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Monday, June 27, 2005
Send 'Em to US
I realize that countries have to have a methodology by which they determine whether a person seeking asylum should be granted protection. I realize that.
But when people are leaving a country like Zimbabwe that is teetering on the edge of complete collapse--where the ruling party has stated its intentions to form a one party democracy, where the police have rendered (at the very least) hundreds of thousands homeless, where food is being used as a weapon to influence voters, and where the whispered threat of a new civil war is beginning to sound like more than just idle talk--then it seems that the desire for asylum should be taken seriously. The desire for security and opportunity away from the abuses of a dictator aren't just understandable, they are the most sympathetic cry for protection that I can imagine.
Until two years ago, the UK had a policy that did not allow Zimbabwean asylum seekers to be deported back to Zimbabwe; despite the Robert Mugabe's recent abuses, a small group is set to be deported. This strikes me as a wrongheaded policy reversal that, even if it doesn't result in the direct abuse of these people when they are shipped back to their homes, will result in the loss of human potential.
For citizens of the failed and failing states in Africa that don't move toward reform, liberalization, and economic reform, there is a cold truth: the best way to help them is to allow them to start over somewhere else. The best, the brightest, and the most driven aren't leaving Africa because they don't love their homelands; they leave because they want a future that they can't possibly envision in their own countries. And our most effective way to help them is to allow them to begin new lives in the West.
If the UK doesn't want them, send them here. Zimbabwe can only offer them unemployment (with at least 80% unemployment nation wide), food shortages, political repression, ridiculously poor health care, and an early death.
Filed under: Africa Zimbabwe
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Friday, June 24, 2005
So, Yeah, About Mugabe (Updated)
Over a quarter million people made homeless? At least three children crushed to death?
You know, to tell you the truth, we've actually got more important things to attend to.
And, still, the African Union refuses to police its own. Not even a token gesture of political pressure or an unkind word for Mugabe while he grinds Zimbabwe into dust. I say again: debt forgiveness will not change this kind of inaction. Debt forgiveness will enable these governments to do even worse while their neighbors ignore their sins completely.
Mbeki is right on one count: there are myriad other horrors inhabiting sub-Saharan Africa. What isn't true is that the West has been silent. This is another of those African moments where our attention, however fleetingly, has been turned to the corruption, the killing, and the poverty of places like the Congo, Sudan, and Rwanda. We have been paying attention, even though our own actions have been, at times, pitifully inadequate.
But even if we hadn't noticed any of what's going on, there would still be no excuse for Mugabe's increasingly brutal regime. There is no reason to point to other countries and say, "but it's worse there," and use that as an excuse for willful ignorance and inaction.
I wonder how far Mugabe will go in an assault on the cities, though? It will get worse. Especially while people continue to make excuses for him.
Update: The homeless number that I quoted above is, according to other estimates, far too low. According to another source, the Murambatsvina campaign may have left up to 1.5 million people homeless. I am going to guess that this number is too high. Considering that Zimbabwe's population is less than thirteen million, that would represent more than 10% of the population of the country.
Filed under: Africa Zimbabwe
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Thursday, June 16, 2005
The Questionable Value of Handouts
A few days ago, I wrote an exceptionally long post about debt relief for Africa. Being some 1800 plus words in length it was, of course, soundly ignored by all.
That's not my point, though. My point is that in it I questioned whether freeing the poor African nations from their debt servicing would actually result in money being directed at health, infrastructure, education, and food. This report from IRIN serves to underline my point rather nicely.
To be sure, the President of Malawi should have a car. But he probably doesn't really need a car that costs more than half a million dollars. Expect an increase in purchases like this, brand new presidential palaces, and a smattering of self-named football stadiums in the near future.
Just sayin'.
Filed under: Africa
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Monday, June 13, 2005
Speaking of Africa (Because We Were, You Know)
Another attempt is being made to establish a functioning government inside of Somalia.
Don't expect the transition to be easy (or even successful). The warlords that have controlled Somalia since the government collapsed over a decade ago won't happily let their power slip away.
Is my cynicism showing today?
Filed under: Africa Somalia
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Sunday, June 12, 2005
The Interpreter: Ten Point Review
Friday, June 10, 2005
Aid to Africa
Nathan kindly pointed out a post on a site that I don't regularly read that covers a topic I was going to attack later today if I had the chance: foreign aid.
Of course, my obsession with Africa was going to inform my focus, but the points made by Mr. Henke match my thoughts well. What was it that set me off? This article from Salon (Salon infomercial alert) that started out with this little tidbit of information (which could also be referred to as a lie):
Given that the Bush administration revealed that it planned to increase aid by nearly three-quarters of a billion dollars, the "Bush declines to increase US aid for Africa" bit is simply untrue. It is true that Bush balked at the seven billion dollar increase that Blair was asking for, but that isn't without good reason.
Direct foreign aid from the United States alone last year, as the largest donor in the world, ended up being 3.2 billion dollars--according to the Christian Science Monitor, this was about triple the amount given in 2000. The Bush proposed increase would take that number to nearly 4 billion dollars--not precisely small numbers and a good deal more than any other nation on the planet. Further, that doesn't count the aid from private organizations and individuals.
Africa isn't steeped in poverty because there isn't foreign money to help, because people don't care (although, like all things, the focus of the caring follows trends), or because the continent is resource poor. Africa is poor because nearly all of the governments are unstable, the markets are centrally controlled, and most of the nations never properly industrialized or developed their agricultural potential following independence.
Let's deal with a few concepts on the subject that shape my opinion on expanding aid to African nations.
Wednesday, June 08, 2005
Zimbabwe's Continuing Fall
Instapundit is linking to a story that has to serve as a reminder that armed rebelion can come even a country that has remained relatively peaceful and patient under an abusive dictator for decades. If civil war comes, it will be a danger and a burden to all of the surrounding nations, it will be a bloody tragedy, and it will be something that we've been watching come like that proverbial train wreck in slow motion.
The question that faces us is this: what can be done to help the citizens of Zimbabwe find their way to freedom and a renewed economy without watching the blood flow? Or, maybe, can anything still be done to achieve that goal? I'm afraid that armed resistance may be all that's left, but that the end result won't be any better for Zimbabwe.
Filed under: Africa Zimbabwe
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Tuesday, June 07, 2005
As for me, well, it is a beautiful day outside, I have slept well, and this last week, I was lucky enough to meet a friend who was in town for the weekend. The rains have made the state green (and I'm sure there will be hell to pay for people with mold allergies, but I'm not one of them), and we aren't hearing too much about drought anymore.
The economy may not be booming, but it isn't bad. I have a job, I have friends, I have a lovely woman who loves me. The sun is shining, the air is clear, and I actually slept a bit last night.
Filed under: Africa
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Monday, May 09, 2005
The Selfish Case for Direct Involvement
I'm not particularly fond of Senator Corzine, and there aren't too many areas where you would find me in agreement with the gentleman from New Jersey. For that matter, I can't imagine that I'll be a regular reader of The Huffington Post. But when someone makes a good point, I figure it's worth noting.
There are strong moral reasons to want to see the situation in Sudan, but even strong moral reasons aren't always enough to warrant the kind of energy and political capital that it takes to resolve a difficult, violent situation like the one we are seeing in Darfur. Making the practical case--the argument that non-involvement will be far more expensive in the long run--is far more persuasive to me.
Filed under: Africa Sudan
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Thursday, May 05, 2005
The New Benefactor
Robert Mugabe can't manage to feed his people, can't manage to run an economy, can't manage free and open elections without first threatening the citizens, and has completely lost whatever moral compass he once carried. But he can buy some spankin' new aircraft from China.
China is forging ties with Africa for good reason: if the post-colonial era hardships can transform into a new era of relative stability, the economic growth could be tremendous. The opportunities for helping African nations modernize and begin to exploit their own resources (the untapped wealth of Africa in mineral, farming, and human resources is mind boggling) could be a huge boon to friendly nations. China is looking to new development contracts, new markets, investment opportunities, and political leverage gains where America isn't able to be as accommodating.
Of course, there is also risk in issuing credit or creating close ties to unpopular leaders like Mugabe. If the country fails and if opposition parties latch onto the idea that China was enabling Mugabe while the West was quietly trying to help bring reform, then the investment turns into a liability. The biggest danger for China then is that any potential for a post-revolution period Zimbabwe, where the post-colonial self-destruction turns to sustained growth and modernization, probably revolves around the fall of the current regime and the marginalization of the revolution's political leadership.
China's gifts and ties make good photo ops for Mugabe, but they do nothing to repair the crumbling infrastructure, pick up the garbage that piles up in the streets, feed the hungry, resurrect the annihilated farm system, or stem the triple digit inflation that has wrecked the economy. A real gift would to urge and help usher in political and economic reform that might still save Zimbabwe; for China, though, that would also usher in competition from the many Western donor nations, private charities, and companies that would love to do their part to help and benefit from a revival in Zimbabwe.
Filed under: Africa Zimbabwe
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Monday, May 02, 2005
Weep for Zimbabwe
Robert Mugabe's power-hungry arrogance will cost thousands of lives, and that is simple truth.
Over the last year, Mugabe has continued to insist that the situation in Zimbabwe isn't as bad as it's been painted. He claimed, in fact, that there would be a surplus of food for his people, although any fool could see that his farm redistribution efforts left the country without any reliable, internal food supply. Faced with high inflation, shortages of food and goods, a steady flow of bodies leaving for neighboring countries, and enormous health care problems, Mugabe has stood by watching while his country failed; instead of recognizing the disastrous choices, he compounds the mistakes and refuses foreign aid.
Food isn't the only thing that the poor citizens are missing. With a crumbling infrastructure, where the trash isn't picked up, where there is no petrol to be had, where the farms have failed, and where few can afford the cost of foreign goods, Zimbabwe is like a patient who has slowly bled dry. There is little, or nothing, left to salvage of a country that deserved far better.
For the boy in my head, who still remembers the cities, the people, the farms, and the amazing beauty of Zimbabwe, there is little left to do but mourn.
Update: Bryan notes, correctly from my point of view, that some people are a little confused on precisely what constitutes a dark time in a nation's history.
Filed under: Africa Zimbabwe
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Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Civil War in Togo?
The last few days have brought reports of scattered violence and unrest in Togo, and today the situation worsened.
Today is a good day to reflect on how fortunate we are to live in a country where this kind of post-election violence is a thing of the past. That doesn't help the people of Togo, though, who are faced with the very real possibility of a violent coup or a civil war. Unfortunately, neither side seems bent on compromise and the regional watchers gave the vote their approval.
That there were significant irregularities is not in dispute, but whether those were enough to render the vote invalid is questionable. Togo, a tiny sliver of a country in Western Africa, had been under the rule of the same head of state--complete with sham multi-party elections--since 1967. Gnassingbe Eyadema maintained his power in the same way that Robert Mugabe has remained the head of his state: a ruthless and loyal military, massive corruption, and compromised elections.
Togo may well be a peek at Zimbabwe's future. Mugabe has managed to hold power to this point, and done everything in his power to ensure that the country will remain a one-party state beyond his death (with almost joking allowances for an opposition party that is defanged by the changes that Mugabe's government continues to make to the constitution). But his death will leave a void in the power structure that won't easily be filled by one of his followers.
Togo, with help from the international community, may well find a peaceful way for a democratic government to take shape. If so, the lessons learned here could prove useful in other nations throughout Africa. If a peaceful resolution isn't found, then it will prove a warning about those nations with aging dictators and a history of political unrest.
Filed under: Africa Togo
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Monday, April 25, 2005
The Wrong Focus (Updated)
Developing nations want what we've got, and that often isn't what would help them the most. High tech, for example, is sometimes seen as the miracle cure that could solve education and economic problems for these nations by opening their small industries up to larger markets. Nice thought, but it doesn't work that way.
The problem with viewing technology as the solution isn't just that the cost of deployment is expensive (although it is when it means not just the cost of running wire but of updating the entire (potentially nonexistent) computer and communication infrastructure of the major population centers of an entire nation. The real problem is the nature of technology in countries that can't support the technology with home-grown maintenance. Like the roads throughout much of Africa, computers and communication technology will fall into disrepair.
More interestingly, without an intelligent plan for implementing technology solutions in a business plan, technology on its own doesn't actually solve problems. It just sits around being flashy and impressive, costing tons, while not, you know, helping.
A better series of solutions could be suggested that would bring technology advancements.
First, focus on building and maintaining reasonably liberal and stable governments. Foreign investment is a tough sell when the home government has a violent coup ever decade or so, and it doesn't help when foreign investors are worried that their investment could be "nationalized" on any given day.
Second, focus on building infrastructure around the population centers. Technology needs reliable energy, manufacturing needs reliable fuel delivery and useable streets, and a stable workforce requires both basic education and sanitation. If a company like Nike (God bless their capitalist little souls) chooses to bestow a manufacturing facility on a country, they will bring money, economic stability, and a boom in other industries (housing, food, and transportation, for instance). But they won't come if they can't be provided with a steady work force and the infrastructure needed to ship the manufactured goods and receive the raw materials.
We can turn our noses up at sweat shop labor, but our context is skewed for understanding the change that one of Nike's plants can bring to a region. What may not sound like much to us is often a huge wage in a developing nation.
What would a country like Zimbabwe, with it 70% unemployment rate do to land a few plants to employ a few thousand of its citizens? The benefit is hardly confined to the newly employed; tax revenues would increase, employment in other sectors of the economy would rise, and economic stability would be one step closer to being a reality. Of course, as much as Zimbabwe might like to be host to a manufacturing concern of that nature, the reality is that the political situation and infrastructure won't support that kind of an investment from a Western company. The opportunity for failure would be too high to take the risk.
Third, in the absence of direct foreign investment, create regional trading zones to bolster economies (which Luisa Diogo also suggested). Regional trade can often be less expensive and more efficient than focusing trade goals on far-off economic powers. It can also help create stability by ensuring closer ties between neighbors. Instead of working to undermine each other, the nations find that cooperation becomes beneficial to national interest.
Regional trade can be especially effective in agriculture, one of the places that a third world nation can occasionally compete with the big economic powers. Note to the anti-GM forces: helping third world nations find ways to implement GM crops could make them even more competitive since most of those crops are designed to be resistant to bugs and blights. Better crops mean more competitive power and if technology is key to finding solutions, then this is the area where technology could play the largest role.
Computers and the Internet won't solve the problems. Stability, political reform, stable infrastructure, education, and health care are where the solutions can be found. The goal of having what the US and other Western nations have is a worthy one, but not a realistic one if the expectation is that it will happen within the next two years. The goal of progress and stability, though, is within reach for many of the nations that haven't yet completely failed. It's also a goal that is in the United States' interest to support both in the hopes of continuing to have a constructive hand in guiding the development of third world nations and in the hopes of avoiding another Afghanistan--that is, a completely failed nation that plays easy host to terrorists.
Update: John Hays kindly references this post. Thank you very much.
Filed under: Africa
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Wednesday, April 06, 2005
Never an Easy Path
With the growing concern about childhood HIV infection, a clear understanding of how children are infected is becoming more important. Obviously, with infection rates so high in the adult population, more children are being born infected. But for those that aren't infected at birth, there is another danger according to a South African study: shared breastfeeding.
Filed under: Africa
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Thursday, March 31, 2005
Two Things
Filed under: Africa
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Sunday, March 27, 2005
A Peaceful Uprising? (Updated)
It would be shocking if the elections in Zimbabwe were an open and honest affair. In fact, even if the elections are fair, the intimidation and quashing of dissenting views that led up to the elections would probably still put the results in question.
The idea of a "peaceful uprising" in the face of the election results seems to be the new (and welcome) wave in political action these days, and, hopefully, Archbishop Pius Ncube's call for demonstrations leads to the same sort of visibility and potential for change that we saw in Lebanon.
Of course, Robert Mugabe has shown himself to be the most stubborn of dictators, pushing ahead with his destructive and self-serving plans even in the face of harsh criticism from neighboring African nations. The more he is pushed, the more he seems to expand his power and influence. Zimbabwe under his guidance isn't failing; it's failed and, even given new leadership, there is little chance for a speedy turn around.
I want to see the people stand up and force the issue, but I fear the potential bloodshed that could follow. Zimbabwe remains a country on the verge of complete collapse and these elections could, in effect, lead the nation over that cliff. Constitutionally backed elections should be a time of national pride--but only if they lead to the peaceful transfer of power in accordance with the will of the people. In Zimbabwe, elections are a time of fear, food shortages, and repression.
President Bush has made lofty promises to support people who stand up for their own liberty. I find myself wondering what the United States would be willing to do in support of a popular, non-violent uprising in Zimbabwe?
Update: Via Instapundit, Publius Pundit has more information and thoughts on the subject.
Filed under: Africa Zimbabwe
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'All-Star Celebrity Apprentice' finalist Penn Jillette talks Trump, honesty
I suspected Penn Jillette was going to make the finals of "All-Star Celebrity Apprentice." No, I'm definitely not psychic. I'm not deeply in tune with the production, or worse, Donald Trump. But I had a feeling before the show even began that the magician who makes up half of Penn & Teller might go a little further on the franchise this time around.
Why? After his appearance on "The Celebrity Apprentice," he included his experiences in his most recent book, "Every Day Is An Atheist Holiday." What he said was funny and revealing and yes, pretty caustic. You have to expect a guy who had a Showtime series called "Penn & Teller: Bullshit!" not to pull punches.
Though he admitted "Apprentice" was "more honest" than, say, "Dancing with the Stars," the show was more honest "in that creepy kind of way that the guy who admits he's racist is more honest." He had more to say than that, of course.
After admitting he went onto the show as a kind of "work/study thang," he described "Apprentice" as "venal people clawing at stupid, soulless shit in front of the modern-day Scrooge McDuck in order to stay famous." He painted a picture of Trump's hair as "cotton candy made of piss."
He took aim at himself, too. He admitted his hair is "worse" than Trump's, that he was (as the rest of the cast was) made a little nuts from ego depletion and the generally crazy-making nature of reality TV. He vividly describes an argument with Clay Aiken in which he's still kicking himself for not telling the "American Idol" runner-up to "shut the fuck up."
As much as he was able to make fun of himself and the show, what comes across in the book is Jillette's frustration with a reality competition that is, despite outside appearances, completely arbitrary. He quotes his friend (and fellow "Apprentice" survivor) Annie Duke in describing the show as "a pretend game, about pretend business, where you get pretend fired." He recalls how Trump just does what he wants, and, because "Trump can't be manipulated...the show isn't even fair in that way."
No matter what you think of Penn Jillette, he's a smart guy. I can't help but think that dealing with fragile celebrities to do meaningless tasks only to have to nod and smile as Trump "pontificat[es] to people who are sucking up to him" wasn't his ideal gig.
Before his season of "Apprentice," I spoke to Jillette briefly at a TCA event. He was perfectly cordial and answered all my questions, but he didn't seem all that enthusiastic about the show. Back then, I was pretty sure he didn't make it to the finals (he was eliminated for the 11th task).
Why he returned to the show to tackle the all-star version, I'm still not sure. When I spoke to him at the TCAs this time around, his response to the question was to instead answer a question that had yet to be asked. "I really, really loved it the second time... It was entirely different. It turns out that who you're around makes a big difference." In other words, the absence of Clay Aiken on "All-Star Celebrity Apprentice" helped plenty.
He was chatty, jovial and perfectly happy to field any question about "The Celebrity Apprentice," even as I peppered him with questions about the sometimes cutting things he'd said about the show in his book. He didn't refute anything he'd written, mind you, not even that "'The Celebrity Apprentice' is junior high with a better brand of acne cover-up."
He still doesn't agree with Trump on the "birther thing," hasn't changed his perspective on Trump's hair (or his own). He did concede that he "might have modified somewhat, not a lot" his opinion that Trump cared more about what he thought of him than the reverse.
Still, he followed that with the comment, "It comes to the definition of courage. The definition of courage is not absence of fear, it's action in the face of fear. And I think that Donald Trump is able to be exactly who he wants to be, even though he does care what people think. That's a certain kind of, I was going to say strength of character, but you can also say eccentricity of character." I'm pretty sure this is the first and last time I'll hear anyone suggest that Trump might be courageous, eccentrically or otherwise, but Jillette seemed serious enough.
He added, "I really, really liked everybody this time. And also, the first time I had this constant feeling that it might be dishonest. Every other reality show I'd ever done, and I'd done a bunch of 'em, were deeply dishonest. And 'The Celebrity Apprentice' isn't. Everything is straightforward. They don't even redo things. You know, on every other reality show they say, say that same thing but over here. They don't do that."
But, I argued, everything's arbitrary. "Completely arbitrary," he agreed. "But arbitrary is not dishonest... It's capricious and arbitrary but all that is out front. You know, the slot machines in Vegas give intermittent reinforcement. And every study has shown that the most powerful reinforcement is intermixed. If you can predict something, you lose interest in it. Even if it's tremendously positive for you, you still lose interest. You need to have intermittent reinforcement...
So, if you're going to have a show like this, if you had somebody running the show who was following an algorithm that everybody knew, there'd be no surprise. You need to have Trump being arbitrary. But I believe, and I think Adam Corolla disagrees with me on this and he may have cases but none that I've seen, that there is no editing that's disingenuous. Now they're telling one story, there's 'Rashomon' that's still there, but their point of view seems valid. And once I relaxed, you know, I was mostly disillusioned by other shows."
So, yes, Jillette seemed a lot happier about doing press this time around than last. I'm sure it's easier to be in a good mood knowing you've gotten to the finals. But watching the show this season, Jillettte seemed a lot happier from the jump, and I don't think the absence of Clay Aiken entirely explains it.
One thing Jillette mentions in his book is that after being on "Apprentice," he read Daniel Kahneman's book "Thinking, Fast and Slow," which he says introduced him to the idea of ego depletion. As Jillette writes, the book explains that "studies have shown that if you make someone very self-conscious about everything they do and say, their self-control just gets tired out. The ego can be exhausted. It's the very trying to be one's best on camera that puts one at one's worst on camera. You just can't keep it up that long. You want to be at your best, but pretty soon the internal censors are exhausted, take a break, and pretty soon sweet Arsenio is yelling things like, 'I'll tell you what a fucking bitch whore she is!'"
Knowing that people were acting crazy for reasons they couldn't fully control -- and knowing that his own behavior was just as easily explained -- had to have helped.
I'm sure it also helped that a lot of the contestants Jillette found himself teamed with this time around were people who seemed pretty cool under pressure, like Lisa Rinna, or who were so ridiculous they barely registered as anything other than amusement, like Gary Busey. But, as Jillette explained, the first time around "I treated everyone like Teller." He said that, though he and Teller have never had conflict or even raised their voices to one another in the 38 years they've been together, "I dealt with everybody as though they were Teller. And that makes everything pretty rough and pretty aggressive, because he's a tough guy. And that's the way we love it. So this time around, I just didn't treat people like Teller."
More importantly, he seemed relaxed on the show his second time around. He did the job, put in the effort, but didn't seem to be unduly invested in the results. Knowing the outcome is arbitrary, realizing that his teammates didn't want or expect him to be tough, he became the Zen center of the show in a way Trace Adkins, his fellow finalist, usually is but hasn't been in the last few challenges. Jillette was still funny, still had opinions, but didn't seem to be fighting to create order where none can exist.
Adkins, on the other hand, admitted in last week's boardroom that he hadn't been excited about his ideas over the last few weeks. Though he promised to fight hard, he seemed worn out. It didn't help that in the final challenge, he picked a macadamia-maple flavored ice cream while Jillette picked a less unusual chocolate vanilla swirl with mixed in turtle candies.
So, I think Jillette can win this thing. Plus, macadamia-maple sounds kinda gross to me. Arbitrary, yes, but perhaps fittingly so.
Are you watching the season finale at 9:00 p.m. this Sunday?

subset: commoncrawl


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Gov. Chris Christie told executives of the pharmaceutical industry today he intends to forge "collaborative partnerships'' with companies as part of his effort to nurture a more business-friendly environment in the state.
"You need a governor who will listen and a governor who is not afraid to act,'' Christie said in an address at the annual meeting of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America in Jersey City. PhRMA, as it is known, is the nation's largest trade group for the industry.
In his address, Christie offered some proof his strategy has potential: Last week, Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals chose New Jersey over New York State as the location of its new corporate campus. The decision means the state preserves 1,000 jobs and stands to gain as many as 500 more.
Although Christie didn't rehash all of the details yesterday, Bayer stands to receive as much as $38.2 million in economic development grants in exchange for choosing New Jersey.
In a 30-minute address, Christie recounted his first weeks in the governor's office, his efforts to slash $2 billion from the state budget and his interest in retaining the pharmaceutical industry's presence — and growing it.
In the past two years, the state has seen the pharmaceutical business shrink so dramatically — while other hubs in places like Massachusetts and North Carolina expand — that some industry observers wonder if New Jersey still deserves its long-standing nickname as the nation's medicine cabinet.
"The pharmaceutical industry remains a cornerstone of the state's economy,'' Christie said, noting that 460,500 residents are employed by drug companies and 150,000 more work in businesses that support them.
While Christie's remarks were directed to an audience of pharmaceutical executives and employees, his task of changing New Jersey's perception extends to other industries as well.
His work, the governor said, goes beyond rethinking corporate taxes. It includes adjusting attitudes within state agencies by sending employees to customer service training and addressing excessive regulation on business.
"To look at this industry and say what we need is more regulation is an insane approach,'' the governor said. "We have a president who seems to think his administration knows how to do things better than you.''
Christopher Viehbacher, chief executive of Sanofi-Aventis and PhRMA's chairman, said Christie's efforts to wrestle control of the state budget is already helping to change the perception some executives have of New Jersey.
"Companies are going to invest in states that are well governed,'' Viehbacher said. "(Gov. Christie) has made a heroic effort to wrestle control of the budget. It certainly makes me think differently of New Jersey.''
It's not only a matter of whether the state is a good place to do business, but whether companies are able to attract — and retain talented researchers and other employees.
"If the best people don't want to live in New Jersey,'' he said, "we will go where the best people are.''
Susan Todd may be reached at email@example.com or (973) 392-4125.


text:
Friday, February 1, 7:00 pm
Want to buy the book?
...and love.... Edited by Richard Krawiec,
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The NCWN West anthology, edited by Nancy Simpson, Echoes Across the Blue Ridge, Stories, Essays and Poems by writers Living In and Inspired by the Southern Appalachian Mountains, published by Winding Path Publishing, is available for purchase at only $16.00.
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Blue Ridge Books, Waynesville, NC
Malaprop's bookstore in Asheville, NC
Highlands Books, Brevard, NC
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Noel Devine, step aside...there's a new YouTube legend in high school and his name, well that is of course Sam McGuffie of Cy-Fair High School, located in Cypress Texas. McGuffie recently announced at a local news channel in Texas that he would be donning the Maize and Blue and calling the University of Michigan home for the next few years. Check the video below:
I have news for you Wolverines fans, you are likely getting the best prospect regardless of position in the 2008 recruiting class. I don't care what Rivals.com or any other analyst out there says, there is nobody in the 2008 that is blessed with the athletic ability and football talent of Sam McGuffie. McGuffie was somehow left off the previous Rivals100, Rivals.com list of the top 100 prospects for the 2008 recruiting class. There could be no bigger mistake by the staff at Rivals.com...those folks do tremendous work there and have an excellent database of prospects, which I'm constantly viewing, but leaving Sam McGuffie off the Rivals100 list was one of the biggest mistakes I've ever seen. This kid is no secret, his highlights are plastered all over YouTube. Check out his highlights below:
Honestly, even Hellen Keller could see that McGuffie is one of the top 10 prospects in the country, forget about the top 100! They recently updated their list and have McGuffie listed at four-stars and as the 90th best prospect in the nation. If I was making the list, McGuffie would be rated as five stars and ranked as the top player in the class of 2008, simply because of his freakish athletic ability and his mind-boggling statistics. I think the only reason Rivals.com didn't rate him higher is because of his size. That is their opinion and they are entitled to it. Evaluations and rankings of prospects are pretty hard, because evaluations differ so drastically from person-to-person, but I find it hard to believe they couldn't find a 5-star rating for Sam McGuffie. You simply will not find another running back on this planet with his superhuman skill set.
McGuffie will make an instant impact of Michigan in the fall of 2008, because Chad Henne and Mike Hart will be graduating after the 2007-2008 football season and the Ryan Mallett and Sam McGuffie era will officially begin in Ann Arbor.
Why do I say McGuffie is an Internet legend? Well one video of his Rivals.com highlights has over 55,000 views!! That's unreal folks. Even more unreal is the fact that "The Play" as it is now deemed by some analysts, where McGuffie leaps directly over an opposing defensive back in the open field is on YouTube and has been viewed an eye-popping 567,205 times! The kid has already reached rock star status and he hasn't even begun his senior season at Cy-Fair. His highlights labeled as the McGuffie Mixtape on YouTube have been viewed 463,269 times!
That tells you one, how amazing of a talent this kid is, and two, how popular that glorious game of pigskin is in America. McGuffie is the best white running back I've ever seen and is a white version of Reggie Bush. McGuffie's athletic measurables are off-the-charts. He's listed at 6'0, 188 lbs. runs a 4.32 40 yard dash and has a 41 inch vertical leap. Blessed with an amazing amount of acceleration, "Sam I am" McGuffie, can turn on the jets, blast his way through the hole with ease and coast to the end zone. This kid slices his way through opposing defenses like a hot knife slices through butter. When he's not breaking tackles in the open field, McGuffie can also be seen breaking defenders akles with his jaw-dropping agility. His tremendous change of direction reminds me very much of Reggie Bush. This kid can stop on a dime without hesitation. He is also blessed with Reggie Bush's leaping ability and you will often see him leaping over defenders in his highlights. The Cy-Fair standout is also blessed with an amazingly soft pair of hands, racking up 400 receiving yards last season as a junior.
Last season, he gashed opposing defenses for a hair-raising 3,121 yards on the ground and 43 touchdowns. The numbers are so good they almost aren't believable, that is, until you watch his highlights. He averaged 8.7 yards per carry on the ground last season and even had 400 receiving yards. I'm convinced this kid was a cyborg sent from outerspace to carry the pigskin. He can do no wrong. It's a bird, it's a plane, no wait, ladies and gentlemen, it's Sam McGuffie!
In all my years of following high school football, I've never seen a SPARQ rating like this kid. He has the highest SPARQ rating I've ever seen. When I saw he scored a 104.85 on the SPARQ test, I simply could not believe my eyes. Three words: freak of nature!
To give you an idea of how good McGuffie's SPARQ rating truly is, let's take a look at the numbers of running back Covaughn DeBoskie, another member of the 2008 recruiting class. Like McGuffie, DeBoskie is an all-purpose back with remarkable hands and speed in the open field. He is a very highly rated tailback as well, earning 4-stars from Rivals.com heading into his senior season for Hamilton High School in Chandler, Arizona. DeBoskie's measurables are: he's (6'0, 186 lbs.), runs a 4.48 forty yard dash, runs a 4.46 in the shuttle, put up 11 bench press reps, and his vertical leap is 37 inches. This kid is certainly no slouch, as his numbers indicate. His SPARQ rating was 78.27. McGuffie's rating was nearly 27 points higher than that! Ladies and gentlemen we might want to give the government a call, because Sam McGuffie might just be an alien sent from outerspace to carry the pigskin!
For many of you out there that do not know what SPARQ is. It is a combine-testing system that crunches a bunch of numbers and basically determines how good of an athlete a football player is from four categories: forty time, bench press repititions, shuttle, and vertical leap. There is a link on the SPARQ website at: http://sparqtraining.com/ratings/sparqulator2/test_results.php that will take you to a Sparqulator if you wish to calculate your own SPARQ rating.
Sam McGuffie's legendary status will only continue to grow this season as he continues to leap defenders in the open field with tremendous ease. By the time he arrives in Ann Arbor, the fans there will likely already have him penciled in as the Heisman front-runner for 2008. He will team with golden-armed quarterback Ryan Mallett to form one of the Big Ten's most devastating offensive attacks. Mallett enrolled a semester early in Ann Arbor and has already participated in winter workouts and spring football with the Wolverines. The Texas native is a former five-star recruit, has tremendous size(6'6, 247 lbs.) and excellent footwoork in the pocket.
The former Texarkana(Texas) High School signal-caller has a rocket launcher for a right arm and according to his bio on Michigan's roster has thrown a football 87 yards! The decorated field general attended the Elite 11 camp, designated for the nation's best quarterbacks out of high school. As a senior, he completed 204 of his 321 passes for an eye-brow raising 3,353 yards and 33 touchdowns. Make no mistake about it ladies and gentlemen, Ryan Mallett will be an excellent field general on the Division 1 level and could make Michigan fans forget all about Chad Henne.
Ryan Mallett highlights from the 2007 U.S. Army All-American Game
Mallett is certainly a legend in his own right, his highlights on Rivals.com have been viewed over 20,000 times. In the fall of 2008, what he doesn't realize is that he'll be sharing the same backfield with a man that is even more legendary in Sam McGuffie.
The fans in Ann Arbor are lucky because they will likely see both players' legendary status grow even more on the collegiate level, right before there own eyes. Fans of the Maize and Blue aren't going to be able to contain their excitement. Their cheeks will likely be hurting they will be smiling so often about this talented tandem.
Sam McGuffie to join Ryan Mallett in Michigan
By Wade Peery ,
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For at least the fifth time in less than a month, a Central New Yorker will appear on "Wheel of Fortune" -- two, actually.
John and Mary Jo Bertrand of Syracuse will host a private viewing party for their appearance on the game show tonight at Drumlins restaurant, located at 800 Nottingham Road. The public can see the episode at 7 p.m. on Fox 68.
Proceeds from the viewing party will go to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central New York; Mary Jo recently joined the Board of Trustees. Attendees who make a donation will be entered into a drawing for prizes if they can solve a "Wheel" puzzle.
The Bertrands landed their spot on "Wheel of Fortune" when Mary Jo auditioned during the "Wheelmobile" event in Cicero this past summer with their daughter Carrie. Neither was picked to go up on stage, but filled out cards and Mary Jo was invited back for a second audition with her husband.
The couple, married 41 years with two children and five grandchildren, was invited to compete in October against other families for the show's "Disney Cruise Line Week." Prizes, of course, include "dream vacations" from Disney Cruise Line.
The pair said they enjoy boating and traveling, hoping to use whatever money they win on the show to take their family on some trips. Mary Jo said they also plan to pay taxes and donate to their favorite causes, including Make-A-Wish.
Last month, three local residents also appeared on the show thanks to the "Wheelmobile" auditions earlier this year. Jason Landry of DeWitt won $5,300 on Nov. 21; Donna Schoeberlein of Baldwinsville took home $6,000 on Nov. 25; and Michael Gerace of Manlius solved his way to a big prize of $73,648 on Nov. 29. Another local couple, George Patterson his wife Rebecca, appeared on the show this past Monday.
"Wheel of Fortune," hosted by Pat Sajak and Vanna White, airs weeknights at 7 p.m. on Fox 68 in the Syracuse area.


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Hungarian and Italian Hungarian Pictures by Bela Bartok, Les Preludes by Franz Liszt, Concerto for Two Flutes by Domenico Cimarosa featuring Deborah and Rebecca Silverstein, flutes, and the Triumphal March Trumpet March from Aida by Giuseppe Verdi.02/23/2014
Chamber Music for Piano, Voice, and Flute Chamber music for flute, piano, and voice, with pianist Anoush Tchakarian, soprano Sonya Fandozzi-Caceres, and flutist Josephine Kost playing Bach, Brahms, Sibelius, Saint-Saens, Scriabin, and Ravel.02/23/2014
Histoire du Soldat A dance with the devil, a baroque breakdown, and world-class musicians combine for an unforgettable dance experience. Back by popular demand, Attack Theatre presents Stravinsky's timeless tale of greed and temptation, "The Soldier's Tale," with musicians from the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and Carnegie Mellon School of Music conducted by Daniel Meyer. Chatham Baroque joins Attack Theatre dancers for a compelling new duet, "A Tiny Droplet of a Portrait" with original music composed by Dave Eggar.02/23/2014
Daniel Teadt - Wanderlust in Translation Internationally-acclaimed baritone Daniel Teadt performs in opera houses, on concert stages, and at festivals throughout the United States and Europe. Named Best Local Artist in 2010 by Pittsburgh Magazine, this former Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist was on the roster of the New York City Opera and toured with the San Francisco Opera. "Wanderlust in Translation," is a program featuring songs by Adamo, Gounod, Hoiby, Ives, Quilter, Schubert, Sibelius, and Wolf, with texts by Goethe, Shakespeare, Shelley, and more.02/23/2014
Music on the Mount Green Light Saxophone Quartet; James Houlik, director.02/23/2014
Bring Your Own Bard: Murder and Mayhem February's BYOB readings promise "Murder and Mayhem" with scenes and monologues of be-headings and eye-gouging, poisonings and assassinations, brawls and blood. Also, get a sneak preview of "The Compleat Guide to Murder and Mayhem by Will Shakespear," a world premiere play scheduled for the Pittsburgh Fringe Festival in May. Believe it or not, the evening is suitable for all ages.02/24/2014
Listen Locally: Freya String Quartet: Roots Hear music inspired by and from the North Dakota roots of FSQ members, featuring the world premiere of Badlands by Matthew Peterson honoring the North Dakota roots of violinist Jason Neukom and violist Jason Hohn, rousing Armenian folk songs from cellist Katya Janpoladyan's native country arranged by Komitas, and Edvard Grieg's String Quartet in G Minor, a childhood favorite of violinist Ashley Buck. 02/24/2014
Opus One Opus One performs Beethoven's Piano Quartet in E-flat major, Op. 16b, Steven Stucky's Rain Shadow, and Brahms' Piano Quartet #3 in C minor, Op. 60.02/24/2014
The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess Winner of the 2012 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical, The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess aqrrives in a stunning and stirring new staging, including such legendary songs as "Summertime," "It Ain't Necessarily So," and "I Got Plenty of Nothing." The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess features one of Broadway's most accomplished creative teams, led by Tony-nominated director Diane Paulus (Hair), Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks (Topdog/Underdog), and two-time Obie Award-winning composer Diedre L. Murray (Running Man), bringing George & Ira Gershwin's legendary masterwork to the Broadway stage for the first time in more than 35 years.02/25/2014
Golden Age of Hollywood Cabaret Duquesne's Ballroom transforms into an old Hollywood supper club as Duquesne University's Red Masquers present The Golden Age of Hollywood Cabaret, a one-night-only, black-tie showcase of dancing, food, drinks and performances of such Hollywood classics as Singin' in the Rain, No Business Like Show Business and Blue Skies. Reservations required. Email email@example.com/27/2014
Fourth River Music Project Featuring guest composer David Borden, Showcasing an eclectic mix of contemporary, classical and jazz fusion material, students perform on electronic keyboards, violin and cello; wind and guitar controllers, and electronic percussion. Lynn Purse, director.02/27/2014
Soweto Gospel Choir The two-time Grammy-winning choir visits Pittsburgh on a three-month, 30-city US tour to celebrate the launch of their latest album, "Divine Decade," celebrating the ensemble's past ten years of artistic collaborations and accolades.02/27/2014
Essence of Joy in Johnstown Essence of Joy, directed by Dr. Anthony T. Leach, is a Penn State Department of Music choral ensemble performing sacred and secular music from African and African-American traditions.02/28/2014
African Accents Performances of African-influenced chamber music from Cuba and America including composers such as William Grant Still share a program with European classics by Austria's Franz Schubert.02/28/2014
The Gentlemen Sing: Three Generations of Song This brand-new curated project by Marty Ashby and MCG Jazz features Allan Harris, Ernie Andrews and a brand-new artist who was chosen through a nationwide search. 02/28/2014
Joshua Bell & Symphonie Espagnole Violinist Joshua Bell returns to the PSO for Lalo's daring concert piece, Symphonie espagnole, written at the beginning of a French fascination with Spanish-themed music. Guest Conductor Gianandrea Noseda leads the PSO in Liszt's rarely performed dramatic portrayals from Goethe's "Faust" - the fallen scholar Faust, his innocent love Gretchen, and the demon Mephistopheles.02/28/2014
Music on the Edge: JACK Quartet The JACK Quartet electrifies audiences worldwide with "explosive virtuosity" (Boston Globe) and "viscerally exciting performances" (New York Times). David Patrick Stearns (Philadelphia Inquirer) proclaimed their performance as being "among the most stimulating new-music concerts of my experience." Co-presented with The Andy Warhol Museum.03/01/2014
Durufle's Requiem Experience the beauty and serenity of this exquisite work, featuring orchestra, organist David Billings, and mezzo-soprano Eva Rainforth. Susan Medley conducts.03/01/2014
Fiddlesticks Family Concert: "Carnival of the Animals" Conductor Lawrence Loh joins Fiddlesticks onstage as cartoon artist Joe Wos from the Toonseum illustrates the animals in Saint-Saens' musical menagerie, from the royal lion to the graceful swan, as the PSO performs. Discovery Time activities at 10:00 am (concert at 11:15) will include tortoise races provided by the Pittsburgh Zoo, animal-themed arts and crafts, sing-a-long music, and dancing activities!03/01/2014
Pennsylvania Sings Every hour, there are choices of singalongs or dancing/instrument making at downtown Greensburg churches: First Presbyterian, First Lutheran, First Reformed, and First Methodist. This event for all ages offers jazz, Broadway, shaped‑note, folk, children, country, eastern European, and other styles.03/01/2014
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Employment opportunities are currently posted on bulletin boards inside the City-County building and/or posted in local newspapers. Please check these locations for additonal details on employment opportunities with Floyd County Government.
Another resource for Floyd County employment opportunities:
Indiana's Career Connect is the State of Indiana's NO CHARGE service to benefit individuals and employers. This online system allows individuals and employers to search available jobs and job seekers.
Find your next position or find your next employee on the Indiana Career Connect Website.


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Although the view still is a bit hazy, Williamsport Regional Airport officials like how the airport's new terminal building project is taking shape.
On Wednesday, the authority hosted a public meeting in which a consulting team made a recommendation as to the size and location of the new terminal.
The consulting team - primary consultants Rettew Associates Inc., and partners Delta Airport Consultants - determined the terminal should be built just east of the present terminal, between the terminal and a hangar maintained by De Gol Jet Center.
The L-shaped, two-story building should have about 35,000 square feet of floor space, compared to the present terminal's 27,000 square feet.
The meeting was held at the former state police hangar at the airport. A wall of the hangar was covered with drawings and photographs created from two days of interviews with politicians, Chamber of Commerce officials, airport tenants, local businesses, airport users and the general public.
It was clear during the interview process that the area is interested in and excited about the prospect of having a new airport terminal.
Rohn Price, director of architecture for Delta Airport Consultants, said more people offered to provide input on the project than any other he has been involved with in more than 25 years. The input from those people directly impacted building footprint concept and four building location options created by the consulting team, he said.
A recommendation was made after each option was evaluated in 27 different areas, David Jones, Delta vice president and Harrisburg office director, said.
No stone was left unturned in the quest to gain input for the project.
"It was a very thoughtful process," said Laura Templeton, principal in charge for Rettew Associates Inc.
"It was a grueling 2 1/2 days," Thomas Hart, airport executive director said. "They were meeting with everyone, from the authority and politicians to the Chamber of Commerce and the local community."
Hart said he believes the recommended choice is the right one.
The new terminal, at 35,000-square-feet, will be able to accommodate all of the airport's needs, plus be flexible to handle change and expandable to handle growth.
The lobby will be much larger than the current terminal and have room for displays of local attractions and businesses. Airline ticket counter space will be doubled and modern baggage-handling systems installed. The holding area will accommodate 150 people and offer refreshments and restroom facilities, neither of which the current terminal offers.
The second floor of the proposed terminal will contain the airport restaurant and administrative suites. There will be abundant views of the airfield and mountains beyond them from both floors, Price said.
The airport will be fully compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act regulations.
Many things have to happen before the recommendations can acted upon, authority Chairman Mark Murawski said.
Regulatory agencies such as the Federal Aviation Administration must sign off on the recommendations. Environmental studies also have to be performed before work can begin, he said.
Still, the project is on an "aggressive schedule," he said. That schedule must be maintained for the authority to take advantage of funding opportunities, some of which require projects to begin within a certain time frame to be eligible for the funds, he said.
That mean the authority "needs to get shovels in the ground by June, 29, 2013," said Templeton.
According to Murawski, there are no time constraints on when the project is finished. However, he expects it to be completed in the spring of 2014.
The estimated $13.6 million project initially included the construction of a new air traffic control tower, but bureaucratic red tape associated with that project would delay it too long, he said.
The current tower will be maintained and possibly replaced later, he said.


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Victim of accidental shooting in Riverside dies
Shooting happened Sunday night
UPDATED 6:41 AM CST Feb 04, 2013
A person that was shot in the 4800 block of Homestead Road in Riverside, Mo., on Sunday night has died.
A Riverside public information officer said the victim was accidentally shot at about 8:30 p.m.
The person was taken to an area hospital. The spokesperson announced on Monday morning that the victim had died.
No other details were released.
Copyright 2013 by KMBC.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Hi! My name is Sid
I am a Korat from Fort Wayne, IN
Nicknames: Seedling
Age: 10 years old
Gender: M
Coat: short haired
Education: Climbed a tree in one try licks when you scratch his back
My favorite tricks and treats are: licks your hat if you scratch his back in a certain spot, begs for food, runs up trees and deli food; Wiska's treats
Where I hang out: my bed, my blue chair, by the food bowl
My favorite grubs: 9lives or meow mix cat food deli meat/deli cheese, Wiska's cat treats, Kroger brand wet food
My pet peeves: meesy litterbox, not enough/no food, no place to lay down
What I love about my owners: He feeds me, gives me a place to sleep, rubs my belly and pets my all the time
My cat hobbies: sleep, eat, run around the house, go outside and explore around in the bushes.
Pet motto: "If there is food out there, I'll find it!"
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A woman at Woodview Healthcare, the place where my mom works, found a baby kitten approx. 1-2 months under her car in the cold. She kept him for a few weeks but her cat was mean to him so she gave him to me because my cat ran away. One or two weeks later my cat Murray came home and he just absolutely adored Sid. But about almost a year ago Murray ran away and I haven't seen him since. I'm not sure if he is alive or not.
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Top Definition
To vent on someone about something in an email just to get it off of your chest.
She really sent me an outrageous e-Vent after her confrontation with the lazy chick at work with the goiter.
od uživatele Miserable in Fair Lawn 01. červenec 2009
Trending Now
Can you define these popular missing words?
adjective: used to indicate the merit of any happening, most often social functions.
man that party last weekend was event!
od uživatele Gran Pree 08. březen 2004


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The 4-month-boy died three days after the assault.
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2010 Carlisle Winery Zinfandel Old Vines Russian River Valley
Producer: Carlisle Winery
Style: Red Wine
Grape Type: Zinfandel
Origin: California
Region: Sonoma
Appellation: Russian River Valley
91 Points | Stephen Tanzer's IWC - May/June 2012
(15.9% alcohol): Glass-staining purple. High-pitched aromas of black raspberry, cherry-cola, allspice and lavender, with a smoky topnote. Offers an array of intense black and blue fruit flavor, along with a suave gingerbread nuance. Bright and spicy on the finish, which leaves a sweet floral pastille note behind. All of the fruit that would normally make up the Carlise Vineyard and Montafi Ranch bottlings was blended to make this wine.


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Edinboro's Bemis named top athlete at PSAC Indoor Track and Field Championships
LEWISBURG -- Three was the magic number for Edinboro's Tabitha Bemis Sunday.
Three individual wins gave her the distinction of Field Athlete and Overall Most Valuable Athlete at the PSAC Indoor Track and Field Championships for the third straight year at Bucknell's Gerhard Fieldhouse.
Bemis also was part of the second-place 4x400-meter relay and contributed a third place in the 60-meter dash to help the Scots move from 12th place after Day One to a fourth-place finish of 70 points. Slippery Rock claimed the team title with 108 points, while East Stroudsburg and Shippensburg finished second and third, respectively.
Bemis opened the day by winning the long jump with a jump of 19 feet, 21/2 inches. She then tied her own PSAC record when she completed the 60-meter hurdles in 8.60 seconds. Bemis picked up her third win by posting a season-best 39-83/4 in the triple jump.
Allison Gibbens also saved her best effort of the season for Sunday in the 800-meter run, as her time 2:18.29 was good for second place.
Along with Sophie Zielonka and anchor Kat Faller, Bemis and Gibbens also were part of the 4x400 that took second place Sunday.
The top three place finishers in each event earned all-PSAC honors.


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guys i made a B in one of my AP classes this year
should i just go ahead and kill myself
guys i made a B in one of my AP classes this year
should i just go ahead and kill myself
Amourshipping and Generation III for the win!
AP results are coming up soon, I really need to stop procrastinating and make an account...
Pokémon Showdown: Witeldram
Safari: Fighting - Sawk, Meditite, Riolu
I'm really not getting anatomy. Brachial plexus what?
Yay! I got my report card for Semester 1. I got six A's, two B's and one C, though that C is for an advanced subject, so I'm counting it as a B. I am so happy, especially with subject interviews for Year 11 coming up. I'd say I've got a good chance of getting the subjects I want.
4940 - 6535 - 5488
Friend Safari: Fighting:
Pancham, Machoke, Tyrogue.
PM me if you add me.
Got my Law school schedule at last:
Criminal Law
Basic Civil Procedure
Legal Research
Legal Writing
Yesh last day of first semester tomorrow, along with the reports though I already know what is going to be in it hehe... just have to make course selections for next year, the school is really pushing us to make the best choices for the final 2 years of it...
I have claimed
Any suggestions as to what would serve as the best/cheapest option to buy dorm bedding? (Twin XL Comforter set)
As it stands, I'm looking into Dormco.
Just finished first semester of Year 11 yesterday, and got my report. Extremely happy with straight A's, with an A+ in Maths Studies and 90% on my English exam. Only subject I didn't get graded on was Research Project where I got a P (pending) because I got an extension till the end of the year.
Amourshipping and Generation III for the win!
Well, today is my results day. That basically means that, in about four hours, when results are published, I'll know whether or not I got into my chosen uni - if I haven't, I'm gonna have to make a lot of phone calls, because my insurance choice is asking for more than my firm choice. (Basically, the combination of subjects I want to do is very rare - I only found about five unis which offered it, and they all want pretty much the same sort of grades, which is quite a bit less than I'm predicted). I should be okay, but there were some points during school where I kind of didn't try as hard as I could've (on coursework and such) because I don't need such high grades. We'll see what happens I guess - I'll post my results later on.
For those unfamiliar with the IB system, you basically take six subjects, three at standard level, and three at higher, with each having a possible grade out of seven. You can get three bonus points for an extended essay (4,000 words) in a subject of your choice (my case, German), and for Theory of Knowledge, which is similar to philosophy, and graded through a presentation and a 1,200 word essay. This comes to a total of 45 points. My uni wants me to get 34 points (if I can get 36, I'll get a scholarship), and a 6 in higher level German. Kind of scared right now, but I'll let all you Internet strangers know what happens (if any of you are that bothered xD)
Welp, my results
Total: 39/45
English: 6
Maths Studies: 7
Economics: 6
German: 6
Italian: 5
Biology: 6
Extended Essay: A
Theory of Knowledge: B
Bonus Points: 3/3
Pretty happy about that - got my place and my scholarship. My friend narrowly missed out on his insurance uni offer, but he was very close, so I'm hoping for him that he'll get the grades he needs with a remark - if not, that he'll be able to talk his way in (probably - he's good at that kind of thing).
Last edited by Roseheart95; 6th July 2014 at 3:50 PM.
I am a Christian, and not ashamed to admit it! Copy and paste this if you are too.
"For God so loveth the world, that he hath given his only son, that none that believe in him, should perish: but should have everlasting life." (John 3:16)
My Animelist
Just went into school today for our official results day. Turns out I got the second highest grade, and the person who got the highest only got one more point than me. Apparently only five out of about twenty-six of us got our first choice unis, and the language grade boundaries were apparently especially strict this year, for whatever reason.
I am a Christian, and not ashamed to admit it! Copy and paste this if you are too.
"For God so loveth the world, that he hath given his only son, that none that believe in him, should perish: but should have everlasting life." (John 3:16)
My Animelist
I have a physics final that I didn't study for. I'm coming out either praising #YOLOSwag or cursing myself.
Did anybody else get less money from financial aid for the upcoming semester? Thank god the price of off-campus is so cheap that I'm still paying less this year.
Haven't been posting lately, sorry guys.
So July 5 was AP results day. I got a "4" in AP Human Geography. I was disappointed at first, since I really wanted to get a "5" but I guess it's my fault for underestimating the essay. I heard so much people from College Board say that it was an easy test, so I barely studied. Oh well, at least I learned my lesson. This year hopefully I'll get a "5" in AP World History.
Also, how did you guys do? I'm curious to know how you did!
Last edited by Rakansen; 8th July 2014 at 3:03 AM.
Pokémon Showdown: Witeldram
Safari: Fighting - Sawk, Meditite, Riolu
I also plan to get some time working at the dining hall and/or market right outside the building I'll be living in, which means I'll also be able to get a much more workable schedule with my classes too. In all it should make things even nicer than last year in terms of expenses.
AC Dream Address: 4300 2225 3013 // Secret Base Teams // Most Recent Shiny: Bagon // Platinum Nuzlocke
It feels weird that this is my final week of college. I'm currently rendering out my final project for tomorrow, and I feel fine about everything since I'm passing everything. I'm not nervous, but I'm not excited, either. Thursday might be different, though, since that's when we're doing a portfolio showing, but I otherwise feel fine.
It's so weird.
Winner of Best Non-Pokémon Fic of 2015 in the Shipping OscarsForsaken: Chapter 20 - 11/17/14 / Encryption: Chapter 8 - 3/10/16 / Handle with Care: Chapter 10 - 3/17/14
3DS FC: 5129-1087-8128 Friend Safari: Phanpy, Dugtrio, Diggersby
IGN: Varanus ~I have officially claimed Chompy!~
I marked down to have my diploma mailed, but I don't know how long it takes to get mailed out. I'm pretty sure it's mailed out before the coronation (which is in October for me). Though I'm now wondering if I have to pick up a cap and gown for the coronation. I keep forgetting to ask about it, lol.
Winner of Best Non-Pokémon Fic of 2015 in the Shipping OscarsForsaken: Chapter 20 - 11/17/14 / Encryption: Chapter 8 - 3/10/16 / Handle with Care: Chapter 10 - 3/17/14
Just registered for the Fall semester of college this year (which will be the start of my second year of college). My schedule is is waaaay better than last semesters, let me tell you.
-Intermediate Expository Composition (English 201)
-Biology 1 (Biology 201)
-Survey of World Mythology (English 215)
-Elementary Spanish 2 (Spanish 102)
For a total of 14 credits.
So yeah, pretty decent. I didn't do a science class my first year, but I'm an English major so whatever. *shrug* Biology will be my main problem this semester. I've heard it's pretty hard. But I'm fond of the sciences, so it shouldn't be too bad.
Unlike math. F*** that.


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Episode 55
Paul Nixon and Dominic Cork show that age is just a number in our Friends Life t20 round-up while Marcus Trescothick and Karl Brown look forward to Finals Day at Edgbaston. There's more from the domestic scene with Durham captain Dale Benkenstein, whose side lost to Hampshire Royals in the FL t20, keen to focus on a title tilt as the championship season enters the final few weeks. Plus Neil McKenzie, Mark Wallace, Andrew Strauss, Ian Bell and Ravi Bopara, who is delighted to be back in the Test squad.
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text:
Christopher Rules PASS North Stafford Show
by NSSN Staff
STAFFORD SPRINGS, Conn. – Ted Christopher drove to victory in the Pro All Stars Series North late-model feature at Stafford Motor Speedway Sunday afternoon.
Christopher dominated the event, which was shortened from 125 laps to 110 because of tire concerns at the half-mile asphalt oval.
D.J. Shaw crossed the line in third, followed by Travis Benjamin, Jay Fogleman and Derek Ramstrom.
Posted by NSSN Staff on Aug 27 2012 Filed under Latest Headlines, Stock Cars, Touring Late Models. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.


text: On Mar 7, 2008, at 0:03, Kevin Reid wrote: > javax.swing.ActionEvent.getActionCommand() appears to be necessary > to tell which of the Cancel or Open/Save buttons the user pressed > in a JFileChooser. ... > > (In particular, note that the caplet powerbox -- > src/esrc/com/skyhunter/e/security/ > powerboxControllerMakerAuthor.emaker > -- fails to make the distinction, which is a dangerous bug: the > selected file, if any, will be granted to the caplet even though > the user intended to cancel.) This is now E-on-Java bug <https://sourceforge.net/tracker/index.php? func=detail&aid=1910475&group_id=75274&atid=551529>. -- Kevin Reid <http://homepage.mac.com/kpreid/>


text: By midweek, unwinding from the stresses of work and life is necessary; there are some new cats in town who are helping folks do just that.Four Cats in the Doghouse is a newly formed jazz quartet sharing its chops with Aiken audiences every Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Willcox. The combination of the music and ambiance create an atmosphere in which you can leave your worries behind. With a fireplace on either side of the room, Four Cats in the Doghouse take center stage in The Willcox as tables and couches fill with diners, music lovers and guests. Once the music starts, listeners are transported to a different era. The group consists of Scott Ferguson on the saxophone and flugelhorn, George Sykes on the stand-up bass, Bud Pabst on the drums and David Brown on the piano. The group formed late last year and added Sykes. The band performed one night in December at The Willcox and was so well received its has been asked to perform weekly. After three weeks, the crowds have been growing as word has spread. The group plays classic jazz including jazz standards such as "Here's That Rainy Day" and "Autumn Leaves." The band's focus ranges to include jazz of the '50s and '60s. "This is the perfect venue with the combination of the room and the music. This is not a bar atmosphere, and we play more of the listening kind of jazz that people really seem to enjoy," Ferguson said. "We want to please our audience.""We really love what we are doing here," Sykes said, as the others nodded in agreement. "We like to play music and just hope people will come out."As the group's reputation grows around the area, its members hope to add performances and are available to play private functions and parties. For more information, e-mail the band at firstname.lastname@example.com Rachel Johnson at email@example.com.


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Garlic mustard is one of the most invasive weeds tormenting our parks and yards, able to take down an entire maple forest. What to do?
Eat it!
Yes, there are many recipes available if you want to use eat your way through the weeds in your yard. There are a lot that use garlic mustard including pesto, ravioli and soups. Below are links to several sites that have recipes for using garlic mustard:
- http://www.ma-eppc.org/weedrecipes.html
- http://www.annarbor.com/vielmetti/eat-garlic-mustard-for-earth-day/
- http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/Web%20Recipes/GarlicMustardPesto.html
- http://www.ma-eppc.org/morerecipes.html
- http://www.fosc.org/GM-Recipe.htm


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Free service available via TV platform
HOLLYWOOD — The BBC's iPlayer is moving off the Internet and onto cabler Virgin Media, in a move that will give further cause for concern to News Corp.'s paybox BSkyB.
Starting today, Virgin Media's 3.5 million TV customers will be the first to get the free service via a TV platform rather than on the Web.
Subs will be able to watch full-screen pictures on their TVs without the need for downloading by pressing the red button on any BBC channel. The iPlayer will be added to the electronic program guide menu this summer.
BBC iPlayer allows viewers to access more than 350 hours of BBC content from the previous seven days.
Last week, BSkyB topper James Murdoch, who is also CEO of News Corp. in Europe and Asia, accused the iPlayer of destroying competition in Blighty's broadband TV market.
But that was when the iPlayer was still Web-bound.
The free service could impact Murdoch's paybox now that it's available on regular TVs — and, to make matters worse, on a rival cable platform.
Malcolm Wall, CEO of content at Virgin Media, said: "The enormous success of iPlayer online has demonstrated the desire TV viewers have for viewing quality programs at a time that suits them, and now it's available from the comfort of the living room. Virgin Media is proud to be working with the BBC to continue to lead this revolution in TV viewing."
Ashley Highfield, BBC director of future media and technology said, "This partnership takes us a step closer to transforming the way our audiences watch TV."


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Malone University welcomes World Evangelical Alliance Mission to campus June 15-20
June 11, 2013 | Release # 6656
Malone University will be the site of a gathering of the Mission Mobilization Research Team, established by the Mission Commission, a subsidiary of the World Evangelical Alliance, June 15 – 20 on the campus located at 2600 Cleveland Avenue N.W. in Canton. For the past half-dozen years or so, the team has been involved in scholarly research to answer the question, "What motivates a person to pursue world missions as a vocation?"
The act of uprooting oneself to pursue a life in mission service is a response to something. Defining that something has been the purpose of the group as thousands of pages of data will now be collectively analyzed and made ready for publication. Serving on the mobilization research team is Malcolm Gold, Ph.D. professor of sociology and chair of the Department of History, Philosophy, and Social Sciences at Malone University.
According to Dr. Gold, the Commission conducted roughly 100 interviews, collecting the voices of different people currently involved in Christian missions including church members, missionaries, mission agency workers, those who mobilize and recruit missionaries, church leaders, and pastors.
While many factors influence and motivate missionary work, one of the initial findings of the study seems to indicate that while agencies and recruiters play an instrumental role in providing opportunities for service, the strongest motivating factor appears to be the clear direct call of God on one's life.
Founded in 1846, the World Evangelical Alliance is a global representative voice: articulating evangelical values, addressing concerns, and advocating for the downtrodden.
The following team members visiting campus include:
- Jay Matenga – Director, Pioneers New Zealand
- Alison Clark – Missionary working in Romania
- Duncan Olumbe – Missions worker, Kenya
- Min-Young Jung – Wycliffe International, South Korea
Malone University, a Christian university for the arts, sciences, and professions in the liberal arts tradition, affiliated with the Evangelical Friends Church, awards both undergraduate and graduate degrees in more than 100 academic programs. Malone has been recognized by the prestigious Templeton Foundation as a leader in character development, as one of Northeast Ohio's Top Workplaces by the Cleveland Plain Dealer, and is ranked among the top colleges and universities in the Midwest under the category Regional Universities according to U.S. News & World Report's America's Best Colleges 2015
Suzanne Thomas, APR
Director of University Relations
Malone University
2600 Cleveland Avenue N.W., Canton, OH, 44709
Phone: 330-471-8239
Cell: 330-324-2424
Categories: religion


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January 27th, 2011
A few weeks ago I issued a memo advising academic departments that the School of Graduate Studies is shifting to more webcasting for final doctoral examinations. The reason is straightforwardly economic. With great surges in graduate enrolment come great surges in final examinations. That's great, except that it now costs more money to do what we have always done and done proudly—that is, fly external examiners into St. John's for a couple of days to examine doctoral candidates. (more…)


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"We've got a little bit of everything because that's what we love," declares Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith about his band's forthcoming tenth studio album, I'm With You, due out August 30.
That's the wondrous and wonderful thing about The Red Hot Chili Peppers; they're amazing at everything. Whether it's a sun-soaked funk classic like "Give It Away" or a poetic and poignant ballad like "Desecration Smile", the Chili Peppers always craft timeless tunes. I'm With You promises to be another collection of new classics featuring the band's inimitable, infectious, and infinitely awesome stylings.
In order to preview I'm With You, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith spoke to ARTISTdirect.com editor and Dolor author Rick Florino in this exclusive interview. He discusses the album, capturing energy, rebirth, what the cinematic equivalent of I'm With You is and more.
Did you have one overall vision for I'm With You before entering the studio?
We don't really have a vision when we start out. Our vision is, "Let's get together, play, and see what happens. Let's write some great music." Going into an album, we never have any pre-conceived notions of what it's going to be. It just happens organically. Obviously, Josh Klinghoffer joined our group, and we knew it was going to be quite different. We just want to be honest and open and play from our hearts. Every time we go in to make a record, that's what we do. That wasn't any different this time. Having Josh was the big change. He did a great job and wrote great music with us. We couldn't have asked for a better person to play music with.
With all of your albums, you capture a real visceral energy within these beautifully catchy songs. It feels like it's planned out after the fact, but it naturally generates from the four of you.
Yup! You hit it. That's absolutely what it is. It's something that comes from the four of us. Everyone is very involved in that process and I think that's a big reason why it sounds the way it does because we all have a lot of input. There you go. I can't say it any better than you did [Laughs].
Even though the music collectively rises from the unit, each individual instrument always stands out.
Everything has its place. We try to construct our songs so everything that needs to be heard gets to be heard. We play like a band. It's four guys in a room playing together. We don't build it from the ground up with machines and all of that kind of stuff. We play rock music. It's about catching a performance. That's somewhat gone by the wayside with technology and stuff. That comes across and touches the listener when they hear that. Josh sings a lot of great harmonies. It's whatever serves the song best. I want to make the song the best it can be. Whether it's playing the simplest drum part or something more exciting that needs to be ferocious, that's all in this record. Last time, we had 28 songs to do that [Laughs]. This time it's half. It's all in there, man. We love so many different kinds of music. We cover so many styles, but it's still us. That's what we do, and I think we've done it again.
Is every Red Hot Chili Peppers album a rebirth?
Every record is a real snapshot of where we're at during that time in our lives as a band and as a people. It's always been that way. It's not like, "Hey, I've got this song from three years ago". We're writing songs, and for that six or eight months, it's it. In this case, we wrote a lot of songs for about eleven months. Each time you make a record, you want to grow, change, push yourself, and take risks. It's important for any artist in any art form. We want to do new stuff, but the chemistry we have is something special. Everyone has a lot of input into the music and everyone's personality comes out in his instrument. I think that's what makes us sound unique. It's a combination of those guys and those notes, and we mean it. We're playing because we love to. It's from our hearts. That comes through to the listener. I don't know in what way, but we're very fortunate people want to hear our music after all of these years.
Does Rick Rubin help foster that feeling?
Yes, Rick Rubin is very like-minded when it comes to lots of things. Certainly in the musical realm, we have a great working relationship with him. He's been working with us for 20 years on all of our records. We feel that he's the fifth Chili Pepper [Laughs]. He's someone that we love and trust. He's always searching, changing, and looking for new things as a music lover. He's passionate about music and life, and we are as well. We're fortunate that we've been on this journey together. We've changed, and he's changed. Hopefully, we've gotten better as musicians. He's gotten even better as a producer. He's just so good. He knows how to serve the song the best. It's so helpful. When we bring him to start working on our songs, he's that new, objective set of ears. It just works. We've got this thing that works well together.
What's happening with The Bombastic Meatbats? You sound different in every project you do.
We played not too long ago. We shot a DVD in New York. It's always a fun side thing. I don't want to be in a Chili Pepper-sound-alike band. I wouldn't do that. I'm in the best Chili Pepper band there is [Laughs]. So I'm doing this jazzy funk-fusion instrumental, or I'll play that classic rock thing that I grew up with in Chickenfoot with Sammy Hagar, Joe Satriani, and Michael Anthony. I did a kids record with Dick Van Dyke. I bring all of that back into The Chili Peppers, and I have all of this experience. We've always done that. Flea has played with Patti Smith and Thom Yorke. We're musicians. I love to be around people who are passionate about music, but I'm not going to do the same thing.
If you were to compare I'm With You to a movie or a combination of movies, what would you compare it to?
There's a French movie called A Prophet. It's pretty good. It's kind of like the French Godfather. That's what the new record sounds like [Laughs]. That's just for me today. Tomorrow is another day. There's a lot of love on it. I think it's a very positive, uplifting piece of music that we've put together. There are a lot of different flavors on it. It's very emotional, and it's rocking. It sounds fresh to me. I'm very proud and happy about the way it came out.


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SHEPHERDSTOWN - The Upper Potomac Piper's Weekend drew bagpipe players from as far away as Canada to Shepherdstown this weekend, as students of the instrument and bagpipe maestros gathered to perform and learn from one another.
Part of Shepherdstown's Upper Potomac Music Weekends program, the Piper's Weekend offered two-hour classes at a variety of levels and the opportunity for private tutorials for enrolled students in Scottish small pipes, border pipes, Northumbrian small pipes, uilleann pipes, as well as flutes, whistles, the bodhran and other piper-friendly mixed instruments in a variety of styles. The weekend began with a Friday night round-robin session, followed by a concert Saturday night and classes all day Sunday at Shepherd University.
"It's a bagpipe weekend, and we are featuring five different styles of bellows-blown bagpipes, as well as flutes and whistles and mixed instrument repertoire. All of these traditions are native to the British isles and the north of France," said Joanie Blanton, director of Upper Potomac Music Weekends.
Article Video
Musicians play bagpipes.
The weekend featured five different styles taught by six different teachers, all renowned pipers. About 60 different students from places like Canada, Ohio, North Carolina and Pennsylvania enrolled for the weekend.
"Most of the people are from about three to four hours away, but some people are coming from pretty big distances. There are not a lot of bagpipe weekends like this in this country," Blanton said. "Although it seems kind of exotic, it's a very small niche in a big world. ... The bagpipe community is a relatively small compared to the world itself, but there are traditions all over the world."
Dan Emery, who began playing Highland bagpipes, traveled from Philadelphia to be a part of the weekend. Emery began as an 18-year-old playing pipes and has since played their many varieties.
Article Photos
Journal photo by Ron Agnir
Dick Hensold, Northumbrian Smallpipes, performs during the 'Squeeze The Bag!' Showcase of Music from the British Isles.
Journal photo by Ron Agnir
Dave Arnold and Francesca Constantino learn subtle nuances between Dublin and English Flute playing at the Upper Potomac Piper's Weekend Flute Technique class Sunday morning in Shepherdstown.
"It's always nice to meet with other pipers, get ideas, listen to them and all that kind of stuff," Emery said. "It's a very friendly environment. It's geared toward multiple levels ... and all the teachers do a very good job of trying to include the lowest level to the highest level."
Others like Brandon Davis, of Roanoke, Va., said he has been playing pipes for years and has been attending the Piper's Weekend for three years.
"This is pretty much the only place I come for lessons," Davis said. "It was awesome. It gets better every year. The teachers are great, and there's a variety of things to learn and do."
Lucas Mitch, who also hails from Philadelphia, said he first learned of the Piper's Weekend at an event in Vermont and decided to travel to Shepherdstown for the event.
"I think it's great. I think it's well-organized. I really recommend it, especially for anyone who is thinking of beginning piping. If you are a beginner, this is the place to be," he said.
Students of all ages and skill level attended the weekend event. Blanton said everyone from high school students to senior citizens were represented. The weekend even featured rental bagpipes and a class called "honk and squeeze," so people could try out the pipes and see if it was something they wanted to learn.
"It gives people a chance to enter into this community and be a part of it," Blanton said.
Upper Potomac Music Weekends puts on four music weekends a year with different themes. Next weekend, for example, Shepherdstown will host a fiddlers' retreat. In the spring, Upper Potomac Music Weekends hosts a hammered dulcimer weekend, while there traditionally is a mixed instrument weekend in the fall.
Upper Potomac Music Weekends has been hosting the workshops since 1988, gradually expanding to include other instruments and musical traditions.
"I enjoy the music. I like the building (of) a sense of community between the students and the Shepherdstown community, which is the perfect location for us," Blanton said. "Shepherdstown is small, the people are friendly and they are open to new things, so the Shepherdstown community is very, very welcoming for all of these different music weekends."
- Staff writer Edward Marshall can be reached at 304-263-8931, ext. 182, or firstname.lastname@example.com


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Top Definition
When one releases gas from the anus.
Zeb is always busting cake in my face.
dodane przez Carrissa Nicolay lipiec 09, 2006
Trending Now
Can you define these popular missing words?
On-going release of large amounts of nasty gas while engaged in physical activity.
In grade school during recess I participated in a pick up game of basketball. During a full court press my buddy Dale detected that someone was Busting Cakes.
dodane przez Max Coleman wrzesień 01, 2005


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These little pockets have a thousand and one possible uses. I created Poppy Pocket to house the camera I got for Christmas, but made into a different size, these handy pockets could easily protect mobile phones, music players, glasses...you name it! Even make a giant one for laundry or a shopping bag. The possibilities are endless, so let's get started! This pocket will house a standard digital camera with some leeway - mine measures 10cm x 15cm. Feel free to add length or width to suit.
Can we all agreed that we are NOT sewer but sewist or seamstress?
LOL, yes I only realized this terrible play on words a little while ago..apologies :)
Great for begginers, make nice pockets for ay occasion. I put candies in mine ;-)
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Craftsy Apps for iOS and Android. Read more »


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Will Muschamp hires former Kentucky head coach Joker Phillips as WRs coach
Coach Will Muschamp said last week he had a long list of coaches who wanted to work at Florida. Joker Phillips was on it.
3:42 pm Dec. 3, 2012
Coach Will Muschamp said last week he had a long list of coaches who wanted to work at Florida. Joker Phillips was on it.
5:02 pm Aug. 8, 2012
Florida's offensive players looked like they knew what they were doing this week.
That sounds small, but it was a big relief to new OC Brent …
10:13 am Aug. 3, 2012
Gators coach Will Muschamp announced this morning that assistant Aubrey Hill no longer is part of his staff.
10:19 pm Dec. 4, 2011
One of the key members of coach Will Muschamp's staff left the Gators for Ohio State.
9:54 am Aug. 18, 2011
As an investigation into improper benefits at Miami extends to campuses around the country, the University of Florida has cleared its two players and coach that were linked to Hurricanes booster Nevin Shapiro in a recent Yahoo! investigative report.
9:06 pm Aug. 16, 2011
In an investigative report by Yahoo! Sports, a University of Miami booster admits to giving money and other improper benefits to more than 70 football players associated with the Hurricanes.
4:21 pm Jan. 2, 2011
New Florida coach Will Muschamp has five of his nine assistants officially in place. These coaches are eligible to recruit for the Gators and can visit recruits beginning Tuesday.
11:55 am Jan. 2, 2011
Zach Azzanni and Chuck Heater, both members of Urban Meyer's staff this season, said this morning they are not on new coach Will Muschamp's staff.
11:55 am Jan. 1, 2011
Guess how new coach Will Muschamp's "I'm the only source in this program" plan is going.
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This festival for food lovers features demonstrations, tastings and master classes with well-known chefs, as well as restaurant tents and a speciality producers market. There will be a Chocolate, Cake, Bake and Preserves Theatre as well as Children's Cookery Theatre. There will also be a Vintage Tea Tent, which will host daily tea dances, a BBQ and a Real Ale and Cider area. In a mildly bemusing marketing stunt, Bompas and Parr will be handing out tasters of a free ice cream created to promote a Colgate toothpaste for sensitive teeth.
|Event website:
Average User Rating
1 / 5
Rating Breakdown
- 5 star:0
- 4 star:0
- 3 star:0
- 2 star:0
- 1 star:2
I couldn't quite understand what this was supposed to be, charging £15 per head in order to access rather ordinary stalls selling food & wine seems extortionate. There appeared to be no additional value and it seems a bit like being charged £15?to shop on your local high street. Way below normal farmers market standard, go to borough market it's free and you get a. Fantastic foodie experience that this rubbish.
Paid for VIP tickets for Foodies Festival at Twickenham. Complete waste of money. Although there were several sites that gave cooking or wine demonstrations the whole place was just a gigantic market. The VIP package which entitles you to a glass of Prosecco plus free coffee, tea and soft drinks throughout the day. You also receive a goody bag which contained a small non alcoholic beer and a few free samples which I valued at about 50 pence. The full VIP price of over £90 for two people was vastly overpriced compared with the admission price of £18 each. I would put the fair price for this event at about £10 per person. Don't bother with the VIP option it is more like and RIP off.