text:
Over the weekend, notorious Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard celebrated what would have been his 100th birthday. The former science-fiction writer (born March 13, 1911) founded the religion Scientology in 1952 as a successor to his self-help series, 'Dianetics.'
Since then, Scientology has gone mainstream with the aid of big-name celebrity believers like Tom Cruise and John Travolta. But while Scientology's association with movie stars has gained it publicity, it's also revealed outlandish, dangerous and cult-ish aspects that leave many wondering how famous actors and actresses could still choose to be involved with the church.
Moviefone talked to Village Voice editor-in-chief and Scientology expert Tony Ortega (who's written numerous articles about Scientology) about the intense connection between Scientology and celebrity and why so many movie stars follow Hubbard's bizarre ways.
Moviefone: When did Scientology become so enmeshed in celebrity like it seems to be today?
Tony Ortega: Almost from the start. I did a story about Larry Wollersheim, who joined the church in 1969 and he was telling me about, in the early '70s, how obsessed they were with trying to get actors. It was something that Hubbard realized early on would be a way to bring in people, to get celebrities attached to his organization. Larry told me around that time, Celebrity Centres were very new and these were places the church built specifically to cater to actors and actresses.
He told me about how they'd decided, for whatever reason, they were going to target Richard Kiel, he was the guy who played Jaws in the James Bond movies. And Larry was telling me about strategy meetings where they would talk about how to meet Richard at openings and stuff like that and to slather him with attention. They tried to convince him that Scientology would help him with various ailments he had; he had problems with pain and that kind of thing. So decades ago, Scientology was obsessed with trying to get actors and actresses into the church with varying success.
It's one thing to think about why does the church want to do this, but it's another to wonder why actors and actresses fall for this. But what you have to understand is that actors and actresses are among the most fragile human beings on the planet, and it's not really hard to convince them they're the center of the universe. So for years and years, Scientology has been attracting these stars into Scientology and pampering them at the Celebrity Centre. One of the questions I've always had is, once they attract a celebrity or an actor into Scientology, do the stars then have to go through the same training as everyone else, or do they get special treatment?
That was my next question.
One of the most interesting things that's happened in recent years is the defection of a man named Jason Beghe. Jason's an actor. He's been the lead in a movie [George A. Romero's 'Monkey Shine'], but he's more well known as a character actor and he's been in a lot of TV series. He got sucked into Scientology in the mid-90s and over a 12-year period, he spent, in his estimation, over a million dollars on Scientology training. It turns out these stars go through the same training as everyone else. They do the very bizarre rituals. Jason went through it all. It is true that they get pampered more and they don't have to do some of the low-pay menial labor that some of the other Scientologists do, but they do go through the same training.
There's another recent defector named Mark Headley who was working at the Scientology secret headquarters in the desert for years. He tells a story about how Tom Cruise, when he was first learning how to audit -- which is sort of a "talking cure" -- they used Mark Headley as a test subject for Tom. Mark had revealed this in a book that he wrote that came out about two years ago or a year ago. It was a very good book. But what wasn't in the book was, 'Okay, what was this training like?' I asked him, 'You've got this movie star across from you who is auditing you. How did it actually go?' There's these very strange Scientology practices, one of which Tom Cruise was leading him through, was asking him to talk to a bottle and talk to an ashtray and ask the ashtray to stand up. Just ridiculous stuff.
I found it hard to believe. I said, "Mark, are you telling me that Tom Cruise, after he'd made some of his biggest movies, movie star Tom Cruise, was sitting across from you asking you to speak to a bottle?" He said, "Yeah, that's how Scientology works." So I don't know. It's a mystery. Why do these stars get attracted to this thing? Why would they go through something so bizarre? I think actors and actresses are more fragile than we realize and they fall for this kind of thing.
What kind of stuff would Scientologists tell a movie star to entice them?
We also saw in the case of Paul Haggis [the director of 'Crash'] who recently came out ... Lawrence Wright did an excellent story on him in 'The New Yorker' and he asked him, "How far did you get?" And he got to the highest levels. He went through all that bizarre training, which includes as you go up what's called "the bridge" in Scientology, once you've spent a couple hundred thousand dollars, to a level called OT3, which stands for Operating Thetan 3. This is the level I like to ask ex-members about because Scientology considers it this super-secret thing that if anybody was to read it without being properly trained, it might kill them or something ridiculous. The materials are available online. I've read them and I think most reporters have.
It's a very strange story that L. Ron Hubbard tells about this galactic overlord named Xenu who took care of an overpopulation problem by bringing aliens to planet Earth and blowing them up in volcanoes. It's very strange stuff. I always ask ex-members, "You've spent all this money at that point to find out this is the actual origin story of the world according to Scientology. How did you deal with it?" Lawrence Wright asked Paul Haggis this, and Haggis and a lot of people, they're so far in at this point that nothing surprises them. They just accept it.
So these well-known stars that you know, Tom Cruise, John Travolta, Kirstie Alley, are all high-level Scientologists. They have been through that level. They have all been told that Earth, 75 million years ago, was populated by these alien beings sent by the overlord Xenu, who blew them all up and their disembodied souls are inhabiting human bodies. This is the core of what Scientology is. If you have a problem in your life, it's because these disembodied alien creatures are attaching themselves to you and preventing you from doing better. So Scientology is the one process, they believe, by which you can remove these alien souls. They're called body thetans and you can audit them away. It's strange enough that Tom Cruise and John Travolta belong to this strange organization, but it's even stranger to realize that's what they believe. These stars go through that same kind of training, accept it and now try to convince the rest of us that it makes sense when actually it doesn't at all.
How do these stars accept the ominous or even dangerous tone of the church that doesn't seem to be a secret?
I think it's true with any true believer, when you believe that your organization has the truth, the only truth that's going to save the planet, you're going to forgive that organization a lot of things. I think that's what's going on here. These celebrities will hear about poor treatment of ex-members or disconnection and the way families are ripped apart, and the stars just shrug it off because they believe it's just the stories of ex-members. They just aren't going to believe it.
Jason [Beghe] has said they were constantly reassured by church officials that this stuff isn't true, people are making this stuff up. They're constantly hearing from people in Scientology that people outside Scientology criticizing it are just a bunch of liars. They're inclined to believe that because they don't want to believe they belong to a bad organization. Paul Haggis is a great example where he had heard the criticism, didn't want to believe it but eventually realized the critics were telling the truth.
What kind of rituals would a celebrity have to do to get to the top level?
They do a lot of auditing and what that is is an E-Meter, which back in the day was literally a couple of soup cans attached to a device; now it's a little bit more sophisticated. As far as I can tell, it measures skin galvanization, and the needle bounces up and down and they believe it reflects something going on in your brain. They sit and talk about what you've done in your life that might have caused problems in your life and watch the needle bounce up and down. They have this endless question-and-answer that they call "rundowns." It gets to the point where they get pretty aggressive with people. They call them "sec checks" or security checks. They want to find out what crimes you've committed. It gets really intimidating. They want these people to believe that what's holding you back in your life are these bad things you've done in your life and if you confess it, you'll free your mind.
Turns out in a higher level you find out there are these alien creatures attached to you, and you have to go into your past lives and find out why they're attached to you. It's so bizarre. But it's just endless security checks and rundowns and auditing. The strange thing is that when Hubbard first proposed this in the '50s, he was about Dianetics, the science of the human mind; and he believed it was a challenge to psychiatry. That it was a different kind of talking cure. It was only after he realized he was paying a lot of taxes did it become a religion and he applied for tax-exempt status.
I saw a list of celebrity Scientologists and it seemed pretty random. Do all celebrity Scientologists know each other since it's such a closed-off group?
They all know each other. People that are in know each other well. You have to understand when you look at a list like that, there are people who have done some things with the church but aren't necessarily practicing Scientologists. Jason Beghe surprised me by saying that many people don't know this, but Tom Cruise had gotten away from the church for many years and wasn't really a practicing member. He only came back about four or five years ago.
If you see a list of people who are "Scientologists," keep in mind they may have been seen at Scientology activities or contributed some money, but that doesn't mean they're practicing Scientologists. I would be very careful looking at a list of celebrities that are supposed to be Scientologists because some of them may be very involved. There's someone like Kirstie Alley who is not only a practicing Scientologist but who has been very vocal in defending the church, and then there's some who have a casual relationship with it. Maybe they used a Scientology connection to get a role in a movie, but it doesn't mean they're active Scientologists.
What kind of career benefits are promised? Does the church say that if you become a Scientologist you'll be in this little Hollywood club and you'll get more roles?
There was a particular acting coach in Hollywood, Milton Katselas, that taught a class that had a lot of Scientologists in it and produced a lot of well-known Scientologist stars. It was well known that you should go to the class to get jobs, and actors went there primarily because they wanted to get work in Hollywood. That was a real breeding ground for them. You're a young actor in Hollywood. Someone says you need to take this class to get a good role and if you do, you will get a good role -- and by the way, we're all Scientologists, so join! So it's not surprising that a reputation would grow that you need to get into Scientology to get a good role.
I don't know that that's the case today. I think it was definitely the case some years ago. There was definitely a feeling in Hollywood that if you joined Scientology, it'd help you get ahead. Scientology counted on that. But I think the last five years have been so hard on Scientology with so much bad publicity that I don't know if that's still the case.
So they felt having movie stars would lend them legitimacy and publicity?
It's always been their strategy. You go way back. Karen Black was a Scientologist in the early '70s. They counted on that. They were always trying to find stars they could make associated with it. As Larry Wollershein told me, they were trying to recruit stars but even then, in the early '70s, the word was out that Scientology was weird. It's difficult to get somebody in, but when they did, it helped them immensely because it made it seem cool. It made it seem like the thing to do. That's what they count on. If you have someone like Tom Cruise or John Travolta, then young people will think it must be cool. But it's been very difficult for them the last few years because there's been so much negative publicity.


text:
Judge: No Birth Certificates To Immigrant Kids Born In TexasA federal judge has chosen for now not to force Texas health officials to change their stance in denying birth certificates to immigrant families with U.S- born children.
Federal Judge Issues Ruling In Arlington Open Carry LawsuitIn a short ruling this morning, Federal Judge Reed O'Connor has sided with the organization Open Carry Tarrant County and ruled against the city of Arlington.
Feds, Defense Turn To DNA In Kansas Identity Theft Case A federal judge has postponed the Kansas trial of a man charged with assuming the identity of a dead Texas boy.
Texas Voter ID Law Blocked By Federal Judge A federal judge filed a permanent injunction against enforcement of a tough Texas voter ID law.
Federal Judge Strikes Down Texas Voter ID Law A federal judge has blocked enforcement of a Texas voter ID law just weeks ahead of the November elections.
Federal Judge Halts Key Part Of Texas Abortion Law A federal judge has thrown out new abortion restrictions that would have banned the procedure at most Texas facilities where women can legally end a pregnancy.
Judge Questions Burdens For Texas Abortion Access New Texas abortion restrictions that would leave nearly 1 million women without any close options to end a pregnancy left a federal judge Wednesday signaling unease with the long drives the law would cause some abortion-seekers.
Federal Judge Halts 2 Texas Executions Over Drug SecrecyThe Texas attorney general's office says it is appealing a federal judge's order stopping the state from executing two condemned inmates until prison officials disclose information about the supplier of a new batch of drugs that would be used to kill them.
Judge Hears Challenge Of Texas' Gay Marriage Ban Attorneys for two same-sex couples have faced off with the Texas attorney general's office over whether a federal judge should lift the state ban on gay marriage.
Inmate Guilty Of Trying To Have North Texas Judge Killed A federal inmate has been found guilty of trying to hire someone to kill a North Texas federal judge.
Parts Of New Texas Abortion Law Ruled Unconstitutional A federal judge has ruled that new abortion restrictions passed by the Texas Legislature are unconstitutional and should not take effect as planned on Tuesday.
Judge Approves American Airlines' Bankruptcy Plan, Pending Merger ApprovalA federal judge is approving American Airlines' plan to emerge from bankruptcy protection and merge with US Airways, although the airlines must still resolve their lawsuit with the federal government, which is trying to block the merger.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
ITU Telecom Asia 2008 Forum to Address Climate Change
4 August 2008: The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Telecom Asia 2008 will be held from
2-5 September, 2008 in Bangkok Thailand. The event is being
organized on the theme "New Generation New Values," by ITU Telecom, a part of
the ITU. The event will comprise an exhibition and a forum, and aims to provide
a platform for the information and communications technology (ICT) community to
explore the growth and investment opportunities available in the Asia Pacific
ICT sector.
During the forum, climate
change will be one of the topics considered, under the theme 'Going Green –
Feel Good or Good Business?' The climate change forum is aimed at advancing
'green' ICTs and discussions will focus on exploring the benefits and business
opportunities of adopting environment-friendly ICTs, and on how ICTs can be a
part of the climate change solution. [ITU Press Release] [Forum Programme] [ITU Telecom Asia 2008 Forum]


text:
Don't just admire complex quilts with sharp, perfect points — create your own! Find out how to do foundation paper piecing with seven free block patterns and step-by-step guidance from author Elizabeth Dackson. Create beautiful blocks as Elizabeth shares easy-to-follow techniques for planning your projects, cutting fabric and getting started with paper foundations. Discover how warm and cool colors help to accentuate precise piecing, and find out how to properly place your fabric before stitching. Elizabeth will demystify stitch length, irregular foundations, directional prints and pictorial blocks, sharing expert tips for impeccable results. You'll be delighted how quickly you master the basics and breeze into stunning showpieces!
$29.99 $39.99
Join quilting author and instructor Elizabeth Dackson to succeed at free-motion quilting on your domestic sewing machine. Start from the beginning: Learn to select the best needles and thread, baste your quilts perfectly and set up your machine and workspace for free-motion fun. Find out how to achieve a consistent stitch length and troubleshoot any issues. Plus, Elizabeth will guide you through a variety of non-linear and linear designs such as stippling, woodgrain, wishbone, modified clamshell and much more! You'll get plenty of free-motion practice while working on the three patterns included with the class: two pillows and a baby quilt or wall hanging. Master free-motion fundamentals to create beautiful quilt projects that look and feel finished.
$19.99 $39.99


text:
I'm seeking inspiration. I'm currently a SAHM, but at some point, I'd like to earn money again. The thing is, I have trouble imagining myself in a job of my choosing and instead think of how I could "get by" using some of my skills but not paying attention to my interests. (So I see myself at a hotel front desk or in a public school as an aide -- not that these are bad jobs, but my interests lie elsewhere.) I guess I lack self-confidence in this area, which seems silly, because I've been promoted and seriously valued by prior employers.
Anyway, if you work in your dream field, how did you get there, and do you have advice? Thanks!


text:
Doctor insights on:
What Is The Best Treatment For Redness Of Hands And Feet
W/ hand foot mouth, pediatricians, is it normal for my 2 yr old to develop a rash all over the back of his legs and butt? Small red dots. Treatment?
Yes: The area around the bottom and upper legs is a common additional site of hfm, it just didn't make it to the label when the pattern was being named. If that's the only site and there are no blisters it could be something else. Te variability of hfm is quite diverse, with some having only one area involved. ...Read moreSee 1 more doctor answer
Redness Of Hands (Definition)
Redness of the hands and the feet is caused by more blood flow to the skin in those areas, and may occur in a variety of conditions that affect the ...Read more
1 yo doin 4 albuterol breathe treatments/day due to RSV & possible infiltrate.After treatments, hands & feet turn blue & cold & gets red face.Normal?
Mgt/workup: The baby should be evaluated in the ED. Any blue coloration of the skin is not normal. The baby should be kept warm, but not over bundled. A good rule of thumb is that one more layer of clothing than older children should be worn. Some causes of the discoloration include changes in circulation, loss of body heat during the treatment or low oxygen. ...Read moreSee 1 more doctor answer
I have two irregular shaped, coin size red patches on left inner and right outer wrists from hand washing in hot water. Moisturizer makes it sting. What is the best product/treatment to use?
Lotrisone: Sounds like a tinea (fungal) problem. Would get a prescription for Lotrisone (or generic) and use it twice a day for 3 weeks. ...Read moreSee 1 more doctor answer
Which treatment if I have athletes foot on my hand is the very best?
Eczema: It is doubtful you have a tinea aka fungal infection on the palms of your hands most likely it is eczema. See a dermatologist or family physician and a topical steroid can help with this. ...Read more
Burn on thumb from hot steam. Very red. Looks patchy or maybe "future blisters" (hard to tell) Internet keeps saying hand burns need to be treated differently. What is best treatment and does being on hand change that? Pain is decreasing. Thanks
Size matters here: Any burn's seriousness & urgency of treatment depends on how big the wound is, what caused it, and how deep. Typically steam from a tea kettle or hot food will be first or second degree. The area, if small and getting less painful and is not surrounding the whole finger or a joint can be treated like any other minor burn. Silvadene helps the pain (but is a prescription). Keep clean, protect area. ...Read moreSee 1 more doctor answer
What's a simple, cheap treatment for my hand redness?
Hand redness: Hand redness can be from infections which usually require a physician visit since it would be painful with swelling. Mild skin redness can be lots of different things such as mild infections, inflammation, dryskin/eczema, reactions to meds/detergents. Try a gentle aveeno cleanser, otc steroid cream with a thick emollient such as aquaphor if no change see a physician. ...Read more
My hands have started to peel, mostly on the palms. No pain, redness, blistering or itching. What is this is? Any over-the-counter treatment?
Need more info: Hard to diagnose skin problems without seeing them please consult with your family physician. ...Read more
Redness and crusting on the back of my hands and legs. They have some small bubbles and often get severe itching. Any treatment for this?
See below.: It might be a skin disease such a psoriasis . You will benefit to be seen by dermatologist. ...Read more
Has persisted for 24 hours symptoms include itching of palms and soles of feet bumps in groups on heel of hand none on feet no redness tried Benadryl ?
Hives: These symptoms can be caused by hives. See a dermatologist to check if this is the case. They may recommend an oral antihistamine and topical steroids to help. ...Read moreSee 1 more doctor answer
Red knuckles along with pain and mild swelling in index and middle fingers. Both hands. Joint pain in shoulders, knees, and feet with no redness.
Possible Rheumatoid : What you are describing are symptoms of an inflammatory arthritis. The most common form for your age would be rheumatoid arthritis. You should see your primary care doctor or a rheumatologist for an evaluation, definitive diagnosis and treatment. ...Read more
- Talk to a doctor live online for free
- What is the best treatment for abnormal growth of feet?
- What is the best treatment for cherry red spots in the back of the eyes?
- What is the best treatment for loss of use of hands?
- Ask a doctor a question free online
- What is the best treatment for itching on hands or feet?
- What is the best treatment for swelling of fingers or hand?
- What is the best treatment for repeated cycles of binging and purging?
- What is the best treatment for dragging of the feet?
- What is the best treatment for burning sensations in hands and feet?


text: Ricky Not as Thicky 1 4/29/2008 6:21 PM PDT BY TMZ STAFF Thanks to his new capoeira regimen, Ricky Martin can look hot and kick your ass. After a short stint livin' la vida gorda, Ricky was back at his bon-bon shaking weight today in D.C. Now where's that Speedo? See Also Ricky Martin: Livin' La Vida Gorda


text:
See All
205 W RileyWortham, TX 76693-4800 (254) 765-3045
View Large Map / Get Directions
Overall (0)
Be The First To Write A Review
When you are a Fan you also get special offers and inside information straight from this business!
Are you a fan of this business?
I'm A Fan (0)
Contact the business with your event plan.
FEI Company (254) 765-3045
Local Sponsors
Stay connected and up-to-date in your world. Tap into new events, deals and special opportunities only for Local.com members.
Copyright 2016 Local.com Ltd - US Patent 7,231,405 - Privacy Policy - Terms of ServiceSome data provided by Acxiom. Questions and Comments?


text:
Hate to state the obvious but you should consider having a realtor list your property. Most realtors take only a small commission relative to the service provided and few realtors would have taken your property off the market until all funds and credit checks were in place and you had an executed contract.
Good luck to you.


text:
|Women, Girls
My grandmother taught me how to crochet when I was about 12 and I have always been interested in making things. I love to design based on a stitch and to create color combinations.View all patterns by designer (4) »
This is a new and improved design of the Lacy V Shopping Bag I designed in 2008. The entire bag is made in the round; no sewing needed.
Included in the pattern are directions to make two size bags, a medium and a small.
This bag has many uses and as pretty as it is, it is wonderfully functional and the stitch pattern lends itself to a nice give so it can handle a large load.
17 sc & 17 rows = 4"
Note: I tend to crochet with a tighter than average tension.
500 yards of Worsted weight


text:
How to pick Your All-Time Top Five Movies
Reader Comments (24)
I could have gone through life very comfortably without thinking of rick... enjoying his favorite movies.
One of my favorites! I laughed out loud in every panel!
Awesome role model. Although it was his idea to open the ark, and that did not turn out too well.
New Rick is a pervert.
I think old Rick was, too, we just saw it less.
Raiders of the Large Ass was awesome.
So he's saying The army of darkness is targeted at children? That can't be right. I also don't think Star wars was originally for kids.
Besides, as adults we can finally decide for ourselves. There's this great quote I like to use when someone points out I'm doing/watching/using childish things:
C.S. Lewis,
"When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up."
SPOILER ALERT on Wrath of Khan!
"The Incredibles" had dialog that would go over kids' heads, and adults were more likely to appreciate the midlife crisis aspect. Really, all five films were aimed at families, if not adults in particular. Rick just has a skewed idea of these things.
Is there a BI cast page?
@TF: I think you nailed it for all of us - I was confused by Rick's assertion that Scott's choices were not aimed at adults until he explained what he meant - "adult films". Any adult who loves Scott's choices (or even likes or has only ever seen them) would agree that they are not necessarily aimed primarily at children. I, for one, LOVED "The Incredibles" but then again, I have yet to see a Pixar film I didn't at least LIKE. My remaining list tends toward "chick flicks" although "The Princess Bride" might be argued by some as being NOT aimed at adults.
My problem with this particular Basic Instruction is in finding my #1 favorite. My favorites tend to trade places with each other, moving up and down in "popularity" depending on what's going on in my life. I do love highly-quotable flicks, tho, and speaking of "Wrath of Khan", did anyone else out there not realize (like me) that the saying "Revenge is a dish best served cold" was written ORIGINALLY for that film and has been adopted by our culture as being a set-in-stone truth, rather than just a movie quote? I just learned that lately, when watching the series of Star Trek films with my husband. Hmm. Or maybe, my husband is wrong about that, and Khan is actually quoting Shakespeare! I don't feel inclined to Google the source of the phrase, so I won't bother to correct him if he's wrong.
@BI Fan: (from wikipedia) : "However, its earliest identified appearance in European literature is in the 1841 French novel Mathilde by Marie Joseph Eugène Sue: la vengeance se mange très-bien froide — there italicized as if quoting a proverbial saying — published in English translation in 1846 as revenge is very good eaten cold."
Hey Sabine, I loved that quote by C.S. Lewis. I'm making it my screen saver. Thanks for sharing. º¿º
Sabine, I think I'll have to remember that quote.
On an only semi-related note, I got "Help Is On The Way" in the mail today. The bonus strip alone made the purchase worth while.
Fantastic! I love the careful skirting of any possible copyright infringment issues in the second panel. I was laughing so loud as I read this that I got some funny looks from the people around me.
Oh, and Scott's list would probably be my list except that "The Usual Supects" would have been number one.
Are you pregnant on the third panel?
thank you, Ian. For the sake of newlywed harmony, I'm still not going to bother to correct my husband. :D
This may be...I'm hesitant to say it, but...this may be the funniest BI strip ever. Good solid LOL's in all four panels. It just doesn't get any better than this. Take it from me, a BI expert!
Please add a share button to your comics so I can...you know... share them and junk.
"Lesbian Spank Inferno" anyone?
It's not The Army of Darkness, just Army of Darkness. I'd be slightly ashamed to admit I know that, and very ashamed to admit how much that simple mistake irks me, but since I enjoy the film (on a juvenile level, but still) I must not have any shame.
p.s. I tried to say some nice things about your comic but my comment was rejected by your filter. Removing them didn't help but hey, I tried.
"Gremlins", my all time favorite movie, was an adult movie that was hastily marketed to children at the last minute, because Gizmo was so cute. It gave my step sister nightmeres. It gave me nightmeres, too, but I thought the nightmeres were so cool. Sigh. . . now I work for a living and I have to put such childish things like nightmeres away, so I have to get up the next day and go to my cubicle on time.
Army of Darkness is in my top five too.
I though Palpatine was your role model.
There are many good comments, here, but this one in particular struck me as seeming like something Scott himself would write:
"I could have gone through life very comfortably without thinking of rick... enjoying his favorite movies."
Re-reading that line makes me laugh a second time! The subtlety of the ellipsis, and of the euphemism "enjoying," are perfectly executed.


text:
PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP, MI - The $7.8 million Art Van Sports Complex, which broke ground in October 2012 and has been on the boards since 2007, is set to open Friday with a grand opening at the site at 3300 10-Mile Road.
The flagship project of the West Michigan Sports Commission, which was founded in 2007, is expected to attract more than 75 events and 135,000 visitors in its first five years. Officials estimated an economic impact for Kent County in excess of $20 million.
Before the grand opening, here are eight nuggets to know about the 60-acre complex:
RECENT: Art Van Sports Complex nears grand opening with 2015 schedule nearly filled
• Warren-based Art Van Furniture secured the naming rights for the complex with a $1.8 million commitment in Sept. 2012 that paved the way for groundbreaking the following month.
• There are eight baseball/softball fields groups into two "quads," each with a concession and restroom building. The fields have pegged bases and flexible fencing to accommodate sports and dimensions.
• The centerpiece is the Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation Championship Field with a 385-foot fence and covered grandstands with overall seating for 1,000.
• Nate Hurwitz Miracle League Field, with custom-designed, rubberized turf to accommodate wheelchairs, walkers and other assistance devices, is already open. That field began play in Sept. 2013.
• As for field construction, 500,000 cubic yards of dirt (enough to fill 5,000 swimming pools) was moved, 2.2 million square feet of grass (enough to cover more than 37 football fields) was planted and 65,000 bricks/block were laid. More? There are 480 light bulbs and 12,000 linear feet of fencing. There's also parking space for more than 400 vehicles.
• For the construction, 26 subcontractors and supplies were used, with 24 based in West Michigan, along with approximately 260 workers. There were typically 20 to 60 workers on site daily.
• Jobs? Organizers estimated the complex created 16 positions – two full-time, one full-time seasonal and 13 part-time seasonal.
• What's ahead? The $3.5 million phase 2, with no start date determined, calls for four more baseball/softball fields along with a press box, warm-up areas and picnic shelters.
Pete Wallner covers sports for MLive/Grand Rapids Press. Email him at firstname.lastname@example.com or follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Google+.


text:
President Obama hosted the team and congratulated players and coaches for their triumphs in the field and their contributions to their community.
And of course there was a mention of that 43-8 Super Bowl win over the Denver Broncos.
"We are here to celebrate the first Super Bowl victory for the city of Seattle," President Obama said as he introduced the team, dressed in their suits and ties, to a cheering crowd.
Noting that some football analysts didn't see Seattle as a top-tier tem, Obama said he always roots for the underdog because, quote, "seeing folks overcome the odds excites me."
The president didn't forget to congratulate Seattle's 12th Man and his ability to shake the earth with a record-shattering roar.
"Last season, 'the 12s' set a record not once, but twice, for the loudest crowd noise in history," Obama said. "Now, history is a long time, so that's really loud."
And several players came in for praise as well.
"There's Super Bowl MVP Malcom Smith. You've got breakout star Percy Harvin," Obama said. "He's not here today, but we've got to give props to Beast Mode - Marshawn Lynch. I am sorry that Marshawn is not here, because I just wanted to say how much I admire his approach to the press. ... I wanted to get some tips from him.
"And then there's Russell Wilson (who) has won more games through his first two seasons than any quarterback in history. ... And part of the reason that I think Russell inspired a lot of folks is he's been proving the doubters wrong for a very long time."
Derrick Coleman, who has been legally deaf since he was 3 years old, was singled out by the president as well, along with Richard Sherman.
"He (Sherman) grew up in Compton amid some wonderful people, but also gangs and drugs and guns," Obama said. "But because of his dad's hard work and his family, and his mom, Richard ended up earning a 4.2 GPA in high school. He won a scholarship to Stanford. He showed kids from his neighborhood that they could make it."
The president also offered high praise for Seahawks coach Pete Carroll.
"I think those of us who are in leadership positions ... we're always looking for folks who do things the right way. I think it's pretty clear that coach Carroll does things the right way, and we're very proud of him," Obama said.
For his part, coach Carroll offered the services of the 12th Man in case of a national emergency
"We are very proud to be here, and I do know that you have access to some of the great special force units anywhere, and you can do whatever you need to do. But I want you to know that just a phone call away is the boom," Carroll said to applause and cheers.
And one of the loudest cheers came from the president himself.
"Congratulations to the Seattle Seahawks and the whole city for an outstanding season," he said.


text:
Up and Coming
February 3, 2012 Top DJ set for BJC concert UNIVERSITY PARK — One of the world's top DJ's, Sebastian Ingrosso, will be making a special appearance with Alesso at Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center for a concert at 7... more »»
Rise Against gives a voice to its views through its music
January 27, 2012 For more than 10 years, hardcore/punk band Rise Against has made a living from the ideology that music and a message should go hand-in-hand. more »»
Up and Coming
January 27, 2012 Reba to play War Memorial JOHNSTOWN — Country music superstar Reba McEntire, an inductee to the Country Music Hall of Fame, will perform at 7:30 p.m. more »»
National tour takes rock musical to the theater, even as Hollywood preps its own version
January 26, 2012 Not many actors can say that they share a role with Tom Cruise. more »»
Comedian Jeff Dunham reviving art of ventriloquism
January 6, 2012 Jeff Dunham has realized the concepts for his puppets in some odd ways, but none are as strange as Jose Jalapeno on a Stick. "That's the weirdest story," Dunham said. more »»
Up and Coming
January 6, 2012 Monologist to visit PSU UNIVERSITY PARK — Monologist Mike Daisey will present his piece "The Island at the Birth of the World" at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 24, in Penn State's Schwab Auditorium. more »»
Usher in 2012 with a little ice at First Night
December 30, 2011 If wading through a crowded bar or sitting in front of the TV are not places you want to be as the ball drops this New Year's Eve, let First Night State College provide you with an alternative,... more »»
Associated Press critics name cancer comedy "50/50" one of the year's best films
December 23, 2011 Associated Press reviewers Christy Lemire and David Germain saw the same films in 2011, but they clearly weren't seeing the same pictures. more »»
Regional photographers display work
December 23, 2011 CRESSON — Mount Aloysius College's Wolf-Kuhn Gallery, located on the first floor of the Main Building is hosting a photo display featuring the work of five leading area photographers through Jan. 1. more »»
Up and Coming
December 23, 2011 Violin virtuoso to perform UNIVERSITY PARK — Israeli-born violinist virtuoso Guy Braunstein will join the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra in a performance of Johannes Brahms' Violin Concerto in D Major... more »»
Family ties bring comedian to Altoona for show on Dec. 23 at Burgi's
December 16, 2011 The only time Pete Lee offended his wife with his comedy routine was when he called her "fat" on live radio. more »»
Up and Coming
December 16, 2011 Holiday show helps charity The Elite Song and Dance Performance Company will present "Broadway Bound Kids: A Jazzy Christmas" at 5 p.m. Dec. 18 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. more »»
B.E. Taylor's holiday music has given his career a surprise second act
December 2, 2011 B.E. Taylor never intended to become a Christmas specialist. The Aliquippa native was a pop rock singer throughout the 1970s and '80s, hitting the charts several times as the leader of The B.E. more »»
Up and Coming
December 2, 2011 ACT to hold new auditions Auditions for ACT's February production of "On Golden Pond" will be held at 7 p.m. Dec. 11 and 12 at the ACT Rehearsal Hall. ACT Operations Manager Steven C. more »»
Cresson Lake production returns to familiar characters for Christmas show
November 25, 2011 There's no way Claire Houser could have turned down the role. Houser, of Ebensburg, played the part of Missy when Cresson Lake Playhouse produced "The Marvelous Wonderettes" this past sprin. more »»
Up and Coming
November 25, 2011 Photo exhibit opens Dec. more »»
Local experts weigh in on the genre and its hold on the music scene
November 18, 2011 Whether it's the guitar riffs, the deep-seated influence or the improvisational nature of the genre, many area musicians get down with the blue. more »»
Up and Coming
November 18, 2011 Disney on Ice visits Indiana INDIANA — "Disney On Ice presents Mickey & Minnie's Magical Journey" will come to Indiana for the first time ever for a series of performances Dec. 1 through Dec. more »»
Judas Priest and a lineup of rock bands will visit Johnstown on Nov. 19
November 11, 2011 Judas Priest's current Epitaph World Tour has been dubbed a "farewell" tour, which has caused many fans to believe the heavy metal legends are calling it quits entirel. more »»
Up and Coming
November 11, 2011 'Wonderettes' returning to CLP EBENSBURG — Cresson Lake Playhouse will present "The Winter Wonderettes" from Dec. 2 through Dec. 4 at the Cambria County Court House, 200 S. Center St. more »»


text:
The Vertus Hardiman story: Where Horror and Heroism co-habited.
I sat frozen for a while. Then the tears started to fall, I wanted to scream out loud, All my pain and buried demons rose to the surface in a crescendo of pain, shock, anger, sadness, horror. I couldn't believe what I just saw.
I had clicked on a video shared by one of my Facebook friends. Just out of curiosity. What I saw threw me for a loop. I wasn't prepared for the abject horror.
He was an 85 year old African-American man, born into the deep institutional racism of the South. Born into a time where he was thought of as less than, not worthy of the same inalienable rights as 'Whites.'
Where he was just a "guinea pig"-- the 'right specimen to be used. It was like looking at my Dad sitting there, calmly recounting how he and 9 other children were medically experimented on at the tender age of five. Not only was he experimented on but the radiation exposure left him with an oozing, gaping hole in his head.
While attending Lyles Consolidated School in 1927, he and his 9 classmates were experimented on under the guise of the treatments being a cure for the head fungus ringworm. The local County hospital used that ruse to get unsuspecting parents consent to conduct the diabolical experiments.
This is the stuff of which horror fiction is made but he lived it for 80 years, hiding this monstrous results from the public, while managing to grow up, graduate from high school with honors and leave the South to explore his options elsewhere.
He worked with the County of Los Angeles Hospital for 40 years where he was an exemplary worker, with a perfect attendance record. All this with the hole still in his head.
His name was Vertus Hardiman, born on March 9, 1922 in Lyles Station, Indiana which was one of the first African American settlements after slavery and was even known as "Freedom Village." His life is a testament of both horror and heroism. For what he was subjected to as a child and his ability to forgive and triumph over his monumental adversities is nothing short of extraordinary.
He died June 1, 2007 without anger or bitterness towards this country or anyone. He was a staunch believer in God and had been a regular at the First AME Church of Pasadena, California, even sang in the choir.
We've all heard of Nazi Germany and the incredible evil unleashed there. How could they, we have all thought? But right here in the good ole U.S.A. we were whipping up a batch of unspeakable terror ourselves.
Click on the video tab above to see what I mean.


text:
Florida Cricket Farm To Liquidate
The sound of singing crickets may bug some people, but the insects at Lucky Lure Cricket Farm served a great purpose to reptile owners, zoos and Florida theme parks. That is, until a virus destroyed the cricket colonies and forced the farm to file for bankruptcy protection.
Earlier this month, the Leesburg, Fla., cricket farm filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation. According to the Orlando Sentinel, owner Beth Payne at first thought the virus was only a bad hatch. Payne, whose farm yielded 9 million dead crickets after the operation was squashed in February, unsuccessfully tried to restart it four times. She even bought thousands of dollars' worth of chemicals and sterilization equipment. But Lucky Lure, which was considered Florida's oldest commercial insect farm, finally quit chirping in May.
Drion Boucias, an entomology professor at the University of Florida, told the Sentinel that there's not a known cure for the virus, which has caused a nationwide shortage of crickets. The densovirus, which has also been blamed for killing off cricket farms in Europe, is species-specific and is nearly impossible to remove, Boucias said.
According to documents filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Orlando, Lucky Lure listed assets of about $1.7 million and debts of $477,000. Its biggest creditor, Bankfirst, is owed more than $380,000.
Payne, who thinks the virus started with a contaminated worm shipment from a farm in California, said the noises the crickets made were like the "pounding of stampeding horses."
"I think if I heard one now, I'd cry," she said.


text:
PV Thought of the Week: Can Apps "Inform" the Public?
I was struck by this recent story about Apple rejecting a proposed iOS game called Syria: Endgame. From the game's description on GameTheNews:
"Developed in around two weeks, the game allows users to explore the options open to the Syrian rebels as they push the conflict to its endgame. Each choice the user makes has consequences – the types of military units you may deploy, the political paths you choose to tread. Not only does each choice impact the current situation but your choices may also impact the final outcome. Users can play and replay events to see how different choices on the ground might lead to different outcomes."
There is also a chance to sample the game.
This brings up a couple of thoughts and questions:
- The game is meant to approximate "real life." Why would this approximation yield satisfaction to players? Is it because they want to learn how to be better rebels?
- The game was developed in two weeks! If this kind of technology — where news aggregation can be translated into artificial intelligence and then repackaged into a real-time civil war simulation — proves valuable, it opens a host of new opportunities for rebel groups and opposition movements in general. I've discussed before the inherent difficulties of strategic planning facing non-state actors: they rarely have the time, resources, manpower, or space available for realistic simulations. But if games like Endgame:Syria become more ubiquitous and speak to ongoing civil conflicts, simulations may eventually prove to be ample substitutes for real war games.
- If the latter hypothetical were to come true, then here's an interesting research question: does war-gaming improve rebel performance in civil war? Governments certainly seem to think that war games help their own forces' military performance. But it remains to be seen whether this perception would extend to rebel military performance. My hunch is that this would be largely contingent on the level of coordination and organizational discipline within the rebel group — which is noticeably lacking in Syria. But where rebel groups are well-organized, easily accessible tools like this may provide opportunities for more strategic (rather than just tactical) approaches to fighting. I can see why Apple would be dubious of approving the game.
- Apple rejected Endgame: Syria. Is this because of technical specification problems, or because they do not want to put their brand behind something that trains people to be better rebels? If the former, then the rejection's not a very interesting story. But if it's the latter, here is an interesting example of a powerful corporation anticipating a moral hazard down the line.
5. If the rebels model their strategy on the game and then get slaughtered, can they sue the company?
LikeLikeJanuary 10, 2013
While Syria: Endgame has some value as an educational or consciousness-raising tool, it's really not the sort of wargame that offers either great insight into insurgent operations or the particular political challenges facing the Syrian opposition. Syrian insurgents with a lot of time on their hands would be better off dusting off a copy of say, Advanced Squad Leader (boardgame) or Arma 2 (digital) is they wanted to improve their battlefield performance, and one of these (http://www.boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/6478/insurgency-and-terrorism) if they wanted to get a sense of how insurgencies develop at the operational and strategic levels.
I'm not sure it would be more effective, however, than a good sand table discussion (http://paxsims.wordpress.com/2012/11/30/syrian-rebels-sand-table-their-assault-plans/) and proper after action reviews (both of which do take place).
As for the use of crisis/political simulation by non-state armed groups as a way of refining strategy, this is rare, but happens (indeed, I've attended some).
I'm not quite sure what you mean, incidentally, by "simulations may eventually prove to be ample substitutes for real war games." Real war games are almost always simulations, unless they are scripted training exercises. Do you mean field exercises vs digital simulations?
LikeLikeJanuary 11, 2013
Super helpful note, Rex. On your last point, which is well-taken, I did indeed mean to distinguish between field vs. digital exercises.
LikeLikeJanuary 14, 2013
This is a typical product that shows us just how much we could do with gaming but don't.
We know how the armed forces do training: lecture, field exercise or simulation, debrief. We also know this works. Some new community colleges have actually been physically set up to facilitate just a sequence and that works too. What hasn't been done is to concentrate resources to produce truly good computer simulations of material that can be used effectively in classes. We get stuff like this – which looks like it was put together in 2 weeks – or SimCity or virtual worlds or some such unrealistic tripe.
I use Reacting to the Past games relentlessly in my classes and they work like a charm. Problem = they take to long, they don't scale well, and you can't use them effectively off campus. I wish somebody would get a FIPSE grant, get in touch with some professional gamers, and solve this problem. And, no, I'm too busy.
LikeLikeFebruary 5, 2013


text:
|Senior kings, queens celebrate
Lo and behold, citizens of Rohnert Park, presenting your lovely queens and mighty king! Oh, you weren't aware royalty was being celebrated this week…that there was more to feat than a new royal lineage? That celebration would, of course, be the Rohnert Park Senior Center "Fun Over 50" Club annual joint birthday bash for those turning 90 or older.
"It was wonderful," Barbara Schmidt said of the party. Schmidt was one of the 25 members celebrating their birthdays.
Schmidt and 15 of her fellow birthday buddies that were able to attend the party, sat at the front of the banquet hall.
They were draped in red cloaks, wore golden crowns, were handed magic wand-like scepters and sat at a table of their own, where they were able to smile and wave to their royal subjects. That is, all their friends, family and fellow club members who came out to celebrate them and their long lives. The party itself was fun and casual, with a lunch of chicken casserole, cream puffs, quiche and sparking cider, and featured a round of Bingo.
Those celebrating a birthday that hit the over-90 mark were Kenneth Albright, Belen Brackett, Marianna Dennis, Betty Ferra, Elsa Hawes, Barbara Schmidt, Grace Lemontt, Irma Neveau, Coyla Baldi, Winnie Cadigan, Renee Dertner, Phena Fower, Ruby Mariana, Betty Johnson, Audree Lagrow, Betty Ries, Rose Weinstein, Patty Baxevanis, Frances Cuevas, Carla Evans, Jeannette Hinton, Georgia Todd, Pearl Williams and Wilma Munc, who was actually celebrating her 101st birthday.


text: Car Reviews Features First Test: 2007 Jaguar XK Coupe Bond On A Budget: If 007 had to pinch pennies, he'd go for one of these. Andrew Gotch photographersJuly 20, 2006 Andrew Gotch photographersJuly 20, 2006 Bond On A Budget: If 007 had to pinch pennies, he'd go for one of these. Share this article in: Facebook Twitter Google Plus Email Free Price Quote From a Local Dealer View Special Offers No Obligation, Fast & Simple Free New Car Quote Change Car Select Make Acura Alfa Romeo Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Buick Cadillac Chevrolet Chrysler Dodge Ferrari FIAT Ford Genesis GMC Honda Hyundai Infiniti Jaguar Jeep Kia Lamborghini Land Rover Lexus Lincoln Lotus Maserati Mazda McLaren Mercedes-Benz MINI Mitsubishi Nissan Porsche Ram Rolls-Royce Scion smart Subaru Tesla Toyota Volkswagen Volvo Select Model F-PACE F-PACE Diesel F-Type XE XE Diesel XF XF Diesel XJ-Series XK XKR GO 1. Vehicle Option Trim Exterior Color No Preference Black Blue Brown Gold Green Orange Red Silver White Yellow Interior Color No Preference Beige Black Blue Gray Green Other Red White Buying Time Frame Within 48 hours Within a week Within two weeks Within a month More than a month Payment Method Undecided Loan Lease Cash Trade In? Yes No 2. Contact Info First Name Last Name Address City State -- AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE DC FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY Zip Code Phone Email 3. Dealer Selection Receive your free dealer pricing information by completing your contact information!


text:
SALT LAKE CITY - The Mormon church will lower its minimum age requirements for missionaries from 19 to 18 for men and from 21 to 19 for women, the faith's president announced Saturday.
Thomas S. Monson said at the church's 182nd semiannual General Conference that the historic change is expected to significantly increase the missionary force of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - currently more than 55,000 worldwide.
The new age requirements will take effect immediately and replace limits that had been in effect for decades. Mormon men serve full-time, two-year missions, while women serve 18-month missions.
"I am not suggesting that all young men will - or should - serve at this earlier age," Monson said, adding it's an option based on individual circumstances and a determination by local church leaders.
Missionaries must be graduates of high school or its equivalent, he said.
Monson also said the church will build temples in Tucson, Ariz., and Arequipa, Peru. In Arizona, three temples already are in operation and two others - in Phoenix and Gilbert - were under construction. The state is home to about 400,000 church members.
The temple in Arequipa will be the third in Peru, which has more than 500,000 church members. Members in Arequipa, Peru's second most populous city, currently attend temple services about 500 miles away in Lima.
The church, with its more than 14.1 million members, has 139 operating temples worldwide and has another 29 planned or under construction.


text:
The problem with deprivation is knowing you're deprived.
Deprivation causes a landslide of gorging and unhealthy eating habits if you're not careful.
Instead of completely depriving yourself of your favorite foods implement the equal bite theory.
This is not a scientific theory, but an approach that I use to keep from overeating foods like french fries or macaroni and cheese.
For every bite of your main entree take one equal bite of a side dish. For instance, with one bite of your hamburger eat one French fry, or half if it's huge.
You'd be very surprised by how many fries you have leftover.
Food moderation
By using an equal bite theory you easily decrease the size of your portions. This is how you can enjoy some of the tastier foods without going overboard, or depriving yourself of your favorite foods completely.
Related material: Substitute high-calorie foods with low-calorie foods that taste great


text:
MILROY - Lights, camera, action.
Scene two, Act one.
When the lights went back on Sunday afternoon, Mifflin County finished its District 7 game from Friday night with Altoona in strong fashion.
When the rains came Friday, the Mifflin County 15-year-olds were ahead, 5-1, with runners on second and third in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Sunday, Altoona got the final out of the fourth, but in the fifth Mifflin County scored three more times and beat Altoona, 8-1, to move into the district finals.
Mifflin County and Altoona will now square off for the title tonight at 5 p.m. If Mifflin County losses the first game, the 'if necessary' game will take place 8 p.m.
Fact Box
Mifflin County hosts Altoona today at 5 p.m.
Altoona got to the finals as it beat Gettysburg 17-2 on Sunday after four innings due to the 10-run rule.
In the fifth, Mifflin County's Nate Earnest opened the inning by getting on by an error. Manny Eby popped to the catcher for the first out, but Ty Hunter walked to keep the inning alive.
Aaron Sharp singled to left to knock home Earnest and when the ball got behind the Altoona left fielder, Sharp was on second and Hunter landed at third.
Zach Hostetler grounded to second and Hunter scored. Alex Hackenberg then laced a double and Sharp scampered home.
Meanwhile, on the mound Graham Rhoades left off where he ended Friday night, on a roll.
Rhoades finished with 12 strikeouts and three walks. He only gave up three hits, all singles.
"First, this was an absolute team victory," said Bernie Howard, the Mifflin County manager. "You have to start with Graham Rhoades. He had an outstanding pitching performance. Evan beyond the three hitter and the 12 strikeouts, he kept his composure throughout (the long) game. He was in control start to finish."
"The offense output was excellent," Howard noted. "We had timely hitting throughout the lineup. The unsung hero for us is Nate Earnest. If there is a better catcher at this age group, I haven't seen him."
Mifflin County finished with 10 hits with Jared Soles getting three and Hackenberg two. Zach Hostetler tripled and Hackenberg, Rhoades and Soles each had doubles.


text:
Energy Efficient Glass Block Panels are aesthetically pleasing and functionally smart. They are engineered, built and tested to the highest standard – so that you can be sure to get quality, performance and easy installation.
Every block works like a traditional energy efficient window. That's because each block features a low-emissivity coated glass panel sandwiched inside to help keep interiors warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. Plus, they're Pittsburgh Corning Glass Block, so they deliver the beauty of dancing light and security that no ordinary window can touch.
View Product Sheet
Energy efficient Glass block panels let in the sun's light, but keep out the heat. That's because each block features a low emissivity coated glass panel sandwiched inside the block that filters out about 70% of total solar energy while still allowing for superior day lighting. And with an insulating U-Value of 0.34 (unframed), these panels can keep HVAC costs in line too. Framed panel as above, has a U-Value of 0.38.
Sandwiched inside every block is a low-emissivity coated glass panel. Like traditional energy saving windows, this panel blocks out the sun's heat and ultraviolet light – to help keep interiors cooler in the summer. In winter, the panel's improved insulating ability helps keep interiors warmer.
The blocks are framed by a 2-piece aluminum channel. Standard aluminum channel is mill finished, anodized clear or bronze. Powder coating is also available.
Pittsburgh Corning has a sales and technical support team that is ready to help you design, engineer and specify glass block solutions. Please call 800-871-9918 for assistance.
For detailed technical and performance information for Pittsburgh Corning Glass Block Products, click here.
Product Sheet


text:
Lifting apparatus, especially cable traction mechanism, comprising connecting possibilities
How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents
1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored.
3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords.
Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Lifting apparatus, especially cable traction mechanism, comprising connecting possibilities or other areas of interest.
Previous Patent Application:
Method and apparatus for installing cable
Next Patent Application:
Fence droppers, fence clips and fencing systems
Industry Class:
Implements or apparatus for applying pushing or pulling force
Thank you for viewing the Lifting apparatus, especially cable traction mechanism, comprising connecting possibilities patent info.
- - -
Results in 0.14039 seconds
Other interesting Freshpatents.com categories:
Electronics: Semiconductor , Audio , Illumination , Connectors , Crypto ,
Data source: patent applications published in the public domain by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Information published here is for research/educational purposes only. FreshPatents is not affiliated with the USPTO, assignee companies, inventors, law firms or other assignees. Patent applications, documents and images may contain trademarks of the respective companies/authors. FreshPatents is not responsible for the accuracy, validity or otherwise contents of these public document patent application filings. When possible a complete PDF is provided, however, in some cases the presented document/images is an abstract or sampling of the full patent application for display purposes. FreshPatents.com Terms/Support
Follow us on Twitter
Browse patents:Next


text:
The latest version of Adobe Flash Player is required to watch this video.
Please click on the link below to download the latest version. Thanks!
Virginia Attorney Gen. Ken Cuccinelli is urging pastors to practice their right to speak freely from the pulpit, telling them that failure to do so concedes the battle over Christian values to "the other side."
At a recent "Christian Citizenship and Godly Government" breakfast hosted by the Virginia Christian Alliance, he told an audience of 250 clergy that they can speak to any issue in America from the pulpit.
Donald Blake, chairman of the Richmond-based conservative organization, said Cuccinelli was invited to speak because church leaders are looking for assurance that they can talk about political issues without risking their tax-exempt status.
Cucinnelli said pastors can speak out on issues like gay marriage and abortion without risking their tax-exempt status.
And he noted that pastors can be politically active as long as they are careful not to endorse or advocate the defeat of a candidate on behalf of the church.
Cuccinelli said it's common for Christians to think "politics is dirty" and avoid getting involved.
But when that happens, he said "You just left the field to the other side."
Pastors Question IRS Over Preaching Policies
Pastors to Challenge IRS on 'Pulpit Freedom Sunday'
Log in or create an account to post a comment.
Are you seeking answers in life? Are you hurting? Are you facing a difficult situation?
Find peace with God, discover more about God or send us your prayer request.
Call The 700 Club Prayer Center at 1 (800) 823-6053, 24 hours a day.
A caring friend will be there to pray with you in your time of need.
CBN News is a national/international, nonprofit news organization that provides programming by cable, satellite, and the Internet, 24-hours a day. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.


text:
New subscription
Renew my subscription
Give a gift
Pay my bill
Change my address
Active within 2978 Days
Hi! My name is Logan
I am a Maine Coon from Melbourne, FL
Nicknames: Loges, Wolverine, Bear-Skin-Rug, Logiebutt
Age: 18 years old
Gender: M
Coat: long haired
Education: I used to be a stray, my current owner's aunt rescued me from their friend's house, and for a time I lived with her... When she had her son, I moved in with my new 'mom', and quickly adopted her mother's bed as my own...
My favorite tricks and treats are: I know Kung Fu... and Any my human's grandma has...
Where I hang out: Sunlight, the Bed, the Couch
My favorite grubs: Purina One Cat Chow (Indoor)
My pet peeves: Being kept inside when I want to go out, being bothered by the Bookends when I merely wish to stretch out on the couch...
What I love about my owners: They brush me and let me lay wherever I wish...
My cat hobbies: Sit in the Sunlight, Whoop up on Puppies who think to mess with the wrong cat, Lay in the bed
Pet motto: Its good to be the King...
See all awards »
I was a stray, and rescued by my currant owner's aunt... When her son was born (because of allergies) I moved in with my new mom, but I still see my other one, so its all ok!
I've had 498 friends visit me.
I'm the 16,437th member on CatChannel.com.
21 friends have voted for me since I joined Club Cat!
Come visit me, Simba & the BHG Family - THANK YOU DEAR FRIENDS! & ANGEL BIG BLACK &COTTAGE KITTIES THANK YOU FRIENDS.
Come visit me, Angel Wally RIP 5/15/15, Angel Mickey, Angel Priscilla 1/12/15, BAC Central-Inactive as of 1/1/2014, Angel PK, Angel Gabby, Angel Haylee--We love you!, Angel McFluff, Missy & Holly-THANK YOU FOR MY COTD!.
Come visit me, Angel Canuck & Lucy-Fur- married 2/14/09, The Boys - Agador Spartacus and KONG, Tilly loves her Spongie this much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!- !, Agador Spartacus / Chyna Doll is MY girl! & KONG - Silver Tabby Maine Coon - Male.
Come visit me, Riker, Trouble & Loki.
Come visit me, Angel Buddy - Thank you for my ACOTD, Angel Jinx - 07/13/07 - 07/26/13, Sylvester - RIP Lily Rose 127311 & Max & Dex.
Come visit me, Cora.
Come visit me, Ink and Quill, Corvette, Troubling Angels (In Memory) Mischief and Mayhem & Logan.
Tell a Friend |
Report inappropriate content on this page.
Hi, my name is
Visit the photo gallery to cast your vote »
Get quick tips for happy cats, food recall info, news alerts and best behavior advice.
Sign up to get updates delivered straight to your inbox.
CatChannel takes your privacy seriously. To learn more, please read our privacy policy.


text:
Chet Edwards watch: 'Nothing abnormal,' say Waco police
The Secret Service has yet to request the assistance of Waco Police ahead of Barack Obama potentially naming U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards his Democratic presidential ticket running mate, Waco Police Assistant Chief Robert Lanning told us a moment ago.
Mr. Edwards represents Waco, and is spending the day in the Texas city 90 miles south of Dallas.
"We don't have anything unusual and nothing abnormal going on," Assistant Chief Lanning said. "We take our lead from the Secret Service. And we have not been directed to do anything."
Earlier today, Waco's city manager said the broader city government isn't yet making preparations for the possibility Mr. Edwards becomes Mr. Obama's running mate.


text:
3rd International Wyss Symposium, NOISE & RHYTHM: Harnessing Complexity in Medicine and Robotics
- Friday, Jun 8, 2012
- 8:15am - 6:30pm
- Joseph B. Martin Conference Center, Amphitheater, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115
This international symposium will focus on research and technology development based on non-linear dynamical systems and self-organizing behavior that are beginning to transform the fields of medicine and robotics. It is co-organized by Wyss core faculty members Jim Collins, Ary Goldberger, Donald Ingber, Radhika Nagpal, Conor Walsh, and Robert Wood.
[Update - 06.04.2012 Registration is now closed. You may register on-site at the event].
James Collins, Ph.D.
Ary Goldberger, M.D.
Donald Ingber, M.D. Ph.D.
Radhika Nagpal, Ph.D.
Conor Walsh, Ph.D.
Robert Wood, Ph.D.
Confirmed Speakers:
Joseph Ayers, Ph.D.
Leon Glass, Ph.D.
Michael Goldfarb, Ph.D.
Eugene Goldfield, Ph.D.
| Vijay Kumar, Ph.D.
University of Pennsylvania
Arthur Kuo, Ph.D.
University of Michigan
Allison Okamura, Ph.D.
David Paydarfar, M.D.
Scott Turner, Ph.D.
Driving Directions | Parking | Public Transit (MBTA) Directions | Hotels
- Contact information:
- firstname.lastname@example.com
- 617.432.7895


text:
New subscription
Renew my subscription
Give a gift
Pay my bill
Change my address
Active within 1007 Days
Hi! My name is Lotus
I am a Norwegian Forest Cat from FPO
Nicknames: Princess
Age: 6 years old
Gender: F
Coat: short haired
Education: She is fat!!!!
My favorite tricks and treats are: She is good at climbing and Friskies
Where I hang out: On our white chair
My favorite grubs: Purina
My pet peeves: Loud noises
What I love about my owners:
My cat hobbies: Sleep, eat and annoy our dog
Pet motto:
See all awards »
We got he from a breeder
I've had 503 friends visit me.
I'm the 48,700th member on CatChannel.com.
7 friends have voted for me since I joined Club Cat!
Come visit me, Missy.
Come visit me, Team RAGDOLL PAWesome PURRsonality #235194, :¦:Chloe:•:(¯`v´¯):•- :208036:¦: & Team CHLOE, a PAWSitively PURRfect NAME #234964.
Come visit me, Lotus.
Come visit me, Big Fuda, Pudge <3 Love my Hub Lettuce Honey & Peanut I'm a Grandma.
Come visit me, Padme & Indiana.
Tell a Friend |
Report inappropriate content on this page.
Hi, my name is
K Sparky 08/11 ♥ Misty RIP MY BFF Rhuby.
Visit the photo gallery to cast your vote »
Get quick tips for happy cats, food recall info, news alerts and best behavior advice.
Sign up to get updates delivered straight to your inbox.
CatChannel takes your privacy seriously. To learn more, please read our privacy policy.


text:
Photo Of Billy Kidman As Paul Heyman's Doctor On WWE European Tour
Posted by Richard Gray
We reported here on WrestlingNewsWorld.com that WWE producer Billy Kidman appeared as the "doctor" of Paul Heyman on the current European tour. You can view a photo below:
Thank you Dr Wankenburg. I truly appreciate all your efforts! @WWE @WWEuniverse pic.twitter.com/6ONo3yeYfV
— Paul Heyman (@HeymanHustle) November 14, 2013
Download - iPhone | Android | iPad


text:
on November 3, 2012 - 10:33 PM
A pizza deliveryman was robbed about 1 a.m. Saturday on Wood Avenue, in the city's Walden-Bailey neighborhood.
The deliveryman was approached by a man – wearing a black coat, black pants and carrying a black handgun – who said, "Give it all to me."
The victim handed over $300 in cash, a cellphone and $30 worth of food. A second male emerged from the yard of one of the homes to assist in the robbery, police said. The two robbers jumped into a black car parked on Wood and took off.


text:
Rickey Seales Jr., was shot and killed at the nightclub around 1:15 a.m. Monday. Three other people were shot, but not seriously injured.
His father, Rickey Seales Sr., said he was told by people who were at the club at the time thatSeales Jr.'s cousin allegedly had an altercation that started in the club and spilled outside.
"The bullet was meant for his cousin," he said.
Police declined to give specifics of the case and have not released any suspect information.
About 12 hours after the Purple Moon shooting, there was a shootout at Seales Sr.'s home on Casaloma Court near Beecher Road. One man was shot in the leg and police were in a two-hour standoff before people inside the home surrendered.
Seales Sr. said the shootout was between his stepson and the nephew he believes was the intended target in the Purple Moon shooting.
Both the stepson and the nephew were arrested. Township police have said they expect both men to be charged in that shooting.
Seales Sr. said his son was a 2010 graduate of Carman-Ainsworth High School and wanted to become an electrician.
"He was an all-around good person," the father said.
Seales Sr. said he is "bitter" about the situation.
"My son's life was taken away," he said.
The funeral is scheduled for Tuesday.


text:
Mercy Medical Center's Dr. Sandy Kotiah discusses treatments that help patients cope better.
No email address was supplied by
To complete your registration on this site, please supply an address.
Please confirm or modify the email address to which you will have subscription offers sent.
For a more personalized experience, please supply the following optional information.


text:
Toll Free:
Subscribe to our Feed
Social Media
Summertime in Baltimore brings us many benefits, such as free outdoor events, longer daylight hours and an easy source of vitamin D. Of course we all know that with the benefits come some drawbacks – perpetual humidity, crazy energy bills, and the aversion to ever turning on your stove or oven to cook because it's hot enough as it is!
Well, I'm sorry to say I can't do anything about our lovely Maryland humidity – but I DO have a solution for your energy bill and stove/oven anxiety…no-heat summer recipes!
No heat = No oven.
No oven = No need to crank the AC all the way down.
Okay, enough with the mathematical equations. Here are some great no-heat summer recipes:
There's nothing more refreshing than a cold summer smoothie. This Strawberry Lime Smoothie is quick, easy and healthy. You likely have most of the ingredients in your refrigerator or cabinet already, and one of the great things about smoothies is you can enjoy them any time of the day.
Want to kick things up a notch with a refreshing spiked beverage? Stop by your favorite Baltimore bar for an orange crush…or better yet, make your own!
Grab your favorite leafy veg, your mix-ins of choice, and what do you know – you've got yourself a salad. Much like smoothies, salads can be easily modified to meet your taste buds' desires. This Tri-Berry Spinach Salad caught my attention with such summery ingredients. Add in some cold pre-cooked roasted chicken from the store and you've got yourself a substantial meal.
If that sounds to you like some sort of oxymoron, you must be forgetting about chilled soups. The great thing about having chilled soup in the summer is it has that "comfort food" feel, but without the heat. A couple options to choose from: Chilled Cucumber Soup and Cantaloupe Soup.
Can you ever really go wrong with a sandwich? They are easily customizable (are we seeing a common theme here?) and portable, which makes them an ideal choice when you're on the go. Of course, they're great for eating at home as well. You probably already have your favorite go-to sandwich, but if you're looking to change things up a bit, try this Ham, Brie, and Apple Triple Decker Sandwich.
Wraps – very similar to sandwiches, but for some reason, a whole lot more fun! Pretty much any combo you use to make a sandwich can easily be turned into a wrap. If you're looking for something more unique, ditch the tortilla and play around with different types of wrappers. For example, try these Avocado Tuna Salad Lettuce Wraps.
If you're anything like me, you skipped right on down to this section. When you think of homemade desserts, you may think of warm brownies or the smell that fills your whole house when you are baking cookies, but you can create something just as delicious without the oven. Try these Peach and Raspberry Pavlova Parfaits or this Peanut Butter Pie to get a fresh sweet treat without breaking a sweat or your AC unit.
For even more energy saving summer recipes, follow our No-Bake Summer Recipes board on Pinterest.
6 Things to Do in Baltimore to Cool Off
How to Stay Cool when Temperatures Are Hot
Top 10 Free Things to Do in Baltimore This Summer
Tags: Lower energy bill, Ways to save on electric bill
Ways to Save
The 4th of July is all about having a day off work, BBQs and fireworks, right? Well, sure...but why do we do these things on the 4th? Of course you've learned the story of our fight for independence during the Revolutionary War, but how much do you really remember? If you are planning on spending your 4th of July kicking back with your family and friends, it makes sense to at least brush up on your knowledge about what you're actually celebrating, right?
Lucky for you, our friends at VAMortgage.com have put together a "History of Independence Day." You'll also find some of the best way to celebrate, a list of BBQ essentials, and fun facts about the 4th of July. Sound interesting? We think so too.
Tags: 4th of July Baltimore, 4th of July, 4th of July Maryland, Independence Day, Independence Day Baltimore
Community Spotlight
It's that time of year again – you know, the time of year when you're free to go out and about without fearing frostbite or having to duck into a warm place to thaw out every hour or so. Maybe that's a tad bit dramatic, but you can't argue with the fact that right now, we have warmth and long daylight hours on our side!
With weather this nice it makes no sense to spend all your time cooped up indoors or to spend money on activities you could enjoy any time of the year. Summer is about being outside and enjoying the free things in life! From organized events to things you can do on your own, here is a list of 10 Baltimore favorites when it comes to free outdoor summer activities.
Gwynns Falls Trail begins at the I-70 Park & Ride trailhead and follows the Gwynns Falls stream to the Middle Branch and the Inner Harbor of the Patapsco River. It contains 15 miles of a unique urban hiking and biking trail which provides access to a scenic and historic greenway stream valley in Baltimore City.
Also check out Druid Hill Park, Patterson Park, or for some more advanced hiking and rock climbing, Rocks State Park.
Give yourself a spook and head over to Westminster Hall and Burying Ground. There you can visit Poe and his wife, Virginia Clemm. Look a little further and you will find some other prominent Maryland citizens including James Calhoun, Baltimore's first mayor, and James McHenry, signer of the Declaration of Independence.
There's nothing like sitting in the warm open air listening to some good live tunes.
The First Thursdays Concerts in the Park series takes place on…any guesses? That's right, the first Thursday of every month during the summer (July-September). The shows run from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. under the Washington Monument in West Mt. Vernon Park. Food and drinks are available for purchase from local vendors, or you can bring your own food. These concerts are great for families and people of all ages.
Friday Night Live! is another great option. These free concerts take place every Friday beginning at 8:00 p.m. at Power Plant Live! You must be 21 or older to attend most of these concerts.
Save the movie theaters for when it's cold and you need to coop yourself up indoors. During the warm summer evenings, take advantage of these free outdoor movie events.
"Flicks from the Hill" takes place every Thursday from July 11th to August 22nd. The American Visionary Art Museum hosts these free movie screenings, which begin at 9:00 p.m. Bring a blanket and grab a spot on Federal Hill to enjoy the screening. Not only is the movie free, the American Visionary Art Museum is open with free admission from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Flicks nights. A list of this year's films can be found here.
Another option is the Little Italy Open Air Film Fest (Cinema Al Fresco). Every Friday in July and August on the corner of High and Stiles Streets, you can set up a lawn chair and listen to live music (beginning at 7:00 p.m.) or grab some yummy Italian cuisine, then enjoy an Italian-related film beginning at 9:00 p.m. Click here for this year's film schedule.
These eco-friendly shuttles service residents, students, tourists and anyone else who wants a ride for free around Baltimore. The Charm City Circulator is the perfect way to get around town for a day of sightseeing. It saves you the hassle of finding parking while lessening pollution and congestion. Shuttles arrive every 15 minutes at each designated stop. Visit their website for schedules and routes.
If you want to see one of the best panoramic views of Baltimore, Federal Hill is the place to go. A public park since 1789, it was used as a celebration point following the ratification of the new "Federal" U.S. Constitution. It was also used during the Civil War and the War of 1812 as a lookout point. It's a little bit of a climb, but once you reach the top, you'll see it was worth it! Federal Hill is a short walk from the Inner Harbor, the Maryland Science Center and many other local attractions.
The 32nd annual Artscape, America's largest free arts festival, located on Mount Royal Avenue, will occur this year on July 19th through the 21st. Artscape features over 150 fine artists, fashion designers and craftspeople. Enjoy several visual art exhibits as well as concerts and performing arts including dance, theater and film. This is a great festival for families - you'll find hands-on projects, demonstrations, competitions, children's entertainers and lots more. Check out the website for updated information.
Out of town that weekend? There is plenty of other art around Baltimore that you can view for free anytime. General admission to the Walters Art Museum is free, as are the outdoor exhibits at the American Visionary Art Museum, to name a couple.
Okay, I know what you're thinking. D.C. is totally not in Baltimore. Yes, I may be cheating a little on this one, but it's just so close by and there are SO many free things to do there! You cannot go the whole summer without spending a day in D.C. From the 19 museums, galleries and zoo that make up the Smithsonian Institution to the National Mall and monuments, it would be impossible to not be able to fill up your day with free activities.
Check out Washington, D.C. on the Cheap to find other D.C. deals and discounts.
Open every Sunday from 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. underneath the Jones Falls Expressway at Holliday and Saratoga streets, this is Maryland's largest producers-only market. I have to admit, although admission is free and vendors are often giving out free samples, it's highly unlikely that you will be able to walk away without spending any money after walking through the copious amounts of fresh produce, seafood, meats, fresh baked goods, cheese, local cuisine stations serving breakfast and lunch, plants and herbs as well as unique crafts and collectables. However, many things you'll find at this market are things you would normally purchase at a supermarket anyway, so it's better to buy it fresh and local, right?
Click here for more information on this and other Baltimore farmers' markets.
If the limited hours of the farmers' markets are a problem for you, check out some of Baltimore's standing public markets, open year round, most days of the week.
Downtown Baltimore is definitely the place to be when celebrating the Fourth of July. Head down early and bring your costumed pet to the American Visionary Art Museum for the Visionary Pets on Parade. Prizes will be awarded for best costume, most patriotic, best owner & pet look-alikes and more. Don't have a pet? You're still welcome to stop by and enjoy the dressed up pooches. Pet registration begins at 9:30 a.m. and the parade begins at 10:00 a.m.
Then stick around for Baltimore's official Independence Day celebration in the Inner Harbor. Live music begins at 4:00 p.m. and the amazing fireworks show begins at 9:30. If you'd like to enjoy the show without the crowds, head to Federal Hill, Harbor East or Fells Point where you can still get a great view of the fireworks.
So there you have it. Hopefully you've find something on this list appealing…or perhaps you'll try them all! Just be sure to take advantage of the summer sun one way or another this year!
Traveling Tips: Keep the Costs Low and the Fun Level High
Tricks to Throwing a Budget-Friendly Barbeque
How to Stay Cool When Temperatures are Hot
Tags: 4th of July Baltimore, Baltimore Concerts, Baltimore Events, Baltimore Farmers' Markets, Baltimore Festivals, Baltimore Live Music, Free Baltimore Activities, Free Baltimore Events, Independence Day Baltimore
Quick Tools
© 2008-


text:
Italy to Get First Nuclear Reactors in Decades
France and Italy signed a series of agreements that will see Italy build its first atomic plants in decades with French technology.
"Our companies want to work hand in hand with Italy to develop the nuclear sector," French President Nicolas Sarkozy said today at a press conference with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi in Paris. French companies will work to train Italian engineers, he added.
The deals, signed in Paris at the annual French-Italian summit, make operational a plan from 2007 by Enel SpA and Electricite de France SA to build the first nuclear power plants in Italy since it shut down existing facilities in 1988 after voters rejected atomic power in a referendum.
"We have to convince citizens who live in areas where reactors will be built," Berlusconi said, adding that there will be a "period of preparation of the Italian population."
Sites haven't been chosen for the atomic reactors yet, though supporters of the plan are already bracing for campaigns against them.
"The 'Not in My Backyard' syndrome is a major custom in Italy for many projects," Enel Chief Executive Officer Fulvio Conti said. "We will have to make an effort on communication."
EDF, Enel and Ansaldo Energia SpA signed a five-year agreement under which Ansaldo will supply equipment for the EPR plants in Italy, and possibly elsewhere, designed by Paris-based Areva SA, the companies said in a statement. Ansaldo is a unit of Italian engineering group Finmeccanica SpA.
Shut Reactors
Italy gets about 55 percent of its energy from coal and natural gas. The country plans to develop through 2025 about 13,000 megawatts of atomic power, the equivalent of eight EPRs, to cover a quarter of its demand, Francesco de Falco, chief executive officer of the EDF-Enel joint venture Sviluppo Nucleare Italia Srl set up for nuclear projects, said at a conference in Paris last month.
Work will start on the Italian EPRs in 2013, with the first scheduled to start operations as early as the end of 2018, Conti said today. Enel and EDF are "open" to other partners in developing each plant, which will mostly be self-financed, he added.
The venture currently intends to provide half of Italy's overall nuclear power target and "would be happy having more," he said. The deal signed today specifies EDF and Enel will be investors and architect engineers of the atomic plants responsible for management of the projects.
The Sviluppo Nucleare venture has said Enel will remain majority owner in each plant and EDF's stake will he "higher" than any potential third party.
Areva signed an agreement with Ansaldo for the supply of components for the EPRs in Italy and others around the world, the Paris-based company said in an e-mailed statement.
Other agreements signed covered the training of nuclear engineers and the disposal of nuclear waste.


text:
Davids Cookies was established in 1979 as the leading manufacturer of fresh-baked goods in the Northeast. Market segments include: fresh baked cookies, brownies, cakes and tarts as well as frozen cookie dough and other gourmet foods.7.5% Cash Back Available!
Special Offers from David's Cookies:
14% off Sitewide Code: VAL2013 Cash Back
David's Cookies Coupons & Cash Back!
7.5% FatWallet Cash Back Available!
Subscribe to the FatWallet Daily Email


text:
Ireland cricketers get a break after visa problems
Published 01/09/2009
THE Under 19 World Cup Qualifying tournament, which gets under way today in Toronto, faces fixture chaos because two of the 10 teams cannot get visas to get them into Canada.
Afghanistan and Sierra Leone were unable to board their scheduled flights and as of yesterday had not arrived for the tournament. The Afghans are due to be Ireland's second opponents, tomorrow, and if they are unable to fulfil the fixture it will go down as an abandoned match. Only if any team does not fulfil their fixture on Saturday, the fourth scheduled day of matches, will their games be forfeited and the points awarded to their opponents.
Ireland should not be unduly worried if the Afghans do not arrive in time.
Andrew Balbirnie's side are favourites to win the vast majority of their nine games — it is a round-robin tournament over 13 days — and comfortably qualify for the World Cup finals in New Zealand, alongside the 10 Full Members in January.
Indeed, the talented Irish squad will be aiming to produce the individual performances which will help them into the senior squad in the near future.
Paul Stirling, the one player in the squad who has already made it — he top scored against England at Stormont, the day before he left for Canada - said: "The aim for every single person in our squad has to be to play at the World Cup in 2011 and that is what they are all looking to achieve.
"If they score runs in a major tournament like this then they are definitely putting their name in the shop window to the likes of Phil Simmons. He has given opportunities to young players before, especially in Associate cricket, and encourages players to make the top."
Ireland's opening match today is against the United States and, assuming Afghanistan have not arrived, their next match will not be until Friday, against the Netherlands.
Ireland fixtures: Today v USA, Tomorrow v Afghanistan (prov), Friday: v Netherlands, Saturday v PNG; Monday: v Canada, Tuesday Sep 8 v Canada, Sep 10 v Uganda, Sep 11 v Sierra Leone (prov), Sep 13 v Vanuatu.
Ireland squad: A Balbirnie (capt), B Ackland, A D'Arcy, G Dockrell, S Getkate, G McCarter, G McDonnell, L Nelson, S Poynter, E Richardson, J Shannon, P Stirling, S Thompson, C Young.
Belfast Telegraph


text:
Milwaukee Police said one person is dead after a shooting Wednesday night near 84th Street and Carmen.
No email address was supplied by
To complete your registration on this site, please supply an address.
Please confirm or modify the email address to which you will have subscription offers sent.
For a more personalized experience, please supply the following optional information.