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Thank goodness it's Friday?
Not on Wall Street or within the U.S. economy, which served up a smorgasbord of bad news to end the week.
The University of Michigan Index of Consumer Sentiment fell to 56.4 in June, the lowest reading in 28 years and a stark reflection of all the problems facing the economy at the moment.
"Surging gas prices, high food prices, disappearing jobs, declining home values and record foreclosures were cited by consumers as the basis for their pessimism," said Richard Curtin, director of the survey.
"Most consumers expected each of these problems to continue to worsen in the months ahead," Curtin said.
"The problem is that there's not one, single worry," said Hugh Johnson, chairman and chief investment officer of Johnson Illington Advisors. He pointed to high gas prices, still-tight credit market conditions, and the contracting housing market.
"If you're looking for problems that face investors, that face the U.S. economy, they're everywhere," he said.
Wall Street ended a depressing week with another big loss on Friday, with the Dow Jones industrials falling more than 100 points amid ever-escalating worries about high oil prices and fallout from the credit crisis. The major indexes are all down more than 3 percent for the week.
The Dow has fallen nearly 460 points in the last two sessions and reached its lowest point since September 2006.
Investors contended Friday with a seemingly relentless stream of troubling news about the financial sector. Moody's Investors Service said it is reviewing investment bank Morgan Stanley for a possible downgrade. There were also more reports that Merrill Lynch & Co. might have to write off nearly $6 billion of risky mortgage-backed debt.
In addition to anxiety about the financials, the market watched oil march higher -- the price of crude rose to a new record of $142.99 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Wall Street remains concerned that higher commodity prices will slam consumers with not only elevated costs for energy and food, but also for other goods if cash-strapped companies decide to pass along the rising costs.
"People are trading with a lot of emotion," said Alexander Paris, an economist and market analyst for Chicago-based Barrington Research. "I think the market is trying to make a bottom, but the question is will it hold there or just crash through. It feels just like the top of the technology bubble in 2000 - you know there's something wrong but it is hard to time it."
Investors got little solace from economic data released on Friday. The Commerce Department said spending rose 0.8 percent in May, as taxpayers started receiving their stimulus checks. The increase was higher than the 0.7 percent economists predicted. The report also said personal incomes surged 1.9 percent -- significantly more than anticipated. After taxes, incomes surged 5.7 percent, the largest amount in 33 years.
Growth at that level is also expected in the third quarter, but analysts said the fourth quarter of this year and first quarter of next year could well sag and even turn negative as the effects of the stimulus payments wear off.
"The stimulus payments are likely to be a temporary boost and come the fall, consumers will be wondering how they are going to pay their bills with gasoline at $4-plus, unemployment rising and housing values and stock prices falling," said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Economy.com.
David Wyss, chief economist at Standard & Poor's, expressed concern that the stimulus checks will prove to be for the economy what eating candy is for children, a "sugar high" that won't last.
"Maybe we will be lucky and oil prices will drop back down by the time the boost from the stimulus program wears off and that will provide enough momentum to keep the economy going," said Wyss.
He said his concern was a double-dip recession with the weakness earlier this year followed by a brief boost from the stimulus checks followed by even weaker activity in late 2008 and early 2009.
The market was also pounded this week by harbingers of problems to come in other parts of the economy. Poor outlooks for high-tech companies and the automotive sector reminded Wall Street that the troubles have the potential to become widespread.
There is also likely fear on the Street about upcoming second-quarter earnings reports and companies outlooks for the rest of the year. Oracle Corp.'s warning of difficult times ahead contributed to Thursday's huge drop.
For the week, the Dow gave up 4.19 percent, the S&P shed 3 percent and the Nasdaq fell 3.76 percent. With one trading day left in the second quarter, the Dow is down 7.47 percent, the S&P 500 is off 3.35 percent and the Nasdaq is up 1.60 percent.
Compiled from Associated Press reports by News staff reporter Geoff Larcom.


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I'm working on my submission for the photoreal contest. I really like where this is at, but I think I can push it farther. Does anyone have any feedback/ideas/comments?
PhotoReal Design ~ Current Progress
posted by slamgirl65
2 Replies
Liking the textures. Do you study graphic design or as a profession?
slamgirl65 Artist from Michigan, United States
Thanks, I'm kind of addicted to them myself. Actually neither, at least I haven't taken any classes. I'm an art education student.

subset: commoncrawl


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STATEN ISLAND N.Y. - John Brosnan's third game knocked in the ninth-inning gamer as the (7-2) Staten Island Bombers erased an 11-run deficit to edge the Takayama Dragons 15-14 at New Dorp HS. Vin Perrone also had three hits.
Dennis Aponte and Sal Marzella pounded home runs as the J&J Raiders ripped the New Jersey Yankees 16-6 at the West Shore BRL complex in Elm Park. Billy O'Neill knocked in four runs for winning pitcher Bob McKeon.


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We are located in the heart of the West End of London. The nearest tube station is Tottenham Court Road and we are just a short walk from several other tube stations on the Northern, Victoria and Central Lines. Plus, there are a number of buses that stop just a stone's throw from YMCA Club. We're on the map below – check out how convenient our location is!
Come along
112 Great Russell Street, London, WC1B 3NQ
We are open
Monday to Friday: 6.30am – 10.30pm
Saturday: 9am – 8.30pm
Sunday: 9am – 7pm
Bank holidays: 10am – 7pm
*Even fitness fanatics need a rest. We are closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day, Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
Use of facilities ends 30 minutes prior to closing.
Give us a call
020 7343 1700020 7343 1700
Now you know how to find us, make sure you come along to see the Club for yourself! Let us know that you are planning to visit by filling out our contact form below and we'll be ready to show you our fabulous facilities.


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Do you 'Cee' what I see?: An Ahistorical Collision Between Hip-Hop,"Manhood," Silence and Sexuality
By Cleo Manago, CEO and founder of the Black Men's Xchange (BMX) | 9/16/2013, 12:13 p.m.
The lack of understanding and engagement of this experience and journey leads to a perpetual state of confusion and disorientation about and among SGL Black males. This institutionalized invisibility also contributes to this population's unique and perpetual inability to manage and resolve its still disproportionate HIV incidence problem.
My advice to same-gender-loving (SGL), bisexual and experimenting Black males is to focus on healing and compassion for each other and organizing and building a more functional and constructive community. Concretely, there is very little space provided in America, even in Black communities, which compels Black males in particular, including DJ Mister Cee, to feel safe presenting all that they personally are to society.
My advice to society at-large, especially the Black community, is to affirm creation of breathing room for the diversity that has always existed among humanity. This must include room for the spectrum of gender expression that has always been with us, that is often contorted and abusively contained within desperately patriarchal social mind prisons.
We can do better than we have; and we must if we are ever to acquire a just and constructively free society that, among other things, discontinues the creation of DJ Mister Cee-like scandals. The real scandal is not Mister Cee's public outing, but the overall public perception of the diversity around Black male sexuality issues. Do you 'Cee' what I see? I'm hoping that one day we will see more compassion, understanding and decency from all parties involved.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Cleo Manago.
Cleo Manago is founder and CEO of the Black Men's Xchange (BMX) (http://www.bmxnational.org/), the nation's oldest and largest community-based movement devoted to promoting healthy self-concept and behavior among diverse males of African-descent.


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First Pentecostal Holiness Church remembers those who fought and came home
By Dennis Hill
Published in News on May 26, 2014 1:51 PM
News-Argus/DENNIS HILL
Former Marine Bill Hartley, left, describes his time over- seas during World War II at a Memorial Day ceremony held at First Pentecostal Holiness Church on Sunday. Hartley, 91, was one of several veterans of the war who spoke. At right is Pastor Bill Rose.
First Pentecostal Holiness Church honored eight veterans of World War II during services Sunday, in a ceremony that recognized them as members of what is known as America's "Greatest Generation." Members of the Army, Navy and Marine Corps, along...
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Specification Match
Display Range 9.70in. - 9.70in.
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- Covers all operation buttons for complete security
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Protected Mounting Frame for iPads™ with VESA Mounting Pattern
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IPM-300 List $99.00 Total weight capacity 5 lb.
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IPM-200 List $60.00 Total weight capacity 5 lb.
Mounting Frame for iPads with VESA Mounting Pattern
- Open mounting frame gives access to all iPad™ controls and connections
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IPM-100 and AM50 Bundled Pack
IPM-530 List $140.00 Total weight capacity 5 lb.
iPad Tabletop Stand and Wall Mount
- Open design gives access to all iPad controls and connections
- Mount rotates 360° on stand


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Home/Office Deliveries:
Presto Catering is well known in the community for its fine quality food. Presto can provide home or office delivery to you for 20 people or more. We service many local companies for office lunches and we have recently started an H.M.R. Program
(Home Meal Replacement).
The HMR Program was created to take the burden out of cooking at home. We have a number of fresh microwavable products as well as slow roast products ready to take home to the family.


text: Hi Lawyerchick. Moving on is the most important part - don't forget that you might be hungrier than usual for the next 48 hours or so, and plan plenty of great eats that fit with your own specific plan. My go-to at times like that involves extra coconut oil and some bacon!!


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Thanks for the feedback, everyone. Interestingly, I read the opposite advice on other sites (to use them for presses rather than pulls so your weak grip doesn't interfere with your workout). I'll use them for curls and rows for now, and see how it goes.
"Don't go in there, General, it's a trap! That's a grain chamber. It makes people like you into people like me."
Sorry, I don't see what all the hand-wringing is about when it comes to presses. If anything, there's less stress on your grip than with, say, a deadlift. The damned bar would have to magically fall out of the grip and pass through your hand. Physics is your friend.
I use the Fat Gripz to do additional sets with lighter weights of certain exercises than I can do with them. So if I'm deadlifting, I'll do additional sets with the Fat Gripz after my heavy sets. You can't just toss them on your working weights and expect to be able to still execute the lift.
My favorite lifts to do with them are: Farmer's Walk, deadlifts (or 1 deadlift and then a hang), pullups (they fit nicely on some doorway bars), and bicep curls.


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On May 16th San Francisco Giants Manager Bruce Bochy batted starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner 8th in the batting order, and he almost issued a written apology over it. In interviews before and after the game, Bochy grumbled, looked down and seemed embarrassed as he told reporters he's trying to score more runs but "this probably won't happen again".
Bruce Bochy attended the baseball school that was in place before the old school was built, so he isn't going to be putting something new or innovative in place on a baseball diamond any time soon. The fact that he started his pitcher in the 8th spot in the batting order twice since taking over as Giants' manager in 2007 is itself an astounding development.
The other time? On May 20, 2010 Bochy batted Tim Lincecum in the eighth slot against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Which makes it 2 games out of 851 so far.
Although Bruce Bochy is more comfortable matching righty-lefty line-ups, it is always relevent to note that he won the 2010 World Series and is known as a masterful bullpen tactician.
The concept of batting the pitcher 8th has seen two great proponents in the past fourteen years: former St. Louis Cards Manager Tony La Russa and former Pirates Manager John Russell.
Tony La Russa was one of the greatest managers in the history of the game– 3rd all time in wins (2,728), second all time in games (5.097), and 3rd all time in number of playoff appearances (14). He had the credentials to do just about anything he wanted.
In 1998, La Russa's third year as Cards' manager, what he wanted was to increase the team's run scoring potential with a "second lead-off man" batting 9th– especially with #3 batter Mark McGwire hitting home runs. So on July 9, 1998 he began batting his pitcher 8th in the line-up and did that through the remaining 76 games of the season.
Throughout the rest of his tenure in St. Louis, La Russa had a streaky attachment to batting his pitcher 8th: for eight seasons following 1998 he didn't do it once. Then on August 5, 2007 La Russa inexplicably went back to the second lead-off man concept for the remaining 56 games of that season.
In 2008 La Russa batted his pitcher 8th in 153 games; in 2009, 54 games; in 2010, 77 games; and in 2011, 13 games. No doubt a lot depended on La Russa having an actual "second lead-off" batter who would have the OBP to qualify fitting into the #9 spot in the order.
John Russell managed the Pittsburgh Pirates from 2008 through 2010. In the 2008 season Russell experimented by hitting his starter 8th in the order in 27 games. In 2009 he didn't do it once. In 2010 Russell announced he was going to use a second lead-off man in the Pirates' batting order the entire year. It lasted only the first 24 games of the season before ownership essentially shut it down.
Two statements about Major League Baseball's establishment are true in the extreme: 1) strategic innovations (like batting the pitcher 8th or recognizing the value of player OBP) are looked upon with suspicion and disdain; 2) revenue increasing innovations (like interleague play, and expanded playoffs) are welcomed with open arms. And the game's traditions and integrity? Well that all depends.
While hitting the pitcher 8th in the batting order is a huge step in the direction of increasing long term run production, it still falls short of the perfect batting line-up. The Mobius Strip Theory, conceived by this writer in 2010, presents the best possible mathematically designed run scoring attack.
I will re-present the Mobius Strip Theory using the current San Francisco Giants roster in an upcoming blog. It has been described (primarily by me) as a stunning and historic innovation in MLB run generation. I only hope the first team to experimentally use the Mobius Strip Theory is not the Pittsburgh Pirates.


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A top European Union leader has warned the current debt crisis could lead to the collapse of Greece, Spain and Portugal.
The London Daily Mail reports European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso worries that southern Europe could be a victim of military coups and popular uprisings.
He says governments will run out of money and public service will collapse, unless something is done to tackle the debt crisis.
"He's very, very worried," John Monks, former head of the Trades Union Congress said of Barroso. "He shocked us with an apocalyptic vision of democracies in Europe collapsing because of the state of indebtedness."
The warning comes as the EU starts work on a bailout package for Spain worth hundreds of billions of dollars.
A similar package has already been approved for Greece.
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Call The 700 Club Prayer Center at 1 (800) 823-6053, 24 hours a day.
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Featured Golf News
Tiger Wins Australian Masters
Even though he received $3 million before he arrived in Melbourne, Australia, Tiger Woods was not just going to make a token appearance in the Australian Masters.
No, the game's top-rated player values wins more than dollars, and that belief system was borne out at the Kingston Heath course, where Woods finished with a 4-under 68 to win the 72-hole tournament by two strokes over Greg Chalmers.
Tiger's trip to Australia was his first in 11 years and he put on quite a show in the final round en route to notching the 93rd title - and seventh of the year - over his fantastic career. Recovering from a disappointing even-par round Saturday that moved him into a three-way tie for the 54-hole lead, Woods took the top spot all by himself after a birdie on the opening hole - one of three in his first six holes - and never looked back.
In the final round Woods carded five birdies and a bogey while establishing a new personal record for "continental wins."
"I have never won down here, so now I've won on every continent, which is nice, except for Antarctica," Woods said, before jokingly adding, "I haven't played in the Antarctic four-play yet, but to have won on every continent is something I've wanted to do and now I've done it."
The Australian government, which subsidized half of Woods' appearance fee, estimates its return on investment to be about $20 million as the game's top-rated player attracted crowds estimated in excess of 100,000 over the four days of the European Tour co-sanctioned event.
He finished at 14-under 274, edging Chalmers by two shots after the Australian closed with a 70. France's Francois Delamontagne (69) and American Jason Dufner (70) ended up tied for third at 10-under 278.
A win in the Australian Masters earns a golden jacket; Woods became the third American to take one of those back to the U.S. after Gene Littler (1980) and his good friend Mark O'Meara (1986).
"I just played very consistently today," Woods said. "I wasn't trying to be overly aggressive, I was just trying to plot my way along and make birdies when I had the opportunity. I hit some really good iron shots and that was the whole key to the day. I didn't have a lot of long putts to make. For the week I made just four bogeys (and 18 birdies), I think that's pretty good."
He also tipped his cap to Melbourne's fabled sand-belt golf courses. "All the guys have raved about this golf course and I understand why," he said. "I really enjoy playing on sand-belt courses because it brings back shot-making and we don't see enough of that. All the guys who have come down here have always enjoyed it. This is a kind of golf that we don't get a chance to play."
He may return to defend his title in 2010. "I would certainly love to come back," Woods said. "I haven't looked at next year's tournament schedule yet, I will do that next month and get an idea of what I need to do for the entire year and I'll come up with a game plan."
Tiger will take a few weeks off before playing in his final event of the year at the Chevron World Challenge at Thousand Oaks, Calif., December 3-6.
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August 2010 Advances & Applications
Where do the good ideas come from? In this column, we offer our readers the opportunity to learn about — and benefit from — some of the cutting-edge technologies being implemented by law enforcement colleagues around the world.
The Cornell University Police Department is adopting new software from Spillman Technologies to help the agency compile data about campus crimes and access critical information from the field.
Using Spillman's Pin Mapping module, the agency will be able to search for incidents and plot them on an electronic pin map to visually track criminal activity and identify relationships between incidents and suspects.
"We believe that Spillman will significantly reduce the hours invested in managing software and errant data," said Cornell University Police Department Chief Kathy Zoner. "With the flexibility and reliability of information reporting, our patrols can easily identify crime trends and move proactively to appropriately assign our limited resources. We will be able to see activities on our campus in a way that we have not been able to in the past, and we believe that this information is critical to managing risk and liability."
Using Spillman's State Link module, the department can search information stored by the New York Statewide Police Information Network (NYSPIN) or eJusticeNY without using a separate terminal or browser window. Officers can easily retrieve statewide data on warrants, stolen property, missing people, and more.
Cornell University is located in Ithaca, New York, and employs 51 police officers. The agency will be able to use Spillman's Mobile solution to efficiently operate throughout the 745-acre campus, allowing officers to access critical records data, communicate with agency personnel, and search state and national databases from their vehicle laptops.
The agency is also adopting Spillman's Computer-Aided Dispatch, Fire/EMS, and Resources solutions. When the agency went live with the software in June, it joined more than 800 agencies using Spillman software nationwide, including 21 campus police departments.
Spillman Technologies meets the needs of public safety professionals with an integrated suite of comprehensive software solutions. The software is installed at police, sheriff, communications, fire, and correctional agencies nationwide.
For more information, visit www.spillman.com.
Sorenson Forensics Trains Scientist–Police Officers for Nigeria's First Forensic DNA Lab
Sorenson Forensics announced that it is providing intensive forensic DNA training for Nigerian scientist–police officers at its base in Salt Lake City, Utah, to help prepare these individuals for establishing and operating a law enforcement DNA laboratory in Africa's most populous nation. The Federal Republic of Nigeria police laboratory will be the first DNA forensics facility in Nigeria.
The Nigerian visiting scientists have been working alongside teams of Sorenson Forensics scientists for eight hours a day since January. The Nigerian police officers brought along crime-scene DNA evidence from open Nigerian homicide cases to examine as part of Sorenson Forensics' real-world, hands-on educational approach, and they identified a new suspect in a high-profile cold case.
As part of the training, Sorenson Forensics has arranged for the visiting scientist–police officers to tour a number of established law enforcement facilities, including the FBI's Mountain West computer forensics facility, the Utah State Crime Laboratory, the Cache County Sheriff's Office facilities, and the Unified Police Department facilities in Salt Lake County, Utah.
"We appreciate learning how to use advanced forensic DNA technology from Sorenson Forensics, a highly respected organization among law enforcement agencies worldwide," said Elias Uzoemeka, superintendent of police for the Nigeria Police Force. "Today, Nigeria is experiencing economic growth, which enables us to develop advanced law enforcement tools that promote justice and security for our citizens."
Launched in 2006, Sorenson Forensics has grown rapidly in response to strong demand for advanced DNA identification services from law enforcement agencies throughout the world and from the U.S. legal industry. This Salt Lake City–based company is an independent business unit of Sorenson Genomics, which receives and analyzes forensic evidence for DNA testing from more than 100 law enforcement agencies across the country and delivers on-site educational programs that strengthen forensic DNA laboratories. In 2008, Sorenson Forensics set up the first DNA laboratory in Senegal, western Africa, and trained the scientists who operate it.
For more information, visit www.sorensonforensics.com.
Chatham-Kent Police Service Deploys Avigilon High Definition Surveillance System
Avigilon, a provider of high-definition and megapixel video surveillance systems, announces that the Chatham-Kent Police Service (CKPS) in Ontario, Canada, has deployed the Avigilon High Definition Surveillance System to boost security at its headquarters and deliver detailed, irrefutable evidence to the court in an effort to more effectively meet disclosure requirements and achieve a higher rate of successful convictions. Using the Avigilon system, police officers can reduce investigation times by 90 percent.
"After careful review and unanimous support from our board, Avigilon was quickly identified as the best surveillance solution to help us improve security on-site and provide the courts with the best evidence possible to successfully meet our disclosure requirements," said CKPS Inspector Tim Mifflin. "Avigilon won based on performance, cost, and ease of operation."
Officers and administrators at the CKPS seamlessly manage the Avigilon High Definition Surveillance System using Avigilon Control Center network video management software (NVMS) with high-definition stream management and 12 Avigilon analog video encoders to improve the performance of its existing 48 analog cameras. The CKPS has also installed two Avigilon high-definition network video recorders (NVR) with automatic failover to store 30 days of continuous surveillance video with greater reliability and redundancy.
Avigilon Control Center software'sadvanced functionality and superior audio/video synchronization capabilities have dramatically improved the police service's ability to provide solid, high-quality evidence to the court, leading to a higher rate of conviction. Avigilon's rich feature-set and simple management tools have enabled the police service to reduce the time required to manage surveillance, decreasing the time taken to search, play back, identify, and copy video to create a file for court purposes by 90 percent. Configured for automatic failover and full redundancy, the Avigilon High Definition Surveillance System delivers the reliability needed to ensure ongoing surveillance in the high-risk environment at CKPS headquarters, where suspects and prisoners are constantly monitored. ■
For more information, visit www.avigilon.com.
From The Police Chief, vol. LXXVII, no. 8, August 2010. Copyright held by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, 515 North Washington Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 USA.


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Blue Dragon
(Xbox 360, DS)
Blue Dragon, originally developed exclusively for the Xbox 360, arrives on the Nintendo DS. The first RPG from Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi's new company Mistwalker, Blue Dragon puts you in the shoes of young Shu, a gifted young boy with the power to control phantom shadows that mirror the actions of their masters. Characters designed by Dragon Ball Z creator Akira Toriyama and music composed by Nobuo Uematsu of Final Fantasy fame.
Latest Features for Blue Dragon
The Top 5 Worst JRPG Character Names
Five names that made us Kluke.June 11, 2008 0 223
2007 1UP Award Nominees
Vote for the best games of 2007!November 28, 2007 0 1085
Blue Dragon SuperGuide, Walkthrough
Complete walkthrough, including side quests.August 28, 2007 0 1
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Conspiracy theories alleging that the U.S. government staged the 9/11 attacks have been growing in popularity in Japan. The second conference dedicated to these theories was held in November 2008 in Tokyo and attracted a crowd of several hundred along with notable conspiracy theorists from Japan and abroad, including some who promote anti-Semitic views or who have cited the work of anti-Semites. Participants included:
David Ray Griffin, a retired American professor of theology. Because of Griffin's position, 9/11 conspiracy theorists often point to him as a respected source. He was in Japan on a speaking tour to promote his view that the United States government planned and staged the 9/11 terrorist attacks. This is a theme in many of his works including his best-known book, The New Pearl Harbor, published in 2004. In some of his articles on the 9/11 attacks, Griffin has cited the work of Christopher Bollyn, a virulent anti-Semite who claims that Jews were responsible for the 9/11 attacks. The New Pearl Harbor has been translated into Japanese.
Benjamin Fulford, a Canadian living in Japan. Fulford has worked as a business journalist
covering Asia for the past twenty years, seven for Forbes magazine.
He has written posts on his Web site claiming that the "Rothschilds" control European and other governments and that they have driven "the people into conflict and war" to further their aims of world control. The Rothschilds are a well-known Jewish banking family that anti-Semites frequently accuse of controlling various governments and economies to influence world events and benefit the Jews.
Fulford also regularly appears on the Internet radio show of Jeff Rense, whose Web site features anti-Semitic conspiracy theories. On the radio program, Fulford has characterized Zionists and the Rothschilds as two of a number of forces that secretly control world events. He has also charged that Zionists once hoped to "eliminate Christianity."
Yukihisa Fujita, a member of the Japanese Parliament. On the floor of that body, on at least two occasions, Fujita has aired the view that the 9/11 attacks were staged by the U.S. government. He has credited a well-known American 9/11 conspiracy movie, "Loose Change," and books by Griffin and Akira Dojimaru, a Japanese 9/11 conspiracy theorist, as leading him to that conclusion.
� 2008 Anti-Defamation League


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Firefighters have been called to an apartment fire on the northwest side of Oklahoma City.
Crews were called to the Lantana Apartments at 7432 NW 10th Street.
No other details are immediately available.
Stay with KOCO.com for more information as we get it confirmed.
The views expressed are not those of this site, this station or its affiliated companies. By posting your comments you agree to accept our terms of use.blog comments powered by Disqus


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There was one excellent speaker who gave some good talks about the Crusades and other history relevant topics but two of the speakers were quite disappointing. Normally i love the lectures on board but one speaker actually justified rendition (torture) when talking on a terrorism related topic. I prefer lectures which are relevant to the places we are visiting. There was no daily briefing about the ports we were about to visit.
Despite the gratuities policy, the service was no better than on other five and six star lines I have cruised with which had gratuities included.
Despite the many positives about the ship, I will probably be reluctant to travel with Crystal in the future as I have enjoyed some 5 star lines (eg Celebrity Xpedition) and 6 star lines more.


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Another successful edition of the VIP Talent Connect Networking Event, hosted by The It Factor Productions and Alycia Kaback, took place this ...Read full story.
Alycia Kaback Meets Vanessa Hudgens (High School Musical) at GIGI on Broadway Private Reading Alycia Kaback, Founder and CEO of The ...Read full story.
Today was Alycia's Birthday! She had an overwhelming load of Birthday wishes from her friends, family, coworkers, mentors and Hollywood producers, ...Read full story.
Founder and CEO of The It Factor Productions Alycia Kaback Announces Her First Entertainment Industry Book The It Factor Productions' ...Read full story.
The It Factor Productions Backs another Tony Award Winning Play After the recent success of Vanya and Sonia and Masha ...Read full story.
Everyone at The It Factor Productions is thrilled to announce we've won our first Tony Award for Best Play at ...Read full story.
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Wonderful Winter
It is hard to think that winter just really got here. It is even more hard to believe that we are already a month into a new year and that tomorrow brings the first day of February. While most will be huddled in small rooms tomorrow bracing themselves on the game of the year some of you may be wondering how to fill that gap.
I can assure you a drive to Skamania County would treat your senses. Traveling down I-84 or 14 have amazing sights this time of the year. Multnomah Falls is bursting and the Columbia Gorge is a sight in itself freckled with patches of ice and large flocks of birds.
Even better say that you are busy for tomorrows game. How many have their Valentines plans in check? Sneak away for a romantic getaway… we will do all the work for you. Chocolates, flowers and all the frills all you have to do is show up.
Carson Ridge Private Luxury Cabins would like to wish all a Happy New Year and we will look forward to seeing you soon!


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November 12, 2013 The powerful typhoon Haiyan, called Yolanda in the Philippines, roared across country's center on November 8.
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Blair Brown must have figured that if he couldn't beat the Highland Park Hornets, he might as well join them.
Brown, head football coach at Wellington from 1997-99, lost district games to Highland Park in 1998 and '99. In 1998, Highland Park rallied from a 19-0 deficit in the fourth quarter to win, 23-19, securing the second playoff berth in the school's brief 12-year history of varsity football.
The Hornets, only in their 14th season of varsity football, won 17 games and made the playoffs twice in the past two seasons. However, 12 starters were lost along with head coach Doug Fowler, who went to Tascosa as an assistant coach.
New coach Blair Brown has experience at the skill positions and wants to spread the field more on offense. Nick Albino, who rushed for 1,462 yards last year, will be used as a receiver as well as a runner. Because of an injury last year, the Hornets have two experienced senior QBs in Chris Bryan and Paul Hernandez.
Defensively, the Hornets again should have good team speed led by Albino and Bryan in the secondary. Jason Hartman and Matt Lewis figure to be solid tackles.
Head coach: Blair Brown, first year at Highland Park; sixth season overall, 25-26.
Nickname: Hornets.
1999 Record: 8-3, 4-1 in District 6-2A; lost to Spearman 32-21 in Division II bi-district.
Returning experience: 10 lettermen, five offensive and five defensive starters.
Players to watch: Nick Albino, TB-DB; Jason Hartman, FB-DL; Matt Lewis, OL-DL; Chris Bryan, QB-DB; Ron Lopez, OL-LB; Mark Tijerina, OL-LB; Todd Trammell, OL-DL; Danny Owen, TB-DB; Paul Hernandez, QB-DB;
Promising newcomers: Chris Koval, TE-DL; Jeff McFadden, WR-LB; Chance Wade, WR-LB; Joseph Castellon, WR-DB; Brandon Bertrand, OL-DL; Troy Holman, WR-DB; Miguel Hernandez, OL-DL; Josh Ommen, WR-DB.
Basic offense: Multiple I.
Basic defense: 50.
Playoff history: 1992, 1998 (Division II area), 1999 (Division II bi-district).
Last year, the Hornets routed Brown's Wellington Skyrockets 44-20 as Highland Park made back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time in school history.
When Doug Fowler, who guided Highland Park to its most successful period - a 17-6 record in 1998 and '99 - resigned earlier this year for an assistant coach's position at Tascosa, Brown jumped at the opening.
"I always felt Highland Park would be a good place to work," said Brown, whose 1998 Wellington team ended a six-year playoff drought. "When I was at Randall as an assistant coach (1991-94), I was interested in Highland Park.
"To me it's exciting being at a relatively new school. My first year at Randall was their first year to make the playoffs. It was pretty fun, building a tradition, and that's what our job will be at Highland Park."
Two consecutive playoff appearances hardly qualify as tradition, but thanks to Fowler's accomplishments the last two years, Brown will inherit a program apparently on the rise. When he took the Wellington job in 1997, the Skyrockets had won only one game the previous two seasons.
"It's different," Brown said of the atmosphere at Highland Park. "Anything you do in a losing program is good. Here, we are expected to keep the things going that were started by Doug and his staff.
"The kids here feel they can win, and that's awfully nice. You don't have to tell them 'You can. You can.' Here, it's more like, 'You've done it. Now let's go to another level.' "
Despite inheriting a program that has made the playoffs two consecutive years, Brown found himself in a rebuilding mode with this year's Hornets. Highland Park lost 12 starters from last year's 8-3 team.
When he got the Highland Park job in April, Brown watched his new players play pass-tag during the off-season to get an idea of what he had.
"We threw the ball around quite a bit," he said. "We found out who could catch and run. We evaluated the kids and put them in the places we wanted."
One player that needed little evaluation was senior running back Nick Albino, who last year rushed for 1,462 yards and 18 touchdowns.
"He's one of the best in this area," Brown said of the 6-foot-1, 180-pound Albino. "He'll have a lot of fun in our offense. We like to spread the field and throw the ball, and Nick's got good hands."
Brown wants to move Albino back and forth from running back to receiver, using 170-pound junior Danny Owen to spell Albino in the backfield.
"Danny can take some of the pressure off Nick and allow us to move Nick to receiver some of the time," Brown said. "We want to use some multiple formations and move Nick around and create some mismatches with him against the defense.
"Nick's true love is catching the football, but he's an awfully good runner. He needs to touch the ball 20 times a game for us to win."
With his offensive line in a rebuilding mode, Brown is moving lineman Jason Hartman (6-4, 240) to fullback to help block for Albino and Owen.
Because of an injury last year to starting quarterback Chris Bryan, the Hornets have the luxury of two starting quarterbacks this fall. Bryan started the season before an injury and returned for the playoffs while Paul Hernandez played most of the district schedule last year. Both are seniors and Bryan will enter this year as the starter.
The receiving corps will by led by tight end Kris Koval (6-4, 190), who didn't play football last year, and wideouts Chance Wade and Jeff McFadden, both juniors with decent speed.
The rebuilt offensive line will include Ron Lopez (6-1, 230), Mark Tijerina (6-0, 240), Brandon Bertrand (6-4, 190) and Matt Lewis (6-4, 230).
"We want to spread the field on offense, but I believe we can line up and play power football with our big fullback (Hartman)," Brown said. "If we can play both power and finesse, we can create some problems for some defenses.
"I don't think we can line up and give the ball to Nick 30 times a game. I feel like we've got a lot of good skill players so we're planning on using them."
Defensively, the Hornets will have size in the middle with tackles Hartman and Lewis as well as overall speed.
"I think we have some team speed on defense - not as much as they had last year - but we have two guys with 4.6 speed (in the 40-yard dash) and five or six in the 4.8 range," Brown said. "We won't be putting anybody on the field that's much slower than 5.0, and that includes the big guys."
Koval and Bertrand, both about 6-feet-4, will provide nice-looking bookends for the defensive line. Tijerina and Todd Trammell will provide line depth.
Lopez and 220-pound junior Miguel Hernandez are the top linebacking prospects.
Albino, Bryan, Wade and Owen will head up the secondary. Brown also plans to use Hernandez on defense.
Highland Park opens the season with three Class 1A opponents - Shamrock, Claude and Gruver. The Hornets should find out quickly how they compare with the best in the revamped District 6-2A with Canadian and Spearman opening the league schedule.
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I remember seeing the pictures of the rumored 'Disney Steampunk' game a few months back,
& getting excited by the potential exhibited. Now GameInformer has confirmed it's existence officially on their website and the cover of their October issue.
They are not revealing much until their magazine hits shelves and mailboxes which makes sense. Nevertheless I can't help but feel that nostalgia for one of my favorite games of the 16-bit generation: World of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse & Donald Duck.
This game was amazing, and the catalyst to many sibling arm bruises and controller smack downs. But through the frustration the undeniable fun of this gem kept us coming back for more. I am by no means a Disney fanboy or memorabilia collector either, this game just hit simultaneous two-player adventure right on the money. Why so many other games that attempted that same structure & failed miserably just exemplifies World of Illusion's gameplay.
Treading through a sun-drenched forest with your buddy, springing each other skywards and using a rope to get your partner up to the braided foliage supporting you.
Going on a nocturnal magic carpet ride while dodging vortexs and scowling clouds.
Balancing on spider webs in a gem-encrusted cavern.
Navigating the ocean floor in a giant bubble before exploring a dilapidated sunken ship that a gang of devious sharks call home.
& yes - even wading through giant Jell-O blocks in a sugar coated wonderland; surely one of the three wishes on Kirstie Alley's magic lamp to-do list.
This game was imagination and whimsy and really possessed an innocent charm without being corny or heavy in unwelcome Disney lore.
So I've got to say, at this point I'm disappointed that Epic Mickey is Wii-bound. I hate the Wii. It is a loathsome shovelware wasteland and mine sits unplugged & shamed behind the couch, getting about as much play as Roger Ebert's junk (I'm assuming that'd be really close to never). And being on Wii, the game is going to look like dog puke. Well not that bad, but it's just how amazing it could look had it been going the HD route of Sony or Microsoft.
The visual dilemma aside, I don't want to waggle a damn Wiimote anymore. I have no problem with simply holding a controller and letting my fingers do the work, not my wrists, arms, and elbows. It's why I got 20% through Twilight Princess and then traded it/gingerly dispatched it into Gamestop for a few dollars. There will be no achievements or trophies, which I happen to personally enjoy obtaining.
And it is one-player?? Damnit, why? I guess I am jonesing for another World of Illusion and I should respect the fact that Epic Mickey is it's own entity, but I'd love to have Donald tagging along for the ride again.
So, it will please a lot of people no doubt (children that tug their parent's sleeve & point to pretty boxes and don't have the cerebral video game archives to know better), but I will be disappointed in the 'what could have been' and patiently wait/hope for the day I can hear my brother curse at me again for wrapping him up like a cinnamon twist with my magic carpet.


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If confirmation were needed that José María Olazábal would generate a good team spirit in the Europe camp, it was provided by Paul Lawrie yesterday, on the eve of the event.
Lawrie, playing in the Ryder Cup after an absence of 13 years, had nothing but praise for a captain who is leaving no stone unturned in his quest to retain a trophy won back at Celtic Manor in 2010.
The 43-year-old Scot has been around long enough not to get dewy-eyed and sentimental when it comes to a game of golf. But he recognises passion when he sees it


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City to apply for state grant to fix streets
January 10, 2014
City Council Thursday gave its blessing to the administration to go after a $500,000 grant from the state Department of Community and Economic Development for streetscape improvements to areas near......
Where can I get some grant money? I'm tired of paying for my home improvements out of my pocket.I don't think my tax money should go to someone who let their house fall apart over the years.
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Why are they even getting any public money? Are they going to share the rent money when finished? Private entities should not receive public dollars.
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Facade ---50,000
I am sure there would be a wiser use of money. I could use some facade improvements at my house. Can I get a grant for that too?
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The Jackson City Council has decided to retain an outside law firm to represent the city in lawsuits filed over its new stormwater fee.
City council members voted Tuesday to use the services of Miller Canfield, a Detroit-based law firm that is the largest in Michigan.
The decision came after the council met in closed session to discuss the lawsuits, which say the stormwater fee is an illegal tax approved without a public vote.
City officials have said the fee is legal because it serves a regulatory purpose and is charged based on usage and because property owners may reduce it by getting credits for diverting stormwater runoff.
Jackson County — which was expected to pay $32,000 per year in stormwater fees — filed a lawsuit in the Michigan Court of Appeals Dec. 16 and two business owners — Brian Surgener of Jackson Coffee Co. and David Klein of Klein Brothers — later filed similar suits.
The new fee, approved by the City Council a year ago, costs homeowners $8 per quarter and businesses with large lots several hundred dollars per month.
City Attorney Julius Giglio said he did not want to discuss Miller Canfield's hourly rate because the agreement has not been signed. He said that information would be available under the Freedom of Information Act after it is signed.
Michigan Lawyers Weekly issues an annual report on the state's largest law firms that includes hourly rates for some firms, but not for Miller Canfield. Hourly rates for associate attorneys at some of the other biggest practices are about $250 to $300 per hour.


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Michael Anderson wrote:
>.... IMHO I think
> Eloquence is the path of least resistance.
[Charles Finley] I'm not sure what "path of least resistance" means. I
think our customers would disagree with you. I've worked with Eloquence
since 1998. True, it is easy and quick to migrate from TurboIMAGE to
Eloquence. I am willing to prove to anyone that, from a practical point of
view, it almost as easy and likely just as quick to migrate to an RDBMS's we
support (Oracle, MS SQL Server, DB2) with the product we distribute from
SunGard Bi-tech, Transport.
So if path of least resistance means ease of migrating and speed of
migration, I don't believe your statement is accurate. Would you care to
expand on what "path of least resistance" means in your post please?
* To join/leave the list, search archives, change list settings, *
* etc., please visit [url]http://raven.utc.edu/archives/hp3000-l.html[/url] *


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You could be in high spirits today which could be because of your desire to share and connect with other people. It may be that the exuberance you feel is the result of your sense that without your social group, your life may not be nearly as fulfilling. Perhaps today you can express your feelings of joy to the people you are with. Telling other people just how much they mean to you and bring to your life could not only be a way to deepen your relationship with one another but it might also lead to an even greater sense of appreciation and wonder at the value your relationships bring to your life. Letting others know that they have a direct and positive effect on the liveliness you feel may also infuse all of your interactions with a greater amount of delight and wonder.
A large part of our joie de vivre comes from the people we have in our lives. Although we can't rely on others for our happiness, our relationships do have a direct impact on how we view, live, and ultimately take pleasure in our lives. Expressing our feelings of gratitude to the people we care about does so much more than simply sharing our emotions with them, it demonstrate just how much richer our lives are because of their presence in it. As you communicate your appreciation to the people you interact with today you will take greater pleasure in their company.
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What's better than cats? Cats in sweaters! This collection of photographs features cats modeling their cozies accompanied by hilarious bios to give you some insider knowledge of these adorable felines.
This enticing book explores more than 80 classic tattoo designs, providing inspiration for anyone thinking of getting a tattoo and revealing the deep meaning and often quirky history behind each one.
With a diverse selection of natural subjects, Color By Numbers - Nature will help you explore and relax into a world of colorful bliss.
A behind-the-scenes look at the history of Claude Monet's garden at Giverny in France which links the world of Monet the artist with Monet the gardener, in a new paperback format.


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Medicare Prospects Doctors-Hospitals-Pharmacies
With our plans, you have access to thousands of doctors, hospitals and pharmacies:
The pharmacy network and/or provider network may change at any time. You will receive notice when necessary.
Medicare Advantage plans have network providers. These are the doctors and other healthcare professionals, medical groups, hospitals and other healthcare facilities that have an agreement with us to accept payment and any plan cost-sharing as payment in full. We have arranged with these providers to deliver covered services to members in our plan.
With an HMO Point-of-Service (POS) plan you have the extra flexibility to get some covered services from doctors, hospitals, labs or other health care providers that are not in our provider network without paying the entire cost yourself. An annual dollar limit applies to this benefit. Once your costs go above this limit you're responsible for 100% of the remaining costs for the out-of-network services.
Excellus BlueCross BlueShield provides reimbursement for all covered benefits regardless of whether they are received In-Network, as long as they are medically necessary. However, your out-of-pocket costs may be higher when you use an Out-of-Network provider, except in cases such as emergency care, urgently needed care, or out-of-area renal dialysis.
Generally, you must use network pharmacies to get your prescription drugs covered, except under non-routine circumstances, and quantity limitations and restrictions may apply.
We have network pharmacies outside of our service area where you can get your prescriptions filled as a member of our plan. Generally, we cover drugs filled at an out-of-network pharmacy only when you are not able to use a network pharmacy. Here are the circumstances when we would cover prescriptions filled at an out-of-network pharmacy:
In these situations, please check first with our Pharmacy Help Desk to see if there is a network pharmacy nearby.
A network pharmacy is a pharmacy that has contracted to participate in our network to provide your covered prescription drugs. Our pharmacy network includes retail, mail order, long-term care, home infusion and Indian/Tribal/Urban pharmacies. The same quantity limitations apply to both mail order and retail pharmacies. To obtain a list of network pharmacies, to find out if your pharmacy is in our network, or to get order forms and information about filling your prescriptions by mail, call our Pharmacy Help Desk toll-free at 1-800-499-2838, (TTY/TDD 1-800-421-1220) 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday - Friday, Saturday 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. From Oct. 1 to Feb. 14, representatives also are available weekends from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. To contact us by mail: Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, PO Box 546, Buffalo, NY 14201.
For information on network coverage, how to request reimbursement for Out-of-Network claims, Out-of-Network Coverage or Coverage Determinations and Appeals call Customer Care at 1-877-883-9577, Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; From October 1 through February 14, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., 7 days a week. (TTY/TDD 1-800-421-1220). Or see the Evidence of Coverage for more information.


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Brewers fans cannot get enough of Hank the Ballpark Pup -- and neither can Wisconsin adoption groups.
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Places to Play: Ramona Park in Portage
Tuesday, May 17, 2011 11:07 AM
Norah Bray, 2, plays on the PlayMotion X-Wave 2 at Ramona Park in Portage. Behind Norah is the playground's smaller structure.
Related articles
- Places to Play: The real draw of Ramona Park in Portage is the playground tucked away near Long Lake May 20, 2011, 12:30 PM
- Kalamazoo-area playgrounds: Great places to take the kids this summer (photo galleries) May 24, 2012, 5:00 PM


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(nullFoo isNull) (nullBar isNull) (nullFoo == nullBar)-- TomStambaugh
(nullFoo == nullBar)-- TomStambaugh
class Foo { public static NULL_FOO_ID = -1; public static Foo NULL = DB.find(Foo.class, NULL_FOO_ID); public static Foo find(long id) { Foo result = DB.find(Foo.class, id); if( result == null ) result = NULL; return result; } private long id; public long getId() {return id} public boolean isNull(){ return false} ... // normal behavior } class NullFoo? extends Foo { public boolean isNull(){ return true} ... // special behavior }If nullFoo and nullBar are instances of two different classes, I find no place where we need nullFoo == nullBar. But if you mean nullFoo and nullBar are instances of the same class NullClass?, then you can avoid it by maintaining nullFoo as singleton of NullFoo? class or instead of writing (nullFoo==nullBar) you can use nullFoo.getId()==nullBar.getId(). If we agree that an object can be an instance of one and only one class, the id that denotes nullFoo must be different from the id that denotes nullBar. I think we already said that nullFoo is a singleton instance of class NullFoo and nullBar is a singleton instance of NullBar. They therefore cannot also be instances of NullClass. If there is only NullClass, that class may have only one singleton instance Null. The effort to define nullFoo and nullBar thus rubs up against a singularity in the type system - an object that MUST be unique (because in practical terms there can be only one null) and yet cannot be unique because it must also be a value within class FooOrNull or BarOrNull. An example of the reason we need "nullFoo == nullBar" is in, for example, any collection that might return instances of both Foo and Bar. If that collection is empty, which null object shall it return, nullFoo or nullBar? It cannot return both, so it must return one or the other. If the two are identical, then we should not have created them in the first place - a NullFoo cannot be a NullBar and vice-versa. So the two must be different, and yet cannot be compared? What should the system do if nullFoo is compared to nullBar? -- TomStambaugh I think the source of the problem is inheritance. Where else would you get "Function X returns an object of type Foo or type Bar"? Otherwise, the answer to the question of "any collection that might return instances of both Foo and Bar" is MuAnswer. That shouldn't happen. In cases where you're doing ORM Inheritance (generally done using 0-1 relations of the subclasses to the table containing the superclass) then only the superclass would have the NullObject - while the subclasses would have a NullObject, their database primary key ID would be the same as the that of the superclass. So if Foo : Bar, then FooNull?.Id = BarNull?.Id, because really they're different views on the same (all null) data. This is, of course, within the context of using the null object in ObjectRelationalMapping. The issues may become more complex in pure-object paradigms (particularly outside of C++) where you may have very elaborate inheritance trees and your collections can easily hold any object in the whole tree. -- MartinZarate In my view, the problem is much deeper than inheritance. Suppose you are asked to model a fruit basket. For the sake of discussion, we have classes "Orange", "Apple" and "Basket" and functions "addFruit_" (or, if you prefer, "addOrange_" and "addApple_") and "removeFruit_". What shall the "removeFruit_" function answer when the basket is empty? With your permission, I'd like rename your "MuAnswer" to be class "UndefinedObject", such that it has a single distinguished instance "Nil". Please resist the temptation to talk about "0-1 relations", "primary key ID", and similar jargon. What OBJECT should removeFruit_ answer when it is called on an empty fruit basket? -- TomStambaugh That's a problem of your class structure - not of the nullObject. What is the return type of removeFruit? Is it an abstract type Fruit? Is it the root type Object? If you're using Object, then forget about the whole typed NullObject concept. NullObject is obviously for use in cases where everything is very strongly typed. If it's type Fruit, then you have an object nullFruit, which is equivalent to appleFruit and orangeFruit. -- MartinZarate I'm having deja-vu all over again, I think we've gone over this in TheNilObject and NullObject families. I'd prefer not to repeat those discussions here. If your NullFruit class descends from Fruit, then you've only moved the problem somewhere else. If each class that allows a null value has a (singleton) Null<something> descendant that holds that descendant, then you have as many Null<something> instances as classes that allow a null value. In a single-inheritance system, that Null<something> collection of classes surely shares at least some behavior - such as the "isNull" and "isNotNull" methods, if nothing more - and such behavior must be replicated across all those Null<something> classes. Yet this is just the beginning of the problems that emerge from opening this particular Pandora's Box. I suggest that if we want to continue this discussion, we do so on one of the pages where it has already been explored so that we don't reinvent the rather extensive material that's already there. -- TomStambaugh '' After study about NullPattern?, I recognized that this may be un-neccesary to persists NullObject to the database,
class Foo { public static NULL_FOO_ID = -1; public static Foo NULL = new NullFoo?() ; public static Foo find(long id) { Foo result = DB.find(Foo.class, id); if( result == null ) result = NULL; return result; } private long id; public long getId() {return id} public boolean isNull(){ return false} ... // normal behavior } class NullFoo? extends Foo { public boolean isNull(){ return true} public long getId() {return NULL_FOO_ID} ... // other special behavior }-- huy.''


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Dr. Seymour Papert is a mathemetician and one of the early pioneers of Artificial Intelligence. Additionally, he is internationally recognized as the seminal thinker about ways in which computers can change learning. Born and educated in South Africa where he participated actively in the anti-apartheid movement, Dr. Papert pursued mathematical research at Cambridge University from 1954-1958. He then worked with Jean Piaget at the University of Geneva from 1958-1963. It was this collaboration that led him to consider using mathematics in the service of understanding how children can learn and think.
In the early 1960's, Papert came to MIT where, with Marvin Minsky, he founded the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and co-authored their seminal work,
Seymour's latest book is The Connected Family: bridging the digital generation gap (1996). This site provides continuously updated advice, including recommended Web sites.
Another site that Professor Papert and friends helped create for children (and their parents) is MaMaMediaLast updated 10/96


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A Black Friday debate has Oklahoma's House Majority leader backpeddling. Dennis Johnson made reference to a jewish stereotype when talking about the legislation.
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A busy morning alas, forgive me as merely reprint a statement released while I was travelling, speaking to the mistreatment once again of migrant workers.
We, the undersigned 66 organizations, groups and networks, concerned about migrant and worker rights, are appalled at the treatment of workers at Maxter Glove Manufacturing Sdn Bhd (229862-H), at its factory at Lot 6070, Jalan Haji Abdul Manan, 6th Miles off Jalan Meru, Klang, Selangor, Malaysia.
We are appalled at the dismissal of Thu Maung, a Burmese migrant worker, who courageously lodged a complaint at the Labour Department to claim his rights as a worker. Claiming worker rights by lodging complaints against errant employers at the Labour Department is the proper and legally recognized procedure in Malaysia. It is very wrong for employers to discriminate against and/or terminate workers who are exercising their legal rights. It is also wrong for employers to discourage and/or threaten workers from seeking justice, when worker rights are being violated.
Maxter Glove Manufacturing Sdn Bhd is a subsidiary of Supermax Corporation Berhad. Maxter Glove Manufacturing Sdn Bhd is a gloves manufacturer that makes Latex Powdered Examination gloves, Clorinated & Polymer Coated Latex Powder Free gloves, Nitrile Gloves and Sterile surgical gloves which is also exported overseas. Supermax Corporation Berhad is an established company, that according to their 2009 Annual Report made an after-tax profit of about RM126 million.
On 23rd March 2010, Thu Maung and another Burmese migrant worker from Maxter Glove Manufacturing Sdn Bhd lodged a complaint at the Subang Jaya Labour Department. Their complaints, amongst others, was that the employer:-
a. had wrongfully deducted levy, that employers have to pay when they employ migrant workers, from the worker's wages,
b. had unlawfully deducted the medical check-up fees of RM1000 from the worker's wages,
c. had wrongfully withheld 2 months wages,
d. had failed to provide the migrant worker with accommodation,
e. had not been giving the workers one rest day per week,
f. had made the workers work overtime(sometimes up to 13 hours per day), and also on public holidays and rest days, and had thereafter failed to pay overtime wages and wages for working on rest days and/or public holidays at the statutorily stipulated rates.
On 23rd March, Thu Maung and another had also lodged a complaint at the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (SUHAKAM).
On 12 April 2010, Thu Maung went again to the Labour Department in Rawang and gave a detailed complaint, whereby the Rawang Labour Department did record the complaint and forward the same to the Labour Department office in Port Klang, because they said that the Port Klang Labour Office, has the requisite jurisdiction since the employer, Maxter Glove Manufacturing Sdn Bhd, is in Klang.
According to Thu Maung, after about 1 month since the lodging of the complaint at the Subang Jaya Labour office, company's representatives started intimidating workers individually by asking them who had complained to the Labour Department, and whether they were also going to complain to the Labour Department. This form of intimidation of workers is deplorable. This kind of actions by employers has the tendency of instilling fear and preventing workers from claiming their legally recognized labour rights.
On 28 April 2010, Thu Maung's supervisor at the company, for no reason, suddenly asked him to return the worker's pass and not to come back to work. Thu Maung was wrongfully terminated, and he verily believes that this was done just because he had complained to the Labour Department, and was perceived as the leader of the workers who wanted to claim their rights.
It is even worse when the worker is a migrant worker, for a termination will usually mean a cancellation of the work visa, and deportation back to their home country. This also would mean that they would not be able to even pursue their claims at the Labour Department, Labour Courts, Industrial Relations Department, Industrial Courts and/or Civil Courts as the physical presence of the complainant and/or litigant is necessary for the continuation of process of claiming rights.
The practice of terminating, cancellation of work visa and immediate deportation is a blatant disregard of the laws in Malaysia that exist to protect worker rights.
Work passes in Malaysia allow workers to work only for a specific employer – and hence a termination would leave the worker with no ability to work and earn a living legally in Malaysia, while he awaits the determination of the process that may give the worker justice. Cancellation of the work pass also makes his stay in Malaysia illegal, and he risk being arrested, detained and deported.
It is sad that the current laws and practices of Malaysia, which used to employ more than 2 million migrant workers have not been amended yet to ensure that workers who claim their rights are not wrongfully terminated and sent back.
Whilst there is a clear provision in the Industrial Relations Act 1967, that is section 5, which explicitly prohibits employers (or persons acting on behalf of employers) from discriminating, threatening, dismissing or acting negatively against workers who are interested in forming, joining, and/or encouraging other workers to join trade unions, there is no similar clear provision in law protecting workers who want to claim their worker rights through the Labour Departments and other available avenues. As an example, section 5(1)(c) and (d) of the Industrial Relations Act 1967is as follows:-
(1) No employer or trade union of employers, and no person action on behalf of an employer or such trade union shall –
…. (c) discriminate against any person in regard to employment, promotion, any condition of employment or working conditions on the ground that he is or is not a member or officer of a trade union;
(d) dismiss or threaten to dismiss a workman, injure or threaten to injure him in his employment or alter or threaten to alter his position to his prejudice by reason that the workman –
(i) is or proposes to become, or seeks to persuade any other person to become, a member or officer of a trade union; or
(ii) participates in the promotion, formation or activities of a trade union; or…
There should be a similar clear provision in law that will prevent employers from harassing, threatening, discriminating and/or dismissing workers that claim their worker rights using existing avenues of complaints and remedies. The act of employers impeding, dismissing (or threathening to dismiss) workers who claim their worker rights should also be made an offence with a hefty fine. Workers should also receive a significant sum in exemplary damages, over and above their claim. Deterrence is needed to stop this unhealthy practice of employers violating worker rights, and preventing them access to justice.
In the case of Thu Maung, we call for the immediate reinstatement of Thu Maung without any loss of benefits.
We call on Dato' Seri Stanley Thai, Executive Chairman cum Group Managing Director of Supermax Corporation Berhad, to ensure that the wrong done by their subsidiary, Maxter Glove Manufacturing Sdn Bhd, to Thu Maung and other workers in the said company is ended, and that all workers are paid forthwith what has been wrongly deducted from their wages, monies that have wrongly been withheld returned, outstanding overtime payments, and that all legitimate claims are settled.
We call on the government of Malaysia to do the needful, including enacting laws that will deter employers in Malaysia from exploiting workers, and also protect workers that claim their worker rights from the negative acts of repercussion and/or 'revenge' by some bad employers.
We also call on the government of Malaysia to ensure that all migrant workers can continue to stay and work legally in Malaysia until their cases in the Labour Department, Labour Courts, Industrial Relations Department, Industrial Courts and/or Civil Courts, and appeals thereafter are completed.
Charles Hector
Pranom Somwong
For and on behalf of the following 66 organizations
ALIRAN, Malaysia
Alliance of Health Workers Philippines
Arakan League for Democracy (ALD-LA-MALAYSIA)
Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD)
Asian Migrant Centre (AMC)
Asian Migrants Coordinating Body-Hong Kong (AMCB)
Association of Indonesian Migrant Workers in HK (ATKI-HK)
BOMSA, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Burma Campaign, Malaysia
Burma Partnership
Canada-Philippines Solidarity for Human Rights (Vancouver, BC Canada)
Center for Japanese-Filipino Families
Clean Clothes Campaign -International Secretariat
Committee for Asian Women (CAW)
Communication Union of Australia (Vic Branch)
Empower, Chiang Mai
Filipino Migrant Center
Frank-Hubner-Scholl Resistance Movement of the White Rose
Free Burma Campaign Singapore (FBCSG)
Friends of Burma, Malaysia
IMA Research Foundation, Bangladesh
Institute for National and Democratic Studies of Indonesia (INDIES)
Interfaith Cooperation Forum
KAFIN-Migrante (Saitama)
Kafin Migrant Center, Japan
Labour Behind the Label, United Kingdom
MADPET – Malaysians against Death Penalty and Torture
Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC)
May 1st Coalition for Worker & Immigrant Rights, USA
Mekong Migration Network (MMN)
Migrante Aotearoa New Zealand
Migrante B.C. (Canada)
Migrante Denmark
Migrante Europe
Migrante International
Migrante-Middle East
Migrante Nagoya
Migrante Taiwan
Migrante UK.
Migranteng Ilonggo sa Taiwan
National League for Democracy [NLD (LA)], Malaysia
National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (NNIRR), U.S.
Network of Action for Migrants in Malaysia (NAMM)
PAN Asia and the Pacific
Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM)
Persatuan Kesedaran Komuniti Selangor (EMPOWER)
Persatuan Masyarakat Malaysia & Wilayah Persekutuan (PERMAS)
Philippines Australia Union
Philippine Society in Japan
PINAY (Filipino Women's Organization in Quebec)
Pusat Komas
Rights Jessore, India
Shan Refugee Organization, Malaysia
Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM), Malaysia
The Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM)
The Best Friend Library – Chiang Mai, Thailand
The Hong Kong Coalition for Free Burma Campaign
Think Centre Singapore
United Indonesians against Overcharging (PILAR)
United Filipinos in Hong Kong
Workers Hub for Change (WH4C)
YASANTI, Indonesia
ZOMI National Congress- Malaysia
11 Responses to "Worker fired for lodging complaint with Labour Dept"
This is very well organised appeal letter. Excellent. There should be some kind f human rights caucus in parliament focussing on specific themes like this one. It can generate visibility on the abuse of migrant workers and refugees. Such abuses are rampant when migrants and refugees are always under the radar and do not have protection of laws.
[…] from Malaysia uploads a letter from labor groups highlighting the case of a migrant worker who was fired by an employer after lodging a complaint with the labor […]
Migrant workers rights has ben revoked by the employers.
Regards to all the violation such as levy deduction on their salary, no overtime payment, no rest days within a week, works on Sundays and Public Holidays with same pay (no double pay) and many more.. Could anyone assist me to whom shall we complain.
Your kind assistance is much appreciated.
Pls Never mind our english is no good.
This cmpny why take Lievi Charges in foriegn worker,forever malaysia lievi also free,, but this cmpny take all workers leivi RM:1200 Min per year.
pls you Take Action this Golsta Factory:
I shall be very Thankfull to you.
Compony Address:
No11 jalan TTc 30,taman Tecknology cheng 75260 Melaka
Dear Sir,
I M Waiting for your Kindness…….
hi this is pritam
i have done work with the company till 8-29 nov 10 on 29 after the shift had finished they said i need to leave the job..
so they took something written on the page..
that i m leaving job by my own will..
so even that i did't say anything now they guys r denying to give my salary for the days i have done work with them…
so plz help me in that case & so i can my salary
House of Air Cleaners Sdn Bhd is a subsidary of Applied Air Quality Sdn Bhd. I work for 2 years. Last month my employer House Of Air Cleaners Sdn Bhd they tranfers me to Applied Air Quality for training purpose. But during the days im at Applied Air Quality, there are no training at all even everyday they ask me to write a daily reports for them but they refuse to let me go out see my clients. I have no choice to tender my resignations. And the day itself they give me a letters for last day notice is tomorow. Then when 1 May i went to collect my salary and they refuse to give me due they said few clients namecard is missing. And they purposely ask me to find the namecard and only they will withdraw the salary for me and allowances. I intend to complaint this matters to labour department soon.
I'm HR staff need to ask an question regarding 1 of my staff having an accident. The day of accident he's on Rest Day. His situation now, still admit in the Hospital KL. My question is :-
1) Do i need to calculate his salary together with his allowance
2) Did he entitle for the hospitalization of 60 days?
what meaning of below:
during probation period,this appointment may be terminated by either party giving the other 1week's notice in writing or 1 week salary in lieu of notice without assigning any reasons therefore and management reserves the right to terminate your services within 24 hours.
kindly reply me as soon.top urgent.
dear sir/madam
i am md mithu from malaysia. i want to supply workers from Bangladesh, India also have in malaysia. if u need workers in factory, contact me urgently
with more eagerly waitting for ur reply
ur best regards
md mithu
skype id= safeimpexp2011
mob= 0169838675
email= [email protected]
im a security of some company .
my work permit has already finished at april .
and i have done medical for work permit for 3 year.
now 3 month ready but i cant get work permit .
my company said pending for permit . pls can i know
what is the problem for that the pending ? because now 2 month ready my work permit has finished .
I been force by the company Boss to put an resignation letter… and he says to me "dont expect anything from me" dont play smart and if you decided to stay i will touche you till you leave the company… my husband is a jobless i need a solution for this could some one help me please . its not easy to get a job nowadays i even have a 2years child with me… this boss get me to resign the previous company and get me join his company. now because his company is not making money he dont need me . pls help me


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Public Presentations, LE
A study of the rhetoric of oral public presentation, this course covers
creation and presentation of informative and persuasive formats including
audience analysis, research, use of visual support (including computerized
programs), organization and outlining, oral composition, and delivery
techniques. Presentations may be individual or group. Critical listening
skills and speech analysis are included.
Special Topics
A changing topics course offering special areas of interest including
Advanced Professional Communication, Persuasion, Advanced Public Speaking,
and Storytelling. Offered on sufficient demand.
Business and Professional Communication
A study of the concepts and techniques of interviewing, public speaking,
technical reporting, small group communication, and basic organizational
communication as appropriate for business and professional persons. This
course may be used to fulfill the college's LE speech requirement. Prerequisite:
SPCH 100, SPCH 111, or equivalent experience.
Oral Interpretation
Methods and techniques of oral interpretation of poetry, prose, and dramatic
literature. Through individual and group readings and storytelling, students
develop the expressive use of the voice and an understanding of the emotional,
intellectual, and aesthetic value of literature. Prerequisite: SPCH 100,
SPCH 111, or THTR 180. Offered alternate years.
Principles of Argumentation
Basic principles of argumentation and their application to communication
and, in particular, to debate. Consideration of analysis of issues, evidence
and reasoning, refutation, ethics, strategy, and delivery. Prerequisite:
SPCH 100, SPCH 111, or SPCH 205. Offered alternate years.
Directed Studies in Speech
A tutorial-based course used only for student-initiated proposals for
intensive individual study of topics not otherwise offered in the Speech
Program. Prerequisite: consent of instructor and school dean.


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Woman Rides Bike To Hospital To Give BirthCeridwen Morris
Susie Weber of Menasha, Wisconsin woke up at 2AM with contractions. She labored at home for eight and half hours until her contractions were about three minutes apart and intense. Then she got on her bike and rode a mile to the hospital to give birth.
She was 8 cm when she arrived; her daughter was born about 12 hours later.
This was not an act of desperation–the car was running just fine–but rather the completion of a personal fitness goal. Weber, a cycling enthusiast, decided biking was a good way to stay in shape during pregnancy. Weather permitting, she biked to all her prenatal appointments.
She had two contractions en route to the hospital but told the local paper they were "mild in comparison" to the other contractions. "I think it was because I was distracted." Her husband rode alongside her.
"When it was time to go to the hospital, the last thing I wanted to do was get on a bike. But my husband had the bikes ready, my doctor was expecting to see my bike in the lot, and my own internal voice was telling me I couldn't give up now," she writes in Silent Sports magazine. "I somewhat reluctantly got on the bike and, to my surprise, enjoyed every minute of the ride, even when I was having a contraction. Despite all the dire warnings that I would crash my bike when the pain hit, I found that I could power through it. In fact, the contractions on the bike were the easiest to bear because I was distracted and doing something I love.
Weber's doctor, Dr. Kristen Clark, supported her goals, and encourages women to exercise during pregnancy. "If they have no risk factors and are otherwise having a healthy pregnancy, it is reasonable for them to continue with non-contact sports such as biking, running, walking, aerobics and swimming," said Clark. "Casual biking like Susie did during her pregnancy is most certainly acceptable and encouraged."
Weber wrote about her experience in Silent Sports magazine and offered up some advice for pregnant women who are interested in setting realistic and healthy fitness goals for their pregnancies. Below are her top ten tips–you can read the full extent of her advice here.
1) Set a goal and voice it.
2) Choose the right coach/doctor.
3) Enlist your partner.
4) Enlist your friends.
5) Get thee to a lake or pool.
6) Drop what you dislike.
7) Slow down.
8) Work on the basics.
9) Spandex has its limits.
10) Eat a sensible and well-balance diet.
11) Keep the final goal in mind at all times.
photo: Wha'ppen/Flickr


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Game Night with Muramasa Now Over
Check out this beautiful Wii 2D action game, and submit your questions to be answered live.
Time: Tuesday, September 1, 2009, 5 p.m. PST
Location: Watch the embedded video player above.
Questions: Submit your question(s) in our Game Night message board thread.
On this week's Game Night, we're playing Muramasa: The Demon Blade.
We record Game Night live every Tuesday at 5 p.m. PST, and then post a downloadable version on Wednesday afternoon on GameVideos. Please post your thoughts and comments in our message board thread or on Game Night's Twitter account. And for past Game Night episodes, check out the Game Night archive page on 1UP.
Update: This week's Game Night is now over. Check back on Wednesday afternoon for a downloadable version of the show.
See Also
Comments (12)
Terrible Decision By VanillawarePosted: Sep 03, 2009 12:00AM PST by EvolvingTenken
To only release this on the Wii when it is a controller based game, how does that even make sense when almost no one will play it on the most casual system out. This is a hardcore game made for hardcore gaming fans. And I'll pass on the Wii dick, gimmicky system that caters to the casual. Which is fine, but I'm a gamer that enjoys a controller and not jumping around like an idiot.
It's a shame really, Vanillaware is such an amazing game developer. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if you see this coming out on the PS3 and 360 by spring or earlier 2010.
PlaformPosted: Sep 01, 2009 12:00AM PST by Mikmanner
Probably been said before but this totally should be a PSN/Xbox live title, what does it benifit being on the Wii? Maybe the development costs/time for making all the art HD was too high. Perhaps they even started this right off the back of Odin Sphere?
NeatPosted: Sep 01, 2009 12:00AM PST by Residentevil72501
reminds me of Viewtiful Joe what do you think?
DifficultyPosted: Sep 01, 2009 12:00AM PST by manleykubrick
Does this game cater to hard core or casual gamer? I'm too old to play a game for 100 hrs or even 40 at that....
It's Hard!Posted: Sep 01, 2009 12:00AM PST by ohJTBehaaave
I'm talking about the game! Get your mind out of the gutter. This seems like one of these old school games that reminds me of Viewtiful Joe. And that game was pretty hard as you progressed. This game seems to have that same insane difficulty vibe. Is this game only for diehards who don't mind the 'try and try again' type gameplay? Many might not have the patience.
u ps3 and 360 owners get OFF THE WII DICK PLEASE!Posted: Sep 01, 2009 12:00AM PST by babycrillz1
if u want the game buy a Wii. its not coming to 360 r ps3 so stop the bitching. great game for a great system, that i will buy day 1
Shoulda beenPosted: Sep 01, 2009 12:00AM PST by EvolvingTenken
A multiplatform game. People will be to busy playing Wii resort to even notice it. PS3 and it would have sold like crazy.
Hell yes!Posted: Aug 31, 2009 12:00AM PST by arctic-muffin
Finally a game i want for the Wii, New Super Mario Brothers can suck one!


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Sutra Closed
Can a restaurant achieve enlightenment? Seattle's premier vegetarian haunt, perched like a lotus in Wallingford, comes close. Chef and co-owner Colin Patterson wants dining to be intentional and communal: hence, one or two five-course prix-fixe seatings comprise the night, and before dinner he sounds a gentle gong for a collective moment of gratitude. If it all sounds a little woo-woo—oh yes, he also owns a yoga studio—just hang on until the food arrives. Patterson, former chef of the famous Blossoming Lotus on Kauai, is truly an herbivorous genius. He'll top a salad of frizzled greens with grilled peach, dill dressing, and feisty julienned strips of cayenne, for instance, or build an ethereal lasagna of—get this—golden beets, creamed spinach, heirloom tomatoes, and figs. Food, in short, to satisfy the most carnivorous skeptic and—against this uniquely wholesome backdrop—feed the soul.


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HUNTSVILLE, AL -- If you are in the vicinity of Three Caves at the base of Monte Sano and hear a bell tinkling, look up in the trees.
It may be Little Joe, a broad-winged hawk that escaped from a Save Our American Raptors South (S.O.A.R.S.) show in Huntsville in late June.
But his owner, John Stokes of Trenton, Ga., near Chattanooga, said the bell may no longer work. However, he said the hawk can be identified by eight-inch leather strips dangling from his feet and ID tag with Stokes' phone number on it.
"We had several sightings of him, so we're pretty sure he's still alive," said Stokes. "We really miss him and hope to get him back."
The last sighting was by Hallie Porter, the development director and volunteer coordinator of the Land Trust of Huntsville and North Alabama. She came within 10 feet of the hawk two weeks ago in the Fagan Springs/Cleermont area.
"John had several credible sightings so he called and asked me to go to the area," said Porter. "My daughter and I went over there and drove slowly with the windows down. We heard the robins just going crazy. We stopped and saw Little Joe sitting in a magnolia tree about five feet off the ground."
Porter called Stokes and he told her to use a whistle to see if the bird would come to her. She did, but the hawk didn't respond and eventually flew away, much to her dismay.
Stokes and his wife, Dale, rehabilitate birds of prey which have been injured or found as babies and raised by humans. Once birds have the human imprint on them, as Little Joe does, they should not be released back into the wild, said Stokes.
During the Land Trust program in Huntsville, Stokes said Little Joe was "harassed" by the local bird population and "too spooked to fly down to us."
Stokes returned the following day and saw the hawk, but said the blue jays and robins were hounding him. After two hours, he flew away. He has been seen in the Cleermont, Fagan Springs, Waller, Watt and Desoto road areas and was sighted near Maple Hill Cemetery July 26.
Stokes said Little Joe can survive on insects and small mammals, but he hopes the hawk will eventually be hungry enough to find a human companion. So if you have a savory rat or mouse in your pocket, you might be able to entice Little Joe to dine with you, he said.
If you see Little Joe in the Five Points vicinity, call 423-605-8908 or 423-605-8917. For more information on S.O.A.R.S., visit www.soarsouth.blogspot.com/


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Ross Beck and The Solar Living Institute found out that you can — if everyone takes turns! The tiny home at the Solar Living Institute in Northern California is a modified Epu and may hold the record for most visitors ever to a tiny home with approximately 200,000 visitors A YEAR.
And this tiny house wasn't just built for its looks — this incredible Epu was the fully functioning home of Tumbleweed's Ross Beck 5 days a week for two years. At the time, Ross was the Executive Director of the Solar Living Institute. When we asked why Ross chose to live in the tiny home he told us that the Institute "promotes 'sustainable living through inspirational environmental education'. I lived 75 miles from my new office and a 150 mile round trip commute is simply not sustainable living."
Ross says "In the tiny house, I learned how easy it was to live in such a small carbon footprint, because I had so much less stuff to deal with and everything had its place. I could focus on my projects so much better because of fewer distractions and maintenance. The Tiny House was also easy to heat, fast to cool, and nature was literally only a couple of steps away. I could take off on an adventure at any time because the Tiny House was always ready to go."
And go it did! It traveled to SolFest just up the road and, in an interesting twist on the mobility aspect of a tiny home that we hadn't heard before, it moved up the hill when the river near-by started to flood. "The process of 'pulling up stakes', securing a few loose items, disconnecting utilities and hitching to a truck, took only 20 minutes or so!"
Ross brings a tremendous skill set and depth of "tiny living" knowledge to the Tumbleweed family from both life experience and his time at the Solar Living Institute. "It is so exciting and rewarding to now be working with Tumbleweed Houses, to be incorporating my interests and experience in housing and construction, energy efficiency and exploration, and sharing it with such a dynamic, like-minded staff." It is hard to imagine a more perfect fit!


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Five juveniles have been shot near 28th and Locust streets in Milwaukee, police said.
Their ages range from 11 to 17.
Police said the shootings happened just after 6 p.m.
Police said all of the juveniles were in a basement when a shotgun went off.
The victims were all struck in the upper body with bird shot pellets and have non-life-threatening injuries, police said.


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MEADVILLE -- A Crawford County man convicted of sexually assaulting a 9-year-old girl for more than two years was sentenced Friday to serve from 64 to 140 years in prison.
Chad W. Leonhart, 40, of Hayfield Township, was sentenced Friday by Crawford County President Judge Anthony Vardaro.
Leonhart was convicted on 81 of 85 counts of sexual assault, including involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, unlawful contact with a minor, indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children and corruption of minors.
He was convicted on charges of sexually assaulting the girl between Sept. 1, 2009, and May 17, 2012, according to state police.
Erie airport employee to be honored today
An 86-year-old Erie woman will be honored today at Erie International Airport for her work in helping coordinate a flight from Erie to Philadelphia last week for three World War II veterans and a boy scout.
Officials will honor Dolores Casale in an 11:30 a.m. ceremony. She is scheduled to receive a plaque for outstanding support of American veterans. Casale works at the airport as a coordinator and often answers airport telephone calls.
Casale assisted in helping the group make their flight from Erie to Philadelphia Nov. 1 after two of the veterans experienced a mechanical problem with their vehicle about 5 miles from the airport.
The group flew to Philadelphia, then caught a flight to Washington., D.C., for a trip to the World War II Memorial.
53 drug convictions tossed out amid probe
PHILADELPHIA -- A judge has thrown out 53 drug convictions connected to a Philadelphia narcotics police officer who is facing federal corruption charges.
Judge Sheila Woods-Skipper during a hearing Friday tossed the convictions, which were based on the testimony of former Officer Jeffrey Walker.
The 22-year veteran of the force was arrested in May after an FBI sting. Authorities alleged he plotted about ripping off drug dealers with an unnamed person who turned out to be an FBI informant.
Walker has a federal court hearing Nov. 20.
Ex-principal gets 2 years for child porn
PHILADELPHIA -- A former suburban Philadelphia public school principal has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for possession of child pornography.
Troy Czukoski, 43, also was sentenced Friday to 10 years of probation and a $10,000 fine. He must report to prison Dec. 30.
Prosecutors charged him in March, saying they'd found more than 150 pornographic images of children stored on flash drives, CDs and DVDs in his Exton home.
He was principal of the Springton Lake Middle School in Media, Delaware County.
Authorities said Czukoski had been a customer of a company that sold pornographic DVDs and online videos.
-- from staff, wire reports


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NFL Analyst Mike Mayock: "There's a Chance 6 Wideouts Go in First Round"
On the Baltimore Ravens:
"They are the best drafting team at No.?17. They rarely stay at their number and there's a good possibility of that happening. If they can't go anywhere, the first thing I would look at is if there's a safety there. I think Ha Ha Clinton Dix will be gone by then. They're at 17 so they want to get a guy on their board...there could be a guy like Brandin Cook, I think the tackle board will be decimated. The other person could be C.J. Mosely, the inside linbacker from Alabama."
The Safety class is not that great. ?What do the Eagles do if they want to get a safety?
"I think Clinton Dix will definitely be off the board. I think they're looking for a guy who can play strong or free safety. Lamarcus Joiner from Florida State can do that. After that, theres a bunch of guys who can play corner or safety. Those are the kind of guys who would be appealing to the Eagles."
In terms of second tier receivers, who do you see emerging midway through the first round?
"I think there's a chance that 6 wideouts go in the first round. I think in the next round it will be wideouts that you weren't expecting. Cook is smaller receiver but may be the most explosive, he's tough."
The Jets are at 18 so most people think it will be corner or receiver...
"It's really interesting because right around that point there's a lot of receiver needs. From a corner perspective, the Jets could get Kyle Fuller...it all depends. It could be Odell Beckham and that would be a really good value for them."
With no runningbacks selected in the first round last year, do you see that position being devalued?
"There's no doubt that its devalued. It's because of it being flipped upside down 30 years ago. Now, everyone throws the ball 40 times a game. Its really intriguing that the two best teams from last year--Seattle and 49ers--they asked their QBS to make most of the plays. The two best teams utilized the tailback in the run game. But right now, I don't even have a runningback that will go in the first round. I don't think any of them are going in the first round."
What do you think of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' No. 7 pick?
"I think Tampa Bay is in a really good place to get a really good football player. From my perspective, a great pick would be Sammy Watkins. If Watkins went there, that would be phenomenal. With a tight end, [Eric] Ebron could end up there too. Either way, if you got a play maker to help that offense, it would be awesome. They're in a good place."