text: Sheryl Crow's been diagnosed with a brain tumour Sheryl Crow Wed-06-Jun-12 17:44 Share this Tell Us What You Think WTF 0 LOL 0 FAIL 0 OMG 0 HOT 0 CUTE 0 ] SHERYL CROW has been diagnosed with a benign brain tumour. The Grammy-winning singer, 50, went public with her latest health scare an interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal columnist Doug Elfman on Monday. She told the reporter, "I was worried about my memory so much that I went and got an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging scan). And I found out I have a brain tumour. And I was, like, 'See? I knew there was something wrong'." But Crow insists the meningioma is not cancerous: "I haven't really talked about it... But it's benign, so I don't have to worry about it." And her representative has assured fans the condition is a common one which won't affect the singer's current U.S. tour. She says, "Half of us are walking around with (meningioma) but you don't really know unless you happen to have an MRI. (Crow) has no symptoms and everything is fine. It was a random mention during the interview. It was not meant to alarm anyone. She is doing great and is healthy and happy." Crow battled breast cancer in 2006. WENN.com You May Also Like Sheryl Crow blames her brain tumour on her cellphone What does Sheryl Crow say about her ex Lance Armstrong Become a fan of The Edge on Facebook and on Twitter .


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Bekandjesse's Traveler Profile
I have traveled to 12 countries, posted 1,373 pictures and written 96 entries in 1 travel blog
Recent Entries by Bekandjesse
Anniversaries are the best - Jan 18, 2010
With our first loop of the US completed it's time to reflect on an amazing year – 365 days, 12 countries, 31 US states, thousands of photos, and countless miles of travel. We've seen s...
Snow! We mean SNOW!!! - Jan 2, 2010
Hey gang! We hope the new year has been treating everyone well. We've started this year off with a bang, a big wintery snowball bang. We certaintly wouldnt call ourselves winter people (ha, ha ......
Celebrations! - Jan 1, 2010
Hello everyone, December is the time to celebrate and here it is already. As always the year has flown by but what a fantastic year we've had! We made it safely back to Arizona, through a big dust ...

subset: commoncrawl


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Ask Permission Before Criticizing
Critical review of other people's work is a necessary part of any collaborative activity. No matter how competently somebody has performed their work, feedback from others is almost always helpful.
Unfortunately, people can be hurt by such feedback. No matter how constructive the critique is or how well-intentioned the critic is, it can sting to be told that one's work is flawed. The recipient may interpret the critique only as a sign of disapproval, and not as a helpful suggestion. Things are even worse when it is necessary for the critic to
to get the point across. The hurt feelings can harm interpersonal relationships and lead to a defensive closing of communication.
Due to the potential for negative side-effects, many people are reluctant to provide any feedback other than glowing praise. Others are not reluctant to criticize, but unintentionally cause harm when the recipient is not in the right frame of mind to accept it.
Before making critical statements, ask permission. A question like "Would you like my opinion?" or "Can I show you another way to do this?" may seem to be unnecessary (after all, the recipient is not going to answer "No"), but it serves these purposes:
It starts a potentially uncomfortable exchange on a friendly, polite note.
It reminds the recipient that the critic is trying to help and teach, not to insult or gloat.
It gives the recipient a moment to prepare emotionally for the criticism.
It makes the recipient feel like a participant in the process, rather than a victim.
Any hurt feelings that the recipient does have are less likely to turn into defensive hostility toward the critic.
The recipient is less likely to
the criticism as just another complaint or insult from some hostile jerk.
When you have made your intentions clear, it is easier to make critical statements without concern that the recipient will take offense. After you have done this, a level of mutual trust and understanding will develop that makes further requests for permission unnecessary.
A fully verbalized request for permission is not required. Subtle signals are often even more effective. Raising an eyebrow, squinting your eyes, clearing your throat, pointing at something, or going "Hmmmm...." may be enough to get the other person to ask "What? Do you see something?"
This works both for individuals and for teams. If a manager or coach asks permission first, the team is more likely to accept criticism and to actively participate in group discussions of problems.
Asking permission is simply a polite way to begin an exchange that could become uncomfortable; it is not a complete solution to the problem. The critic still needs to determine the proper form of criticism, based upon the nature of personal and professional relationships and of the subject under review. Asking permission first does not give the critic
carte blanche
to abuse, insult, threaten, or belittle the recipient.
Note that asking for permission to criticize is not really asking for permission. Nobody is going to answer "No, I don't want you to tell me what you think." So don't ask for permission if you are not sure the recipient is really in the right frame of mind.
Like any other people-skill technique, this can backfire if somebody feels that you are manipulating them with it. Most people won't fault you for being too nice, but be careful that you don't come across as condescending or patronizing.
Note: On this page, we're using the original meaning of the word
analyzing, evaluating, and appreciating literary or artistic works.
It is unfortunate that too many people don't know the difference between criticism and "finding faults and heaping harsh judgement on the work, on the author of the work, and on the parents of the author.". Should we pedantically insist on using words correctly, or would we communicate more effectively by using the phrase "suggestions for improvement" instead? --
Don't Ask, Don't Tell
My recommendation for criticism is, don't do it. Don't ask for permission and don't tell your criticism, either.
If someone has been given direction to do something and he does it within the scope of the guidelines given to him, what right does anyone have to come in afterwards and say the task was done incorrectly? If someone is in the position to help while the task is ongoing, it is fine to provide assistance. Once, it is done, however, the task is done, and there is no justification for another to come in and say "I could have done it better."
Help accomplish the task, but do not criticize the results.
How do you help accomplish the task without identifying problem areas and suggesting changes? That's the kind of criticism I'm talking about. I agree that Monday-morning quarterbacking is useless and unjustified, but saying "I think I know how we can do this better" is a necessary part of any collaborative activity. Criticism is not a bad thing, but it can certainly be done badly. Your statements above are critical, but your criticism is respectful, helpful, and non-confrontational. That's
and it is valuable. Withholding all criticism is a great way to win friends, but it is not a good idea if you want to improve the quality of a product or process.
What do we mean by
here? If somebody's doing something in a less-than-perfect way, and then something happens that lets them do it in a better way, why are we calling that
criticism? We could just as easily call it education, or a sharing of ideas.
By "criticism" we are referring to the ideas in
, etc. Simply put, criticism is the practice of analyzing and evaluating something. Yes, criticism is at its best an educational and sharing of ideas. However, criticism starts by analyzing and evaluating an existing work, rather than by introducing new principles or ideas, and the danger is that the creator of that work will be hurt if the evaluation is not a positive one. Asking permission first mitigates that danger.
Asking permission sometimes helps, but it's important to realize that what's most important is what you say
you ask for permission. Most people will grant permission for others to do or say
to them - if and only if it's done in a way that is respectful to them, and where they're coming from. And if you say it disrespectfully, then it won't matter whether or not you explicitly asked permission beforehand.
I think the same thing about when people say "I hope you don't take offense at this, but ..." If you think the listener might take offense, and offending them isn't your goal, then take the time to say it in a way so they won't take offense. If you don't know how to do that, then learn. Apologizing first fixes nothing.
Unless I'm in an explicitly teaching mode, I try never to say "It would work better if you did it this way." I try instead, to package what I'm saying as simply the unthreatening presentation of another option. The person is then free to take that option or leave it. I find myself using phrases like "In my experience" and "What works for me" a lot. 99% of the time that's sufficient; you couch new ideas in non-confrontational packages and most people are very happy to consider them and make use of them.
Before versus after. As noted above "criticism starts by analyzing and evaluating an existing work." If one wants to help someone, why not help by setting the direction before he starts, not by suggesting a different approach after he is done? If one cannot or will not suggest an approach before the task starts, he loses all rights to criticize the task once it is complete. Teach what should be done (future); don't evaluate what has been done (past).
What in the above paragraph makes you think it's about past vs future? Such tactics work as well before as after.
The phrase "criticism starts by analyzing and evaluating an existing work, rather than by introducing new principles or ideas" explicitly states that it is past tense not future.
Sorry, I wasn't being clear. What is it about the paragraph that starts with "Unless I'm in an explicitly teaching mode" that makes you bring up the past vs future opposition?
How is criticism (or opposition) done for the future? If the paragraph is about proposing alternative approaches to be taken, then we are in agreement. I just don't see how that falls under the definition of criticism. Should the referenced paragraph be read as in support of or in opposition to criticism?
I can't answer that question - I never had the patience to figure out what
actually means. I was just pointing that regardless of whether or not you ask for permission first, you still have to be respectful and understanding when you actually say what you're going to say. (Regardless of what you say can be called "criticism" or "sharing" or "foobar" or whatever.)
Critical review of other people's work is a necessary part of any collaborative activity
Anyone care to justify the initial assumption on this page? What possible advantage arises from such criticism? Doesn't elimination of criticism make any collaborative activity more successful?
The word "criticism" here does not mean simply "expression of disapproval", which I agree is without value and often harmful. Synonyms for "criticism" include "critique", "analysis", "review", "feedback", and "suggestions for improvement". How can people collaborate effectively without giving one another feedback and advice?
If I look at a colleague's code and say "Hey, it looks like this variable isn't initialized before use.", that's criticism. Would elimination of such criticism make our collaboration more successful? I don't think so - such criticism should be encouraged, not eliminated.
It is important to create an environment where such criticism is not taken personally by its recipients. The
page seems to say that critics should just assume that such an environment exists, and to not worry about people's feelings - anyone who takes offense is just immature and unprofessional. I disagree; I think it is necessary to proactively take steps to create and nurture that kind of environment.
is one way to help create that environment.
Instead of criticizing afterwards, why not teach beforehand? Instead of searching someone's code for uninitialized variables, why not show him techniques to ensure variables are initialized? If the uninitialized variable was a recurring pattern in the individual's code, then the criticism is of no value in preventing the mistake from reoccurring. If the uninitialized variable was a rare oversight, then again, the criticism is of no value in preventing the mistake from recurring; just silently fix the problem. To repeat the prior question, what advantages arise from criticism?
Am I the only one who finds it ironic that this page is being criticized by people who say that one should never criticize? --
Answer: ironic (3) not ironic(0)
Maybe that's because the words "criticize", "criticism", and "critical" have a more loaded connotation in the context of this Wiki than in day-to-day conversation. -- francis
Suppose this applied to real life? How many real-life people would take the time to criticize one so delicate as to require permission to criticize? Would it not be better to just leave them in the fantasyland of their own making? Where they never learn but what they want to learn, never go anywhere but where they want to go, never work more than they want to work, never allow anything seemingly unreasonable to their sensibilities to be done to them, never accept responsibilities for what they do, to think their work and words are above criticism and should not be subject to others testing, validation and criticism.
My experience has been that the vast majority of people on this earth genuinely want to learn, but that desire is easier to bring out if you do it a way that's respectful and non-confrontational.
Ok, then they should learn first that
. This is the
right foundation for true learning. Give up your pretension of being smart and accept that
is for weenies. It's insulting to someone's intelligence and integrity to ask him for permission to criticize. It's like asking
are you not that kind of moron that gets offended for no good reason?
. Ok, if you suspect he is a moron then you better ask, and who knows, he might be even flattered. The best advice is then to move on and avoid having to deal with this kind of person.
The other problem is that sometimes it happens that the morons we're talking about are in a position of power where they can impact you whether you deal with them or not. So then dealing with them in a hypocritical fashion may be justified and a good thing to do.
The best solution to this problem is not to
, but rather persuading them to believe that if they need to change something, it will not be a result of any criticism of yours (be sure that even if you asked for permission, it's not welcome). Make them believe it is
who came up with a bright idea. This is a well known technique for dealing with morons, consequently I think that we should commit to avoid such things on wiki.
It would be great if we could assume that people know that
, but only a moron would assume so. The basic rule of "people skills" is that you have to deal with people as they are, not as you would like them to be. You can't demand or expect that other people's minds operate by your rules. There are plenty of smart people who are overly sensitive to criticism, and plenty of morons who are not sensitive to it at all--intelligence and talent have nothing to do with it. Fatigue and stress can cause even the strongest of people to become defensive. Unless you work exclusively with Vulcans and androids, you need to consider people's emotional responses if you want to communicate effectively with them.
If you think some person would be offended by simple politeness, then don't be polite when talking to that person, but such people are rare. I do agree that
would be a bad thing to do in wiki, in academic circles, in design review meetings, or anywhere else that it is clearly unnecessary, but that doesn't mean it is inappropriate for other parts of "real life".
A few very interesting points:
You can't demand or expect that other people's minds operate by your rules.
Of course not. Still people are demanded and expected to operate by some common sense group rules, that's the basic of society. And there are societies and societies (speaking of group of people).
is not
rule, but is rather a commonly agreed rule in the circles that formed me as an intellectual and shape my formation. I would rather not waste much time in societies where
is not among the unwritten rules. Yes, in the large overall society, this rule is not agreed upon and even considered an
. So be it, my mentors taught me to be careful and "stay away from the herd".
There are plenty of smart people who are overly sensitive to criticism.
They may be smart but not that smart after all, are they? If they are smart, it should be easier for them to learn that CriticsAreYourBestFriend
. If you want to be friends with such persons that you know they are smart and have affinities with, but are overly sensitive to criticism, one thing you know is because they are smart they'll have no problem assimilating
. Be upfront about that, and try to help them understand that lesson instead of asking for permission and let them be deluded into thinking that they're granting you a favor. That's what good friends are for after all, not to flatter but to criticize.
If you think some person would be offended by simple politeness.
Now you made me curious. Please give me a practical example. Imagine that we stay face to face, and we talk about
(or any topic it suits your example). How exactly (in what words) would you ask me for permission to criticize without sounding ridiculous. Somebody on this page mentioned something very smart: don't do it. If you have to ask for permission, it's better not to criticize at all.
There are many ways to adjust criticism to the situation, from
down to CriticizeSoftly
to "make them believe is their idea" to "don't say nothing at all, observe and move on". The very last thing in the world I would do, even from a social skills point of view is to ask permission.
It's a loose loose proposition: you either sound ridiculous, or you sound flattering/hypocritical, or they'll give you a formal permission just to save face in the context, and they'll get back against you later when you least expect (have you considered this scenario?). What's the point?
I've explained it as clearly as I know how. If you think it's ridiculous, I can live with that.
I understand and appreciate your advice (by the way, don't consider this empty flattering). Maybe this pattern should have been named something like "Give Subtle Hints", and "Carefully Test The Ground", which we all should agree are valuable skills when you walking mine fields (well, let's hope we're all walking fields of gold). Ask permission before criticizing really sounds bad to my ears.
But here's what happens in Real Life (TM): you give subtle hints, explore the territory, ask
"Do you want to know my opinion ?"
in a typical design meeting. The culprit will always say yes. What else can he say? Chances are that he is stubborn (we already assume that he gets not
). He will pretend to welcome your idea, but gloss it over, even with a little bit of flattering. If he's in very serious error maybe he will correct the course but he will remember the "happening". If his ideas are just worse than yours but not catastrophic, be sure he'll make every effort (read dirty trick) to win the argument, and you already just created yourself a serious handicap by asking permission.
Either way, the person in question already perceives you as a critic in any way you want to put it, even if a "polite critic", typically this only makes a superficial difference or even worse, the person in question will think of you as a cunning critic. This means a "competitive threat" in his career ambitions. What do you do? With people who don't "get"
, you're in serious trouble.
"May I request permission to tell you your work really sucks?"
Alternatively PutIdeasInTheirMouth
See also
View edit of
May 30, 2013
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Make a home for wildlife
2 November 2009
Taking care of your feeders, bird table and birdbath will reduce the chances of spreading diseases
Image: RSPB online shop
When a large number of birds are attracted into an area to feed, the danger of disease increases. Prevention is always better than a cure, and is the best thing you can do to help the birds.
Most diseases are transmitted by droppings. If contaminated droppings mix with food, the birds run a risk of picking up the infection. Since the contamination can originate either from other birds or from animals (such as rats), it's important to guard against infection from both sources in your garden.
Good hygiene is particularly important during the summer months. The warmer weather can make food go off quicker, and can provide ideal conditions for harmful bacteria.


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I'm absolutely thrilled to let you know that my new book is now available! It's a primer on teaching in an online or blended environment, both for new online teachers and experienced ones looking for some new tricks. The project has been a labor of love and I truly hope it encourages you on your journey. You can find it on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or directly from the publisher, Wiley. It's also available in Kindle and Nook formats.
Teaching on the Education Frontier Released!


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A service of Brown Community Management, Inc.


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text:
U.S. companies are sitting on a total of more than $1 trillion in cash, but many are being rather stingy with their dividend payouts while they wait to see how the economic recovery progresses.
There is one company, however, whose management was confident enough to boost its dividend payment recently by 40%. This real estate investment trust (REIT) has raised its third-quarter dividend to 28 cents a share, which makes for a 4% annual yield.
With 40 hotel properties and 10,600 rooms in the U.S., this REIT caters to the upscale business travel and leisure travel markets, which have slowly begun to recover from the recession. The REIT looks for markets where there are barriers to entry, making it difficult to build new properties, as well as those where demand is robust, which allows it to charge profitable rates on its hotel rooms.
The REIT gets 90% of its earnings from nine of the U.S.' largest and best-known metro markets, and its hotels are managed by such well-known operators as Kimpton, Westin, Starwood (NYSE: HOT) and Hyatt Hotels (NYSE: H). The REIT I'm talking about is LaSalle Hotel Properties (NYSE: LHO).
|After backing out renovation expenses at its Park Central Hotel in New York, LaSalle's RevPAR grew 6.7%.
LaSalle's revenue rose 8.5% in the second quarter from the same period last year, and its revenue for the first half of 2013 rose about 10% from the first six months of last year. The REIT's funds from operations (FFO) per share -- a measure of earnings that accounts for a REIT's real-estate-heavy portfolio -- was also up more than 10% in the second quarter and more than 20% for the first half of the year.
Perhaps more importantly, the REIT -- whose profit margin was a healthy 37% -- saw its revenue per available room (RevPAR) rise 0.9% in the second quarter as hotel occupancies went up, allowing LaSalle to get better rates for its rooms. After backing out renovation expenses at its Park Central Hotel in New York, however, LaSalle's RevPAR grew 6.7%, which may be more indicative of its revenue growth going forward.
Over the past five years, LaSalle has seen its hotel revenue grow from $587 million in 2008 to $862 million, with earnings per share rising nearly ninefold, from 6 cents to 52 cents. The company has forecast FFO of up to $2.23 a share for the year, making for a price-to-earnings ratio of about 11.5.
Risks to Consider: The hotel sector is very competitive, and demand for rooms could cool if the economy falters again. LaSalle has taken on debt on which interest rates could go up, which could cut down on its profits even though it uses hedges to ward off this risk.
Action to Take --> REITs are required to pay as much as 90% of their income to shareholders, so there is a good possibility of higher dividend payments for LaSalle's owners. There is also some upside on the stock as the REIT continues to grow. Because construction activity was down during the recession, fewer hotel rooms coming online as demand is going up, so the REIT is anticipating a favorable environment for the near term.


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This month marks the changing of the guard at the Governor's Residence in Bexley as the Taft family moves on and the Stricklands settle in. And while most Ohioans view this event with a partisan eye, for June McCarthy, the executive chef for the Governor's Residence, the change is more likely to affect her pantry than her politics.
"Mrs. Taft's carrot cake, that's been the birthday cake around here," laughs McCarthy. "It's the one thing Governor Taft just loves." This January 8 marks the first time in eight years that McCarthy won't be baking this Taft-family tradition for the former governor's birthday celebration. "But," she adds, changing her tone from observational to authoritative "the recipe really is perfect."
"The [Governor's Residence Cookbook] is about two years in the making," says McCarthy. According to the chef, the impetus occurred in 2004 while meeting with other governors' chefs at a conference she helped to organize in Washington, D.C. "The chef from Missouri brought each of us a copy of his cookbook," she says. "I thought it would be great fun to create one for [Ohio]."
The cookbook is part kitchen tool, part history lesson, with eight chapters corresponding to each of the eight families who have lived in the residence. Chapter One - "First Courses & Appetizers"-introduces readers to the home's first first family, the O'Neills', who moved into the mansion at 358 North Parkview Avenue in 1957 (the home was actually built in 1925 and occupied by two families before it was donated to the state). Along with stories of Governor O'Neill's political history, black-and-white family photos and a tidbit about Betty O'Neill's frequent tea parties share space with her shrimp au gratin recipe on the opening pages.
"Each chapter begins with a recipe from a former first lady," explains McCarthy. "For each administration, we tried to put pictures in of what the Governor's Residence looked like at that time, along with little stories and photos that come from the families themselves. The beginning [of the book] is the beginning of the residence, and all of the chapters tell the story down through the Taft administration," she says.
Telling the story of the Residence was as important to the project as providing enticing recipes. Proceeds from the sale of the book go to the Ohio Governor's Residence Foundation, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization created to "help preserve, sustain and enhance the Governor's Residence and Heritage Garden" according to a link on its Web site, www.governorsresidence.ohio.gov. "That's something not everyone understands," adds McCarthy. "Your tax dollars pay for the residence's needs - a new roof etc. The foundation is for its wants," she explains, patting the scarlet-cushioned chair underneath her. "These chairs are very new. Before that it was mix and match - we didn't have enough chairs that were all the same." With help from the foundation, the formal dining room now has 14 coordinating chairs for its guests.
McCarthy spent hours in the kitchen, testing and retesting and eliminating the "sketchy" recipes for the book. She had help with the historical research from Hope Taft and Mary Alice Mairose, curator for the Governor's Residence Foundation. "My contributions [to the book] were part of a larger project," says Mairose. "The history of the Governor's Residence is not well documented, and we have been working to develop the history of the house for educational purposes."
Mairose says she contributed background information she and Hope Taft had already compiled through interviews with families and research. Not all of her material made it into the book.
"The Celeste administration hired the first chef," says Mairose. "Initially, all of the house staff were inmates from the old Ohio Penitentiary [in Columbus], including the cooks," she says. "There were one or two employees on staff, but the majority of the workforce from 1957 to 1970 were inmates." McCarthy adds that during that time the first ladies could frequently be found in the kitchen as well.
Not all of the recipes in the book come from former first ladies. The majority of the entries are a combination of family recipes - Turkey Vanderbilt from Governor Taft's maternal grandmother - and recipes that Chef McCarthy and her predecessor, Chef Frannie Packard, have developed. Still, all of the entries at some point graced the first table, and the book shares stories about some of the more prestigious guests who have enjoyed them. The Simple Sweet Scones with Lemon Curd were the highlight of a tea hosted for Barbara Bush by First Lady Janet Voinovich (apparently Mrs. Bush, mindful of the calorie intake, called Chef Packard a "naughty girl" for the indulgence). When the Reverend Billy Graham paid a visit, he was treated to Governor Voinovich's French Bread with dinner. "After dinner he went into the kitchen and told Frannie [Packard] 'that's the best bread I've ever eaten!'" quips McCarthy. Along with trivia bits, each recipe includes chef's notes for shortcuts or substitutions. Few of the recipes have more than five steps, and all can be made in less than 30 minutes.
McCarthy takes great pride in pleasing the palates of Governor's Residence diners. What starts out as a professional relationship with each first family inevitably seems to soften through the years, and she shares a few humanizing anecdotes that the voters rarely get to see. "I kind of tease about Governor Taft when people ask me what his favorite dish is," she smiles. "I always answer 'the one he had last night.' He's a great eater, and I don't think there's one dish he loves more than another. He's a lot of fun to feed."
"I could always, with Governor Voinovich, say trout," she continues. "He liked to go fishing to relax, and he brought back all of the trout that he caught. So we had a constant supply of trout in the freezer," she says. "If I thought he was having a difficult day I would make a trout dish for dinner. You could just see his face perk up - he'd say "Oh! We're having trout tonight!"
As taxpayers, we should thank McCarthy and other residence staff, who donated immeasurable amounts of time to keep costs for the cookbook down. But it's clear that the project was a labor of love, and she hopes her efforts will translate into memorable experiences for those who buy it. "My first hope is that people will look at the recipes and say 'wow, that sounds good,'" she laughs. "Then after they make them say 'wow, it was even better than I thought.'
"My other hope is when the Stricklands come to the residence they'll want to have another printing, but add another chapter from the Strickland family."
The Governor's Residence Cookbook is available for $20 at the Governor's Residence in Bexley, the Statehouse Museum Shop, Cherry Valley Lodge in Newark and Robert Rothschild Farm in Urbana, or by visiting www.governorsresidence.ohio.gov
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News + Updates
Browse recent news and stories about John Dennis.
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Learn about the memorable moments in the evolution of John Dennis.
1657 Birth Born in 1657.
1679 22 Years Old He was born in Harrow, London. He was educated at Harrow School and Caius College, Cambridge, where he took his B.A. degree in 1679. … Read More
1683 26 Years Old He was, however, received at Trinity Hall, where he took his M.A. degree in 1683. … Read More
1704 47 Years Old 2 More Events
In the years prior to 1704 he reigned as one of the leading coffee house wits alongside Congreve.
1706 49 Years Old His Essay on Italian Opera in 1706 argues that the introspection encouraged by the sensuality of music, but particularly Italian opera, is harmful to public spirit at a time of war.
1711 54 Years Old 2 More Events
In 1711 he fell out with both Joseph Addison and Alexander Pope.
1729 72 Years Old Dennis' forensic skills as a critic enabled him to critique the flaws in the far younger poet's observations, intended to show "that as there is a great deal of venom in this little gentleman's temper, nature has very wisely corrected it with a great deal of dullness…as there is no creature in nature so venomous, there is nothing so stupid and so impotent as a hunch-back'd toad; and a man must be very quiet and very passive, and stand still to let him fasten his teeth and his claws, or to be supriz'd sleeping by him, before that animal can have any power to hurt him." Lacerating pamphlets followed on both sides, culminating in Pope's Dunciad, and in a scathing note in the edition of 1729 (Book I, 1, 106), which included an insulting epigram attributed to Richard Savage, but now generally ascribed to Pope himself.
1734 77 Years Old … Dennis died within three weeks of this performance, on 6 January 1734. … Read More
Original Authors of this text are noted on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dennis_(dramatist).
Text is made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.
Text is made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.


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Kenneth \Babyface\ Edmonds
Blake Lively Hits the Recording Studio with Babyface for Upcoming Film All I See Is You
Originally posted 03/07/2016 01:30PM
Is Blake Lively giving pop stardom a shot?
Father's Day Special: Colbie Caillat on Her Dad's Influence, Why She Went Makeup-Free for 'Try' Video
Originally posted 06/13/2014 09:00AM
Colbie Caillat doesn't love basketball ("I don't have the attention span for sports," she tells PEOPLE, laughing), but when she takes the court to perform the National Anthem during Game 5 of the NBA Finals, she'll be honoring a very special fan: her dad.
See Babyface's Elegant Wedding Portrait
Originally posted 05/22/2014 08:00AM
Here comes the bride!
Kenneth 'Babyface' Edmonds Weds Nicole Pantenberg
Originally posted 05/19/2014 12:15PM
Congrats are in order for R&B crooner Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds. The producer/singer said "I Do" to longtime girlfriend Nikki Pantenberg on Saturday in Southern California.
Babyface Engaged to Nicole Pantenburg
Originally posted 02/11/2014 01:30PM
Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and his longtime girlfriend Nicole Pantenburg are engaged after seven years of dating, his rep confirms to PEOPLE.
The Voice: RaeLynn, Tony Lucca Win Their Battles
Originally posted 03/06/2012 08:45AM
With the teams of 12 in place, coaches Christina Aguilera, Blake Shelton, Adam Levine and Cee Lo Green faced tough decisions Monday night as The Voice's battle rounds began.
But they had help: Kelly Clarkson and Shelton's wife Miranda Lambert assisted Team Blake; Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and Ne-Yo advised Team Cee Lo; Alanis Morissette and Robin Thicke helped Team Adam; and Jewel and Lionel Richie guided Team Christina.
Levine picked U2's "Beautiful Day" for Chris Cauley and former Mouseketeer Tony Lucca. Both singers were strong in battle. Cee Lo said Lucca "articulated the song a lot clearer." Blake said he'd choose Cauley because his pitch was spot on. But Levine opted for Lucca saying, "Tony, you blow me away."
Kenneth 'Babyface' Edmonds Is a New Dad!
Originally posted 09/26/2008 04:15PM
A baby for "Babyface": Grammy-winning R&B singer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and his girlfriend Nicole Pantenburg have welcomed their first child together, the couple confirm to PEOPLE exclusively.
Daughter Peyton Nicole Edmonds was born in Los Angeles at 6:55 p.m. on Sept. 9, weighing 5 lbs., 7 oz.
"Nicole and I couldn't be happier to have a new baby girl in the family," Edmonds tells PEOPLE. "And my two sons are thrilled to have a little sister."
Babyface's Wife Files for Divorce
Originally posted 01/05/2006 12:00PM
Tracey Edmonds, the wife of Grammy-winning R&B singer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, has filed for divorce after 13 years of marriage.
Kenny 'Babyface' Edmonds and Wife Split
Originally posted 10/06/2005 08:00AM
After September brought what seemed a record number of celebrity breakups – Renee Zellweger and Kenny Chesney, Paris Hilton and Paris Latsis, Sophia Bush and Chad Michael Murphy, Tori Spelling and Charlie Shanian, Kathy Griffin and Matt Moline, and Jamie-Lynn DiScala and A.J. DiScala – now comes news that R&B singer-songwriter Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds and his wife Tracey have gone their separate ways.
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"Our house is rustic with modern and contemporary touches," Kalie explains. "Due to the lack of a traditional ceiling in the kitchen, we needed lights that would accentuate the beams while keeping a simple, clean look." While looking for USA-made fixtures online, Jeff remembered a porcelain barn light from the 1930s in his family's old camp on Lake Bonaparte. The couple was thrilled to find that Barn Light Electric had revived the process of porcelain enamel manufacturing with many styles and options available right here in America.
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The first month of 2010 has been a roller coaster ride for the Mets and their fans already. Here are some headlines and tidbits that occurred in April.
Another successful opening act: On April 5, the Mets improved their all-time opening day record to 32-17 with a 7-1 win over the Marlins. Johan Santana went 6 strong innings while David Wright hit a two-run homer in his first at-bat of the season.
Manuel and Mets "unprepared" against Livan: After a 5-2 defeat to the Nationals on April 11, Jerry Manuel explains that his team was "unprepared" to face Washington pitcher (and former Met) Livan Hernandez. The Mets managed only 5 hits while being shut-out by Hernandez over 7 innings. The statement by Manuel lights the fire for media and fans that began to call for his job.
Mets & Cards show offensive futility in 20-inning marathon: The Mets outlast the Cardinals 2-1 after 20 innings on April 17. The game lasts 6 hours and 53 minutes and all but one rostered player on each team (Oliver Perez) appears in the game. Both starting pitchers, Johan Santana and Jaime Garcia are excellent through the first 7 innings. Santana allows 0 runs on only 4 hits while Garcia pitches no-hit ball for 5 innings. In extra innings, the Cardinals give away many chances to end the game including twice having the pitcher hit with bases loaded. After the game went scoreless into the 19th, the Mets push across a run only to have their closer Francisco Rodriguez cough up the lead in the bottom half. The Mets go ahead again with a run off of position player Joe Mather in the 20th. Starter Mike Pelfrey closes the game out with the save and the Mets win 2-1.
Where are the bats?: The Mets offensive woes were evident throughout the entire month. Both David Wright and Jason Bay were slumping while Jeff Francoeur's hot bat cooled down. And despite the fact that the offense started to come alive in the final weeks, the Mets still ranked at the bottom of the Majors in Batting (27th), Runs (21st), Hits (21st), HR (24th) and Total Bases (24th). Of their 21 games so far, the Mets have scored more than 5 runs only 5 times.
We like Ike: After a great showing in spring training and AAA, Mets first base prospect Ike Davis is called up to make Major League debut on April 19 against the Cubs. It was much debated about whether Davis should have made the big club out of spring training or started in AAA for seasoning. But with the injury to Daniel Murphy and the struggles of replacements Mike Jacobs and Fernando Tatis, the Mets decided that it was time for Davis. He did not disappoint going 2 for 2 with an RBI in his first game as the Mets beat the Cubs 6-1. He has played well so far and has also generated some excitement among the fans.
The pitching leads the way: Heading into the season there was much uncertainty regarding the pitching staff. They have exceeded expectations. Johan Santana has been his usually self, but now has had Mike Pelfrey and Jon Niese to lean on. Pelfrey is 4-0 with a Major League leading 0.69 ERA including 24 consecutive scoreless innings. Niese, despite not registering a victory, has pitched well getting out of jams. The bullpen has been a breath of fresh air. Fernando Nieve and Pedro Feliciano have been stellar while AAA retread Raul Valdes has been excellent. Beasts from the east, Ryota Igarashi and Hisanori Takahashi have stepped up as well. Before injuring his hamstring, Igarashi was emerging as the 8th inning set-up man. Takahashi has won 2 games while providing good middle/long relief. And despite a scarce workload, Francisco Rodriguez looks better than ever.
An epic and historic home stand: The Mets returned home on April 19th with a 4-8 record. With Manuel's job in jeopardy this early in the season, a strong home stand was needed. They opened by taking 3 of 4 against the struggling Cubs. Next, the Mets swept the defensively challenged Braves, including a rain-shortened 1-0 victory on April 25th. Finally, with the pitching depleted Dodgers in town, the Mets took a doubleheader 4-0 and 10-5 on April 27th. The next day they closed out their second straight series sweep to finish with a 9-1 homestand, tying a franchise record.


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Gov. Maggie Hassan on the Importance of Innovation and Building a Strong Middle Class
July 26, 2013, 10:00am ET - 11:00am ET
About This Event
Gov. Maggie Hassan's long career in public service has informed her belief that educational opportunities are critical to economic mobility and to creating an entrepreneurial and innovative economy, and that family-friendly policies are key to ensuring effective workforce participation and family economic security. Please join the Center for American Progress for a discussion with Hassan as part of our Women's Leadership Series, as she addresses the importance of a strong and growing middle class to innovation and economic growth. She will also reflect on her first months in office, offering her unique perspective as one of only five sitting female governors.
Featured speaker:
Gov. Maggie Hassan (D-NH)
Moderated by:
Neera Tanden, President, Center for American Progress
Coffee will be served at 9:30 a.m.
Center for American Progress
1333 H St. NW, 10th Floor
Washington, DC20005
Nearest Metro: Blue/Orange Line to McPherson Square or Red Line to Metro Center


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As Immunotherapy Revolutionizes the Cancer Treatment...
Process Development Jobs Still the Most...
Wall Street Decline Takes Its Toll...
Quadruple Helices Appear To Have Role...
Scientists at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center–Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC–James) report that giving low doses of a particular targeted agent with an oncolytic virus might improve the effectiveness of the virus as a treatment for cancer.
Oncolytic viruses have shown promise in clinical trials for the treatment of brain cancer and other solid tumors. This cell and animal study ("Bortezomib-induced unfolded protein response increases oncolytic HSV-1 replication resulting in synergistic, antitumor effects") suggests that combining low doses of the drug bortezomib with a particular oncolytic virus might significantly improve the ability of the virus to kill cancer cells during oncolytic virus therapy. The research is published in the journal Clinical Cancer Research.
"These findings pave the way for a treatment strategy for cancer that combines low doses of bortezomib with an oncolytic virus to maximize the efficacy of the virus with little added toxicity," said principal investigator Balveen Kaur, Ph.D., professor and vice chair of research, department of neurological surgery and radiation oncology, and a member of the OSUCCC–James Translational Therapeutics Program. "Because bortezomib is already approved by the Food and Drug Administration, a clinical trial could be done relatively quickly to test the effectiveness of the drug-virus combination."
Bortezomib inhibits the activity of proteasomes, structures in cells that break down and recycle proteins. Dr. Kaur noted that blocking these "cellular recycling plants" activates a cellular stress response and increases the expression of heat shock proteins. This reaction, which can lead to bortezomib resistance, makes the cells more sensitive to oncolytic virus therapy with little additional toxicity.
For this study, Dr. Kaur and colleagues used a herpes simplex virus-type 1 oncolytic virus—HSV-1 (oHSV), 34.5ENVE.
"Combination treatment with bortezomib and oHSV, 34.5ENVE, displayed strong synergistic interaction in ovarian cancer, head & neck cancer, glioma, and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) cells. Bortezomib treatment induced ER stress, evident by strong induction of Grp78, CHOP, PERK, and IRE1α (Western blot analysis) and the [unfolded protein response] (induction of hsp40, 70, and 90)," wrote the investigators. "Bortezomib treatment of cells at both sublethal and lethal doses increased viral replication (p value <0.001), but inhibition of Hsp90 ablated this response, reducing viral replication and synergistic cell killing. The combination of bortezomib and 34.5ENVE significantly enhanced antitumor efficacy in multiple different tumor models in vivo."
According to the scientists, "The dramatic synergy of bortezomib and 34.5ENVE is mediated by bortezomib-induced UPR and warrants future clinical testing in patients."
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On behalf of the thousands of women and men served by Susan G. Komen®-funded breast health services in the National Capital Region, thank you for joining us at the 2016 Susan G. Komen Washington, D.C. Race for the Cure®!
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Game Night 1/20: Chiefs at Storm
Submitted by pete on January 20, 2006 - 22:14
Tough loss allowing 3 unanswered in the third... JHN-4 TOL-6 Jonathan Boutin stopped just 20 of 26 shots faced. Randy Rowe had 2G 2A for Johnstown as his hot streak continued. Game sheet from [url=http://www.echl.com/cgi-bin/ppublic.cgi?action=summary&id=2738]ECHL.com.[/url]
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Cooking with gas
Today we picked up five used microphones giving us a total of nine. This means we have enough to mic a whole band, including a drum kit.
Jeff F... Read more
Dreams can come true
Yesterday some packages arrived at the studio. The cabling and ends I ordered along with two large mystery boxes from Madison, WI.
It turns out, a clever and generous person... Read more
Cabling and compression
We're getting close to our first recording session. Today I ordered 100 meters of mic cable for patching everything together.
I've obtained a handful of mics, of course the mixing... Read more
Testing and way forward
We've done a little bit of testing with the newly-acquired Ramsa mixer and everything checks out. We tested levels on bass guitar, guitar, and vocals.
We may need to add... Read more
This is what we're doing with the money #1
Because of the success of our Kickstarter Project and NYE Marathon/Bake Sale, we've acquired a Ramsa WR-T820 for the heart of our live performance studio. This is an analog mixer... Read more
Home stretch // NYE DJ Marathon
Phase one is a success by most people's standards but we've decided on a final push!
New Year's Eve at The Station, we'll be having a Broadcast Marathon and... Read more
Something wonderful
Because of our awesome backers, we met our goal within 48 hours of launching this project. I'm super excited to get this thing rolling.
I expect we'll have some experimenting... Read more
Because of the support of generous backers and friends, not 24 hours after launching this campaign, we're only $40 away from the goal.
With 29 days left for the project,... Read more


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For the past two decades, Allen Hughes primary renown has been based on joint credit. He and his identical twin, Albert, are known around Hollywood as the Hughes brothers, the hydra-headed filmmaking duo responsible for such breakthroughs as the blistering 1993 gangsta drama Menace II Society and the Denzel Washington-starring post-apocalyptic thriller The Book of Eli in 2010.
Ask Allen Hughes what compelled him to dissolve the enduring creative partnership to strike out on his own this year, however, and the director is likely to start talking about The Beatles.
Its like a rock group, Hughes said. Paul McCartney and John Lennon. They got into different zones, and it became a challenge for them to get in the same zone creatively. As you get older, you become your own man. You want to show people what youre capable of. Especially when youre a twin.
After co-directing five films with Albert, Allen Hughes first solo outing is the gritty political potboiler Broken City, which reaches theaters Friday. The $35 million film follows disgraced ex-cop-turned-private eye Billy Taggart (Mark Wahlberg), who gets dragged into a web of double-dealing, back-stabbing and intrigue when New York Mayor Nicholas Hostetler (Russell Crowe) enlists him to investigate his wifes suspected infidelities. Its a movie for grown-ups that pays implicit homage to the neo-noir of such 70s suspense masters as Sidney Lumet and Roman Polanski: a throwback cocktail of greed, big-city horse trading, murder and institutional corruption.
And its certainly a far cry from the gats-and-gangs hood drama that put the Hughes brothers on the map 20 years ago.
If it was alcohol, Menace II Society would be Jack Daniels, Hughes explained. I feel like Broken City is nice wine. Its mature and opened up and complex. Substance is what I was focused on mainly.
After discovering screenwriter Brian Tuckers script on the 2008 Black List, which showcases Hollywoods hottest unproduced screenplays, Hughes earmarked the role of Taggart for Wahlberg and reached out to the star in 2010, several months before Wahlberg was to land some of the best reviews of his career for his turn in the boxing drama The Fighter.
The actor quickly signed on as both the lead and producer of Broken City.
The character is funny, edgy, tragic. Hes flawed, hes the underdog, said Hughes. Hes endearing. Hes everything that Mark is.
Thanks to the strict physical regimen he implemented to portray Jor-El, Supermans father, in director Zack Snyders upcoming Man of Steel, Russell Crowe appears slimmed down and buffed up in Broken City. He emanates a kind of purring Teflon malevolence as prime manipulator of New Yorks corridors of power.
Challenging, not difficult, is how Hughes describes the notoriously mercurial Crowes on-set mien.
The director is quick to point out that he and Albert are closer to one another at age 40 than at any other time in their lives. And Hughes put in perspective what distinguished their yin-yang partnership from that of filmdoms other successful sibling collaborations.
Whether its Tony and Ridley Scott, the Wachowskis, the Coen Brothers, theres a hierarchy. Its usually the older one who is alpha, he said.
As twins, Albert and me didnt have that. Everything had to be totally equal. But you get to the point where you go, Everythings equal. But, well, who ... am I?
I think this movie respects what my brother and I have built, Hughes continued. And at the same time, it sends the signal that Im going in this direction now.


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Star Tracks: Monday, May 16, 2016 42 years, 2,191 covers and 55,436 stories from PEOPLE magazine's history for you to enjoy
Latest News!
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People Top 5
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PEOPLE Top 5 are the most-viewed stories on the site over the past three days, updated every 60 minutes
- May 18, 1981
- Vol. 15
- No. 19
Faith Stewart-Gordon, a Carolinian Who Once Didn't Know from Borscht, Is Czarina of the Russian Tea Room
The unlikely restaurateur responsible for this oasis of belle époque splendor is a former actress from Spartanburg, S.C., Faith Stewart-Gordon, 48. "Downstairs is where a lot of people like to see each other," she says, and she personally ensures that territorial rights are enforced. The choice spaces are the side booths. Jackie Onassis rates one when she comes in at 3 p.m. on Wednesdays for pelmeny Siberian (chopped beef and veal dumplings in consommé with fresh dill and mustard sauce), a dish whose aficionados also include Mike Nichols and Helen Gurley Brown.
A front dining room table is her friend Rudi's spot, and a drink (vodka with crème de cacao) is now named the Nureyev in his honor. Elaine Kaufman, of Elaine's eatery, takes her busman's holiday at a large round dining room table. A booth near the bar is where Woody Allen sits, eating, as one waiter noted, "simple dishes, as you can see by looking at him." Those who find the crowd maddening tend to retreat to the new, less crowded second-floor cafe preferred by Alan Arkin, Joan Fontaine and William Styron. Liza Minnelli and Misha Baryshnikov gave a party there after their 1980 TV special.
"The Russian Tea Room is a private-professional club where the public is allowed," explains violinist Isaac Stern, who has grown portly on its blini. The 55-year-old institution next door to Carnegie Hall also serves more than 1,000 meals a day to lesser-known if trendy shoppers from Bendel's and Bergdorf's and to knowing out-of-towners. Moderately rich ones, of course. Table d'hôte dinners run $11 to $22.50.
No one questions the excellence—or authenticity—of the Tea Room's Russian cuisine. But anyone wishing a member of the staff a rousing "Dobriy den" would get an answering "Good day" in one of 22 different languages, but rarely in Russian: That's the native language now of only two on the staff of 150. Among them is emphatically not Faith herself. Even after two trips to the Soviet Union, she gives herself failing marks in Russian.
"But I found that my background in the theater was very helpful," adds Faith, recalling the day when her first husband, Sidney Kaye, died, leaving her with the Russian Tea Room to run on her own. "It helped in dealing with the public. And I was used to working backstage—and working pretty hard."
Faith had majored in drama at Northwestern, and graduated into a touring company and then the 1954 film of New Faces, which also introduced Eartha Kitt and Carol Lawrence. Soon Faith moved on to New York to play in Broadway's Ondine. There in 1957 she met and married Kaye, a former chemistry teacher turned restaurateur, and had her daughter, Ellen, two years later.
The restaurant she inherited in 1967 had come a long way from the simple tea shop and bakery opened by Russian immigrant Jakob Zysman in 1926. But to improve it further, Faith decided to "get rid of the haphazard look and make it elegant." In went new carpets, mirrors, mahogany, marble, brass and more samovars. She contemplated removing the Art Deco chandeliers, then just hid them with the trademark Christmas tinsel and red balls that adorn the establishment year round. Helping with the planning for the past 12 years is Faith's second husband, James Stewart-Gordon, 63, a bon vivant and roving editor for Reader's Digest. "Faith altered the restaurant from a seedy, rundown place to what you see today," he says proudly.
Next in the Stewart-Gordons' expansion plan is a move into retail and mail order, and already Bloomingdale's is hawking Tea Room pastries. But the focus remains the restaurant. "James and I keep trying to make it better, to make people happy and enjoy being there," says Faith, who is there herself 40 hours a week. "There's just no end to it."
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By Jay Mann, Fort Rucker Public AffairsJuly 20, 2011
FORT RUCKER, Ala. -- Thrift shop patrons now have a new building to find their deals.
The Fort Rucker Thrift Shop moved recently to the corner of Red Cloud and 5th Avenue, in front of the movie theater and next door to the bowling center.
The location is perfect, according to Donna Woodham, store manager.
"The building is beautiful," she said. "We have so much more product we can get out on the floor because we have more space. That will allow us to sell more. We can make more money and give back to the community.
"The money we make, our profits, goes back into the Fort Rucker community and surrounding areas through the form of welfare grants," Woodham explained. "People can go on our website and download the forms."
Some of the organizations the thrift shop has helped are community libraries, schools, Scouting programs, wounded warriors, holiday food baskets and food drives. The thrift shop also awards scholarships to deserving students and donates merchandise to the local Disabled American Veterans, the Wiregrass Emergency Pregnancy Service and Relay for Life. Over $50,000 was given to the Fort Rucker and surrounding communities last year, according to Woodham.
Kimberly Crutchfield, honorary thrift shop board president, has been working with the board for almost a year.
"They do so much for the community. This past year they donated over $17,000 in scholarships to our Fort Rucker community. They are able to give back to the community in a way that is just phenomenal," she said. "Please come over and take a look at what they have here for purchase, and also bring any consignments or donations."
Second Lt. Jason Trudell, a student with Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 145th Aviation Regiment, assisted with the thrift shop relocation.
"I took a lot away from this project," he said. "Just to get a better feel for how a good Army community can work has really inspired me. I know that in the future, to be a good leader, I'm going to have to do good things like this to support community functions."
"Most of the people who work here are volunteers," Woodham said. "We do have a small staff of employees, but they volunteer their time as well."
Rose Ann Licina is one of those volunteers.
"This is really nice. It not only helps the Soldiers, it helps the communities," she said, adding that the thrift shop does not just donate money to local organizations -- volunteers also bring books to local libraries.
People wanting to volunteer their time should stop by the thrift shop during business hours, Wednesdays, Thursdays or Fridays between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Organizations who are seeking donations should visit http://thefortruckerthriftshop.blogspot.com


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Rozie the elephant at the Albuquerque BioPark has a new daughter. She's now making her debut at the BioPark.
The nameless baby elephant is one week old and the newest addition to a growing family.
Zoo officials aren't sure how much the new calf weighs. They haven't had a chance to check, as Rozie is so protective of the calf.
They're estimating the baby elephant weighs about 275 pounds.
She'll be on display for a few hours each day at the BioPark.
The BioPark is letting residents name the baby elephant. The following four options are on the BioPark's Facebook page: Chamiza, Jazmine, Nita and Roxy.


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// The Designers Edge Since 2002
Beginning with KC ceramics 35 years ago, Tony Khaicy has delivered style and design to the Australian Stone and Tile Industries, with Stone Design Pty. Ltd.
Stone Design is located in Holroyd Sydney, showcasing one of Sydney's largest high quality tile and stone showrooms, with the latest in innovation and design. The vast range of products extend from tiles, stone, marble, granite exfoliated, travertine, limestone, sandstone, slate and many more all ranging in various colours, styles and textures.
Stone Design in association with architects, designers and builders have completed a vast array of projects from exterior to interior from residential to commercial including units, homes, restaurants, showrooms and storefronts, view our projects section for images. Stone Design also have the latest in stone tiles, bathroom tiles, wall and floor tiles.
Tony Khaicy 2012
CLADSTONE Australia By Stone Design PTY LTD
Cladstone is an innovative new product with endless possibilities from interior to exterior applications for both residential and commercial projects. Cladstone is eco-friendly, lightweight and highly durable, 3mm sheets of Sandstone or Slate extracted directly off the quarry wall.
The Application of Cladstone is fairly simple and could be done in any DIY project. Watch the video on the right which shows Cori and Danielle install Cladstone's sandstone veneer in their living room.
For pictures on Cladstone application visit our Project section, for more information regarding Cladstone visit our Product section.


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I'm all over the place. I'm all left brain (bookkeeping, software tech support) by day, and all right brain (Sewing, Knitting, Photography, digital illustration) by night.View all patterns by designer (19) »
This pattern incorporates the stylish chevron design into the skirt as piece work. You can make a bold or subtle statement with the fabric and colors that you choose. The possibilities can be endless.
The pattern comes with the ability to print tiled pieces on your home printer, AND also has a link within the pattern where you can download a full size PDF file and take it to a print shop and have them print the pattern in full size for you.


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Skip to comments.DNC head: Awesome that many voters see pro-gay marriage stance as political winner
Posted on 05/16/2012 4:53:54 AM PDT by Sub-Driver
DNC head: Awesome that many voters see pro-gay marriage stance as political winner By Geneva Sands - 05/15/12 11:50 AM ET
Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Fla.) called it "awesome" Tuesday that favoring same-sex marriage could be viewed as politically expedient, saying it shows advancement in people's perspective on the issue.
"As someone that represents one of the largest LGBT communities in the country, I think it's actually awesome that we've come so far in advancing the rights of the LGBT community that people would question that it's a good thing politically for the president of the United States to come out for marriage equality," said Wasserman Schultz on MSNBC.
A CBS News/New York Times poll released Monday found that most Americans believe President Obama publicly endorsed same-sex marriage for political reasons. Twenty-four percent of those surveyed thought Obama came forward because he felt it was the right thing to do, while 67 percent thought he was politically motivated.
The Florida congresswoman told MSNBC that although she thinks the poll represents progress in society, she argued that Obama made his announcement for personal reasons.
"This is the civil-rights issue of our generation. President Obama came out for marriage equality because he believes in it personally. He believes that no one should be discriminated against and that the laws of our country should reflect an opportunity for equality for all Americans," she said.
Obama became the first U.S. president to support marriages between same-sex couples, making his announcement in an ABC News interview Wednesday. Vice President Biden's remarks last Sunday that he was comfortable with same-sex marriage pu
Ha Ha...well, that's her spin & she's sticking to it.
Awesome Debbie returns! I thought they had buried this bizarre bigmouth moron.
The DNC released Awesome Debbie out of the cage and welcome home!
This idiot is this delusional and in a position of power in our government, just plain frightening!!!
Beware of women with three names...
this moron is the gift that keeps on giving...the same clown that said "Republicans want to make illegal immigration a crime"
and said Republicans want to kill the American auto industry- as she climbed into her foreign car:
Is it me or did that article make no damn sense??
"Come on men, let's go kick some Injun butt!"
Going for a moral victory?
Kenny G in drag!
Kenny G in drag!
LOL, she is in tune with young voters like Megan McCain.
That's another component of the Zeitgeist.
The Palistinians do it. Every time they're crushed militarily, or kicked out of some country they've squatted in, they hold a "victory celebration" as they're leaving.
Clinton got a "victory party" after he was impeached.
I think it's a consequence of pervasive media in the modern world. Put on a show to distract people from reality. It's a win-win: keep your (surviving) followers from giving up, and infuriate/demoralize your enemies.
Of course, if your enemies aren't restrained by the rules of civilization, it can lead to problems. That's why the Right doesn't use this approach. Well, that's one reason, anyway.
The poll was taken among Indians.
The spin that I especially liked in the past was her response to the question of when 0bama would take responsibility for the economy.
Her response was that as long as the economy was bad, it's Bush's fault, and when it starts to recover, that will be 0bama's policies taking effect.
Trying to create the illusion that the issue's a winner. These Democrats are really pathetic. They think they can manipulate anyone.
A lot of us think that he wants a same sex marriage.He kind of split the difference when he married the Moose.
That is delusional. The electorate breaks down basically into people who have always opposed it and people under 30 who are basically agnostic on the issue. Only the gay community itself is actually striving for it.
"This is the civil-rights issue of our generation."
That's what bothers me .. this generation is trying so hard to make gay rights equate to the black civil rights struggle of the 60s. Not even close.
They may be delusional but they sure as hello kitty are ramming it down our throats. As it were. ;p
She's just plain skank-ass nasty. For the life of me, I cannot understand how someone seeing her on TV would agree with what she says because of the aura she projects.
Ahhh, now I get it... she's really a guy in drag... crap, I knew there was something up with her____him.
I think its awesome that his poll number are in freefall ever since he announced his "evolution" in this regard.
0 for 32....sounds like a winner to me.
That's a guy dressed up like a shelia!
does she really think that the public's perception of political expediency is the same as her's and a good thing?
It's good to see Democrats making this mistake. They should keep it up.
They are so "married" to their agenda and cloistered with a few folks that think the same way that they can't really understand that other viewpoints exist, much less that they exist to a great majority.
Odd how people act and talk one way when surrounded by liberal 'PC Bullies' -
and another way in the privacy of a voting booth...
: )
And of course Custer's famous last words... Where did all of those f***ing Indians come from?!?!
"Awful" is a more appropriate word than "awesome".
Weird how gay marriage is so popular yet loses every time it's on the ballot even in CA.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


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Funny Animal Videos - Page 8
Watch the most popular, latest and new funny animal videos and funny animal video clips. Make sure you check out the latest funny videos and new videos.
Taekwondo Hand DudeWatch out for the Taekwondo hand, he's coming to get you.
Pranker Ends Up Getting PrankedThis starts out as what would have been a funny video of a guy taking a basketball to the nuts, but not everything goes to plan for the more..Tags: prank, pranked, basketball, nuts, funny
Cats Try To Understand TreadmillTwo baffled cats try to understand a moving treadmill with funny results.
The Ultimate Near Misses CompilationA collection of shocking, funny and ridiculously close near misses between people, cars, bikes, trucks, lorries, just about anything and everything!Tags: near miss, near, misses, compilation, collection, cars
How To Wake Up Your GirlfriendThis guy comes up with an inventive and rather cruel way to wake up his girlfriend. Don't try this at home, unless you don't want to be with more..
Lie Detector job interviewHilarious. Guy gets caught in the biggest lie of his life at his job interview.
Funny Boy Practising TennisFunny boy practising his tennis moves.
Funny Laughing BabyFunny and cute laughing baby.
Funny Awkward Moment On TV ShowBrilliantly awkward moment on Dragons Den, trust a bloke to say what everybody else is thinking.


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Silk fragment with a griffin
Byzantine Empire
Museum no. 764-1893
The griffin has the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle and was seen as a protector from evil. The motif possibly originated in Achaemenid Iran, though it was also used in Byzantine art. As with the senmurv, this exotic creature travelled to Western Europe on silks. Here they captured the local imagination. The Western craftsmen sometimes mixed the creatures' characteristics, and as a result the beasts took on a more cartoonish appearance. On this textile fragment, only the griffin's head remains, though the trunk of an elephant is just visible below it, indicating it was part of an animal combat scene.


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It seems to me that he will score 22+ again and Iam always right, just through the ball to AL and amazing will happen. He will school the **** out of Love and Pekovic.
Sure, and then a bunch of off nights from other guys because his style jerks with everyone's rhythm.
Fantastic, Al gets his, the rest of the team suffers.
Ah nuts, so you're saying the Jazz will lose again?
Big nights for Big Al = loss discuss
To quote George "W" "For every fatal shooting, there were roughly three non-fatal shootings. And, folks, this is unacceptable in America. It's just unacceptable. And we're going to do something about it." --Philadelphia, Penn., May 14, 2001


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TimeZone (America/Chicago)
The Flipped Classroom
Thursday, May 8, 2014 1:00:00 PM CDT - 3:00:00 PM CDT
The idea of the "flipped classroom" has taken off in higher education in recent years – and it is used to describe a wide variety of teaching styles. What they have in common is that they largely replace the lecture. For material that might have been delivered in lecture format previously, online instruction is provided in advance of the class. This allows for time in class to be used in different ways – group work, discussion and other forms of highly engaged participatory learning become the norm. Discussion of the flipped classroom thus is a mix of teaching with technology – and teaching without technology. It's about pedagogy, learning and the role of the instructor. And in an era in which educators and policy makers alike want to promote student learning and achievement (not just showing up in class), the flipped classroom has become a key strategy. In this FREE WEBINAR, Inside Higher Ed editors Scott Jaschik and Doug Lederman explore a range of ideas and opinions about the flipped classroom. Read up before you participate! Visit www.insidehighered.com/booklets to download "The Flipped Classroom," a compilation of news articles and opinion essays, the latest in Inside Higher Ed's series of booklets on hot issues in higher education. Inside Higher Ed's "The Flipped Classroom" webinar is made possible with the support of Adobe. Your registration information will be shared with the company. Captioning for the deaf and hard of hearing provided by CaptionAccess.
Scott Jaschik and Doug Lederman
Scott Jaschik and Doug Lederman are founders and co-editors of Inside Higher Ed.
If you've never used Adobe Connect, get a quick overview: http://www.adobe.com/products/adobeconnect.html


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It's not like Sony to be all shy and quiet about its relentless fight against software outdatedness, but for some reason, Xperia M2's KitKat rollout has got off to a particularly silent start. We're guessing this mid-end fellow may find it a little trickier to shed the Jelly Bean skin, so although Sony did announce it was next in line after the E1, it didn't come forward with an official message yet to point out Android 4.4 is live.
According to reports all around the web, it seems LTE-enabled versions are making the move to KK over-the-air in countries like France, Ireland, Israel, Russia, Singapore and Thailand. Not on the list? Fret not, you will be soon enough.
The same goes for users of the 3G-only model, and M2 Dual owners needn't worry either. There's plenty of smooth, tasty chocolate to go around. The 4.4.2 firmware, though technically not Android's very newest build (4.4.4 is also upon us), is packed to the brim with performance optimizations, accessibility improvements, security enhancements and bug fixes.
Codenamed Project Svelte, the package you're about to receive is hefty enough that it requires be pulled via Wi-Fi only, featuring among other specific tweaks a refreshed, white element-centric interface, immersive mode and wireless printing support. Don't forget to perform a manual check for updates if an automatic prompt message is yet to pay you a visit, and fill up that battery beforehand. Ready, set, go.
Via [Xperia Blog]


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Nancy (Braschayko) McNamara, a summa cum laude Laker Alumni from 2006 is attending the University of Michigan School of Medicine.
Majoring in Elementary Education...
Brittany Baril
Elementary Education
Sault Ste. Marie, MI
Easy to walk from class to class, all have close proximity. There are excellent professors. The Library and Learning Center are great resources! (Actually are a relaxing place to be.) [ more ]


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Skip to this page's content
Photo and caption by Melanie Sinclair
During winter in South East Queensland, Australia, thick fog blankets the country regions. Getting up high to a local weather radar ensures that a view can be sought. It is tranquil and beautiful, especially when the sun pierces through it.
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"I've been listening to Catholic Answers Live for over a decade. I wouldn't be the same man without solid, faithful Catholic media. Long live the Church Militant!"
~ Anonymous, Buffalo, NY
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Subscribe to Catholic Answers Magazine
"When I was born, my mother laid me on a bed of straw, and I desire no better pallet when I die, asking only to be in the state of grace and worthy of salvation."
~ Anton Slomsek, Austrian Bishop; in comments to his priests


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Katherine Jackson
Inside Paris Jackson's Family Life
Originally posted 06/07/2013 07:55AM
The hospitalization of Paris Jackson after her suicide attempt early Wednesday morning has once again placed the 15-year-old's family life under a microscope.
Though co-guardian grandmother Katherine Jackson, biological mother Debbie Rowe and co-guardian cousin TJ Jackson have all visited Paris, the future of her home life remains unclear as the trio tries to determine what's best for the teenager, who struggles to balance a normal childhood with the pressures that come with being part of her famous family.
"Katherine, Debbie and TJ are going to meet on this soon to discuss and come up with a plan," a source close to the family tells PEOPLE.
Paris Jackson Depressed, Sent a 'Cry for Help,' Says Family Source
Originally posted 06/05/2013 06:00PM
Paris Jackson's hospitalization Wednesday for a suicide attempt came after a lengthy depression, a source close to the Jackson family tells PEOPLE exclusively.
"Paris has been very, very depressed for a while. She's been throwing fits and tantrums, kicking and screaming and cutting herself," says the source.
PEOPLE has confirmed that Jackson, 15, cut her wrists with a kitchen knife and took as many as 20 ibuprofen tablets, and is now stabilized at a Southern California hospital.
Paris Jackson Is 'Physically Fine, Getting Appropriate Attention,' Says Lawyer
Originally posted 06/05/2013 03:05PM
Following an suicide attempt on Wednesday, Paris Jackson is now recovering, a family representative says.
"Paris is physically fine and getting appropriate medical attention," Sandra Ribera, attorney for Paris's legal co-guardian Katherine Jackson, says in a statement.
"Being a sensitive 15-year-old is difficult no matter who you are. It is especially difficult when you lose the person closest to you," she says (the fourth anniversary of Paris's father Michael Jackson's death is June 25). "Please respect her privacy and the family's privacy."
Paris Jackson: I'm More Than Just Michael Jackson's Daughter
Originally posted 09/07/2012 05:20PM
Forget Paris Jackson's ultra-famous father – or her equally famous family, for that matter. The teenager wants to be taken on her terms.
"I love my dad, and I'm proud to be his daughter," Jackson, 14, tells Glamour for its October issue. "I just don't think the title 'M.J.'s daughter' fits me."
Jackson maintains an active Twitter presence, and has already booked her first movie role – in the upcoming film Lundon's Bridge and the Three Keys.
The most buzzed about stars this minute!
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The first ever sub 60 seconds, 400 metres with a 40lb pack, in the final stride (59.48 seconds at Cumberland Track, Crewe, Friday 13th April 2012). Photograph courtesy of Des Evans.
Photo shoot with Lowe Alpine. Courtesy of Ben Barden.
Lee Riley – Former Royal Marine turned Personal Trainer, Sponsored Athlete and Motivational/ Business Speaker – Quadruple World Record Holder – The First Ever and Only Person in History to hold the complete running range from Sprinting, Middle Distance, Long Distance and Marathon World Records at Once.
Lee is raising much needed funds for the Royal British Legion (the main charity for all the armed forces). If you want to donate or help Lee with his fundraising from his challenges, please go to Lee's just giving site http://www.justgiving.com/rileyfitness1 All donations are very much appreciated.
The Marine Machine strikes again, Lee Riley is like no other man. His commitment to his craft is second to none. He has an outstanding ability to run with a load on his back, the equivalent of near 3 stone. He leaves no stone unturned in his quest for world records in this extreme sport. This latest record was no exception, his aim to run the first ever sub 60secs over 400m. Most club runners would not be able to achieve this without a pack. It was to prove his hardest challenge yet, for athletic skill. There was months of training, sacrifices and fine tuning to achieve this. Having already broken 4 World Records, making him the first ever and only athlete in history to hold the complete running range world records from sprinting, middle distance, long distance and marathon at once. These records have been achieved in 3 areas of the country; the marathon in London (south England), the half marathon in the midlands and the other two in the north. Just adding to these achievements.
Lee's desire to be the first person to run a sub 60sec 400m with 40lb's took over his life. Since breaking the mile world record Lee has been training hard particularly on his sprinting, something he had not done since school. Going back in time to Lee's last high school year at Shavington High school, Crewe, Cheshire. Lee was 16 years old in 1998, from the start of high school; Lee's physical description was best described as a well built, chunky kid. Lee had won all the primary school 75 – 100 metre sprint events at the sports days, prior to high school. Lee had a shock, realising at a bigger school, he was not as fast or as fit as he thought, especially in his worst event, the opposite end of the spectrum, cross country in physical education (P.E.). In the first couple of years Lee was usually in the back last five, of the long distance course. The third year Lee had taken up Charles Atlas Dynamic Tension exercises, given to him by his father, from when he was a kid. Lee was losing body fat and becoming broader rapidly. Mr Saunders, the high school well-known P.e teacher, in one particular lesson told the class "95 +% of you all here will be the fittest you ever will be right now". Lee took it very seriously and to heart; nothing would ever be the same for Lee again!
Fifth year, Lee had found good form, after running well in the schools after school athletics club and giving him something to do, challenged the fastest guy in the school at the 400 metres sprint, to a race.
Lee believed he had a sporting chance and was prepared to go for it! The opponent was a lad called John Welsh. With poor planning, with Lee having no real idea of 400 metre specific training a few weeks later the race commenced. On the schools grass track Lee wore trainers, John wore cross country spikes. Lee went off like a bat out of hell, on the last 150 metres to go, Lee was running out of steam; John tore past Lee finishing in approximate time of 70 seconds and Lee 75 seconds. Lee shook john's hand. This is where the real hunger for Lee began on the quest of conquering the intense one lap of the 400 metres, more so, setting the standard!
Fourteen years later, 2012 Lee joined the sprinters at Stoke Athletic Club to try and gain knowledge and specific skills in sprinting to give him every chance to achieve his aim. This involved commitment for the three times weekly trips to Stoke and obviously the added cost of fuel and time away from his Personal Training. Finding that block starts were not suitable with a 40lb pack, Lee had to practice standing starts, but also was pleased to find that without the pack he could compete with younger more experienced sprinters. As a training run Lee entered an indoor open meeting competing in 60m, his first ever sprint race against other sprinters whilst he was wearing the 40lb pack. He achieved a respectable 9.97secs and learnt a lot of valuable lessons.
Lowe Alpine impressed by Lee's other World Records took him on board and made him one of their sponsored Athletes. Not wanting to leave any stone unturned Lee also looked at his sports nutrition further, another time consuming job that had to be done if he wanted to push the boundaries, as fast as possible. More sprint training followed now back at Crewe. Early nights are the order of the day to ensure a good 8 hour sleep every night.
Lee's first time trial 400 metres with the new pack was timed 60.5 seconds by Roger Alsop at the Cumberland Athletic track Crewe. More refined preparation needed!
Next the first real attempt at Cumberland. This time some of Lee's friends, clients and his mum were there as witnesses to document the time and the packs weight, to make it official, another solo run. Roger Alsop hand timed the sprint at 59.48 seconds. Lee had to lie down upon the finish, he had given it everything. Lee was in further shock to realise his mum had forgotten to record the sprint, being the major evidence required to prove the record! Doing it once for Lee was not enough, he felt that it had to be captured on film to be believed, more importantly to document the historic triumph.
An open meeting is looming at Stoke Athletic Club, will it come too soon in the training or should he just go for it? Lee never doubts himself, ever the optimist he decides to go for it. The race is late afternoon, not a time that Lee is use to running and the weather is not perfect, and though not raining as predicted it is very windy (12MPH). In a sprint like the 400m this is not good as there is so little time for error, especially to judge the so delicate infamous pacing of this distant. The race was disorganised and late starting due to two entrants arriving late, on the start lines. Was this supposed to be a proper race meeting? Lee was getting edgy; this is no way to start a race.
Then finally they are off and all that training is now put to the test, just Lee against the clock. It does not matter about the other runners now. The race is over so quick, and it's very close. Has he done it? Nobody is sure, oh missed by a whisper in a time of 60.95, the disappointment shows in Lee's face. He was so committed and sure that he could do this. The new pack has worked well and Lee vows it will not be long before he sets the standard of this record. As another training run and for fun (not many people would say this) Lee takes part in the killer mile at Mow Cop. One of the only remaining mile races still held, also one of the hardest with no level sections in the whole uphill race. Lee runs it twice, once with a 40lb pack in sub 11 minutes, 17 seconds of his last years' time. Running straight back down the hill Lee ran in free order the second race in 9 minutes 22, a very respectable time.
Lee discovers there are fortnightly open meetings at Trafford on a Tuesday, Lee is eager to get this record in the bag so decides to enter. Information is sketchy about these open nights and Lee is unsure if he will be able to run in the 400m with the 40lb pack. He decides to go and if not allowed to run in the 400m then to enter the 800m without the pack as a training run. Arriving in what should have been good time, the track has a great feel about it, very intermit surrounded by houses. There is a fair crowd of supporters, a lot more than at Stoke. All this helps with your race. Lee finds the organisers and judges and they agree for Lee to run in the 400m with the pack, now time is short, Lee needs to be registered into the race and complete his warm up. Heat 4, lane 6 not perfect but let's get on with it. Again there is a delay at the start and the 400m is running half an hour late, when to start your warm up? Then the runners are called to their marks and they are off. Lee sets off really quick but then eases off on the back straight thinking he needs to leave something for the final 200m, the other runners catch and pass him, then he is off again storming down the home straight to win the race, with a 40lb pack! Can this be true but has he achieved the sub 60secs that he has recently achieved in training. No its 61.3, Lee is mad with himself for easing off on the back straight and for the hasty preparation to the race. Also so close to the run up Mow Cop, not really enough recovery time. There is such a fine line in how much training to do and rest to have. He will be back in two weeks to get this record; this is all good experience and a good learning curve.
The weather is better and Lee is better prepared, now knowing the track and the process at these open meetings. Lee has had to drive himself tonight as he is on his own, only having family and friends as support in his mind at home, no professional team members for Lee. It's all down to Lee, from organising training, races, transport, food all the way down to paperwork. Steve Cram is there, it does not get much better to witness this latest world record attempt, being the reigning British mile world record holder. Lee is totally focused tonight and is well rested after giving him the weekend off. The training was done weeks ago; it's just down to Lee and the clock now. Lee is drawn on the inside in lane 1, probably the worst lane as its very tight especially with a 40lb pack and a standing start. A much more measured race, it's just go for it, eye balls out and give it everything you have got. After all it's less than a minute and it's all over. Flying down the home straight at the back of the runners but not that far a drift, this time he has done it, 59.44, the exhilaration is clear to see. Another world record set, it's becoming a habit.
The short version of just the race, from aerial view with thanks from Stuart Hayton at athleticos.
An interview with Steve Cram finishes off the evening on another high; he says he is gobsmacked by Lee's achievements and that he would go to another of Lee's record attempts to support him. There is no feeling like the one of achieving a world record. Lee, now nearly double the age he was, since the high school 400 metres race. He had gone under the minute, knocked over 15 seconds off his time back then, equivalent of finishing the race compared to his 16 year old attempt, with an 100 metres in the bank. Not forgetting this time he was also running with a 40lb pack also!
We are concentrating on lots of new exciting developments for Riley Fitness at the present time. Watch this space for further announcements in the coming months.
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