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Alone in the Dark (2008) Review
Alone in the Dark is packed full with potential. It has more than enough good ideas to make a brilliant, must-own game, but features even more bad game design and gameplay issues.
I've never played a game that has thrown me in more directions than Alone in the Dark. At times Eden's ambitious survival horror game touches on brilliance, dazzles with blockbuster spectacles and revels in originality. Its problem is that these moments make up a small portion of the game - a game which suffers from almost every longstanding gaming irritant and problem I've written about a thousand times over. Despite wanting to love it and enjoy its many clever puzzles, disappointment, frustration and annoyance set in all too often.
You play as Edward Carnby, who awakens in a fairly groggy state at the start of the game in a room with an old man (Paddington) - who soon becomes a pivotal character in the game. Strangely, Ed is the very same character from the old Alone in the Dark games, presumably sent through time to the modern day. From the off you're asked to blink in order to clear your vision, just one of the game's real-world gameplay mechanics which are both genius and immeasurably annoying. You're in an apartment block overlooking Central Park, New York, and soon enough things take a turn for the worst. The building begins to break apart, fissures appear along walls and demons possess the bodies of the living. You must get out alive, and it's here that the game's controls become the real villain of the piece.
Alone in the Dark is really a handful of games rolled into one. At times it's a Resident Evil 4 like third-person game, but it's also a first-person shooter, a third-person varied camera adventure game and a driving game. You're free to switch to first-person at any time, although the game decides if the third-person view should be over the shoulder or from a cinematically placed camera. After only a few minutes it's all too obvious that deciding against a singular view point is one of the developer's biggest mistakes.
The opening sections are really there for spectacle, tutorial purposes and to meet the main secondary characters (the aforementioned Paddington and Sarah, an art dealer), with the proper game not really beginning until you enter Central Park itself, but the foundations have already been laid. From a third-person viewpoint you can use melee weapons, moving the right analogue stick around to attack. Anything you can pick up can be used as a weapon, and while it's a little clunky it works well enough. You'll probably want to fire your gun at an incoming enemy, but you can't do so from a third-person viewpoint. Switching to a first-person viewpoint allows you do use projectile weapons, but here the aiming is so fiddly (and the enemies are often so unpredictable) that hitting anything is harder than it looks.
'As great as the real inventory system seemed on paper and in presentations, in practice it simply doesn't serve to improve the game.'
Throughout the game you'll be constantly switching between the two views, and it doesn't make for good gameplay. A third-person over the shoulder view that also allowed for Resident Evil 4 style shooting would have been fine, as would a Condemned style first-person view that also allowed melee combat. Having both simply complicates matters. This is even before the game's inventory system is factored in to the gameplay - something you'd assume would have little to no effect on the actual in-game action.
Your inventory in Alone in the Dark is accessed in real time by Carnby looking down into his jacket. It features slots for numerous items, with bottles, canisters and other throwable objects on the right, gun and torch in the middle, and everything else on the left. With limited space storage is always a problem, and you'll regularly have to drop items in order to pick up others - whether it be an essential health spray or much needed bottle of fuel. You can equip one item in each hand, allowing for various combinations, and even combine items before equipping, allowing for such things as sticky bombs or Molotov cocktails.
It's an incredibly fiddly and tricky menu to work with, made worse by the fact that monsters can walk up and batter you while you're trying to combine your leftover items to make something half useful. A handy 'favourites' system allows you to assign up to four left/right hand combinations for quick selection (a lighter in your right hand and bottle of whisky with a bandage jammed in it in the left, for example), which removes a layer of fiddling, but there are so many combinations that you'll always be tinkering with things in your inventory. As great as the real inventory system seemed on paper and in presentations, in practice it simply doesn't serve to improve the game.
Take this situation as an example of how mind numbingly annoying the game can be at times. You're in a lavatory, desperate for a health spray (spraying this over your wounds heals you, and yes, it's done in real time) while just seconds away is a group of blood-thirsty crazed enemies. You set the door to the room on fire to act as a barrier, and then loot the room, hoping for that illusive white canister. You see one in a cabinet, but you're not allowed to pick it up as the right side of your jacket is full. You haphazardly dump items on the floor, freeing up space, then return to the cabinet. For some reason you aren't allowed to pick up the health spray until you've picked up everything else around it. Gahhh. The fire is about to die out and you can sense a horrific mauling. Quickly you grab the items, switch to your inventory and dump it all again. You're now able to grab the spray. Quickly you press right on the d-pad to bring up the healing interface, press the right trigger to begin spraying and then get smashed in the face by a demon monster. You're skull has been crushed and it's time to try that all over again. Did I say Alone in the Dark is annoying?


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Pioneering computer scientist and best-selling author Jaron Lanier the man who coined the phrase "virtual reality" - will speak at Pennsylvania College of Technology on today as part of its Centennial Colloquia Series.
Lanier founded VPL Research, the first company to sell virtual-reality products, and led teams creating VR applications for medicine, design and numerous other fields. He is a computer scientist at Microsoft Research.
His 2010 book, "You Are Not a Gadget: A Manifesto," became a New York Times, Los Angeles Times and Boston Globe best-seller. It was chosen as one of the best books of the year by Time magazine and The New York Times, among others. His second book, "Who Owns the Future?" was No. 11 on the Amazon 2013 Best Books of the Year list.
The subject of Lanier's talk at Penn College is "People and Computers: Who's on Top?" Lanier contends there are two ways of talking about technology: Either technology is supposed to "serve humanity" or it's coming alive on its own - a concept associated with artificial intelligence.
Reconciling these two ends of the spectrum is echoed in the notion of balancing privacy and security. The machine supposedly makes us secure by being positioned above us. But, Lanier asks, what if this setup doesn't describe what's actually happening? What if we are pretending that technology is more free-standing than it is as a clumsy way of realizing various political, economic and spiritual ideas? What if these are ideas we wouldn't like if we had to express them more clearly?
Scheduled at 7 p.m. in the Klump Academic Center Auditorium, the lecture is free and open to the public.
In addition to his work in computer science, Lanier is a composer, artist and author who writes on numerous topics, including high-technology business, the social impact of technology, the philosophy of consciousness and information, Internet politics, and the future of humanism.
In 2010, Lanier was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine. He has also been named one of the top 100 public intellectuals in the world by Prospect and Foreign Policy magazines, and one of history's 300 or so greatest inventors in the Encyclopedia Britannica. In 2009 Lanier received a Lifetime Career Award from IEEE, the preeminent international engineering society, which has a student chapter at Penn College.
Penn College presents the Centennial Colloquia Series in celebration of its Centennial, which marks 100 years of education on its campus. The series features presentations by nationally known authors and Penn College faculty that will challenge our thinking about the impact of technology on the past, present and future.

subset: commoncrawl


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HOOKSTOWN, Pa.-The little borough of Hookstown paid a big price for its involvement in the Vietnam War, losing two sons who will be remembered on Memorial Day.
Army Spc. 4th Class Daniel M. "Mickey" Dawson and Army Cpl. William "Billy Lee" McLaughlin are memorialized on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and in the hearts of a dwindling number of surviving family members and friends.
On Monday, their sacrifice will be honored by Hookstown American Legion Post 952 and a group of bikers who participated in this year's Rolling Thunder event at the Wall in Washington, D.C.
Ten bikers from Hookstown were scheduled to leave early this morning so that they can make it in time for the Rolling Thunder festivities on Saturday. Attached to their motorcycles are laminated pictures of Dawson and McLaughlin.
They also are carrying American flags that they will touch to the Wall where the men's names appear and then bring back to Hookstown for a special presentation on Monday, said Mary Ann Whitehill, secretary of the Post 952 Auxiliary.
In Washington, D.C., the local motorcyclists will meet up with Hookstown native Paul Hobbs and hundreds of other bikers who made the cross-country Rolling Thunder trek.
"Everywhere they go, they pick up more bikers," Whitehill said.
The Rolling Thunder participants, who expect to arrive in Washington, D.C., today, are currently running more than 500 strong, Hobbs said. They spent the last two nights in West Virginia-Wednesday in Hurricane, W.Va., and Thursday in Lewisburg, W.Va.
Hobbs, who also has Dawson and McLaughlin's photos taped to his windshield, said the 10-day ride across the country has reinforced his belief in American patriotism.
"I was of the opinion that patriotism in our country was something that was fading away. But now I would say that opinion is what's fading away," he said.
Hobbs, commander of American Legion Post 202 in Columbia, Mo., left Missouri on May 8 and arrived in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., on May 12. On May 14, he and an estimated 323 bikers, most of them Vietnam veterans, departed for Washington, D.C.
"The welcomes we've received in these towns has been phenomenal. When we enter these towns, the streets are lined with flag-waving, cheering crowds," he said.
The Hookstown bikers will return on Sunday and participate in Monday's Memorial Day parade in Hookstown, as well as the service to follow at Post 952.
Hobbs, who grew up on the Hobbs dairy farm in Hookstown, will be special speaker and taps player on Monday. The American flags will be presented to the family members of Dawson and McLaughlin.
Dawson, a 1964 graduate of South Side High School, died on Dec. 15, 1969, in Phuoc Long, Vietnam. He was 23.
McLaughlin, 1966 graduate of South Side High School, died on Oct. 3, 1968, in Dinh Tuong, Vietnam. He was 20.


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City of Weirton
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Human Resources
Service is our only product at the City of Weirton, where more than 250 employees in more than 200 positions in 8 departments strive each day to be the best local government in West Virginia. Whether you are a seasoned professional or just beginning a career, there may be a place for you with the City of Weirton.
The Human Resources Department has a full range of responsibilities that include recruitment and selection, competitive pay and benefits, organizational development, employee relations, and safety and training.
We promote a friendly, healthy work environment as an employer of choice. Become part of our team.
The Human Resources Department is located at the Weirton Municipal Builidng, 200 Municipal Plaza. Pick up or deliver an application form here.
Municipal Building, 200 Municipal Plaza
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Fax: (304) 797-8598


text:
Tin House Magazine presents...
Peformances by:
Golden Retriever
Golden Retriever
Readings from:
Pauls Toutonghi
Pauls Toutonghi
Lisa Ciccarello
Dance jams with:
New Dadz DJs
New Dadz DJs
Tin House magazine celebrates the release of their new issue, centered around the cultural exchange between Brooklyn and Portland.
8pm | $5.00 day of show
Enjoy performances from some of our city's finest musicians and authors, featured in the issue and its accompanying mixtape (mixtape curated by Grouper's Liz Harris).
Cloaks (sometimes modified by adjectives like "Neon" or "Visible") is Spencer D and Ryan C. Their work investigates both inverted pop structures and long-form collage in a fluid mix, often with vocoded or modulated voice, digital and analog mallet work, modular synths and other abstracted sound sources.
Golden Retriever was formed in Portland, Oregon in 2008 by multi-instrumentalists Jonathan Sielaff & Matt Carlson. Focusing on the relationship of two primarily monophonic instruments (modular synth & bass clarinet), and utilizing layering with a deft balance of improvisation & composition, the duo has created an infinitely varied approach to their sound world. 2012 saw the release of their Thrill Jockey debut, Occupied with the Unspoken.


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Binge Eating Disorder Health Center
Binge Eating Often Overlooked in Men
Oct. 27, 2011 -- Eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia are more common among women than men. Binge eating, however, occurs at similar rates among both sexes. Yet men are rarely included in research studies on binge eating and its consequences and treatments, a study shows.
The researchers analyzed data from 21,743 men and 24,608 women who participated in a health risk self- assessment. Binge eating in the past month was reported by 7.5% of men and 11.19% of women.
The study is published in the International Journal of Eating Disorders.
Binge eating disorder is marked by:
- Frequent episodes of eating large amounts of food in short periods of time
- Feeling like you have no control over your eating
- Eating when not hungry
- Eating in secret
Many people feel ashamed and/or disgusted by their binge eating.
Health Risks of Binge Eating
There are serious health risks associated with binge eating. These include:
Both male and female binge eaters face these risks as a result of their behavior.
Just because men are underrepresented in studies about binge eating does not mean the problem does not exist, says Ruth H. Striegel, PhD, a psychologist at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn.
"Efforts are needed to raise awareness of the clinical implications of binge eating for men so they can seek appropriate screening and treatment," Striegel says in a news release.
Susan Albers-Bowling, PsyD, agrees. She is a psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. "This is a very important topic," she says. As a result of the lack of research, men and even doctors are not aware of the prevalence and symptoms of eating disorders in men.
The stereotype of a man with an eating disorder is that of a wrestler who spends time losing weight before a match only to binge once wrestling season is over.
"Sports can be triggers, but we need to think beyond the stereotypes," she says. "It's more than just athletes. Eating disorders in men are pervasive."
It's not just binge eating either. Men may also have anorexia and bulimia, she says. "Sometimes they are being treated for depression, and the eating disorder is uncovered in therapy."


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The State of the Central Division
Posted 27 July 2012 - 04:06 PM
My thoughts...
Columbus: Actually got a little tougher to play against by adding depth at forward. Foligno, Dubinsky, and Anisimov will help. And between Murray, Johnson, Aucoin, and Wisniewski (if he's healthy) have a halfway decent defense corps. Still the worst team in the division by far, but will steal a few more games than they did last year.
Chicago: Same scary offense, defense is a little more solid with Brookbank, still glaringly bad in net. Even to slight improvement overall.
Nashville: Forward corps lost Radulov and Kostitsyn, neither of whom played most of last season and they were still a force in the division. Kept Gaustad which helps on the bottom end. Lost Suter, but still real good on defense with Weber, Gill, Josi, and Klein. Worse in goal after swapping Lindback for Mason. Slight to moderate regression from last year.
St. Louis: As good or slightly better on offense with a healthy Perron and Langenbrunner. No noticeable improvement on defense. And perhaps the best goalie tandem in the league. No large change, still very very good.
Detroit: No noticeable improvement on offense. Sammy for Hudler improvement offset by unknown quantities in Nyquist and Brunner, plus another year older for the core. Regression on defense. Improvement in goaltending. Overall substantial decrease.
Conclusion: St. Louis is the odds on favorite to win the division, with Detroit, Chicago, and Nashville all vying for the second through fourth spots. Overall, perhaps the most highly contested division in the NHL though probably not the best division.
Posted 27 July 2012 - 04:18 PM
Posted 27 July 2012 - 04:29 PM
Kronwalled.net - Keep Yer Head up Kid
Posted 27 July 2012 - 04:32 PM
I'm interested to see if the Blues continue their ways. Their turn around was undoubtedly because of Hitchcock, but will his message be heard as well this year? I wouldn't expect them to tune him out just yet, but you never know with a variable like that.
That will be a big question mark. I'd imagine that any team that went from being that bad, to getting a taste of what winning is like will want to keep it up, but I had totally forgotten about the poor start to last season.
Posted 27 July 2012 - 05:43 PM
As of now, one of the few optimistic points I can see for the Red Wings this season is the division is somewhat winnable still. I don't think they are by any stretch the favorite, but if a lot of things go well, they could feasibly have a shot to finish first. The flip side is, I can also envision a scenario where they are fourth.
Columbus is obviously going to finish last. The Blues are young, talented and having a taste of what it takes to win in the playoffs may propel them to be better just like it did with Chicago a few years ago. Hitchcock also wears thin on his players very quickly too. Sadly, the Blackhawks are more skilled at forward (especially the top-six) and as mediocre as their defense is after Keith/Seabrook, the Red Wings is just as questionable without Nick and Stuart. Howard is definitely better than Crawford, who only plays well against Detroit for some reason. Nashville had some major losses, but Trotz always finds a way to keep them competitive. They destroyed the Red Wings, so I'm a little reluctant to just write Nashville off because they don't have Suter or Radulov anymore.
If I was predicting the order of finish with the rosters today, I would go with: Blues, Blackhawks, Predators, Red Wings and Blue Jackets. IF (and it's a huge if) the Red Wings defense exceeds expectations as a group and Datsyuk/Zetterberg stay healthy up front, then maybe our guys have a chance to climb closer to the top of the division. I just feel the Red Wings margin for error is so incredibly thin with the pieces they currently have in place.
Edited by GoWings1905, 27 July 2012 - 05:45 PM.
Posted 27 July 2012 - 05:49 PM
That will be a big question mark. I'd imagine that any team that went from being that bad, to getting a taste of what winning is like will want to keep it up, but I had totally forgotten about the poor start to last season.
I wonder if they'll be a little burned out from last year.
The whole team worked their butts off every night to get them to where the were. I'm interested to see if Hitchcock can get that work ethic out of them two years in a row.
Posted 27 July 2012 - 05:54 PM
St. Louis
Edited by St. Michael (the Red Wing), 27 July 2012 - 05:54 PM.
Posted 27 July 2012 - 11:02 PM
If You Need Roster Help or Predictions, Don't Hesitate To Ask!
The Red Wings Need Pugnaciousness...
Posted 28 July 2012 - 10:11 AM
I still think Detroit will better Chicago, the will give St. Louis a run, but just may fall short and finish 2nd in the Central....and we'll have to listen to cprice all over again....blah!
Until they get swept..
Follow me on Twitter: @Way2Grizzled4U
Posted 28 July 2012 - 10:36 AM
- mance likes this
"He even ate with women who at that time were accorded the same status as the family donkey. Are we willing to break bread with, say, child sex slaves, transgender teens and undocumented workers? Because when Jesus comes back to Earth, that's where he'll be hanging."
You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.
Posted 28 July 2012 - 10:39 AM
© mikah
Posted 28 July 2012 - 08:28 PM
*Detroit Red Wings
1. Mikael Samuelsson
2. Jonas Gustavsson
3. Jordin Tootoo
4. Damien Brunner
1. Nicklas Lidstrom
2. Brad Stuart
3. Jiri Hudler
4. Tomas Holmstrom
*Chicago Blackhawks
1. Sheldon Brookbank
1. Sean O'Donnell
*Nashville Predators
1. Chris Mason
1. Ryan Suter
2. Jordin Tootoo
3. Alexander Radulov
4. Jack Hillen
5. Anders Lindback
6. Andrei Kostistyn (?)
*Columbus Blue Jackets
1. Brandon Dubinsky
2. Artem Anisimov
3. Nick Foligno
4. Adrian Aucoin
5. Tim Erixon
1. Rick Nash
2. Marc Methot
*St. Louis Blues
1. Vladimir Tarasenko
2. Jeff Woywitka
1. Jason Arnott
2. B.J. Crombeen
3. Kent Huskins
RIP Bob Probert
RIP Wade Belak
RIP Derek Boogaard
RIP Rick Rypien
Posted 28 July 2012 - 08:36 PM
Posted 28 July 2012 - 08:38 PM
Honestly, I don't think STL will be the same powerhouse they were last season. They had a lot of stars line up and I don't think it will happen again. NSH and DET are significantly worse but still good enough to make the post season, CHI is a push, and I think that CLB is better with the players they got for Nash (more scoring spread out).
DET/NSH (too close to call, but I see the Wings being able to make more moves in Feb to help out the 2nd half of the season)
STL (above average offense and good goaltending, little weak on D to win the division)
CHI (great offense, capable defense, no goaltending)
CLB (better offense, no defense, no goaltending)
Current LGW Whippin' Boy: Post-concussion symptoms
Posted 28 July 2012 - 08:41 PM
The same will be said for the Wings. It's the 1st year in a long time that they aren't expected to win the division....or even expected to do much of anything. That may work to our advantage, depending on how the new Wings fit into the system. I hope we add a few parts before training camp but if not, it's a different Central!
Posted 28 July 2012 - 08:42 PM
If anything, they got tougher to play against with the acquisitions of Nick Foligno and Brandon Dubinsky.
I will most likley get stoned for saying i actually think columbus's team looks pretty good, minus a solid goalie.
RIP Bob Probert
RIP Wade Belak
RIP Derek Boogaard
RIP Rick Rypien
#17 Guest_The Axe (Guest)
Posted 28 July 2012 - 08:44 PM
Posted 28 July 2012 - 08:48 PM
#19 Guest_The Axe (Guest)
Posted 28 July 2012 - 08:59 PM
As of now.
Posted 29 July 2012 - 08:39 AM
Yup, nice business plan you got goin' on there Gary. You FINALLY got a National Network on board, and you have a LA-NJ Final, an 8th seed wins the Championship, and, besides Nash, all the biggest names available went to Carolina and Minnesota, and back to Nashville.
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on November 10, 2011 - 12:01 AM
Even after the Sept. 27 death of local inventor and businessman Wilson Greatbatch, Western New York teens can appreciate his influence, through the opportunities offered by the Wilson Center.
The creation of the Wilson Center stemmed from conversations between Greatbatch and Dr. Emmet C. Murphy, co-founder and leadership analyst.
According to Murphy, "Dr. Greatbatch, myself and a board of directors thought that the most important and first activity to advancing leadership in Western New York would be to encourage and recognize future leaders."
This is the third year that the Wilson Center is offering the Wilson Center Leadership Award. The WCLA is a $1,000 award given to four high school seniors. Applicants are required to write an essay and submit teacher recommendations; the essay varies yearly but is focused around the central idea of leadership.
According to Sally Moehlau, WCLA chairwoman, it's easy to "recognize a leader; it [leadership] just pops out at you."
Moehlau advises future applicants to not "be afraid to express opinion; this is what sometimes holds people back."
"You can put thoughts out or not," adds Murphy, but, "if you can't articulate, you can't do any good."
Last year's winners were Shannon Tierney from Wilson High School, Emily Rechin from Silver Creek, Amy Lanighan from Newfane and Teddy Tiftickjian from Amherst. These four received their awards last May and have used them to further expand their leadership skills and gain valuable life experience.
For high school students wishing to apply for this year's award, see your high school guidance counselor or visit www.thewilsoncenter.org. Applications and instructions are available on the website, along with contact information. Applications are to be sent to: The Wilson Center, 4696 Pine Manor, Clarence, N.Y., 14031, no later than Dec. 23.
Catherine Kelkenberg is a junior at Akron High School.


text:
BUYING A CITY-OWNED vacant or abandoned property is about to get a bit easier with a new website that will allow potential buyers to see nearly all city-held properties on a map, with price tags and other information.
Part of a long-awaited effort to create clear policies for dealing with the vacant land and abandoned buildings that blight many neighborhoods, the site will feature 9,000 properties, the bulk of the city's holdings. It will provide the opportunity to buy properties held by the Redevelopment Authority, the Department of Public Property and the Philadelphia Housing Development Corp., city officials said yesterday. It can be accessed on the Redevelopment Authority's website.


text:
The Teacher information contains suggested points which might be raised as the story is told. Depending on the children, some or all of these points might be raised either as the story unfolds or on a second, more analytical reading.
For a fuller description of the development of a medicine visit the animated timeline.
Asking about medicines as we grow up. Resources including a lesson pack for Key Stages 1 and 2.


text:
Now more than ever, climate change, land, and air pollution touch our lives. Fortunately, while there's no single "silver bullet" for managing and getting rid of the world's waste, even the simple things we do can have an important impact on the environment—like using an InSinkErator® disposer to keep food waste out of landfills.
*Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2008
Please continue to learn the pros and cons of…
Landfilling | Composting | Food Waste Disposers


text:
Pink - Page 4
Pink, Carly Rae Jepsen, Ron Howard + More in Celebrity Tweets of the Day
Today (May 30) celebrities had possible skin issues, talked to fans, needed help, assaulted strangers and ruminated.
Pink Brings Daughter Willow on Stage for First Time
Mariah Carey to Leave 'American Idol' as Pink, Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez + Diddy Eyed for Panel
In light of the massive drama this season between 'American Idol' judges Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj, the multi-octave diva is pretty much guaranteed to walk out -- and the producers of the now-struggling Fox juggernaut are eyeing some unbelievably huge names to fill in the panel.
Names like Pink, Diddy, Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez!
Pink Offers Infuriated Apology to Fans After Cancelled Show in England
Anyone who has ever been lucky enough to see Pink live knows that she puts serious work into her performances -- live vocals, crazy aerial stunts and choreography -- to ensure an amazing show. So when she had to bail on a concert in Birmingham, England, she was bummed.
So were her fans, some of whom sent her hate mail. That didn't sit well with the feisty songstress, who was forced to cancel due to a pretty serious series of infections.
Pink Makes Chart History
Pink Dazzled and Amazed During Her 'Truth Above Love' Show in London [PHOTOS]
Rocker Pink put on a fabulous show at the O2 in London for her gravity-defying 'Truth Above Love' tour, during which she danced on ribbons, descended from the sky on a specially made harness (if you didn't know, she's an acrobat in her spare time) and provided a visual feast for the eyes.
Don't worry -- she showed off her vocal prowess too, but it's really the photos that we wanted to share.
Win a Guitar Signed by Pink
Pink Stopped a Concert to Console a Crying Little Girl Because She's Awesome That Way [VIDEO]
Pink Goes White on Redbook Cover, Reveals How She Won Carey Hart Back With Bloody Photos
Pink covers the March 2013 issue of Redbook, looking smashing in a white vest, print pants and platinum, punky hair. The issue lands on stands on Feb. 12, but we've got the inside scoop on the feature, where the 'Try' singer dishes about the creative (and bloody) way she reconciled with estranged hubby Carey Hart, which lead to their expanding their family with daughter Willow.


text:
Top Definition
Bare Back Blow Job To Completion In Mouth. Slang term for escorts
Will give BBBJTCIM when ordering the PSE
po ChrisSattray Август 28, 2006
Trending Now
Can you define these popular missing words?
bareback blow job to completion in mouth with swallow. A blow job without a condom where the dude cums in the chick's mouth and then the cum is swallowed
she loves bbbjtcims. she sticks out her tongue, gulps it down, and then licks her lips.
po snappy2 Фабруар 25, 2008


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Use of tobacco, marijuana, or other illicit drugs during pregnancy is associated with increased risk of stillbirth, according to a study funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
The case-control study was conducted by researchers with the Stillbirth Collaborative Research Network, which captures data on births in 5 US regions. The authors collected data on all stillbirths in the network's coverage area between March 2006 and September 2008 and used a representative sample of women with live births as a control group (Varner MW et al. Obstet Gynecol. 2014;123[1]:113–125).
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Enchanting Lilyby Anjali Banerjee
From the author of the "luminous [and] gorgeous" (Susan Wiggs) Haunting Jasmine comes a glorious new novel that reaches straight into to the heart to celebrate the resilience of the human spirit... "I wonder how my carefully planned life could have tipped so far out of balance?" Into the quaint town of Fairport on Shelter Island comes Lily Byrne, a young widow who is not so much running from the old but rather edging toward something new and indefinable. Here in the peaceful Pacific Northwest, newly engaged in her vintage clothing boutique, she hides from the world. But Lily knows that solitude can't sustain her forever. Somehow, somewhere, something's got to give. It does, with the unexpected arrival of an exuberant little cat. As Lily searches for the cat's true home, she embarks on a journey just as unpredictable--one of healing and renewal that opens up a whole new world in this small island community she now calls home. Saved by the hidden graces of others, she even allows herself to fall in love again. But how much of this is serendipity? How much is destiny? As Lily starts looking at herself, and her life, in an enlightening new way, she can't help but also wonder, how long can such good fortune last?
Haunting Jasmineby Anjali Banerjee
Read Anjali Banerjee's blog and other content on the Penguin Community. A charming new novel that "will haunt the reader long after the final page is turned." -New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs. A call from the past brings divorcee Jasmine Mistry home to Shelter Island to run her beloved aunt's bookstore, which has always been rumored to be haunted. With that knowledge, Jasmine embarks on a mystical journey, urged along by her quirky family, and guided by the highly emotional spirits of long-dead authors. Surprisingly, she finds herself moved to heal her broken heart when she falls unexpectedly in love with an enigmatic young stranger.
Imaginary Menby Anjali Banerjee
It seemed like a good idea at the time. Lina Ray has a knack for pairing up perfect couples as a professional matchmaker in San Francisco, but her well-meaning, highly traditional Indian family wants her to get married. When her Auntie Kiki introduces Lina to the bachelor from hell at her sister's wedding in India, Lina panics and blurts out, "I'm engaged!" Because what's the harm in a little lie? Who's sari now? Lina scrambles to find a real fiancé because Auntie Kiki will be coming to America soon to approve the match. But date after disastrous date gets her no closer to her prince -- until an actual prince arrives on her doorstep. Lina hasn't been able to stop fantasizing about traditional but dashing Raja Prasad since she met him in India. In fact, her imaginary fiancé has begun to resemble him! Now Raja is in San Francisco and wants Lina to find a suitable bride for his brother. Though they live oceans apart, Lina longs to bridge the gap. But when her fantastic fib catches up with her, life is suddenly like a Bollywood flick gone horribly wrong. Lina may have an over-developed fantasy life, but she certainly never imagined things would turn out like this!
La librería de las nuevas oportunidadesby Anjali Banerjee
Érase una vez una vieja librería en la pequeña y lluviosa isla de Shelter Island...A ese lugar tan especial, donde los libros parecen tener vida propia, llega un día Jasmine, dispuesta a hacerse cargo del negocio mientras la propietaria, su tía Ruma, viaja a la India para curar su corazón cansado.Sola en medio del polvo y el desorden, la joven intenta dar un toque de modernidad al local, colocando títulos nuevos y llamativos en el escaparate, pero muy pronto los clásicos de siempre imponen su presencia, y los autores vivos y muertos revolotean por las estanterías dejando oír su voz.Así Jasmine vuelve a descubrir a Shakespeare y a Edgar Allan Poe, y no solo eso: la chica aprende a escuchar a sus clientes, a comprender lo que de verdad buscan en una novela o en un manual de cocina, y acabará encontrando al hombre con quien compartir todos los libros de su vida.La librería de las nuevas oportunidades es a la vez una fábula romántica y un homenaje a la buena literatura porque a menudo es ahí, en las páginas amarillentas de un libro olvidado, donde están las palabras que pueden cambiar nuestra vida."Dedico esta novela a todos los libreros, estén donde estén. Ellos son los que nunca se cansan de vender sueños."Anjali Banerjee
La llibreria de les noves oprtunitatsby Anjali Banerjee
En aquest indret tan especial, on els llibres tenen vida pròpia, un dia hi arriba Jasmine, disposada a fer-se càrrec del negoci mentre la propietària, la seva tieta Ruma, viatja a lÍndia per guarir el seu cor cansat.Tota sola, entre la pols i el desordre, la jove prova de donar un toc de modernitat al local, exposant títols nous i atractius a laparador, però ben aviat els clàssics de sempre imposen la seva presència i els autors vius i morts es passegen per les prestatgeries fent sentir la seva veu.La Jasmine torna a descobrir Shakespeare i Edgar Allan Poe, i no només això: aprèn a escoltar els seus clients, a comprendre el que realment busquen en una novel·la o en un manual de cuina, i acabarà trobant lhome amb qui compartir tots els llibres de la seva vida.La llibreria de les noves oportunitats és alhora una faula romàntica i un homenatge a la bona literatura, perquè, molt sovint, és a les pàgines que ja groguegen dun llibre oblidat on trobarem les paraules que poden canviar la nostra vida."Dedico aquesta novel·la a tots els llibreters, siguin on siguin. Ells no es cansen mai de vendre somnis."Anjali Banerjee
Looking For Bapuby Anjali Banerjee
Anu's beloved grandfather Bapu moved from India to Anu's home in the Pacific Northwest when Anu was small, and Anu is devastated when Bapu dies. But when he is visited by Bapu's ghost, he knows that there must be a way to bring him back to life -- he's just not sure how. Anu enlists his friends Izzy and Unger to help him. From shaving his head to making up fortunes in the hope of becoming more holy, Anu tries everything. He even journeys to the island of the Mystery Museum. Perhaps there, Karnak the Magician will be able to help? "From the Hardcover edition. "
Seaglass Summerby Anjali Banerjee
Eleven-year-old Poppy Ray longs to be a veterinarian, but she's never had a pet. This summer, she's going to spend a month with her uncle Sanjay, veterinarian and owner of the Furry Friends Animal Clinic on an island off the Washington coast. Poppy is in for big surprises. She loves tending to the dogs, cats, and even a bird, and she discovers the fun of newborn puppies and the satisfaction of doing a good job. But she learns that there's more to caring for animals than the stethoscope and cotton swabs in her Deluxe Veterinarian First-Aid Kit. She's not prepared for quirky pet owners, gross stuff, or scary emergencies. With help from a boy named Hawk, a chunk of seaglass, and a touch of intuition, Poppy gains a deeper understanding of the pain and joy of working with animals. With warmth and humor, Anjali Banerjee tells the story of a resourceful, determined girl who can't wait to grow up, but begins to realize just how much she has left to discover.
Select your format based upon: 1) how you want to read your book, and 2) compatibility with your reading tool. To learn more about using Bookshare with your device, visit the Help Center.
Here is an overview of the specialized formats that Bookshare offers its members with links that go to the Help Center for more information.
- Bookshare Web Reader - a customized reading tool for Bookshare members offering all the features of DAISY with a single click of the "Read Now" link.
- DAISY (Digital Accessible Information System) - a digital book file format. DAISY books from Bookshare are DAISY 3.0 text files that work with just about every type of access technology that reads text. Books that contain images will have the download option of 'DAISY Text with Images'.
- BRF (Braille Refreshable Format) - digital Braille for use with refreshable Braille devices and Braille embossers.
- MP3 (Mpeg audio layer 3) - Provides audio only with no text. These books are created with a text-to-speech engine and spoken by Kendra, a high quality synthetic voice from Ivona. Any device that supports MP3 playback is compatible.
- DAISY Audio - Similar to the Daisy 3.0 option above; however, this option uses MP3 files created with our text-to-speech engine that utilizes Ivonas Kendra voice. This format will work with Daisy Audio compatible players such as Victor Reader Stream and Read2Go.


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Stuck on Madden NFL 12? We've got you covered!
Don't panic! Our cheats will see you through.
EA Sports Challenge Series launches
EA has announced the launch of the EA Sports Challenge Series, a sports video game tournament which will determine which gamers are the best at Madden NFL 12, NHL 12 and FIFA 12.
September 2011 NPD: Madden beats Gears of War 3
Madden NFL 12 took the US software sales crown for the month of September 2011, although this is likely down to its five-platform release.
Modern Warfare 3 is 'most coveted' holiday game in US
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is already destined to be one of the most profitable games of the year, and a Neilsen report has earmarked the title as the 'most coveted' game of the holiday season in the US.
Heads-up: New games out this week
Every Monday we'll pick out the best of the bunch, link to our reviews and previews and keep you in the video game loop so you have enough time to pre-order for Friday's post.
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Heads-up: September 2011
Heads-up: September 2011
EA SPORTS Season Ticket: Announcement...
EA SPORTS Season Ticket: Announcement Trailer
Virtual Playbook #4: Dynamic Player...
Virtual Playbook #4: Dynamic Player Performance
Dynamic player performance trailer
Dynamic player performance trailer


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Like many of us here in the Bitterroot Valley, I have watched the unfolding developments in the Ravalli County Treasurer's and the County Commissioners offices with a combination of fascination and horror. I'm appalled at the beating our county's credibility has taken. I've attended a few of the meetings in the commissioner's meeting room and I watched the You Tube video of the treasurer defending herself at the lunch meeting hosted by the county Republicans.
Even before all of the current drama, I've observed an increasingly strident insistence that there must be an underlying conspiracy by the Democrats to control and diminish the freedoms and liberty of good American Patriots by the self identified ultraconservatives among us. This was touched on in the video twice, with references to a previous deputy treasurer threatening to "bring down all the Republicans" (according to Stamey) and, back when the treasurer's office was under "Democrat control".
There have been multiple earnest references over the years by Ravalli County Republicans and conservatives overall regarding Agenda 21 and how the word "sustainable", used in any context, was a dead giveaway that the speaker was in cahoots with the UN and was plotting the implementation of the "New World Order". Not to mention that Patriotic Americans must buy up all of the available ammunition and guns to protect themselves from those terrifying Socialist Communist Democrats. That has got to be the most successful marketing campaign by gun and ammo manufacturers ever!
Seriously, with all of this fear mongering going around, it should come as no surprise that Ms. Addis Scott Stamey could find welcoming supporters in the Ravalli County Republicans. All she had to do to divert suspicion away from herself was to blame it all on the evil Democrats. In light of the recent finding of the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices of her untrustworthy behavior, her dubious claims are sounding even more false and fantastic.
But, even to this day, she still has stalwart defenders who are still convinced that there must have been some sort of plot to be uncovered, because, I would suppose, their ingrained disdain of Democrats supersedes their common sense.
The duties of the County Treasurers office aren't designated as Democrat or Republican. There is a difference, however, between efficiently dispatched and woefully dysfunctional.
As an active Democrat in Ravalli County and statewide who has been privy to county and state Democratic functions and executive board meetings, I feel confident in saying that there is not one Democrat in any office in the state of Montana who thinks that it is a good idea to control and diminish anyone's liberty or freedom. Democrats believe in effective governance and believe that there is a place for government in civilized societies such as ours.
Although I am a trustee on the Hamilton School Board and the financial operations at the district have been directly impacted by the recent issues at the County Treasurer's office, my opinion is my own and has not been discussed with or endorsed by any group or organization that I am affiliated with.
Corrine Gantt


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> My company has monitoring software on each work station which includes
> keyloggers and periodic screen captures. They will see that at some
> point you went to kohls.com or target.com and searched for bath robes.
> But, I'm sure your average small company doesn't dig down that far...
> probably not large companies either, unless you're REALLY slacking at
> work!
LOL, well you'll soon realize that monitoring software or not,
companies have neither the time or the resources to devote to watching
employee surfing habits. They put up a proxy to block inappropriate
sites (easily bypassed if you know what you're doing) and leave it at


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Photographer: Howard L. Puckett
Smoked Salmon and Fingerling Potatoes
This pretty-as-can-be appetizer uses gourmet ingredients but is no trouble at all to put together at home. Choose either caviar or capers, pile them high with smoked salmon on halved fingerling potatoes, and sit back and wait for the compliments to roll in.
Around The Web


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Batman Arkham City – DirectX 11
Dissertation Help Ireland Co Uk Arkham City was tested at 1920×1080/5760×1080 with FXAA, 16xAF and all other settings at their maximum. The Nvidia card had PhysX on high, AMD PhysX was off.
http://bakunggroup.com/online-physics-homework-help/ Online Physics Homework Help
On the last page we saw a situation where the 7970 was able to open up a significant gap over the GTX 580 making it the ideal card to buy for Total War players. When looking at the Batman performance we see some good results for the AMD card again, offering us playable framerates at 1920×1080 and 5760×1080 with maximum detail… of course that doesn't include PhysX which is something unique to NVIDIA cards and a feature which greatly enhances the visual experience on those models… an interesting choice for consumers, higher image quality or faster framerates…
Here are examples of how the game looks at our tested settings.
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A driver fled the scene in Stockton after hitting a mother and her 1-year-old child Thursday evening, according to the Stockton Police Department.
Officers said a woman was crossing the street with her child in the area of Jefferson and Grant streets just before 7:30 p.m. when a vehicle hit the 1-year-old.
The vehicle did not stop, police said.
The child was taken to a local hospital in serious condition.
Witnesses described the vehicle as a maroon Chevy Astrovan. The driver was said to be between 25 and 30 years old with dark brown or black hair.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Stockton Police Department at 209-937-7239.


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Ashton Kutcher took girlfriend Demi Moore home this past weekend to Iowa, where the May-December couple had planned to catch Saturday's Hawkeyes homecoming game against Michigan, the Associated Press reports.
But those plans were scuttled once the paparazzi started showing up at the home of Kutcher's mother, Diane Portwood. (The "That '70s Show" star grew up in Iowa and briefly attended the University of Iowa before embarking upon a modeling career that led to acting.)
With no game to watch, Kutcher, 25, and Moore, 40, stuck it out at home, riding four-wheelers and enjoying quiet time with family, his mom tells AP.
They "had their own little homecoming," said Portwood, whose house is located in a historic cluster of towns known as the Amana Colonies. "We had enchiladas and ham, chicken breast -- you know, the regular Iowa meals."
Portwood also apparently knows how to handle swarms of photogs. "When the paparazzi came to the door," she said, "I told them to leave, and if they didn't abide by my wishes, I told them I'd call the law on them."
As for her thoughts on Moore, Portwood (seeming to overlook the fact that her son is a star, too), said: "What I've found is when you meet many of these so-called celebrities in person, they are really down to earth."
And the two women, she said, "sat and talked about her kids and my kids, and we had a great time."
Ashton Brings Demi Home to Mom in Iowa


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U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is urging Congress to think long and hard about the message U.S. sends the world when "we can't get our own act together." Kerry, in Bali for an economic summit, called Saturday for Congress to reach an agreement to end the partial shutdown of the federal government, now entering its fifth day. President Barack Obama had planned to attend the summit but canceled his travel plans to remain in Washington and deal with the shutdown. Kerry is now leading the U.S. delegation in the talks. Kerry says that America's "friends and foes" shouldn't mistake the government shutdown as anything other than a "moment of politics."
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Find peace with God, discover more about God or send us your prayer request.
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"OMG Clay Aiken is my Hero," writes one fan on claymaniac.com. "I love him and wish him the best of luck!"
Adds another on the same site: "Now today I almost choked on my sandwich, Clay is going to be a father? And in three months? It blew me over. All I can say is 'Congratulations!' That is going to be one handsome and talented baby."
Still, there were some doubts: "How can he have time with his baby if he's always on a busy schedule. Like tours, CD releases, talk show[s]. Life becomes crazy with a baby."
"I don't know what to say – I am shocked and awed," another person wrote. " I don't know what to think. It is going to take me a while, but I do feel a little different about it."
Still, the majority of comments on fan sites and blogs were positive.
One person in the Claymates Yahoo group gushed, "I think the child would be so lucky to have them as parents. ... This is their business and we should not be judging Clay or Jaymes."
The page dedicated to Aiken on popular music widget iLike had also had supportive comments. Writes one fan, "Wow ... I am kind of shocked. But Clay always wanted to be a father so good for him! It was just sudden news, I am still shocked ... I wonder if his kid will inherit his pipes!"
Adds another: "Here's a toast to Clay and Jaymes for the healthy arrival of their baby in August. This baby will be loved, however it came to be. "Lover All Alone" is a great collaboration with David Foster – and this will be a great collaboration with his sister Jaymes. Congrats!"
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14 Comments
Yes, the days of the permanent. Who can forget those? I see them now advertised and wonder who in the world is getting permanents these days.
I also had problems with make-up, so I headed over to my friendly Merle Norman makeup studio to have mine professional done. I walked out and was promptly offered a role in a porno.
The hat is nice. At least you were smart enough to wear one in the sun. I wish I'd been that smart.
I've reached middle age without learning to apply make-up, too. I wish I'd got the perm out of the way in 1981 so I didn't fall prey to it as the 80's were ending. I got one just when the rest of the world was coming to its senses.
Oh, the perm. That was my hair catastrophe, too. At least you covered it up with a hat!
One professional perm and done for me. A couple of Toni perms by my mom. Talk about an experiment in science!
Yep, I went through the perm phase! And I had a floppy hat too.
I have naturally curly hair — so, naturally, I always wanted to find ways to straighten it. I had the floppy hat, too, which I wore over my hair pulled back as straight as possible!
Oh, the dreaded perm. The smell!!! Every time I smell rotten eggs, that's all I can think of, those Toni home perms!
Not only do I have straight hair, but mine is fine and thin. Those perms destroyed my hair. But I kept going back for more.
You look absolutely adorable in the hat! Makes me think of the show Oklahoma!
The hat your wearing, in white, was my dream wedding hat. I always wanted to wear one of those and get married in a garden. Got married twice, and never did either :).
You look so cute in your hat!


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Students at Conrad Weiser High School cast their vote for president in a mock election on Monday.
"I'm excited about it. I wish I could vote," said Jodie Elmer, 17, a senior.
"I think it's good to have all of us high school kids get into the politics, learn and educate ourselves with what's going on in the country," said Garrett Plue, 16, a senior.
For years, the high school's social studies department has held mock elections. This year, students were casting their votes differently. The school did not use ballot boxes, but computers.
The high school's algorithmic club designed a database in which students would vote on a ballot and vote on referendum questions.
Developing this program took Matthew Rumph, a 17-year-old senior, more than 15 hours. When the 400 students stepped up to the computers, Rumph said they were asked multiple questions.
"You would input your grade, your gender, your race, things like that, and then you would vote, and there's a referendum question, issues that students feel are most important," said Rumph.
"It didn't just ask us who we would want for president. It asked some of the issues in our school that we would like fixed," said Kira Akana, 17, a senior.
The big talker among students was who will win the race for the White House. President Barack Obama beat former Gov. Mitt Romney by only 46 votes in the mock election.
No matter which way the dice fall on Tuesday, students said the presidential election will be an exciting one to watch.


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Visit often for updates on celebrity & expert appearances.
Mother and daughter duo Karen E Laine and Mina Starsiak, from one of HGTV's newest shows "Two Chicks and a Hammer," are setting out to revitalize their hometown of Indianapolis one property at a time. They're buying up run down homes and transforming them into stunning urban remodels. With Mina's real estate know-how and Karen's no-nonsense legal background, these ladies are unstoppable in getting the properties they want and enlisting their family's help with demo and construction. They will be appearing on The Main Stage Friday, Feb. 5 and Saturday, Feb. 6.
Learn more about the mother-daughter team at www.hgtv.com/shows/two-chicks-and-a-hammer
The Cooking Channel's "The Fabulous Beekman Boys," featuring Dr. Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell, follows Brent, a New York City doctor, and Josh, an award-winning journalist, as they make the transition from urban to country living on Beekman Farm in upstate New York where they are raising 80 goats, two pigs, a dozen chickens and a narcissistic llama – and learning the "simple life" isn't so simple. The lifestyle gurus are also known for winning the 21st season of CBS's reality series, "The Amazing Race" and have published two cookbooks, "The Beekman 1802 Heirloom Cookbook" and "The Beekman 1802 Heirloom Desserts Cookbook." They will be appearing on The Main Stage Friday, Feb. 12 and Saturday, Feb. 13. Learn more about the duo at beekman1802.com or cookingchanneltv.com/shows/the-fabulous-beekman-
A native of Toledo, Ohio, Jason Cameron is known for his work as host of DIY Network's "Desperate Landscapes," "Man Caves" and "Sledgehammer." A licensed contractor, Jason worked his way through college as a contractor before moving to the Northern New Jersey/New York City area where he continued his carpentry and general contracting business. He recently gutted his own home and completely revamped his backyard, experiences that have added to his expertise that can be seen on his DIY Network shows. Jason's appearance, presented by Bright Covers will be on The Main Stage, on Thursday, Feb 11, Friday, Feb. 12 and Saturday, Feb. 13. Learn more about him at jasoncamerononline.com.
In suburban Cleveland an empire is being built, one can of gold spray paint at a time. The home decorating and organization sensation Ursula Carmona invites you to learn how to do more with less beautifully. The DIY superhero behind the blog, "Home Made by Carmona" knows it doesn't have to be expensive to be gorgeous. Not your ordinary DIY blog, it's chock full of practical, budget-friendly DIY projects and every day solutions to make your home more functional, beautiful and uniquely you. She is also a contributor for Pat Catan's and Better Homes and Gardens and has been featured in Good Housekeeping, Elle Décor and House Beautiful. Ursula will be appearing on The Main Stage on Friday, Feb. 12 and Sunday, Feb. 14. Learn more about her at homemadebycarmona.com.
A show favorite, Matt Fox will be returning as this year's Main Stage emcee where he will delight show visitors with his quick wit, home improvement knowledge and special educational presentations. Fox is best known for creating and co-hosting the first and longest-running show to air on HGTV, "Room by Room," as well as hosting and producing the public television series "Around the House with Matt and Shari." Learn more from his website, mattandshari.com.
Stefanie started her career in a very non-culinary manner as an Assistant Prosecutor for both Lake and Geauga counties after graduating from Wittenberg University in 1997 with a Bachelor's Degree in English and a Minor in Theater Performance. Stefanie joined the family business after attending the Pastry Arts Diploma Program at ICASI, the International Culinary Arts and Sciences Institute.
Stefanie also does free lance work as a food stylist including for Dr. Agatston creator of the South Beach Diet, Athens Foods, Ohio Magazine, Driscoll Berries, VitaMix Blenders, and the Fabulous Food Show 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 for the Food Network Stars including Guy Fieri, Martha Stewart, Paula Dean, Duff, Bobby Flay, Sandra Lee, Giada De Laurentiis, Ann Thorton and TLC's Curtis Stone.
Stefanie was a contestant on the Food Network's second season of Sweet Genius. Stefanie currently has a weekly radio segment on WNWV's morning show.
Angelo Petitti started landscaping to work his way through Kent State University. The demand for Angelo's plants grew and in 1971, he opened the first Petitti Garden Center in Oakwood Village. His son AJ has been in the family business since childhood. He attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio studying marketing and finance, graduating in 1999. Currently, AJ oversees the retail operations for Petitti Garden Centers.
The Petitti's now have a total of nine retail store locations throughout Northeast Ohio. In addition to the retail stores, the Petitti's have a 34 acre state-of-the-art of greenhouse facility in Columbia Station, and over 1,000 acres of nurseries and farms in Madison, Ohio allowing them to grow the highest quality annuals, perennials, trees and shrubs.
Both Angelo and AJ regularly appear on local newscasts and television programs sharing gardening tips and information as well as hosting a weekly gardening show on the Fox affiliate morning newscast. Petitti's has been awarded and named as the Independent Garden Centers Retailer of the Year, Today's Garden Center's Revolutionary 100 National Award and the ARTS Award for Outdoor Lifestyle Store of the Year East/Atlantic.
Join us Thursday, February 11th @ 6:00PM at the Great Big Home + Garden Show 2016 where we will be joined by Cleveland Brown Joe Thomas and former Brown/Cleveland native Brian Hoyer! In addition to signing autographs and taking photos, visitors can register to win a mini helmet autographed by both players - see you there!
Note: Celebrities will greet as many guests as possible; however, due to demand and presentation schedule time constraints, everyone in line may not be able to be accommodated. Ticket admission does not guarantee a meet-and-greet, photos or autographs with celebrities.
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The purpose of the South Metro Denver Chamber Nonprofit & Business Partnership is to facilitate collaboration between non-profit organizations and businesses in the South Metro Denver region in an effort to build a stronger community. All private, public and non-profit Chamber members are encouraged and welcomed to join the Nonprofit & Business Partnership group to participate.
Our four major initiatives are:
1. Promoting Nonprofit Organizations to the Business Community - Sandra Coen, SheShe's Corner Upscale Resale Boutique, Chair The goal of this group is to fully and intentionally utilize the varied communication and event resources within the chamber to provide exposure to the 70 plus nonprofit chamber investors. Including but not limited to: Web, print (e.g. Chamber's magazine), on-site TV, electronic communications, social media, and meetings/events (Unpluggeds, etc). This group will work closely with other groups to promote events and activities.
2. Connecting Nonprofits and For-Profits - Julie Madden, South Suburban Parks Foundation, Chair This group's goal is to create model programs that will facilitate short and long-term partnerships between non-profit and for profit businesses and the promote these opportunities to the investors of the chamber.
3. On Going B.I.G. (Be Involved Give) Program - Maria Pearson, Inter-faith Community Services, Chair Serving and supporting shouldn't just be a one day affair! An extension of the B.I.G. Day, this group will be organizing and implement a series of service and educational programs throughout the year designed to support and enhanceconnection between non-profit and for profit organizations.
4. B.I.G. Day (Be Involved Give) - Laurian Horowitz, Colorado Life Lessons, Chair The B.I.G. Day is the chamber's annual initiatives to promote non-profits and serve the in an array of projects in April involving hundreds of volunteers.
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Give a little holiday green
If you'd like to reduce your ecological footprint and perhaps make a green-friendly statement, including during the holiday season, a variety of websites offer green shopping tips and guidelines. Here are a few:
- Consumer Reports Greener Choices: Offers shopping info on a variety of consumer products under the "Green Shopping" drop-down menu or product icons. www.greenerchoices.org
- National Geographic's Green Guide: Covers several green living topics, and includes buying guides. http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/green-guide/
- Federal Trade Commission: Focuses on green shopping descriptions that consumers can use to determine if a product is actually green. www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/general/gen02.shtm
- Green America: Spotlights 10 tips for green shopping at holiday time. www.greenamerica.org/programs/shopunshop/buyinggreen/HolidayTips.cfm
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Provides green shopping tips, with additional links on green product purchasing. www.epa.gov/osw/education/pubs/shopping.htm
-- from wire reports


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With the January transfer window open for business, Serie A giants AC Milan will look to rescue a disappointing first half of the season as they fight to secure a place in the Champions League.
The Rossoneri are currently in seventh place in the league, seven points adrift of a top-three finish. Having struggled following the departures of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva in the summer, club owner Silvio Berlusconi recently admitted it would be two to three years before the club would be protagonists again.
Following the exit of Alexandre Pato, new arrivals are inevitable, but who should Milan avoid signing this month?


text: Lea Michele joins Sons of Anarchy cast Image: AAP Tue-29-Jul-14 21:08 Share this Tell Us What You Think WTF 0 LOL 0 FAIL 0 OMG 0 HOT 0 CUTE 0 ] A very different role to Glee's Rachel, Lea Michele has landed a guest role for the final season of Sons of Anarchy.The news was supposed to be announced by the show's creator Kurt Sutterteased at Comicon, but Lea beat him to it!I'll be appearing on an episode of my favorite show @SonsofAnarchy! Thank you so much @Harparbar & @sutterink #SOAFX pic.twitter.com/YlyvosTYuw— Lea Michele (@msleamichele) July 28, 2014On set at @SonsofAnarchy with my favorite person @Harparbar this is so cool! #SOAFX pic.twitter.com/5kvbPMKEj7— Lea Michele (@msleamichele) July 28, 2014 You May Also Like Breaking Dawn dominates at the 2013 Teen Choice Awards Could there be a real life Glee baby Glee Star Abandoned on Day of TV Debut Glee star admits to stealing booze Become a fan of The Edge on Facebook and on Twitter .


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More From the Floor
It seems as though there's a QC employee for every assembly employee at Guy.HF. Not exactly, Jean-Paul Guy explained. Every G.HF employee is responsible for the work that comes to him or her—so after each employee signs off on a product as good to go, the next, um, guy inspects it before accepting it. "Mistakes get made," M. Guy told me, "but we try not to perpetuate them."


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A century later, mythic thud of ball still heard
December 10, 2014
PLOEGSTEERT, Belgium (AP) - On the side of a windswept field filled with scorpion weed, a simple wooden cross marks a unique event in football history.At its base, amid wreaths of poppies, lie a smattering of balls and various club pennants, all in remembrance of the Christmas Truce of 1914.
Man City, Schalke advance; Messi scores again
December 10, 2014
Manchester City and Schalke grabbed the final spots on offer in the knockout stage of the Champions League on Wednesday, while Lionel Messi helped Barcelona secure first place in its group with a record-extending 75th goal in the competition.City started the final round of group play in last place in Group E but finished second by beating Roma 2-0 in Italy, with second-half goals by Samir Nasri and Pablo Zabaleta lifting the English champions above their Italian opponents and CSKA Moscow. CSKA lost 3-0 at Bayern Munich.
Man City beats Roma 2-0 to reach knockout phase
December 10, 2014
ROME (AP) - Samri Nasri had a goal and an assist and Manchester City beat Roma 2-0 on Wednesday night to reach the knockout phase of the Champions League, eliminating an Italian side that still seemed to be feeling the effects of its 7-1 thrashing by Bayern Munich.
US women draw 1-1 with China in Brazil tournament
December 10, 2014
BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) - The United States women's soccer team conceded a second-half equalizer to draw 1-1 against China in the opening match of the International Tournament of Brasilia on Wednesday.Carli Lloyd put the U.S. ahead in the 22nd minute, but Hang Peng equalized in the 66th to close the scoring in the first game of the four-team competition. Host Brazil defeated Argentina 4-0 in the late match at the Mane Garrincha Stadium.


text:
burnet county
Here are some keywords which we've determined lie within the same circle of relevance as burnet county.
county, burnet, services, lakes, highland lakes, highland
1. county burnetcountytexas.org
2. burnet burnetcountytexas.org
3. texas burnetcountytexas.org
4. burnet county burnetcountytexas.org
Enter a domain name or a keyword.
# a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z


text:
KidsConnect Website
Orange County Library System, FLGo to Website
Innovation SummaryIn January 2012, The Orange County Library System went live with a redesigned kid-centric website called KidsConnect. This new website involved researching current web standards for children, increasing interactive and graphical elements for younger viewers, grouping content by age group, and ensuring all library resources are kid-friendly.
Innovation Leader: Amy VanSchaik, Digital Access Architect, firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
Tap search button to expand search options
Heart Surgery Packages
at Memorial Hizmet Hospital
Memorial Hizmet Hospital aims to serve the highest standarts of contemporary diagnosis and treatments at all branches with integrity. Radiology units and laboratories which equipped with advanced technology make the patients' experience a reliable and comfortable environment to proceed their treatment.
International Patient Department Staff coordinates all aspects of each patient's request, including accomodation, appointments, ground transfers. The team's goal is to make the patient experience the most comfortable process possible.
Complete Health Care Service!
Offering the best possible service with its emergency, outpatient clinics and laboratories is the core principle of Hizmet Hospital together with its employees.
Awarded with ISO 9001:2000 Quality Management System Certificate with its 114 bed capacity and scientific cooperation with Medicine Faculties of Istanbul University, we are proud of providing modern healtcare services to the community.
Besides its advanced transplantation unit, Hizmet Hospital proves out to be a unique hospital with the cutting-edge modern equipment in all other medical departments and doctors experienced in their own fields.
Exclusive Heart Care and Surgery Packages!!
Memorial Hizmet Hospital offers world class Heart surgeries, also known as cardiac or cardiothoracic surgery, including many different types of surgical procedures to correct various conditions and damage caused by disease, heart attack, and strokes. Procedures designed to widen narrowed arteries, or pacemakers that are used to help control abnormal heart rhythms as well as procedures that help to insure adequate supply of blood and oxygen to the heart muscle all fall under the scope of cardiac surgery.
Coronary Angiography
Who are candidates for coronary angiography/angioplasty / stenting?
People who suffer from ischaemic heart disease ( proven on exercise stress testing / nuclear scintigraphy or in people with history of myocardial infarction ) are candidates for diagnostic coronary angiography. when a coronary arterial narrowing that necessitates intervention is detected, baloon dilatation and stenting of the coronary artery may be performed in the same day as an "adhoc" procedure.
Before coronary angiography / angioplasty / stenting, complete blood count, renal function tests,blood glucose, hepatitis and HIV marker tests are run.
The procedures:
During angiography, patients grain or forearm is given local anesthesia and a small incision is made, through which a needle is inserted. Afterwards the needle is excharged with a thin plastic tube, through which catheters are introduced that are used to give contrast dye to the coronary arteries. Patient doesn't feel any pain during the procedure. In angioplasty / stenting, same procedures are used. In addition, through catheters, baloons or stents (devices used to keep arteries open after balloon dilatation ) that are mounted on baloons are introduced, and then inflated and withdrawn. After these procedures, the plastic tube is withdrawn and pressure dressings are applied to control bleeding.
Heart Valve Replacement
Heart valve operations are also performed via an incision done in the midline of the sternum (breastbone). Heart valve operations are performed to repair or replace the diseased valve(s) of the heart. The surgery is performed with general anesthesia. The operation generally lasts three to five hours depending on the extent of valvular damage and the number of valves to be operated. As the heart is stopped, the blood circulation is provided by the cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) machine which also helps to oxygenate the blood.
Advantages and Disadvantages:
Aneurysms of the Aorta
The unexpected or unusual dilatation of any segment of an artery is called an aneurysm. Aneurysm of the aorta is important mainly because they are HIGHLY fatal. Extended delays in the diagnosis and treatment of the aneurysms may lead tear in the aortic wall which inevitably leads to death. The risk of rupture increases when the aneurysmal diameter is twice larger than the healthy blood vessel. Some aneurysms may not be operated urgently but these cases are to be kept in close follow-up. The size, location, growth rate and the general status of the patient affects the decision for the surgery.
Aneurysm repairs are performed via an incision done according to the location of the aortic aneurysm (in the midline of the sternum (breastbone) for ascending aortic aneurysms, left thoracotomy (incision on the left flank) for thoracic aneurysms and abdominal incision for abdominal aortic aneurysms). The aneurysmal portion of the vessel is replaced with a synthetic graft. The graft is a polymer stronger than the weakened aorta allowing blood to pass through the vessel without causing a bulge. Some of the patients with aneurysms may also have accompanying coronary or heart valve diseases which may complicate the procedure, so repair of the diseased valves or bypassing any blocked coronary arteries is essential in these patients. However, these operations may pose extra risk to the patient.
After the operation, the patient is transferred to the special intensive care unit (ICU) for close monitoring for two or three days. After the ICU stay, the patient is admitted to the surgical ward where he or she will be staying for five to six days. The first control examination will be one week after the discharge from the hospital. Our patients will have a safe journey to their home countries when our stuff is sure of their health status after this control examination. The full recovery after a complication-free aortic aneurysm operation lasts about two months.
Offering Exclusive Heart Care and Surgery Packages!!
Why Choose Us?
Integra-Full Face Lift and Blepharoplasty Surgery, Nuevo Progreso, Mexico
Choose this affordable Full Face Lift and Blepharoplasty package at Integra Cosmetic Surgery Center and benefit from top procedures and the great results you expect from the experts.
Full Face Lift and Blepharoplasty price: $5.950
Affordable Dental Treatments in Tbilisi Georgia, Tbilisi, Georgia
Having healthy teeth is crucial for your appearance, self esteem and self confidence! With these flawless, affordable dental treatments available in Georgia you'll look and feel great and you'll regain your dental health in no time!
BlueNet Artificial Disc Replacement in Cabo San Lucas Mexico, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
If your back pain has become unbearable and you are in need of disc replacement, you can choose the artificial disc replacement surgery in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico where BlueNet surgeons perform this minimally invasive procedure at affordable prices in one of the most beautiful places in the world. Click on package details to learn more!
Dr. Narendras Lumbar Corpectomy in Pune India, Pune, India
Avail of Lumbar Corpectomy with Fusion at Dr. Narendra Vaidya | Joint Replacement Specialist, Pune, India for 5 days at ONLY $2,000!
Top Coronary Artery Bypass Graft In Bangalore India, Mangalore, India
Top Coronary Arthery Bypass Graft surgery in Bangalore, India is the best and affordable option abroad for those looking for international standard surgery and high quality outcomes. Manipal Hospitals is worldwide renouned for its cardiac surgeons experts in CABG! See the details!


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TYPE OF OFFENSE: Multiple
Under first-year head coach Chris Demarest, a former assistant at Rutgers University, the Hawk offense will give multiple looks and utilize its weapons in all ways possible.
Senior quarterback Steve Soto is set to lead the offense, but also expect to see senior utilityman Kadeem Johnson line up at wide receiver, running back, and even quarterback.
Senior Aaron Villette will carry the ball out of the backfield and run behind a line that returns two starters, Rory Walsh and Hector Garcia.
The Hudson Catholic defense will feature many of the same names as the offense.
Johnson and Villette will man the secondary at safety and cornerback, respectively. Demarest has been impressed thus far with his trio of linebackers that includes senior Mike Roland, sophomore Byron King and junior Wil Bastillo, a first-team all-county selection who recorded 117 tackles last season.
In Year 1 of his tenure, Demarest believes the key to a successful season lies in staying healthy. With only 40 players on the roster, Demarest said injuries will be key to avoid.
"As long as we stay injury free, we have a chance to win some games. I think we'll be a scrappy team," he said.
Demarest, who has recruited high school players for 25 years as a college coach, is comfortable with coaching high school players, but said understanding freshmen will be somewhat of an adjustment.
There's a new coach, some new foes on the schedule, and Hudson Catholic will also get contributions from several freshmen.
Outside linebacker Champ Smith, safety/linebacker Kevin Albert and Nile Trent, all freshmen, will see time on the field this season for the Hawks.


text: Safety Are you reading this while walking? Study reveals risks By Keith Seinfeld • Dec 12, 2012 Keith Seinfeld / KPLU Listen Listening... / 1:23 Walking is becoming more hazardous, with the spread of smart-phones. And it's not just because drivers are distracted. Pedestrians who are texting or reading messages are four times more likely to do something dangerous than other pedestrians, according to researchers who looked at 20 of Seattle's busiest intersections.


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Amsterdam Has a Deal for Alcoholics: Work Paid in Beer (12.9.13)
| More |
No, you didn't read that headline incorrectly. A mostly government-funded program in Amsterdam pays alcoholics who clean street litter with beer.
It's all part of the Rainbow Foundation, a program started last year to help give alcoholics, homeless and drug addicts a fresh start.
DETAIL STORY: New York Times
- Who We Serve
- What We Do
- Where It Happens


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by John Kwiatkowski, Murder by the Book Employee
This fall we'll be bringing Martin Cruz Smith and Jeff Lindsay to Houston for Luncheon events, and we recently announced that Kate Morton will also be here one in December. A few weeks ago, Anne asked us all which five mystery characters we would like to eat with. After we made our own guest lists, we decided to ask some authors which characters they would choose.
Stacia Kane is the author of the Megan Chase series, and most recently, The Downside Series. City of Ghosts, the third book in the Downside Series comes out on Tuesday (July 27th). Be sure to check out Stacia's website. She's hosting a contest to win a chance at naming a character in the next Downside book.
With The Downside Books, Kane has created a dark and intricate world that pushes the boundaries of urban fantasy. It's not just Chess Putnam, the main character, that makes these books so great. The series features some of the best world building I've ever read in an urban fantasy novel. Kane takes risks (her heroine is an unrepentant drug addict), and they pay off. Each book in the series continues to get better, and then City of Ghosts grabs you from start and the pace never slows.
John: All the chapter headings in the book really help pull the reader into the world, when do you write those? Do they come to you as you're working on the story or do you write them after you're finished?
Stacia: Those come after everything is finished. When I first wrote Unholy Ghosts the epigrams didn't exist; they were actually something my agent and I came up with in order to help expand the world building without having to add more exposition, and to help immerse the reader in that world. And I really enjoyed writing them at first, but of course by the time we got to City of Ghosts…it's getting a lot harder to come up with good ones! I've done almost a hundred of them throughout the first three books, so I think in future books we'll see a lot more diverse sources.
And I do try to match them to the action in each chapter. I don't want it to be too overt, and they're not generally spoilers or anything, but it's fun for me when they have something to do with each other.
John: Do you have a complete plan for an overarching theme for your series, including a likely number of books, or are you more a seat-of-the-pants writer?
Stacia: I write each book by the seat of my pants, but I do have an overall story arc for nine books, if not more. But nine is my basic plan, the number I hope I get to do. Of course there's never a guarantee for that, which is why I tend to do smaller three-book-arcs inside the longer story.
John: I love how in the moment all of your characters are, and how you slowly dole out pieces of their background as the series progresses. How do you balance giving the reader enough information to get a sense of who these characters are, and how much info to hold back to keep them a mystery?
Stacia: Thank you! I think it really depends on what my purpose is for that character, to be honest. And of course a large part of it is the demands of the story, and avoiding info dumps. In my mind there's very little worse than reading a character introduction that lays the character's entire past and personality out on a plate. You know what I mean? "Chess walked into the room, smiling because she'd just taken one of her pills. She was addicted to them because she'd had a horrible abusive childhood in the foster system. Because of her addiction she lived in the bad part of town called Downside. She worked for the Church."
So you have to be careful that you're letting the characters' actions and words do the speaking, and not slowing the story down. You need to show what kind of people they are, rather than telling. Really, a lot of it is instinct; it's not something I can really analyze. It's just waiting for the right moment, when the character's thoughts would naturally turn to a particular subject or it would naturally come up in conversation or, as the case with Terrible and the book in Unholy Ghosts, the plot brings it to light.
But then I also have a rule that within a few paragraphs of introducing a character, the reader should learn or see something about them that sets them apart. Even if it's a very minor thing. So that's kind of contradictory, isn't it? Sorry!
John: How did you come up with the language that Terrible, Bump and the other Downside residents speak? Did you feel like you needed to give them their own dialect to separate them from the other characters in the book to reflect their socioeconomic differences?
Yes! That's exactly where it came from, or at least that's the major reason. I wanted to make it clear that Downside was a completely different place from the rest of the city, and that its residents didn't have access to decent educations or anything like that. And I thought it would be fun to write–which it totally is–and would also aid world building, another way to immerse the reader in the world and story.
And how I came up with it was that I wanted to make sure it was unique. I didn't want to use something like Ebonics because I didn't want to seem as thought I was co-opting someone else's culture; I wanted to create my own. I wanted it to be specific to me and to this series. I'd also originally–way back when the idea first came to me–toyed with making the books historical. I have a dictionary of outdated slang–I collect all kind of weird reference books, they fascinate me and you never know when they'll come in handy!–and added a lot of those as well.
What was really fun about that for me, because I'm nerdy that way, is that my historical idea was set during the Georgian period. So I was using Georgian slang (some of it was medieval, some Victorian, but most of it was Georgian), and I had the Church's Puritanical stylings and the connections to early America and America during that period. (Another example; Chess's last name, Putnam, is taken from Ann Putnam who was one of the accusers in the Salem Witch Trials. In Unholy Magic we
have Merritt Hale, named after John Hale from the Trials (he opposed them). That all ties into my idea of the founding of the Church, which is basically that they were Puritans who grew disgusted and disillusioned during the Witch trials and began studying magic on their own, and kept their traditional going through the centuries. And when they took over after Haunted Week, children like Chess who had no parents were assigned last names, and the names they were assigned were names related in some way to the trials.)
So Downspeech uses that slang because it's a sort of uneducated version of Church speech, to some extent. And it was a great way for me to attempt to show that this was a world where, just like ours, the poor don't always get good educations or other services. In this world you can almost instantly tell on meeting someone what part of town they live in or how educated they are by how they talk, and the speech itself varies by character; Bump is practically unintelligible sometimes, whereas Terrible is, I think, clearer and with less four-letter-words. And Lex uses a lot more slang words in general. So again, it's a fun way to show each character's individuality.
John: Once City of Ghosts comes out, is that it for The Downside?
Stacia: Nope! There will definitely be more. I don't have any exact details yet, but I know in the US at least I get to write more, and I'm hoping to hear good news from the UK soon (fingers crossed).
John: If you could choose 5 fictional characters from books to eat lunch with, who would they be, and why?
Stacia: Oh, gosh! Now that's a heck of a question. I'm not sure if it's harder to come up with five, or to limit myself to five; I think it's the latter. Rhett Butler, I think, because, y'know, he's Rhett Butler! What woman wouldn't want to meet him? Haha. The Patrician from Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels; I love him, he's such a crafty, sly, and coldly pragmatic man. Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice, I think, along with Mr. Darcy, although I admit I'm tempted to let Elizabeth stay at home so I could have Mr. Darcy all to myself! And, I think, Marjorie Morningstar, just because I loved her story, and I think it would be fun to chat with her.
But really, I could name dozens.


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Princess Is As Princess Does: On The Real Merida, And My Merida, And All The Meridas In BetweenCatherine Connors
This past weekend, I stood under the Florida sun with my daughter and watched Disney induct its newest princess into its royal court. As Merida strode arms swinging, curls bouncing up the walkway to receive her crown, Emilia grabbed my arm and pulled me down to whisper in my ear. "Mommy," she breathed, "that's the real Merida. From the movie!"
And so she was. She was fierce and beautiful and every inch the girl who transformed from spirited young tomboy to independent young woman in the movie. And as her mother, Queen Elinor, told her how very proud she was of her, her beautiful, wonderful daughter, my heart clenched and I pulled Emilia close and leaned down to whisper my own words: "that is exactly the kind of princess that I want you to be."
And I meant it. And I mean it no less this week, as controversy has swirled around the alleged revamp of Merida by the Walt Disney Company (the company that I work for; yes, I am writing here in my capacity as Editor In Chief of Disney Interactive Family). I mean it no less for two very important reasons. First, because the original Merida hasn't, actually, been made over: there are a few pieces of iterative artwork out there that were created for the purpose of celebrating her coronation, but these are fancified depictions of Merida, not a new Merida (who in any case is defined by far more important things than what she wears.) Second, because it doesn't matter what iterations of Merida are out there in the culture Merida is Merida, and the essence of who she is is defined by the girls who embrace her. It's kind of a remarkable conversation that's been circulating out there in the wilds of the Internet, and it's very probably a conversation that could only happen in the age of social media — there's been a lot of hearsay and speculation based a couple of pieces of artwork, presented without a source.
So that's all there was: some iterative artwork, created for limited use to celebrate the coronation. The image being circulated was intended for limited product use, and (in a slightly different variation) for the coronation invitation. That image doesn't represent a 'new' Merida replacing an 'old' Merida: it's just another iteration of Merida, who is much, much more than just red curls and a green dress. The CG character that you see in the movie, and that Emilia and I saw in real life at Disney World – she's still the girl that she's always been. The gussied up Merida on the coronation invitation is Merida gussied up for one of the most important events of her princess career. That she's a little more sparkly for the party is not a heresy against her independent and spirited self I consider myself independent and spirited, and I wore the sparkliest gown that I could find when I got married, because of course I did.
It remains that you can buy a Merida doll that is a little sparklier and fancied-up than tomboy Merida of the movie. But that's okay: Disney characters are changeable Minnie sometimes takes on the role of a style icon; Mickey puts on beat-boy pants and dances gangnam style (I saw it with my own eyes this past weekend, and it was awesome.) The princesses, like all Disney characters, are characters of the imagination and characters of play. They are meant to be adopted and engaged with and interacted with and iterated. My daughter is a princess iteration specialist of the highest order: her Cinderellas are astronauts; her Belles are teachers; her Rapunzels are circus performers. There are the canonical versions of the princesses, to be sure, but they are meant to live and breathe and play and change their clothes. And as they live and breathe and play and change their clothes, they remain who they are, because who they are is not what they look like. They are their qualities and their values and their stories. Cinderella is kind. Ariel is adventurous. Belle is intellectually curious and independent-minded. Mulan is a warrior.
Merida is brave. And strong and spirited and willful and intelligent and all the things that I want my daughter to be. She's a girl to look up to, no matter what she looks like.
Let's have that conversation.
I linked to this above, but it's worth noting clearly: Merida on the official Disney Princess site. She is fully the Merida as you've always known her. And this "I Am a Princess" video says it all:


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Randy Yates
(07-08-13 16:18:40):
> Is there a utility that will determine the strength of a password?
Cracklib will give you a "certainly insecure" or "possibly insecure"
output. For more detailed information, you should measure the strength
Ertugrul Söylemez.
Security is the one concept, which makes things in your life stay as
they are. Otto is a man, who is afraid of changes in his life; so
naturally he does not employ security.