as the country entertainer received his star on the Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Center's Walk of Fame.
Updated: 07/07/2010 - The Sparkle & Twang Exhibit will be in Meridian at the MSU Riley Center from July 10 to Sept. 18.
Updated: 07/07/2010 - Country singer and musician Marty Stuart will be honored in Meridian this week, as his country music exhibit arrives for a run at the MSU Riley Center.
Updated: 07/06/2010 - Hartley Peavey says the last two years have been the hardest to operate a business that he has seen in his long career. But still, he says the company is going strong.
Updated: 06/23/2010 - Actress and Meridian native, Sela Ward, is the latest star to be honored on the Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Center Walk of Fame.
Posted: 06/23/2010 - Jimmy Buffett will perform a free concert in Gulf Shores, Ala., next month to demonstrate support for residents and businesses stricken by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
Updated: 06/01/2010 - Some of Mississippi's most famous authors were honored Tuesday in Meridian.
Updated: 06/01/2010 - The Jimmie Rodgers Foundation Tuesday announced summer activities that will feature a show by Merle Haggard and Marty Stuart.


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The Poopdeck
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One Week Until International Talk Like a Pirate Day
In this issue:
Help for the Holiday
Where does the time go? It's only a week until International Talk Like a Pirate Day! Are you ready? We've got some videos on line that'll help.
For the basics of pirate talk, check out (if you haven't already) this helpful video course. We'd call it the ABCs of Talkin' Like a Pirate, but that wouldn't be right because they all begin with A. So we call it The Five As.
And if you want to dress like a pirate (see Doughnut note, below) it couldn't be easier. You don't have to spend hundreds of dollars on your pirate outfit, although that'd be cool. But if you want to pull something out of the closet and pirate it up, here's a video that'll show you how.
And here's one of our favorites, just because it's fun.
And finally, Ol' Chumbucket takes the Ice Bucket Challenge
Mutiny Magazine Talk Like a Pirate Day Party and Other Events
With the blessed holiday falling on a Friday this year, there's party's all over the map. You can search our map of piratey fun on the website,
The biggest event (at least as far as we know) is in Los Angeles, where our buccaneer bud Talderoy is hosting the Mutiny Magazine All-Day Pirate Party on Friday. It starts at noon and runs until 10 p.m. (so, alright, that's not *all* day, but it's a good long party, so belay the jabber!)
It'll take place at Studio City Tattoos. 11032 Ventura Blvd., Studio City Calif. Pirates from all over Southern California and beyond will be on hand for the free raffles, live music, street performers, good food, and quality tattoos. All the shop's tattoo artists will be there providin' special pirate tattoos for the one-day price of $50. Talderoy is both owner of Studio City Tattoos and the founder of Mutiny Magazine, plus several other things that perhaps we won't get into here. To mix memes, he's the godfather of the pirate community on the West Coast, and possibly everywhere else.
Another crew of our pirate pals, Tom Mason & The Blue Buccaneers, will raise sail for Destin, Florida, to play a celebration at HarborWalk Village. Join them at the beach for this full-on pirate party. Tom and the crew have a new album coming out next month, "The World Is Ablaze," and you can bet you're likely to hear a few of the new tunes at the doin's in Destin.
(True story – As I was typing this, the postman dropped an advance copy of the album in my mailbox! Talk about timing! Let me just say, the title track is great, with a slithery, syncopated rhythm you can dance to it!) Tom and the crew will also be performing his "Talk Like a Pirate" song, which I'm proud to say I supplied some of the lyrics for.
Destin is on the Florida panhandle, just east of Fort Walton Beach, across the Choctawhatchee Bay channel.
In Ottawa, Canada, the band Celtic Sea will perform as part of weekend set of performances for the 2014 Canada Army, a major fundraiser for Canadian veterans. On the Friday they'll play from 6 to 8 p.m. on the main stage at Marion Dewar Plaza in Ottawa, Ontario. Then from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday and 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Sunday.
In Blackpool, England, watch a bunch of our barmy brethren test their mettle by climbing to the top of the tallest roller coaster in the UK (235ft!) and raising their Jolly Rodger at the top. We are told that harness and protective clothing will be provided, but those taking part have been told to bring "sensible shoes or boots." Minimum age is 12.
Finally (for now,) Steve Kimball of Pirate's Way Magazine is holding a Talk Like a Pyrate Party from 7 p.m. to closing at the Mutiny Bar and Island Grill, 1653 Marley Ave, Glen Burnie, Maryland. Live music and piratey fun for the whole crew
Don't Forget the Doughnuts!
Once again, Krispy Kreme is making an offer no pirate can refuse. Walk into your local Krispy Kreme and *talk* like a pirate they'll give you a free doughnut. Mmmmm. Free doughnut! But if you swagger in DRESSED like a pirate! A dozen free doughnuts! Talk about yer golden treasures! Understand, the good folk at Krispy Kreme want you to go to a *little* effort.
Don't just squint closed and claim yer a pirate. Here's what they're looking for:
"Qualifying pirate costumes must include three or more of the following items:
- Ol' Chumbucket
Web site and contents © Mark Summers and John Baur, 2002-2013
Web design by Pat Kight/aka jezebel


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First of all, Arthur was a machine. He rode out the missile attack that shattered the United States safe at sea aboard a hospital ship. But when he took to land with two friends -- human friends -- that's when things got dicey. Because an Artificial Intelligence with his skills could do a lot of work, and quite a few people wanted him. Preferably without his human friends in tow...
A classic from the Golden Age of science fiction!
You can read this item using any of the following Kobo apps and devices:


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Chatter That Matters
Dr. Richard Strachan | 8/14/2014, 9 a.m.
Congratulations to Alice Day founder of the Sunshine Jazz Club, for presenting the fifth annual Hall of Fame inductees, along with Keith Valles, president, and "The Real" Tracy Fields, WLRN FM 91.3 (Mon – Fri. at 7 p.m.). Valles had the honor of presenting inductees: Pete Minger, trumpet/flugelhorn, Nestor Torres, flute, Jimmy Crawford, piano/vocals, Panama Francis, drums, Dave Nuby, (Francis started out playing the saxophone until the drummer failed to show and he kicked off with drums in 1968, ) and Paquito D'Rivera, Alto Saxophone.
Others recognized were China Valles, former president, Jesse Jones, Jr., Alice Day, Melton Mustafa, Blue Mitchell, Billy Rolle, Bill Peeples, Ira Sullivan, Eric Knight, Charles Austin, Mel Dancy, Jet Nero, Myrtle Jones, Joe Danata, Sam Jones, Dolph Castellana, Howie Schneider Trio with Sam Chiodo, bass, and impresario James Cotmon, drums.
Sponsors were Judy S. Carter, Brenda Wilson, Dave Nuby Jr, Xavier "Showtime", Smith, Pamela Gains, Valarie and Larry Stafford, Larry and Caroline Adams, Dwight and Cassandra Dickerson from New York City.
There is a sonnet from T. S., Twyce: Jazz is the Genre; The Genre is Jazz. The sultry sound of "Quiet Fire" begins. The place, Greenstreet Café' in Miami. It is my duty to keep jazz alive. American born, celebrated wide. Jazz; mainstream, Jazz; Bebop Jazz, Wilson, Vaughn, Fitzgerald, Day, Blue, Cannonball Adderley, The Monk was no slouch on the piano, "Spider" Martin synonymous. Remember MUSIC is the medicine of the mind. You dig!
It was a historical day, Wednesday, July 30 when the officials of Dade County Parks and Recreation (Jack Kardys) held a ground breaking for the new senior center at Arcola Lakes Park. With the assistance of Melonie Burke in passing out shovels to the Singing Angels: Treniece Henderson, park manager, Mary Simmons, director, Constance Ekon, president, and senior citizens totaling over 200.
The Singing Angels marched in singing "Climbing Jacobs Ladder" and continued with the "Hallelujah Chorus," "Every Praise","Total Praise", and leaving the audience standing to "Enjoy Jesus." Some of the members included Carolyn Frazier, Tillie Tibbins, Elizabeth James, Ramona Varner, Virgina Smilley, Gloria Pacely, Lonnie McCartney, Nettie Murphy, June Miller, Joe and Shelia Mack, Mae Etta Lowery, Veronica Johnson, Daphne Johnson, Mamie Williams, Willie Jackson, Henry Williams, Sadie Williams, Ruby Allen, and Daisy Emmers.
The center will be a state of the art recreational building with modern facilities for senior citizens to enjoy. Congratulations go out to Commissioner Jean Monestime, the builders and general bond establishment for the 19-acres and $6.millions.
Kudos go out to Sam Bawa of Market Food for having one of the cleanest convenience stores in the Arcola Lakes community.
On his staff is Larry Bess, cousin of former Miami Dolphins wide receiver Devon Bess. Ray, L.A. and several more that help keep the store open 24-hours a day.
One of the best customers is Gwen Rogers, who was given a plaque for her dedicated services at Miami Central High. Sam vows to start a little league football team and select Leander "Trixie" Phillips as a coach.


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In April this year US music publishers, with the help of digital media giant Gracenote, launched a legal alternative for finding lyrics on the web. Hosted by Yahoo!, the service will allow users to view lyrics from approximately 400,000 songs, and return to publishers a share of advertising revenue. Somehow it's now clear what Warner/Chappell meant back in 2003.Here's an interesting article from The Guardian on the subject.
Publishers sing new tune over web lyrics
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These clipper ships of the early 1850's were built of wood in shipyards from Rockland in Maine to Baltimore. These architects, like poets who transmute nature's message into song, obeyed what wind and wave had taught them, to create the noblest of all sailing vessels, and the most beautiful creations of man in America. With no extraneous ornament except a figurehead, a bit of carving and a few lines of gold leaf, their one purpose of speed over the great ocean routes was achieved by perfect balance of spars and sails to the curving lines of the smooth black hull; and this harmony of mass, form and color was practiced to the music of dancing waves and of brave winds whistling in the rigging. These were our Gothic cathedrals, our Parthenon; but monuments carved from snow. For a few brief years they flashed their splendor around the world, then disappeared with the finality of the wild pigeon.
Samuel Eliot Morison (1887 - 1976)
Source: The Oxford History of the American People, 1965, ch. 36
Contributed by: Zaady
If the American Revolution had produced nothing but the Declaration of Independence, it would have been worth while. . . . The beauty and cogency of the preamble, reaching back to remotest antiquity and forward so an indefinite future, have lifted the hearts of millions of men and will continue to do. . . . These words are more revolutionary than anything written by Robespierre, Marx, or Lenin, more explosive than the atom, a continual challenge to ourselves as well as an inspiration to the oppressed of all the world.
Source: The Oxford History of the American People, 1965, ch. 14
A few hints as to literary craftsmanship may be useful to budding historians. First and foremost, get writing!
Source: History as a Literary Art. Old South Leaflets, 1946
America was discovered accidentally by a great seaman who was looking for something else; when discovered it was not wanted; and most of the exploration for the next fifty years was done in the hope of getting through or around it. America was named after a man who discovered no part of the New World. History is like that, very chancy.
Source: The Oxford History of the American People, 1965, ch. 2
Copyright © 2016 Gaiam, Inc.


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What is the Diameter of Earth?by Jerry Coffey
Since the Earth is not a perfect sphere, there are three numbers to know when answering questions about the diameter of Earth. The rotation of the planet has slightly flattened it out, so it has a larger diameter at the equator than at the poles. The equatorial diameter of Earth is 12,756 km, its polar diameter is 12,713 km, and its average diameter, which is referred to in common usage, is 12,742 km. For our friends who are not using the metric system, that translates to 7,926 miles.
The planet's diameter is only one of any number of interesting facts about our home planet. Here are a few other facts that may not be common knowledge among your friends:
Plate tectonics cause earthquakes and form mountains, but did you know that they are one of the reasons that our planet is livable? Organisms in the ocean die and fall to the ocean floor. Their remains are rich in carbon. This carbon rich material is recycled into the planet's inner regions by plate tectonics. If it was not for this recycling action, the greenhouse effect of the carbon rich material would increase the temperature of our planet until it was no longer viable for most of the life forms it currently supports.
Our planet's atmosphere extends to about 10,000 km above the surface. It is thickest within the first 50 km and becomes very negligible at the outer reaches. The outermost layer is called the exosphere and starts about 500 km above the surface. Some where close to the 10,000 km mark free moving particles begin to escape Earth's gravity and are blown away by the solar wind. Even though it extends to 10,000 km, 75% of the Earth's atmosphere is contained within the 11 km closest to the planet's surface.
Earth may only have one moon, but it has two quasi-satellites that few people know about. The asteroids Cruithne 3753 and 2002 AA29 have orbits that are synchronized with Earth's but they are not actually orbiting the Earth.
The diameter of Earth is a great physical characteristic to know, but do not stop your research there. Look over NASA's website for more statistics like it and to find some facts that others may not know. Part of the fun of looking things up is finding something to stump your friends with.
You can read more articles from Universe Today about the Earth. For example, did know know that the Earth has an inner, inner core? And here's a nice photograph of the Earth and Moon, seen from Mars.
Here's how the diameter of the Earth was first measured, thousands of years ago. And here's NASA's Earth Observatory.
We did an episode of Astronomy Cast just on the Earth. Give it a listen, Episode 51: Earth.


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UPDATE: A person who ought to darn well know confirmed for us that the boards of of directors of AMR Corp. and US Airways Group Inc. approved the merger of their two companies and airlines, American Airlines and US Airways.
The Wall Street Journal first reported it shortly before 6 p.m. Wednesday.
One new detail: the WSJ quotes a someone as saying that Tom Horton will hang around as non-executive chairman until sometime in 2014, until the merged company's first annual shareholders meeting. AMR typically holds its meetings on the third Wednesday in May, which in 2014 would be May 21.
Other stuff: Market capitalization would be $10 billion to $11 billion. That's in line with some previous estimates, although some had put it between $8 billion and $9 billion. Also, the board would have 12 members initially, then drop to 11 after Horton departs.


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The 11-12 Medford National Little League baseball team and District 8 will host the state tournament at Thomas Whittle Fields beginning July 20.
Medford National Little League won the District 8 tournament, beating the Grants Pass Nationals 13-8 on July 10.
The other teams competing at state are Wilshire-Riverside (District 1), Gresham (District 2), Pendleton (District 3), Lake Oswego (District 4), Hermiston (District 5), Klamath Falls American (District 6), Sprague (District 7) and Sheldon (District 9).
Medford National — which took third at state in the 10-11 division last year — opens with Sprague at 10 a.m. on July 21. The local squad returned all but one player from last summer's group.
The tournament wraps up on July 27 with the championship.
An opening ceremony is set for 7 p.m. on July 19.
The state winner will advance to the Northwest Regional, set for Aug. 2-10 in San Bernardino, Calif. The victor moves on to the Little League World Series, Aug. 15-25 in Williamsport, Pa.
Thomas Whittle Fields are located at 4409 West Main Street.
Location, ST | website.com


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ACIW, WEX, SOHU, SYNA, WWE were all recently downgraded by TheStreet's Quant Ratings.
Trade-Ideas LLC identified Synaptics (SYNA) as a "perilous reversal" (up big yesterday but down big today) candidate
Synaptics (SYNA) stock is on the rise today despite a price target decrease at Needham.
Trade-Ideas LLC identified Synaptics (SYNA) as a "barbarian at the gate" (strong stocks crossing above resistance with today's range greater than 200%) candidate
TheStreet Quant Ratings provides fair and objective information to help you make educated investing decisions. We rate over 4,300 stocks daily and provide 5-page PDF reports for each stock. These ratings can change daily and today's changes are reflected in the email below. If you are looking to check-up on the stocks you currently own or are looking for new ideas, you can find our full database of password-protected ratings reports in our proprietary ratings screener: http://www.thestreet.com/k/qr/flat/stock-screener.html Upgrades: AEUA, BPMC, CAA, CAT, COMM, DAIO, DKS, EFII, HDS, HOG, ISTR, KEM, MSCC, MT, NWHM, QGEN, QLYS, TPRE Downgrades: COHU, DMD, EMN, GRC, SFS, SYNA, WWE Initiations: None Read on to get TheStreet Quant Ratings' detailed report:
Increases available stock repurchase authorization to $233 million
Investors in Synaptics Inc saw new options become available today, for the August 26th expiration. At Stock Options Channel, our YieldBoost formula has looked up and down the SYNA options chain for the new August 26th contracts and identified one put and one call contract of particular interest.
Worries about iPhone 7 sales hurt the stocks of Cirrus Logic, Skyworks, InvenSense, Qorvo and Synaptics.
The most recent short interest data has been released for the 06/15/2016 settlement date, which shows a 475,629 share decrease in total short interest for Synaptics Inc , to 3,813,857, a decrease of 11.09% since 05/31/2016. Total short interest is just one way to look at short data; another metric that we here at Dividend Channel find particularly useful is the "days to cover" metric because it considers both the total shares short and the average daily volume of shares traded.
Trade-Ideas LLC identified Synaptics (SYNA) as a "dead cat bounce" (down big yesterday but up big today) candidate
Synaptics (SYNA) stock is sharply lower this afternoon after the company disclosed in an SEC filing that it is taking steps to cut costs to match its lower revenue.
Trade-Ideas LLC identified Synaptics (SYNA) as a weak on high relative volume candidate
Trade-Ideas LLC identified Synaptics (SYNA) as a "water-logged and getting wetter" (weak stocks crossing below support with today's range greater than 200%) candidate
Expands Natural ID Market to Include After-market Upgrades
As Apple and others start using OLED display chips in their mobile devices, Applied Materials, Advanced Energy and MKS Instruments are poised to benefit.
Synaptics (SYNA) stock is down in late-afternoon trading on Friday after reporting 2016 first quarter financial results and as it might accept a lower takeover offer.
Here are Friday's top research calls, including downgrades for Ford, Synaptics and Western Digital, and an upgrade for Boston Scientific.
Trade-Ideas LLC identified Synaptics (SYNA) as a post-market laggard candidate


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Wednesday, June 11
International guest speaker: Kavita Krishnan, joint secretary of the All-India Progressive Women's Association, and a leading activist in the movement against sexual violence that exploded following the gang rape of a student in Dehli in 2012. The movement is demanding a woman's right to live without fear of rape and free from the patriarchal control of the family and community. Krishnan is also a central leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) and editor of its newspaper Liberation. 6:30pm. Multicultural Hub, 506 Elizabeth St, City (opposite Victoria Markets). For more info ph 9639 8622.


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yoga days
yoga weekends
yoga vacations
yoga @ work
Shri Yogi Hari has dedicated his life to the practice and
teaching of yoga. He is a globally renowned master of hatha,
raja and nada yoga – and music will be a key element
in our spiritual practice during the Nada Yoga Week.
This program is for anyone wanting to deepen their knowledge
and practice of yoga. Beginners are welcome.
We follow a joyous flowing daily rhythm of early mornings
and intensive but harmonious days.
Delicious vegetarian meals lovingly prepared by Tara.
Accommodation in modern twin bedrooms, shared bathrooms.
Location: Haus Abrahm, in the middle of nature in Hellenthal,
Germany (1.5 h from Brussels)
Price: 1000 euro, all-in


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NORTH Ronaldsay – Orkney's most northerly outpost – is considered remote even to other Orcadians. But residents – which number about 60 – don't let that stop them from putting their tiny island on the map with a series of innovative ideas that have secured national recognition. These actions include selling meat from their seaweed-eating sheep to posh restaurants as well as producing knitwear that uses dyewood from a 266-year-old shipwreck to visitors like Prince Charles.
Now, plans to renovate the island's 18th-century light beacon and the surrounding buildings and pier have resulted in a placing among the top three Scottish entrants competing for funding in the regional finals of BBC2's Restoration Village, to be broadcast on 18 August. The programme's film crew left North Ronaldsay enthusing about the uniqueness of the place and the welcome they received.
Robert Stevenson, the famous 18th-century lighthouse builder, would be hard put to recognise it as the same island he had battled for hours to reach by sea from mainland Orkney. Once there he couldn't wait to leave, according to family journals published by Robert Louis Stevenson, the builder's grandson and future author of Treasure Island.
It was the sinking of the treasure ship Svecia off North Ronaldsay in 1740 that led to calls for a beacon to light the way round the notorious north-east corner of Orkney. The Swedish East Indiaman cargo ship filled with silk, gold and dyewood had been worth around 200,000 – the equivalent of millions today – and resulted in the first surveys of British waters being carried out by Orkney "map man" Murdoch McKenzie, who became the Royal Navy's first hydrographer.
It wasn't until nearer the end of the century though, when trouble with France was making the English Channel a dangerous thoroughfare for ships, that something was finally done. Robert Stevenson and his stepfather Thomas Smith were appointed by the newly formed Lighthouse commissioners to erect Scotland's first purpose-built lighthouse at Dennis Head in North Ronaldsay.
For the engineers and workmen heading north from Leith, it must have seemed a formidable undertaking. They were faced with the task of building a beacon on the furthest of what was then considered a remote group of islands whose contact with the outside world was infrequent and uncertain. The main town of Kirkwall was referred to in the Stevenson journals as a "barbarous port where whalers called to take up and return experienced seamen."
By the autumn of 1789 the masons had completed work on a 70-foot tower of local undressed stone. Their final bill for the structure and the lightkeeper's stone-built dwellings and storehouse was nearly 200. On the top of the tower was what was considered the most advanced lighting system of the time – a "copper reflecting cluster" of oil burning lamps.
A decade later it was redundant. Ships directing their course for the North Ronaldsay structure had been falling foul of other treacherous channels round the neighbouring island of Sanday. An unlit beacon on Sanday's Start Point was redesigned by Robert Stevenson to house new state-of-the-art revolving lights. The North Ronaldsay lantern was removed and a big masonry ball that had topped the original unlit Start Point beacon was placed on the top of the Dennis Head tower.
Two hundred years on, this ball is now in danger of collapsing through the supporting timbers, the nearby cottages are in ruins and the old lighthouse pier is crumbling. The ingeniously designed dome-shaped roof supporting the huge stone ball needs urgent attention, and the North Ronaldsay Trust is hoping to access one of the original whale-oil burning "copper cluster" lanterns that once topped the tower.
Recent letters to The Scotsman have voiced concerns about the replacement of the stone ball with a lantern – thus destroying a valuable historical "unlit seamark".
Local councillor Sinclair Scott is quick to assure this is not the case.
"We're very aware of the unique design of the building, which has served seamen well as a meeth (an old Orkney word for a sea mark) and we have no intention of changing that. The lantern, if we get it, will be housed in one of the cottages we think was originally used to store the whale oil and lanterns."
But all this of course will depend on the 217-year-old North Ronaldsay tower being voted by viewers through to the national finals of the BBC series.
"What we've got here is unique in terms of national maritime history," says Scott. "It's imperative that something like this is preserved for posterity."
If you enjoyed reading this, you may want to read:
A sad state for Stevenson's schooner


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Budget cuts problematic for New York DWI probation officers
DWI probation officers in northern New York are concerned that budget cuts proposed by Gov. Paterson could make their work less effective.
Paterson proposed a 10 percent cut across the board, which may lead the probation officers with a lack of resources to properly rehabilitate an offender after a DWI arrest. The cuts, which are proposed on top of 18% of cuts in the last two years, mean the officer have less resources. At the same time, an increase in penalties for DWI offenders in the state often means they have a higher case load.
The probation officers are forced to make compromises. The state has mandated risk assessments for each individual on probation. This is to allow officers to determine how much assistance the individual is likely to need along with potential for problems. The state has also mandated more supervision for offenders, including an ignition interlock requirement for all offenders to take effect this summer.
Each time an ignition interlock signals an alert, a probation officer has to carry out an investigation of the incident. This was enough work with just felony offenders, according to probation officers, without adding misdemeanor offenders. Numbers estimate as high as 11% of all DWI cases require investigation by probation officers. That is over 70 investigations a year, and numbers are expected to grow.
Paterson would like to add mandatory DNA collection for all convicted criminals, misdemeanors included. There is no current proposal for who would shoulder the expense of the DNA testing. The probation officers would be responsible for collecting and saving the data, however, which could place too much burden on some counties, such as Jefferson County, according to the Watertown Daily Times.
At the same time DWI and DUI reform is passing in high amounts across the country, most states are experiencing budget crises due to a decrease in tax base with the recession. The results are similar everywhere – there is simply too much work for the budget to allow.
Call now to speak with and get an absolutely free consultation.
Attorney for Loudoun County
Frequently Asked Questions
- Should I hire a lawyer or use a public defender?
- What should I do immediately after recieving a charge?
- How do I find the best lawyer?
- Can a great lawyer really get my charge completely dropped?
- What are some common laws?
- What is the most important thing to be prepared for?
- How much will it cost total?
- How will I contact my lawyer?


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Leisure Learning Unlimited, Inc.
Houston's Source For Lifelong Learning Since 1979
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Accelerated Spanish uses a different approach to learning a foreign language. For visual learners there are colorful posters on the walls for photographic memory. For hands-on learners, there is a game for each new subject area you learn. For traditional learners, there is a book for each level. You don't need to be a singer to sing in Spanish. With the right mindset, you can identify 50 objects after practicing only 10 minutes. At the end of each session, put all you've learned in long-term memory with the help of soft music. Accelerated Spanish is all this and more. This method has great techniques to help students learn a perfect Spanish accent.
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Learn how to use different animation techniques to create visually compelling animations and screen transitions for Android mobile apps.
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Find out what Android 6.0 has to offer app developers like you. Learn about Marshmallow's new project templates in Android Studio, permissions frameworks, automatic backups for app data, and the many smaller features that are designed to make developers' lives easier.
Learn everything you need to know to get started building Android apps with Google's Android Studio and Android SDK.
Build apps for the Internet of Things with Android Wear! Learn how to develop apps for the emerging market of wearable tech, in these Android Wear development tutorials.
Learn to add interactive maps to mobile applications with the Google Maps Android API—a free Google Play service included on almost every Android device.
Learn how to share your new Android app with the world, by distributing it through Google Play, Amazon, and other platforms.
Create a complete note-taking app from scratch with Android Studio, and then watch companion courses in Windows and iOS to compare the app development workflows.
Teaches Android developers how to program with the Fragments API, and build apps that work well on Android phones, tablets, and even desktop computers.
Get a first look at Android Studio, the new IDE for building and packaging Android apps, before its official release.
Learn to request data for your Android apps from cloud-based storage networks that offer RESTful web services.
Learn how to prepare, package, and publish your Android app on Google Play, and investigate other distribution platforms offered by Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Add interactive maps to your Android apps with Google Maps Android API v2.
Create a complete mobile app from scratch with the Android SDK and Java in this project-based course.
Create datacentric apps for Android devices, using SQLite, Java, and the built-in android.database packages from the Android SDK.
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Check out the offical video from Trinidad James SXSW trip where we get to see him perform at a number of different events in Austin, TX.
Video Shot & Edited By @HDShootsPhotos & @GregNoire
Click Here to download Trindad James' "Females Welcomed" on iTunes
Download Trinidad James' hit "All Gold Everything" on iTunes Now!
Explicit: http://smarturl.it/allgold
Edited: http://smarturl.it/allgolde


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You may have many wonderful videos in AVI, MPG, MP4 format and etc, but it is a pity that these videos are unable to be played in some popular digital devices. So if you would like to enjoy these videos with Windows Zune, Sony walkman and Xbox, you have to convert them to WMV format. And FreeSmith freeware WMV converter is the exact WMV converter that you require. With an intuitive interface and powerful functions, this free WMV converter enables you to finish WMV conversion task with a few clicks, even if you are a tech beginner. The steps of converting to WMV format are simple, follow the guide below to start using Free WMV Converter to convert WMV files at once!
Click "Download Now" button and save the program exe file on the computer. After that, double click the exe file to start the process of installing this free WMV converter. All these can be easily done, what you need do is just to follow the installation structure. It would take you few seconds to finish the whole thing. Run free WMV converter to perpare for the conversion.
Now, you can freely add the videos that you want to convert to WMV. Click "Add Video Files" button to import various video files from hard drive to the program. You can also drag and drop files from computer hard drive into Free WMV Converter. Not only that, batch add the video files is also available.
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Windows Media Video (WMV) is a compressed video compression format for several proprietary codecs developed by Microsoft. The original video format, known as WMV, was originally designed for Internet streaming applications, as a competitor to RealVideo. The other formats, such as WMV Screen and WMV Image, cater for specialized content. Through standardization from the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), WMV 9 has gained adoption for physical-delivery formats such as HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc.
WMV files play best on Windows Media Player. Other Windows compatible media players that support the WMV format are DivX, Winamp, VLC (VideoLan Client), and Power DVD. Some of the other media players besides Windows Media Player, QuickTime and VLC Media Player that support WMV files are RealPlayer, Mplayer, Zoom Player, ALLPlayer, PowerDVD and Media Player Classic.
© 2005-2012 FreeSmith Inc., All Rights Reserved.


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NASHVILLE -- Freshman centerfielder Austin Cousino launched his eighth homer of the year and collected three hits to lead No. 1 Kentucky to a series-opening win over the defending league champion Vanderbilt Commodores, on Friday night at Hawkins Field.
Kentucky (36-7, 14-5 Southeastern Conference) extended its lead in the conference standings with the series-opening win. UK's series-opening win was just its third in seven league weekends, with the Wildcats winning all six of its previous series. UK's last series-opening win came over No. 10 Ole Miss on April 6.
The Wildcats were paced offensively by three hits from Cousino, including his eighth homer of the year. UK also got two hits from freshman A.J. Reed, with Luke Maile, Cameron Flynn, J.T. Riddle and Matt Reida recording hits. UK also got a walk from Zac Zellers and Thomas McCarthy, with McCarthy laying down a sacrifice bunt.
UK starter Taylor Rogers (5-2) finished one out shy of a quality start, tossing 5.2 innings, allowing seven hits and two runs, not issuing a walk and striking out four. Alex Phillips replaced him with the bases loaded and two down in the sixth, getting a fly out to get out of the jam. Phillips worked the final 3.1 innings without allowing a hit, walking one and striking out three for his fifth save of the year.
Vanderbilt (19-23, 7-12 SEC) starter TJ Pecoraro (0-2) worked 1.2 innings, allowing five hits and four runs, walking four and striking out two. Brian Miller got Pecoraro out of a jam in the second inning, working a strong 3.1 innings, allowing only one unearned run, walking one and striking out two. Steven Rice got VU out of the jam in the sixth, working 3.1 innings, allowing only one hit and no runs, striking out three. Drew Verhagen got the final out of the eighth inning.
The series will resume on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET at Hawkins Field. The game will be broadcast live on the UK IMG Radio Network, available in Central Kentucky on WLAP 630-AM, in Louisville on WKJK 1080 and online at UKathletics.com.
UK got on the board with two runs on three hits in the first inning, as Cousino led off with a single to centerfield, stealing second base and taking third on a Reed one-out groundout. Maile then scored Cousino with a two-out single to leftfield, with Flynn then singling to right and Zellers drawing a walk to load the bases, with Maile scoring on a balk.
The Wildcats added a pair of runs to their lead in the second inning, as Reida drew a one-out walk, scoring on Cousino's eighth homer of the year, sailing into the bleachers in rightfield.
In the third inning, Vanderbilt got two runs back on two hits, cutting the UK lead to 4-2. Connor Harrell led off with a hard-hit double into the left-centerfield gap, scoring after John Norwood painted a bloop double down the opposite-field line. After Tony Kemp's bloop single into no-man's land in leftfield and a sacrifice bunt from Mike Yastrzemski, Anthony Gomez scored Norwood with a RBI groundout.
The Wildcats got a run back in the top of the fifth but were victimized by a close call on what would have been a two-out, two-RBI single that was called a line-drive out on a diving play in leftfield. Flynn reached on a hard-hit, two-out error charged by Kemp at second base. Zellers then got plunked by his team-high 18th pitch of the year and Riddle smashed a single up the middle to score Flynn from second base. Williams then followed with what could have been a single into leftfield but the ball was ruled to be caught on an outstretched diving snag, erasing the two runs that scored on the single.


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The Portola Valley and Woodside town councils have decided not to consider banning wood shake roofs in new construction or replacements.
The two councils discussed the Woodside Fire Protection District's requested ban for two hours Thursday night, Woodside Town Manager Kevin Bryant said.
Representatives from the roofing industry argued at the meeting that today's wood-shake treatments make roofs more resistant to fires, Bryant said, adding that council members expressed a desire to know more about such alternatives.
Insurance representatives who also attended confirmed that some companies no longer cover houses with wood shake roofs because they're vulnerable to fires.
Bryant said the councils "decided they didn't have enough information to do an outright ban on wood shakes." But they didn't ask staff to resurrect the matter at a future meeting, he added.
Wood shake roof bans have been passed by numerous towns in Marin County and elsewhere in the Bay Area, District Fire Marshal Denise Enea told The Daily News on Tuesday. Wood shingles are popular in Woodside and Portola Valley because they blend in with the area's natural setting, she said.
Email Bonnie Eslinger at email@example.com; follow her at twitter.com/bonnieeslinger.


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The Top 10 Most Tornado-Prone Cities
Tornado season is starting in many parts of the country. Is your town or city at risk?
All Five Presidents Gather to Dedicate George W. Bush's Library
On Thursday afternoon at Southern Methodist University outside Dallas, President Obama and former Presidents Clinton, George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter gathered at the opening of the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum.
Huge Fires on Oil Barges in Alabama Finally Out; Three People in Critical Condition
On Wednesday night, an enormous fire exploded on two oil barges docked on the Mobile River in Alabama, badly injuring three people. After burning for hours, the flames are now out.
New $100 Bills Coming in October
Get ready to throw away all those ratty old Benjamins that are just laying around your house—the newly designed $100 bill will be going into circulation in October.
Boston Marathon Bomber Charged, Faces Possible Death Penalty
Boston Marathon Bombers: One Suspect Captured; One Dead [UPDATED]
The second suspect in the Boston Marathon bombing has been captured. Dzokhar Tsarnaev was taken into police custody Friday night -- five days after the bombing that left three dead and left more than 100 injured, police said. The 19-year-old was apprehended after a manhunt that began Thursday night with the fatal shooting of an MIT officer and extended into the evening hours on Friday.
Man Arrested for Sending Ricin-Laced Letters to President, Senator
Federal authorities have arrested Paul Kevin Curtis, 45, for allegedly sending letters containing the deadly poison ricin to President Obama and Senator Roger Wicker (R.-Miss.) earlier this week.
Conflicting Reports Regarding a Possible Arrest in Boston Bombings [UPDATED]
2:45 p.m. (EST): The Boston Police Department has announced that "there has not been an arrest in the Marathon attack." Investigations are ongoing.
2:35 p.m.: CNN is retracting their previous report that an arrest has been made in the Boston Marathon bombings. Other sources are reporting that officials are close to identifying a suspect after reviewing area surveillance video, but no arrests have been made.
Letters Containing Ricin Sent to President, Two Senators [UPDATED]
1:10 p.m. (EST): A third letter, this one sent to Senator Joe Manchin (D.-W.V.), has been found to contain ricin.
12:45 p.m. (EST): FBI spokesman Paul Bresson has confirmed that the substance found in the letter to the president was ricin.
The Secret Service says that a letter containing a suspicious substance and addressed to President Obama was received on Tuesday at a White House mail facility. This comes just after a letter sent to Senator Roger Wicker (R.-Miss.) was found to contain the poison ricin.
Twin Explosions at Boston Marathon Finish Line [UPDATED]
9 p.m. (EST): The final press conference of the day with Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis and various other officials just concluded. The FBI is now leading investigations of the events. Davis confirmed that three people were killed in today's blasts.
CNN is reporting that one of the victims killed was an 8-year-old boy. The Wall Street Journal had reported that as many as five other unexploded devices were found around Boston, but investigators now doubt that they were actually bombs.
New Movies: '42,' 'Scary Movie 5′
New in theaters this week: a biography of a groundbreaking baseball player, and the latest installment in a popular, long-running horror-movie-parody series.
Jobless Claims Fall by 42,000 — Is the Job Market Doing Better?
After last week's disappointing March jobs report, the Department of Labor released some rather encouraging news on Thursday.


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Rogelio Salmona, (born April 28, 1929, Paris, France—died Oct. 3, 2007, Bogotá, Colom.) (born April 28, 1929, Paris, France—died Oct. 3, 2007, Bogotá, Colom.) Colombian architect who was regarded as one of Latin America's preeminent architects, though his structures (which evoked pre-Hispanic edifices and cities) were largely built in Bogotá. Salmona apprenticed with Swiss architect Le Corbusier in Paris before returning to his hometown, where in 1959 he co-designed the El Polo apartment building. The Park Towers apartment complex (1964–70) brought him international notice and made use of his signature red brick. Salmona, a four-time recipient (1977, 1986, 1988, and 1990) of the National Architecture Prize, was honoured for his House for Illustrious Guests (1978–82), built in Cartagena for Colombian novelist Gabriel García Márquez, and his Quimbaya Cultural Centre in Armenia, Colom. Another of his best-known buildings was Bogotá's Virgilio Barco Public Library (2001). Salmona was awarded the Alvar Aalto Medal in 2003.
Rogelio Salmona
Colombian architect


text: As of today I am 23 weeks pregnant with my gorgeous baby boy :) I couldn't be happier about my baby or my fiance, but I hate my fiance's mother with a raging passion. I'm only 18 and my fiance is 20. So as of right now I'm not working, but am doing full time online college classes so that I can continue schooling but also work after baby's born. My fiance is working full time. To save money we've been living at his parent's house. This was mistake to begin with as I've never seen eye to eye with his mother about anything. She is a lazy, selfish drug addict who failed as a mother with my fiance and is now trying to be a good parent now that he's about to turn 21 and be a father. She struggles to control everything in our lives. She gets mad me when I buy my son anything because she didn't pick it out. She has had the nerve to lie and say horrible things like "the baby might not make it" to other members of the family for the sole purpose of causing drama (baby is PERFECT btw no health concerns whatsoever) and even went to the extreme of trying to make doctor's appointments for me behind my back and calling my fiance's psychologist and telling him the my fiance had lost his mind so that she would be viewed as a better guardian for our son. My entire family hates this woman because of her lying, self-serving behavior. I've tried and tried to be nice and forgiving, but I've reached the end of my rope. Today I told her the my fIance and I were looking at houses and she was furious. She wanted the baby at her house because "It's not just your baby...it's my baby too"....uh what? I'm pretty sure the only people the baby belongs to are me and my fiance. I don't know what to do at this point. We can't move out right this second and honestly I'm afraid that if we do she'll try to get cps involved or something else completely crazy because she wants our son for herself. What should I do?


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57 Market Street Watford Hertfordshire WD18 0PR Tel 01923 800888 or
01923 248898
Open from 11.00 am till 12.00 midnight - 7 days a week
The Tarboush Mediterranean Cafe is situated in the centre of Watford and
provides a relaxed meeting place for evening dining, lunch-time meals or just a
friendly drink with friends.
We have an extensive menu prepared daily by our expert chefs. Why not try one of our speciality dishes or choose from our range of hot and cold mezza or kebabs cooked over a charcoal grill.
For those looking for something a little out of the ordinary, we have our very own Shisha garden; a little bit of the Middle East in the centre of Watford.
We are open from 11.00 till 12:00


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Olympic Gymnast Controversy
A new controversy has erupted in the 2008 Olympics within the realm of women's gymnastics. While numerous technical mistakes and clumsy blunders clearly blocked any hopes of an American gold medal, suspicions about the eligibility of the gold medal winning Chinese team cast their victory in doubt. In competitions leading up to the Olympics, one of China's leading gymnasts He Kexin was reported as being only 13 years old. Rules for eligibility require competitors to be at least 16 years old sometime during the Olympic year. He Kexin may be the youngest of the Chinese team, but she is not the only member whose age is in question. The IOC seems largely unconcerned and has kept its distance from the controversy in what many are crying is a hybrid appeasement of political and economic desires to keep China's 1.3 billion strong audience content.
Similarly tagged OmniNerd content:
- Conditions At Sochi, by VnutZ over 2 years ago
- Sportsmanship in High School, by bonesaw over 7 years ago
- American Olympians Wearing Face Masks Stir Controversy, by VnutZ about 8 years ago
- High School Student Fakes Own College Recruitment, by Brandon over 8 years ago


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Game Info
GAME NAME: Armored Core V
DEVELOPER(S): From Software
PUBLISHER(S): Namco Bandai
GENRE(S): Action
RELEASE DATE(S): 23 March 2012
The Armored Core franchise dates back to 1997 and while the creators of Demons Souls, From Software, have created 14 incarnations of the series this is only the fifth linear release, hence the Armored Core V title.
As can be expected in a game which focuses on building up and customizing a battle-bound Mech you are initially subjected to a lengthy and frustrating tutorial. Hours upon hours need to be spent learning tactics and experimenting with various weapons and add-on components before you can prepare for battle. After all this training and a series of ridiculously easy battles you are ready to deliver carnage in either a single or multiplayer environment. This is where you realise that you will need to go back to the drawing board and yet again spend a good few hours perfecting your Mech.
Armored Core V now focuses a lot more on tactics and the skilled use of level features as opposed to finger frenzy button mashing as seen in some previous installments of the series. Don't let anyone tell you that 'size matters' as you will more often than not have an advantage over your opponents in a smaller, quicker Mech rather than a heavily armoured behemoth. This becomes notably evident with boss fights where you often need to use the environment to stealthily avoid attacks from larger opponents. These boss fights sometimes find themselves bogged down by confusing objectives however. Enemies move around quickly and you are forced to strategise and (once again) consider your weapon and Mech design very carefully.
It becomes clear very early on in the game that the developers intended for a large portion of gameplay to happen online. For this you will generally submit your Mech for various missions along with one other teammate. This is all good and well but doesn't deliver many new options from regular single player gameplay. Invasion missions on the other hand let you team up with four other teammates, one of whom should be (strategically speaking) an operator, acting as a marksman to guide the rest of the team throughout the mission. While this is by far the highlight of Armored Core V's online gameplay it is unfortunately short lived and unavoidably repetitive.
Sending your Mech into the face of danger is highly rewarding as you spend most of the game fine tuning your robotic warrior to the point of obsession. This unfortunately doesn't make up for the ordinary environments and all too monotonous gameplay. The team point system is also highly frustrating and spoils the experience by letting everything feel like work rather than fun.
Overall Armored Core V is not a particularly a worthwhile experience. Far too much time is spent focusing on updating your Mech as opposed to the actual gameplay but this will admittedly be appealing to some players. The level design is disappointing and results in quick cheap thrills. In order to take part in a meaningful mission you first need to go through numerous meaningless ones. The online aspect is entertaining if you are willing to invest a lot of time and effort to make your battle even remotely significant, making Armoured Core V a highly acquired taste.


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'Sit down and relax while I make our breakfast, Mum,' my daughter said as she flung open the plantation shutters on the portico overlooking the pool. Moments later the room was bathed in the warmth of the morning sunshine, with shimmering ripples of spectral colour and light from the tropical oasis outside reflecting onto the interior walls.
We booked accommodation at The Lakes Cairns Resort and Spa, the drawcard being its central location, lagoon-style swimming pools, a well equipped gym (for my daughter), and its close proximity to the Botanical Gardens. Our first day was dedicated to a famil of the city, including strolling along the palm-lined esplanade, watching pelicans on the sand and investigating one or two of the better known eateries, such as Splash. Our daily agenda comprised long sleep-ins for me (while my daughter hit the gym), followed by a healthy mid morning breakfast, a gentle game of badminton (with much laughter, which we all know is 'the best medicine'), time to relax by the pool with a book, then a light and luscious lunch, followed by an afternoon nap and some sightseeing. We took turns cooking nutritious evening meals, which were eaten al fresco. I feel the urge to throw a recipe in. The grilled calamari salad pictured above was a favourite and is quick and simple to prepare. Simply allow one large calamari tube for two. Run a knife down the inside of one side to open it out and clean away any loose insides. Score the flesh in a cross-hatch pattern, but take care not to cut right through. Then cut it into bit-sized morsels. Cook quickly on a hot, lightly-oiled grill for just a couple of minutes until it curls and changes colour. Meanwhile, assemble handfuls of washed and dried mesclun and thin strips of cucumber onto serving plates. Scatter some finely sliced chilli over the top and dress with juice from a couple of fresh passionfruit. Top with the cooked calamari and serve immediately.
Postcards and morsels from our 'Nanna Tour' are shared below for your enjoyment.


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Senator Michael Bennet will be talking about the economy during his trip to the western slope Monday.
He will hold a town hall meeting from 5:30pm to 6:30pm Monday evening at the Whitman Educational Center at the Colorado Museum of the West.
Bennet will meet with elected officials and community leaders to talk about efforts in congress to create jobs and cut taxes.
After that he'll head to Ridgeway and Delta.
The public is welcome to attend.


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The New Bedford Art Museum/ArtWorks! opens two shows this week central to harvesting the sea, including one by Standard-Times staff photographer John Sladewski.
Clifford Ashley's "Sunbeam Series" opens in the City Gallery and features his career-defining series of oil paintings and charcoal studies that stripped the sperm whaling industry of its romanticism with their brutal realism. Commissioned by Harper's Monthly Magazine in 1904 to accompany an article on whaling, Ashley produced a striking series based on his six weeks aboard the New Bedford bark Sunbeam. Several of the originals were acquired by the New Bedford Free Public Library in 1906 and make up the core of this exhibit curated by Janice Hodson. It runs through Sept. 14.
Sladewski's photos appear in the Regions Gallery and capture the everyday world of a working waterfront in beautiful, vivid images.
A New Bedford native, Sladewski says the fishing community "may be the most important part of the city's economy. The industry carries New Bedford on its shoulders and supports many other businesses that it needs in order to survive and to thrive."
The exhibit runs through July 6.
An opening reception for both shows is set for 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday at 608 Pleasant St. as part of the AHA! night programming for June's "Portraits of a Port" theme. Admission to the museum is free on AHA! nights.
Further information is available on the website at www.newbedfordartmuseum.org.
Location, ST | website.com


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Often times, banks are fearful of extending loans to home builders whose designs are "out of the ordinary." Green building is often deemed a part of this category. Yet times are changing…..The UK's Ecology Building Society is offering home loans for those looking to redesign their homes along sustainable principles. (Via Treehugger)
UK Bank Cashing in on Green Building
by joey on
Follow joey @triplepundit


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Definition of instant replay in English:
instant replay
nounNorth American
An immediate playback of part of a television broadcast, typically one in slow motion showing an incident in a sporting event: the official scorer studied the instant replay
More example sentences
- They have instant replays, commentary, statistics, no foul weather or uncomfortable seats and, most importantly, if the game turns out to be boring, they can watch something else.
- The great television in centerfield has jerky video on instant replays.
- His actions were framed, admired, dictated, and conformed to the spectacle of the screen, his character was developed through instant replays, audience noises, and violent clashes with the Houston natives.
For editors and proofreaders
Line breaks: in|stant re¦play
Definition of instant replay in:
What do you find interesting about this word or phrase?
Comments that don't adhere to our Community Guidelines may be moderated or removed.
= trending


text:
Hudson Mohawke Plays 2 Unheard Kanye West Songs [Video]
- By Bossip Staff Categories: Hip Hop Wired, News
Weeks have passed since Kanye West ambiguously tweeted "June Eighteen," but signs infer that the rumored release date for his sixth studio LP could be just that. The most recent inference came courtesy of Very G.O.O.D. Beats signee Hudson Mohawke, producer of Cruel Summer standout "Bliss."… Continue


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text:
Seasonal (131)
This sweet, smooth dessert is crowned with a berries-and-pretzel butterfly and fruity flowers.
Watch Dora every day on Nick & NIck Jr.
Adults can help kids prepare the pudding mix with the milk, according to package directions.
Spoon the pudding into four bowls. Kids can sprinkle the top of each bowl of pudding with the ground chocolate cookies. Using a flower cookie cutter, help kids cut 1 1/2-inch flower shapes from the cantaloupe slices. Cut 1 1/2-inch triangles from the scraps.
Arrange 2 mini pretzels like butterfly wings on top of the chocolate cookie crumbs. Add the melon triangle as the body and half a grape as the head. Add several melon flowers, raspberries, and blueberries on top of the cookie crumbs as well. Add a few mint leaves as the flower leaves.
Get a taste of the tropics with this healthy, fruity drink!
Summon a sea filled with sweet starfish covered in icing
A healthy treat from the tropics!
Make a sandwich that looks just like your kid's favorite explorer!
Add this sweet & dainty cupcake ring to a goody bag and it won't be forgotten!
Warm their hearts with Dora's favorite drink!
The gooey goodness of caramel can sweeten the whole season!
Dress up sugar cookies in Dora's festive and fruity attire!
Kids will get a kick out of making Boots from bread and bologna!
Dora's Estrellitas make a star performance at lunch time, or as a quick and simple snack!
You'll be a star in your preschooler's eyes when you make these stellar yet easy treats!
Bake up Boots with your little kitchen helper!
You'll be a star in your preschooler's eyes when you make this stellar grilled cheese sandwich!
Soft tortillas turn into healthy star-shaped snacks
Your little star will love exploring this healthy pasta salad!
Kids and quesadillas--now that's a winning combination!
Share this snack with your little explorers. They're sure to swipe it right off the kitchen table!
Make a cake fit for a princess!
The ice-cold treat is just right for quenching an explorer's thirst.
Snack food for breakfast? Sure! The salsa is made of fruit.
Catch the magic of a shooting star... on a stick!
A homemade holiday tradition with a delicious Dora twist!
Let these colorful, flavorful veggies and dip take flight!
These colorful cookies will light up your kids' faces.
Try this colorful soup for lunch. It's healthy and tasty! You can't go wrong.
The purr-fect cookie for your Halloween party!
Brighten their bowl with a friendly face.
Treasure the smiles when you unearth these cupcakes for your little buccaneers
A royal recipe with a sweet surprise!
Warm up with a new take on chili. Delicioso!
Make some-bunny smile with this cute & healthy lunch
Here's one way to get the kids to eat their veggies: Turn a yellow pepper into Ming-Ming!
Make this easy snack and your preschooler will start vying for veggies!
Perk up peas with citrus and spearmint!
Let these colorful, flavorful veggies and dip take flight!
Surprise Mom with this beautiful, delicious display
Here come's the sun--a yummy one!
A no-bake mini-cake that's just the right size for your child
Garden-fresh veggies help keep kids healthy after a day of exploring
Serve up a blooming spring breakfast!
Cool dip, little dudes!
Pizza for dessert? Wow, wow!
Try these kabobs out for size--with dipping sauces from around the world


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53 E. Market Street, Tiffin, Ohio 44883
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Mattia Preti, sometimes called "Il Cavalier Calabrese" (the Knight from Calabria), was born in the small town of Taverna in Calabria in 1613.
Preti joined his brother Gregorio (who was also a painter) in Rome. Here he painted fresco cycles in the churches San Andre della Valle and San Carlo ai Catinari. After a brief spell in Venice, between 1640 and 1646, he returned to Rome for sporadic periods up until 1661 and painted frescoes for various other churches.
Preti spent most of 1656 – 1660 in Naples. Here, he was influenced by some of the major contemporary Neapolitan artists and produced one of his masterpieces, the large frescoes of 'ex-voto' of the plague. These were once painted on seven city gates, but have been lost over the years. The paintings depicted the Immaculate Conception or saints delivering the people from the plague. Two sketches are housed in the Capodimonte Museum in Naples.
In 1659, Preti, having been made a Knight of magistral obedience, came to Malta most probably attracted to the island by the possibility of gaining the Knights' patronage. He was soon commissioned by Grand Master Martin de Redin to paint a new altarpiece for the chapel of the Aragonese Langue. The following Grand Master, Raphael Cotoner, requested him to decorate the entire vault of the church with scenes from the life of St John the Baptist, the patron saint of the Order. The artist was then promoted to the rank of a Knight of Grace.
Preti spent most of the remainder of his life in Malta. Forever remembered as a great artist of the Baroque movement, he died in 1699 and is buried here in St John's.
Mattia Preti's contribution to St John's Co-Cathedral is immense. His works adorn most of the church's interior. Below is a selection of his works.


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Control is an important aspect of our lives. We want to be in control as much as possible without being controlling - if that makes sense. We're told we control our own destinies, though I sometimes question that statement. But sometimes, there are just simply some aspects of life that seem beyond our control.
Look for a minute at the issue of illegal immigration. As of Friday, our nation committed thousands of National Guard volunteers to help control our southern border with Mexico to diminish the daily flood of illegal immigrants into this country. But even the most optimistic among us recognizes that under this plan we still will have little "control" over the flow of human traffic. We can monitor and send a strong message to the Mexican government, but in true terms of control, this latest effort will have limited impact.
In Missouri this week, Gov. Matt Blunt signed into law the new state budget for the coming year. In that massive $21 billion spending bill, a full $6 billion is allocated to the Medicaid program in our state. Now all economists will tell you that the amount spent on Medicaid is far too great in terms of our budget total but, in many ways, we have little control over the health issues of the low income. When you consider that Medicaid spending in Missouri is greater than spending on education, you sense that something is out of line.
I suspect we all want to control as many aspects of our lives as possible. We hope to control our children within certain boundaries. That desire for control is strong yet it's a delicate balance as well.
How many times have you heard someone remark that their life is "out of control?" It's not an uncommon refrain. And at the same time, many aspects of our government at all levels is also "out of control."
I watch with some amusement as politicians try to "control" our lives in a manner they feel is best for us. For starters, I am not willing for someone else to make the decisions for me that might somehow control my life. I want the freedom to make those choices myself - right or wrong. Yet we all know, at the same time, some level of control is needed in all of our lives and - like it or not - it's the government that more often than not issues those controls.
Back on the issue of Medicaid spending in Missouri, Gov. Blunt is sincere when he says that government needs to control the rate of spending on this single government program. Few could possibly take issue with him on that point. But in the end, many others before Matt Blunt have tried to "control" the same issue with little or no impact. The late Gov. Mel Carnahan took a different approach and invited more and more people into the Medicaid tent. We are now paying for that misguided notion.
Control is talked about and discussed and argued. In the end, control that which you can, accept that which you cannot control and find the wisdom to know the difference. OK, I stole that from someone much wiser than yours truly.
But in terms of control, it most certainly applies now doesn't it?


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DEXTER - William "Billy" Hampton, 53, died July 2, 2003, at Missouri Southern Healthcare.
Born Sept. 26, 1949, in Bernie, son of William I. and Julious Riddell Hampton of Malden, he served with the U.S. Army in the Vietnam War and had been an auto body repairman.
On June 8, 1974, at Kansas City, he married Gloria Lopez who survives of the home.
Survivors in addition to his wife and parents include: three daughters, Heather Rauscher, Jennifer Hampton and Laura Hampton of Dexter; one brother, George Hampton of Malden; one sister, Ivonne Winn of Overland Park, Kan.; and three grandchildren.
Visitation is from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter, where services will be conducted at 10 a.m. Saturday. Dale Stroup will officiate.
Burial will follow in the Dexter Cemetery.


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HAMPTON — An Oakham, Mass., man is facing charges that he sexually assaulted a minor under the age of 13 in town.
Shane Beardsley, 30, of 42 Shore Drive, was indicted last week on four counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault.
Hampton police said the assaults took place in Hampton between June 1, 2002, and Aug, 30, 2002. The victim was younger than 13 at the time.
If convicted, Beardsley faces a prison sentence of 10 to 30 years for each count.
An indictment in not an indication of guilt or innocence, it just means the grand jury found enough evidence to warrant a trial in the matter.
— Patrick Cronin
Location, ST | website.com


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One of the biggest myths about food writers (and other food professionals) is that we cook dinner every night. I remember my instructors in cooking school revealing how infrequently they cooked at home, explaining that they were eager to try new restaurants, often didn't have time to prepare their own meals, scavenged food on the job, or — after working with food all day — opted to take a break at night. Although I was dubious then, I can definitely attest to the truth of this statement now.
Sure, sometimes my evening meal might be home-cooked and elegant. This past Wednesday, I seared halibut and paired it with olive mayonnaise and a saute of spinach, bell peppers, and caramelized red onion. Yet, on many a night, my husband and I sit down to something elemental and assembled rather than cooked. This past Thursday, dinner for us was toast with fresh avocado and tomato. It couldn't have been easier–or more delicious.
Of course, when you go the simple route, the little details make all the difference. Here's how my last two dinners came together:
1. Wednesday Night: I preheated the oven to 400 degrees F, then halved a thick, one-pound piece of halibut fillet. To ensure crisp skin and prevent curling, I wiped the pieces dry, and scored the skin with a knife. I then seasoned the fish on both sides with salt, pepper, and Aleppo pepper (which can be ordered from www.kalustyans.com). Finally, I coated each side in a light dusting of flour (to aid browning).
Next, I heated a small amount of canola oil in a medium-sized, heavy nonstick pan (nonstick prevents sticking, an issue with fish) over high heat. When the oil was hot, I added the fish and seared the first side until golden brown. Then I turned the fish, and let it cook for another couple of minutes. I transferred it to a baking sheet, topped it with sprigs of fresh thyme, and roasted it for another 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, I pureed several pitted kalamata olives with some mayonnaise, and prepared the vegetables: I heated some whole garlic cloves in extra virgin olive oil, then added diced red onion and later, some sliced yellow bell peppers (with a bit of salt and pepper). About a minute before serving the fish, I added some spinach leaves (plus more salt and pepper), and wilted the greens. Then, I removed the garlic cloves.
To plate the dish, I squeezed half of a lemon over the fish, then transferred it to two plates. I spooned a dollop of mayo on top of each piece, then spooned the vegetables alongside. Voila: a colorful, healthful, refined, and tasty dinner.
2. Thursday Night: I toasted a slice of my current favorite bread (anything by the company Mestemacher, especially the rye with muesli or the three-grain with rye seeds), then slathered it with some leftover olive mayo, and topped it with slices of fresh, creamy, vibrant-green avocado. Alongside, I placed slices of organic tomato. Then, I sprinkled everything with sel gris (French gray sea salt) and fresh-ground black pepper. Fabulous.


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Hey out there.i am 24 years old and am very new to running . By new I mean i will go for my first run tonight. I have tried running before and the one time i did some guy laughed at me and i never went back. Im a very shy nervous girl. So the things people do and say really affect me .i am terrified of passing someone on the track. How do i get over this? Any help is appreciated
1. Whatever your speed you're faster than someone sitting on a couch.
2. While someone passing you at the track shouldn't bother you, if it really does, don't go to the track. FInd a sidewalk or something.
Be careful about ramping up too quickly. If you do so you can injure yourself which can be extra frustrating. Look around for a program called Couch To 5K. It's a great, prescriptive program for getting to the point of running a 5K in something like 9 weeks.
Good luck!
"Kick off your high heel sneakers, it's party time."
-- From the song FM by Steely Dan
I did it! There was a lot of stop and start but I did it. I am very active and go to the gym often. It is just something about running that made me nervous. I guess it is a speed issue.i just turned up my music really loud and focused. Not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Thank you very much!
Well done, Primal. I got super out of shape and highly self-conscious. When I started training last year with walking then into the C25K I also trained myself to wake up at 4:00 a.m. so I could walk and run in the dark. Nobody sees me jiggling because nobody else is awake! I dropped some weight and now look like I know what I'm doing, but the 4 a.m. run still feels better. Having the road all to myself is awesome.
Keep it up. It's truly worth the effort!
Hi! I don't know about other people, but I couldn't get up the courage to start running (intervals) until I had access to a treadmill. It's much easier. Some people would say that's not a good thing, but for me, it's what I needed to get started initially.
I don't look at other people when I'm running, and I make damn sure I have an outfit on that keeps everything compact and in place. I had no idea until I tried compression pants (and let's be honest, compression bras) how much that'd help. I went from feeling like a jiggling idiot to someone who belonged in the gym.
Also, any real runners are not going to judge you on how fast or slow you run. When you're new, running slowly is a necessity. My sister runs at a slower pace than myself (her 5.0 to my 5.2/3), but guess what? She outlasts me by a crazy amount. I'm still having to remind myself to slow down so I can get more stamina.
Feeling confident running is different than feeling confident in other areas of exercise. After 1.5 years of working out, I thought I was totally ok with being in the gym, until I started running. I was humbled very quickly.
Now I'm at the point (6 months later) where I feel somewhat confident when I start running. I'm not a "runner" yet, but these things take time. It is perfectly normal to feel very self-conscious when you start. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
The important thing is to keep at it, and remind yourself that every new day you work out is a step toward feeling totally confident in a gym or at the track. I promise.
Determined to lose 100 pounds in a healthy way, thinking long-term. Run/walking 5ks as a part of the process. Follow my progress at The Little Blue Dress.
10/27/12 - Celia Hays Elem. Spooktacular 5k - Rockwall, TX - 49:49:93 - my first 5k!
12/1/12 - NFHS Jingle Bell Run 5k - Garland, TX - 45:23:00
2/6/13 - Dash for the Beads 5k - Dallas, TX - 44:34:00 - holy crap, the hills!
3/2/13 - Jones Elem. Jag Jog 5k - Rockwall, TX - 45:27:14 - this was not my day
4/6/13 - The Color Run 5k - Dallas, TX - just for fun
8/3/13 - Melon Dash 5k - McKinney, TX
11/9/13 - Urban Dare - Ft. Worth, TX
As fast as a runner is, there is always somebody faster. And I suppose vice versa, always somebody slower. Just remember that next time you might get intimidated.
When I first started running and went to the track, I was petrified. But fortunately I was with a running partner and that helped alot. But after the 'newbie' butterflies it was
like a walk in the park...no pun intended
The thing about the track is to be curtious to fast runners in the inside lane and make room for them, and vice versa.
Other than that, as Donny Brosco says, "forget about it."
"The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep."
Robert Frost
Los Angeles Marathon on March of 1994: 3 hr 28 min 9 sec
Run with Santa 5k on 12/22/12: 25 min 19 sec
Mardi Gras 5k on 02/09/13: 24 min 50 sec
Cirque Du Soleil 5k on 03/16/13: 23 min 33 sec
Douglas Green Memorial 5k on 05/18/13: 22 min 47 sec
4th of July 5k Blast on 07/04/13:???
I am pretty new to running as well. I've actually never been super athletic or anything, mostly did dance and gymnastics when I was younger (like under 16-17). I had three kids in 4.5 years, so my body took a hit. I tried to get started with the C25K a few months ago, but I was going to a small fitness center that is open to the neighborhood we live in, and just felt super self conscious, too, bc I felt like I was surrounded by young guys working out on the weight machines. We finally purchased a treadmill and it has made a huge difference. I don't have the intimidation of having to deal with other people while I'm trying to get the hang of things. Once I get through the C25K program in a couple weeks, I'm definitely going to be heading outside more, but for now, I can't tell you how much having privacy has helped my self confidence.
Good for you for getting started!
I always tell myself that no matter how fast or experienced a particular person is, at some point they were at my same level. In the end i'm running for me and my own goals.
RunningBrief - Free weekly email digest by runners for runners
Geek Turned Runner - Blog
running is just like anything else. if you compare yourself to others, you'll probably fail. if you compare yourself to your past self, you'll probably suceed. i know it's easier to say than do, but sometimes if you just force yourself to do something, the confidence will come.
Negative Ion Bracelets, Necklaces, and Accessories
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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breaking news
Vic Supreme Court clearing backlog
- From: AAP
- January 31, 2013
THE Victorian Supreme Court is clearing its backlog of cases at a quickening pace, according to new figures released on Thursday.
Chief Justice Marilyn Warren said the average clearance rate in all trial and appeal areas in 2011/2012 had jumped 10 per cent from the previous year to 116 per cent.
In some areas, clearance rates ranged from 109 per cent to 151 per cent.
The court's overall backlog of cases dropped by 21 per cent in 2011/12.
"The civil backlog is under control, with more than 1200 extra cases cleared during the reporting period," Chief Justice Warren said.
The court also collected feedback from court users and jurors, finding more than 80 per cent were happy with the treatment they received in court from staff.
But only a little more than 40 per cent were happy with the way opposing parties were kept separated and safe during court proceedings, while around 70 per cent of jurors were satisfied with lunchtime catering.


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Striker Luis Fabiano has ended speculation about his future at Sevilla FC by signing a two-year contract extension with the Spanish club.
The new terms commit the 29-year-old Brazilian international, whose previous deal was due to expire next summer, to the UEFA Europa League contenders until the end of the 2012/13 campaign. "It has been a typical summer with people saying I might leave, but in the end I'm happy to stay," he said. "I've been here five seasons and I want to keep scoring goals and making history for Sevilla."
Luis Fabiano joined the Andalusian outfit five years ago from FC Porto, helping them to successive UEFA Cup victories – in 2006 and 2007 – a UEFA Super Cup and two Copa del Rey triumphs. In total, the former AA Ponte Preta, Stade Rennais FC and São Paulo FC forward has scored 95 goals in all competitions for Sevilla.
Midfielder Aldo Duscher, meanwhile, has left the Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán after his contract was cancelled, with the 31-year-old Argentinian opting to move to RCD Espanyol on a 12-month deal. Sevilla face Paris Saint-Germain FC, FC Karpaty Lviv and BV Borussia Dortmund in UEFA Europa League Group J.
©UEFA.com 1998-2016. All rights reserved.


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Sunrise Rotary honors students
The Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary recently honored two students from Turtle Back Elementary School at the club's semi-annual "Service Above Self" awards. Pictured are Megan Teeter, left, A.J. Brittanico and Rotarian Mike Miller. All winning students receive a Certificate of Achievement and a gift certificate to a local merchant, donated by the Rotary. Visit rbsunrise.org .


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Lakewood shopping center redo will be anchored by CVS Pharmacy
Well, it's finally official.
The new anchor tenant for Lincoln Property Co.'s Lakewood shopping center project is CVS Pharmacy.
That's been the rumor almost from the day Lincoln Property bought the historic East Dallas retail strip.
Lakewood Hardware has already moved out of the shopping center on Gaston Avenue and into a space in Lincoln Property's retail project just south of White Rock Lake.
Construction crews are busy inside the old hardware store building the new CVS location – the third in that area.
When Lincoln in 2011 bought the 75-year-old Lakewood center, some residents in the area fretted that the developer planned to make it into another Highland Park Village.
So far the new tenants include Liberty Burger and now CVS.


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Lasagna Cups
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Serves: Makes 8
- 1/2 lb. lean ground beef or ground turkey
- 1 box (10 oz.) Birds Eye Birds Eye® Chopped Spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry
- 1¼ cups prepared pasta sauce
- ½ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
- 24 (3-inch) potsticker or wonton wrappers, round or square
- 1 cup low fat ricotta cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg, beaten
Cooking Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 8 cups of a standard size muffin pan with nonstick spray.
- Brown beef over medium-high heat in a 10-inch nonstick skillet, breaking beef into small pieces. Remove from heat and stir in Chopped Spinach, 1 cup pasta sauce and mozzarella cheese. Season, if desired with salt and pepper.
- Arrange one potsticker wrapper in each prepared muffin cup and top with about 2 tablespoons spinach mixture. Lay another wrapper over the filling and top with an additional 2 tablespoons spinach mixture. Place a third wrapper on top and press down gently (muffin cups will be full).
- Spread 1 teaspoon of the remaining pasta sauce on each "cupcake."
- Blend ricotta, Parmesan and egg in a small bowl until well combined. Spoon into a quart-size resealable plastic bag and gently "squeeze" the mixture toward a corner. With scissors, clip the tip off the corner and pipe 2 tablespoons ricotta on top of each cupcake. (Ricotta may also be dolloped on top of each cupcake).
- Bake until cupcakes are heated through and "frosting" is lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
- To serve, loosen each cupcake from the pan with a small knife. Carefully lift out with a small spatula and transfer to serving plates. Serve immediately.
Kitchen Tips
Children will enjoy spooning the filling into the muffin cups and will love piping the ricotta "frosting" on top of the cupcakes before baking.


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Panthers Sprint Past Bucs' Suddenly Suspect Defense
Your guest Fixer is Garey G. Ris:
Tampa Bay and Carolina went into their matchup Monday with 9-3 records to sit tied atop the NFC South. When it was over, the Panthers' DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart had run roughshod over the Buccaneers; Carolina had won, 38-23; and the Panthers held the second-best record in the NFC, one game behind the New York Giants' 11-2 mark. The Giants host Carolina on Sunday, Dec. 21.
Williams and Stewart combined for 301 yards and four touchdowns as Carolina improved to 7-0 at home this season. The result was somewhat surprising, as Tampa Bay came into the game with the NFL's fourth-rated defense and had given up only one rushing TD. "A team that makes its living on defense forgot how to tackle," Joe Henderson writes in the Tampa Tribune. "A team that is one of the best at stopping the run got humiliated. As they greet this morning following the 38-23 loss to Carolina, they know they were exposed on national television. Carolina ran over them — really, really ran — when it counted most."
The St. Petersburg Times' Gary Shelton laments a lost opportunity for the Bucs. "They wasted a great night by Jeff Garcia and a monster night by Antonio Bryant. That's a shame," Shelton writes. "The quarterback was in the doghouse earlier this year, and the receiver was in the outhouse last year, and on national television, Garcia had 321 yards and Bryant had 200. And still, the Bucs lost."
On his blog, the Charlotte Observer's Scott Fowler chooses his five favorite moments from the Panthers' win.
* * *
One of baseball's greatest pitchers retired Monday. Right-hander Greg Maddux held a news conference at baseball's winter meetings in Las Vegas to say thanks and goodbye, ending his 23-year career with four Cy Young awards and 355 wins, eighth on the all-time list. His consistency was exemplified by his feat of winning at least 15 games in 17 straight seasons, a span that included two seasons shortened by a players' strike. Maddux spent seven seasons with the Chicago Cubs before signing as a free agent with Atlanta, where he reached the postseason 10 times in his 11 seasons (there were no playoffs in 1994), winning the World Series once. Next stop for Maddux: the Hall of Fame in five years.
"The cool thing about Greg Maddux was that he not only was the best right-handed pitcher of our time — and, arguably, ever — but nobody enjoyed the game more than him," CBS Sports' Scott Miller writes. "Here was a guy who could appreciate a well-placed fastball, a good off-color joke and a rookie teammate's first start. His 355 wins rank eighth all-time, yet you could fit the guy's ego into an iPod case."
Fanhouse's Matt Snyder thinks Maddux was underrated because he wasn't a power pitcher. "Maddux was a master of efficiency, getting guys out with whatever number of pitches he thought necessary," Snyder writes. "Because of this, he was able to complete at least five games for 11 straight seasons — including nine seasons where he completed at least seven games."
Sports Illustrated's Joe Posnanski was a big Maddux fan: "I just loved watching him pitch, loved the whole scene, loved seeing the frustration batters would show, loved the way umpires over the course of a game became willing co-coconspirators, loved the way catchers would just let the ball tumble into the glove without moving, loved the way Maddux would fidget when he didn't have all of his stuff working, loved it all." But Posnanski has one memory in particular worth sharing: Braves vs. Yankees, July 2, 1997.
In the Chicago Sun-Times, Chris de Luca wonders how the Cubs would have fared had Maddux never left.
* * *
CC Sabathia wants to be a Los Angeles Dodger, Maddux's rotation spot is available and team owner Frank McCourt wants players who want to be Dodgers and be a part of the community. The free-agent pitcher has been offered a six-year, $140 million contract by the Yankees, and he's met with Milwaukee and Boston. So far, no offer from the Dodgers. That leads the Los Angeles Times's Bill Shaikin to ask: "What are they waiting for?"
* * *
Former New York Yankee and Cleveland Indian Joe Gordon was the only player elected by the 12-member Veterans Committee to the Hall of Fame on Monday. Another panel of 64 living Hall of Fame members didn't elect anyone from the post-1942 era, including Ron Santo, Maury Wills, Gil Hodges, Jim Kaat and Joe Torre. After Santo again failed to get elected — he received only 60.9% of the 75% needed — the Chicago Tribune's Rick Morrissey writes, "For better, not worse, Santo is the epitome of what it means to be a Chicago Cub and a Cubs fan."
* * *
It was hardly a surprise that the Minnesota Timberwolves fired coach Randy Wittman on Monday. Minnesota was only 4-15 this season and already 9 1/2 games behind Portland in the NBA's Northwest Division. Kevin McHale is the new head coach, having stepped down as vice president of basketball operations. McHale, of course, engineered the trade last season that sent Kevin Garnett to the Boston Celtics, who promptly won the NBA championship. St. Paul Pioneer Press columnist Tom Powers says McHale has until the end of the season to show whether his collection of players is moving in the right direction.
* * *
Darryl Hill was the Jackie Robinson of football twice — first at the U.S. Naval Academy and then with the ACC's Maryland Terrapins. The speedy running back was on the same freshman team as Roger Staubach, but despite losing only one game that year, Hill didn't like the institutional racism at Navy and wasn't interested in staying. Hill suffered racial taunts and death threats until playing his fifth game after transferring to Maryland, and even after bigotry subsided among his own fans, it followed Hill in the segregationist South, Childs Walker writes in the Baltimore Sun. Recently, Walker writes, Hill received a letter congratulating him on his pioneering role from another pioneer, President-elect Barack Obama.
* * *
The International Herald Tribune's Rob Hughes writes about the revival of Barcelona and Bayern Munich as powerhouses in European soccer this year. Barça has scored 44 goals and given up only nine in winning 11 and losing only one of its 14 games to lead Spain's La Liga. Leading the way is Samuel Eto'o, the Cameroon-born forward, with 14 goals, but it was Thierry Henry's three goals that lifted Barça over Valencia, 4-0, on Saturday.
Meanwhile, coach Jurgen Klinsmann is getting much of the credit for Munich's strong start, including a 2-1 victory over TSG Hoffenheim last Friday that leaves the two teams tied atop the German League. "Klinsmann makes his own luck," Hughes writes. "Some have sneered at his use of a psychologist and American fitness training, but there was no doubting why he won his most important night so far in club management: persistence."
* * *
For decades Don Doane was a fixture on Thursday nights at Ravenna Bowl in western Michigan. The 62-year-old who was born in Conklin, Mich., seven miles from the bowling alley, was part of the Nutt Farms team in the 80-member Commercial League. He had already reached one of his goals, hitting a hole-in-one in 1999. His other? To bowl a 300 game. That happened on a night in mid-October. It was hugs and high-fives all around for the longtime bowler. Moments later, he was gone. In the New York Times, John Branch has the story of how friends remembered Doane on a recent Thursday night.
– Tip of the Fix cap to readers Jon Bois, Will Brinson, Christopher Dickson and Don Hartline.
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