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When I first saw Sayon Bamba live in concert, I was immediately struck by her charisma and power. She has a bold voice and a stunning stage presence. I was taken not only by her mastery of different styles, from Afropop to singer/songwriter, but also to her unwavering commitment to human rights and women's causes. While I never had the opportunity to see Bamba perform as onetime frontwoman for the iconic Les Amazones de Guinée, I am thrilled that this under-known artist will be making her US debut at the Skirball next Friday night as part of Women Hold Up Half the Sky related programming.
As we planned for the concert, it made me realize just how captivated I am by strong female artistic voices. Below is a short list, in no particular order, of some of my favorites, all of whom I have been fortunate enough to meet.
Patti Smith—From the earliest days of her career, Patti Smith captured my attention. There has never been anyone quite like her. Although she honors all the "strong female influences" on her art—check out this recent BBC Radio interview in which Smith acknowledges Janis Joplin and Grace Slick—she is a true trailblazer, with a unique voice and a singular ear for the English language. Her music and poetry have led me to a greater understanding and appreciation of literature and spirituality. It's hard to pick just one, but as far as I'm concerned, her debut release, Horses, is the must-have Patti Smith album. And where did I meet her? I presented her in concert back when I was vice chair of the University of Pennsylvania concert committee. I won't soon forget hanging out with Patti in a backstage bathroom of all places.
Doris Lessing—One of my favorite writers, the 2007 Nobel Laureate in Literature started her career writing about the injustices she witnessed in her native Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and has never waivered from trying to imagine a better world. Her attachment to the inequities of Harare and the apartheid system led her to political activism, both personally and through her writing. Lessing's interest in all that is possible motivated her to create science fiction, which were really explorations of her utopian ideals. My favorite Lessing work? The Making of the Representative for Planet 8. It didn't make a recent Huffington Post "Lessing Top 5" list (compiled in honor of the fiftieth anniversary of The Golden Notebook), but I stand by my choice.
Phranc—In the midst of citywide Olympic sponsorship fever, Phranc unofficially declared herself the "Official Jewish Lesbian Folksinger of the 1984 Summer Olympics." Even if that seems like a narrow field in which to distinguish oneself, the singer, visual artist, and athlete—Phranc is a competitive swimmer and a skilled surfer—possesses a gold medal–caliber voice and a winning sense of humor, and is a torchbearer for social justice (is that too many Olympics references? Sorry…). Her cultural identity as a Jew has played a central role in her life's work. Phranc has performed at the Skirball on three occasions and remains a favorite of mine after twenty-eight years.
Marianne Faithfull—The throaty British singer of Jewish Austrian nobility (she bears the title Baroness Sacher-Masoch), Marianne Faithfull—a pop-singer-turned-drug-addict-turned-girlfriend/groupie to the rich and famous—became a poster child for how things can go wrong. Notoriously abandoned by then-boyfriend Mick Jagger (with whom she co-wrote Sister Morphine from the Stones' Sticky Fingers) during a drug raid wearing only a rug, she spent nearly a decade on the streets. After getting clean, she channeled her life into making music that reflects the fragile state of life. Now a sixtysomething grandmother, Faithfull has continually reinvented herself, not just as a pop icon, but as an actress and an interpreter of standards, most notably of songs by Kurt Weill. While her once gorgeous voice is now a wreck, one can hear every drop of pain Faithfull has survived, giving unique voice to the possibility of overcoming obstacles. A new Tate Liverpool exhibition, curated by Faithfull herself, takes an insider's look at her life and career, including her troubled past.
Rokia Traoré—With a voice that is the epitome of calm beauty, African diva Rokia Traoré has made waves on the world music scene. She has released two brilliant albums, toured around the world, and won the Roskilde Festival World Music Award for her commitment to championing the arts for underserved youth in her native Mali. Her Foundation Passarelle aims to teach artistic and technical skills to young people. We are fortunate to have been able to present Traoré as part of our summertime Sunset Concerts seasons on one of her rare US tours.
Holly Hughes—The self-proclaimed "Poet Laureate of Saginaw," Holly Hughes is a playwright and performance artist. An established artistic force before she came to prominence as one of the NEA Four, Hughes makes art that plumbs the depth of her own psyche and seeks to find a communality that transcends gender. A committed social activist and community organizer, Hughes is also one funny and very great writer. I find her writing insightful and deeply inspiring. Barely a week goes by when I don't think of the hauntingly open-ended closing lines of her piece Snatches: "We're not safe, we're just …"
Yayoi Kusuma—The Japanese visual artist was quite a force in the New York art world of the sixties and seventies. After toying with a variety of styles, Yayoi Kusuma became obsessed with dots, with which she first covered canvases and then, in an act of playfulness, the human body. After retreating from the art world, she reemerged in the 1990s as a major figure, rediscovered and re-appreciated for her vision. Her work can be seen locally—have you seen the larger-than-life flowers on Santa Monica Blvd. in Beverly Hills?—and at leading galleries around the world. A recent installation in Denmark's Louisiana Museum of Modern Art places the viewer inside Kusama's speckled world, while the current retrospective at the Tate Modern allows viewers to cover a once-white room in multicolored stickers.


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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Gloucester
Posts: 421
Gamertag: JHuxyboosh
captain skills
I'm trying to max out my captain and the last thing I need is patrol but it hasn't moved one bit after being on patrol for months. When I buy a skill it lasts for a couple days them disappears and goes back to one leaving me low on cash and none the wiser:-) any suggestions?
Harsh, but fair!
Same problem here, except I am trying to get the Trade Skill up, I set him on a trade route for months, no increase.
I find and buy the skill it goes up, but before i can find the guy again it has gone down to 2.
Stays at 2 the whole time no matter what though. Really annoying me as to why this is happening, and then to add to it, I guess no one else plays this game as there is next to no info about anything.
Managed to buy up my Boarding Skill and Sight skill without it going down.
Boosting List
Ace Combat 6-Army Of Two: 40th Day-Burnout Paradise-FEAR-Halo Wars-Kane & Lynch Dead Men- Medal Of Honor-GTA IV-Gears Of War 1 & 3-Turok-Bioshock 2- Resident Evil 5
My Fan Page on Facebook Game 4 Fame Mod's
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 30
Gamertag: Master Pantz
there is a glitch for sure.
my suggestion is to make sure to max out the movement one first as that would be the most annoying one to de-level on.
for patrol if one of your skills is glitched stop using it as there doesn't seem to be a way to grind it anymore. if you don't use it you wont lose it. you just have to pay for the upgrades.
once i got all to lvl 5 the glitch was gone and i could patrol and board ships without losing any skills.
Oh glitched for sure, I figured i would set up this captain on a small profit every round route, and while doing that i would use another captain to go to the cities listed to have the right teacher to buy up the Boarding and Sightseeing skills which were the only two the new captain needed. Well while doing that I happened to check on that first captain and the Trading skill was at 207..... and every round it went down, yea i was like wtf.. So I continued with the new captain and ended up finding and buying the two skills i needed up to 5, saving after every purchase. The list of cities that helped me is here.... Instructor Locations but to add to it, a few times I was in Charleston the teacher showed up for the Repairs as well...
And for anyone else who wants it, here is a treasure map that will help you find those treasure chests as soon as you hit 5/9 pieces instead of paying or getting up to 9/9 which is almost 2 treasures... Treasure Map
Boosting List
Ace Combat 6-Army Of Two: 40th Day-Burnout Paradise-FEAR-Halo Wars-Kane & Lynch Dead Men- Medal Of Honor-GTA IV-Gears Of War 1 & 3-Turok-Bioshock 2- Resident Evil 5
My Fan Page on Facebook Game 4 Fame Mod's
Last edited by EnemyBritBomber; 01-02-2013 at 04:37 AM.
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Gloucester
Posts: 421
Gamertag: JHuxyboosh
Luckly i had two captains with 5 on everything and 0 on one. I had to buy 5 skills for boarding in the end, was a ball ache but got the cheevo.
Side note anyone buy dlc yet?
Harsh, but fair!
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Toledo, OH
Posts: 1,644
Gamertag: Eggnogga
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 76
Gamertag: sonictails
Does anybody know for the captain skill of patrol does the ship have to actually fight other ships to advance the skill or just patrol a random area? It seems like ages that my guy has patrolled without any increase.
After hours of patrolling none of my captains are increasing their patrol skill in empty seas, do I need to start new game to get it to work?
Last edited by sonictails; 01-23-2013 at 01:03 AM.
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 19
Gamertag: Larvi
I read on a different forum that it's 2 years of gametime of being on patrol to increase it 1 point. I did manage to increase my patrol by a couple of steps on one of my captains but for the life of me I can't increase his boarding skill. Does anyone have tips on that short of buying the skills? I've gotten the achievement for using weapons in boarding but still haven't gotten it past 1pt. And it seems everytime I buy an upgrade I eventually lose it over time so it's just a waste of money.
I did see where there was an update to the game today, I wonder if they fixed this bug? More than likely its related to the DLC moreso than any bug fixes
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 76
Gamertag: sonictails
I got the 4000 weapons used cheevo and still only had boarding up to a 3 so it must be the same sort of timescale as for the patrol. Buying the skills for me is a waste as it just drops off really quickly. Lets hope the patch has fixed the issue!
Edit : The patch has fixed the patrol issue and my captain now has a five star skill. Does anyone know with the repair skill, does it increase with the amount of repairs, the cost or the time to repair as this one now seems to not be increasing for me?
Last edited by sonictails; 02-01-2013 at 03:09 AM.
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 19
Gamertag: Larvi
I finally managed to get this last night, I basically maxed boarding 1st using the trainers then leveled up the others. Here's the method I used for those interested:
1.) Create a new convoy with a new captain, check the captains skills for at least 2 in boarding to start. If you don't get it, disband the convoy, i.e. move the ship back to the harbor then create the convoy again. Rinse and repeat until you get 2 or 3 in boarding to start.
2.) Find a boarding trainer, this appears to be random, the instructor locations linked above wasn't the same for my game. Once you find the trainer, train your captain park his convoy in that town and save your game
3.) Go fast time checking the tavern every couple of days until the trainer appears again. Continue doing this until you get a 5 in boarding.
I have no idea what determines the training cost but often it seemed to be a few hundred K more than I had, i.e I had 2.8m and training was 3.1m which was frustrating because by the time I got to 3.1m the trainer would be gone and when he came back again he would want more. What I eventually did was buy a couple of liners or other expensive ships and leave them in the harbor not in a convoy in a city where I had a warehouse. Then when the trainer popped up and wanted more cash than I had on hand I could quickly go to that city and sell the ships to raise the cash.
4.) After getting boarding to 5 I then went around attacking all of the pirate hideouts killing their ships but not destroying the hideout. I did this until my combat experience got to 5, this raised pretty quickly.
5.) Next I created a trade route and activated it and went to fast time until the trade, navigation and repair skill were maxed to 5. This took at least an hour. What I did was rubber band the left bumper then did something else, checking and save every 15min or so.
6.) Last but not least was the patrol skill, similar to the above I put the convoy on patrol and rubber banded the bumper, checking every so often. I did find however that there seemed to be no safe spot as I was getting running into pirates even in the top right corner of the map.
If you have the focus on that convoy, the game will pause when you get attacked waiting for your input to fight manually or automatically. This isn't good if you are doing this unattended so alternatively you can set the focus on another convoy and the battles will get fought automatically. The risk with this is that you may lose the battle and your captain. So if you do this, check often and make sure you don't save until you confirm that your convoy and captain is still intact. I lost mine once doing this, but luckily the 2nd autosave still had him alive so I went back to that. I'm thinking if you don't have any escorts defined for the convoy the pirates just plunder your convoy but don't sink you so that may be the better way to go for grinding this out. But I didn't actually confirm this.
It took me about 1-2 hours to raise my patrol skill to 5 doing this
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 19
Gamertag: Larvi
For the repair skill it seems to be repairs at sea and not in port. So just put that captain on a trade route and it will increase over time automatically.
I finally got this achievement, what I did was start with a captain with a 2 in boarding, then used trainers to get that to 5. Once that was at 5 I fought pirate ships until his combat skill got to 5. Then put him on a trade route until the navigation, trade and repair skills got to 5. Finally put him on patrol until the patrol got to 5.
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 76
Gamertag: sonictails
Cheers for the help, you were right. Gave him a trade route and followed him around a bit. After a couple of hours he jumped from a 2 to 5 with no inbetween which was an amazing surprise. No idea why but meh!
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Terra Nova's football team didn't embarrass itself last weekend.
The Central Coast Section playoff system did.
Terra Nova, champions of the Peninsula Athletic League Bay Division, was expected to defend its Section III championship. Instead, it found itself in the Open Division playing a much more powerful Bellarmine team.
Using a playoff system that allows teams to choose to play in the elite Open Division or their own enrollment-base division, several teams that normally opt to play up in the Open Division, chose to stay in their respective lower division. Obviously, they did so to have a better chance to win a Section title and possibly advance to a California State bowl championship game. A point system is used to determine Open Division participants.
Terra Nova was one of the teams that had high earned total points based on various categories, i.e., wins, ties, playing against stronger opponents, league champion. This year five teams opted up to the Open Division. To fill out an eight-team bracket that meant three other teams had to sacrifice their dreams of playing in a division they possibly had a chance of winning.
The three teams -Terra Nova, Leland and San Benito — inserted into the Open Division all lost their first round games last weekend. Of those three teams, Terra Nova faced the best, Bellarmine.
Bellarmine won the West Athletic League championship this year. Ranked No. 2 in Northern California behind De La Salle, it was ranked among the Top 50 prep schools in the nation. In the 50-year history of Terra Nova, this Bellarmine team has to be the best team the Tigers have ever faced.
Terra Nova was simply over matched in playing Bellarmine. The two teams should not have been on the same field. Bellarmine, champion of the WCAL, is also attempting to defend its title. That team last Friday night was much more physical and stronger than Terra Nova.
Amidst the complaints of the system, who is really to blame for what might be flaws in the system? Apparently, it's the coaches.
"Arrangement of teams in divisions is voted on by coaches at the annual meeting in December and approved by Board of Managers (high school principals of competing teams)," said Steve Filios, Assistant Commissioner, Central Coast Section. "An evaluation committee puts together a plan to send to principals on the system to be used."
"If coaches want to make any changes to the system now in place, they can," added Filios.
"In terms of the Central Coast Section system that is true," responds Terra Nova Coach Bill Gray. "However, this is really a public school vs. private school issue. Public schools and private schools should not play each other in post season, but it's not a sectional issue, it's a State issue. Maybe we should think outside the box and make a public school Open Division and a private school Open Division."
The flood gates should open up for change during the off season.
I believe that a school should have the opportunity to defend its sectional championship. Terra Nova didn't have that chance.
Having a WCAL team in a Division brings more revenue, both to the CCS and the host school. For playoffs game, the CCS receives gate revenue while the host school racks up funds from the snack bar. WCAL schools attract a large following of families. If Terra Nova had hosted a game last week, its cash till would have registered around $5,000.
Gray had plenty of praise for his players, saying, "If you look back on the body of work, they had a great season that ended in an unfortunate fashion."
"It remains to be seen if we can compete at this level," Gray added. "As it stands right now, it's very clear that we can not. Maybe the whole system has to change. This is an injustice for our football program."
"There's a lot of people, mostly public school people, that see a competitive gap, the resource gap, i.e. equipment, facility, staffing, and that the private schools have no boundaries," says Gray. "The private schools say that they attract athletes; the public schools will say they recruit athletes and both statements are absolutely true. So what ends up happening is that the playing field is not level. There is no equality between private school and public school athletics, and we're not talking just about football. So the private school wants to go to a state championship bowl game. Well, so do we!"
According to Gray, when the Open Division started in 2004, the reason it was created was to eliminate mismatches and to create equitable competitive balance.
"Coaches in the CCS devised the Open Division championships with the idea that it would be the elite strongest programs in the Sections," adds Gray, who is completing his 40th year of coaching football in Pacifica. "Of course, that implies that the majority of those schools are private schools because of the inequality of the competitive balance, and it worked just fine, at that time. But, now that you have the influence of the state bowl championship games and you have to be a sectional champion to do it. Well, in the Open Division there can only be one champion so schools eliminate each other along the way, so now the private schools are choosing to stay in their division of enrollment. What that does is to provide them an opportunity to go to a state bowl game but once again creates these competitive imbalances. Another thing it creates is when these elite schools -Serra, Palma - choose not to opt up; well then another school is forced to opt up. This year it was San Benito and Terra Nova."
This year in the CCS first round, with the exception of Carmel defeating Menlo, all public school contenders lost to their private school opponent. If Carmel keeps winning it will most likely end up playing Palma for the title. Palma is a boy's catholic school in Salinas.
"I understand the motivation of Serra and Palma, but a very few people understand, or are unaware, what it does to a public school that gets forced up," states Gray. "We had to play Bellarmine who is odds on favorite to be in the state bowl game championship. We didn't belong there. Sure, we put on the smiley face, embraced it and prepare for it but the end result was as you saw it. We could play them 10 times and the result would be the same. It's not equitable. Who wants to go see a game like that?
"It's too bad we're talking about the imbalance of the playoff system. If the public school vs. private school component was not part of the structure, we'd be talking about how great our football season was this year. We need to make changes. What happen to us in playing Bellarmine should not have happened," said Gray. "We should be talking about the success of our Terra Nova program, that we went 8-2 this year, that we won our division, and that we beat Half Moon Bay in the Skull Game. We were not given an opportunity to defend our section championship."
"Serra was within their rights to make the decision that they did," continued Gray. "The CCS rules allow it. Those rules need to be looked at because CCS rules did not take into context the motivation of going to a state championship bowl game when it was created. The affect that decision had on Terra Nova was devastating."
"Now, nobody thinks about that except the people who are in our place," he adds. "If you take a look at Carmel, it is 10-0 and their next game is against Palma. They don't stand a chance against Palma. Why did Palma not opt up? Because Palma wants to go to a state bowl championship as a sectional champion! Looking at our own situation, our athletes, our school, and our community would love to have had the chance to defend our sectional championship title."
"We're as good as we can be. We worked real hard; out kids worked hard to be good; they deserve a level competitive playing field," said Gray. "If we become engaged in that leveled field, and we win, that's great; if we engage in that leveled playing field and we get beat, great! But being thrown into a competitive environment where we don't stand a chance is not equitable."
"Private schools and public schools should be separated from each other in terms of post season play. If we want to voluntarily play them in a league game fine, but why should we be forced to play them in post season; it makes no sense, and the division between public schools and private schools is ever growing," exclaimed Gray. "Look at our experience with Bellarmine; they're a great team, their players and coaches and community does a great job. We can't compete against that. We're hitting our heads against the wall."
"On the other hand, Serra had a choice. We had no choice. So we went and did the best we could," said Gray, still smarting from the CCS rule. "Now, we're suffering the blunt of it with a team that could have competed quite well in Division III or IV, whatever, division we would have fallen into, and certainly deserved that opportunity. Because of an arbitrarily decision by an elite private school, we lost a great opportunity, and we loss financially."
I'm not sure if I disagree with that school's decision or the system that allowed them to make that decision. And, I'm part of the committee that makes these decisions," Gray added. "I think ours, the San Benito situation, and eventually the Palma-Carmel game is going to make a lot of people really think about this."
Changes in the process could come as early as this week when the Peninsula Athletic League coaches meet.
"There are major CCS format changes coming. Those will be discussed," remarked Gray. "I'm going to start the ball rolling to have separate private and pubic school playoffs within the sections and have it referred to the State. Things like this takes a long time to happen. There's many ways for the process to become bogged down or to stop."
If there's ever a time to make changes to the CCS playoff system, it's now. Let's see what plays out for next year.


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Definition of chondrule in English:
A spheroidal mineral grain present in large numbers in some stony meteorites.
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- Most are stony, and of these the majority consist of chondrules, which are globules of silicate minerals, embedded in a finer-grained matrix.
- Henry Clifton Sorby, a nineteenth-century meteorite enthusiast, described chondrules as 'droplets of fiery rain.'
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Bedroom Chairs The Different Types
Bedroom chairs are a great piece of furniture for dressing up a bedroom, giving you a space to sit to put on make-up or for friends who come around and visit, or even a place for where you can throw your clothes at the end of the day so they dont automatically end up on the floor.
There are many different types of bedroom chairs to choose from, here is a guide to what is available:
Stools stools are great for fitting underneath dressing tables, or if you do not have a great deal of space but are wanting an extra seat available in your bedroom as they dont take up much space.
Bean Bag Chairs bean bags are great pieces of bedroom furniture for adding an extra seat to the bedroom and keeping the style and mood easy and friendly. They are easy to maneuver to wherever you want as they are so light and you can pile a few together to make one big seating area for a few different people.
Wooden Chairs certain types of wooden chairs can be either quite simple and be of a boxey shape or they can have an intricate design and be rather extravagant. These chairs are great in that they can have stunning designs and it act as an art piece for your bedroom. These types of chairs tend to be a little more pricey due to the detail in the design but will last for a long time can be passed on down the family.
Bench benches are a great way of having a bedroom chair but with a different touch. Wooden benches add a touch of nature to your bedroom; they are available in different colours and in different sizes.
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ASICS Gel Nimbus 17 Review - RunnersChoice.net
ASICS GEL Nimbus Running Shoe Review
- Stability - 9.6/109.6/10
- Comfort - 9.7/109.7/10
- Design - 9.2/109.2/10
- Cushioning - 9.6/109.6/10
We Like
- They are really attractive, which means that you will want to wear them when you are running.
- They give you comfort like no other running shoes have ever done, give them a try and you will see for yourself.
- These shoes have actually had the seal of approval from professional runners which shows this is a product worth trusting.
We Don't Like
- Some people have said that these shoes are narrow so if you have wider feet.
- You might want to try these on first to ensure that they are a good fit.
- If they are too snug, it's worth sizing up or at a last resort, choosing a different pair of running shoes.
Bottom Line
- The Gel Nimbus is the best neutral shoe on the market. It provided the most cushioning and comfort for my neutral stride and high arches.
- Most comfortable pair of shoes and worth the money, though.
- When exercising, whether running or otherwise, the shoes that you wear are the most important thing both in performing well and being comfortable and happy.
- The ASICS GEL-Nimbus are the best running shoes, they give everything that you need.
Product Description
Choosing the right kind of running or exercise shoes can often seems like hard work, how can you know the difference between all the fancy pairs?
The main thing when looking for the best pair of running shoes is to get ones that offer stability and also comfort to your feet. Running is a mission on its own, so the last thing you want is shoes that are uncomfortable or flimsy.
The ASICS GEL Nimbus running shoes give you everything that you need, whether out and about or working out at home.
They have a solid rubber sole that offer nothing but the best in terms of support, they come in a range of colors too and all of them look great so you are guaranteed to run in style always.
The shoes are designed with a synthetic fabric that is both attractive and comfortable for you while wearing them. The style of the shoe means that they are nice to look at and you can choose from three different colors. If you love everything girly then neon pink might be your idea of heaven or you could try the stylish black for a more subtle look. The memory foam GEL cushion on the heel and also the collar means that they will give you great comfort and allow you to exercise hard whether at the gym, outside or even at home.
The rubber soles of them mean that you can wear them for years and don't have to worry about them giving out from under you. These kinds of shoes are usually comfortable anyway but these particular ones are so snug that you won't want to take them off, even after a particularly hard workout.
Due to the fact that the shoes have been designed to be as durable as possible, it means that they will fully support you which will reduce the risk of any injury and will also make you run faster. You are much less likely to suffer from injury in these shoes which means that you can start up a workout regime that will not be interrupted; this is guaranteed to improve your overall performance.
There is an impact guidance system built into the shows which mean that your foot's natural gait is enhanced and improved - helping you take stronger and smoother strides. From reading reviews of the ASICS Women's GEL-Nimbus running shoes, it's easy to see that 95% of the customers have had amazing results with this product.
ASICS Running Shoes Technology
ASICS uses advanced technologies to manufacture timeless running shoes. Its technologies improve with each new model and making its products some of the best of all time. A few notable technologies in its arsenal are:
Impact Guidance Technology
Many novice and professional runners grapple with over pronation. To prevent the foot from rolling side-to-side, which often injures runners, ASICS has fitted a responsive Impact Guidance System in many of its running shoes. It monitors heel and toe movements when running, and realigns their transition if necessary, to stride naturally. Coupled with the Dynamic DuoMax support system in many models, this system also absorbs shock and improves the flexibility running shoes significantly.
Space Trusstic Technology
A stable running shoe prevents side-to-side flexing and career-ending injuries. This is a major reason why the innovative Space Trusstic technology ASICS uses when manufacturing midsoles are among the best worldwide. This system is very light. It is also comfortable and supports the arch well. This minimizes pronation and thus the risk of foot injuries.
Biomorphic Fit Upper
The Biomorphic Fit technology ASICS uses to manufacture the upper of its running shoes is innovative and effective. For instance, it makes the upper light and flexible. It also increases the depth and width of the toe box and cushions imperfections such toe bunions well, when exercising.
Product Features
1. A midsole and heel cushion to ensure your optimum comfort when wearing these shoes.
2. Personalized fit just for you with a memory foam heel that molds to your fit, giving the best support when exercising.
3. An impact guidance system which has been designed to enhance the natural gait of your feet while running.
4. A thick rubber sole which makes the product really durable.
Why Buy ASICS Running Shoes?
To date, many brands of running shoes are in the market. Although most are well-built and loved by both professional and novice runners, the Anima Sana in Corpore Sano (ASICS) brand of neutral and stability running shoes is considered the best in the market for many reasons:
Since its inception, ASICS has grown to become one of the leading manufacturers of exceptional sportswear, using stringent production and quality assurance standards. With every ASICS pair of running shoes that you buy online or offline, therefore, you get value for your money.
Millions also love ASICS line of running shoes over other brands for their high level of comfort. Both neutral and stability models have cushioned interiors. They also have memory foam and or Gel padded midsoles for support and a breathable outer mesh fabric that is non-irritant and wicks out sweat and heat well. Many brands by ASICS competitors do not meet this threshold.
ASICS shoes are durable and thus, suitable for everyday use. The company uses top-of-the-line materials that do not tear or degrade easily and advanced technologies to manufacture its line of running shoes. An original pair will not only serve you well for long but also save you money that you would have otherwise spent on replacement shoes.
ASICS has developed and breakthrough technologies such as the Dual-Density Dynamic DuoMax support system that minimizes pronation; Space Trusstic system for support and Biomorphic Fit Uppers for maximum comfort, and used them to create functional and timeless shoes.
The advanced design, comfort, and ability to lower the risk of metatarsal and serious foot injuries when exercising, has won many ASICS running shoes the seal of acceptance from the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA). Professional runners and world-renowned podiatrists have endorsed revolutionary brands such as the GT-2000 and ASICS GEL Nimbus.
How to Choose ASICS Running Shoes (Model - Size - Support)
1. ASICS running shoes are among the best in the market. However, not all models are suitable for all runners. To choose a model that is right for you, the first thing that you should do is to determine your foot type. Do the wet feet test on a clean piece of paper or a flat surface and check whether you are a neutral pronator, an over pronator, or an under pronator (supinator). Once done, choose an ASICS running shoe model that hugs your feet comfortably. If you are an over or under pronator, buy a model that ASICS has engineered to correct your problem. Finally, factor your personal style and terrain you exercise on, when buying shoes.
2. Judging by the positive customer reviews online, most ASICS running shoes are true-to-size. Once you have determined the length and width of your feet and added a few of inches to accommodate growth, order the correct size of shoes. Do not order a shoe size larger or smaller than your true size, as is the norm when buying other brands of running shoes.
3. Finally, when buying shoes, the level of support you should go for depends on your type of feet, the foot problems you have, and the degree of protection you want when running. If you have flat feet, for instance, or are an over pronator, buy the most stable design available. If you are a natural pronator, you can buy any of ASICS's high performance models.
How Different Feet go with ASICS (Normal Feet - Flat Feet - Arch Feet)
Since its inception, ASICS has produced many models of running shoes engineered for normal, flat, and arched feet. If you have flat feet, for instance, models with a broader front foot such as the ASICS Gel Nimbus will work well for you. For those with arched feet, well-padded models such as the GT-2000 have Gel inserts, a Space Trusstic system, and an Impact Guidance system that support the arch well. They also absorb shock and lower the risk of aggravating injuries.


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Police: Mass. Student Filmed Roommate's Intimate Encounter
by | March 21, 2012 at 12:41 PM | General
Less than a week after Rutgers University student Dharun Ravi was found guilty of multiple charges stemming from his filming of a roommate's intimate encounter, it appears another student might face a similar fate.
Jaryd Rudolph, a student and football player at Boston College, was arraigned Wednesday on "one count of unlawful secret recording" after he was accused of taping a couple intimately engaged, WCVB TV reports.
A junior, Rudolph was released from custody but told to steer clear of electronic media, WCVB TV reports.
An attorney representing the female victim said Rudolph was suspended from the team. She reportedly learned of the cellphone video after another member of the football team showed her the footage.


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The FireBreather is no ordinary Camaro. In fact, some might call it a Firebird.
All we know is for the right price, you can call this beast yours.
Designer Ajmal Zaheer Ahmad is also the writer and director of Jinn, a film featuring the car and scheduled to be released next year. Ahmad worked with Classic Design Concepts, a firm notable for a range of accessories crafted for the Ford Mustang, to create a limited-edition run of cars. According to CDC, 50 Signature Series cars are scheduled to be built.
"When we unveiled the FireBreather concept at the Detroit AutoRama earlier this year, enthusiasts clamored for a street version of the movie car," said George Huisman, president of Classic Design Concepts. "[FireBreather is] the first movie car to be conceived and designed with the intent of bringing the experience home to the car enthusiast."
Signature Series cars differ from ordinary Camaros converted to become FireBreathers in that the Signature models get special access to movie events and autographed memorabilia. A Camaro-based FireBreather starts at about $60,000 including a base Camaro.
The completely redone body includes new front and rear fascias, hood, grill and graphics. This isn't just a visual package: an Eibach Pro-Plus Performance Handling Package plus new wheels and Pirelli tires are included, too.
Jinn, called a supernatural thriller, will be shot exclusively in Michigan. Given the FireBreather's head-turning styling, we think it's safe to say the car might be a success regardless of the film's performance.
See more photos at the car's dedicated Web site.
Would you spend money on a FireBreather over a basic Camaro? We're still on the fence, but we do know of a few Firebird loyalists who are already foaming at the mouth…
Source: Classic Design Concepts


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Rachel Payson and Adam Luthy announce their engagement and upcoming marriage.
The bride-to-be is the daughter of David and Lynn Payson of Brook Park, Ohio. She is the granddaughter of Gladys and Bob Ray and Elizabeth Saintz.
She is a 2006 graduate of Midpark High School and a 2010 graduate of Capital University. She is a fourth grade Title 1 teacher at Beachwood City Schools.
The prospective bridegroom is the son of Richard and Cathy Luthy of Beverly. He is the grandson of Catherine and the late Robert Paugh and the late Fred and the late Ila Luthy.
He is a 2006 graduate of Fort Frye High School and a 2010 graduate of Capital University and is an Intelligence Analyst in the U.S. Army in Fort Bliss, Texas.
A June 30, 2012 wedding is being planned to be held at Grand Pacific Chapel in Olmsted Falls, Ohio.


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"I think it's really cool... it says something about taking the time to really care about the ingredients and put together something. And the fact that a burger wone best recipe, so it is something special, it's pretty cool because you don't need the mustard, ketchup or anything else on top of it."
Kurt Kwiatkowski, M.S. - Corporate Chef Culinary Services MSU
A signature item on MSU's "Eat at State" food truck menu now has some pretty impressive honors to back it up.
The Smoked Cheddar Cheeseburger was given the gold award by the "National Association of College and University Food Services" in the Best Local Foods Recipe category because of its locally-grown ingredients.
The beef is raised on campus, the cheese comes from the dairy store, and the field greens, red onion and roma tomatoes are from MSU's student organic farm. The bun comes from Breadsmith, a bakery in Okemos.
The chef is thrilled with the award.
"It was something I wanted to create; a signature item, something our guests would really enjoy, something people could have more than once or twice or three times. The idea of locals trying to utilize some of the great products we have here at MSU and in our community is what really fueled the drive toward figuring out this burger."
The "Eat at State" food truck has been up and running for about ten months now. The chef tells us the burger is its number one seller.
Our photographer, Dave Jones, would agree. He did a taste test for us and said it was delicious.


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Belgium's Remembrance Marathon Begins
One hundred years ago, World War One began. While the conflict shaped much of the modern world, Belgium still bears many of the scars – meaning that the next four years will be a time of remembrance for the country of 11 million.
The process starts this weekend. On Sunday, French president François Hollande and his German counterpart Joachim Gauck will visit the Hartmannsweilerkopf-Vieil Armand memorial in France, making speeches before they go to the cross on the summit there. They'll then travel to Liège for Monday's events.
Monday marks the 100th anniversary of the invasion of Belgium, which violated Belgian neutrality, bringing the U.K. into the war under the Treaty of London. Belgium's King Philippe and Queen Mathilde are hosting a glittering array of foreign dignitaries: King Felipe VI of Spain is coming, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (colloquially known as Prince William and Kate Middleton)*.
Presidents from Austria, Ireland, and the European Commission are coming as well. U.S. President Barack Obama is sending a delegation led by John M. McHugh, Secretary of the Army, and General Philip M. Breedlove, NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe, will be there as well.
On the day, which will be broadcast on on TV, there will be speeches, symbolic cannon firings, performances of military marches and the Belgian and European anthems, and a fly-past by both Belgian and French aerial display teams. The full program is here, and the city of Liège is hosting lots of events for the general public this weekend.
Given the complicated structure of the Belgian state, the organisation of events is taking place on several levels. Monday is just the beginning: other federal events include commemorations in Ypres and Nieuwpoort on 28 October 2014 of the 100th anniversary of the First Battle of Ypres, and a commemoration in Brussels on 11 November 2018 for the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice.
After the morning's events in Liège, Mr. Gauck will head to Leuven, the university city burnt down by invading German forces. He'll visit the library and honour the memory of the civilian victims, in this month which, "one hundred years ago, saw Europe descend into fire and blood."
Later, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will go to Mons – the hometown of Belgian Prime Minister Elio di Rupo, who'll also be speaking in the morning — for a U.K.-led First World War commemoration event. Prince Harry will be there as well, and they'll salute the people of Mons from the Hôtel de Ville balcony "in remembrance of the British Forces fighting there during #WW1 and to thank all involved in this commemoration," according the British embassy.
We'll be providing full coverage on the day itself.
*Their Royal Highnesses attendance is a parting coup for outgoing British Ambassador to Belgium Jonathan Brenton, sponsored-party host extraordinaire and star of Belgian TV.


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Skyrocketing flood insurance premiums have scuttled a few local real estate deals and have some property owners facing rate increases of several hundred percent as a 2012 federal law takes effect.
"We've had two deals fall apart because of it in just the last month or so," said Jessi Jones, broker with Century 21 Full Service Realty in Marietta.
Jones said one buyer was looking at a home in Marietta and expected to pay $400 to $500 for the flood insurance required by the bank financing the mortgage. But the actual annual cost for the premium turned out to be $1,900.
Article Photos
EVAN BEVINS The Marietta Times
Mitcham Group Apartments owner Wendy Myers walks by a Scammel Street property her company owns Thursday. The flood insurance premium for the building is going from $640 a year to $6,000 because of changes to the National Flood Insurance Program.
"So that killed that situation," Jones said.
Another sale in Marietta stopped cold for Realtor Traci Strahler Chichester, with Advantage Real Estate, when the buyer found out the flood insurance would be $3,400 a year, compared to the $500 paid by the previous owner.
"It fell through because the person didn't want to pay the flood insurance, which you can't blame them because the house never flooded," she said.
Fact Box
Flood insurance changes
The Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 renewed the National Flood Insurance Program for five years and included changes designed to strengthen the financial stability of the NFIP and ensure that flood insurance rates more accurately reflect the real risk of flooding.
Five percent of policyholders - those with subsidized policies for non-primary residences, businesses and severe repetitive loss properties - will see 25 percent annual increases starting immediately until they reflect the true flood risk.
Subsidies will be retained on primary residences if the policy was in place prior to 2012.
Subsidies will no longer be offered for policies covering newly purchased properties, lapsed policies or new policies covering properties for the first time.
More than 80 percent of policyholders do not pay subsidized rates and will not see the large premium increases, but most will see a new charge on their premiums to cover the Reserve Fund assessment.
Source: www.fema.gov
Property values will drop as the higher insurance rates are taken into account and potential buyers for properties in the flood zone will be limited, said Dave Chichester, Traci's husband and fellow Realtor.
"There are only two people that can buy it - people who just absolutely want that property and cash buyers," he said.
The Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 both renewed the National Flood Insurance Program for five years and took steps to make it more fiscally stable by phasing out subsidies so that premiums reflect the actual risk of flooding. People who have had flood insurance on a primary residence since prior to 2012 will keep the subsidy, but non-primary residences, businesses and sites classified as severe repetitive loss properties are to see increases of 25 percent a year until they reach the actual risk.
"It's a lot of money," said John Walsh, senior vice president for corporate development for Promanco and Alliance Industries, which own a lot of property in downtown Marietta, right in the city's sizable flood zone. "It's money we're going to have to spend that we could have used somewhere else."
And if someone's buying a new policy, renewing a lapsed one or has a policy enacted in 2012 or later, there's nothing gradual about the increase.
Mitcham Group Apartments owner Wendy Myers saw the annual premium increase by 900 percent - from $300 to $3,000 - on a single-family home her company owns on Wooster Street and by about 838 percent - $640 to $6,000 - on the former Archer Auto site on Scammel Street.
"Once I get my other ones, I'm going to be looking at a $20,000 increase," said Myers, whose company has holdings in Marietta, Belpre and Canton. "Obviously, we can't put those kind of rents on our tenants."
Instead, Myers will use money she planned to spend on painting, repairing floors and porches and other work to pay the increased premiums.
"I don't want to reduce staff, but it keeps me from hiring other people" for those projects, she said.
Myers said flood insurance is required on some of her properties because they have been used as collateral or are still being paid off through a bank. Having the insurance does not necessarily provide a practical benefit, she said, noting most repairs wouldn't even approach her $10,000 deductible thanks to steps taken like raising heating and cooling systems up so water would not reach them.
When the National Flood Insurance Program was enacted in 1968, existing homes and businesses were not required to rebuild to the new standards and many of them got subsidized rates that didn't reflect the true flood risk, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency website, www.fema.gov. But the costs of flooding have continued to increase, and changes were needed to keep the program sustainable.
Myers said she believes her increased premiums are going to pay for catastrophic damages experienced in other parts of the country, such as areas devastated by hurricanes.
"I think it's really highway robbery," she said.
There is a provision in the law that establishes a Reserve Fund, which causes an initial 5 percent increase in all premiums. However, a FEMA spokesman said the rest of the increases strictly reflect the flood risk of the specific properties.
Dave Chichester questions how accurate that risk is, citing property the couple bought on Buell Island recently. The previous insurance rate for a double-wide trailer there was $800, but the Chichesters dropped the policy after learning it would jump to $3,200 - despite the fact that that property and another were unaffected by one of the biggest floods in recent memory.
"In 2004, neither one of those properties flooded," Dave Chichester said.
The new rate provision took effect Oct. 1, but property owners may not become aware of it until their rates are due for renewal. As they've learned more, constituents have turned to their Congressional representatives, seeking relief.
"I've heard from countless people throughout Eastern and Southeastern Ohio in regards to the rate shock they've experienced when it comes time to renew their flood insurance," Congressman Bill Johnson, R-Ohio and a Marietta resident, said in a statement Thursday. "Some homeowners have seen their flood insurance premiums increase by as much as 1,000 percent. This is simply unacceptable."
Johnson said action has already been taken in the House.
"Earlier this year, I voted for an amendment that shields certain flood insurance policyholders from excessive rate increases triggered by FEMA flood insurance rate map changes - an amendment that passed with bipartisan support," he said. "However, the Senate has yet to act."
Johnson said it's important to keep the program strong, but it shouldn't happen by "punishing homeowners."
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, echoed those sentiments in a statement issued Thursday.
"While last year's flood insurance reforms strengthened the National Flood Insurance Program to protect tax dollars, we must do more to ensure that Ohio homeowners are not hit with sudden increases in premiums," he said.
The Associated Press reports a proposal introduced this month would apply increases only to homes that have been repeatedly flooded in recent years and "second homes." Those hikes would be phased in 25 percent annually over a four-year period.
Last month, Mississippi sued the federal government to block the rate hikes, citing figures showing 41 percent of homeowners in mandatory flood insurance areas are considered of low to moderate income, according to the AP.


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Shell-owned ventures account for around half of New Zealand's total natural gas production and a significant proportion of the country's condensate (light oil) production. Shell's operating ventures produce around 80% of New Zealand's total natural gas production on behalf of Shell and our field partners. Our licence to operate is built upon strong relationships within the community and a long history of safe operations in New Zealand.
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How To Build Quality Links To Your Blog
[caption id="attachment_9312" align="aligncenter" width="550"] How To Build Quality Links[/caption]
Although there are many ways to build links to grow your online profile in terms of SEO, many small business websites miss these opportunities. Usually, this is because they think link building is something that SEO agencies do, and they can't do it themselves.
Some reluctance is understandable, particularly if a small business owner and novice webmaster knows a little about SEO, and knows that a poor quality link could hurt them, but doesn't know how to differentiate between good and bad.
However, there are a number of backlink basics anyone can put into practice to help your website SEO. Here, we look at great ways to achieve backlinks to your blog.
Be a Guest Post Superstar
There are thousands of sites in every industry that offer guest posting opportunities. The trick from your perspective is to not just jump in and guest post on every available site. Check out each website first; do you want your name and your business associated with it? Would you be happy having your name featured there if you weren't being rewarded with a link?
Another way to guarantee you only guest post on the best sites is to wait for high quality blogs to approach you. You're the one who can make this happen, by commenting on influential blogs and adding something to the conversation.
This will actually have dual SEO benefits; you get the backlink from your comment, as well as the opportunity to demonstrate your expertise later.
Think Link Bait
The easiest way to get a diverse range of natural backlinks is to focus on your own quality content. What do you audience look for when they visit your blog? What could industry experts take out of it? What piece of value are you giving that is so good people will link to it on their own site?
You don't need to think link bait every minute of writing a blog post; if you did that, you'll quickly find yourself writing incoherent babble.
However, you should plan and structure your writing in such a way that you are naturally writing some great stuff that people will want to share with their own audience.
Use Internal Links
Instead of having the usual, run of the mill list of 'related posts' at the end of your blog, link to those related posts in the content you've just written. Simple links will encourage your readers to check out more of your work, stay on your site for longer, and become more attached to your brand.
Keep your links relevant, and use around 3 or 4 in your text; you don't want each blog to simply be a sales pitch for another one!
Link to Others and Tell Them
Don't be afraid to link to authority sites in your blog. We understand you're thinking 'keep them on my site,' but by showing people other authority sites you're actually strengthening your position by demonstrating your knowledge and expertise.
When you do link to other sites, make sure they know about it. When you post to Twitter or your other social accounts, mention who you've linked to, or approach them directly and say, "Hi, I mentioned you in my recent blog post, please check it out." It won't make much difference to you today, but the chances of them linking to you in the future will have greatly improved.
Remember that one quality link is better than 10 poor ones; follow these steps and you'll ensure you build the strongest link portfolio possible.
Featured images:
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Allen Greene is an SEO expert who works with a range of clients to improve their SEO campaigns. Allen is currently looking to connect with fellow experts through the enthuse.me network in order to share ideas related to link building and other areas of SEO.


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"Grassroots advocacy" may take several different forms. There are many choices for you to Take Action!
- Self advocacy - Speak up for an issue affecting yourself or your family
- Case advocacy – Help someone deal with a complicated government related issue
- Public education – Teach the community about a cause
- Administrative advocacy - Respond to a government agency's proposed changes
- Legislative agency - Partner with an organization such as MemorialCare to influence a legislator's vote through our face-to-face meetings, letters or testifying
Why get involved and Take Action!? Here are a few reasons:
- Philanthropy is not enough to support California's hospitals and health care system. MemorialCare's quality services are often greatly affected by public policies. Together, we share an obligation to ensure health care policies which are both fiscally responsible and responsive to community needs.
- Advocacy has a role for everyone. You can be a great advocate for health care by informing others, writing letters, meeting regularly with your elected officials, or helping behind the scenes. Whatever your talent, there is an important role for you to play.
- Some issues require a broad-based approach. Your grassroots advocacy can work in partnership with a larger, public campaign.
- Government policies affect everyone. Local, state and federal laws affect all aspects of our lives: health care, housing, education, taxes to name a few.
- Democracy is not a spectator sport. Staying informed is just not enough. We have to decide what we want from our government and engage our elected officials so they can work more effectively.
- Our elected representatives are people just like us. We must educate our representatives on a very personal level to help them understand how an issue will affect our lives, families and businesses.


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Too bad we weren't given the chance to ask the same in return.
Keane, widely known as "the band with no guitars," plays fairly soft, sensitive pop. It's pretty or pretty boring depending on where one's taste in music lies. The group might be perfect for those who find, say, Coldplay or Air Supply overly stimulating.
There's little doubt that there's a sizable audience that appreciates the British trio, which also features keyboardist Tim Rice-Oxley and drummer Richard Hughes. Keane has sold millions of its two major-label releases, 2004's "Hopes and Fears" and 2006's "Under the Iron Sea," and packed the Berkeley Community Theater to capacity with fans who seemed to know the words to most of its songs.
The group did, however, make the local crowd wait nearly four months. Keane was originally scheduled to play at the U.C. Greek Theatre in Berkeley in early October, but it canceled that date as well as the rest of its fall North American tour when Chaplin checked into a clinic for drug and alcohol problems.
The vocalist seemed in fine form this time through town. Chaplin sounded sharp and he worked the stage with a great deal of enthusiasm. Yet, he still appears to be in the process of finding his own individual style.
Like a person who constantly hears the comment "You know who you remind me of?" Chaplin continually stirs images of other celebrities. At times, he sounds pretty darn close to Chris Martin of
Coldplay, the band Keane is most often compared to, and his stage persona is a mix of U2's Bono and an "American Idol" runner-up. He also has a definite Rob Thomas thing going on and, as one fan noted, toss some glasses and a scarf on him and he could double for Harry Potter.
More significantly, however, is the fact that the group itself has managed to conjure up a fairly distinct sound.
It was weird to see the three band members take their spots on the stage. Fans conditioned by years of rock concerts couldn't help but think that the stage looked somewhat empty without a guitarist. We kept waiting for a six-stringer to show up and plug in.
In contrast, the music sounded full and rich as Keane opened its set with a New Wave-tinged version of the "Under the Iron Sea" track "Put It Behind You."
Chaplin then scolded the crowd, "If you are sitting on your asses, you should be standing up."
That was an odd piece of advice to give the audience. Keane played a few numbers that somewhat qualified as rock anthems, such as the "Hopes and Fears" number "This is the Last Time," but it mainly stuck to moody, melancholy, mid-tempo tunes that are best enjoyed while seated.
Yet, Chaplin acted like he was fronting AC/DC.
"Please, if you can make more noise, then do so," he said to the audience.
The crowd responded with sizable rounds of applause as Keane continued through such fan favorites as "Everybody's Changing," "Nothing in My Way" and "Hamburg Song."
The crowd erupted when the band latched onto the first album's "Somewhere Only We Know." Still, the vocalist wasn't completely happy with the crowd's effort.
"I thought that was pretty good," he said. "But for the next song, we want you to go even higher."
The deficiency wasn't with the crowd. It just needed somebody that could take it higher.
Write music critic Jim Harrington at email@example.com. Read Harrington's Concert blog at http://www.insidebayarea.com/music.


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SAN JOSE — For 59 minutes, Dallas Stars goalie Marty Turco had been roaming his team's zone like a third defenseman, successfully retrieving pucks, then sending the offense up ice with lengthy passes.
Then in that final minute, he flubbed a clearing effort. Sharks captain Patrick Marleau was there to pounce on the puck and instead of being 28.3 seconds away from overtime, the Sharks had a 2-1 victory over the team that dumped them from the playoffs last May. The win improved San Jose's record to a perfect 9-0 at HP Pavilion this season.
"You live by the sword, you die by the sword," Sharks Coach Todd McLellan said afterward. "Marty has a lot of courage to go out and play the puck, which is a great quality. But sometimes it comes back to haunt you and tonight was one of those nights."
The victory bumped the Sharks' NHL-best record to 13-2. And it gave backup goalie Brian Boucher — starting in place of injured Evgeni Nabokov — his third victory in three tries. Boucher did see his personal shutout streak this season end at 163:41 minutes when Stars left wing Loui Eriksson scored on a freak bounce early in the third period. But that was the only one of 24 shots to get past him.
"You can't get disappointed when a goal goes in," Boucher said. "You just have to shrug it off, move on and get ready for the next play."
Nabokov wasn't the only regular out of the lineup. Right wing Jonathan Cheechoo missed his first game of the season with what was described as an upper body injury. Neither player will be in the lineup tonight when the Sharks play at Phoenix.
Sharks defenseman Dan Boyle's third goal of the season gave the Sharks a 1-0 lead at 7:13 of the first period. Boyle was trailing on the play and benefited when center Joe Thornton sent the puck his way.
Boucher really wasn't tested until the second period, when he came up big several times. He stopped Dallas veteran Mike Modano's backhand with a pad save, then frustrated rookie Fabian Brunnstrum when he tried to stuff it into the net on a power play.
The Stars got their goal at 3:41 of the third period on a play that started with a giveaway by Sharks defenseman Brad Lukowich. And just when it looked as if the game were heading to overtime, Turco made his mistake. This time it was a pass from Lukowich that started the big play.
"I started cutting across the middle and Lukey threw a hard pass," Marleau said. "I just tried to get it in deep, but it went right on net."
Turco tried to backhand the puck away from the pursuing Shark, but failed.
"I really don't know what I was thinking," the goalie said, "At that particular time of the game, I shouldn't be thinking high over the middle."
Marleau called it a fortunate play, saying the puck "hit my skate, went up to my stick where I took a couple whacks at it. That's what you're kind of hoping for, forcing him to make a play before he's read to make a play."
To McLellan, the style of play was "maybe more like a playoff game."
"It was tight checking," he added. "It wasn't a free-wheeling, lot of passing type of game. There was a lot of board work. It was good for us to play that kind of game."
Contact David Pollak at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Broth is better when it's homemade, but don't worry – it's easy to make
These plants grow as well here as anywhere else.
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Calgary Stampeders beat Edmonton Eskimos 43-18 during the West Final At McMahon Stadium
Flames win 5-4 after a shootout with the Devils.
Dozens of cowboys from around the world gather in Calgary to see who is the world's best.
Calgary Stampeders running back Jon Cornish says confidence is key to winning the Grey Cup. The Stampeders...


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Friday, 10.12.2007 / 3:58 PM ET / News
By Erin Pollina - Sabres.com
|Paul Gaustad
It just may not translate that way on the score sheet.
Although he didn't register a point, Gaustad's contribution on Buffalo's three power play goals in their 6-0 shutout win against the Atlanta Thrashers was none the less substantial.
Doing his best interpretation of a wall, Gaustad pushed his way into Kari Lehtonen's sight lines all night, creating havoc for the Atlanta netminder when his team was a man down.
"It's probably the most important piece," Lindy Ruff said of Gaustad's role in the power play's success. "If you look at Thomas [Vanek] on one unit being the guy in front of the net and Paul [Gaustad] in the other unit, you are the guy that has to obstruct the goalie. There are not many goalies in this league that you can with a shot from past the top of the circle unless he has to fight to see it."
Gaustad has typically been an aggressive player and possesses the size to back it up. However, the six-foot-four, 229-pound forward said this particular role on special teams is a bit unfamiliar.
It's one that he's had to grown into, no pun intended.
"I've actually never been in front of the net my whole career. I've usually been on the goal line so this is new for me," he said. "It's something where it's a lot more skill and a lot more work than I thought. Just body positioning and getting out of the way of shots, sometimes tipping them… it's tough, but I'm getting there."
Ruff agrees that he is well on his way.
"Paul's job is to make sure he tries to get in that lane to read where the shot is going to come from," Ruff said. "I thought he did a real good job with that."
Even with the solid play he displayed in Thursday's game, Gaustad is the first to admit that there is still room for improvement.
Citing Vanek and Detroit Red Wings' Tomas Holmstrom as two players he tries to emulate in this position, Gaustad said he has been watching constant video of the pair.
"I think standing in front, the problem with it is everybody says you've got to tip the pucks, but you have probably a 220-pound defenseman cross-checking you while you're trying to time the pucks"
Dodging the puck may prove the most difficult part for Gaustad. The large welt on his ribs serves as a constant reminder.
"It's tough in front of the net but it's definitely rewarding," he said. "It's a lot of timing and hand-eye coordination, but I like it. I like battling in front and seeing the rewards on the power play."
"You don't get rewarded sometimes on the stat sheet," Ruff said, "but at the end of the night your power play unit can feel pretty good about scoring three goals."


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MAY 17, 2013 - New York Post
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A week after saying she'd never go again, Gwyneth Paltrow made a complete U-turn on her negative Met Ball comments.
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Where the Backlog Exists
In the past, the federal government estimated that there were hundreds of thousands of untested rape kits in police and crime lab storage facilities throughout the country. But right now, there is more we do not know about the backlog than we do know. Few state governments and no federal agencies track rape kit data.
Use the map below to find information on:
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Use the buttons above the map to toggle between the city view and state view. When you click into a location, you'll see a snapshot of the backlog and recent news—click the SEE MORE button for even more details. You can also click on the jurisdiction in the chart below for further details. We hope that you will use this map to learn more about the backlog in your area and nationwide and call on our elected officials for much-needed reforms.
You can also use the map to explore The Accountability Project, our project to bring greater transparency and accountability around rape kit testing practices nationwide by uncovering whether there are rape kit backlogs in cities across the country.


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Article: Evaluating the Measurement of Activated Sludge Foam Potential
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In a 'total war' that involved the procurement and movement of mass armies, logistics played a vital role. This was particularly the case during the Battle of Verdun, February to September 1916. This updated military handbook was released in 1917 but it discusses strategic transportation during 1916, a crucial point during the war.
Dans une guerre totale mettant en jeu le déplacement et l'approvisionnement d'armées de masse, la logistique joue un rôle essentiel. Ce fut tout particulièrement le cas lors de la bataille de Verdun (février-septembre 1916).
Movements and Transportations
General organisation of the army
Strategic transportations
Updated publication. 5 may 1917.
- Full title:
- General organisation of the armies. Strategic transport
- Published:
- 1917
- Format:
- Book / Manual
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- Public Domain
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Supply and logistics
- Article by:
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- Theme:
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With focus on shipping, rail, road and manpower, Professor David Stevenson explores the logistics behind the management and supply of army resources in World War One and considers what impact this had on the war's outcome.


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Law enforcement officials have a message for Maine drivers who are removing snow from their cars -- don't forget to clean off the roof too.
Unlike some other states, Maine has no law making it illegal to drive with snow and ice on a car or truck.
But a member of the state police in Alfred pointed out how snow and ice can be dangerous on roads.
"Right now, the snow is real feathery and light, easy to brush it off, it'll even fly off fairly easily ... But get some moisture into that snow and it becomes hard, brittle and it comes flying off, and then it'll pose a problem," Lt. Louis Nyitray of the state police said.
Maine law says all windows must be scraped and kept clear.
In Massachusetts, motorists with snow and ice on the roofs of their vehicle face a $200 fine if they are caught.


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Quick-On Snow Plow and Front Blade
Attaches to your Front Loader bucket in seconds with no tools! No drilling, etc. required!
Advantages of this system:
Fits almost any loader.
Installs in seconds with no modifications to your tractor or loader.
Installs with no tools.
Allows your loader to remain on the tractor and available for use in about 15 seconds.
Blade floats independent of the loader bucket.
The loader can apply down pressure if needed for removal of packed snow or ice.
The angle of attack of the blade can be changed by manipulation of the loader bucket.
Can be offset approximately 8 inches to either side to allow snow to be pushed farther off the road.
Ships UPS or FedEx Ground right to your door eliminating the hassle and high cost of Motor Freight.
The blade is 60" wide, approximately 21" high.
The blade angles 0, 15 or 30 degrees left or right.
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Cutting edge is replaceable and is made from heavy 3/8" thick steel.
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Standard color is Charcoal Gray. Orange, Red, Blue or Yellow Blades are available.
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Pete Line
on 07/14/2016 10:44pm
I have BX25 and got a rear mount snowblower. Worked but was slow and hard to operate being rear mounted. Last year I purchased this plow and it does a fantastic job. Probably 5 times faster than snow blower and does much better job. We have some gravel and I wish I had ordered shoes for the plow. Maybe someone will by them for my next birthday. Highly recommend the product. I had a part missing when it arrived and support from BXPANDED was awesome.
Bud W
on 10/31/2015 02:24pm
I have had my snowplow for a couple of years and it has worked flawlessly. We get alot of lake effect snow as well as northeasters in upstate NY. and only had to get out my truck mounted plow on a few occasions. The Bxpaned plow will handle anything you throw at it!
Rob Gilchrist
on 02/12/2015 09:57pm
I just traded in my BX24 for a B I kept the plow, the lights, the bucket hooks , thumb, tool case everything made BYBXpanded. Great stuff outlasted my tractor and be as good as new on the new B!
Scott Houser
on 01/25/2015 10:44am
I used the 60 inch snowplow for the first time in January. It worked better than I expected. I contemplated buying this product for a long time. It makes clearing snow much easier. I highly recommend this plow. I also bought the dolly which allows moving the plow around with ease.
Bob Carpenter
on 01/14/2015 09:58pm
I live in the Colorado Rockies and I have a long driveway. I've always had problems getting the heavy snow far enough off the driveway! This Blade makes plowing so much easier! Thanks Guys !!!!
George Gordon
on 09/30/2014 09:42am
Received my 60" snow blade with skid shoes yesterday noon. Assembled the blade assembly in a couple of hours in the afternoon. put it on the tractor this morning. It is 9 AM and I am ready for the first snow. In no hurry though I will be patient Amazing engeneering. Would recomend to anybody.
on 01/14/2014 01:31pm
After using a heavy makeshift plow from a Jeep on my BX23 previously, this plow is a dream to use. I have a gravel driveway and it will scrape it down really well. With the skid shoes I can plow a path across my lawn without damaging it.
I had a couple of questions when I first received it because my bucket had some modifications (bucket hooks) and I needed to figure out how to mount it. I received terrific support by email and telephone. An unmodified bucket will have no trouble with this plow.
The plow's assembly was simple and I had it from box to on the tractor in just a few minutes. It was delivered really quickly, too.
Bottom line: BUY THIS PLOW! :) The product and (pre- and post-sales) support are great.
steve waldo
on 01/03/2014 08:31pm
I have now plowed about 4 feet of snow in 5 storms (heckofa start to the winter here!!) , some wet, some dry and I like the plow even more each time.
steve waldo
on 01/03/2014 08:26pm
I received my 5' plow on a Friday PM, was out of town Saturday, and woke up Sunday to a 16" covering of nice dry snow, went to the shop at 8AM, unpacked, assembled and attached it and was plowing by 8:35AM. It took a while to figure the correct height and angle - I have about 1000' feet of, once upon a time, gravel driveway. Rutted and potholed. In Vermont. After a bit of practice I have gotten reasonably proficient at it. Always used a blower before but the gravel tears them up, more time repairing than moving snow.
In short this is what I dream of - simple, efficient, and very well built. Great design. Kubota dealer show me a very similar one, not as well built and held on with a pair of c-clamps. $1500.00!!!!
BXPanded plow is attached or taken off in seconds, stays in place well, has 5 angle positions (3 on the dealers plow) and functions like it should. Simple and efficient. And the price is more than reasonable.
All this is only a prelude to the absolute best part of doing business with BXPanded - Mr. Harry Clearman! I say without reservation or prompting he is the most accessible, responsive gentleman I have had the pleasure of dealing with. I assume he must be the engineering master behind these products as his knowledge of his wares is all apparent.. You make an inquiry, you don't reach someone in a foreign country, clueless as to what you need. No, you get answers and explanations. A true delight to deal with. Thank you, Harry, once again.
This is my 3rd product I have purchased thru BXPanded, and should I find an excuse to need any others they offer, I will not need to research; they have earned my business and loyalty.
Richard Martin
on 11/06/2011 12:50pm
Finally used snowplow during freak northeaster in ct. Very easy to hook up. Just had to change chainbinder bolt location in achieve correct tension. Worked great! I also opted for the AR400 cutting edge and skid shoes. Well worth the money. Came UPS to my door. Easy to assemble. Very satisfied.
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|Mavrodi, D - WASHINGTON STATE UNIV.
|Bonsall, R - WASHINGTON STATE UNIV.
|Blankenfelt, W - MAX-PLANCK-INST.-GERMANY
|Weller, David
|Thomashow, Linda
Submitted to: International Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria Workshop
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: March 20, 2006
Publication Date: May 20, 2006
Citation: Mavrodi, D., Bonsall, R.F., Blankenfelt, W., Weller, D.M., Thomashow, L.S. 2006. Diversity of phenazine biosynthetic pathways in plant-associated bacteria.. International Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria Workshop. P42, page 60. Technical Abstract: Phenazine compounds are heterocyclic nitrogen-containing secondary metabolites that are synthesized by a few bacterial genera and act as broadly active antibiotics and factors contributing to bacterial competitiveness and virulence. Using comparative analyses, we identified putative phenazine biosynthetic pathways in the recently sequenced genomes of members of Burkholderia and Erwinia genera that include bacterial species of agricultural and medical importance. Studies of these novel pathways are expected to provide a better understanding of how structural differences in key common phenazine biosynthetic enzymes influence the identity of the biosynthetic products, and reveal how the structure and physical properties of species-specific products are related to their biological activity.


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Manulife Financial Corporation
- November 2015
- 7 pages
- Sheila Greco Associates
Manulife Financial Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides financial protection and wealth management products and services to individual, corporate, and business customers primarily in Asia, Canada, and the United States. Its products and services include individual life insurance, group life and health insurance, long-term care services, pension products, annuities, mutual funds, and banking products. The company also offers retirement products to group benefit plans; reinsurance services, such as property and casualty retrocession; and asset management services to institutional customers. It markets its products under the Manulife Financial and John Hancock brand names. The company provides its products and services through various distribution channels, including insurance agents and brokers, securities brokerage firms, financial planners, pension plan sponsors, pension plan consultants, and banks. Manulife Financial Corporation was founded in 1887 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.
These individual Business Lists are 100% staff verified and details the company's roster of key professionals and key decision makers.
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These Business Lists do not include direct-dial phone numbers for all executives listed.
- This will provide the direct phone number.
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Data management
Passport verifications are one of several functions to be compromised by the Consular Consolidated Database crash.
The colossal data warehouse that supports the State Department's worldwide visa and passport verification operations has crashed, potentially stranding thousands of people waiting for the documents around the world.
The Consular Consolidated Database (CCD) at the State Bureau of Consular Affairs "is currently experiencing technical problems with our passport/visa system," said Marie Harf, deputy spokesperson for the State Department in a July 24 statement to FCW. The Associated Press first reported the CCD problems on July 23.
Harf said the CCD, the agency's system of record, has had "significant performance issues, including outages, since Saturday, July 19." The issues, she said, have resulted in significant backlogs. Visas are approved, recorded and printed through the CCD. "Until the system comes back online, we are unable to print visas. We apologize to applicants and recognize this may cause hardship to applicants waiting on visas and passports. We are working to correct the issue as quickly as possible," she said.
Ongoing problems with the CCD have been no secret, an industry source familiar with the system told FCW. The database crashed earlier this year -- without the visible disruption of the July 19 incident, but seriously enough that Bureau of Consular Affairs CIO Greg Ambrose sent an email to State Department and industry stakeholders about the problem.
The CCD system is massive, containing millions of visa cases and photographs, with links to other federal agency security databases, including the FBI's Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) and the Department of Homeland Security's Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT). It is also the gateway to the Department of State Facial Recognition system and the NameCheck system.
According to a State Department privacy impact assessment completed in 2010, the CCD is one of the largest Oracle-based data warehouses in the world. As of December 2009, according to the PIA, the database contained more than 100 million visa cases and 75 million photographs, used billions of rows of data, and had a growth rate of about 35,000 visa cases every day.
The PIA said the database was created to provide Consular Affairs a near real-time aggregate of the consular transaction activity collected domestically and at consular post databases worldwide. "The CCD is the IT implementation that provides for a set of centralized visa and American citizen services supporting consular posts and back office functions," the assessment found.
Three of CCD's primary functions include supporting data delivery to approved applications via industry-standard Web Service queries, providing users with easy-to-use data entry interfaces to CCD, and allowing emergency recovery of consular post databases. Additionally, according to the PIA, authorized State Department and other government agency personnel can use the CCD Portal to view centralized data and access other applications.
Harf said the issue is worldwide and not specific to any particular country, citizenship document or visa category. "We apologize to applicants who are experiencing delays or are unable to obtain a passport, Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or visa at this time. We are working urgently to correct the problem and expect our system to be fully operational again soon."
About the Author
Mark Rockwell is a staff writer at FCW.
Before joining FCW, Rockwell was Washington correspondent for Government Security News, where he covered all aspects of homeland security from IT to detection dogs and border security. Over the last 25 years in Washington as a reporter, editor and correspondent, he has covered an increasingly wide array of high-tech issues for publications like Communications Week, Internet Week, Fiber Optics News, tele.com magazine and Wireless Week.
Rockwell received a Jesse H. Neal Award for his work covering telecommunications issues, and is a graduate of James Madison University.
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Steve Kelman contends that a recent report on agencies' prize challenges tells only half the success story.
OMB's Data Center Optimization Initiative gives agencies new metrics and goals for fiscal 2018.
NSA and the CIA have revamped themselves in the past year. FCW asked officials how well Fort Meade and Langley are collaborating in cyberspace in pursuit of their separate missions.
The latest version of the Defense Department-wide Enterprise Service Management Framework places more emphasis on managing IT risk.
Despite GSA's efforts to accelerate the FedRAMP approval process, the lack of agency reciprocity puts the program's central goals at risk.
Got some early-career colleagues who are doing great things in federal IT? Nominate them for FCW's 2016 Rising Star awards.
The agency software inventories required under the draft category management policy will be treasure maps that lead to efficient, effective, streamlined buying and unprecedented savings.
As experts warned of the "dire" threats posed by outdated federal technology, lawmakers grilled top feds, debated workforce issues and inched closer to backing a $3.1 billion fix-it fund.
The agency is making strides in developing and deploying border technologies but still has some weaknesses.
Bad bad news;) . Could you telle us when this experiencing technical problems will ba make up please ? Is it ok right now ? Thank you
This work is currently being conducted by an incumbent contractor. ActioNet will be assuming this work in October.
This has been in the making for much longer than two years. Nothing happens fast in the government. According to those in the know, the database is built using outdated technology. The new technology leadership in that bureau is working to implement enhancements to bring their technology into the current century. Let's hope they get the support needed to be successful. Episodes like this are reminders that regular technology upgrades are needed to support our country's growing support to its citizens.
ActioNet and CITI... The former was selcted over the latter (incumbent) on price, big surprise!! :)
Database as "The Weakest Link"
The State Department is only one of the more visible instances of an organization suffering a service outage at the hands of a database. A quick search on "database outage" yields a throng of mea culpa blog entries of companies detailing how a "seemingly simple" database change or upgrade resulted in an outage of minutes, hours, or - as the poor State Department is enduring - many days.
Web load balancers deliver uptime for web servers, network redundancy and routing algorithms deliver uptime for networks - what protects the database? Sadly, typically nothing. Most often, apps are directly written and connected to the database - leaving them vulnerable to database infrastructure changes.
A new approach - front ending databases with database traffic management - is emerging, with all sorts of benefits in zero downtime maintenance, auto failover without app errors, and no app modifications needed to leverage database failover and scalability.
Check out more ideas on moving to zero downtime for apps here: http://www.scalearc.com/blog/architecting-for-uptime-avoiding-app-interruptions-during-database-failover/
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By Nathan Pfau, Army Flier Staff WriterFebruary 9, 2012
Fort Rucker recognizes the instructors of the first quarter at the U.S. Army Aviation museum during a ceremony honoring David Osteen, Civilian Academic Instructor of the Quarter; Thomas E. Kandler, Civilian Instructor Pilot of the Quarter; Staff Sgt. Alexander J. Chambers, Non-comissioned Officer Flight Instructor of the Quarter; Sgt. 1st Class Jorge Jimenez, NCO Academic Instructor of the Quarter; CW2 Charles A. Villanida, Officer Instructor Pilot of the Quarter; and CW4 Timothy Carter, Warrant Officer Academic Instructor of the Quarter Jan. 31.


text: The other day I was pointed to this etsy store by a blog (and I apologize for not remembering which blog) and immediately became smitten with this happy wire art. It might be a little too whimsical for a grown up "cool guy thing" but it would certainly be awesome in a young cool guy's room. Or in mine. This dachshund is only $25 at WireDreams.