text:
Monday Buzz: Dive drama engulfing the NRL
Phil Rothfield
–, Sunday, August, 18, 2013, (4:36pm)
BLOG WITH BUZZ: IMAGINE this year's grand final. Souths v Manly. The scores are locked at 16-all with five minutes to go.
The Sea Eagles are on the attack, 30 metres out. Daly Cherry-Evans makes a break but is caught high by Greg Inglis.
Twelve months of blood, sweat and tears are on the line and he'd be an idiot to get to his feet when staying down could win a premiership.
It's the issue that dominated talkback radio and footy discussions all weekend.
Every coach and every player who watched Friday night's game had serious doubts about the incident that left Inglis on the ground and won Souths a crucial penalty against Manly.
Rabbitohs coach Michael Maguire leapt to the defence of his champion fullback Sunday, rejecting claims Inglis took a dive.
Amid fears this year's premiership is in danger of being decided by the team with the best divers, Maguire insisted it was not a tactic to milk a penalty.
"Greg's got a fat lip from the incident," Maguire said. "He did get hit high and he didn't lie down - 100 per cent, he didn't.
"We don't play the game that way. The players don't like it and neither do I."
Inglis looked like he was about to get up and play the ball but then stayed down, apparently urged to do so by the Souths trainer. The video refs used the break in play to find Manly second-rower Justin Horo had clipped him high and Souths got the penalty.
"The trainer only went on because he was concerned Greg had been down a bit earlier with his knee," Maguire insisted.
The problem we have is that our referees are not doctors.
In this day and age of litigation, it would take a brave man to order a player to his feet to play the ball if he was genuinely injured.
Referees and the game are powerless to act on it, admits referees boss Daniel Anderson.
"The referees just follow a process," Anderson said.
"Anthony Watmough was down injured earlier in the game.
"The refs called time off, the video ref had a look at it , and found it to be an incident worthy of going on report.
"Later in the game, Greg Inglis went down injured. The video refs had a look and found there was contact worthy of going on report and went on with it.
"The video refs have got to protect the players' head. He was definitely hit high. Was it significant enough to go on report? In this case they thought it was.
"I know there's gamesmanship but I'd like to think players don't stay down."
In the Inglis situation, we'll obviously have to take Maguire's word that his fullback was genuinely hurt.
He is a highly respected and impressive coach who encourages attractive attacking football.
No team in the competition has caught the imagination of fans and created as much excitement as this Rabbitohs outfit.
Still, after the game Geoff Toovey said he would in future instruct his players to stay on the deck, looking for the same outcome the Rabbitohs got on Friday night.
Other coaches I spoke to over the weekend privately admitted the same thing.
When two points are up for grabs in the dying stages of a tight footy game, it's win at all costs.
Players will do anything to get the slightest advantage.
The image of rugby league is the last thing on anyone's mind, particularly at this time of the year with the finals just three weeks away.
If bending the rules helps, they'll just bend them - even if it means taking a dive.
Imagine if it does decide the grand final.
Let's hope it doesn't get to that.
FINALLY Sydney is challenging Melbourne as the sporting capital of our great country.
One million fans have now passed through the turnstiles at ANZ Stadium this year following an unprecedented run of major events in Sydney.
And the Stadium will bring up another significant milestone later this year when it records 20 million visitors for events since it opened in 1999 in the lead-up to the Sydney Olympics.
The magic one million mark for 2013 was reached in the Bledisloe Cup match on Saturday night, despite the fact there were 15,000 empty seats.
With two of the Rabbitohs' biggest home games of the season against the Bulldogs and the Roosters still to come, along with the Swans v Hawks AFL grand final rematch, and NRL and AFL finals, the Stadium is expected to top 1.6 million fans in 2013 and record its biggest year in attendances since the 2000 Olympics.
The Stadium hosted five back-to-back sellout major events, starting with Origin I on June 5 through to the Manchester United game on July 20.
NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell says these major events were worth $100 million to the NSW economy.
The biggest crowd this year was the 83,813 who packed in for the deciding Origin III, while the best sporting moment so far was undoubtedly Josh Kennedy's dramatic late header to take the Socceroos to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Souths fans might have a say in that if the Rabbitohs go on to win their first premiership in 42 years on the first Sunday in October.
The fact the Rabbitohs and rival Sydney clubs the Roosters, Sea Eagles, Sharks and Bulldogs are all in finals reckoning has driven NRL grand final ticket sales to an early sellout.
The NRL announced on Friday that the public ticket allocation for the grand final at ANZ Stadium has been exhausted, with only 14,000 tickets set aside for the competing clubs.
The Sharks' miracle win over the Dragons on Saturday night saw Andrew Fifita's match-winning try in an identical spot at an identical time to Knights centre Dean Gagai's four-pointer that cost the Sharks two points seven nights earlier.
The disgusting images of junior league violence at Penrith. A coward kicking a defenceless man in the head while he was being held to the ground by another player. What are the police doing? Why no arrests? Why no life bans?
Blake Ferguson at the Gymea Hotel in the Shire on Saturday night, just a few hours after he was ruled out of the Raiders' match against the Bulldogs.
He insisted he wasn't drinking when I phoned Sunday to ask why he was there. He said he was with friends and family for dinner.
Ferguson is confident of returning against Manly next week in a blockbuster that will determine the Raiders' finals hopes.
Daniel Anderson is a decent man doing his best as referees boss, but he must be watching different games because he told me Sunday the referees - on the field and in the video box - were doing a good job.
Rugby union is in big trouble when there are 15,000 empty seats at a Bledisloe Cup game, even after a week-long campaign of half-price ticket offers. The boring style of play has driven even their traditional fans away.
IF a NSW State of Origin side was being chosen this week, South Sydney's Adam Reynolds would be an absolute certainty to play halfback. His magnificent performance against Manly in semi-final type combat on Friday night proved he is a better option than Mitch Pearce in the Blues' No. 7 jersey.
Have Your Say
I'm afraid an Olympic level qualification in diving is a must for players these days. And while it was refreshing to hear Tooveys comments Friday night I don't think any coach can put their hands on their hearts and say they wouldn't encourage similar action from their players. We are all guilty of a certain amount of hypcocrasy when it comes to the teams we support but no-one likes to see such rubbish acting from their own, its not Home and Away people. And yes Reynolds hasn't been at his best the last few weeks but no-one without an agenda can compare Pearce or even put them in the same category, I hope for NSW sake they realise this but the last four years indicate they won't.
Sun 18 Aug 13 (09:27pm)
Mon 19 Aug 13 (12:27pm)
All this talk about diving is a load of rot, if GI wasn't hit high then there wouldn't be a penalty.....end of discussion. A dive is when you go down when nothing has happened and given NRL has video ref who looks at incident prior to deciding if a penalty is warranted then diving as you call it is a mute point. It's the same as moaning about a speeding ticket, don't speed don't get a ticket.
Players will do ANYTHING to get two competition points. So will coaches. Their livelihoods are at stake.
Phil Rothfield
Sun 18 Aug 13 (11:37pm)
Hey buzz when will the raiders get serious about being in this competition,Dave furner just isn't good enough after 5 yrs,should of signed Ricky Stuart last yr
Sun 18 Aug 13 (10:18pm)
Mon 19 Aug 13 (08:52am)
U would have to agree buzz that the raiders have more talent then the eels,either way when 2 of yr better players want to leave,there is something wrong,furner has had 5 yrs now
That's a bit harsh. How's Ricky going at Parramatta?
Phil Rothfield
Sun 18 Aug 13 (11:35pm)
The NRL should adopt the same response as what was done by FIFA - take a dive cop a yellow card. For the NRL - take a dive have 10 in the bin.
Sun 18 Aug 13 (11:28pm)
How do you prove someone has taken a dive? That's the problem.
Phil Rothfield
Sun 18 Aug 13 (11:35pm)
Daniel Anderson and the Video ref must have different footage to that shown on Channel 9 because all that showed was Inglis getting hit on the shoulder. You can tell Inglis was fine he was laughing at the marker. I don't follow Souths or Manly but we need to trust the Video Refs to make a fair call and they got this one wrong.
Sun 18 Aug 13 (11:40pm)
Mon 19 Aug 13 (08:19am)
Just cos he had a fat lip doesn't mean he got it in that tackle…
Mon 19 Aug 13 (10:54am)
Well said TG. GI took a dive from getting hit on the shoulder. The video ref should have seen that clearly & told the ref to play on.
Mon 19 Aug 13 (12:30pm)
The camera shot you are talking about commenced after he had already been hit in the mouth. Just watched whole match again and the front on shot clearly shows him getting hit in the mouth, get your facts right before posting.
I'm not prepared to label Michael Maguire a liar. I agree with your interpretation but the coach insists he was genuinely hurt and has a fat lip as proof.
Phil Rothfield
Sun 18 Aug 13 (11:42pm)
Cannot agree with your saint, or should I say your sinner. Fifita's try was a cracker but the try by Beau Ryan just before it. Luke Lewis was offside and then he hit Nightingale in the head with his forearm to help the ball go loose, then the video ref didn't call no try....what is with that....who was the video ref. Is it true an ex sharkie was the video ref??? (that's a serious question by the way)
Mon 19 Aug 13 (12:22am)
Paul Mellor and Luke Patten were in the video box. Mellor played for Cronulla a long time ago and Souths.
Phil Rothfield
Mon 19 Aug 13 (01:22am)
Reynolds was terrible while Inglis was out. I would go for Albert Kelly for NSW half at this stage.
Mon 19 Aug 13 (12:24am)
Mon 19 Aug 13 (11:25am)
Even behind an all-star forward pack Reynolds is still like a lost puppy unless working with a QLD player and even then his running game almost non-existent. I would play Carney at 1/2 and go with any number of potential 5/8s. Maybe Hayne with Dugan at 1.
It's late at night and you've obviously had a couple too many.
Phil Rothfield
Mon 19 Aug 13 (01:20am)
Hi Buzz,
Agree about the dive it's becoming a joke.
Speaking of jokes Rugby Union is descending into a farce.
The fact a team can score nearly 30 points and only score 2 tries shows the level the running game has dropped to. So sick and tired of seeing constant pick and drives. If Folau decides to stay he is not doing it for the athletic "challenge".
I get so sick of kiwis going on and on about how fantastic the All Blacks are. Put Thurston, Inglis, Slater, Gallen, Myles etc the All Blacks wouldn't get within 20 points.
Mon 19 Aug 13 (01:25am)
Mon 19 Aug 13 (11:50am)
Sorry Phil, the Wallabies are rubbish but the All Blacks still set the bench mark for all Rugby Union teams they play an attacking style and scored 6 tries on Saturday night and not one from a cross kick to the winger which is the staple diet of the NRL last tackle option.....
Mon 19 Aug 13 (04:27pm)
About as boring as a game of Rugby League, Tackle 1, 2, 3 ,4 bomb to the corner. Yeah so totally exciting. Rothfield are you scared of the fact that League is dying a slow death? Funny how all the Union journos don't utter a single word about Rugby League I guess they are not threatened by its presence or should I say lack of presence outside of Qld & Western Sydney.
Don't start me on rugby union. Seriously, it's a rubbish game at the moment. They had to offer half-price seats and still couldn't sell 15,000 of them.There's a very simple way to encourage running rugby - make penalty goals worth only two points.
Phil Rothfield
Mon 19 Aug 13 (01:41am)
Gday Buzz, loving the Blog. What's your take on the Toovey blow-up? Manly may have copped a couple of line-ball calls, but in my mind his behavior is a dead-set disgrace. And its not isolated - he does it EVERY presser. I think he should cop a months ban from coaching and a massive fine. He has brought this great game into disrepute. We don't need his petulance every weekend.
Rabbitohs are going all the way - no-one can stop us!
Mon 19 Aug 13 (01:27am)
I think Geoffrey urgently needs to take a chill pill. That was a great game of footy.A couple of calls went against his team but it happens every week. The standard of refereeing is not good but I thought he overreacted.
Phil Rothfield
Mon 19 Aug 13 (01:38am)
I suppose Rugby could say that if the team was winning it would be different, but NSW Origin never has trouble selling seats. The game needs an urgent overhaul. I'd suggest a soccer style penalty box area (maybe 30 metres square around the posts?), and only if awarded a penalty in that box are you able to shoot for goal. I think a reduction in points would only see more spoiling tactics, ala the punching ban and niggling tactics in league.
Mon 19 Aug 13 (02:09am)
I heard Tim Horan on The Back Page last week. Even he said he couldn't understand many of the more technical penalties in rugby. What hope do we have? I don't bother watching the Wallabies anymore - and there are obviously plenty of others like me.
Phil Rothfield
Mon 19 Aug 13 (02:31am)
Phil what will happen to the water runner who went into Inglis before the play was stop. That was down right dangerous. In afl its a 50 meter penalty some thing must be done on
Mon 19 Aug 13 (03:30am)
Mon 19 Aug 13 (12:01pm)
When did you become CEO Rothfield?
Probably a small fine ... or maybe nothing. Don't forget the CEO and the commission know nothing about rugby league, outside of Wayne Pearce.
Phil Rothfield
Mon 19 Aug 13 (10:38am)
Well written, Buzz. Friday nights game was just one of many involving South's taking dives. Remember when Sutton used to do it a fair bit until the media started to really focus on him, all of a sudden he stopped it. Then we had Sandow constantly taking a dive and deliberately staying down to milk a penalty. The refs need to wake up and smell the coffee mate. Our games turning into a farce if a team has to take a dive, milk a penalty to get a piggy back down field. The team is either good enough to crack the defensive line and make the hard yards or they aren't...simple.
Mon 19 Aug 13 (06:12am)
There's another one I'm trying to remember. I think it was South v Canterbury and Isaac Luke did a beauty at ANZ Stadium. It was either last year or the year before.
Phil Rothfield
Mon 19 Aug 13 (09:56am)
Hi buzz
I'm sick of hearing about GI taking a dive !!
Did Watmough get taken off by the Wespac chopper or did he play on for 60 minutes , please !!!!!!!!!!!
Mon 19 Aug 13 (06:43am)
It seems everyone who comments on the GI tackle actually missed seeing him get a smack across the mouth before being dragged down by the shoulders. It was clear on the replay and clearly a penalty to Souths. Toovey is nothing but an angry little man and whinges constantly when decisions don't go his way. Lets talk about the Lima tackle and compare it to he last game Souths played against manly what short memories people have,remember Manly's 3 spear tackles on Greg Inglis that it seemed were blantant attempts to take a star out of the game. Toovey is a sook and why should Madge or any of his players acknowledge his nonsensical comments.
Mon 19 Aug 13 (07:51am)
Mon 19 Aug 13 (11:19am)
But even if he did get a slap across the face, you shouldnt dive to get a penalty. There was no high tackle, it was an accidental brush across the chops......We will be playing in the Copa America soon.
I think someone should have a look at the contact by Greg Inglis on Steve Matai in the "no-try" in the 2nd half. He raised his forearm, made no attempt at tackling Matai...if anyone had a reason to stay down, it was Matai. (Go and have a look at the reply before you dismiss me...)
As for the dive, most replays I saw were inconclusive. I couldn't say for sure that Inglis was hit in the mouth (as McGuire is claiming) - seems more likely that he was encouraged to stay down and his body language straight after seems to indicate he was fine. Reminded me of Jarryd Hayne a few years back...looked like he had been shot.
Mon 19 Aug 13 (08:31am)
The match review committee look at all incidents, not just the ones on report.
Phil Rothfield
Mon 19 Aug 13 (10:39am)
The biggest issue is players not honouring their contracts. If clubs stick loyal and sign a young kid well before they make 1st grade, the kids then wants out when they hit the big time as they want more money.
A story on the Tele on Saturday said how the Bronos where going to significantly increase Benny Barba's contract. Seems to have a lot of Ben Hannat about that one ... Cry for the family and double the contract.
But if the kids turns out garbage, (or like Blair from the Tigers, a waste of space ..) then the clubs have to suck it up and keep paying them. The players and player managers cant have it both ways.
Mon 19 Aug 13 (08:33am)
Inglis dived for sure - twice - in the first half play was stopped to clean grass stains off his knee. He wasn't on the field and play shouldn't have been stopped.
Souths were gifted that game Friday. It was a disgrace. If it was just incompetence surely the penalties would have balanced out. 5 first half penalties got a stalled Souths out of their half.
I guess if you want to know the results of the games from now on just call the referees office beforehand.
Mon 19 Aug 13 (08:43am)
Mon 19 Aug 13 (10:20am)
Buzz the Rabbits couldn't get out of their own end of the field for 60 minutes. The Matai no try and some great kicking by Reynolds got them back in the game. For 20 minutes they were the better team that's all.
You obviously live on the northern peninsula. Honestly, I thought Souths were the better side and deserved to win. Cop it on the chin, mate and stop whingeing.
Phil Rothfield
Mon 19 Aug 13 (08:58am)
My angst with referees is when they go upstairs when everybody at home watching the game and those at the match know that its a try.
I know the referees need to get it right but at times they're wasting time.
WHY didn't Cooper Cronk get sent to the sin bin?
Is the young player wanting out of his club either Cherry-Evans or Hayne?
Which club has Clint Newton signed with in 2014?
Mon 19 Aug 13 (09:02am)
Mon 19 Aug 13 (11:05am)
Yep. I'm a Storm member and agree 100% Cronk should have been sent to the bin. Refs have no idea
Only one word properly describes the decision to leave Cooper Cronk on the field - INCOMPETENCE
Phil Rothfield
Mon 19 Aug 13 (10:16am)
G'day Buzz
Seriously the refs need to start doing their job properly or people will leave in droves. How Cronk wasnt binned yesterday amazes me and how Fifita's try was allowed i'd never know. Daniel Anderson needs to fix the problem and fix it fast
Mon 19 Aug 13 (09:04am)
Maybe Dave Smith needs to take another trip in his luxury limo to referees training. Someone needs to tell them to get their act together.
Phil Rothfield
Mon 19 Aug 13 (10:20am)
Hi Buzz,
Love your column! Do you have an opinion on the whole "compassionate grounds" issue?
I am thinking Parramatta fans should ask to release Ricky Stuart from his coaching contract on compassionate grounds - nobody deserves two wooden spoons in a row!
Mon 19 Aug 13 (09:08am)
There are some genuine cases but there is no doubt players are using it as an escape clause.
Phil Rothfield
Mon 19 Aug 13 (10:14am)
Have you ever seen an angrier human being than Tooves on Friday night? I personally haven't.
Mon 19 Aug 13 (09:17am)
It's his eyes
Phil Rothfield
Mon 19 Aug 13 (09:53am)
Phil Rothfield
Phil Rothfield is Sports Editor-at-Large for The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph. See more of Phil's views and video.
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New Quora Feature Suggests Answer to Social Business Quandary
A new feature introduced by crowdsourcing site Quora may suggest a way for CIOs to address a problem that has long plagued business social networks: a lack of adoption by the employee population.
Quora is a site that allows users to ask questions of the other users, and to recommend the best answers, making those answers rise to the top of the page. Many users come to the site simply to read answers to questions they find interesting, while others participate more actively by answering questions. In many cases, these users are also hoping to become recognized experts in a given field.
The new feature, called Views, reveals the names of readers who have read each Quora post, and how they found it. One benefit of Views is that it helps contributors to Quora get a sense of how widely their posts are read, and how readers came to find them. As Liz Gannes at AllThingsD notes, "It's another move by a social Web service to share passive activities, making the simple act of looking at a page on Quora something that other people can easily trace."
By revealing the names of people who passively read answers to questions, the feature raises privacy issues in the consumer world. But privacy issues are less important in the business world – at least in the United States. CIOs who implement social networks, often with great fanfare, have a lot riding on getting a large number of employees actively using them.
Adding a Views-type feature to a business social network like Yammer, Jive or IBM Connections could serve as an incentive for otherwise disinterested employees to at least check into the company's social network, if only because they'll be able to "prove" to their bosses that they're participating in the network. As any behaviorist will tell you, getting the right behavior is the first step towards changing underlying attitudes of employees.
That said, Forrester analyst TJ Keitt says this type of stratagem doesn't get to the underlying issue: "Showing that I lingered on a page doesn't mean I actually did anything of value on the said page. In the end, the only magic bullet for fruitful adoption [of social networks] I know of is to create real business value for employees," he wrote in an e-mail.
By real value, Keitt means either something that helps an employee do their jobs better, or in a way that's more convenient than other alternatives.
Keitt says using something like Views could work in a "business culture [that] incentivizes employees to check boxes. Quora's model supports that culture because it allows an employee to yell, 'Hey, look at me, I did this!'"
But Keitt warns anyone tempted by this type of feature should consider its impact in jurisdictions like Europe, where privacy and terms of employment are bigger issues than they are in the U.S. "Does it change the employees' responsibilities? Does it change the mechanisms for evaluation? Does it change the compensation structure? These aren't inconsequential items," Keitt notes.
Still, it seems that encouraging participation in business social networks is a goal worthy of experimentation. We'd love to know what you think – tell us in the comments, or drop us a line.


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I've released version 1.1.4 of my improved Cacti templates. Unlike the prior release, which was solely bug fixes, this one includes new graphs in the MySQL template. Some of the graphs are of data that's exposed in standard MySQL versions, but some of it is available only in Percona's high-performance builds of the MySQL database server. If you don't have a Percona build, those graphs will just contain nothing, but there is no detrimental effect.
This template release is fully …[Read more...]


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insulin detemir (cont.)
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text:
44 miles for me.
Not as many miles as September, but let me count the pluses for October:
--3 runs almost every week, which means I was consistent
--maxed the 2-mile run for my age (54) on the annual APFT (Army Physical Fitness Test)
By my modest standards, this was a very good month.
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text:
Howards End
by E.M. Forster
Howards End: Bills Toes Quiz
Think you've got your head wrapped around Howards End? Put your knowledge to the test. Good luck — the Stickman is counting on you!
Q. Which is true of all three Schlegel children?
They are terminally ill
They are orphans
They are illiterate
They have serious homework allergies
Q. How did the Schlegels get their money?
Some of it they found growing on a tree; the rest of it fell from the sky
Years of hard work
They robbed a bank
The old fashioned way - they inherited it
Q. What is the nature of the relationship between Helen Schlegel and Paul Wilcox?
They have a brief love affair
Helen hires Paul to landscape the Schlegel's lawn
Paul is Helen's personal jester and whipping boy
They are the best of friends
Q. What does Mrs. Wilcox do shortly before dying?
Tells Tibby that she loves him
A good deal of coughing, choking and writhing
One hundred deep knee bends
Converts to Christianity
Changes her will, leaving everything to Margaret
Q. What is holding back Leonard Bast and his ambitions?
A lack of money
A controlling father
Continued associations with a lower class of people
That dry quicksand pit he stepped into can probably take a lot of the blame


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Beauty Products You Can Totally Tote
This singer/songwriter is all for lightly colored, delicately detailed, translucent gowns, but we love that she went with this magenta-red-hued stunner by Elie Saab, which gave off a darker, more mysterious vibe.
Her sleek strands and smoky eye also added to the allure of her overall appearance without taking it too far.
There's nothing sexier—and more body-complementing—than a form-fitting, black dress. Alicia wore one by Azzedine Alaia that suited her body to a T.
Plus, her twisted updo and red lip added to her classic look perfectly.
Go big or go home, right? The Blown Away singer blew us away with this gorgeous pink-and-gray Oscar de la Renta creation.
Carrie's gently tousled strands and gray-and-lavender smoky eye also added a dramatic twist to her otherwise light-and-airy style.
Wedding-Worthy Dresses


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Dram Right!
Whiskey volume gains have been ramping up steadily over the past decade. According to data from DISCUS, in conjunction with Beverage Information Group, the compound annual growth rate of whiskey case volume between 2000 and 2005 was a mostly flat 0.2 percent. It ticked up 1.1 percent between 2005 and 2010 and then quickly jumped from there: It grew 1.7 percent from 2010 to 2011, 3.8 percent between 2011 and 2012 and then finally, last year, the increase accelerated to 6.2 percent.
A total of about 52.8 million cases of whiskey across all types brought in revenue of just over $7 billion in 2013. It's really the reverse of a trend that had defined the period between the 1970s and the end of the last millennium when the once-dominant whiskeys declined steadily.
"Last year, for the first time, we saw growth across all whiskey categories, and I have never seen that before," says David Ozgo, chief economist at DISCUS. Those whiskey categories include blended whiskey, whose volume, according to DISCUS, was up 14.3 percent in 2013; Canadian, up 2.9 percent; bourbon and Tennessee whiskey, jumping 6.8 percent; blended Scotch, up 2 percent; single-malt Scotch increasing 11.6 percent and Irish whiskey, with a whopping 17.5 percent gain.
Growth of each style of whiskey outpaced that of the overall spirits category. "When we looked at the growth categories for 2013, American whiskey—straight American whiskey, specifically—is growing," observes Donna Hood Crecca, senior director of Technomic. "Within that we see growth in rye and also in corn—your bourbons and Tennessee whiskeys, they're doing well."
Trading up clearly has been playing a role in consumer purchasing habits.
Value whiskey brands, the lowest-end price segment, were down about 0.4 percent last year, but the picture improves precipitously the more upscale the segments get. In the premium segment, volume increased by 7.9 percent in 2013, according to DISCUS. In the next tier, high-end, it jumped 10.2 percent. Finally in the highest-end super-premium segment, it grew by 12 percent.
"You saw that really classic growth pattern that we've seen in most non-recession years for the last 15 years or so where the super-premium category drives growth and in turn drives revenues as well," Ozgo says.
But there's more to it than premiumization, especially when you contrast whiskey with the other spirits.
"Whiskey, as a group, outperformed non-whiskey," says Crecca. "And that's the first time that that's happened..And that's says something about what's happening with the consumer's palate."
The only spirits type whose percent increase was better than whiskey's was tequila's—but that was in volume alone. Tequila, according to DISCUS, grew its case volume by 6.6 percent to whiskey's 6.2 percent, but when you look at dollar growth, whiskey's exceeded tequila's by 10.1 percent to 7.9 percent. And whiskey is growing off of a much larger base.
Vodka still accounts for the greatest volume among spirits, with 65.9 million cases, or about 13 million more than whiskey. However, the two segments flip when revenue's taken into account. Vodka's 2013 revenue totaled about 5.6 billion, more than $1.4 billion less than whiskey brought in. "It's a confluence of events," says Ozgo. "Success really breeds success. We saw tremendous growth in vodka, really fast growth in rum and tequila, for a number of years. They were the real growth drivers. That was really the first step in bringing people back to the spirits category. That went on for 15 years and those categories are, in fact, still growing."
The market may be experiencing a bit of what Technomic's Crecca calls "flavor fatigue" with vodkas. The flavored segment really has been the vodka sector experiencing the fastest growth in recent years and there are signs that it may be heading toward a plateau.
So what it is about whiskey that's drawing so many consumers?
"To a certain extent everything that's old becomes new again and I think that's what you're seeing," says Ozgo. "Oftentimes things go in cycles and right now whiskey is on an upturn. It's really captured the consumer's imagination, particularly with American whiskey."
In a sense, he adds, Americans are getting back to their roots when they drink whiskey. "It's a good cultural story for a lot of folks, so they're kind of enjoying a product that harkens back to the heritage of America." And, Ozgo notes, you can't ignore all of the innovation within whiskey—across price categories and traditional expressions.
"We've also seen a lot of growth in flavored whiskeys as well," he points out, "and that's brought some people into the category."
Flavored whiskeys, according to DISCUS data, accounted for 45 percent of whiskey volume growth last year.
The rapidly growing craft distilling movement also has been a bit of a hotbed of innovation, though it's still a fairly tiny slice of the overall spirits, market, between a half a percentage point and a full percentage point of total spirits. So, craft's impact in moving the volumetric needle is very slight. "They're not necessarily driving sales, but what they're certainly doing is driving interest," Ozgo observes. "A lot of these guys are very entrepreneurial and a lot of them have very good stories to tell."
One of the more prominent stories in the craft spirits space has been Tennessee's Corsair Artisan Distillery, which has produced whiskeys with non-traditional grains like quinoa and has an entire range of offerings distilled with hops.
"It's very easy to be innovative in whiskey because whiskey has been so traditional and so similar," says Corsair founder Darek Bell, who's also the author of the book, "Alt Whiskeys." "I think it gives you a lot of opportunity to be disruptive...We have a new generation of whiskey drinkers coming on line and now millennials are starting to get far along enough in their careers where they're starting to afford nicer spirits and they don't want to drink what their parents drank," he notes. "They want something different; they want something that reflects their attitude."
But all of whiskey's eggs aren't necessarily in the millennial basket—especially when it comes to that most American of whiskeys, bourbon. Simmons Market Research Bureau conducted a study measuring the number of Americans who described themselves as bourbon drinkers in 2004 and again in 2012. Across all 21-and-over age categories the number increased about equally, with the exception of those 65 and older. "That's kind of an exciting statistic," says Ozgo.
It's also something any marketer in the industry would kill for: a beverage whose appeal is, as far as adult consumers go, virtually ageless.


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An Adventure for Character Levels 4-6
Is nothing but a steel blade and an iron will enough to defeat the mightiest monster of all? In this all-new adventure module for Monte Cook Presents: Iron Heroes, the PCs are called in to locate a missing child -- the child of a dragon, that is. They must explore an ancient dragon graveyard and defeat a mighty evil wyrm using only their wits and their weapons. Like all Iron Heroes adventures, this one uses a low-magic, high-action setting to give heroes a true chance to become -- Iron Heroes.
Produced under license from Malhavoc Press.
Rules Set: Iron Heroes.
Writer: Matt Sprengeler
Editor: John Cooper
Cover Artist: Cardinal
Interior Artists: Doug Kovacs, Brad McDevitt, Matt Morrow, Grey Thornberry
GMG5501, 64 pages, $15.99.


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All the King's Men
by Robert Penn Warren
The Great Sleep
Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory
The Great Sleep happens twice in Jack's life. The first time is when he's gotten the full story of Cass Mastern, and the second is when he realizes his relationship with Lois is a sham. In both cases Jack doesn't know how to deal with the new knowledge that has crept into his brain. So he shuts down until he can figure out how to deal with it. In the case of Lois, he tells us exactly what happens. He begins to realize that she's a human being, and not simply a beautiful sex object.
Jack certainly doesn't dehumanize all women. Lucy, Sadie, his mother, and Anne are all flesh and blood creatures with beating hearts. So, his dehumanization of Lois probably is in large part due to his deep love for Anne, and the pain he still feels at the failure of their relationship. If Lois isn't human, and therefore unlovable, Jack can't get hurt, and can't hurt Lois. When he realized he's just using her, he has to sleep his way through the situation until he decides to leave her.
Jack isn't sure or doesn't tell us exactly why the Cass Mastern story makes him crawl under the covers of the Great Sleep. We think it also has to do with dehumanization. Jack already knows that slavery dehumanized both the victim and victimizer, but the story of Cass suggests that slavery so deeply taints humanity, America, and the South, that there is no hope. This might also explain why he falls into the second Great Sleep when he realizes he's dehumanized Lois. He may have felt that his dehumanization of her was like an extension of the mindset that allowed people to justify the enslavement of other human beings.


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"the former audience" to describe the shift inpower represented by blogging and citizenjournalism. But the former audience isn't just takingcontrol of news. A fan group recently completed afull-length feature film of Terry Pratchett's Disc-world novel Lords and Ladies. Cost: 300 euros. Overat
untamedcinema.com, fans create high-qualitytrailers for movies they wish the studios wouldmake. And much of the buzz in the months leadingup to the release of the latest Star Wars flick "The future is here. It's just not evenlycentered around the 40-minute fan film, Star Wars distributed yet." — William GibsonRevelations, which many think is better than the lasttwo efforts from the man himself. The producers company that sells it to you. It may not even haveof Serenity, a science fiction movie due out in been designed by an employee of that company, asSeptember, who have been doing an aggressive new product design is increasingly being outsourced.online push for fan participation, decided to show In a manufacturing realm that is both larger andan unfinished copy of the movie in ten cities, five smaller than consumer goods, the Liftport Group,months in advance of the official release. a consortium focused on building a space elevator,On the radio front, Infinity Broadcasting, a unit of will be opening a carbon nanotube manufacturingViacom, has announced that its KYCY-AM station in plant in New Jersey. Meanwhile, scientists at theSan Francisco will be switching to an all-podcast University of Washington and the Fred Hutchinsonformat. Meanwhile, Evan Williams, of blogger.com Cancer Research Center have successfully inducedfame, is launching Odeo, a company that aims to a state of hibernation in mice. It's time to crackbring podcasting to the masses. And, hot on the out the science fiction of the 50s for ideas aboutheels of the new buzz, we see several startups promising applications for human hibernation, fromfocused on bringing advertising to the new medium. space travel to trauma care.The principles of "former audience" participation Did I say trauma care? The U.S. Army is research-don't apply only to the media world. Neil Gershenfeld's ing mobile robot surgery units for battlefield use.FAB: The Coming Revolution on Your Desktop And as for life extension, Ray Kurzweil likes to— From Personal Computers to Personal Fabrication point out that average life expectancy in developinghit the Amazon bestseller lists immediately upon nations is going up by a quarter of a year per year.publication. A researcher at the University of Bath When that number goes above a year per year, weaims to release, under the GPL (a free software live forever, right? On the other hand, largely drivenlicense), designs that would allow rapid prototyping by the spread of AIDS, life expectancies in manymachines to make copies of themselves. A USC re- African countries have fallen every year since 1988,searcher has prototyped a "contour crafting" robot a phenomenon some are referring to as "the Africanthat can extrude concrete walls; his next project is cliff." But, in a true sign of the discontinuities of theto extrude an entire house. modern world, a startup in Kenya recruits villagersIt's not personal fabrication that will most for city jobs by texting job offers to (and acceptingchange the way we create physical goods, though applications from) their mobile phones, leapfrog-(at least not at first). Never mind "the network is the ging services in the developed world.computer" — the network is the factory. "Build to You can get URLs for the referenced stories atsuit" (as when you configure and order your next
makezine.com/03/nff.computer online) may mean internet coordinationof a network of suppliers, and the computer you Tim O'Reilly (
tim.oreilly.com) is founder and CEO of O'Reillyorder may never be touched by an employee of the Media, Inc. See what's on the O'Reilly Radar at
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Male Examples:
Anime and Manga
- Gilgamesh from Fate/Zero is ridiculously good-looking and has A+ Charisma, but is a major Jerkass and a part of the Big Bad Duumvirate.
- Griffith in Berserk is so Bishonen it hurts. He's also the major Big Bad of the series.
- Andrea of Gankutsuou.
- Sasuke of Naruto, at least after he Took a Level in Jerkass.
- Neji Hyuga is Tall, Dark and Handsome indeed, but another reason he has so many female fans is that he is an arrogant, stoic, snarky, Magnificent Bastard. Less after his HeelFace Turn, but he still is a cynical guy, making girls drool after him.
- Light Yagami, particularly later on in Death Note.
- Dio Brando, Yoshikage Kira from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.
- Nakago of Fushigi Yuugi and it's nearly deconstructed in a last minute Alas, Poor Villain scene showing his origin story.
- Paul, the resident Jerkass trainer from Pokémon.
- Iason Mink of Ai no Kusabi is incredibly cruel but he is also incredibly irresistible.
- Cruelly deconstructed in Sakura Gari, where the unearthly gorgeous Souma is a massive bastard... but he turns out to have an extremely complex reason to be an asshole. And his physical beauty brought him lots of abuse.
- Black Butler
- Sebastian is a devilishly good looking man but he's also a demon and a cold amoral one at that.
- Aleister Chamber has good looks but also proves to be a crazy asshole in every appearance.
- Ciel Phantomhive is a Dude Looks Like a Lady Bishōnen and is not exactly a Nice Guy.
- Tokyo Ghoul:
- Tsukiyama in the first manga where he is portrayed as a very attractve guy whom mutilates and eats other people and ghouls and manipulates Kaneki so he can gain his trust and eat him.
- Furuta is a bishonen but is also incredibly cruel and screwed up.
- In If Them's the Rules, Arcturus Black definitely qualifies being described as very beautiful but utterly cold to his wife and a racist bastard to Harry.
Films — Animated
- The Beast in Disney's Beauty and the Beast, before his curse. And Gaston throughout. Commentary by the creators indicates that the intention was to invert Beauty Equals Goodness by making the villain ruggedly handsome to contrast with the monstrous but good-hearted Beast.
- Frozen gives us Prince Hans. Anna thinks he's gorgeous and he's certainly very charming, but he turns out to be a sociopathic Social Climber who is only interested in Anna for her claim to the Arendelle's throne, and was planning to arrange an "accident" to get Elsa out of the way even before her powers were revealed.
Films — Live-Action
- Animal House and Revenge of the Nerds definitely qualify.
- Animal House tries to have it both ways. The opposite number of Omega House's Gregg Marmalard is clearly Eric Stratton, who's just as handsome as Gregg is but is clearly intended to be the Designated Hero. But if you consider Gregg's "good" counterpart to be John Blutarski (who does ultimately succeed in wooing Mandy Pepperidge away from him, after all), then this trope is played straight.
- Cruel Intentions: Both lead characters are played up as being very attractive, and both are rotten to the core. However, the film's climax features some character development for the male as he develops actual, honest feelings for the genuinely wholesome girl he was chasing for most of the film.
- Ajax, the Big Bad of Deadpool, is a cruel and sadistic Mad Scientist who performs torturous experiments on people to turn them into super-powered slaves. He's also played by Ed Skrein, who, in the closing credit sequence, is regarded by the cartoon Deadpool as the "hottest" of the actors.
- Joren of Stone Mountain in Tamora Pierce's Protector of the Small books, a misogynist asshole who goes to any length possible to get Kel out of knight training. According to Pierce he was based off of someone she knew in college.
- Galad Damodred of The Wheel of Time was one of these. He was never evil per say but he would do what he thought was good, regardless of who got hurt. He got better in Book 13.
- In the second book of Kat Richardson's Greywalker series, the main character Harper immediately distrusts the really good-looking guy — she's right. Several other times played straight in this series. Harper winds up deeply in love with a guy who's not handsome.
- Agatha Christie seems to have believed this very much. If a handsome man is introduced in a book of hers, he will be either the killer, the accomplice or otherwise immoral. Note that this is restricted to men whose attractiveness is spelled out: other characters might be handsome too, but the fact being mentioned is a sure sign that we're looking at a gigolo, a blackmailer or just a bastard. This is so prevalent in her writing that in the one book where a handsome man isn't a complete bastard (he's loyal and caring, but he still might be a gigolo), the killer turns out to be the other handsome man. This may be writer on board as Christie's first husband was a good-looking jerk.
- Averted, however, in Death Comes At The End, in which a handsome suitor to the heroine of the story is a good (though not faultless) man. She ultimately realizes, however, that he is not the one she wants to marry. It's also notable that the murderer is the only one of the patriarch's sons not to be described in the story as handsome, although the other two handsome sons are jerks.
- Richard Carey in Murder In Mesopotamia is another aversion.
- Dr. Mark Ahriman of False Memory. Handsome, successful psychiatrist who mind rapes (and sometimes literally rapes) his patients, sending some out to kill people and driving others to creative suicide for his own entertainment.
- Keifer Porter of A Brother's Price was noted for being cruel, dim-witted, and exceptionally beautiful. On the other hand, Jerin Whistler, who ends up marrying Keifer's widows, subverts this. He's noted in-universe for his beauty, and also for his intelligence and kind nature. Jerin even manages to help Trini deal with her aversion to men caused by Keifer brutalizing her before she was of age for marital relations anyway.
- A Song of Ice and Fire plays with Beauty Equals Goodness quite a bit, resulting in a few straight examples of this trope.
- Joffrey Baratheon inherited his parents' stunning looks, but is physically and emotionally abusive to his family and fiancee and governs the realm with terrible petty decisions.
- Gerold Dayne, also known as "Darkstar," has the traditional Valyrian beauty of the Daynes but is arrogant, mean-spirited, has a "cruel tongue," and is eager to make a name from himself distinct from that of his family. He's also not above nearly killing Myrcella, maiming her in the process if it means accomplishing that. For bonus points, Arianne describes the trademark Purple Eyes of House Dayne as looking black from a distance on him.
- Jaime Lannister, whose shining beauty is consistently praised throughout the series, pushes an eight-year-old boy out the window for catching him engaging in incest in his first appearance. His Character Development into becoming a slightly better person is juxtaposed with his increasing scruffiness.
- Downplayed with Loras Tyrell, whose trademark Tyrell good looks have garnered him plenty of In-Universe fangirls. He's arrogant and cocky, but isn't really a terrible person. And then he gets several major injuries attacking Dragonstone — having boiling oil poured on his face included — so it remains to be seen whether he'll live to subvert or invert this trope or not.
- The series also inverts this by having more unattractive guys as more decent, such as Ned Stark or Tyrion Lannister, but also averts this by having good-lucking nice guys such as Garlan Tyrell and Robb Stark.
- In the Heralds of Valdemar series, Herald Talia's abusive father and brother were quite attractive, and as a result she's wary around handsome men; the man she falls in love with is repeatedly described as homely.
- Christian Grey from Fifty Shades of Grey is described as amazing attractive by his love-slave girlfriend Anastasia Steele, and of course he is cruel, domineering, abusive jerk. Their relationship is portrayed as S&M, but since it completely misses the entire "Safe, Sane and Consensual" thing, he's really just a Domestic Abuser.
Live-Action TV
- Stephan Urkelle of Family Matters first appearance was a self-absorbed prick who couldn't care less about Carl's friend getting shot. However, as Steve began modifying and perfecting the formula to create him (Boss Sauce), Stephan become a suave and kind-hearted gentleman. Essentially, a cool and slightly less intelligent version of Steve.
- Some of the guys that Laura becomes interested in usually end up being jerks who just want to sleep with her.
- Damon Salvatore of The Vampire Diaries.
- Jeff on Community, although he gets slightly better over time.
- Angel and Spike in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. They've both spent a good amount of their lives torturing, murdering and even raping various people, and never reform completely, but it doesn't seem to detract from their sexual appeal. They dress a lot more stylishly than either Xander or Riley and, judging by the reactions of other characters in-universe, they are supposed to be more physically attractive.
- Prevalent in Supernatural. As a general rule, while a character's level of attractiveness doesn't determine how "good" they will be, the less attractive male characters seem to form better romantic relationships.
- While Sam and Dean might basically be good people (at least, when Sam hasn't gone darkside) they both manipulate women for sex and have a tendency to self-obsess and act like major jerkasses to everybody around them. If you were a random bar-frequenting woman in the Supernatural universe and they hadn't saved your life, you'd be forgiven for thinking they were bastards. It's worth noting however that Sam averted this entirely before he became a Hunter again in the series pilot, instead having been in a stable and loving relationship with Jessica at the time.
- Castiel isn't sexually manipulative towards women, but that might have more to do with his general cluelessness about human behaviour, his devotion to his faith, and disinterest in the matter. The sexual chemistry with Meg seems to be based around violence, and he once accidentally burnt somebody's eyes out and forgot to fix them, although it seems like he could have done so easily. So he's probably not the best boyfriend material, either.
- Bobby is comparatively less attractive but was able to maintain a stable and loving marriage for many years.
- While Samuel Winchester, Senior (the grandfather) is morally ambiguous, his marriage and commitment to his family seems a lot stronger than John's.
- The only notable exception to the rule is Jimmy (Castiel's vessel), who is very pretty and was (before he became involved in angel business) a devoted and loving father and husband. And the actor who plays him is probably cuter when he plays Cas, anyway.
- Almost every female demon, ever.
- The Big Bang Theory. The series's Official Couple is pretty much set up to be the classic 'Nice Guy nerd courting the Prom Queen'. As such, almost, but not all, rival love interests who happen to be attractive, or at least arguably more attractive than Leonard, tend to be complete and utter assholes, who treat Penny terribly. The exceptions being Stuart (who goes from slightly adorkable Nice Guy to almost a parody of the Adorkable Woobie types), Zack (who despite fitting the mold, he's an example of Good Is Dumb), and her recent British study partner Leonard was jealous of, who was wiling to play along with Leonard's attempt to scare him off.
Professional Wrestling
- IWRG luchador El Guapo Siniestro was of this opinion, and if his name didn't give it away, based this view on himself. Mr. México and Poder Méxica had some fun getting him shaved.
Video Games
- Invoked in Final Fantasy VII, where Cloud's Jerkass Façade is connected to the fact that he now looks like a sexy SOLDIER member as a result of the experimental medical procedures done on him - apparently, he expects SOLDIER members should be like this. A couple of characters remark that the persona makes him seem attractive in itself.
Western Animation
- Family Guy:
- An episode of has Peter becoming a jerk after plastic surgery turns him into one of the beautiful people, because being handsome means that he can screw the rules. On the other hand, considering who we're talking about, the appearance boost may not be to blame.
- Jeff Fecalman, Brenda Quagmire's abusive boyfriend.
- X-Men: Evolution used an art style that made most characters attractive. However, according to some fans, the most attractive characters are Pietro, Gambit, and Avalanche. While Gambit and Avalanche both have lines they won't cross and times of heroics, they still had strong shades of criminal level jerkery. However, Pietro takes the cake. Sociopathic disregard for human life? Check. Starscream level cowardice? Check. Draco level smugness? Check. Pretty white hair and bishonen level attractivness according to girl fans? Check.
- The jock Duncan took Jerk Jock gig even further when he attacked the Morlocks with guns and bombs.
- Alejandro in Total Drama in spades. He's a lying, back-stabbing jerk, but is also the major Mr. Fanservice of the show. Has anyone counted how many times he's ripped off his shirt?
Female examples:
Anime and Manga
- Eiichiro Oda appears pretty fond of it. Especially Nami and Boa often use their looks to get work done for them or get through with absurd actions.
- Asuka Langley Soryu from Neon Genesis Evangelion. In spades. However, in her case, it's a brutal deconstruction of this trope: she's a hot bitch, yeah, yet not only doesn't she get away with her antics (Touji is annoyed to no end by her, Shinji puts up with it because he's deeply fucked up, Rei is indifferent most of the time, etc.), but she's subjected to an horrifying Break the Haughty process that reveals her terrible Dark and Troubled Past.
- Lust from Fullmetal Alchemist, all the way down to being a female Draco in Leather Pants. Then again, she is created after the Lust sin.
- Actually, it depends on which canon you're following. She plays it straight in the manga and Brotherhood, but in the first anime series she's a shitload more sympathetic.
- Berserk: Slan is a more risque version of The Vamp who goes around pretty much naked except for a neck corset and a under bust corset that looks like a penis being inserted between her boobs. She is every bit as vile as the other God Hands, shown when she comments that Femto's rape of Casca while Guts watches is wonderful and forcing Guts to perform oral sex on her when having him captured, making it clear she wants him as her Sex Slave.
- Any of the plastics in Mean Girls particularly Regina George are rude and cruel to the other students in their school that they don't consider as popular and attractive as them.
Live-Action TV
- Alex Barnes a/k/a Alicia Bannister from The Sentinel. Although beautiful, she was a thief, a multiple murderer, and generally AxCrazy. Also Lyla, Maya. . . really, most of the women Jim & Blair get with—they're all gorgeous, and all thoroughly nasty pieces of work.
- Saffron (or whatever her real name is) from Firefly, who was a thief, a swindler, and who tried to kill Mal by leaving him naked in the desert.
- The Meg demon of Supernatural is fond of possessing attractive hosts and varies between smacking around or making out with the Winchester boys.
Video Games
- Rouge from the Sonic the Hedgehog series qualify. She is considered to be the Ms. Fanservice of the series and happens to be a vain, sassy, and manipulative jewel thief, although she's nowhere near evil.
- As a possible example of this trope, there's one Nodwick strip in which a villainess explains her face (and gender) is always hidden because only hot evil chicks are allowed to show they're evil.
- Double lampshaded because at first they just think it's because she was horribly disfigured in an accident, but then she mentions that even before the accident, a woman who was "nothing special" would have been a pretty good catch compared to her.
Web Original
- In Teen Girl Squad, Cheerleader is considered the hottest out of the group in-universe. She's also the meanest.
Western Animation
- Connie of Family Guy is depicted at being the popular pretty Alpha Bitch in every appearance especially to Meg who even confessed to her that she resorted to Self-Harm because of the abuse.


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"APOCALYPSE N.Y." — Front page headline on destruction left by Hurricane Sandy (New York Daily News, Wednesday)
"Nature is a lot more powerful than we are." — New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, in Hurricane Sandy's aftermath (The Associated Press, Tuesday)
"It was an overwhelming afternoon for me, emotionally, as a kid who was born and raised in this state and spent a lot of time over my life, in both my childhood and my adult life, at the Jersey Shore." — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, after seeing his state's splintered coastline (Asbury Park Press, Wednesday)
"I don't think people will be fighting over food in this city. It will be over the electrical outlet." — John Tiffany, customer at a Manhattan Dunkin' Donuts mobbed with people needing to charge their cellphones (The Wall Street Journal, Wednesday)
"When your insurance rates go down, then you'll vote for me in 2016." — Vice President Joe Biden, talking into the phone to a Republican voter while politicking in a Sarasota, Fla., restaurant (CNN, Wednesday)
"Well, 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' is back — not for gays in the military. It's President Obama's new policy for questions about Libya." — From Jay Leno's monologue ("The Tonight Show," Tuesday)
"My sensitive side leads me to conclude that eco-anarchists need love, too." — Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, mocking a request for donated condoms by tree-sitters protesting the Keystone XL pipeline in East Texas (Austin American-Statesman, Tuesday)
"I don't know, I don't care, I just hope they suck." — Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, asked to evaluate the Los Angeles Lakers (ESPNDallas.com, Wednesday)
"We actually do these sorts of settlements for lots of people." — Dallas schools superintendent Mike Miles on his decision to pay resigned administrator Shirley Ison-Newsome her $170,000 annual salary through next summer (The Dallas Morning News, Wednesday)
"I loved your daughter. I hope to God he lets me see her in heaven so I can apologize to her and see her and tell her." — Last words of Donnie Lee Roberts before his execution in Huntsville, to the father of his victim, Vicki Bowen of Lake Livingston, whom he shot for refusing a demand for money (The Associated Press, Wednesday)
"The death penalty is a giant rathole where so much of California's budget is thrown with no discernible benefit." — Diane Wilson, whose police officer husband was killed by a man now on death row, about her support for a state ballot proposition to outlaw capital punishment (The Associated Press, Thursday)
"It's now time for me to pass Star Wars on to a new generation of filmmakers." — George Lucas, on his $4 billion sale of LucasFilm Ltd. and the Star Wars franchise to Disney (Deadline Hollywood, Tuesday)


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This solitary evergreen stands in crystalized peace, set against the background of snowy fields and lacy tree limbs against a muted sky. Featuring nature's landscape at is finest, convey your Christmas wishes with the serenity of this holiday card.. Price: $62.52
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Featured Ride in the
"A 3 mile loop at Buffalo Creek Park with lots of climbing and fast, flowing descents."
— Chris Braund on Apr 12, 2014
|3.35.3 milesKilometers
|511'156 m Ascent
|1,541'470 m High
|6% Avg Grade (3°)
|100% Singletrack
|-511'-156 m Descent
|1,106'337 m Low
|23% Max Grade (13°)
Take a
Virtual Ride
RestrictionsRiders travel in opposite directions according to the day of the week (posted at an intersection).
OverviewHeading west from Charlotte and the flat piedmont, the trails in Lake Lure offer the first opportunity for a mountain experience that will challenge your fitness and offer great views and varied terrain. The HHT trail is the first loop at Buffalo Creek Park and provides a strong shot of climbing without harsh technical difficulty. Its smooth and flowing and popular with hikers and trail runners.
It will soon be extended by 7-10 miles of trail through rugged back country, ascending another 2,000 feet to reach ridgelines and scenic viewpoints. The trail will connect with Chimney Rock State Park on the north side of Rumbling Bald Mountain, itself a popular destination for climbers and boulders. A bike-accessible cirque of the entire northern valley is planned, along with an extended through-hiking experience that circumnavigates Lake Lure in a 30-40 mile trail that summits several surrounding peaks.
Need To KnowThe public trailhead has room for 5-6 vehicles and is an interim facility. Work is underway to build a large parking area on an adjacent acre of land. Overflow parking is OK along Buffalo Creek Road.
DescriptionThere are two trailheads: the northern, public parking area on Buffalo Creek Road and a southern parking area inside the Rumbling Bald Resort. These are connected by a 1/3 mile flat pathway that follows Buffalo Creek. Midway between is a bridge and the start of the trail.
After a short distance, the trail crosses a small footbridge and reaches a fork that starts and finishes the loop. From here, riders will travel in the opposite direction of those on foot. A sign indicates the directions which reverse daily.
In either direction, the trail has three sections: The Head, the Heart and the Tail (HHT). After a brief warmup, a stout climb gets you 500 feet up the mountain, but intermediate descents mean you earn about 1,000 feet of total climbing. Then there's a smooth traverse in the middle section that takes you through a large boulder field that attracts climbers and the rare Green Salamander. You then finish with a fast, flowing descent on banked switchbacks. The trail has an average grade of 9%, with short sections of 15%-20%.
History & BackgroundThis is the first mountain bike trail in Lake Lure and Rutherford County, an area surrounded by beautiful mountains that have been largely inaccessible. That is changing with expansion of public lands, increased land conservation and development of the area's recreational amenities. Buffalo Creek Park is on 200 acres acquired and conserved by the Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy and the Town of Lake Lure. The trails have been machine-built by Trail Dynamics of Pisgah Forest, funded by grants from the NC Parks & Recreation Trust Fund and the federal Recreational Trails Program. Local volunteers maintain the trail system. Another 1300 acres lie to the west and the next phase of trailbuilding will add 7-10 more miles of singletrack.
The trail names at Buffalo Creek Park are a nod to the backwoods distillery heritage in Rutherford County and southern Appalachia that is experiencing a rebirth today.
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3.3 from 4 votesLake Lure from the top of Buffalo Creek Park (Lake Lure, NC)
3.3 from 4 votesDownhill rollers (Lake Lure, NC)
3.0 from 4 votesHeaded south (counterclockwise) from the boulder field (Lake Lure, NC)
2.8 from 4 votesAutumn Color at Buffalo Creek Park (Lake Lure, NC)
2.8 from 4 votesBoulder field (Lake Lure, NC)
2.3 from 3 votesBetween the first footbridge and the start of the loop (Lake Lure, NC)
2.3 from 3 votesBridge over Buffalo Creek (Lake Lure, NC)


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What will your 1st Grader be doing this year???
Phonics: Each day, your child will have a phonics sheet to complete at home. This sheet will be a review of what they learned that day and also review from prior lessons. We will do the front side together in class and the back is the homework side.
Math: Everyday, we will have a new math lesson. The lesson will work on old and new concepts taught. Each day a math sheet will be done together in class and the back side is homework. (Similar to Phonics)
Spelling: Every week, new spelling words will be given to your child. This will be a list of words correlating with the phonics lessons we have worked on. We will practice spelling words during the week at school and will test every Friday. Throughout the school year, the word list gets longer and then sentences get added as well.
Rocket Math: This year we start working on Math facts using Rocket Math. Every day, students will be tested on their math addition facts. We practice with partners first, then take a 1 minute quiz on how fast they can answer each problem. They will have a rocket math folder (left at school) that will track their progress.
Accelerated Reading: Your child will start using AR reading this year. This is an online reading assessment to guide your child into the correct level books for them. They will read a book twice, and then be able to take a test on it. This test is 5 questions long and lets me know if they understood the book or not. If they complete the test, they will get a reward at the end of the week.
Religion: Each day, we will take time to work in our religion books. We will be reading stories, acting stories out, and talking about the life and times of Jesus. We will also be doing activities to go along with each story. We will continue to have chapel on Wednesdays.
Science: We will be studying about many different fun things in science. We will cover everything from plants and animals, space, rocks, penguins, weather and magnets. Hopefully many of these lessons will be hands on and fun for them!
Social Studies: In 1st grade, we work on MN History. Every week, we will cover a letter of the alphabet that is about Minnesota. They will then have a sheet to color or an activity to go along with the letter. They will keep each sheet in a folder at school until we have finished the alphabet.
Fun Friday: As part of a reward system in 1st grade, we will be having fun Fridays. A student can participate in this if they have completed their AR reading for the week (which to start is 1 book/week), and behaviorally have been acceptable throughout the week. This reward can be anything from art projects, to movies, to free play.
8th Grade Partners: This is a partner reading program set up for the older kids to come down and read/work with younger students. They will mostly be reading aloud to their partner, but sometimes they will participate in our fun Friday as well.
- I will try my best not to give your child homework on Fridays.
- Please try to bring a healthy snack for break every day. I may have extra snacks available but I cannot guarantee there will be any. They will be having water this year and not milk. If they want to use their own water bottle, that is fine with me.
- Every day there is a new student helper. This student will be our class leader for the day. They also are allowed to bring in a show and tell item for at the end of the day to share with the class. This should be a small item that can easily fit inside their backpack. It will go home that same day.
- Each day they will have a take home folder to put their homework in and any notes home. This is where to find information sent home. It needs to come back to school every day.
- If you need to change your daily pick up, there will be a sheet stapled in their take home folder to write me a quick note about the change and then sign it. This will make sure a note gets to me.
- If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to stop into the classroom for a chat. I am usually here before and after school. You can always email me a firstname.lastname@example.com or email me on fast direct!!
Discipline Policy for our 1st Grade Classroom–Cruising in our Classroom Contract
**We are God's children, empowered by the Holy Spirit to reflect the love of Christ. We will strive with God's help, to live by the following values:
honesty kindness friendship forgiveness patience responsibility courage self-control respect faith love fairness
**We agree to live by and support the following rules in school:
- Follow directions the first time they are given.
- Keep hands, feet, and objects to yourself.
- Respect others as well as ourselves. Be kind with your words and actions.
- Work quietly.
- Respect school and personal property.
**We also understand if a student chooses not to follow the rules, the following consequences will occur:
My discipline plan includes a 3 strike policy, with a stoplight as a visual for the students. There are the three colors; green, yellow, and red. Everyone starts on the Green, but when a child disrupts the class or a problem occurs:
1. A verbal reminder is given to correct the situation (their warning). They will go up and move their car to Yellow light.
**If the problem continues…..
2. They will be given a 5 minute time out at recess or current activity. They will go up and move their car to the Red light.
**If the problem continues…….
3. They will be given a 10 minute time out at recess or current activity. The student will move their car to the black box.
**If the problem still continues……..
4. They will miss the entire recess or current activity. Parents will be notified with a letter home. This allows parents, teachers, and students to know what is going on.
**Any situations that can't be resolved in the classroom will be sent to the principal.
Student's Signature: ________________________________________
Parent's Signature: _________________________________________
Teacher's Signature: __________________________________
Our SmartBoard!


text: Yes, folks, a new edition of my award-winning Random House book The Campaign of the Century: Upton Sinclair's Race for Governor of California and the Birth of Media Poltics will be published this fall by PoliPoint Press, with a new preface and, this time, in various e-editions as well. I'll be posting excerpts and videos all month but for now, here's a brief teaser along with a decription of the book. More soon!


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National Ranking
In 2016, the Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities received the following Niche rankings:
- #1 Public High School in Indiana (for the second year in a row)
- #21 Public High School in the United States (up from #38 in 2015)
- #7 Best Public High School Teachers in the United States
Where are Indiana's high ability students attending school?
The Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities, that's where! In 1990, the Indiana Academy was founded as the state's only public, residential high school for high-ability students. In 2011, the Indiana Academy introduced a non-residential option for local students called the Nonresident Early College Program (NECP). Both programs are located on the picturesque campus of Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana.
Each year the Indiana Academy admits approximately 165 residential and 25 nonresidential students to attend an intensive two-year program geared toward expanding their minds and stretching them academically. Students interested in applying to the Indiana Academy should do so during their sophomore year of high school.
Since 1990 the Indiana Academy has provided world-class secondary education for its graduates, which has resulted in their matriculation to over 300 of the best colleges and universities in the country including Harvard, Yale, Stanford, MIT, Purdue, Ball State, and IU, to name just a few. Graduates receive SAT scores that average over 360 points higher than the Indiana average and self-reported accepting more than $6 million in scholarship offers, including special incentives from Ball State University.
As an academically advanced student, you deserve an exciting, world-class education. At the Indiana Academy our curriculum is tailored to meet the needs of academically high-achieving students. As an Academy student you will enroll in honors, exporatory, advanced placement, and dual college credit courses as well as classes with Ball State University. The Academy curriculum includes Cell and Molecular Biology, Differential Equations, seven different foreign languages, creative writing, and many more offerings. Academy classes average 15 students and are taught by outstanding teachers, a third of whom have doctoral degrees. View a copy of our exciting course catalog.
For more information about this innovative program for high ability, high achieving students please register to attend a Preview Day program. At Preview Day participants have the opportunity to learn more about the Indiana Academy, visit cases, tour the facilities, and meet current students, faculty, and administrators.
Our deadline for Priority Admission is February 1. Following the Priority Admission application decision notifications, the Office of Admissions will utilize a rolling admission process (first-come, first-serve) until our final deadline on May 15. Please complete an application as soon as possible to be considered for admission into this innovative and diverse program.
Why should you attend the Indiana Academy? Click Fast Facts and Did You Know.
Do you have questions or would like to chat with a member of the Admissions Team?
Want a student's perspective on life at the Academy? Read their stories.
I look forward to seeing you at the Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities!
Jo Tuite
Associate Director/Head of Admissions


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The State Supreme Court will decide if Hebron Academy has to pay taxes on money earned from renting out the school's hockey rink. News 8's Norm Karkos reports.
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To Kill a Mockingbird
by Harper Lee
To Kill a Mockingbird Jean Louise Finch (Scout) Quotes
Quote 28
I learned more about the poor Mrunas' social life from listening to Mrs. Merriweather: they had so little sense of family that the whole tribe was one big family. A child had as many fathers as there were men in the community, as many mothers as there were women. J. Grimes Everett was doing his utmost to change this state of affairs, and desperately needed our prayers. (27.18)
What's so wrong with this picture of Mruna social life? Apparently it works for them, right? Nope. Major problem: it doesn't involve putting people into neat little categories.
Quote 29
"Atticus, you must be wrong...."
"How's that?"
"Well, most folks seem to think they're right and you're wrong...."
"They're certainly entitled to think that, and they're entitled to full respect for their opinions," said Atticus, "but before I can live with other folks I've got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience." (11.54-57)
Democracy may determine how a group will act, but it can't control what a person thinks: the jury can vote to find Tom guilty, but it can't make everyone in Maycomb believe that he is. (But you think that makes him feel any better?)


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The pre-school teaches children aged 3 and 4 years of age using full Montessori principles. As a result of this most children are reading and writing basic words and have knowledge of numbers and simple sums by the time they move into the reception class of the upper school in the year they become 5 years of age.
Children in the early years of the primary school continue to use Montessori teaching materials and methods and, as they progress through the school, more mainstream practices, such as group learning, structured lessons and tests, are gradually introduced.
The concept of tests and examinations is introduced to the children gradually as they progress through the school. Assessment tests are set twice yearly and take place as part of the normal school day at times which are not previously announced. Consequently "revision" is a term not used within the school until the final year, when children are shown how the methods they have learned can be brought together and used as successful exam technique. At this stage they undertake assessment tests under formal conditions to provide preparation for secondary school entrance exams.
In keeping with the school's philosophy of teaching each child as an individual, class sizes are small, with an average of fifteen pupils per class and a maximum of eighteen. Each class teacher of children in the age range 3 to 7 has a class assistant.
Home - The Montessori Method - Admissions - The School - Pre-School - Primary School - Useful Information - Contact Us
© River House Montessori School - 2011


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"Walks are a nightmare"
Living with a dog is supposed to be relaxing and fun. But what if your dog finds the world a challenge? What if walks are spent trying desperately to avoid other dogs – or people – because your dog barks and lunges on sight? When you live with a reactive dog, simple walks can be a nightmare and many of the things you'd like to share with your dog – days out, doggy sports, relaxing holidays – are filled with stress or out of the question altogether. And to make things worse, other owners let their dogs run up to yours, then give you a mouthful when your dog reacts. Soon you find yourself tensing up when you see a dog or a person coming – you know it isn't helping but it is hard to be relaxed when you know how your dog is going to behave.
"I know it is my fault but I just can't help it"
You are embarrassed and feel a failure, especially when everyone tells you "there are no bad dogs, just bad owners"! People tell you you have to relax, that your tension makes your dog worse, and you know it is true, but you just can't stop those feelings rising up when you see a dog approaching. it is one thing to know that you need to relax but quite another to actually do it.
Help for reactive owners
There are many great courses and techniques available to help you learn how to change your dog's reactive behaviour – and this is of course vital. But if you yourself are tense and stressed, your training will be much less effective. And even with the best rehabilitation programme, this change will not happen overnight and you need to learn to enjoy your dog again – now! This online course is designed to help you – the owner and handler – to become less reactive! It combines practical coaching techniques with effective methods from TTouch, within a safe, supportive online environment, to help you to help yourself so that you can help your dog. On this course you will:
- Learn how to recognise the early signs of stress in yourself and your dog and stay below threshold.
- Tackle the negative thinking and language that stops both you and your dog moving forward.
- Learn to use TTouch to calm yourself and build your confidence in handling.
- Use goals and rewards to change your own emotional response to challenging situations.
- Learn practical ways to manage yourself, your dog, the environment and other people so that you can set yourself up to succeed in your training.
- Think differently about the problem and gain a deeper awareness of yourself, your dog and the people you meet.
- Develop a closer relationship with your dog as you learn how you can best help him or her.
- Play training games and learn how to make the most of training opportunities on walks.
- Learn what to look for in training techniques and trainers.
Who should take this course?
- Owners of challenging dogs who want to learn how to keep calm and build their own confidence
- Dog trainers and behaviourists working with owners of challenging dogs who want to learn more about how to build their client's confidence
- Dog rescue workers and volunteers who want to support adopters of challenging dogs to handle them with confidence
- Dog walkers and pet professionals who care for challenging dogs
What people have said about Your End of the Lead:
"Sophie is uncomfortable around unfamiliar dogs and I was certainly feeling very uncomfortable at my end of the lead managing reactive encounters often ineffectively. I was very aware that I was at least half of the problem and here at last was a course that seemed to offer support and solutions. I signed up and was not disappointed! … The course is very well thought out and structured, and the weekly course material is highly informative, thought provoking, practical, stimulating and relevant. The mixed delivery of video and reading works well and caters for different learning styles. The daily activities are clear, achievable and time realistic, and give opportunities to try out the techniques covered. … Janet Finlay's course has been one of the most valuable and enjoyable learning experiences I have had in my quest to progress positively with Sophie. We are now a calmer and more confident partnership, with better understanding and a shedload of strategies to employ. My end of the lead definitely now feels a far more comfortable place!" — Ros Kinloch and Sophie
"I'm not sure what I expected when I signed up for this course but I had hoped it would strengthen my relationship with my dogs and maybe help me develop a better understanding of my own reactions to their reactivity. I didn't expect it to affect me the way it has, nor did I foresee that I would change so much about the way I think about, train and communicate with my dogs. I am now much calmer when out on walks and feel better able to deal with any situation which arise. Both my dogs have benefited too.
I volunteer for a dog rescue center and had hoped that doing this course would help me improve my skills with the dogs. I've not been disappointed! I've found that by keeping myself calm I can build a better rapport with new dogs and I've felt more confident with them as a result. I am also putting the skills I've learnt into practice with these dogs, with great results….I absolutely recommend it to anyone who wants to deepen their understanding of dogs." — Lindsey Maggs, Volunteer at K9Focus Rescue
How does the course work?
There is an African proverb: "If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." This online course is about going far, together. Over 15 weeks, we will work together on daily exercises (5 days a week) designed to help practice new behaviours. There will be resources to inform and inspire, daily mini-exercises to focus your practice, regular feedback and coaching to ensure you learn from your practice, and support from me and the group to motivate and encourage. You will work through the lesson, do the exercises (often practicing with your dog on your walks) then come back and share what you observe, learn from everyone else and get feedback. This is not an online course where you are given a few Powerpoints and expected to work alone: this is over three months of guided, supported daily practice and coaching. Numbers will be limited to ensure that everyone gets the individual attention they need.
What will I need to take part?
- An internet connection and web browser
- A willingness to login to a special forum once a day – the course includes orientation to the forum so no previous experience needed.
- A commitment to work on the exercises and practice – daily as far as possible.
- A means to take video or record audio and upload it (help can be given but you will need the camera – most phone cameras would be just fine)
- A dog to work with.
When does it start?
The next course will start summer 2016.
Daily exercises sound time-consuming. How much time will it take?
The weekly lesson is designed to take you 30-60 minutes to complete – including optional suggested reading. The mini-exercises vary but most can be done during your normal walks or activities. You will be asked to report back on your experience and you will want to read how other people in your group have done. So altogether you will need around 15-20 minutes each week-day for the mini-exercises.
What happens if I am away for part of the course?
If you are only away a few days it won't be a problem – many of the activities can be done even if you are away from home and without your dog. If you can't post to the forum every day then no problem – just summarise when you get back. If you are away for a substantial part of the course you may want to wait until next time.
Are there live classes? What if I am not in the UK?
The course is designed to be taken from any time zone. There are no live classes – interaction is through an online forum/discussion board so you contribute at a time to suit yourself. I am based in the UK so I will be posting within working hours in GMT but you can pick these up whenever you are ready.
I've done the one day Your End of the Lead. Is there any benefit in doing this course?
This course covers the same material as the one day course but includes a lot of additional material as well as the opportunity for you to go away and try things then come back and discuss your experience. This helps you to really develop the skills you need and find out how to apply the techniques in your particular situation.
Will this course teach me how to rehabilitate my dog?
The focus of this course is to teach you how to be a more effective handler and helper for your dog: to manage your own emotions, to know how to keep your dog safe and under threshold, to set both of you up to succeed. It will make you more aware of your dog's needs and what you need to do to meet them. It will teach you how to choose between the training approaches available, but you may still need to consider one to one training with an appropriate local trainer, who can give advice based on seeing your dog face to face, particularly if your dog's reactive behaviour is severe. No online course can substitute for one-to-one face to face support. For that reason, although we will look at principles for selecting between methods, we will not cover specific rehabilitation methods in detail.
To sum up – five reasons to do this course:
- It is the only course of its kind – most courses on reactivity issues focus on rehabilitating the dog – this one focuses on rehabilitating the owner!
- You will learn new techniques for raising your awareness, calming yourself and enabling success for yourself and your dog.
- You will practice these daily and get daily feedback and coaching support.
- You will work closely with a small group of like-minded people who all have similar experiences and learn that you are not alone.
- The course is designed, taught and coached by Janet Finlay, previously a university professor, with over 10 years experience of online teaching, who is also a TTouch companion animal practitioner (level 2), accredited dog trainer (MAPDT UK 01046) and qualified coach. You are in safe hands!
What's included on the course?
- 15 x weekly online lessons designed by an experienced teacher, TTouch practitioner, trainer and coach to help you learn and make progress
- 3 x Practice weeks with light-touch activities to allow you consolidate what you are learning, catch up on material missed, or simply take a break.
- Videos, audio, articles, exercises, challenges including much exclusive material
- A structured programme of daily mini-exercises – practice the techniques yourself and with your dog
- Individual feedback and coaching on all your work
- Group activities and support from people who have had similar experiences to you
- Your individual questions answered
- Daily exercises for more than 3 months – practice enough to develop habits
Can you show me a sample of the course?
Of course. Why not check out Lesson 8 for free here: TTouch bodywork: ear, mouth and slides. And if you'd like to see some more video clips check out the Canine Confidence Advent Calendar, which introduces just a few of the topics and includes some video clips from Your End of the Lead. Note: these topics are covered in much more detail on the course.
Can I do the course with a family member?
You are encouraged to involve family members in your training activities and, with that in mind, materials can be shared within your immediate family. However, each place on the course is for one person only, so if more than one person wants to participate on the forum or receive feedback on activities, each needs to book a place. Please do not share materials on any website or reproduce in any form.
How do I book?
The next course starts Summer 2016 and runs for 18 weeks. Bookings will open in June 2016. If you want a reminder, please make sure you are subscribed to our mailing list – you can do that here.


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As the weather gets warmer, the Model Search entries get better and better.
To enter the TransWorld SURF Model Search email your jpeg photos to [email protected] Please include name, age, hometown, and some info about yourself. Monthly winners will receive a new swimsuit from B Swim and some sweet shades courtesy of Spy as well as be in the running for the ultimate prize; Miss TransWorld SURF!


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Clŗran-dealain, etc. - DVDs & Misc.
The Fiddlerís Reel - Ruidhle an Fhidhleir DVD
A forklorist records an elderly Gaelic storyteller's tale of a young girl who falls in love but must escape from her alcoholic father and an undesirable suitor.
Winner of the National Screen Institute Drama Prize, this is an all-Gaelic short film (17 minutes), written, produced and directed by Marc Almon, who directed Faire Chaluim Mhic LeÚid, and stars Angus MacLeod (Faire Chaluim Mhic LeÚid, An Cridhe Cabaireach), AGA educator and artist. Highly recommended.
Price: $20.00C-$16.00US
Buy Now/Ceannaichibh A-nist E
Tť Bheag a' Ghruffalo DVD
ďIt's some years later and The Gruffalo now has a daughter. Curious about her father's fantastic stories of a Big Bad Mouse in the deep, dark woods, she sets out one snowy night on a thrilling journey of discovery.Ē
Price: $29.95C-$23.95US
Buy Now/Ceannaichibh A-nist E
An Gruffalo DVD
A magical film about a mouse who meets three very hungry animals while she's out looking for nuts. The little mouse has to be very quick-witted to escape from these creatures who want to eat her, and she invents a terrifying monster to frighten them off.
But what will happen when she meets the monster in real life? This is a very funny story which everyone will love!
$19.95C-$19.95US [Out of Print]
Tom Tractor DVD
Tractor Tom lives on the farm with Fee the Farmer, Mata, who helps out around the farm, and all of his wonderful friends. No matter what work needs to be done or what problems come up, Tom and his friends soon find a solution....and have lots of funny and strange adventures on the way!
There are 5 stories on this DVD.
Buy Now/Ceannaichibh A-nist E
Meusaidh DVD
Come and watch the exciting adventures of Maisy, the kitten in the kilt from Edinburgh. The series is based on the popular books written by Aileen Paterson and there are 26 hilarious episodes on this DVD.
Buy Now/Ceannaichibh A-nist E
Islands of Scotland/Iomall nan Tonn DVD
Six programs (150 minutes in total) featuring the Scottish isles of:
1. Isle of Skye and the Small Isles (Muck, Eigg, Rum, Sanday, Canna)
2. The Orkney Isles
3. Islay, Jura, Colonsay and Gigha
4. The Shetland Islands
5. Mull, Iona, Coll and Tiree
6. The Western Isles
There is an option to hear the commentary in Gaelic
as well as English. The DVD is dual-sided for Region 1 & 2 players.
Buy Now/Ceannaichibh A-nist E
Mountains of Scotland/Binnein nam Beann DVD
Six programs (150 minutes in total) of several of the significant mountains of Scotland. There is an option to hear the commentary in Gaelic
as well as English. The DVD is dual-sided for Region 1 & 2 players.
Fťis an Eilein - Fichead Bliadhna DVD
Comunn Fťis an Eilein, who put on the popular fťis in Christmas Island, Cape Breton, have released a 45 minute all-Gaelic DVD to celebrate they 20th anniversary of the fťis.
It included interviews, songs and stories from over the years. There are English and Gaelic subtitles. Running time is about 45 minutes.
Buy Now/Ceannaichibh A-nist E
Moladh Dŗ Bheinn - In Praise of Two Mountains
29 minute film about two mountains and two poets. This DVD will play in North American DVD players. DVD (NTSC and PAL).
Buy Now/Ceannaichibh A-nist E
Tžr Chaluim Chille
A map of Ireland in Irish Gaelic, Scotland in Scottish Gaelic and The Isle of Man in Manx Gaelic.
Buy Now/Ceannaichibh A-nist E