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Children are not cherished equally by education system
Awarding bonus points just to students taking higher-level maths is unfair and immoral, writes Colum Kenny
Published 25/08/2013 | 05:00
SPARE a thought for school-leavers who cannot take the college courses that they want, despite the fact that they have done better overall than other school-leavers.
For some, it is a matter of money. We may be celebrating 1916 and other worthy centenaries this decade, but we do not cherish the children of the nation equally. Grants are inadequate, and the system is flawed.
If you are born into a certain class, your chances of completing college are slim no matter how intelligent you are.
Last week, in a broken marriage case, the High Court ordered that a boy be sent to a private school as his mother wished, and as best suited his top talents. The judge took into account the boy's "scholastic aptitude", his family's means and the unusual fact that the private school was willing to cut its normal fee by half. Bright boys who cannot afford the best schools must usually go elsewhere.
For some children there is a new kind of unfairness too, one introduced last year by higher education institutions and approved by Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn TD of the Labour Party.
This is the 25 extra points that students taking higher-level maths get. It gives them an unfair advantage over others in respect to courses where maths is not directly relevant.
Your son might make a great teacher of subjects other than maths. Your daughter may be the best budding journalist. Or both could be perfectly suited for social work, and have set theirs heart on it.
And they may have more 'normal' points than someone who is not as well suited to such professions. But because that other person takes honours maths and gets a bonus, they can usurp your child's place at college even if the course is only their second or third choice.
It is unfair, a privilege carefully fostered by the Government. Yet it is least relevant to those very courses where mathematics is most needed. Children who want science or accountancy degrees should all be taking honours maths anyway, and so cancel out the extra points that each gets.
Is this injustice not meant to matter because it affects relatively few students? It is irrational and immoral.
Was the measure introduced to spare the blushes of the Department of Education at EU meetings when the standard of mathematics in European schools is discussed?
And then, to make matters worse this year, the State Examinations Commission messed up the maths paper. For which error they are pleading in a 22-page report the loss of corporate memory and critical experience due to this State's early retirement scheme for public servants.
So how many bureaucrats does it take to write a competent maths paper? Colleges, also badly hit by cutbacks and early retirements, are staffed by lecturers who must write key exams on their own.
And the cost of going to college is also growing. Entry fees are going up. Then last week came reports that rents have risen rapidly in Dublin, by 10 per cent in two years. It will make it harder for students to afford college.
Yet certain media seem to think that this is a kind of good news story about property. Few gave it much hard analysis, a sign perhaps of the tame state of journalism today in Ireland.
RTE's main news on Monday night reported the whole story without a word from those to whom it is a blow. There and elsewhere, there was not a tenant in sight. Too much of the media coverage had no critical edge.
For many young people at college or in jobs, the rise in rents is another blow to their prospects. Eighty euro or more a month for a young couple is by now a lot of money when they are already stretched by other price rises and when wages are cut or frozen in real terms.
When so much is happening in society, a relatively minor injustice such as the extra points awarded for maths alone can slip by unnoticed.
For many college courses, it would be better to give bonus points in other subjects. Much closer co-ordination between the content of particular college degree programmes and a range of Leaving Cert subjects could be very beneficial.
Instead of undermining the points system by increased continuous assessment or by bringing in dubious aptitude tests or interviews, which are measures that might soon result in the kind of corruption and cronyism most recently evident in the penalty points scandal, a sliding bonus system per subject on a degree-by-degree basis could radically improve the current system.
Such a process would immediately reveal the impoverished thinking that rewards a bonus to maths in cases where it is not directly relevant. It would also, in my view, reveal the subject of history to be more valued than current statistics suggest.
Only about three out of every 13 schoolchildren now study history to Leaving Cert level, and many of those only at ordinary level. New changes in the Junior Cert are feared to reduce its importance there too. People can leave school ignorant of the past, or knowing only about narrow segments of it.
Some people may wish to forget our past and Ireland's long struggle for justice and independence. But without a good idea of where we have come from it is hard to know where we are going, or to avoid future errors.
Despite the time and money poured into second-level education, we cannot say that the great majority of teenagers leave school with coherent high-level English, a decent knowledge of history and culture, the ability to speak fluently at least one useful foreign language and a competitive standard in mathematics and science.
The maths bonus scheme is an example of how we are still toying with minor social changes instead of daring to make necessary radical reforms.
Sunday Independent


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This is a discussion on Re: [fw-wiz] Firewalls that generate new packets.. - Firewalls ; I agreed with Marcus, and I agree with you. These terms are traditionally unfocused and meaningless marketing blather. That's why I attempted definitions that would add meaning in the context of this discussion. As for tunneling--yeah. You can tunnel through ...
I agreed with Marcus, and I agree with you. These terms
are traditionally unfocused and meaningless marketing
blather. That's why I attempted definitions that would
add meaning in the context of this discussion.
As for tunneling--yeah. You can tunnel through http
or even through icmp (yes, you can tunnel thru ping)
via programs like Loki. However, as I stated, my
definition of levels of security was to make things
more difficult or complex, not the traditional
view of more secure. I think along these lines:
80% total wankers (low level of knowledge)
10% script kiddies (adept with using pre-made programs)
5% good general hackers (truly understand firewalls
and general vulnerabilities)
5% amazing experts in specific areas (amazing level
of knowledge of 1-2 firewalls and a few apps (e.g.
apache, mod-perl, perl)
I am making all these statistics up, it's my world-view
so I am entitled. I figure, however, that level of
complexity or difficulty or knowledge is what makes
a difference, and so if you can discourage the majority
then you have done what you can....
I.e. it is easy to keep out the bottom tier of "hackers".
Most firewalls come pre-configured for thst. With a
little bit of work you can confound the script kiddies as
well. A good security guru can confound the "good general
hackers" as well, by keeping up with patches and the latest
news. Only luck and great expertise will help with the
"amazing experts in specific areas" however--that and
having a well-planned out in-depth security system.
--Patrick Darden
Darren Reed
I think 'deep' is more of a reference about how far they'd like
you to reach into your pocket - again - so they can get their
product bell curve to turn the right way :-)
>>*stateful with deep packet inspection: a connection matrix
>>is kept, mindful of sequence #s, checking to make sure that
>>only proper protocols are allowed, and additionally checking
>>for application level sanity--e.g. squid, a web application
>>proxy that allows for various levels of sanity checking on
>>http commands, can ensure that requests follow RFCs, allows a
>>lot of custom filtering/sanitizing such as regexp type addons
>>for getting rid of pop-ups, malware, pushes that might break
>>cgi boundaries, etc.
>Now, you're cooking with gas.
You know for a while, one of my favourite HTTP commands
to a proxy was "CONNECT". telnet straight through
someone's firewall that was HTTP only ;-)
I forget how it went, but something like this:
CONNECT http://188.8.131.52:23 HTTP/1.0
and sometime later, I'd happily see this:
SunOS foo
Of course now people restrict CONNECT to the more usual
ports, such as 443 but since 443 is normally encrypted, it
is uncommon for any content filtering to be applied to it...
Does your ssh server /also/ run on port 443?
>Is it possible that a "firewall" is largely "a router
>with a sticker on it that says 'firewall'?"
The ADSL+router+NAT+Firewall you buy from Safeway at
$29.95 probably is just that :-)
>Unless it's doing a lot of useful "deep" stuff at
>layer-7, I'd say that might be the situation.
>The question I want you all to start asking is:
>"What's 'deep' about that?"
I first heard the term "deep packet inspection" around 5 years
ago and nothing I've seen or heard since then has convinced me
that it is anything other than a marketting term, used by people
trying to sell _something_ (be it themselves, their ideas or products)
that you'd otherwise not think twice about.
And it is the lack of definition about what "deep packet inspection"
is that continues to make it sound good. Nobody appears to have a
precise definition, so everyone can claim it (for different reasons.)
I mean, would you buy a firewall that did stateful filtering, proxying
or deep packet inspection? I mean, what sounds sexier?
firewall-wizards mailing list
firewall-wizards mailing list

subset: commoncrawl


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UM's Gardner Guarantees Win Over OSU
June 25th, 2013| by Lost Lettermen
Devin Gardner may be entering his first full season as Michigan's starting quarterback, yet he apparently has the confidence of a four-year starter.
During a Monday interview on Grand Rapids' WBBL 107.3 FM, host Bill Simonson asked Gardner if Michigan was a championship-caliber team that was capable of beating Ohio State in November.
"We always have room for improvement, but this is definitely a championship-caliber football team that will win in the Big House against Ohio State," Gardner said. "We don't feel we're inferior to anyone in the country, and we're going to give it our all."
Michigan fans probably love this moxie from their field general. Buckeyes fans (and especially players and coaches) will likely have this tacked to their lockers at Michigan Stadium on November 30th.


text:
A New Year, A New Office
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Community assists in search for missing grandmother
Residents hold prayer service for Betty Simon, 76
The search for a missing Kingfisher grandmother has brought an entire community together.
Dozens of residents attended a prayer service at St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church on Friday night for 76-year-old Betty Simon, who authorities said was last seen 10 days ago visiting her husband in a rehabilitation center in northwest Oklahoma City.
"We wanted to help any way that we can. It's a shame," searcher Jim Black said.
Volunteers said they have been searching for Simon, who could be anywhere between northwest Oklahoma City and her home in Kingfisher County.
"We're just hoping for the best for her," searcher Janell Black said.
Her family set up a command post and began mapping out search areas.
Fliers with her picture have been posted everywhere, and a nationwide Silver Alert has been issued, relatives said.
"Just from what I've seen on Facebook, the page, it brings people together. Tragedy, that's what's happened here. What's happening is a tragedy for the family," searcher Deena Baileyu said.
Police said there have been no leads on Simon's whereabouts.
Copyright 2012 by KOCO.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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This segment is from Tuesday's edition of "Digging for Value," in which sector analysts Joel South and Taylor Muckerman discuss energy and materials news with host Alison Southwick. The twice-weekly show can be viewed on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It can also be found on Twitter, along with our extended coverage of the energy and materials sectors, @TMFEnergy.
Canada's symbiotic energy relationship with the United States is becoming one-sided, as natural gas imports are coming to a halt, leaving Canada with a supply glut and no end users to sell to. A joint venture between Apache (NYSE: APA ) and Chevron (NYSE: CVX ) to export liquefied natural gas out of a proposed Kitimat LNG facility will help Canada target high-priced Asian markets. The time is nigh for finding new energy partners, as the exponential hydrocarbon growth in the United States is leaving Canada in a pinch. See more in the following video.
Transforming the energy landscape
Record oil and natural gas production is revolutionizing the United States' energy position. Finding the right plays while historic amounts of capital expenditures are flooding the industry will pad your investment nest egg. For this reason, the Motley Fool is offering a comprehensive look at three energy companies set to soar during this transformation in the energy industry. To find out which three companies are spreading their wings, check out the special free report, "3 Stocks for the American Energy Bonanza." Don't miss out on this timely opportunity; click here to access your report -- it's absolutely free.


text: Exploring the Challenges Facing Pineapple Producers It's easy to see why pineapples have become one of the world's most popular tropical fruits. Millions enjoy their sweet and tangy taste, but few understand the pressure pineapple producers face to meet rapidly growing demand. A Spike in Pineapple Production Over the last decade, pineapple production has increased … Continue reading


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GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Lamar Construction Co. closed its doors on July 10 after a Fifth Third Bank executive called late that night to cancel the Hudsonville company's line of credit, Carl Blauwkamp, the company's president and CEO, testified on Monday, Aug. 18.
"I didn't know what we were trying to do, but I was told that's what we had to do," said Blauwkamp of his decision to shut down the 76-year-old company. "I knew if we didn't have a line of credit, we had no way to operate."
Blauwkamp was grilled for nearly two hours in a U.S. Bankruptcy Court hearing attended by some 50 creditors, their lawyers and a handful of the company's 280 former employees.
According to its bankruptcy petition, Lamar Construction Co. owed creditors $37.7 million while holding assets of $24.8 million.
Read the full story: Lamar Construction Co.'s CEO grilled about decision to close in bankruptcy hearing
Here are other stories from last night:
• Man killed helping others defined by life of service
• Police identify motorcyclist killed in crash with car in Holland Township
• Police searching for suspect in credit union robbery on Mercy Health Saint Mary's campus
• Grands Rapids schools accept $218,000 in grants from Student Advancement Foundation


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Bernard Hopkins won the IBF middleweight title in Landover, Md., nearly 19 years ago to the day. He defended it 20 times, going undefeated for more than a decade. Hopkins, now a 49-year-old IBF light heavyweight beltholder, has twice eclipsed the record for being the oldest man to win a major title.
When you have accomplished in boxing all that Hopkins has, there is simply no room for nerves.
"To me, there are no butterflies," Hopkins said during a Wednesday workout at The Bald Eagle Recreation Center in Southwest, D.C. "I'm eager, but it's controlled for that moment to come and then we'll have the fireworks. That's the good part about it. I'm on stage, and as any entertainer loves the stage, you love the attention."
Hopkins (54-6-2, 32 knockouts) will face WBA counterpart Beibut Shumenov (14-1, 9 KOs) as the headliner of a Showtime-televised tripleheader on Saturday at the D.C. Armory in Washington, D.C.
Hopkins-Shumenov will include a welterweight bout between IBF beltholder Shawn Porter and Paulie Malignaggi and WBO middleweight titlist Peter Quillin's defense against Lukas Konecny starting at 9 p.m., ET/PT.
A 7:00 p.m. on Showtime Extreme broadcast will showcase Brooklyn-based fighters Sadam Ali and Zachary Ochoa, who are a welterweight and junior welterweight, respectively, as well as 2012 Olympian light heavyweight Marcos Browne of Staten Island, N.Y.
"Washington, D.C. is the nation's capital. This is part of the foundation of East Coast boxing," said Hopkins, a native of Philadelphia. "So when you talk about D.C., you also say Philly and New York. There's rich tradition, and it's all about history here."
After winning the 160-pound title from Segundo Mercado on April 29, 1995 and mounting a run that ended with a split decision loss to Jermain Taylor on July 16, 2005, Hopkins wants to achieve similar accolades at 175 pounds, with a potential bout against RING and WBC champion Adonis Stevenson perhaps later this year.
"Shumenov wants to make a name for himself by defeating me," said Hopkins. "All the young guns want to make it big, and beating me would do that for Shumenov, but that's not going to happen."
Shumenov dethroned Gabriel Campillo by split decision in January of 2010, avenging a loss by majority decision in their previous fight in August of 2009. Shumenov established a title record for the light heavyweight division by defeating Campillo in just his 10th professional bout before making the first defense in July of 2010 with a unanimous decision over Vyacheslav Uzelkov, who had knocked out Campillo in 2007.
In December, Shumenov ended an 18-month absence to score one knockdown each in the first, second and final rounds of a third-round stoppage over Tamas Kovacs for the fifth defense of his belt.
"I'm feeling great, most of the work has been done. I cannot wait to show what I am capable of. To show the world that I am the best light heavyweight in the world," said Shumenov. "I haven't missed any days of training. Every day after my workout my body was exhausted and the next day I was always excited to go to the gym. Every day was valuable for me. Every day I saw improvement. It made me happy to go to the gym."
A 33-year-old former two-division titleholder, Malignaggi (33-5, 7 KOs) will be in his eighth consecutive 147-pound bout since rising from 140, while Porter (23-0-1, 14 KOs), a 26-year-old former sparring partner for Manny Pacquiao, has fought as high as junior middleweight in the past.
"Paulie is a good fighter, he's skillful, crafty and smart," said Porter. "I have everything it takes to beat him. I'm just as fast, just as quick. We're going to go after him Saturday night."
Malignaggi rose from a second-round knockdown to score a unanimous decision over ex-beltholder Zab Judah in his last fight in December. The "Magic Man's" victory came on the heels of a split-decision loss last June to Adrien Broner, who dethroned Malignaggi as WBA 147-pound titlist.
"Shawn Porter is a young, hungry guy who wants to make his mark on the sport, but I'm in his way. He's aggressive. He's got a certain physicality, but we'll be ready for him."
Quillin (30-0, 22 KOs) is making his inaugural visit to the nation's capitol, as is Konecny (50-4, 23 KOs), whom Quillin confesses to know very little about.
"What do I know about my opponent? I know he's bald and that he's from the Czech Republic. I also know he has a white hat on today and that he didn't want to say 'hello' to me," said Quillin, who shared training quarters with Konecny on Wednesday at Bald Eagle.
"This is a business, and when you get out of the ring, you're going to get your check. There's nothing emotionally involved in that. I just know that I'm coming here to handle business. I've been in there working on my ability and showing what I can do. Nobody can beat me."
A 35-year-old former title challenger who never has been stopped, will be making his debut on American soil, having fought mostly in his home country, the Czech Republic.
"I expect a first class fight. He's a good champion, but not a great one. I want to take the belt home with me," said Konecny. "I'm training twice a day, like I've done for over 20 years. I've got a lot of experience. I've been watching his fights with my trainer, and I think we have a great plan."
Floyd Mayweather Jr. "is grateful' and 'thankful to the fans" whose support made him the highest-paid athlete in 2013, according to ESPN The Magazine's annual Top 25 list.
"He's extremely humbled," said Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe. "It's a great feeling. We have a wonderful team, and he's very grateful for all of the support from the fans who have helped in to be in this position."
Mayweather's base salary of $73.5 million over the course of his unanimous decision victories against Robert Guerrero and Canelo Alvarez, pushing him far ahead of Portuguese soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo with $50.2 million.
"At the end the day…what it comes down to…at this level…you're trying to do is to maximize every opportunity that's possible with every fight as it relates to the revenue," said Ellerbe. "We have a wonderful team, and Floyd is truly grateful and blessed and he's very thankful to the fans."
Mayweather pocketed a guaranteed $32 million when he vanquished Guerrero in May of last year, and a career-high $41.5 million purse for September's win over Alvarez, the latter of which grossed an all-time record $150 million.
Mayweather's purse against Guerrero matched what he received for a unanimous decision over Miguel Cotto in May 2012, a bout for which the boxer netted a total of $45 million.
It was back in May of last year that Sports Illustrated that Mayweather would be the highest paid athlete over the past two years, having parlayed that into a successful promotional company named for him.
An online report by Forbes Magazine estimated that Mayweather's exclusive six-fight agreement with Showtime — his third in the deal being a May 3 clash with Marcos Maidana – could be worth a guaranteed $250 million to Mayweather, who made his first-ever appearance on Showtime Pay Per View when he beat Guerrero.


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Products – ARC HiQ Digital Receiver
The heart of the ARC radar design is the ARC HiQ digital receiver and processing board that may be installed in any modern PC.
HiQ is the product of decades of research experience and field deployments at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in providing high quality radar data combined with a common sense user interface that requires minimal training.
The ARC HiQ digital receiver was designed to be a stand-alone, cost-effective Doppler receiver upgrade for any commercial radar system. It performs the signal processing tasks necessary to generate a high quality data stream for computing radar products. The ARC HiQ provides a radar calibration software suitable for operational uses and research applications requiring accurate, quantitative radar measurements.
· Noise Power: -115 dBm typical
· Radar Noise Figure: 2.9 dB
· Dynamic range: 80 dB (Receiver noise dominated)
· Sensitivity @ 0dB SNR: -11 dBZ @ 50 km 1 μsec transmit pulse
· Digital IF processing
· Digital matched filter for maximum sensitivity and Inter-clutter visibility
· Dual-PRT capability for velocity extension


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Once again we find ourselves asking what makes some human beings reap joy from performing senseless acts of vandalism.
Are they jealous of those who have things that are better than theirs? Or are they just savage animals who have no appreciation for the finer things in life? Or are they so mentally warped that this is their way of having fun?
Recently we have seen an increase in this animalistic behavior. Earlier this month, two cemeteries in the Leetonia area received considerable damage from hoodlums. The cemetery grounds, portajohns as well as graves and headstones were damaged.
Possibly the same vandals also damaged mailboxes on rural roads near the cemeteries.
Other areas have also reported recent acts of vandalism - the swing and deck at the Broadway Wharf in East Liverpool were also damaged and many home and vehicle owners have reported windows shot out.
While it is useless to try to understand the depraved mines of those who inflict this type of senseless damage, there are some things we can do to try to prevent it.
Make sure the area surrounding your home is adequately illuminated at night. Perpetrators will generally shy away from areas where they can be easily seen doing their dirty deeds.
Keep an eye on your neighbor's property, and don't be shy about giving them a call if you suspect something is wrong at their house. And if they're not home, call the police.
And if you witness acts of vandalism or suspicious behavior on public property be certain to call the authorities.
We'll probably never be able to completely stop these stupid acts, but successful prosecution and punishment of some cases may act as a deterrent.


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AHMEDABAD :The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, Ahmedabad Diocese Marthmariam Vanitha Samajam (Ahmedabad Zone), has appreciated the historic decision of the Holy Synod of Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church towards providing the right to vote for women in a church democratic set up.
The one-day conference held at the Mar Gregorios Orthodox Syrian Church, Gandhinagar, on March 2, also passed a resolution on this.
In yet another resolution, the conference hailed the enthronement of Pulikkottil Dr Geevarghese Mar Yulios, Metropolitan of Ahmedabad, which will be held tomorrow (March 5) at St Thomas Aramana Chapel, Naroda, Ahmedabad.
The conference was held under the presidenship of Dr Mar Yulios who presented his vision on the "An Ideal Indian Women".
Sister Josephin Thannipara, Vice Principal of St Xaviers School, Gandhinagar also presented her thoughts at the conference held over three sessions.
Fr Manu Varghese Jacob, Vicar of Mar Gregorios Orthodox Syrian Church delivered the welcome speech. Fr Joji George, Diocesan Secretary, Ahmedabad and Fr Reji Alexander, Vicar, Kota St Mary's Church replied to felicitations.
Jaya Koshy, General Secretary of Vanitha Samajam, Ahmedabad Diocese delivered the introductory speech and Fr P OMathai, Vice President of Ahmedabad Diocese, gave the concluding speech.
Ponnamma Thomas, Gujarat Regional Secretary of Ahmedabad Diocese evaluated the entire programme while Saly Johnson, Ahmedabad Zonal Secretary, extended a vote of thanks.


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The Charlotte Girls' Soccer Camp is committed to making you a better player. Our camp is designed to provide each player with a soccer environment that is both challenging and fun.
Our staff is highly qualified and motivated to help each camper have a rewarding, enriching and exciting camp experience. The curriculum is designed especially for the female soccer player and offers opportunities for all ages and skills levels whether a beginner or an aspiring collegiate player.
In each camp session, players are grouped by age and soccer ability. Advanced players will be grouped to train together. Goalkeepers are welcome at all camps with specific training sessions.
Campers... come to the Charlotte Girls' Soccer Academy.
You will be CHALLENGED, IMPROVE and HAVE FUN!
There are no events at this time.


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- Text Size:
- ASmall Text
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President Barack Obama is planning to return to New Hampshire this weekend.
Few details have been released. The campaign said the president will visit New Hampshire on Sunday.
The trip will be his seventh this year, for a total of 11 campaign or official trips to the state, the most of any president or candidate.
President Bill Clinton visited New Hampshire as a candidate or sitting president a total of nine times.
The only other time presidential candidates visited New Hampshire in the last weekend of the campaign was 2004.


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ASQ 2013 Audition
Astro Classic Golden Melody Singing Competition 2013
1. Organiser
All Asia Broadcast Centre
Technology Park Malaysia
Lebuhraya Puchong Sungai Besi
Bukit Jalil
57000 Kuala Lumpur
2. Name of Competition/Programme
Astro Classic Golden Melody Singing Competition 2013
3. Brief Description of Competition
Astro Classic Golden Melody Singing Competition 2013 is a singing competition which is opened to eligible contestants aged 45 years and above no matter whether s/he is an amateur or professional singers.
4. Brief mechanism of Competition
This year, contestants have to go through 7 rounds of competition to enter the Grand Final.
(a) Auditions :
A total of 58 contestants will be selected from these audition days 20th and 21st April 2013 at Astro Studio 2. Three panel judges determined by the organizer will select 29 male and 29 female contestants for audition. The contestants will be selected based on their chosen songs, vocals, showmanship, and costume appropriate to their chosen songs. They will be required to sing one song with their own music in the judging room.
Among the 58 selected contestants, judges will chose 10 the best potential contestants to keep them as "secret weapons" and to appear during the Grouping Second Round. Those 10 will be selected by the judges, for best vocals, talent, entertainment value, potential, attractive background story, and those who have an X-factor such as a star face.
(b) Grouping First Round (Ep 1-4) :
48 contestants will be divided equally into 4 episodes based on the total scores given by 3 judges during auditions. Each episode will have 12 contestants (6 male and 6 female). They are encouraged to sing the song from years 1970-1999.
(c) Preliminary Group A & B (Ep 5-12) :
Group A and B will have 24 contestants who had been selected from the Grouping First Round. They will perform their self-chosen song. The 4 lowest scores will be eliminated from every episode. These 8 contestants from each Group A and B will be qualified to continue onward to the Grouping Second Round.
(d) Grouping Second Round (Ep 13) :
Those 10 contestants (secret weapons) who had been selected by judges during auditions will appear in this round. The 10 who were selected are not those who had the highest scores during audition but those with the most potential as determined by the panel judges. These 10 will be trained by coaches before their first appearance in this round to make them strongest and to heighten the attention of the audience. 8 contestants of Group A and Group B will take turns competing. The winning group then chooses one of their team members from the 10 who they think has most potential and chooses a member of the losing team that has the least potential. All contestants will be evaluated through individual scores given by the panel judges. No elimination will happen in this round. Individual scores will not be brought forward to the next round.
(e) Confrontation for Team A & B (Ep 14 and 15) :
This round, Group A and Group B have 13 contestants each. This round involves contestants imitating famous singers. One contestant from each group draws from a list of famous singers who determined by the organizer. They sing the same song and dress up according to the singer they are imitating.
Individual scores will be given by judges and then added up to score the group. The 2 contestants with the highest scores from the winning group will be qualified to be performed in the Mini Concert in Episode 19. The 2 lowest scores in the losing group will be eliminated immediately.
(f) Confrontation for Group A and B (Ep 16 and 17)
This round, Groups A and B have 11 contestants each. This round will be a competition among individuals singing songs from 2000. The winning group will be proceeding to the Mini Concert and the losing group will be entered in Episode 18's Elimination Round.
(g) Elimination Round (Ep 18)
11 contestants from the losing group will compete individually. Contestants have to bring out an important person from their life to share their stories. The 6 contestants will the lowest scores will be eliminated.
(h) Mini Concert (Ep 19)
This episode will lead to recording at the exit. It will be a platform to encourage the 13 contestants (11 contestants from the winning group and 2 with the highest scores from episodes 14 and 15) to perform in front of the audience. It will be a where the singers perform for the public, face-to-face. This is not a competition round.
(i) Individual Round (Ep 20 to 23)
No grouping is involved. They have to fight among the best. In total, we have 18 contestants in this round. We will eliminate one contestant in each episode who has the lowest scores. Judges will give comments after each 3 contestants perform. The one with the lowest scores among the 3 contestants will be seated in the elimination area. Then the next 3 contestants perform, and one with the lowest score will be seated or replaced. There are a total of 6 rounds in the rundown, and 4 contestants will be eliminated from this round. Individual scores will not be brought forward until Semifinal 1 and 2. A total of 14 contestants will be entered in Semifinal 1.
(j) PSC Coach Training (Ep 24)
Two coaches will start intensive training and the organizer will provide professional make-overs to 14 semifinalists. We will shoot it with PSC. The audience will get to know the contestants better. No competition in this round.
(k) Semifinal 1 (Ep 25)
This round, viewers see the 14 semifinalists make-over. Three contestants with the lowest scores will be eliminated. Contestant with scores higher than 8 will be reserved in the "secure" area, but the contestants' with score lower than 8 will be placed in the "not secure" area. The contestants from the "not secure" area will be invited to the stage at the end of the program. Judges will determine who should be eliminated.
(l) Semifinal 2 (Ep 26)
This round has only 11 contestants left. This is their last chance to become finalists. The first contestant will be chosen randomly by computer to perform on stage. After the singing and the scores are reviewed, s/he must choose one contestant s/he thinks will not able to compete with them. The contestant who receives the lowest score will be placed in the "not secure" area. The contestants from the "not secure" area will be invited to stage at the end of the program. Judges will determine who should be eliminated. One contestant will be eliminated, and only 10 finalists will be chosen.
(m) Homecoming (Ep 27)
This is not a competition round. It will be recorded by PSC shoot. We will explore the background stories of the finalists, and interview their family members or supporters. Also, we will cover their preparation for the finale.
(n) Pre-live (Episode 28)
This will be live-aired from the venue of the Grand Final. We will see the final touch-up of the stage, wardrobe, and make-up preparation. Interviewers will ask finalists about how they feel and we will see them rehearse on stage.
(o) Grand Final (Episode 29)
10 finalists will be selected from Semifinal 2, regardless of gender. The finalists will have to go through 3-4 rounds of competition to become the champion. Three subsidiary awards will be rewarded the Best Home Viewer Choice, chosen by home viewers via SMS, and Best Showmanship and Best Costume, chosen by panel judges. The Final will have 7 judges.
The Competition will end with 1 Grand Final where the winner from the respective Round Final will compete for the position of Champion, 1st Runner Up and 2nd Runner Up.
The Contestants must adhere to the mechanism of the Competition as may be briefed and communicated to the Contestants by the Organiser during the Competition Period.
5. Eligibility Criteria
The Competition is open to all Malaysians of the Age of Eligibility who can sing Mandarin or any Chinese dialect songs.
6. Ineligibility
(a) employees of the Measat Broadcast Network Systems Sdn Bhd, Astro Entertainment Sdn Bhd, Astro Production Sdn Bhd, Digital Five Sdn Bhd and Astro All Asia Network plc and and their *immediate family members;
(b) employees and *immediate family members of the All Sponsor including Make Up, Hair and etc.
*immediate family members means spouse, children, parents, brothers and sisters
7. Age of Eligibility
The Competition is open to all Malaysians who are 45 years old and above at 20th April 2013.
8. Competition Period
20th April 2013 until 31th December 2013
The Organiser reserves the right to amend, postpone or re-schedule the Competition Period or any of the dates thereof at its sole discretion.
9. Language of Competition
The Competition will be organized and produced by the Organiser in the Chinese language.
10. Entry Procedure
The Contestant must fill in the Application Form (which will be made available during Auditions) and enclose the following supporting documents (which shall be non-returnable):-
i. One (1) clear photocopy of the Contestant's Identity Card (new); and
ii. Two (2) recent 4R size photos (1 half length, 1 full length) of the Contestant;
The Organiser shall be entitled to request to sight the original Identity Card or the originals of other supporting documents/materials for verification purposes.
11. Entry Deadline
Entries must be received by the Organiser on or before 5.00pm on the respective Audition Dates:-
Audition: 20th April 2013 & 21st April 2013
Entries received before the commencement of the Competition Period and after the stipulated Entry Deadline will be disqualified and ineligible for consideration for participation and/or prizes.
12. Mode
Application Form must be submitted to the Organizer in person during the Audition.
13. Address
Studio 2, Astro
All Asia Broadcast Centre
Technology Park Malaysia
Bukit Jalil 57000, Kuala Lumpur
14. Selection of Winner
Winners will be chosen by a panel of judges in accordance with the format of the Competition.
15. Prize Winners from the Grand Final will win:-
Champion - Ringgit Malaysia [ 30,000 ]
1st Runner Up - Ringgit Malaysia [ 15,000 ]
2nd Runner Up - Ringgit Malaysia [ 10,000 ]
3rd Runner Up - Ringgit Malaysia [ 4,000 ]
5th Place - Ringgit Malaysia [ 2,000 ]
6th Place - Ringgit Malaysia [ 2,000 ]
7th Place - Ringgit Malaysia [ 2,000 ]
8th Place - Ringgit Malaysia [ 2,000 ]
9th Place - Ringgit Malaysia [ 2,000 ]
10th Place - Ringgit Malaysia [ 2,000 ]
The Best Showmanship - Ringgit Malaysia [ 2,000 ]
The Best Costume - Ringgit Malaysia [ 2,000 ]
The Best Viewer Choice - Ringgit Malaysia [ 2,000 ]
16. Notification of winners
Winners will be notified/winner's names will be announced by the Organiser at the end of Final Competition.
17. Collection Period
Within 2 month from notification by the Organiser
18. Collection Venue
All Asia Broadcast Centre
Technology Park Malaysia
Bukit Jalil
57000, Kuala Lumpur
Or such other address as the Organiser may inform the Contestant
19. Additional Terms, if any
a) The Contestants must be free from any contractual obligation/arrangement or any other legal encumbrance, which may prevent him/her from participating in this contest and/or entering into a possible service contract with the Organizer after the Competition.
b) The Contestant understands and agrees that:-:
i) The Organiser has right to request the Contestant to change the Contestant's songs for the Competition as the Organizer deems fit.
ii) The Finalists agrees to perform and/or attend the Organiser's publicity and promotional recordings, events and/or activities pertaining to the Competition.
iii) the Organiser and/or its nominee(s), has the option to sign him/her up as its performing artiste and execute management agreement or recording agreement on such terms and conditions as determined by the Organiser for a contract term of two (2) years with an option to renew for a further one (1) year. In the event no such option is exercised by the Organiser and/or its nominee within one (1) year from the date of the Grand Finals of the Competition, the Contestant shall be free to enter to any such management agreement or recording agreement with any third parties.
The Basic Terms and the Standard Terms and Conditions (collectively "Terms and Conditions") shall be binding on all contestants who participate in this Competition ("Contestants"). The definitions in the Standard Terms shall apply unless otherwise expressly agreed in the Basic Terms. In the event of any inconsistency between the Standard Terms and Conditions and the Basic Terms, the Basic Terms shall prevail to the extent of such inconsistency.
Entry and participation in the Competition shall be deemed an unconditional acceptance by the Contestants of the Terms and Conditions.
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Copyright © 2013.
Measat Broadcast Network Systems Sdn Bhd (240064-A).
All Rights Reserved.
Measat Broadcast Network Systems,
All Asia Broadcast Centre,
Technology Park Malaysia ,
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Bukit Jalil, 57000 Kuala Lumpur.
电话: 03-9543 6688,
传真号码: 03-9549 1092/1093


text:
on March 10, 2013 - 1:00 AM
Kyle Eastwood, "The View from Here" (Jazz Village). It was established a long time ago that Clint Eastwood's bass-playing son was no empty chair in jazz. Unfortunately, his European residence keeps him off America's jazz radar until such time as he delivers a new disc. This one is his sixth since his 1998 debut "From There to Here" and Eastwood's own playing is some of his most persuasive and impressive on record. As is customary, his band is young and European – pianist Andrew McCormack, tenor saxophonist Graeme Blevins, trumpeter Quentin Collins and drummer Martyn Kaine. If someone told you this was a young up-and-coming quintet from L.A., you'd be nothing if not eager to hear them again. Nor would it be entirely absurd either. Eastwood's first instrument was electric bass, but when it came time to play standup acoustic bass, his teacher was no less than the great resident Angeleno bassist Ray Brown (sometimes Dad's connections can help a guy, you know?). What's a matter of talent, not education, is Eastwood's canniness in assembling a quintet to lead and his ability as a composer, which is not only considerable but more impressive than some American counterparts his age who don't have famous bloodlines to compete with. Three and a half stars (Out of four) (Jeff Simon)
Benny Green, "Magic Beans" (Sunnyside). A hugely promising idea but one that collapses on disc. Benny Green is a veteran pianist of serious chops and some of the best jazz experience (Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, anyone?). What he's doing here is paying tribute to the kind of trumpet-and-saxophone front-line jazz that Blue Note records specialized in when he was growing up, from Horace Silver, Blakey, Lee Morgan etc. "Something magical took place on these recordings – the harmonies evoke a healing vibration and carry a life-affirming message which is timeless and pure." For his piano trio tributes to those recordings (which he pinpoints from the period between 1954 and 1968), he's got the unrelated Washingtons as his rhythm section – Peter on bass, Kenny on drums. Unfortunately, the magnetism of the disc ends there. Instead of a disc of some of the great compositions that proved his point about the music's magic, he eschews the likes of "Sister Sadie," "The Cape Verdean Blues" and "The Sidewinder" for his own compositions in tribute to Kenny Drew, Jackie McLean, and Harold Land (each of whom have a tune named after him). He is, as a composer, simply not even close to the talent of those musicians who were his inspiration. Two and a half stars (J.S.)
Tommy Flanagan and Jaki Byard, "The Magic of 2: Live at the Keystone Korner" (Resonance). If the stream of hitherto unreleased Art Pepper discs that are continuously released by his widow Laurie put you in the alto saxophone neighborhood of bebop heaven, this live recording of an Olympian two-piano team playing at San Francisco's legendary Keystone Korner club in 1982 is from the keyboard precinct of bebop heaven. By this time, Flanagan was an old hand at great two-piano bebop (hear his "Our Delight" with Hank Jones). This pairing though is sublime – Flanagan, one of the most cherished accompanists in jazz (with Ella Fitzgerald for years and on such recorded performances as Coltrane's "Giant Steps") and Byard, his mercurial, eruptive and wildly unpredictable opposite, able to conjugate ripping stride figures with expressionist piano splatter a la Cecil Taylor and Don Pullen (another pianist treasured by Charles Mingus). They play both together and singly here. Yes, of course, it's Flanagan who plays the gorgeous Ellingtonia – "Something to Live For," "Chelsea Bridge." And yes, of course, it's always surprising Byard who gives us Stevie Wonder's "Send One Your Love" and, would you believe, Chuck Mangione's "Land of Make Believe." One of those enormously satisfying discs that is every bit as wondrous as the names on the cover lead you to expect. Three and a half stars (J.S.)
Bernstein, Transcriptions for Wind Band, the University of South Carolina Wind Ensemble, Scott Weiss, director (Naxos). In the 1960s, Leonard Bernstein worried about the tide of atonality, academic and electronic music, fearing that it hopelessly alienated audiences. He fought the battle on a personal level with his own bright, sassy music, designed to have wide appeal, and why not? The music sizzles in the hands of a wind band. "Fanfare for the Inauguration of John F. Kennedy" could not sound better in its original orchestration than what it sounds like here. The overture to "Candide" sounds a little flat-footed in spite of the chirpy flutes and other cute touches. But it is a pleasure to hear the songs from "On the Town," often overlooked in favor of more pretentious Bernstein offerings. I love "New York, New York, a wonderful town, the Bronx is up and the Battery's down …" When I was a kid I remember my parents singing Comden and Green's lyrics in the kitchen and dancing around. The University of South Carolina Wind Ensemble makes a good case for the music and the transcriptions. The music pops at you with sudden flares and surges. The brooding music to "On the Waterfront" also charms, making me think sometimes of Copland and Ellington. The Divertimento, written for the Boston Symphony Orchestra in the early '80s, also has its moments of delight. There is a lot of fun here for your Naxos bargain price. Three stars. (Mary Kunz Goldman)
Szymanowski, Symphonies Nos. 2 and 4 (Symphonie Concertante) and Concert Overture performed by pianist Louis Lortie and the BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Edward Gardner (Chandos). A rich outlay indeed of music by Karol Szymanowski – 70 minutes of music from his early "Concert Overture Op. 12" from 1906 (whose influences seem to be equally divided between Strauss and Scriabin) to his Fourth "Symphonie Concertante" with piano soloist from 26 years later. Though it's sometimes said to be reminiscent of Bartok's Third Piano Concerto (Szymanowski was not as good a pianist as Bartok and could perform the work himself), the notes tell us that its final movement, according to Szymanowski, is "almost orgiastic in places." Szymanowski's Second Symphony may be the most attractive piece of music ever written by a composer who was influenced by Max Reger at the time. Three and a half stars (J.S.)
Di Sheyne Milnerin, Schubert's Cycle of Love Forlorn Retold in Yiddish Song, Mark Glanville, bass-baritone, Alexander Knapp, piano (Nimbus Alliance). I requested this disc special. As a fan of Schubert's song cycle "Die Schoene Muellerin" (which I know inside out) I just had to hear it. What Glanville and Knapp have done is thread together 19 Yiddish songs – some traditional, and some by 19th century composers – and arrange them into the boy-wins-girl, boy-loses-girl tragic story of "Die Schoene Muellerin," (literally, "the beautiful maid of the mill"). In this Yiddish version the hero is Jewish, and he's older. The story is described accurately as more abstract. But in subtle and not-so-subtle ways the Yiddish cycle mirrors individual songs of the Schubert cycle. "Dodi Li," or "My Beloved is Mine," for instance, corresponds to the song of love and contentment, "Pause." The songs are very classical and have a 19th century sound. The piano parts are elegant and creative. One Schubert song, translated into Yiddish, is left intact: "Am Feierabend," where the mill workers rest after a day of work. In its minor key, sung in Glanville's expressive inflections, it sounds utterly convincing as a Jewish song. It plays up a major theme of this project: As the liner notes state, "As with 'A Yiddish Winterreise,' in part the programme functions as an acknowledgement of the rich symbiosis that once existed between the German and Jewish cultures, one of the many intangible victims of the Holocaust." Three and a half stars. (M.K.G.)


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The most intensely studied of the immobilization techniques is the formation of covalent bonds between the enzyme and the support matrix. When trying to select the type of reaction by which a given protein should be immobilized, the choice is limited by two characteristics: (1) the binding reaction must be performed under conditions that do not cause loss of enzymatic activity, and (2) the active site of the enzyme must be unaffected by the reagents used.
The covalent binding method is based on the binding of enzymes and water-insoluble carriers by covalent bonds. The functional groups that may take part in this binding are listed below:
Amino group
Carboxyl group
Sulfhydryl group,
Hydroxyl group Imidazole group Phenolic group
Thiol group Threonine group Indole group
This method can be further classified into diazo, peptide and alkylation methods according to the mode of linkage. The conditions for immobilization by covalent binding are much more complicated and less mild than in the cases of physical adsorption and ionic binding. Therefore, covalent binding may alter the conformational structure and active center of the enzyme, resulting in major loss of activity and/or changes of the substrate. However, the binding force between enzyme and carrier is so strong that no leakage of the enzymes occurs, even in the presence of substrate or solution of high ionic strength.
Covalent attachment to a support matrix must involve only functional groups of the enzyme that are not essential for catalytic action. Higher activities result from prevention of inactivation reactions with amino acid residues of the active sites. A number of protective methods have been devised:
Hence, covalent binding can be brought about by the following:
The active site of the enzyme must not be hindered. There must be ample space between the enzyme and the backbone.
It is possible in some cases to increase the number of reactive residues of an enzyme in order to increase the yield of the immobilized enzyme. This provides alternative reaction sites to those essential for enzymatic activity. As with cross-linking, covalent bonding should provide stable, immobilized enzyme derivatives that do not leach enzyme into the surrounding solution. The wide variety of binding reactions and insoluble carriers (with functional groups capable of covalent coupling or being activated to give such groups) makes this a generally applicable method of immobilization. This is true even if very little is known about the protein structure or active site of the enzyme to be coupled.


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EMMYS: A Fierce Year For Drama Series
Many believe this might be the most competitive year ever in the Outstanding Drama Series race. Consider the contenders and weep. Returning champ Breaking Bad is up against AMC stablemate and previous four-time drama victor Mad Men. These shows have to compete against HBO's juggernaut Game of Thrones, never a winner here but coming off its fourth and most successful season. Then there is the sophomore season of Netflix's House of Cards and the perennial Downton Abbey. Add to this the wild card of HBO's True Detective, which ran only as a self-contained, eight-episode series and is somewhat controversial because many thought it would compete as a miniseries. (The show's "created by" credit made it automatically eligible for this uber-competitive category.) Just consider the quality of the shows that didn't make the cut, including FX's The Americans and Justified; Showtime's Ray Donovan, Masters of Sex and past winner Homeland; NBC's hit The Blacklist; and CBS' The Good Wife, which has been enjoying its best season. Whew!
Related: Golden Globes Get Out Ahead Of Category Controversy Plaguing Primetime Emmys
Breaking Bad, AMC
The critics' favorite won a few acting Emmys over the course of its first few seasons, but it has come into its own in a "final" season that was broken into eight-episode runs over the course of two summers. Last year, Breaking Bad finally triumphed at the Emmys and since then also has won the Golden Globe, Critics' Choice and TCA awards for best drama, giving us no reason to believe it won't repeat again as a final goodbye for one of TV's best shows.
Downton Abbey, PBS
I might have thought this British favorite would be overlooked for what critics generally considered its weakest season, but it is beloved by Emmy voters. They showered it with 12 nominations, including ones for lead actress Michelle Dockery, supporting actress Maggie Smith and guest actor Paul Giamatti, among others. It seems unlikely, though, that Downton can pull off a miracle win against this level of heavyweight competition.
Game of Thrones, HBO
This extremely bloody and deliciously diabolical fantasy piece just keeps gaining steam. Although it has yet to win in the drama category, Game of Thrones' fourth season was phenomenal and the perfect example of a show really coming into its own. Emmy voters, addicted to the thing and praising it with 19 noms—the most of any show this year—just might want to finally honor it with their top prize. Or not.
House of Cards, Netflix
Last year, streaming-video service and television upstart Netflix made a big splash by getting this series into the drama race. I thought it might even have won considering all the heat surrounding it. Now it has cooled down a tad, so I would be particularly surprised to see House of Cards suddenly hit the winner's circle this time around, despite the pricey Netflix campaign behind it.
Mad Men, AMC
After winning the drama series prize four times in a row—a record for a cable show—Mad Men slowed to a crawl, Emmy-wise, in its fifth and sixth seasons. Its seventh and final season has been given the Breaking Bad treatment by being split in half, with the rest of its swan-song episodes appearing in 2015. That way, if voters feel they want to give Mad Men a big sendoff, they can wait until next year. In other words, a win this year would be a shocker.
True Detective, HBO
Superb in every way, this unusual series played more like a mini with only eight episodes, but they were whoppers. Still, Emmy voters might be more likely to reward Matthew McConaughey or Woody Harrelson with an acting trophy (they're both nominated in the lead category), or director Cary Fukunaga, than the show itself, likely thinking it needs more time before grabbing the brass ring. But it is still a fairly formidable wild card.
The Winner: Breaking Bad
Sons of Anarchy deserves to be listed with the snubs. Either that or The Americans or Justified or Masters of Sex would have been a more deserving nominee than that silly overrated soap, Downton Abbey. Does it keep getting nominated as the last gasp of broadcast TV?
Add Boardwalk Empire to that list.
The fact that you're a Sons of Anarchy and Justified fan and are talking trash about Downton Abbey speaks volumes. It's not your cup of tea, you don't watch, you don't know. Elegant costume dramas with subtle acting have just as much a place as something gritty and violent, and I'm glad Emmy voters don't respond to flash all the time. Downton Abbey's excellently crafted and definitely deserving of a nomination. A win? Doubt it this year, but it was certainly one of the top 6 drama series. I don't know that I'd call it the weakest year. S2 had some sketchy stuff and critics in the UK love to start tearing things down if they're successful and on going. Has a year gone by without Kurt Sutter griping about the Emmys? Not in a cranky way, in a 'seriously, dude, have a glass of wine, take a nap, listen to some Enya' kind of way. The Americans has the biggest reason to gripe. Not Sons of Anarchy. Matthew Rhys is getting robbed. Michael Sheen too for that matter from what I've seen of Masters of Sex. There are just too many deserving nominees.
Downton doesn't rely on flash, but it does rely on lush period costumes and settings and Posh British accents, all of which seem to hypnotize some voters into handing over awards. The acting is no better than on most good dramas. There is nothing exceptional about Jim Carter's competent but predictable portrayal of an archetypical English butler; and the fact that he got nominated over, say, Charles Dance is a sign of how the Emmy voters give Downton more acknowledgement than it deserves. It is a Posh soap opera with some witty dialogue and overall good acting, but that's about it.
"created by" is a technicality.
Comments are closed.


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Gary Kubiak Cleared To Go Home
According to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle, Houston Texans head coach Gary Kubiak is cleared to leave the hospital. He will still miss another week.
Gary Kubiak has been cleared to leave hospital and return home. He's expected 2 miss Arizona game and return next week.— John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) November 5, 2013


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De la Parra will be replaced by Rebecca Miller.
Miller, who's from California, studied at the Oberlin Conservatory, Northwestern University and the Aspen Music Festival and School. She moved to London in 1999 as the Paul Woodhouse Junior Fellow in Conducting at the Royal College of Music.
In 2007, Miller joined the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. She is the first woman to hold a staff conducting position with the orchestra. She has her own series - the Casual Classics - and conducts on the Classical Subscription and Spotlight series, as well as dozens of education, family and community concerts each year.
Miller will be joined on Saturday by young cellist Jesús Castro-Balbi, winner of the first Carlos Prieto Latin American Cello Competition. (The award is named after the father of HSO musical director Carlos Miguel Prieto.)
Miller will be in town late tonight and will keep to the rehearsal schedule the symphony had planned for de la Parra.
Saturday's program will include "Tchaikovsky's "Variations on a Rococo Theme" for cello and orchestra, Dvorak's Symphony No. 9, "From the New World" and Stravinsky "Firebird Suite". The symphony had planned to perform Piazzolla's "Tangazo," but replaced it with the "Firebird Suite" at Miller's request.
Saturday's concert starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $28-$69. For more information, visit www.hso.org or call 539-4818.


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Common Heart Failure Medications
Individuals diagnosed with heart failure typically take 5 or more different medications daily. Each medication works in a different way to improve your heart failure condition. Some heart failure medications help you live longer by improving the heart's function, while others help to relieve symptoms allowing you to live a better quality of life. Keep a current list of your medications with you at all times (in your wallet or purse).
These drugs work to slow down the heart rate, reduce heart rhythm problems, lower the blood pressure and make the heart stronger. They are shown to help individuals with heart failure live longer, healthier lives.
• carvedilol (Coreg, Coreg CR)
• metoprolol succinate (Toprol-XL)
• bisoprolol (Zebeta)
ACE inhibitors dilate (widen) blood vessels, making it easier for the heart to pump blood through the vessels. These medications are shown to help people with heart failure live longer, healthier lives.
• captopril (Capoten)
• fosinopril (Monopril)
• ramipril (Altace)
• enalapril (Vasotec)
• quinapril (Accupril)
• lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril)
These drugs work similarly to ACE inhibitors to relax the blood vessels and are frequently used to replace ACE inhibitors that cause coughing.
• losartan (Cozaar)
• valsartan (Diovan)
• candesartan (Atacand)
These blockers work by blocking the effects of a stress hormone called aldosterone.
• aldactone (Spironolactone)
• eplerenone (Inspra)
Vasodilators may be used to relax the blood vessels and decrease the workload on the heart. This medication is sometimes used when a person cannot take an ACE inhibitor.
• hydralazine (Apresoline)
• isosorbide dinitrate (Isordil, Sorbitrate)
• nitroglycerin (Nitrodur, Transderm)
• isosorbide mononitrate (Imdur)
• hydralazine/isosorbide dinitrte (Bidil)
Digoxin may improve symptoms through a variety of mechanisms, including helping the heart beat stronger and/or controlling the heart rhythm.
Diurectics are commonly referred to as "water pills" because they help the kidneys rid excess water and salt from the body (through the urine). Diuretics can decrease fluid in the lungs to help ease breathing and also pull fluid away from the belly, legs, hands, and feet.
• furosemide (Lasix)
• bumetanide (Bumex)
• torsemide (Demadex)
• metolazone (Zaroxolyn)
• chlorothiazide (Diuril)
• hydrochlorothiazide (Hydro-Diuril)
Potassium is an important electrolyte in the body that is often lost with increased urine output. Potassium supplements are frequently needed when taking diuretics.
• K+ Potassium
• K-Dur®
• K-Lor®
• K-Tab®
• Kaon-Cl-
• Kay Ciel®
• Klor-Con®
• microK
Inotropes are intravenous drugs used in advanced heart failure to stimulate the weakened heart to pump more effectively. These drugs increase the force of the heart's contractions and relax the blood vessels. The goal is to improve the amount of blood that is ejected from the weakened heart and circulated to the rest of the body.
• dobutamine (Dobutrex)
• milrinone (Primacor)


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A letter was sent to Valley High School students Wednesday afternoon after a handgun was discovered in a student's locker.
According to Jefferson County Public Schools, the locker search was performed on an unrelated matter and the gun was discovered.
Louisville Metro Police arrested 20-year-old Sterling Williams and charged him with unlawful possession of a handgun on school property.
No threat was made, according to the school district.


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NRHA National Reined Horse Show, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Bill Cody Arena, Cost: Free. Info: (806) 341-5131 or www.amarillonationalcenter.net.
Cinco de Mayo festivities continue at the Potter County Memorial Stadium at the Tri-State Fairgrounds from noon to 10 p.m. with music and a car show. Cost: $8 for 12 and older.
Rotary Club Shrimp and Catfish Fry, 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., Rex Baxter Building Cost: $50, meal and drawing for your choice of a two-year lease on a Toyota Prius, Avalon, Tundra or $10,000 cash; $25 for seniors and youth ages 7-17 for dinner only; free for children ages 6 and under; tickets available at the door. Info: (806) 352-3108.
No events listed.
Business Connection 2006, 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Amarillo Civic Center Heritage Room, North Exhibit Hall, South Exhibit Hall, Cost: $5, Info: 373-7800 or www.amarillo-chamber.org.
Amarillo High School Choir, Band and Orchestra Concert, 6 p.m., Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts. Cost: Info: 378-4297 or www.civicamarillo.com.
© 2016. All Rights Reserved. | Contact Us


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About This Activity
All athletes at the meet must be 18 or under on the first day of the meet. Entry fees are $15.00 per individual event, $30.00 per relay event, $20.00 per credentialed coach. Entry deadline is Tuesday, December 3, 2013 at 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time. Late entries must be submitted through the On-Line Meet Entry system (OME). The team or athlete must pay a one-time processing fee of $150.00, and pay entry fees of $30 per individual event and $60 per relay event. Scoring will be on a sixteen (16) place basis. Individual events: 20, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 9, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Relay events receive double these point values. An awards ceremony will be conducted immediately after each event. The top three swimmers in each individual event, and the top three relays in each relay event, should report to the Awards Staging Area following the "A" Final for their event, and immediately dress in official team apparel for the medal ceremony. The coach of each first place winner will present awards for that event.
Map & Direction
Greensboro Aquatic Center 1921 West Lee Street Greensboro, NC 27403Get Directions


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Lego Batman: The Videogame
(Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, PSP, DS, Wii, PC)
Developer Traveller's Tales moves its hopelessly adorable and creative mashup of Lego and gaming from the Star Wars universe to Batman's Gotham. Developed for multi platform. Published by Warner Bros. Interactive.
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The loyal Wayne Manor's butler gets in on the action.August 26, 2008
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The caped crusader beats enemies to piecesNovember 12, 2007
Lego Batman Blogs
Better Late Than Never (BaD 18)by Saysavanh Detvongsa February 25, 2013 24 12
Xbox 360 vs. PS3: Whateverby Matt Jabour November 26, 2011 4 0
Xbox 360 vs. PS3: Whateverby Matt Jabour November 26, 2011 11 5
more new shirts!!by Ryan Bordt October 25, 2011 2 1
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Sketch A Day Challenge for March 17th and maybe 18th.......by Randy M March 17, 2011 3 1
The Onlive TrialWho actually understands this yet?
by Matthew Taylor October 03, 2010 0 0
1UP Review
Lego Batman: The Videogame Review
Score: C
A two-faced Batman game that just can't figure out how to mix delight with Dark Knight.September 25, 2008
User Reviews> Write a Review of This Game
Great for Kids and non hardcore gamers.
Score: A+
by Ryan Bornhoft
My son is seven and loves to play the lego games. This is by far the most kid friendly as far as controls and gameplay. In addition My wife also loves to play the...
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October 04, 2009 0 0
Nice game but getting stale
Score: C
by GameObserver GameObserver
It might not tug on our heartstrings like previous Lego titles, but it's original enough to keep us interested for the whole ride.
November 07, 2008 0 0
Was very funny
Score: A
by Ken Mannington
If anyone is interested in taking surveys for free Microsoft points or Wii points can gotohttp://www.rewards1.com/index.php?referrer_id=323605
September 29, 2008 0 0
Score: A
by abdulla alkawai
love it. my 4 year old daughter gave all lego game straight As.
September 28, 2008 0 0
Kept Yawning
Score: C
by Alex Nath
I was a little excited about this game having heard that the LEGO Star Wars were awesome but I could not get into it. The complete Star Wars version is on its way and I...
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September 28, 2008 0 0
Lots of goodies
Score: A
by skittle bits
"Though Batman's got a well-developed mythos, he lacks enough specific, widely remembered scenes ripe for parody."
Uh, Phillip lost me there.
Not only are there widely...
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September 28, 2008 0 0
Having a blast
Score: A-
by Troy Johnson
In all honesty, I'm loving this game. The characters movesets are more varied (though that doesn't change the actual gameplay much), and the abilities and toolsets are...
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September 26, 2008 0 0
Score: F
by TwoJz420 DRVL
Lego batman is the worst of them all.
September 26, 2008 0 0
Latest News for Lego Batman
Time Warner Credits Videogames for Revenue Surge
Media juggernaut mentions games like LEGO Harry Potter and LEGO Batman by name in its quarterly financial report.August 04, 2010 1 5
New 360 Holiday Bundle Rumored
New bundle looks to include Lego Batman and Pure.September 23, 2009 10 15
GDC Slides Seem To Confirm Lego Rock Band
Slides were sent for "speech approval" in Harmonix designer's GDC presentation, but later cut.April 06, 2009 19 29
TT Games Bringing Lego Battles to DS
Customized building features make a new twist on the Lego franchise.February 04, 2009 1 29
Consumer Watchdog Group Takes Aim At Lego Batman
Criticizes Lego, Batman and McDonalds in their "TOADY" Awards.January 23, 2009 21 26
Traveller's Tales Source Says No Lego Harry Potter in 2009
New 'Lego' game still on the way in 2009, possibilities include Star Wars and Rock Band.January 05, 2009 13 31
Activision Japan to Close Doors
Japanese subsidiary ceasing operations effective December 31.December 12, 2008 4 20
Harry Potter Rumored to Undergo the Lego Treatment
But will it focus on all of the movies and books?December 03, 2008 3 26
Penny Arcade Episode One Finally Available on PSN
Classic Prince of Persia, Valkyria Chronicles and High Velocity Bowling DLC also arrive.October 23, 2008 5 25
Lego Batman Demo Grapples Onto FileFront
Try out the Dark Knight's block-filled adventure on your PC.October 14, 2008 0 18
Latest Previews for Lego Batman
Lego Batman: The Videogame Preview
Where does he get those wonderful building blocks?July 13, 2008 0 13
Lego Batman: The Videogame Preview
Details on the Dynamic Duo's special suits, with screens!April 25, 2008 0 71
Lego Batman: The Videogame Preview
We piece together the Caped Crusader.February 20, 2008 0 15
Latest Features for Lego Batman
Batman Videogame Retro Roundup
We (re)evaluate over 20 years of Bat-gaming in this expansive roundup.August 24, 2009 0 62
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Ansley Park
A Historic Place to Call Home
Welcome to Ansley Park, Atlanta, developed by railroad magnate, Edwin P. Ansley, in the early 1900s and designated as a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places. Ansley Park is located just east of Midtown and west of Piedmont Park. Ansley Park residents enjoy winding roads and extensive landscaping and are just steps away from Winn Park and McClatchy Park.
As Ansley Park abuts Midtown, it is just a short distance to the historic Fox Theatre, the Woodruff Arts Center, the Atlanta Botanical Garden, the High Museum of Art, the Atlanta Ballet, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Laughing Skull Lounge Comedy Club and the Center for Puppetry Arts. Simply, there is entertainment for every taste just outside your door. In addition, Ansley Park is on the west side of Piedmont Park, an immense green space also serving as a popular venue for a multitude of cultural festivals, including the Atlanta Dogwood Festival, the annual Atlanta Arts Festival, Festival Peachtree Latino, Music Midtown, the Peachtree Music Festival and Atlanta Pride.
Residents of Ansley Park send their children to Morningside Elementary School, followed by Inman Middle School – a National School of Excellence, and, finally, Henry W. Grady High School – home to the Atlanta Public Schools' Communication Magnet, a Health Science Academy, a Fine Arts Academy and a Travel and Tourism Academy.
As for higher education, Ansley Park is near the campuses of the Georgia Institute of Technology, the John Marshall Law School, and the Atlanta campus of the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD).
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One of the rabbis arrested Wednesday by the FBI in a sting operation targeting a kidnapping and intimidation scheme has a long history ofadvocating for women trapped in bad marriages and representing them in religious courts.
In an interview with the Five Towns Jewish Times last summer, Rabbi Mendel Epstein said he was "disturbed by the number of women who find themselves in unbearably difficult situations" in divorce proceedings because they received bad advice from rabbis. He proposed a "bill of rights" for Jewish wives that includes " A woman in an abusive relationship has a right to seek a get."
According to the article he has been a toev, or advocate, in rabbinical courts for over 30 years.
But according to the complaint filed by the FBI, who raided the rabbi's Flatbush home and several other locations late Wednesday and Thursday in connection with the investigation, the rabbi crossed a line in his advocacy. He and two other rabbis are accused of conspiring to hire thugs that would kidnap and beat husbands who refused to fulfill the halachic requirement to hand their wives a written divorce in front of witnesses.
Rabbi Epstein spoke to agents about using 'tough guys' who would beat the husbands using karate and even electric cattle prods to force their submission, an agent said in the complaint. The fee: as high as $50,000. The rabbis allegedly convened their own bet din, or rabbinical court, to authorize their own actions.
The United States Attorney in New Jersey, Paul Fishman, told the New York Times that two dozen husbands in divorce cases have been identified who may have been abducted from New York and taken to New Jersey to be roughed up by the defendants. Their treatment included being stunned with Tasers or stun guns, prosecutors allege.
An undercover agent posing as an Orthodox woman approached two of the rabbis and said she wanted out of her marriage and was told that if her husband came to New York he would be persuaded to give the divorce, according to the complaint. In addition to Rabbi Epstein, the other rabbis arrested were Martin Wolmark and Rabbi Jacob Goldstein. Another individual was identified as Ariel Potash.
Rabbi Goldstein is not the same person as the politically active Crown Heights chasidic leader by the same name who is chairman of Brooklyn's Community Board 9.
In all, 10 people were arrested in the scheme, apprehended in a warehouse in New Jersey as they gathered to carry out a plot set up by the undercover agents, the FBI said. The case is a federal matter because it involves alleged kidnapping and crossing state lines. They remained in custody as of Friday afternoon after being denied bail by a federal judge in Trenton.
The news sheds light on the ugly world of non-amicable Orthodox divorces in which men are empowered to prevent women from moving on with their lives.
Numerous organizations have been formed to advocate for such women, known as agunot, and New York law has been amended to allow judges to consider the get status when dividing marital assets. Also, several area rabbis have been known to act as intermediaries in such cases, sometimes asking for payment for their services.
Goon squads that force recalcitrant husbands to issue the divorce have been mostly the stuff of Jewish urban legend, but in July, 2011, a Lakewood, NJ couple was accused of imprisoning a man to intimidate him into giving a get. The case is still pending.
"There may be a very small percentage of cases where this happens," said Rabbi Yehuda Levin, founder of a Brooklyn-based organization to help Agunot, GET Free, which no longer operates. He stressed that he had no firsthand knowledge of such an incident.
"But in the aftermath of the [Lakewood] arrest a few years ago, nobody with any seichel [common sense] would do such a thing. I wonder if it was some kind of Abscam type of thing." He was referring to a 1970s FBI sting operation that uncovered corruption in Congress, in which many defendants argued entrapment by the FBI.
Rabbis Epstein and Wolmark, along with the two alleged accomplices, were due to appear Thursday in U.S. District Court in Trenton, N.J. Six others could be charged, according to reports.
In the yeshiva raid, the students, of high school age, were forced to remain outside for the bulk of the law enforcement operation, the Journal News reported.
According to the complaint unsealed Wednesday morning, the rabbis charged $10,000 to persuade the rabbis on the rabbinical court to approve the kidnapping, and another up to $60,000 to pay for others to handle the kidnapping and beating and other physical torture, The Star-Ledger newspaper reported.
Epstein is a divorce mediator in the Orthodox community, according to The Star-Ledger.
JTA contributed to this report
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I hope this brings to light the struggle of husbands and fathers who are pressured into acquiescing in divorce litigation against their own benefit many men end up paying exorbitant child support and alimony payments and have little visitation rights but are accused of being recalcitrant.
I find it interesting that, even though these rabbis are accused of having beaten up dozens of recalcitrant husbands, none of these "victims" went to the police to file a complaint, until this sting operation. What this tells me is that these husbands knew that what they were doing was wrong (denying a get where one was appropriate), and that -- until the beating / prodding -- they were the ones trying to blackmail the wife into an outrageous settlement.
Sorry but what exactly did the Rabbis do wrong? ALL tactics should be permissible to free Jewish women from their abusive husbands. These men should have no rights since they take away these women's freedom. Well done to these Rabbis for taking action.
"All tactics". Even murder? That would certainly solve the problem, wouldn't it? Is that what you want, the law of the jungle?
From your comment it is apparent that you did not comprehend the matter at all. It should been very clear to you from the article that the so called "rabbinical court" of Epstein and Wolmark was a farce. There is no such thing as obtaining a PSAK (verdict) from a rabbinical court by paying in advance a bribe -five cents or the ten thousand dollars that was indeed charged-in order to obtain a specific outcome or ruling -because then the verdict is entirely invalid and void. In other words, A rabbinical court PSAK ordering a husband to give a Get derived by bribery is not a PSAK. What remains here, in each of the Epstein/Wolmark kidnappings, a husband is being forced via kidnapping and torture to give a Get -ABSENT A VALID PSAK. The resulting Get is INVALID. No authentic Halachic opinion can validate such a worthless Get. The foolish women that paid $50,000.00 to Epstein and Wolmark et al. were duped and robbed of their money. In essence they received the equivalence of worthless tissue paper for their money but no Get. They therefore remain married to their first husband. If they remarry they are according to Halacha a "zona"(as in ill reputed woman), and children from any subsequent marriage are illegitimate -known as mamzeirim - according to the Torah. The wicked and cruel Epstein and Wolmark both know this but prefer the $$$ over destroying the souls of these women and kids.
What a chilul Hashem to see the newspaper headlines: The Prodfather and Kosher Assault.
And where does one begin? That a man would refuse to give a get in a failed marriage? That a beit din can be bought for $10,000? That rabbis engage in kidnapping and criminal assault (albeit the type that does not leave visible marks)? Or a system that permits husbands to refuse to give a get and keep a woman an agunah unless she pays an extortion fee?
And now the whole world gets to chortle over the crazy religious Jews. A light unto the nations indeed.
Dirty or not the fact is these Rabbi's where operating a needed service. I just hope they didn't extort Women. A lot of the type of men who refuse to give their Wife a get are also sicko enough to do worse things.
While it's possible that these rabbis operated "a needed service", they were certainly not altruistic. They charged $10,000 to buy the beit din and $50,000 to beat / electrically prod / extort the "agreement" to issue the get. In their own way, they also extorted the women. The real solution is to change the divorce rules so that the woman does not have to depend on the agreement of the husband to issue the divorce. Prenuptial agreements address some of the problems but are not in and of themselves fool proof as a recalcitrant husband can still refuse to agree to a get. I can't believe that this is what the Torah wanted.
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Not every team epitomizes greatness and dominance when it is victorious in the Super Bowl.
Winning close games and narrowly escaping the agony of defeat is one way to hoist the Lombardi Trophy, and while that path may not be the most exciting or exhilarating, it has been traveled on multiple occasions.
So, which teams have won it all, but look inferior to their championship brethren in retrospect?
It is not that these teams were not deserving of a Super Bowl, but rather that they do not stack up when compared to the greatest units the NFL has ever seen.
Let's start in the 1980s, with a team led by Hall of Famers like Joe Montana, Jerry Rice and Steve Young...


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