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Jodi Arias went on trial Wednesday in Maricopa County Superior Court, accused of murdering her lover, Travis Alexander, in the shower of his Mesa home in 2008.
An outwardly religious young man is shot down and slashed apart by the angry young woman who was his secret sex partner.
Prosecutors call it first-degree murder; Arias' defense attorneys call it self-defense. The network TV news magazines call it the trial of the year.
But it's a trial about sin: The very first witness, a devout Mormon woman whom Alexander was trying to woo — and who found his body five days after he was killed — was grilled on the stand about what constitutes sin in the Mormon religion.
Murder is at the top of the list, she said, and right below that, sexual immorality.
The photos flashed across the courtroom TV screens were appalling: photos Alexander allegedly took of Arias' raw and naked body parts on the last day of his life, and crime scene photos of Alexander's body, curled on the floor of his stand-up shower, his eyes closed, his nose and mouth bloodied and his slit throat gaping like a toothless grin.
Arias, 32, sat silently at the defense table during the opening statements Wednesday. The bulge of the electronic stun belt worn by accused murderers on trial showed squarely beneath the back of her black blouse. Occasionally, she wiped away tears, as if shocked by the grim proceedings of her trial.
Alexander was one of the greatest blessings of Jodi Arias' life, said Deputy County Attorney Juan Martinez during his opening statement.
"She rewarded him by stabbing him in the heart," Martinez said.
One of Arias' two attornies, Jennifer Willmott, conceded that Arias killed Alexander, but as she closed her own opening statement hours later, she said, "Had Jodi not chosen to defend herself, she would not be here."
The story unfolded like this during the opening statements:
Arias met Alexander at a conference in Las Vegas in 2006. He was an executive in a multi-layer marketing company that sold insurance against legal bills, and she was a new company recruit. He gave motivational speeches at such conferences and not only invited her to the executive table but recruited her into the Mormon religion.
Because Arias was living near Palm Springs, they carried on a long-distance romance until Arias became jealous of other women Alexander was seeing and broke up with him.
Except she didn't really break up with him, and though he had other girlfriends, she continued to have sexual relations with him, even moving to Mesa for a while to be near him.
According to Martinez, and according to what Alexander told his friends, she slashed his tires and followed him on dates with other women and hacked into his email and bank accounts.
Willmott said that Alexander would ask Arias to come to his house to fulfill his sexual needs and that he had convinced her that sodomy was not as sinful as intercourse in the eyes of the church. Willmott displayed a photo of Arias wearing a T-shirt that said simply, "Travis Alexander's."
Alexander was wooing another woman in the weeks before his death, and he had promised to take the other woman on a company-sponsored trip to Cancun, Mexico, on June 9, 2008.
Nonetheless, late on June 3 that year, Alexander invited Arias to his house. The next day, judging from the time stamps of photos they took of each other, they had sex at least twice during the day. Willmott said that Alexander tied Arias to a bed to act out a fantasy and that he became angry several times. Arias was photographing Alexander in the shower, Willmott said — photos bear this out — when she dropped Alexander's expensive camera, which Willmott claimed angered Alexander again, forcing her to fight for her life.
But Martinez claimed that Arias was the angry one, jealous that Alexander was taking a different woman to Mexico. She came to his house to kill him, Martinez said, and as proof, he pointed out the violence of the murder: Alexander was stabbed 27 times before his throat was slit. Then, Martinez said, "she finished the job" by shooting Alexander in the side of the head.
His corpse lay in the shower for five days, until the woman he was to have taken to Cancun wondered why she hadn't heard from him. Knowing he had a "stalker," she said on the witness stand, she went to his house to look for him. A car was parked in the driveway. Alexander's dog was inside, throwing himself at the door, but no one answered the doorbell. She returned later with friends. They obtained the code numbers to the garage door opener and entered the house.
Inside, the smell of death hit them, though they apparently didn't recognize it, thinking instead that the dog had had an accident. They crept through the house and heard music from a room upstairs. Astoundingly, Alexander's roommate was in a bedroom across from Alexander's and he didn't know where Alexander was. But he had a key to Alexander's locked bedroom. Inside, they found blood and Alexander's body.
Mesa police found the bedding and some of Alexander's clothing in the washing machine downstairs. That's where they also found Alexander's camera, which had been run through the wash and ruined. But the memory card was intact, and although the photos had been erased, technicians were able to recover them.
Arias was arrested a month later at her grandparents' home in California. At first, she told police that she hadn't seen Alexander in months. When they confronted her with the photographs, she changed her story to say that a man and a woman dressed in black had broken into the house, held her at gunpoint and killed Alexander. She said as much to reporters in TV interviews in the jail. Eventually, she admitted she killed Alexander herself.
"No jury will convict me," she told the camera. "Mark my words."
The trial continues today.


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Whether it's a dust storm in Arizona, a whiteout in Maine or wildfire in Florida, the call to shut down a major highway usually rests with local officials, who in some cases have little, if any, written guidelines to follow. In many cases, officials rely on what officers at the scene are seeing -- or what they can't see -- when they make the decision.
Florida officials said they were willing to review their protocols, but the Highway Patrol was also quick to put the safety onus on drivers, saying conditions can change in an instant and motorists must be prepared to quickly make good decisions.
Federal transportation agencies have never issued guidelines on when to close roads due to fog, fires and dust storms. National groups representing insurance companies, the Federal Highway Administration, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board all said they had not heard of such a policy.
The NTSB is investigating the Gainseville crash.
Florida, which is vulnerable to smoky roads since it has one of the nation's most active prescribed fire programs, has a 16-item checklist for "smoke/fog incidents" that is part of a larger 28-page policy manual for Florida Highway Patrol shift commanders.
Closing a road, which can be costly for tractor-trailers shipping goods, is a decision is made by a supervisor who is consulting with troopers at the scene, although any patrolman can make the call to shut down a road if there is imminent danger, said Capt. Mark Brown, chief of the patrol's media relations. In the I-75 pileup, a district lieutenant based in Gainesville who was the supervisor at the scene made the decision. A day earlier, a different spokesman said a sergeant and lieutenant determined after about three hours that conditions had cleared enough for drivers.
"We rely on the members on the ground, and their physical presence, people who are actually there -- their feedback. The person that can actually see what is going on," Brown said.
Troopers also use information and forecasts from the National Weather Service. One key piece of information is an index estimating the humidity and smoke dispersion on a scale of 1 to 10 to help them decide whether to close a road. If the score is 7 or higher, the road should be closed.
The index score for early Sunday had been forecast to be 6 in a four-county region that includes the crash area, according to the National Weather Service.
Tips for safe driving when visibility is low
- Minimize distractions. Turn off radio and avoid using phone. Buckle up and make sure your passengers are buckled up, too.
- Watch the road for slow-moving or parked vehicles. In fog, use your wipers and defrosters to help improve your visibility.
- Drive with your lights on low beam, because high beams reflect off the fog and reduce visibility.
- Slow down and be aware of speedometer because low visibility can make it hard to tell how fast you're driving. Be sure that you can stop within the distance that you can actually see.
- Use the right edge of the road or painted road markings as a guide, and signal turns well in advance. Brake early to give drivers behind you ample time to react.
- If you must pull off the road, signal first and then drive as far to the right as possible. After pulling to the side, turn on your hazard lights and move away from the vehicle.
Sources: California Highway Patrol, Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
The Low Visibility Occurrence Risk Index was introduced to troopers around the state following a deadly crash in 2008 on Interstate 4 between Orlando and Tampa, about 125 miles south of Sunday's pileup. Four people were killed and 38 injured in that crash, which was caused by heavy smoke and fog.
"The index was added to get a more scientific approach to decision-making than what was used before," said Sgt. Steve Gaskins, a Florida Highway Patrol spokesman based in the Tampa area.
More than anything, troopers rely on the conditions they are seeing.
"If I'm a road sergeant and I go to the scene and can't see anything, I call up and I say, 'Hey, we're closing the road,'" Gaskins said.
In Maine, the nation's most heavily-wooded state, the decision is left up to the trooper on scene.
"Every situation is going to be different," said Duane Brunelle, a safety specialist at the Maine Department of Transportation.
In Georgia, Department of Transportation engineers work with Georgia State Patrol officers. Their protocol treats smoke more seriously than fog.
"Fog is often so widespread that it would be logistically impossible to address," said David Spear, a spokesman for the Georgia Department of Transportation. "However, an isolated patch of fog with sufficient density to hamper visibility ... should be treated the same as smoke."
Arizona is experimenting with a way to be more proactive, particularly for dust storms. The Arizona Department of Transportation is testing out a new dust warning system that takes field readings on weather conditions, humidity and wind speed. The goal is to detect potential dust storms a few days before they hit and begin posting warnings on signs.
Investigators on Tuesday released the name of a seventh person who died in the crashes as they worked to identify three bodies that were so badly burned that dental records and vehicle identification numbers may have to be used to get positive IDs. Christie Nguyen, a 27-year-old college student and dance troupe member was a passenger in a car that crashed on northbound I-75. A former teacher, Gwen Keith, described her as creative, bubbly and smart.
"She was very vivacious," Keith said. "She was very artistic."
Mike Schneider of The Associated Press wrote this report. Curt Anderson in Miami; Mark Carlson in Phoenix, Greg Bluestein in Atlanta and David Sharp in Portland, Maine, contributed.

subset: commoncrawl


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Rakovica, Belgrade
Location within the City of Belgrade
Location within Serbia
|• Type
|Municipality of Belgrade
|• Mun. president
|Vladan Kocić (SNS)
|• Total
|29 km2 (11 sq mi)
|Population (2011)
|• Total
|• Density
|3,700/km2 (9,700/sq mi)
|Time zone
|• Summer (DST)
|Postal code
|Area code(s)
|+381 11
|Car plates
Rakovica (Serbian Cyrillic: Раковица, pronounced [râːkɔʋitsa]) is an urban neighborhood and one of 17 municipalities which constitute the City of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia.
Rakovica is located in the valley of the Topčiderka river, where the brook of Rakovički potok flows into the river Sava, 9-10 kilometers (~6 mi) from Terazije, downtown Belgrade. The neighborhood developed between two large woods, Košutnjak on the north and Manastirska šuma, on the south, north of the Rakovica monastery. It is bordered by the neighborhoods of Kanarevo Brdo on the north-east, Miljakovac on the east, Kneževac on the south and Vidikovac and Skojevsko Naselje on the west. As in many cases, the boundaries between the neighborhoods are not firmly set, so in some parts Rakovica overlaps with Kneževac or Miljakovac, for example. The neighborhood of Selo Rakovica (Village Rakovica) is some 6-7 kilometers (~4 mi) further to the east, belongs to the municipality of Voždovac and is generally not associated with the term Rakovica.
History and name[edit]
The first settlement on the territory of present Rakovica was mentioned in the Ottoman 1560 population census as a village called Vlaha. Tradition has it that the place got its name after the crayfish (Serbian: rak, rakovica), which allegedly inhabited the Rakovički potok which streamed through the village. The first mention of the monastery, already under the name of Rakovica, was from the 17th century. The village gradually turned into a suburb and then the neighborhood of Belgrade, one of the most heavily industrialized areas of Belgrade. According to the 1981 census, the neighborhood (local community, mesna zajednica) of Rakovica had a population of 17,871, about one fifth of the municipal population. However, the local community was later split into several smaller ones, and those strictly comprising the area of the neighborhood of Rakovica had a population of 9,901 in 2002.
The municipality of Rakovica is located south of downtown Belgrade. It is bordered by the municipalities of Savski Venac on the north, Voždovac on the west and Čukarica on the east and south. Its neighborhood of Resnik marks the southernmost point of the Belgrade City Proper (uža teritorija grada).
Rakovica covers an area of 31.8 square kilometers (12.3 sq mi). It is located in a hilly area, with numerous hillocks out of which many got urbanized and developed into Belgrade neighborhoods: Miljakovac (193 m/633 ft), Petlovo Brdo (205 m/673 ft; the top of the hill is in the municipality of Čukarica), Kanarevo Brdo, Labudovo Brdo, Straževica, Košutnjak, Vidikovac, etc.
The municipality mostly lies in the valley of the Topčiderka river. There are numerous other streams in the area, most of which flow into the Topčiderka: Rakovički potok, Jelezovac, Zmajevac, Pariguz, Kijevski potok, etc.
Central and northern sections of the municipalities are wooded areas. Entire northern section actually covers the southern part of the large park-wood Košutnjak, while the woods of Miljakovac and Manastir (Miljakovačka šuma and Manastirska šuma) are located in the central parts, on the slopes of the hills of Miljakovac and Straževica, respectively.
Municipality of Rakovica was created in 1952, after the previous division of Belgrade into districts (rejon, 1945–52) ended. In 1960 the municipality was annexed to the neighboring Čukarica, but split again in 1974. Recent presidents of the municipal assembly:
- 1989–1992; Miodrag Vidojković (b. 1936)
- 1992–1996; Slavica Tanasković
- 1996–2000; Predrag Dokmanović (b. 1957)
- 2000–2004; Srbislav S. Zečević (b. 1940)
- 2004–2012; Bojan Milić (b. 1972)
- 2012–present; Milosav Miličković (b. 1959)
The Day of the Municipality is October 14, the patron day of the Shroud of the Most Holy Virgin.
NATO bombing[edit]
During NATO bombing of FR Yugoslavia, Rakovica was the only Belgrade municipality, that has been targeted almost every night, and eventually every day.[1] The most heavy attacks suffered the hill "Strazevica" (under which was the Yugoslavian underground base), as well as "Monastery forest", most probably because anti-aircraft was located there.[2] Although not whole Rakovica was under direct attacks, the largest part of the municipality suffered the collateral damage.
According to the 2011 census population of municipality was 108,413. Previously one of the urban Belgrade's municipalities with highest population growth, since the 1990s the growth slowed down. However, Rakovica remains one of the most densely populated municipalities of Belgrade with 3,738 inhabitants per square kilometer (9,680/sq mi). Population of the municipality:
- 1961 = 26,134
- 1971 = 50,863
- 1981 = 87,068
- 1991 = 96,300
- 2002 = 99,000
- 2011 = 108,413
Ethnic structure (2002 census):
- Serbs = 92,091 (93,02%)
- Yugoslavs = 1,226 (1,24%)
- Macedonians = 640 (0,65%)
- Croats = 529 (0,53%)
Rakovica is one of the most industrialized parts of Belgrade. Some of the factories in the area include: Industrija motora Rakovica – IMR (engine factory), Rekord (tire factory), 21 Maj (tractors and other agricultural vehicles factory), Frigostroj (coolers and air conditioners factory), IMP (foundry), Tehnogas MESSER (oxygen and acetylene factory), etc. Most of these factories suffered badly in the transition process. Another industrialized area of the municipality is the neighborhood of Kijevo with the quarry which supplies the entire Belgrade's building industry with stone and slates. The remaining industry is also mostly into construction and building (building companies and cement plants Komgrap, Graditelj, etc.).
Rakovica is located on important traffic routes. The valley of Rakovički potok is a route to the Kružni put, suburban road of Belgrade and the future part of the projected Belgrade beltway, and a Belgrade-Požarevac railway, while the valley of Topčiderka is a route to the Belgrade-Niš railway. The other important roads in the municipality are Patrijarha Dimitrija street which goes through the middle of the urbanized area and Ibarska magistrala on the western edge of the municipality.
MOC, Machines educational center and the Institute for the engines are located in Rakovica.
See also[edit]
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rakovica (Belgrade).
- Mala Prosvetina Enciklopedija, Third edition (1985); Prosveta; ISBN 86-07-00001-2
- Jovan Đ. Marković (1990): Enciklopedijski geografski leksikon Jugoslavije; Svjetlost-Sarajevo; ISBN 86-01-02651-6
- Beograd - plan grada; M@gic M@p, 2006; ISBN 86-83501-53-1
Coordinates: 44°44′45.10″N 20°26′42.23″E / 44.7458611°N 20.4450639°E


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Earlier reports were putting the very popular and very fast Vancouver Lake Half Marathon in March, so that it wouldn't be held during the park's annual winter closure.
Well, forget those reports, because according to the Clark County Running Club website, the race is back on for January 23, 2010 with a 10a start time.
Registration is slated to open on November 1, 2010 - and trust me, if you don't register that day, your chances of getting in are slim to none.
This is a fast course. It's where I realized my 2-years-in-the-making goal to "Beat Geb" and run a half marathon faster than Haile Gebrselassie's world record marathon time, running a 1:59:27.
So, write yourself a note, set a reminder on your phone, whatever it takes to be sure and visit the CCRC website (where they'll have a link to registration on Active.com) on November 1st to register for the 2011 Vancouver Lake Half Marathon!


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Conference Badges
Join in the community spirit!
Below are a range of badges you can easily add to your website to share the Transition Network 2012 Conference.
If you need further details about the conference, head over to the main conference information page ›
Conference 2012 badges
Show your community spirit by putting a Transition Network Conference badge on your website or blog.
We look forward to seeing you at the conference!


text:
How To Halloween: Projects from Bloggers
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Holiday Boo Buffet
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Set the tables and create your centerpieces with felt, ribbon, Tulip Glam-It-Up! Iron-On Fashion Designs, Iron-On Crystals and Tulip 3D Fashion Paint. Halloween has to be glammed up this pretty with this craft from I Love to Create.
- Tulip® 3D Fashion Paint
- 65049 Orange
- Aleene's® Original Tacky Glue®
- Tulip® Glam-It-Up!™ Iron-On Fashion Designs™
- Web
- Tulip® Glam-It-Up!™ Iron-On Crystals™
- 200 Pack
- Felt treat bags – black (purchased or sewn)
- Ribbon – various orange and black/Halloween themed
- Scissors – scallop-edged
- Hole punch – 1/16" and ¼"
- Sequins – orange – small and large
- Jump rings – ¼"
- Stiff felt – black, orange
- Iron
- Pressing cloth
- Glass candy jars
Treat Bags
- If making treat bags, use scallop-edged scissors to cut black felt into approximately 3" wide by 11" strips and fold in half. Sew sides together, leaving the top open. Lay bag onto hard ironing surface. Peel backing from Spider Web Iron-On Fashion Design™ and position onto front of bag, design side up. Set dry iron to wool setting.
- Cover design with thin cloth. Press and hold iron over design for 45-60 seconds. Let cool, then remove plastic.
- Cut Halloween themed ribbon and tie a bow around top of bag.
Candy Jar Tags
- Cut orange stiff felt 4" wide by 4½" high with scalloped scissors. Cut black stiff felt into a 3¼" square.
- Lay black felt onto hard ironing surface. Peel backing from Spider Web design and position in center of felt, design side up. Set dry iron to wool setting.
- Cover transfer with thin cloth. Press and hold iron over design for 45-60 seconds. Let cool then remove plastic.
- Glue black felt with Spider Web design on top the orange felt with Aleene's® Original Tacky Glue®, leaving a ¼" border on bottom and two sides and more space at the top. Let dry.
- Use the ¼" hole punch to punch holes into the top corners of the orange felt square.
- From the orange stiff felt, cut a 2" square with scalloped scissors. Cut a 1¾" square from black stiff felt.
- Glue small black square into the center of the slightly larger orange square with Aleene's® Original Tacky Glue®. Let dry.
- Glue a large sequin in the center of small black square for spider body and glue a small sequin above it for a head.
- Glue crystals to the centers of the sequins. Let dry.
- Use Orange Slick 3D Fashion Paint™ to draw legs extending from spider body. Refer to photo. Let dry.
- Punch a 1/16" hole in the corner of the small spider square and a 1/16" hole in the bottom edge of the larger spider web square.
- Attach the spider square to the spider web square with 3 jump rings.
- Cut and tie a 12" ribbon into the corner holes of the spider web square. Hang around a glass candy jar filled with Halloween-themed candy to complete your candy buffet!
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By Ginna Parsons/NEMS Daily Journal
Last week, I got an email from Paula McTune Jones, also known as PMc (pronounced P Mac) to her close friends. She and I met some 10 years ago when I featured her husband, Wesley, as a Cook of the Week. Three years later, I would feature Paula as a Cook of the Week.
We met again last year when I found out she'd been named the grand-prize winner in Southern Living magazine's recipe contest. And we just keep bumping into one another at various functions.
PMc wanted me to know about her new food blog, "Call Me PMc: Menus, recipes and strategies for busy Moms" (www.callmepmc.com). It's a site dedicated to all sorts of recipes Paula concocts herself or stumbles upon, and it's one of those with step-by-step instructions and lots of pictures.
The recipe featured on the day I first visited the blog was for The BCC – Bacon, Chicken and Cheddar Sandwich. The recipe begins with Paula marinating her bacon in sweet tea, because she had a pitcher sitting on the counter one day and the idea just came to her.
PMc says these sandwiches are delicious and, judging by her pictures, I'd have to agree. I plan to make a pitcher of strong sweet tea this weekend and try them myself.
The BCC
8 slices thick-cut bacon
Sweet tea
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Salt and pepper
Oil for pan-frying
1 loaf French bread
4 slices Cheddar cheese
Remoulade sauce
Lettuce or salad mix
Remoulade Sauce
1 cup mayonnaise
1 or 2 green onions, sliced thin
2 tablespoons Creole mustard
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried
1⁄4 teaspoon ground red pepper
Marinate bacon in tea for 1 hour. Remove from tea and discard tea. Cook bacon until crisp and drain on paper towels. Flatten chicken, then season with salt and pepper and pan fry until done. Split French bread loaf in half, layer the cheese across one side, and toast under the broiler. Spread remoulade sauce on other side of bread. Top with chicken, bacon and lettuce. Close the sandwich, slice into 4 pieces and enjoy!
For the Remoulade Sauce, combine all ingredients until well blended. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.
Ginna Parsons is the Daily Journal's food/home/garden editor.


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Voice: Craig R. Newberry, Flint
I am the president of Marines Taking Care of Kids, the local organization that gives Toys for Tots a home in Genesee County. I would like to thank, on behalf of our board of directors and many volunteers, the individuals, schools, unions, organizations and businesses that supported us this year.
On Jan. 3, 2009, we had no idea what the year ahead would have in store for any of us. For many of us, it was a difficult year on numerous levels. The needs kept coming and the ability to address them was diminished as our day-to-day resources waned. We worried that we would be unable to sustain our program and help all of the families asking for assistance. In the final analysis, we helped just under 2,300 families with an average of three children per house place Christmas presents under a tree for their children.
I want to express our extreme gratitude for the many thousands of volunteer hours given to Toys for Tots to make this happen. There is not a single paid employee for Toys for Tots in Genesee County; we all volunteer our time and in most instances it cost money just to volunteer.
From the coordinators to the drivers picking up the gifts, to the people hosting parties to the union that collected $1,285 in pop can deposits, to the grief-stricken parents that lost kids years ago but continue to buy gifts for their departed children and then turn them over to us to be distributed to complete strangers, thank you. I want to thank the businessman that spent the night outside his establishment on a bench collecting toys for us; there is no personal gain in that commitment.
I could fill up an entire page thanking all of the people that deserve to be thanked, but I would like to bundle them all together for a big group hug! Thank you for your loyal support to Toys for Tots. You are what make this community a wonderful place to call home.


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Editor: Carol Capper's "Where God stands on issues," May 28, was quite confusing.
What would all her information have to do with God's judgment on the world? His stand is obvious.
This is human nature acting out. The fact of the matter is God's judgment will be final when the time comes. We will have to answer for our actions and choices in this life.
We do have an advocate, but we would have to give up our covetous ways, etc. Thinking what is best for the baby in the womb as an example, not I have a choice, but what is just and is it pleasing to God.
Ron Jenkins,


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Habitat for Humanity Celebrates 10,000th Family Served in Sri Lanka
HFH Sri Lanka Thanks Donors, Partners And Supporters In Colombo Ceremony
COLOMBO, 6th February 2009: Fourteen years ago, Habitat for Humanity started building and renovating homes of families in need in Sri Lanka. Recently, Habitat celebrated the fruit of its labor by marking the 10,000th house built in a ceremony in the capital, Colombo.
The celebration marked the earlier handover of the milestone house to the family of carpenter Arthur Fernando from Modera village, Egoda Uyana city in Moratuwa. Fernando's old house was destroyed in the Asian tsunami of December 2004. His family of five had to live in a temporary shelter on the site of their old house for more than three years.
Now thanks to HFH Sri Lanka, along with partner Tearfund, a UK Christian relief and development agency, Fernando and other families in Modera are rebuilding homes and lives.
"The new house is the result of a great service. We are most grateful for it," said Fernando of his 300 sq. ft. house.
Gratitude was also on Habitat's mind when the organization thanked about 75 current and potential corporate donors , partners and supporters assembled in the Trans Asia Hotel ballroom.
Tony Senewiratne, national director of HFH Sri Lanka, noted that the 10,000th family milestone is "a small step for change in Sri Lanka, but a big step for Habitat in building a better tomorrow".
Among the guests present was Vinya Ariyaratne, executive director of local non-governmental organization Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement. Ariyaratne was thankful for the opportunity of partnership with Habitat through its microfinance institution, Sarvodaya Economic Enterprise Development Services (SEEDS). HFH Sri Lanka and SEEDS will serve about 400 families in the Monaragala and Anuradhapura districts with incremental building and house renovations.
Rick Hathaway, vice-president of Habitat for Humanity in the Asia-Pacific region, presented the Habitat for Humanity International 2008 Nehemiah Award for outstanding volunteer service to Reverend Sister John Storey. Head of a Catholic order in the renowned tea-plantation town of Nuwara Eliya, the reverend sister was credited for raising resources and advocating for the cause of Habitat. Sister John said: "HFH Sri Lanka has become a great source of strength in Nuwara Eliya."
Guest of honor Robert Blake, U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, paid tribute to Habitat's work. "HFH Sri Lanka has been a shining example of Habitat for Humanity International's ongoing goal to provide simple, decent, affordable housing to people in need."
Blake recalled his own experience as a volunteer builder in Negombo town and in Moratuwa city along the west coast. "It is through programs like these – programs that bring neighbors together, that partner with non-governmental organizations and other organizations – that Habitat for Humanity's simple housing projects in Sri Lanka become part of larger community transformation efforts that result in improved livelihood, education and social services."
Habitat's Hathaway noted that the happy occasion was really a celebration of the transformation of 10,000 families. "It was made possible by the compassion and contributions of thousands of Sri Lankans and friends of Sri Lanka. The milestone is seen to break the cycle of poverty housing and pave the way for the next generation to live with hope and dignity," he said.
At the celebration, HFH Sri Lanka's Senewiratne introduced a research project on housing needs in the country conducted by Prof. S.T. Hettige, chair of sociology and director of Social Policy Analysis and Research Center at the University of Colombo. "The Indicators for Inadequate Housing in Sri Lanka" was funded by Tearfund. As a prelude to field work for the report, HFH Sri Lanka had coordinated an expert panel discussion in March 2007 to determine the definition of inadequate housing and its indicators. Participants included representatives from Sri Lanka's National Housing Development Authority, UN-HABITAT, HFH Sri Lanka, international non-governmental organization Centre on Housing Rights and Eviction, and Tearfund.
Before bringing the 10,000th house celebration to a close, Reverend Father Lokendra Abhayaratne, president of HFH Sri Lanka's board of directors, thanked Habitat staff in Sri Lanka for their dedication. His closing remarks to the guests: "Come and volunteer to find the satisfaction of building houses on rocks and not on sand."


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Published on August 19, 2014
Murray Salsman points out the garden's trademark yellow and red Glad of Hope.
Published on August 19, 2014
A memorial garden, built in the shape of the breast cancer ribbon, remembers loved ones lost to cancer.
Published on August 19, 2014
There are thousands of colourful glads in various stages of bloom in Marg's Glad Garden.
For 11 seasons, Marg's Glad Garden on Brooklyn Street in Grafton has been a labour of love for Murray Salsman, founder of the Margaret Salsman Cancer Memorial Fund.
Salsman established the garden and fund in memory of his late wife, Margaret, who passed away from cancer.
"Did I ever think it would get this big? No way, but right from the start it has exceeded my expectations" said Salsman on a recent tour of the extensive garden, which this year has between 7,000 and 8,000 gladioli bulbs bursting into colourful blooms throughout the month of August.
Salsman estimates in the past 11 years the garden fund has generated close to $120,000 for cancer patients living in Kings, Annapolis and Digby counties.
Funds raised through freewill offerings for glad bouquets provide assistance to cancer patients for drugs, food supplements, transportation and other daily needs of life.
Funds are also raised through business donations and through the memorial garden project, built in the shape of a breast cancer ribbon. The garden currently has 60 heart-shaped signs bearing the names of people who have died from cancer.
The garden took a hit during post tropical storm Arthur when the plants were about a foot in height. But the glads bounced back and Salsman has been "really pleased with how good they are this year," adding the height and wide array of colours of the flower variety that was his late wife's favorite, including the garden's trademark yellow and red glad of hope, have been impressive.
"This year we have all the colours of the rainbow," including a chocolate-coloured glad, said Salsman, who is now remarried to Dorothy.
He says the first view of the garden in the morning from a second story window in his home brings the pair "such great pleasure."
Despite the fact that the they "aren't getting any younger", the Salsmans have no plans to wrap up the fund and the garden any time soon. With the assistance they receive from local 4-H members, who help plant the garden in the spring, to their Thanksgiving weekend work crew that cuts down the garden and digs up the bulbs for storage over the winter, the pair get the support they need to keep the garden blooming year after year.
"I get a lot of satisfaction from this and Dorothy is such a big help, she supports me all the way."
The Glad Garden, located at 5387 Brooklyn Street in Grafton, is open daily from noon to 7 p.m. until August 31.


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HourlyMore than 30 hrs/week
I have a few thousand CSV reports that I need downloaded from SEM Rush. For each domain, I need you to download 3 CSV files and then transfer them to me (via Dropbox unless you have a better mechanism). You will need: (a) a fast, high bandwidth Internet connection, (b) a Dropbox account, and (c) patience for downloading many reports over and over. (You do not need your own SEM Rush account.)
To apply, please do the following:
(1) Go to speedtest.net and click "Begin Test". At the end, click "Share this result" and then copy the URL that is available. Paste that URL into your job application. (It should look something like: http://www.speedtest.net/result/XXXXXXXX.png)
(2) Answer the following questions: do you have a Dropbox account? About how much free space do you currently have? Have you shared a folder with someone before?
(3) Go to semrush.com. Enter "odesk.com". What are the first five "Ads Keywords" listed for "odesk.com" (in the US, the default)? What 3 formats are available for exporting the Ads Keywords report on the "odesk.com" page?
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Murder suspect claims demonic spirit guides him
March 16, 2013
An Ault man arrested Friday in the death of his common-law wife on Christmas Eve 2011 told police and his sister that his crimes were influenced by a demonic voice, and the one night he didn't repent, he killed his wife, according to a police affidavit released Monday.
Matthew Patrick Gunsallus , 29, is in Weld County Jail after his arrest for suspicion of first-degree murder of Kristen Elizabeth Lujan, 25, on Dec. 24, 2011, at their home in Greeley. Police arrested him for the crime a day after a jury acquitted him of rape from a claim last year.
Gunsallus called 911 from his neighbor's house that night, telling emergency workers Lujan fell while taking a shower, and he found her choking on her own vomit.
Police never believed his story, but there was no evidence of a crime. The medical examiner could find no specific cause of death, but he agreed that she could have been suffocated, the affidavit stated. On Friday, the medical examiner agreed to amend his autopsy to state the cause of her death was suffocation and manner as homicide, affidavit stated.
Gunsallus' story remained consistent until he apparently confessed last summer in an 18-page letter to his sister while he was incarcerated on the rape claim. On page 17 of the letter, the affidavit stated, he wrote, "It really was an accident. I only meant to punish her. I never meant to take her life. But I did. I sat on her chest, with my kneez (sic) on her arms and smothered her with a pillow. I am an unholy bastard. I do not deserve to be loved and you know why I will never come home."
In a subsequent interview with police, Gunsallus told police there was lingering hostility between Lujan and him after he found a meth pipe in her possession. On Christmas Eve, he said he and Lujan talked about their trust issues, had sex and resumed talking.
Gunsallus told police their discussion became heated and Lujan attempted to strike him. He said he threw her on the bed face-down and wrapped her in a blanket in an attempt to restrain her. He said he blacked out and "came to" minutes later, on top of her with a pillow over her head. He said he took her to the shower to clean her off as she had vomited under the pillow. He then ran to his neighbor's house to call 911, as they had no phone inside the house.
"The defendant further asserts he commonly experiences 'raw evil' thoughts, which he refers to as a 'voice,' " the affidavit stated. "He attributes these evil thoughts to something demonic, such as the devil.
"The defendant stated after he 'came to' and realized he had suffocated (Lujan), the voice told him to 'obey' and instructed him how to discard evidence and stage the scene to avoid detection," the affidavit stated. That is why he moved Lujan's body and "fabricated the story about her sudden complaint of illness, collapse and choking," the affidavit stated.
The medical examiner told police it would take four to six minutes to suffocate a person.
Throughout the year, police attempted to talk with the couple's eldest daughter, who was 3 at the time of her mother's death. Their first attempt was unsuccessful, the affidavit stated, because she was simply too young to communicate.
Last month, Lujan's father told police his granddaughter told him her parents used to fight and that was why her mother was dead now, the affidavit stated. Police talked with the girl again days later. Now almost 4 1/2 years old, the affidavit stated, she told detectives her mother choked on a burrito in the bedroom.
"The child stated daddy was yelling at mommy when she was choking and mommy was crying," the affidavit stated.
She told detectives that her "daddy carried mommy into the shower and that she and her daddy were trying to make her get back to life."
The affidavit reports police monitored Gunsallus' videotaped jail visits with his sister, in which he confessed his crimes. In one visit, the affidavit stated, he showed his sister a tattoo on his right forearm with the word, "Repent."
He told her that when he brushed his teeth, he sees the tattoo, and it served as a daily reminder for him to repent.
"Even this last time I was out (of jail), I repented," the affidavit stated. "I repented. Day after day after day after day after day. One day, I did not repent; that was Christmas Eve. After that, I repent, I repent, I repent and I punish myself and I repent and I repent and I repent. I reach a point in my life where … opportunities arise. This is why I've been getting away year after year after year. I mean that. Getting away with it because the perfect opportunity arises and it comes. It tells me like it knows what's going to happen. That's why I'm a master liar."
The affidavit stated he told his sister that he is guided by the demonic spirits inside of him, and that he has to stop it, clear his conscience and cleanse his soul.
In that same visit, he told his sister he can never be trusted.
Gunsallus appeared in a video advisement before Weld District Court Judge Timothy Kerns on Monday. His case has been set over until 8:30 a.m. Thursday, at which time the Weld district attorney will have formally charged him. Chief Deputy District Attorney Robb Miller told Kerns on Monday he would be seeking a "proof-evident, presumption-great" hearing — a hearing to determine if the proof is evident and the presumption is great that Gunsallus committed the crime — which would allow the courts to hold Gonsallus in jail without bond until a trial.
Attempts to contact Lujan's and Gunsallus' families were unsuccessful. None of their family members appeared in court on Monday.
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DetroitStarting with model year 2002, a new generation of automatic rain sensors will turn on windshield wipers in luxury and family vehicles. "We can't say what cars will include the new optical sensors, but they will be both foreign and domestic," says Scott McEwan, an electrical engineer and product manager with TRW Automotive Electronics.
The new generation of optical sensors is different, in several ways, from what the company first introduced in 1997. "One big change is that we moved the analog signal processor onto a single ASIC chip," says McEwan. The way the sensor attaches to the windshield is also different. "The original sensors were installed on the windscreen at the vehicle assembly location. That process was rather cumbersome, so we designed a coupling attachment, which is installed when the windshield is autoclaved. It is similar to the application of the mirror mount," he says. Workers on the assembly line attach the wire harness and clip the sensor in place.
At 69.8×50.8×19 mm, the new sensor allows for a small windshield footprint and a low profile.
"The plastic coupler we use survives temperatures up to 300F during the manufacturing process," says McEwan. The low profile of the sensor does not affect the way windshields are packaged and sent to assembly plants. It works with numerous types of glass, such as solar reflective and solar absorbing.
The rain sensor itself uses optical sensing, analog signal processing, and a control algorithm during operation. When the system experiences an interruption to its infrared signal, such as rain drops striking the windshield, analog processing detects the occurrence of a "true rain event" rather than stray signals that might result from changes in sunlight or other sources. Depending on the rain intensity, the system selects one of seven speeds.
In addition to automobiles, the optical rain sensors are suitable for use in nautical, off-road and construction equipment applications.


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Riad Euphorbe
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... kindly paid for a special Moroccan dinner as a wedding present for us.
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... the address prior to leaving Sydney and remembered the route. Finally I was welcomed into my new place for the next 3 days. A beautiful Riad with internal pool and fantastic hosts.
After explaining the reason for my very late arrival and the issue with the taxi driver, I was given a room upgrade for free.
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Short-track speedskating at the 2014 Winter Olympics has come to a close. It ended with a bang on the women's side, as the finals for the 1,000-meter was one of the most thrilling events of the Sochi Games.
Willie Cornblatt of NBC Olympics tweeted out the winner:
Park Seung-Hi wins gold in the 1000m, Smith finishes fourth— Willie Cornblatt (@WillieCornblatt) February 21, 2014
It took three heats to narrow the field down to six skaters to bring us to an epic medal round, which was ultimately dominated by South Korea.
Seung-Hi Park ended up earning gold for the country, lighting up the ice with her speed and quickness. Her time of 1 minute, 30.761 seconds was .050 seconds faster than the next closest competitor.
That time belonged to silver medalist Kexin Fan of China, who tried her best to top the podium but fell just short.
Bronze went to South Korea's Suk Hee Shim after her strong surge at the 1,000-meter distance. She completed the course in 1:29.356.
Let's take a look at how each competitor fared in the medal rounds of this short-track speedskating event, plus recap the top performances and take a look at what is next for these incredible athletes.
|Seung-Hi PARK
|Kexin FAN
|Suk Hee SHIM
|Jessica SMITH
|Jorien TER MORS
|Valerie MALTAIS
Park was simply the fastest woman in Sochi at the 1,000-meter distance on Friday. The 2010 bronze medalist improved her standing from the Vancouver Games, blitzing through the semis and finals with the top score. She conserved energy in the initial heats, coming in fifth in the qualifier and second in the quarterfinals.
Fan came out of seemingly nowhere to come through when it counted. She snuck into the medal round with the fifth-best time of 1:32.618
Jessica Smith, America's best hope for a medal, failed to earn a place on the podium in this event. She recovered from a mediocre start to her semifinal run to improbably advance to the medal round.
Cornblatt tweeted about the miraculous semifinal finish:
Wow! @TheJessicaSmith advances after what looked like a sure loss for her, amazing #thatsshorttrack #Sochi2014— Willie Cornblatt (@WillieCornblatt) February 21, 2014
The 30-year-old, who has 12 World Cup medals under her belt—two gold, five silver and five bronze—since switching to short-track in 2008, was not selected to compete for the United States in Vancouver four years ago.
Be proud @TheJessicaSmith You raced fantastic today. #Olympics #Sochi2014 #ToughestResultInSports #FourthAtTheOlympics— Travis Jayner (@travisjayner) February 21, 2014
When USSpeedskating.org asked what the biggest challenge of her career was, Smith answered: "Just missing out on the 2010 Olympic team. I hadn't been on the ice very long but it was hard to be one spot away from making it."
Fourth place is definitely a major step up from not being selected to the Olympics, but she has to be disappointed after finishing .274 seconds away from the podium.
What's Next
This event marks the end of short-track speedskating for the ladies at the 2014 Winter Olympics. Only the men's 5000-meter relay is left, which will take place at 1:18 p.m. ET on Friday.
South Korea, China and Russia are currently tied for the lead with the most golds in the discipline, taking home two each throughout the seven medal events that have been run thus far. China and South Korea are also tied for most overall medals, with five each during the Winter Olympics.
It'll be interesting to see how the men's relay shakes out, which will conclude this discipline's run in Sochi.
Many of these short-track speedskaters will soon start training and preparing for the World Cup tournament, which begins this coming September and ends in November.
Keep an eye on some of the younger participants, such as 21-year-old gold medalist Park, when the Winter Olympics kick off in South Korea in 2018.


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Does intimacy have anything to do with leadership?
In fact when it comes to the "I" word, most people avoid it like the plaque especially at work. We even can argue that "I" stands for INAPPROPRIATENESS.
But I disagree. Here's why:
1. On the other side of conflict is INTIMACY. (Did you know that? When two people really empower the conflict, go into it, are committed enough to fight, to hear & speak the uncomfortable truths, to wrestle with each other and our own fears and demons, STAY (stay in the fight, don't quit), you can't help it but finding intimacy on the other side.)
2. The cliche (but oh so true) meaning of intimacy is "into me (you) see". It simply means "two human spirits seeing each other", really see = being understood and known by each other).
3. When two human spirits SEE each other, conflict dissolves, connection happens, alignment and unity lead, and new resolution emerges…that is leadership at its purest state (no coercion, no manipulation, but authentic, honest, and real).
So when we avoid conflict, we avoid intimacy; when we avoid intimacy, we avoid authentic leadership.
Mai you are absolutely right about this. I have witnessed this again and again. I have worked in foodservice for 23 yrs. Most conflict and conversation happens on the fly. When you give people an opportunity to sit down face to face and work it out (sometimes facilitated) the result is magical. They often SEE each other for the first time. Usually there are tears of joy and lots of hugs and the relationship strengthens.


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Have you been following the controversy and drama surrounding Shia LaBeouf? Now that he's wrapped the 'Transformers' franchise, he's been focusing on making more indie movies, like 'Nymphomaniac' and 'Charlie Countryman.' One project he made was a short film called 'HowardCantour.com.' Shia's been accused of plagiarizing from David Clowes' novella, 'Justin M. Damiano' for the movie. Shia apologized. Then it was found that Shia's APOLOGIES were plagiarized from other people's apologies on the internet. Early this morning Shia sent out the following tweets:
In light of the recent attacks against my artistic integrity, I am retiring from all public life.
My love goes out to those who have supported me.
Something tells me we haven't really seen the last of Shia LaBeouf. I think he's just fed up (and as an actor, he's used to having his lines written for him). He has to promote his film 'Fury' with Brad Pitt, after all ;).
Photos by FAMEFLYNET


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Robotics teams from Wilsonville turned in a strong showing at the FIRST Lego League's qualifying tournaments on Dec. 10 and 11, with seven of the nine Wilsonville teams winning awards or advancing to the state championship Jan. 14 and 15 in Hillsboro.
The teams advancing are the HEXicles, United Super Bananas, the RXBots and Bricks and Gears, which also had the highest score for robot performance for the day. Not advancing but recognized with awards were the Mini Puffs, which won the Project award for the day; Mr. Roboto, which received the Robot Design award; and the Plastic Mindstormers, which won the Rising Star award as rookies. Two other teams, the Wilsonville Eagles and Megaminds, competed.
Wilsonville parent Christine Aube's two daughters competed in Robotics for the first time this year: Emily, 11, who participated on an established co-ed team of Wood Middle School students, and Kylie, 9, who joined a rookie team of fourth-grade girls from Boeckman Creek and Boones Ferry primary schools.
Aube was impressed with how the teams coalesced, and how the established team welcomed newcomer Emily. "The whole Robotics program is a phenomenal opportunity for these kids; the work they do is completely child-driven and to see the creativity that comes out of them is amazing."


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My dentist has three chickens and I am so jealous. When I was in his chair last month, I couldn't wait to ask him how many fresh eggs he got that weekend. Three and a half dozen! If I had called him the night before, he would have brought me a dozen of his fresh eggs! I began to quiz him. "Where do they live? How many did you start with? Was it expensive to build a coop? Are they noisy? Do I need to fence in my yard? Will my yard smell like a barn? Can two city folk like me and Phil really raise a small group of chicken, just so we can have fresh eggs." He assured me that it was incredibly simple, and I could just come check out his chickens. I started to imagine myself in overalls and a straw hat, going out to my chicken coop every morning to get fresh eggs. Wouldn't my dogs love to run around the yard with chickens? This is going to be SO FUN!
Then the New York Times Sunday Magazine come out with an article entitled, "The Femivore's Dilemma". It seems as though "chicks-with-chicks" is the newest way for stay-at-home moms to find some sort legitimacy to their domestic lives. It is the same argument we have heard a million times before....today's soccer mom feels undervalued. If you have chosen to stay home with your kids, you may be 'prone to depression', some women lose a sense of financial independence and feel guilty for not 'contributing financially' to the household income anymore, or a general sense of 'purposelessness' takes over.
What is a highly educated, well-read, stay at home mom to do to boost her self worth?
Apparently, jump on the latest bandwagon and start building your backyard mini-barn. On the surface, it seemed like an admiral trend. Everyone likes to know where their food comes from these days. Home grown food is a million times better than anything you can get in your grocery store. Phil and I have had a vegetable and herb garden since we got married, and I look forward to the fruits of Phil's labor every summer. We also saved a few bucks each summer by growing our own herbs and vegetables.
"Femivorism is grounded in the very principles of self-sufficiency, autonomy and personal fulfillment that drove women into the workplace in the first place....it also confers instant legitimacy." says Peggy Orenstein, author of the NY Times article.
Ummm..so vegetable gardening and chicken farming is supposed to make the stay-at-home mom feel better about herself?
As always, some people are taking this idea to an extreme. There is a movement called the "Radical Homemaker". According to Shannon Hayes, author of Radical Homemakers, if you are giving up the rat race to stay at home, it is your duty, whether you live in a rural or suburban setting, to live by four common tenants: environmental sustainability, social justice, family and community. This means picking up a wide variety of domestic skills such as vegetable gardening, cooking, tending to cows and chickens, beekeeping, making your own soaps and toothpaste, canning, and composting. ("I am getting a headache!")
I have never felt bad about my decision to be a stay at home mom. If anything, I have always felt extremely lucky that I have been able to have the luxury of staying home, while my children are growing up. Were there times where I felt bad about not contributing money to the household income? Of course! Were there times that I couldn't watch another Disney movie, drive another preschool carpool, host another play date or even be in the same room as my kids? Yes. There were even times where the highlight of my day was getting dressed and going to the grocery store. Pathetic? Yes. Permanent? Of course not!
My kids are now 16 and 14, and I still enjoy being a stay-at-home mom. It makes me sad that there are still women who feel devalued by staying at home to be with their kids. If you lucky enough to be able to stay home with your kids, you are doing the most important job in the world.
I just wanted a few chickens so I could have fresh eggs to make my favorite Passover breakfast (which I actually love to eat anytime of the year!).
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Hi All,
Hope things are awesome wherever you are. I'm just about to rant so feel free to stop reading if you're not in the rant reading mood.
Here goes, I booked and paid for an aerlingus flight to my first couple of meets in Europe. After I had a little calf issue I decided to start racing a few days later. This meant that I needed to change the original flight but I had to wait until today to change the flight because I was testing my calf over hurdles today (more on that after the rant). I rang the aerlingus helpdesk and spoke with a lady and explained my situation. She advised me that I would have to pay a change of flight fee and the fare difference which meant that it was going to work out way more expensive than the original ticket. She advised me to do it online so off I went home to change the ticket.
When I went to change the ticket there was an issue with changing it because I had also booked Ian's flight at the same time as mine. The system would only let me change Ian's flight which was not what I needed to do. I started to try to ring the helpdesk and could not get through "We are open 8 a.m to 5 p.m please ring within these hours or alternatively please see aerlingus.com" Please note that I was ringing at 2! So after 45 minutes of trying to change the ticket online and at the same time trying to get through to someone from Aerlingus I had to take a break to get ready for work.
In the car to work I tried the number again and actually got through to someone who put me through to someone else. After waiting on hold for 12 minutes a lady called Monica told me "you are too late now you buy new ticket" at this point I really feared that my head was going to explode and that there was going to be bits of Derval brain scattered all over Dublin. I tried to explain to her that I had tried my best to figure it out and that in fact the problem was with her system plus nobody was answering their phones and not me but she merely told me "there are people waiting to talk to me write a letter to customer service"
The end result is that I have to buy a brand new ticket and now because it is so close to me leaving it is going to be about €400 on top of the €120 I originally spent. To end this little rant I would just like to say Aerlingus we are not friends your customer service is absolutely terrible and you have issues with your online system. Please enjoy the extra money that I am paying you which I would much rather use on something else.
Ok I have taken a few deep breaths and my rant is over. I was running over sprint hurdles today and it was a big day because I was testing my calf. The test was good the calf was happy out and I had a great time running against Iano out of blocks. Iano ran a big p.b in his first meet last weekend so fingers crossed for more fast running from him. The plan from here is run a couple of meets next week. It's so exciting to be back in the world of racing.
I'm sitting here watching Graham Norton and the amazingly talented Ed Sheeran has just come on. I'm off to watch him. His album is so so so good, it can even lift my spirits today!
Bye Bye,
Derv xoxo


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Syracuse fell behind early, scrapped back to within four points and had the ball late in the second half, but faltered again to allow Virginia to take a 40-29 halftime lead here at the Carrier Dome.
Syracuse had trailed 10-3 early in the half and was still behind 29-21 late in the half. The Orange pulled to within 31-27 on Eric Devendorf's two free throws with 2:23 remaining and had the ball after an intentional foul by Virginia's Sammy Zeglinski. But the Orange turned the ball over, sparking a Virginia breakaway and the Cavaliers proceeded to score nine straight points to take a 40-27 lead. Only a last-second bucket by Devendorf kept the margin at 40-29 at the break.
Syracuse turned the ball over 11 times in the first half. The Orange is 9-for-25 from the field (36 percent) and 2-for-6 from 3-point range. Virginia, meanwhile, is 16-for-35 from the floor (46 percent).
Syracuse guard Jonny Flynn is 1-for-5 from the field. He has three points and two turnovers. Paul Harris has six points with four turnovers. Devendorf leads the Orange with 10 points.
Mike Waters


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Girls lacrosse ousted by Lions - Season ends in semifinals
By Matt Phelps
The seniors on the Mercer Island girls lacrosse team have seen everything that sports has to offer. After all, this is the class that endured a season of no wins and then climbed to become one of the most dominating teams in the state.
But their quest to finish with a state title came up two steps short May 17 as they lost to Lakeside in the semifinals of the Washington state lacrosse championship tournament 11-10 in over time.
``We lost by one point to a very good team,'' said Islander Kate Elston. ``We got beat by five the last time we played them.''
The Lions jumped ahead to begin the game 4-2 and took that lead into half time.
But Mercer Island came out of the half with a fire and desire unmatched by Lakeside. The Islanders scored five consecutive goals to take a commanding 7-4 lead.
But the energy it took to get the team back into the game took its toll, as Lakeside tied the game at 10-10 by the end of regulation. The Lions continued their momentum during the sudden death period and scored the winning goal.
``Lakeside is a team that if we played them 100 times we could win 50,'' said Elston, who scored a goal during the game. ``We are that close.''
During the game Dani Zorn led Mercer Island with four goals, Tanya Swarts scored three and Carolyn Peterson had two goals. Kelsey Mesher had eight saves in goal for the Islanders.
Lakeside continued on to the state finals Saturday at Islander stadium to face Bainbridge Island. The Spartans took home their second consecutive state title with a 11-10 victory.
The Islanders finished the regular season with the two best teams in the state, but lost both games. First, Mercer Island took on Bainbridge May 11 and lost 12-6. The Islanders lost their first meeting with Lakeside 8-3, during the final game of the regular season on May 13.
The Islanders finished the season with an 11-3 mark, including an 11 game win streak to start the season.
``I think we will all just look back and smile,'' said Elston. ``This was just an incredible season.''
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As children, we were all taken in by the colorful rings and sugar-coated promises of fruit flavored goodness. Tucan Sam invited us to follow our noses to the fruity flavors found in a bowl of Froot Loops. It turns out that it's nothing but a bowl full of lies.
Time reports that the popular Kellogg's cereal brand is not different flavors for each color of loop. Rather, they are all the same flavor!
This shocking revelation has caused us all to think back to our favorite childhood cereals and reconsider their deliciousness.


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Comments (38):
That red trench coat is fierce. That black hairy, spiky, thing around her neck is wacky, but, you know what, somehow it makes the trench coat even more fierce. That is well done.
The other two outfits…meh.
At least she's wearing clothes…?
Not gazing upon the panty part of her hose is a change for the better.
I freakin' love that crazy red number with the Audrey Hepburn hair and the monkey attacking her throat. It's just crazy enough to be awesome. All of these, even the wedding dress, if not entirely event appropriate, are SO MUCH BETTER and even stylish than her usual twattery that I am happy. Well played, Gaga.
She's wearing clothes where you can't see her underwear and that are not made of meat. Hallelujah.
Middle outfit is amusing and cute and functional. The wedding dress, UG. The only excuse I can give her is that she thinks she doing a public service by showing up looking wacky. She was over the top at her own sister's graduation ceremony! It's totally rude, but maybe she thinks she expected to be extreme? That it would disappoint otherwise? I don't know. At least she didn't show up in a tricked out wheelchair.
"At least she didn't show up in a tricked out wheelchair." right? thank god.
I'm so tired of her shenanigans and inappropriate outfits. She's predictably boring.
In another venue, the wedding dress is a nice one. But by "another venue," of course, I mean A WEDDING. And by A WEDDING, of course, I mean HER WEDDING.
Absolutely. When did it ever become acceptable to outshine, or grab the spotlight, from the actual people the event is trying to honor. Damn it, not everything is about these attention seekers. Put it away until it's your concert, press release, or whatever.
Though I am glad I'm not being subjected to blue pubes, ass cheeks, or labia mishaps.
Just going to say I really do love that hair color on her.
I also like her hair color. End of transmission.
Gawd she's tiresome.
I am in the "love the red coat" camp, well done! I rolled my eyes at the wedding dress… really? But I still love her
she even looks bored with it. seriously, i'd love to see her in a pair of brightly colored, skinny cords with a cute blazer and preppy flats. i think that's literally the most unexpected thing she could wear right now.
I have to say, I love her hair this color. I also really enjoy that in the wedding dress photo there is a cigarette at her feet which makes me think someone threw it on the ground in front of her in hopes of sending her dress up in flames.
To be fair to Lady Gaga, I assume this party was for paralympic athletes, so part of the appeal of her attending was so the athletes could meet her in all of her outrageous glory. If there were ever a similar party celebrating my monumental accomplishments (there won't be), and celebrities were invited to attend, I'd want them "in character" so to speak. When the athletes show their friends pictures of a celeb who is tremendously impressed with their medals, they don't want to have this conversation:
Friend: Who is that?
Athlete: Katy Perry.
Friend: Oh, I didn't recognize her without a cupcake bra. (or what have you).
I agree. I think the costumes are fun, and I really love the red one. I feel like these pieces are more interesting than what Nicki Minaj was wearing the other day, they seem more like couture. I agree about the aparlympic athletes wanting to see the stars being "on". Her wedding dress will give them a more interesting story to tell to their friends.
You know what? I'm going to go ahead & say I'm ok with it all, if only because at least she's fully clothed. Faint praise, I know. Still though, minus the crazy accessories, the second and third dresses are pretty great. Also, as everyone else said, that hair color looks fantastic on her.
She cant find her way to the train because she's a muggle.
When did she last release anything new? Is she touring? Or is she just hiring herself out as a party trick these days?
She's touring, and just played in the UK.
I can't help it – no matter what she has on, the first thing that draws my eye is her ever-gaping mouth. If there's one thing for which I harbour an irrational hatred, it's people who never close their mouths! Maybe her front teeth protrude in a way that makes it open? I don't know, but her lips are always parted, and not in an alluring way but in a way that makes her look dazed and possibly mouthbreathing. Jessica Biel does this, too, and I can't stand looking at her, either.
J Simp … who's now everywhere again as spokesperson for Weight Watchers … her mouth doesn't close, ever.
She looks as bored with herself in that first photo as I am with her at this point.
I love it all! I mean… maybe not *love*, exactly, but I appreciate the effort. Go Gaga!
look, this is better than she's looked in a long time, and thank heavens she has on more than underwear…. but the whole"lady gaga-esque" thing is just so trite now… even when it is the actual lady gaga doing it. i'm bored with it.
I can't believe I'm going to say this, but….. I really love all three outfits! This is a really interesting looking for her; kind of a fantastical Victorian upperclass lady vibe. I'm really digging it, especially the fascinator she's wearing in the first outfit. It's way more interesting than meat dresses and weird geometric ensembles.
To hell with the outfits — I'll take the bodyguard on her right for $1,000, Alex.
I agree with HJV about the wedding dress being a work outfit for her, in fact it's fairly tame, so I give her a pass. The other two looks make me thing she is overflowing with self-loathing, to make herself such a clown when she has some, arguable modest, musical talent.
Super "Don't Care, never did, never will."
Snore for most of it but I do seriously like her Hogwarts headpiece. If I am ever invited to the Hogwarts prom…….. Truly the most shocking thing she could do now is show up in regular people clothes. (just to clarify I mean clothes that regular people wear, not clothes made up of regular people)
And I think I know where the inspiration for her egg ensemble came from – there is a fountain outside the train station in Tours, France that is identical in shape and colour. Really, google it. The pictures don't quite have the same impact as seeing it in person but trust me it looks just like Gaga's egg!
Why does this remind me of something from "Nanny McPee"?
Hmmmm. Golly, she just tries too darned hard, really, doesn't she? That said, the red coat is fairly fabulous, and I love the fabric in the first pic – that in a fifties-style, ballerina-skirted shirtwaister dress would be gorgeous, but otherwise…..shush, now, dear, fingers on lips, inside voices only…….
I'm so tired of her shtick… It reeks of low self-esteem, an obsessive need for acceptance and desperation! I'm glad that she's not flashing us her lady parts AGAIN, but I'm bored now!
Now that you mention it, put-upon dude in pic #2 WOULD look great in a long coat and cravat. Yowza.
Whole lot of pointlessness going on with her.
I don't know what it is exactly that makes her look so "mumsy" in everything she puts on.


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Hello all. I've scoured the internet and can't find a solution to my problem.
1997 GMC C1500 with the 5.0 Vortec. Auto Trans. 200k. I got this truck cheap and figured it was an easy fix. Not so much.
When I got it, it would start right up, idle was a little rough. When you give it gas, it stalls. If you ease on the gas, you can drive it. Under a load it misses and sputters. Bought a scanner and pulled the codes, and there were plenty. Put a TPS, EGR valve, O2 sensors, MAF sensor, fuel pump, strainer, and filter, new plugs, wires cap and rotor, and found and fixed a vacuum leak. Still had the same problem, but no more trouble codes. Fuel pressure is good. If you unplug the TPS and drive it, it runs great. No hesitation, and even does ok under WOT. It does rattle a little like this, but I figure it's because it's running rich with the TPS unplugged. I don't want to drive it like that, so it's been parked for a few weeks while I tinker with it.
So then I replaced the cam position sensor. Now it won't start. I even put the old sensor back in and it still won't start. It sputters and tries, and it bucks when you let off the key, but it won't run. Hooked a timing light up just to make sure it's sparking, and it is. It's getting fuel. Still no trouble codes and no snapshot data.
Any ideas? Thanks in advance.
it sounds like possibly some wiring issues. try looking at the tps on the scanner, if you move the throttle down and it doesnt flake out its fine. see what the maf readings do when running. what is the fuel pressure and did you turn the key on engine off and see if it goes away?
04 Avalanche Z71
87 Firebird, 07 Monte Carlo lt, 08 lucerne cxl
some previous; 99 GMC Yukon SLE, 89 350/5spd, 04 550 cclwb, 03 2500hd ccsb, 06 2500hd eclb, 03 sclb 2500hd
I've checked the TPS with a voltmeter, it is doing what it is supposed to. The fuel pressure with key on, engine off is around 62, and it stays there.
I can't check anything while it is running because it won't start anymore.
Any fuzes blown?do you still have spark?could be a dead crank sensor
97 4x4 burb
No fuses blown. I have reddish-yellow spark.
If it won't fire by pooring some gas down the throttle body then it looks like you have weak spark probably a bad coil had the same problem on a 94 toyota camery
97 4x4 burb
if you got good spark and drop some fuel down the tb and it doesnt change anything, most times its the crank position sensor or its wiring. most times the cam sensor isnt bad, but since that is when it stopped running i would go over that connector and wiring pretty thoroughly too
04 Avalanche Z71
87 Firebird, 07 Monte Carlo lt, 08 lucerne cxl
some previous; 99 GMC Yukon SLE, 89 350/5spd, 04 550 cclwb, 03 2500hd ccsb, 06 2500hd eclb, 03 sclb 2500hd
Thanks for all the advice. I ended up towing it to the dealer in frustration. Somehow it was out of time. They rotated the engine to TDC and re-stabbed the distributor. That got it started again. It was intermittently throwing a TPS code still. They plugged their fancypants scanner into it and did a TPS relearn. Someone figured out the MAP sensor was bad even though it wasn't throwing a code for it. $575 later, it runs like new.


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Research Topics
Stephanie L Watson
Detail Information
- Limbal dermoid epithelium shares phenotypic characteristics common to both hair epidermal and limbal epithelial stem cellsStephanie Watson
Save Sight Institute, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
Curr Eye Res 38:835-42. 2013..To determine putative limbal epithelial stem cell marker expression in human limbal dermoids compared to stem cell niches in normal limbus and hair follicles of normal human dermis...
- Interventions for recurrent corneal erosionsStephanie L Watson
Save Sight Institute, Sydney, Australia
Cochrane Database Syst Rev 9:CD001861. 2012..A number of treatment and prophylactic options are then available but there is no agreement as to the best option...
- A contact lens-based technique for expansion and transplantation of autologous epithelial progenitors for ocular surface reconstructionNick Di Girolamo
Department of Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Transplantation 87:1571-8. 2009..We report on the safe and efficacy of a unique autologous SC transfer technique that utilizes an Food and Drug Administration-approved contact lens (CL) as the SC substrate and carrier for patients with LSCD...
- Spectrum of clear corneal incision cataract wound infectionElias E Kehdi
Department of Ophthalmology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, Australia
J Cataract Refract Surg 31:1702-6. 2005..To describe the presentation, management, and outcome of 5 patients who presented with main-port or side-port wound infection after uneventful clear corneal cataract surgery...
- Chitosan-vancomysin composite biomaterial as a laser activated surgical adhesive with regional antimicrobial activityL John R Foster
Bio polymer Research Group, Centre for Advanced Macromolecular Design, School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
Biomacromolecules 11:3563-70. 2010..6 ± 2 KPa. Thus, we have developed a laser-activated bioadhesive with the potential to close wounds while facilitating the prevention of microbial infection through local release of antibiotic targeted to the site of potential infection...