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Wait, What? Ep. 70: The Hour (Times 2.5)
Posted by: Jeff Lester on January 10, 2012
Categories: Podcasts , Uncategorized
Tags: Action Comics, Andy Kubert, Brad Bird, Brandon Seifert, Charles Forsman, Chuck Dixon, Dan Didio, Defenders, Downton Abbey, dreams about comics, Ed Brubaker, Fatale, Freak Angels, G.I. Joe, George Perez, getting hacked, Graeme, Grant Morrison, Jeff, Jeff Lemire, John Porcellino, Kieron Gillen, King-Cat Comics, Lukas Ketner, Marv Wolfman, Matt Fraction, Mission Impossible, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, Mud Man, New Teen Titans, OMAC, Paul Grist, Seal Team Six, Sean Phillips, Secret Avengers, Terry Dodson, The Drops of God, The End of the Fucking World, Tom Cruise, Uncanny X-Men, Wait What?, Warren Ellis, Witch Doctor
Demolition Derby from Jon Pinnow on Vimeo.
The Pact still holds! Another week in 2012, another episode of Wait, What?
We are still experimenting with the done-in-one podcast (although many of you have used our comments thread to weigh in and say you like multiple eps. because it gave you something to look forward to…which I was worried might be the case but nobody articulated it before the change-up). I'm thinking I might get us back to two installments (or more) per ep. because something about it reminds me of the way Marvel U.K. used to chop up stories from U.S. Marvel comics and that sorta fits Graeme and I, in a way.
But, uh, it may be a while because there's something nice about only recording one intro, mixing one episode, etc., etc. So here is all two and half hours of Wait, What? Ep. 70, with the dauntless Graeme McMillan and the all-too-full-of-daunts me talking getting hacked, dreams about comics, Brubaker and Philips' Fatale, the Elseworlds 80 page giant, Chuck Dixon's G.I. Joe comic for IDW and Seal Team Six, Defenders #2, Action Comics #5, OMAC #5, Uncanny X-Men #4, New Teen Titans, Downton Abbey, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, Avengers Annual, Freak Angels, Mud Man, Witch Doctor: The Resuscitation and King Cat Comics #72 by John Porcellino (the star of the short embedded above).
Sensible souls surely spotted said spirited show (on iTunes), but for hearty heroes hoping to hear happenings here (hear, hear!):
Wait, What? Ep. 70: The Hour (Times 2.5)
As always, we appreciate your patronage and thank you for listening!
18 Responses to " Wait, What? Ep. 70: The Hour (Times 2.5) "
Anticlimax in Bendis story shocker! :)
Graeme, did you really mean to say about the woman who works at the Waffle Window, that you "tickled her pink?" Jeebus Graeme, you're a married man! What will your listeners think?
I apologize Graeme. I may be culturally insensitive. Maybe that's what one is supposed to do on "Boxing" day. Gulp.
I prefer the podcasts to be broken up because I'm a clumsy git, who forgets to use 'hold' on my ipod, and regularly accidentally skip back to the start, and with the podcasts in parts it's quicker/easier to find my place again. Sad, but true.
Also, I don't really have the time to ever listen to them in one big go, and the podcasts in parts have natural breaking points, which makes it easier to get back to life every now and again.
Only listened to a bit of this one on the way to work, but I think you nailed the problems with Fatale, and the feeling of personal shame one has for not enjoying this as much as you feel you should.
And… in Kings Comics Sydney, there was one cover with the girl, and many copies of the monster dude with the gun. Maybe Rich got confused about which was the variant?
Either way, I grabbed monster man with gun regardless, because it's awesome.
I have not yet listened to this episode, but would vote for keeping episodes around an hour with multiple episodes per week when necessary. I like to split things up on a playlist, interspersing your podcast with other non-comics podcasts.
And since you've asked for feedback, sometimes I feel as though you start the podcast 2-5 minutes sooner than I'd liked. I'm probably in the minority, but the tape of you guys catching up at the start of the podcast is not my thing. I enjoy eating waffles; hearing about them not so much. That's my 2 cents and all. I'm sure it's a difficult thing to balance as the conversation flows from catching up to comics and back to personal stuff sometimes. And please understand this is a minor, minor complaint compared to all the good stuff I get from Wait What. It's just that you asked…
Thanks and happy new year!
Personally I much prefer the podcast in one big chunk. As with most of the other podcasts I listen to having the whole thing on my mp3 and listening to it whenever I can is just simpler and easier. However carefully you put the break in these things are one long conversation and work better as such than as two halves of a whole.
@DJ_C: Indeed! We really shouldn't waste our breath to complain about it, really. (And yet we do!)
@Rob G: I appreciate the fact that when you thought of the Boxing Day pun, you came right back and added another comment, rather than just letting the first one stand. (I would've, as well!)
@Ben Lipman: Honestly, I'm with you, which is probably why I continue to blather on in the posts about this rather than just sticking to the course of action. Overall, though, I feel like what I'm hearing from the majority is to stick with the whole podcast and let people develop those important willpower muscles to stop and come back when they want…I don't really have those muscles, myself, but I'm getting the idea the majority do. I feel your pain.
@John S: Yeah, it's a tough call. I feel like a lot of people do like the waffle talk–and there are times where we tip quite naturally into a larger topic very quickly. But there are also times where we talk about aren't especially comic-related or as interesting as we think. I think that opening bit will be left in, but I'll try to do a better job of mentioning either in the entries or the intro when the proper comic talk starts so you can jump to it.
@Slythe: Appreciate the feedback. I'm going to call this decision the winner for now, and see how long I apprehensively stick with it.
Our thanks to everyone who took the time to give feedback, in this and all the other threads (as well as dropping us an email). Greatly appreciated, even (or in my case, especially) if we went a different path from your preference.
Regarding the art on JLA dark, the domestic scenes with Deadman really remind me of Mike Allred for some reason – I can't put my finger on why.
I enjoyed hearing you talk about New Teen Titans, Jeff. That was my favorite title at the time, and I re-read them a few years ago and was pleased at how well they held up. Did you pick up the Games hardcover? I had thought it would be a must-buy for me, but I still haven't gotten it. Part of it is because when I looked at it in the store, I saw that it takes place in the Danny Chase period, and it reminded me of how much I loathed that character.
But also, I find that as much as I may have loved a series in the past, I'm usually really disappointed when the same creators re-visit the series. The other day I heard that Baron and Rude are reviving Nexus again. I used to love that series as well, but everytime they bring it back, there's something missing. I'm not sure exactly what, but I just know that I'm pretty satisfied with the original run and don't really need new issues. Sort of like when the Beatles anthology came out with those 'new' Beatles songs, which turned out to be completely forgettable.
Also, last month I picked up "The End of The Fucking World" at the Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival. I saw it and knew I'd heard it talked about somewhere, but forgot where. I guess it was you, so Charles Forsman can chalk up another $1 sale to you. As someone who has dabbled in the mini-comics scene myself, I can tell you that it usually feels like you're putting stuff out in a complete vacuum, and it feels really awesome when you get any sort of shout-out like that.
Jeff – you mention in this episode that you like "food/cooking manga." Can you recommend one for someone who finally got into manga after hearing you talk about Bakuman?
Oh, Robert G. You have a dirty, dirty mind.
Your comments regarding Paul Grist's weakness as a storyteller broke my mind. Quick, say something redeeming before I have to abandon my beloved Wait, What? forever!
Graeme's point on "series that let you down, but you assume the fault is yours" is very well taken. I most recently had that feeling with "I, Zombie." I SHOULD love the writing, I think the art is fabulous, and the idea is genius. But after 12 issues, I still wasn't sure why I was reading the book. I should have loved it; but I didn't.
I just realized that your description of how Marvel artists/writers are overworked and underpaid is very similar to Bendis' interpretation of Norman Osborne.
That Avengers review…
Everything that's been wrong with Bendis' Avengers is in those two issues. He's spent eight years of his working life on a franchise he clearly doesn't like, doesn't enjoy, and can't stand the readership of.
@mb: Hey, sorry for the delay in getting back to you, hope you're still reading/checking back occasionally.
So, yeah, food cooking manga. I read all 27 or so volumes of Iron Wok Jan which I think would be kinda difficult for you to pick up new in the store but you can get used copies off of Amazon for *verrrry* cheap. It's less like Bakuman and more like one of the comics the characters in Bakuman would create–battle manga using Iron Chef style battles with lots of secret ingredients, obscure food trivia and outright cheating on the part of the creators. Very fun for the first 10 or 12 volumes or so, maybe more.
I thought the set-up of The Drops of God steals more than a little from Oishinbo, a super-long running series over in Japan that Viz has published a very fun "best of" collection of about seven volumes or so. Oishinbo has a journalist reluctantly dragged into his newspaper's creation of an "Ultimate Menu" because of his amazing knowledge of food and his refined palette, which come from his father being Japan's most renown foodie. He and his father do battle a lot. The volumes are drawn in a much looser an cartoonier style than Bakuman but are incredibly informative and a lot of fun.
Fumi Yoshinaga's Antique Bakery is a faux-yaoi (men's love) book about three guys who run a bakery and there's some great stuff about pastries in it. I really like the characterization and very offbeat plotting on this book. Four volumes published by Digital Manga Publishing, and I really like the characters and how they interact in them. It has a lot of the odd couple/friendships that I like in Bakuman.
Finally, I still haven't finished it but maybe you would like The Drops of God–the art, certainly, is much closer to the art in Bakuman than any of the books I mention here.
I keep thinking I've read more food manga than that, but…maybe not? Anyway, hope that helps and glad you tried out Bakuman–hope you dig it!
thanks for the recos, jeff! Will check them out
Manga anthologies have way more than 100 pages. you pay $4 (or was it $2? I know the individual volumes are $2) and you get like 300 pages. Looking at the Wiki for shonen jump right now…there are 21 ongoing series, each with 18 pages… 378 pages a week. Plus whatever one shots are out that week, and all the ads and stuff, you get a phone book for $2-4. Jump is probably one of the fattest anthologies, since its so big, but still. Like a cent a page. Sigh, if only things were that cheap here…


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BROOKLYN, MI – At a country music festival full of headliners, Luke Bryan proved to be the alpha male, especially among female fans.
Bryan sent an already hyper crowd into a frenzy when he took the stage at the Faster Horses Festival at Michigan International Speedway around 10 p.m. Saturday night, July 20.
The country heartthrob gyrated his hips, licked his lips and sang to a crowd of thousands, many of which were bikini-clad women.
"I ain't never seen this many bikini tops at a festival," Bryan exclaimed after finishing off "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye," the opening number of his set. He followed it up with "Country Man" and the observation, "There's a whole lotta pretty country girls here tonight."
When asking female festival-goers which act they most looked forward to seeing at the festival, Bryan's name was almost always the first mentioned.
Bryan's performance finished off the second day of the three-day country music and camping festival. Country rapper Colt Ford, Florida Georgia Line, which currently holds the No. 1 spot on the Hot Country Songs chart with "Cruise," and the husband-wife team of Keifer and Shawna Thompson, better known as Thompson Square, played sets on the main stage leading up to Bryan's spot.
Thompson Square had not even finished its opening song when a power outage delayed its performance about 10 minutes. Once the power was returned, Shawna quipped, "I guess you're rocking a little too hard, Faster Horses."
"I Got You" and "Just Feels Good" came early in the Thompsons' set, which also included covers of Tom Petty's "I Won't Back Down" and Joan Jett's "I Hate Myself for Loving You," as well as a medley that featured parts of Led Zeppelin's "Rock and Roll" and KISS's "Rock and Roll All Nite."
The inaugural Faster Horses Festival concludes on Sunday, July 21, with Jason Aldean, Thomas Rhett and Jerrod Niemann anchoring the main stage acts.
Cheers Faster Horses!!! #herestothegoodtimes http://t.co/Vn6is3DypU— Florida Georgia Line (@FLAGALine) July 21, 2013
I think every girl at @faster_horses died a little web @LukeBryanOnline shook his hips.— Megan Baughman (@megan_baughman) July 21, 2013
I've seen @LukeBryanOnline 3 times in 6 months and this @faster_horses is by far the best! I straight up got chills!— Kelsey Bates (@kelseybates1) July 21, 2013
"@szabokelsey: @faster_horses is getting nothing but amazing feedback." Thanks! We're so glad you're here/) #FasterHorses— FasterHorsesFestival (@faster_horses) July 21, 2013

subset: commoncrawl


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Hoover Library Board member John Lyda has unseated incumbent Mari Morrison for Place 3 on the Hoover City Council.
According to unofficial results tallied tonight, Lyda beat Morrison, a two-term council member, 3,548 to 1,715.
Morrison was the only one of four incumbent council members who faced challengers in this year's election to lose her seat.
Incumbent Place 1 Councilman Trey Lott beat DeMarcus Hill, 4,576 to 567.
In Place 6, Brian Skelton, the incumbent, defeated Ken Teter, 4,003 to 1,160.
Incumbent Place 7 Council member John Greene won his seat without a runoff after holding off his closest challenger, Jason Cerniglia, 2,471 to 1,489. Ken King, a third candidate in the Place 7 race, got 394 votes.


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Community Bancorp LLC, which acquired Superior after regulators seized the bank, said the move will take effect Nov. 11. Houston-based Community will take the new name Cadence Bancorp LLC.
The combined banks will have nearly $4.1 billion in assets and employ 1,200 people at more than 100 branches throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas. Cadence Bank will have its headquarters in Birmingham and corporate offices in Starkville, Miss., and Houston, Texas.
"The merger introduces a strong and energized competitor to the marketplace," Paul Murphy, chief executive officer of Cadence Bancorp and chairman of the new Cadence Bank, said in a statement.
Birmingham banking veteran Sam Tortorici will be CEO of the new Cadence Bank.
The company said customers of the current Cadence and Superior banks will experience no interruption in service during the transition.


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Sometimes, you just have to take shortcuts. My sister Karen, for instance, loves to bake. But she also works for a tax firm which means she is really, really busy at this time of year. What hours she has away from work are full of catching up on life and all it includes.
So occasionally Karen resorts to baking mixes, in this case, Bisquick. Such mixes are great for things like dumplings and biscuits but cookies?
Yup, Karen played with a Snickerdoodle recipe and came up with this creation, which she asked me to share on the blog. These Snickerdoodles use Heart Smart Bisquick rather than the usual dry ingredients and brown sugar for a richer taste. Instead of rolling them in the usual cinnamon-sugar combination, I tweaked the final step and substituted Vermont Vanilla Cinnamon Vanilla Sugar. The result is a cookie quick to the oven and quick to disappear.
Brown Sugar Snickerdoodles
1/2 c. softened butter
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. Vermont Vanilla Pure Cinnamon Extract
1 egg
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2-1/4 c. Heart Smart Bisquick
1 tsp. cream of tartar
2 tbsp. Vermont Vanilla Cinnamon Vanilla Sugar
- Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in cinnamon extract, egg and lemon juice. Add Bisquick mix and cream of tartar; beat on low speed until combined.
- Pour Vermont Vanilla Cinnamon Vanilla Sugar into a small bowl. Shape dough into 1-in. balls and roll in cinnamon sugar. Place 2″ apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes.
- Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set on edges and golden brown. Cool on cookie sheets 2 minutes. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.


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CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - A special panel that will recommend whether New Hampshire should expand its Medicaid program to poor adults is getting closer to a decision.
The panel meets on Tuesday, three weeks before its Oct. 15 deadline to report to the Legislature. Last week, six of the nine members said the state should accept federal money to provide health insurance to an estimated 49,000 poor adults. But it was equally clear that the group would like to find a way to rely on private insurance as much as possible.
The commission was established as a compromise in the budget debate. Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan and the Democratic-led House wanted to authorize Medicaid expansion in the budget bill, but the Republican-led Senate insisted on establishing a commission to study the issue first.


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Student parents juggle jobs, homework and parenthood
Students can learn outside traditional school
NEWBURGH — While keeping one eye on her energetic toddler, 20-year-old Amber Hames flips through her health class lesson plans and jots down in her notebook answers to study questions.
She's pretty adept at grabbing errant toys, reading a textbook and responding to her toddler's chatter all at the same time. Hames, a student at the Warrick Education Center off Indiana 261 in Newburgh, is working to finish up a handful of credits she needs to walk across the stage in Boonville High School colors and obtain her diploma.
Hames is taking health and English courses in hopes she'll be able to graduate in May. She became pregnant with her now 18-month old son, Owen Crafton, when she was a junior at Boonville High School.
"It was definitely unexpected," she said. "But he's the best thing that's ever happened to me."
Hames said she tried to go back to school after her son's birth but found the traditional eight-hour school day didn't work for her.
"Just going all day and not seeing him was hard," she said. "It was hard on Owen, too. He was only about 7 months, and I think I missed almost half the time I was in school this one semester with him being sick."
Hames' difficulties with the traditional high school educational experience isn't a unique problem for many of the students at the Warrick Education Center.
Drew Gerth, who is principal of WEC, said all the students have a story about how they came to study at the education center.
"Alternate schools often get a bad reputation, people think it's where the bad kids go," Gerth said. "But it's not, it's just a different way of doing high school."
He said WEC students have various reasons for attending classes and programs there. Some students have made bad decisions in the past, he said. Some may just not be able to cope socially in schools the size of Castle High School, which has more than 1,800 students. Others may be a fifth-year senior with only a few credits needed to graduate, while some students such as Hames may have to work or support a family.
Students attend classes at the education center for half a day, either in the morning or in the afternoon. They study one subject for 90 minutes, break for a snack, then study a second subject for another 90 minutes.
But the center doesn't only provide an alternative way for high school students to learn. The facility also houses a special needs preschool program, an alternative-to-expulsion program for both middle and high school students and a high school equivalency program that allows students to receive recognition equivalent to a high school diploma.
Warrick Superintendent Brad Schneider said the education center is an important part of the school corporation to help all students graduate.
"We truly believe that every child can learn, every child can achieve," Schneider said. "And the Warrick Education Center is another example of our commitment to that process. We feel it's very important to give students an opportunity to complete their high school career, earn a diploma and be successful in life."
Since the program's inception almost 20 years ago, the statistics for teen pregnancies, births and high school dropout rates have changed significantly.
According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, the dropout rate for students ages 16 to 24 — teenagers and young adults who were no longer attending school and did not have a diploma or equivalent certification — decreased from 12 percent in 1990 to 7 percent in 2012. For women, the dropout rate declined similarly, from 12 percent in 1990 to 6 percent in 2012. The majority of that decline was seen in the last decade.
Indiana ranked No. 20 out of the 50 states and the District of Columbia for births among teens ages 15 to 19 in 2011, according to the Office of Adolescent Health. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services tracks the number of teen pregnancies and births for different states, age and ethnic groups.
The total number of births in 2011 to females age 19 and younger in Indiana was a little more than 8,000 — which is a portion of the 330,000 births of this age demographic nationwide.
The national and state teen pregnancy and birthrates have decreased in the past 20 to 25 years, and the Indiana rate has slowly, but steadily decreased as well.
Hames said finishing her education at WEC is crucial to her, especially because she will need to support her son and a second child, which she is expecting later this year.
"I don't want to work a minimum wage job for the rest of my life," she said. "It could have been very easy (to not go back to school), but it would have made life a whole lot harder."
She wants to get her diploma so she can take her volunteer firefighter status and make it a full-time one.
Jim Heck, executive director of WorkOne in Evansville, said obtaining a high school diploma is crucial to getting a job in today's workforce — and it's also important to seek postsecondary education or job training. Through the center, students can take certified nursing assistant classes and other specialized skill classes to expand their education with financial assistance from WorkOne.
"If students are in programs to increase their basic education skills, we can then use our funds to pay for them to get some certification of some type," Heck said. "What we've found in our region, and probably in more than just our region, is that employers are looking for a higher skilled workforce now, probably than they ever have."
He said he would encourage any student who is struggling to make the grades in a traditional high school setting, or due to other circumstances believe they may not graduate, to contact the education center and get more information.
Like Hames, senior student Brittany Johnson, 18, brings her son, Beau Johnson, to the education center's nursery in the morning before classes begin. Beau is 4 months old, and Johnson said she likes the fact he's just down the hallway from her classroom if he needs anything. Johnson also attended Boonville High School before coming to the education center.
"I found out I was pregnant, and I knew that I would have to get a lot more hours (at work) to pay for everything I needed for him," Johnson said. "I took on more hours, so I had to do less schooling. But I didn't want to quit. I feel like I'll get a better job with the diploma than what I have."
After she graduates, Johnson said she would like to take certified nursing assistant classes that are offered at the education center. She hopes to work with hospice care someday. And she knows what she'll tell her son someday about the work she's put in at school, and how important an education is.
"I want to be able to tell Beau no matter what happened, I still got my diploma," she said.


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SPRINGFIELD - Iconic gunmaker Smith & Wesson had $406.2 million in revenue in its fiscal year 2010, an increase of $71.2 million, or 21.3 percent, over its $335 million in net sales for fiscal year 2009.
Smith & Wesson is also predicting $430 million to $450 million in revenue for the new fiscal year that began May 1. Smith & Wesson released its annual financial results the same week in late June that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of gun owners' rights in the face of local handgun restrictions.
The Shooting Sports Foundation, an industry group to which Smith & Wesson and Westfield's Savage Arms belong, said the ruling might spur gun sales by assuring more Americans that they have the right to own a handgun for self-defense.
Founded here in 1852, Smith & Wesson has 909 employees in Springfield, 152 in Houlton, Maine, and another 322 in Rochester, N.H.
Smith & Wesson says the high demand for handguns that followed the 2008 presidential election subsided late in 2009. Demand for guns always spikes after a Democrat is elected because enthusiasts fear tighter gun laws will follow.
Eric Wold, director of research for Merriman Curhan Ford, a financial services firm in New York, says there was apprehension on Wall Street as to what would happen to the gun market as that bump in buying passed.
"It's better than what would have been expected," said Wold, a stock analyst who focuses on the gun industry. "I think what it is showing is that we are kind of at a new base level. You had a lot of new gun buyers come into the market and now they are out there enjoying the sport."
Wold said all gunmakers, including Savage Arms in Westfield and Sturm, Ruger & Co. Inc., will also get a boost from hunters this fall. The hunting industry has been hard hit by the economy and the long-term trend of fewer people taking up the sport.
"But we think that it's picking up as the economy improves," Wold said. "That's what I've been hearing around the industry."
June firearm background checks completed by the FBI increased 3.9 percent in this year compared with June 2009 figures, Wold said.
And, a week ago, Wold changed his outlook on Smith & Wesson to recommend that people purchase the stock. The stock was selling for $3.97 a share at closing on Friday, up 4 cents a share from its Thursday close. The stock sold for $4.46 a share at the start of the year, before stock prices as a whole declined. Smith & Wesson is listed on the NASDAQ stock market as SWHC.
Smith & Wesson is also predicting increased sales of firearms to police and to the military.
Smith & Wesson had an annual net income of $32.5 million, or 53 cents per diluted share. In the firearm division, net sales of $357.9 million increased $23.0 million, or 6.9 percent, compared with net sales of $335.0 million for the prior fiscal year. In the perimeter security division, net sales for fiscal 2010 reflected the approximate nine-month period beginning with the acquisition of Universal Safety Response on July 20, 2009, through the fiscal year end. Net sales for the Perimeter Security Division for fiscal year 2010 were $48.3 million. For the 12-month period ended April 30, 2010, which includes periods prior to the acquisition, Universal Safety Response's revenue grew by 66 percent.
Universal Safety Response manufactures perimeter security equipment, including automatic gates that can stop a speeding tractor trailer. Its target market includes military bases, airports and chemical plants.
Wold said Smith & Wesson could face trouble if it overproduces and builds up too much inventory.


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By Matt Zencey
The Harrisburg school board has an easy decision to make at Friday's special meeting.
Say yes to school recovery officer Gene Veno's thoughtful, comprehensive plan for staving off financial crisis and improving academic performance, and the state will provide a $6.4 million interest-free loan that helps the district through the current tough times.
Say no, and the state loan almost surely goes away, and most of what's in Veno's plan will probably be imposed anyway, but only after unnecessary political squabbling and wasting more money on lawyers.
Veno's plan is no guarantee of success, but it's the best hope the district has.
It slashes what would have been a deadly property tax increase – almost 10 percent – down to a much more tolerable 3.5 percent. District staff will share in the sacrifice, with pay cuts of five percent in each of the next two years. To save more money, the plan will move the district headquarters out of leased space into an unused building. Other shuttered schools will be put up for sale.
As Veno has noted, one of the plan's most compelling features is what is NOT in it. There are no furloughs, no school closings, and no cuts to arts and sports. He recognizes that the district has already made near-catastrophic cuts, closing schools and furloughing teachers.
Steering the district back to financial health will be easy compared to the task awaiting on the academic front. Despite islands of academic success like Sci-Tech High, district-wide student test scores are abysmal and the graduation rate is shameful.
Easy-to-teach students from stable, well-educated homes have fled the district, leaving behind those who urgently need high-quality, dedicated teachers and lots of extra help to realize their potential.
Veno's plan makes a valiant effort on that score. It calls for closer supervision of teachers, to improve their performance. K-8 schools will be split into elementary and middle schools, allowing more focused attention on the needs of each age group.
To stem the flow of students to charters, especially cyber charters, the district will expand the Cougar Academy cyber charter school.
Some have questioned why Veno calls for adding another high-paid administrator at a time of austerity – a CEO to handle the district's financial affairs. Truth is, the task facing the district is too big for any one person. Superintendent Sybil Knight-Burney's expertise is academics, and the new position will allow her to focus her energies there, without distraction from the district's daunting financial challenges.
Others have noted the plan gives no immediate relief from the district's huge bond debt. Veno recognizes the debt must be addressed, but he understands the district's day-to-day finances must be fixed first.
Harrisburg is fortunate to have a person of Gene Veno's caliber working to save its schools. His dedication and charisma are obvious. He truly believes that Harrisburg can have an effective, affordable public education system, and he has offered the city a balanced and practical blueprint for getting one.
Matt Zencey is Deputy Opinions Editor of Pennlive/The Patriot News. firstname.lastname@example.com or on Twitter @MattZencey.


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It may not be as exciting as the Academy Awards, but even mutual funds get their chance to take the stage and compete for top honors among their peers. This time around, Standard & Poor's is taking their shot at ranking the best funds in the business. Earlier this month, the rating firm released its list of finalists for several fund categories. The winner will be decided in just a few short weeks, but I thought I'd offer my take on who is most qualified to take top honors in some of the more important categories.
And the award goes to ...
Category: Domestic Equity Large Cap
Finalists: Becker Value Equity (BVEFX); Dreyfus Appreciation Fund (DGAGX); Jensen Portfolio J (JENSX)
My pick: Jensen J
The low-down: All three of the finalist funds are very different from each other (a large value, large blend, and large growth fund, respectively), so it makes direct comparisons a bit difficult. However, I think the Jensen fund edges out the competition, here. Expenses are the lowest of the three, and this fund has beaten over 90% of all large-cap growth funds in the past 10 years. The portfolio tends to be rather concentrated, but management's unique approach has led to success over the long run.
The management team here looks for companies that have had a return on equity in excess of 15% every calendar quarter over the past 10 years as well as reasonable valuations. Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT ) and industrial players like Praxair (NYSE: PX ) and Emerson Electric (NYSE: EMR ) are among the companies meeting these stringent qualifications that the team likes right now. This isn't a high-octane growth fund, so it won't lead the pack during momentum-heavy market environments, but it should serve moderate growth investors just fine over the long haul.
Category: Domestic Equity Mid Cap
Finalists: Fidelity Low-Priced Stock (FLPSX); Meridian Growth (MERDX); Vanguard Selected Value (VASVX)
My pick: Meridian Growth
The low-down: Meridian Growth is simply one of the best mid-growth funds around. Lead manager Rick Aster has been with the fund since its 1984 inception, and he has put up an annualized 12.4% return in that time. Over the most recent 20-year period, the fund ranks in the top 2% of all mid-growth funds.
Aster looks for more established mid-sized companies with dominant market share, such as insurance firm Brown & Brown (NYSE: BRO ) , rather than less time-tested firms. Because the fund holds more financially stable names like these, it tends to hold up better in market downturns like the one of 2008. Thanks to this fund's low-risk profile, it's a safe bet for mid-cap investors of all risk tolerances.
Category: Domestic Equity Small Cap
Finalists: Janus Triton T (JATTX); T. Rowe Price Diversified Small-Cap Growth (PRDSX); T. Rowe Price Small-Cap Stock (OTCFX)
My pick: T. Rowe Price Small-Cap Stock
The low-down: The Small-Cap Stock fund isn't flashy, but it gets the job done. The other two fund finalists both feature expense ratios above 1.15% and a manager or management duo that's been with the fund for roughly four years, compared to Small-Cap Stock's 0.95% price tag and 18-year manager tenure. Those are two major points in Small-Cap Stock's favor.
Lately, manager Greg McCrickard has focused on economically sensitive companies suffering from cyclical downturns that he believes have the financial strength to see them through tough times and rebound down the road. Financials and industrials make up the largest sector allocations here. One favored stock is Infinity Property and Casualty (Nasdaq: IPCC ) , which boasts a P/E ratio about half that of the industry average and has beaten the return of the benchmark Russell 2000 Index in the past one-year period. You won't shoot for the moon with this fund, but you will get market-beating performance at a reasonable price.
Category: International Equity
Finalists: Dodge & Cox International Stock (DODFX); Oakmark International I (OAKIX); Scout International Fund (UMBWX)
My pick: Dodge & Cox International Stock
The low-down: Picking a winner in this category is a bit more difficult. All of the fund finalists are excellent foreign fund options and would make fine selections for any international investor, but I think the Dodge & Cox fund wins out, here. This fund boasts one of the best management teams in the business with one of the most reasonable annual expense ratios.
Much was made of Dodge & Cox's stumble in 2008 when it was caught holding a large stash of troubled financials that were soundly routed in the crisis. However, the fund has since rebounded and has led the benchmark MSCI EAFE Index by more than 10 percentage points a year since the beginning of 2009. Outside of developed markets, the fund also holds a decent slug of emerging market names that should help boost gains in the future. If you're looking for a solid, value-oriented foreign fund, Dodge & Cox International is one of the best choices in this space.
Of course, just because a fund didn't make the short list of S&P's fund finalists doesn't mean it's not a great choice. If you'd like our take on which funds take home the gold, check out the Fool's Rule Your Retirement service. You can start your free 30-day trial and see all of our Champion Funds recommendations today with your trial access to Rule Your Retirement.


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Game 2, Part 3
Ameriquest Field in Texas has been a haunted house for poor Tim Wakefield over the years, and that was evident again tonight. You can usually tell with Wakefield right away if he's in a groove, and he clearly wasn't in this one. Josh Bard seemed so comfortable catching that knuckleball in Spring Training, but things fell apart early in this one. Nine more outs left for the Red Sox, but this one is not looking so good. I'll probably check in one more time after the game. At least everyone has Josh Beckett to look forward to tomorrow.
1 Comment
hey man, call up the mlb guys and let 'em know your link doesn't work on their RSS feeds!


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Festival frenzy continues
July 31, 2012 - Bennet Goldstein
And you thought there was nothing to do after RAGBRAI. Festival season continues this weekend with Union Tar Heel Days, Melbourne Mousehole Days and the Mid-Iowa Antique Power Show. Next weekend, the granddaddy of all festivals — the Iowa State Fair — gets going. There will also be the Meskwaki Pow Wow next weekend. Time to lather on the sunscreen and head out of the house — there are plenty of reasons to do so in the next few weeks.


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10-Q, Q1: http://sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/720858/000115752306004684/a5138179.htm
10-Q, Q2: http://sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/720858/000115752306008058/a5203262.htm
10-Q, Q3: http://sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/720858/000115752306010764/a5263607.htm
press release, Q4: http://sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/720858/000115752307001660/a5335849ex991.htm
Dec. 31, 2005 reserves for claims: $34,857,000
2006 Q1 provision for claims: $1,855,279
payments of claims, net of recoveries: $(1,161,279)
March 31, 2006 reserves for claims: $35,551,000
2006 Q2 provision for claims: $2,030,412
payments of claims, net of recoveries: $(1,715,412)
June 30, 2006 reserves for claims: $35,866,000
2006 Q3 provision for claims: $1,992,901
payments of claims, net of recoveries: $(1,381,901)
Sept. 30, 2006 reserves for claims: $36,477,000
2006 Q4 provision for claims: $1,526,619
payments of claims, net of recoveries: $(1,097,619)
Dec. 31, 2006 reserves for claims: $36,906,000
We have many bridges. Some may already be spoken for, but I am sure we could accomodate you in a manner that you would enjoy. Move soon before it gets to hot in LV.
Irvine Ranch...
I've always been interested in retiring to the countryside. Are there bridges there?
I read in the media about people being shot at the Minxx gentlemen's club during the NBA all star weekend. The article said that several fights broke out when celebrities threw thousnds of dollars at the dancers.
You may want to go there to collect some more combustible paper to keep your cardboard box heated.
Be sure to wear your kevlar bullet proof jacket. It is probably not too dangerous when the NBA players are there because most of them can't shoot straight even when they haven't been drinking. You will probably also want to wear a disguise because you probably don't want your neighbors under the bridge to know that you are hanging with those disreputable NBA guys.
I like your idea of you shouldering ITIC's insurance risk. If you can get MR. Fine to go along with that, let me know.
I will place a large buy order at the market. ITIC would have the highest margins in the insurance industry. If it works, I may even suggest to Warren Buffet that he transfer BRK's insurance losses to my more upscale apartment on the Irvine Ranch. We could dominate the insurance industry.
ITIC should put some fine (no pun intended) print in each policy allowing ITIC to transfer its responsibilities under the terms of the policy to yours truly. Think how relieved policyholders would feel knowing that, should title to the property covered by the policy be clouded or disputed, the guy under the 2nd bridge on Hwy. 95 in downtown Las Vegas would be there to protect them in their time of need. I suspect that most policyholders would waltz through life never realizing just how well-protected their property titles were under this win-win (fuel for pj, no reserve requirement for ITIC) arrangement.
I agree. I imagine each title would have many more pages and therefore geometrically more btus. I suggest that ITIC first distribute the policies that have filed claims. No need to burn the good ones.
The backup plan is to submit a shareholder resolution asking for an increase in the dividend--to be precise, an in-kind dividend paid in title policies. Title policies probably burn better than stock certificates. I think a dividend of one title policy per share per quarter sounds warm enough... I mean about right.
I hope your cardboard box is well insulated or that all of your holdings is in certificates for fractional shares. Otherwise, it could get expensive even as the price of ITIC goes down.
pmlljl, it got a little cold under the bridge when I quit burning ITIC share certificates. Now that they're worth less and less, I may fire up the stove again until temps rise to the comfort level, 110 F. or so.
astral_tsar, I forgot to panic. Maybe next cycle. Are we allowed to buy more yet?
pj and pm -- Sorry, too late to panic now! Time for the challenging outside loop: a steep dive, then find out whether we get scraped off at the bottom. Wheeeeee!


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Some days it is easy. As soon as I see their bright eyes and dimple cheeks, I rush to scoop them up into my arms and squeeze them until their body is imprinted into mine. Some days it is as simple as holding a friend's baby.
But some days it is hard. Some days I look at their faces – yesterday it was Abbie's – and my heart lurches and stops beating for a brief moment. I see him in her face. I stare at her and no longer see her in focus. I am trapped in that moment of un-reality. He would be her age. He would be cruising my couch, giggling at the keys he waves in his hand, learning how to wave.
But he is not.
And in that moment, I cannot stop the tears. I struggle, but I know it is safe for them to fall right now.
Hurting and gasping, silently and with a smile on my face. I hug her and her mama, loving on them both. Kisses and see-you-soons. I wave goodbye with that floppy teach-a-baby-to-wave motion, then watch them drive away.
Walking into my house, it is quiet. No cooing. No giggling. No crying.
I sit on the couch so afraid to let the tears fall.
I know, in this moment, I may never get them to stop.


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President and general manager
Great Lakes Loons and ESPN 100.9 FM
Paul Barbeau was never very good at playing the game of baseball, he said, but that didn't stop him from pursuing a career in baseball off the field.
Upon graduation from college, Barbeau was uninterested in the job opportunities ahead of him, so he decided to make a phone call.
"None of the career options sounded perfect for me," recalled Barbeau, a lifetime Boston Red Sox supporter. "I always had interest as a fan in baseball."
Barbeau utilized his connection with the then-general manager of the Spokane Indians minor league baseball team and earned a summer job working with the organization. He stayed for 11 years.
When minor league baseball announced it would expand to Midland with the Loons, an "A" affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers, he jumped at the chance.
"This was a perfect opportunity to take on a challenge and learn and grow in my career," he said.
Barbeau helped build the Loons franchise from scratch, including the stadium, Dow Diamond. With the team now in its second season, he oversees all business related duties, including marketing, sales and customer service, and food and beverage.
"It's hard to describe a typical day for me," he said. "It seems to change every day."
Barbeau said the odd hours and weekend games make for a difficult schedule to balance family and work, but he finds it rewarding.
"My favorite part is the game days and nights and seeing people having a great time," he said. "The smiles on their faces - it's a great feeling."
Barbeau is especially excited about two Loons-related events this year.
The first is the organization's acquisition and transformation of the 100.9 FM radio station to an ESPN all-sports format. The station will broadcast each Loons game, in addition to popular syndicated programming.
Secondly, Dow Diamond will host the 2008 Midwest League All-Star Game on June 17. The game is the finale of a three-day event beginning June 15, which will include concerts, skills challenges, photo opportunities and exhibits, a high school home run derby and an all-star home run derby.
Background: Worked with minor league Spokane Indians in Washington for 11 years; with the Loons since the team's inception.
Education: Bachelor of Arts in History and Government, Georgetown University
Family: Wife, Shauna; Son, Peter
Residence: Midland
Best way to keep competitive edge: Make time for family and friends
Personal hero: Ernie Barbeau
How do you motivate people? Hopefully, leading by example
How do you motivate yourself? Professionally, I am motivated by seeing people enjoying Dow Diamond and Loons baseball. That motivates me to create the best possible experience for them.
Three greatest passions: Family, work, and Georgetown University basketball
Most unique office decor: A piece of concrete from Avista Stadium in Spokane, Wash.
Favorite hobby: This week, it is looking under rocks for bugs and worms with my 3-year-old son
Best business decision: Accepting the challenge of leading the Great Lakes Loons
Worst business decision: Would be a few hiring decisions over the years that did not produce results
Biggest management myth: That strategy is more important than execution. Companies succeed or fail based on how well they execute every detail.
What advice would you give to yourself 10 years ago? I was probably a little late to adopt the balding man's short hair cut.
Hot stock in your portfolio: At this point, I am not a stock investor. I have a variety of mutual funds that I rebalance once a year.
Word that best describes you: Calm
What keeps you up at night? Rain on the rooftop
Pet peeve: Gum chewing
Guilty pleasure: American Idol. Actually, I do not feel guilty about it. I am a proud American Idol fan.
First job: Cleaning a meat locker on weekends for the family business.
First choice for a new career: College history professor
Favorite cause: I feel a strong commitment to my alma maters, St John's Prep in Danvers, Mass., and Georgetown University. Both institutions provided great opportunities for me and I want to do my small part to make sure they continue to provide similar opportunities for current and future students.
Favorite book: Tough to pick one. I read a lot of history, and particularly enjoy reading David Halberstam.
Favorite movie: Clint Eastwood's "Unforgiven"
What's on your iPod/car radio dial? ESPN 100.9 FM
What do you do to recharge the batteries? It is difficult to find the time, but I enjoy reading and running.
Favorite restaurant: Tie between Luna in Spokane, Wash., and Tupelo Grille in Whitefish, Mont.
Wheels: Toyota Corolla
Rachel Protasiewicz is a freelance writer living in Auburn.


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U.S. Power Grid
At the NN/LM Greater Midwest Region (GMR) resource library directors' meeting this past week, there was a discussion about the power grid for the United States. Consensus was that when looking for a backup library, you may want to consider finding a library outside your power grid. Here is a map from the Department of Energy detailing the location of the three major power grids. For further information on blackouts see How Blackouts Work from the website Howstuffworks.com.


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NEW YORK — Jim Leyland is 66 years old. His lifetime in baseball is more than half that. In 38 years in the game, he has seen, managed and been witness to some of the greatest players baseball has had to offer. And after watching what Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano did to his Detroit Tigers on Saturday night, there was no doubting one thing.
That Cano belongs in their category.
"My staff think he's one of the top five players in all of baseball — without question," Leyland said Sunday morning before Game 2 of the American League Division Series. "He's a great player. He's one of the best players I've ever seen."
A far cry from his comments about a young Cano during the Tigers' 2006 ALDS matchup with the Yankees. During that series, he dubbed the Yankees lineup "Murderer's Row and Cano."
But in the five seasons since, Cano has morphed into one of the best players in baseball and a perennial MVP candidate. His sixth-inning grand slam off of Detroit reliever Al Alberquerque was just the punctuation to that sentence.
"He came up on the big stage last night," Leyland said. "He's hitting a little bit earlier in the lineup than he did then and for obvious reasons. He's just a tremendous player that came up huge last night for them in Game 1. And we have the utmost respect for him obviously, as we do the Yankee team."
Leyland wasn't the only Tiger heaping praise on Cano.
In his pregame press conference, Game 3 starter Justin Verlander echoed the sentiments of his manager.
"Obviously, looking at him, he's a great player, great hitter," Verlander said. "Probably the best second baseman in the league."
But what about pitching against him?
With Cano being moved up into the No. 3 hole in the lineup for the postseason as a way to ensure he sees more pitches with Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira hitting behind him, he's been more of terror than before. In addition to the grand slam Saturday night, Cano also drove in Curtis Granderson late in the game on a double.
How does a pitcher go about trying to solve a hitter who seemingly has no weaknesses and is a one-man RBI assembly line?
"The numbers are always in our favor," Verlander said. "No matter how good a hitt is, he's not hitting over .500 the last I checked. I don't think anybody ever has. So the numbers are always in our favor as a pitcher. You always have that to your advantage. And have it in the back of your mind as to not give in to anybody."
All of that begs one last question ...
Does Robinson Cano have any holes?
"If I did see holes, I wouldn't tell you," Verlander said.
Brendan Prunty: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Cato, NY -- A Cato man is accused of setting fire to a storage trailer, then having his wife call 911 when he worried it would burn out of control.
Clarence Richardson, 73, of 10303 Baker Road, was charged today with criminal nuisance, a misdemeanor, after the July 1 fire on Richardson's property, according to Cayuga County sheriff's deputies.
Richardson set fire around 10:45 p.m. to a 60-foot trailer to destroy it, deputies said. But when the fire burned through the roof, Richardson became concerned it could threaten his house and other buildings, so he had his wife, Ann, call 911.
About nine fire departments and ambulance crews responded to the scene.


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Our students will live and work in a world that will depend on their readiness to assess new ideas and adapt to change with energy and confidence. These attitudes flourish when achievements are valued by staff, students and families. 'Working together' is an important aspect of life at PLC.
In the Early Learning Centre, the natural curiosity of the girls and boys is nurtured and stimulated in an environment that owes much to the Reggio Emilia philosophy. The excitement of discovery is shared and celebrated as children make sense of another part of their world. This approach to teaching and learning - one that stimulates exploration and develops independence - supports and extends the academic development of students at each level through to Year 12.
Establishing the basis for sound literacy and numeracy skills is fundamental to the Junior School curriculum. A rich academic program that encourages all students to develop as confident learners enhances the consolidation of these critical foundations. Art, Computing, Drama, French, Music, Physical Education, Religious Education, Science and Social Studies also have an important place in the total program of each girl.
The importance of strong foundations is further acknowledged in the Senior School curriculum. From Years 7 to 10, each student follows a broad core curriculum that includes a choice of languages. Electives at Years 9 and 10 allow students to pursue individual interests. When a student comes to make her course selection for Years 11 and 12, she has the option of all subject groups offered within either the Victorian Certificate of Education or the International Baccalaureate. Many VCE students will accelerate their studies, either within the VCE itself or by taking a university subject in Year 12.
The formal academic structure is just one of the factors that underpins the academic achievements of our students. Right from the start, different learning strategies are built into the curriculum. Thinking skills and reflection, co-operative learning, organisational strategies, the considered use of information technology, excursions and visiting artists and speakers, take learning into both familiar and new contexts. Special programs, and specialist staff, work with students in both Junior and Senior Schools. Extension and enrichment for highly able students in academic and creative areas support programs in literacy and numeracy, and research and study skills help students to develop their potential. A dynamic program of extensions inclduing national and international competitions, Chess, Future Problem Solving, Mathematics Olympiad and competitions across a range of subjects give students the opportunity to explore new options and learn more about their interests and abilities.
The success of academic programs relies on skilled, professional staff who encourage each girl to explore her potential in an environment where expectations of success are regarded as normal and where learning support is readily provided.
© PLC 2005 | Privacy & Disclaimer | Associations | CRICOS 00334M
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I would like to read from a text file that has the format of the following:
The purpose is to use this as an input file to import other files, HELLO.txt and GOODBYE.txt (in the same directory - /Users/asdf/xyz), and assign values for a few variables (XVALUE = 1 and YVALUE = 2).
Any help will be appreciated. Thanks!
No products are associated with this question.
Easiest way is to parse with regular expressions and read into an output structure with named fields.
%read in file str = fileread('/path/to/your/file.txt'); %extract fields and values pieces = regexp(str, '(?<field>\w+)=(?<value>[^\n]+)', 'names'); out = struct(); %your variables for k=1:length(pieces), field = pieces(k).field; val = pieces(k).value; tf= ismember(val, char([34 39])); %remove " and ' from string val = strtrim(val(~tf)); %also remove spaces %try to convert to double. If successful, use converted value, %otherwise use original (string) value valn = str2double(val); if ~isnan(valn), %conversion successful, use as numeric val = valn; end %add to output structure out.(field) = val; end
I am also dealing with somewhat similar situation.
I have around 50,000 files in a directory. File name format is like 20130724ABCD.txt (where letters stand for yyyy, mm, dd and text is for location).
ABCD is unique( e.g. COLO, NEBR, KANS), and I want to concatenate contents of file in a file ABCD.
How would I do it? Any help is greatly appreciated.
To clarify, you want to combine together the contents of all files which have the same 4-letter combo immediately prior to the file extension? If so, this is a bit different than the posted question, so you're better off starting a new question in this forum.
In particular, there are several Linux tools that would probably be faster and better for this task. Also, this can probably be done quite efficiently in Perl.
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Featured stories about Brazil
Stories about Brazil
13 April 2016
Under Brazil's Cybercrime Bill, Social Media Sites Could Become 'Permanent Agents of Vigilance'
"If somebody insults a politicians on a social media platform, the platform will be obligated to remove the content in a maximum of 48 hours."
17 December 2015
WhatsApp is Back on in Brazil. But Why Was it Blocked in the First Place?
The judge who issued the order based her decision on a provision of Marco Civil, Brazil's so-called "Bill of Rights" for the Internet.
12 November 2015
Netizen Report: UN Authorities Pluck Protesters from Global Internet Conference in Brazil
The UN fails to walk the walk on free expression, Tanzanians face prosecution over WhatsApp messages, and the UK rolls out a new surveillance bill that is 'worse than scary'.
9 November 2015
When Were You Sexually Harassed for the First Time? Brazilian Women React to Online Violence
Social networks are increasingly filled with hate speech. This alarming phenomenon, however, is being countered by creative, irreverent, and organized women's groups online.
5 November 2015
Brazil's Modern Day Slave Owners Don't Want Their Names on the Web
Multiple court rulings have led to the censorship of Brazil's "dirty list" that identifies companies engaged in forced labor practices.
1 October 2015
Netizen Report: Will Brazil Give Up On Defending Digital Rights?
Brazilian legislators seek to undercut the Marco Civil while Ecuador's president wields tools of censorship to avoid hurt feelings.
6 August 2015
Netizen Report: Wanna Comment on Social Media? Submit Your State ID First, Says Brazilian Deputy
While India's porn ban makes headlines, online harassment of Indian women has peaked. Meanwhile in Europe, Google balks at proposals to globalize the Right to Be Forgotten.
6 March 2015
#FragaWantsToPost: A Brazilian Activist Has Been Forbidden From Protesting for Two Years
Ricardo Fraga's right to protest has been legally suspended for the last 728 days. He cannot post or mention anything about the high-rise construction project that is changing his neighborhood.
2 March 2015
Did a Brazilian Judge Try to Use Marco Civil to Shut Down WhatsApp Across the Country?
WhatsApp kept working normally in Brazil, but the judge's decision, which was apparently based on provisions in the Marco Civil bill, went viral.
31 December 2014
Protests, Blackouts, and a Bill of Rights for the Internet: Advox in 2014
From Egypt to Ethiopia to Tajikistan to Turkey, our authors wrote what they saw on the ground, on the Internet, in court and behind bars.


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The third title in National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book series, this book is for kids 4- to 8-years-old who LOVE dinos! The prehistoric world comes alive with dinosaurs small, big, giant, and gigantic, with stunning illustrations by Franco Tempesta-who illustrated National Geographic Kids The Ultimate Dinopedia. Bursting with fun facts and age appropriate information, each spread features a different dinosaur, along with simple text in big type that is perfect for little kids. Young dino fans will love the interactivity included in every chapter, and parents will appreciate tips to help carry readers' experience beyond the page.
Series: National Geographic Little Kids
Audience: Children
For Ages: 4 - 8 years old
For Grades: 1 - 4
Format: Hardcover
Language: English
Number Of Pages: 128
Published: 19th October 2011
Publisher: National Geographic Kids
Country of Publication: GB
Dimensions (cm): 25.4 x 25.4 x 1.5
Weight (kg): 0.75
Edition Number: 1


text: Can anyone in here tell me what the fee is to renew a PADI license as an Instructor is in the Philippines please & have you got any links if possible ? I am asking because an instructor I know has told me that his renewal fees are $452 so he can continue to teach PADI courses. This seems very expensive to me, but is it true ??


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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Seeking immediate attention when bitten by a stray or feral cat, but not when it is a pet, is a pattern Dr. Stacey Murray-Taylor, chair of the emergency department at Richmond University Medical Center has observed. As a result, she said, people bitten by a more familiar cat have more complications.
Fear of rabies is often what brings a person to the emergency room, but that is not the main problem.
Rabies in domestic animals is rare in this country. The Center for Disease control reports that bats and wild carnivores are now the main carriers.
"Infection is our main concern," says Dr. Murray-Taylor.
The cat's teeth create a puncture wound through which its bacteria-laden saliva passes to multiple layers.
"The hand and forearm are areas of the most concern for infection. The hand has a lot of spaces between soft tissue and ligaments. The bacteria in the cat's mouth gets into these deep spaces where it's warm, dark and cozy," she explained.
So while the wound should be washed right away, it often is not enough to prevent infection.
Tracy Parisi, a board member of Staten Island Council for Animal Welfare who participates in trap, neuter and return programs has had some serious cat bites, however, not from feral cats she was trapping. She observes stringent precautions during that process.
She was bitten when someone handed her a cat in a box.
"When I got bit, it wasn't the cat's fault. The cat's reaction is normal. They don't know what you want to do," she said.
She started a course of antibiotics she had on-hand, but she misjudged the seriousness of the bite and ended up in the hospital for an intravenous course of medication.
"The skin is the major barrier to infection in the body," said Dr. Theodore Strange, executive vice president of University Physicians Group.
"Bites to the hand and face are of particular concern because the anatomy is such that the infection can track to tendons and vital structures which can be very destructive," said Dr. Strange.
He said if a patient is not up to date with a tetanus shot, it is also recommended. The cat won't transmit tetanus, but dirt or other contaminants could enter the puncture.
If you should take a wait and see approach, Dr. Strange says any evidence of redness or tenderness should be seen immediately.
Ms. Parisi advises people to be especially careful when transporting a stray cat.
"The safest thing you can do is use a trap. Although that may seem obvious when it is feral, even if you assume a cat is friendly, use a trap to rescue it and to bring it to the veterinarian. Even cats that are a complete mush can be different at the vets," she observed.


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Earrings are the essential finishing touch to everything you wear. At Gemvara, we believe that your earrings should be as unique as you. All our stylish earrings are made to order in your choice of gems and precious metals. Choose Blue Topaz and Platinum or Green Tourmaline and Rose Gold: it's your choice. Mix and match gems and precious metals for a look that's exactly you. Gemvara uses only the highest quality materials to craft your Platinum Black Onyx Family Earrings with meticulous attention to detail. With the power to reflect back negative energy and increase your determination to accomplish your goals, black onyx shows you are the master of your own fate. Gemvara's black onyx is faceted and polished for a surface that resembles more expensive gems like black diamond and black spinel. Black onyx is the 7th anniversary gem and the zodiac gem for the sign of Leo.Our precious metals are recycled or responsibly mined. Pure, rare, and eternal, platinum is the world's most precious metal. One touch and you'll immediately notice the difference: platinum is significantly denser than gold. Its purity makes platinum an excellent choice for people with metal sensitivities. Platinum is naturally hypoallergenic.Our wide selection of Platinum Black Onyx Family Earrings by talented designers means you can find earrings that are exactly your style. You can choose your favorite earring backs too. Gemvara's fine quality Platinum Black Onyx Family Earrings are designed to be passed down for generations to come, crafted by hand in the United States.
We can help right away. Chat with a jewelry expert now!


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This is the eighth in a series of previews of LSU's 2014 opponents. Each day we'll take a look at another opponent through the eyes of someone who knows them the best - the local beat writer.
Kentucky beat writer Jen Smith of the Lexington Herald-Leader has the word with five questions for the Wildcats, who come to Tiger Stadium Oct. 18 with kickoff TBA. See the game-by-game, best-to-worst ranking of the Tigers' schedule here and the chronological schedule here.
Read Jen at kentucky.com/kentuckysports and follow her on Twitter @JenHeraldLeader.
2013 Record: 2-10, 0-8, seventh in SEC East
Coach: Mark Stoops, 2-10, second season at Kentucky.
Returning starters: Offense (7), Defense (8), Special teams (1)
Quickie synopsis: It's likely to be another long season for the Wildcats, who at least have a quarterback in Maxwell Smith with some playing experience. Stoops is building from the bottom up and needs a few more recruiting classes like the last one to mature the program.
5 questions for Kentucky
Is Kentucky in position to move out of the SEC East cellar this season, or does Mark Stoops need another year of recruiting to make real progress?
After back-to-back 2-10 seasons, Kentucky mostly will be happy to win any games, whether in the SEC East or elsewhere. UK's schedule is more favorable this season than last and the program seems to have some momentum behind it. Kentucky hasn't won an SEC game since 2011 and probably needs to win at least one this season if Stoops wants to continue to recruit at this unprecedented level.
Maxwell Smith has some solid numbers from last season. Is he the answer at quarterback with a decent receiving corps returning?
Various injuries have slowed Maxwell Smith the past two seasons, including extensive work on his injured throwing shoulder this off-season, which caused him to miss all of spring. Even if his shoulder is completely healed early in fall camp -- and it doesn't sound like it will be -- he's pretty far behind the other three quarterbacks vying for the job. Patrick Towles, a sophomore who used a red-shirt season to fix a hitch in his throw, was the starter in the spring game and had a solid performance. He offers a lot of upside and the coaches seem to like that he went out and did extra work on his own to become a viable candidate again.
Red-shirt freshman Reese Phillips has been the most consistent and is a candidate as is true freshman Drew Barker, who has star credentials and enrolled early to get a jump on learning the offense. Smith has the most starts of any quarterback on the roster and could still be an option, but how much of one is unknown until camp starts. Offensive coordinator Neal Brown likes the group of young receivers UK has coming back, including four of their top five, but they're going to have to stay healthy for the Air Raid to actually take off.
How is the dynamic between basketball and football? Is football still fighting for interest or has Stoops made some headway where past coaches haven't?
Stoops gets that question at every stop he makes (Media Days, ESPN, various speaking engagements) and he has a pat answer about having a good relationship with John Calipari, even noting that the basketball coach has met with football recruits before. But Stoops is visibly tiring of the question and likes to point out that there were a combined 90,000 fans at the last two spring games. Basketball has a decades-long head start in popularity and likely will always overshadow football in some ways, but Stoops believes there is room for both on campus. With $165 million in football renovations going on right now at UK, his point is easier to make.
What aspect of the defense are the Wildcats building around?
Like many of Stoops' stops at Florida State and Arizona, the defense will be built around the defensive line and its ability to get pressure on the quarterback. He took two defensive ends -- Bud Dupree and Za'Darius Smith -- to Media Day and wanted to send a clear message that they're the leaders on defense. UK's going to need big play from its defensive ends early as it breaks in two new starters at tackle as well as a new middle linebacker replacing NFL Draft pick Avery Williamson (Tennessee Titans).
How is the competition at running back shaping up?
Kentucky hasn't had a dominant, durable running back in several seasons but thinks it has a chance to change that this season with several viable options. Look for leading returning rusher, sophomore Jojo Kemp, to star alongside Nebraska transfer Braylon Heard. UK also returns Josh Clemons, who has missed the last two seasons with injury, and who is a strong backup, as well as two highly touted freshmen in Mikel Horton and Stanley "Boom" Williams. Coaches have indicated that at least one of them will play this season. The players have different skill sets that seem to complement one another and could make UK a much better running team. Despite the "Air Raid" moniker, UK's ground game could be highly effective.
Links to previous previews
Up next
Wednesday - Ole Miss
Thursday - Alabama
Friday - Arkansas
Saturday - Texas A&M
Jim Kleinpeter can be reached at email@example.com or 504.826.3405.


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Barry Manilow did not write his hit "I Write the Songs."
Renzo Piano, one of the world's most famous architects, breaks down the art of sandcastle construction.
Medieval artists subscribed to the idea of a "homuncular" Jesus, which caused them to paint all babies like little old men.
A look back at the most controversial film of the 1990s, in honor of its 20th anniversary.
Madeleine L'Engle's time-hopping heroine transported sci-fi into a new dimension.
From poppers to ice cream, jalapenos go in everything!
PrintGREEN dispenses soil, water, and grass seed onto a felt-covered sponge surface.
Old English had a rich array of inventive and intriguing words, many of which have either long since dropped out of use or were replaced.
The $48 million terminal will have a 20,000-square-foot doggie resort with flat screen TVs, bone-shaped swimming holes and "pawdicures."
The True Detective star's darkest roles are nothing compared to the drama he's dealt with off-camera.
The Ford Mustang just turned 50 and she's looking really good.
A new study finds that sarcasm promotes creative thinking for both the expresser and recipient. No, really?
Take the quiz!
The 1964 World's Fair was home to many attractions whose legacies would extend far beyond the Fair's gates. One that didn't: Ford's Magic Skyway.


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A lighter is the type of thing you just need. Going tramping, to a concert, dabbling in a bonfire on the beach? You need that lighter don't you? Grab a plain chrome lighter by trusted and well known brand, Zippo. And at only $29 today (value $29), you can afford to let your mate borrow it.
(09) 522 2944
Business in trade


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STELLARTON - Charges are pending against one adult male after a search in the Town of Stellarton.
On Feb. 20, at approximately 3:30 p.m., the Pictou County Integrated Street Crime Enforcement Unit (PCISCEU), along with the assistance of the Stellarton Police Service, executed a search warrant at a residence on Acadia Avenue in Stellarton. A 35-year-old male was arrested without incident.
Police seized growing equipment, 10 marihuana plants, 225 grams of dried marijuana bud, 600 grams of marijuana shake, several long barrelled firearms, one 22 cal. handgun and a brass knuckle knife. The accused was released on an Undertaking with a Promise to Appear in Pictou Provincial court on Apr. 7, 2014. Several charges are pending under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and the Criminal code.
The investigation continues.


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Follow me on Twitter@JimKleinpeter
Baton Rouge - The focus is finally shifting to LSU-Florida, just as soon as we make a personnel change in the next few seconds.
Florida series here to stay (Scott Rabalais, The Advocate)
Jefferson to start (Gary Laney, The Advocate)
Crowton pondering his place (Randy Rosetta)
Lee faces Florida pickers (Glenn Guilbeau, Gannett)
Crowton descending? (Guilbeau)
Wild Tigers rolling (Rachel Whittaker, Daily Reveille)
Miles helps tarnish SEC coaches (Kevin Scarbinsky, Birmingham News)
No goofs at Oklahoma State (Berry Trammel, The Oklahoman)
Dumb and dumber (Dennis Dodd, CBS.sportsline)
Miles away from LSU covering this week (Len Robbins, New York Post)


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Incumbents Florence P. Connolly and James S. Kelly along with newcomers Jon R. Howell and Mark T. Gorney were elected to the board on Tuesday, Nov. 6.
Matthew Starke, Vince Mosca, Richard Honig rounded out the seven candidates running for four spots on the board.
Kelly, 68, has served on the board since 2007.
"I'm grateful the township has elected me to serve again. I will do my best to keep it running the way it has been and look after it the way I would my own,' he said.
Jon R. Howell, 54, a Republican and owner of Lock Tight Storage & Signs, said he's excited about the opportunity.
"I finished between two incumbents in the primary, that's where I finished this time," he said. "I'm very happy."
Democratic candidate Mark T. Gorney, 59, is a journeyman patternmaker at Saginaw Metal Casting Operations for General Motors
"I'm happy to be selected," he said.
Gorney thanked voters for their support and said he's ready to begin serving the community in January.
Follow reporter Lindsay Knake on twitter or contact her at 989-372-2498 or email@example.com.


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When you have a team with noted tough guys Aaron Downey and Darren McCarty and throw in a feisty rookie such as Justin Abdelkader, you might expect to take more than a few penalties in a season.
Then again, if you're the Grand Rapids Griffins, you might not expect that at all.
The American Hockey League recently notified the Griffins that last season's team was the least-penalized team ever in an 80-game season.
The Griffins had 963 penalty minutes last year. According to the AHL, the Rhode Island Reds previously held the record with 986 penalty minutes in 1976-77.
Downey led the Griffins with 126 penalty minutes, followed by Abdelkader with 102. McCarty had only 21, but that's because he spent the first half of the season injured and with the parent club Detroit Red Wings.
The players with the fewest penalty minutes in at least 60 games played? Logan Pyett with 12 and Francis Pare with 14.
E-mail Michael Zuidema: email@example.com


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U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison announced Thursday that the city of Amarillo and Potter County received a large federal grant to help reduce crime.
The $168,087 grant comes from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program, which helps law enforcement agencies combat crime by providing money for technical assistance, training, personnel and equipment, according to a statement from Hutchison's office.
"Securing our homeland is of the utmost importance, and local law enforcement plays a central role in this effort," Hutchison, R-Texas, said in the prepared statement.
The Amarillo Police Department will receive $84,044 from the grant.
About $34,000 will be spent on officers' overtime so they can perform "directed patrols" in high-crime areas. Another $25,000 will also be allocated for overtime, so officers can do more traffic enforcement, according to an APD budget.
With Amarillo recording 21 fatalities so far this year, APD Cpl. Jerry Neufeld said the money for more patrols might help staunch the increase in fatality numbers.
"We can use this grant to help enforce traffic laws to reduce that number of fatalities," Neufeld said.
The department also will spend about $25,000 for a thermal-imaging device to help find criminals at night and 12 new AR-15 rifles, according to the budget.
The Potter County Sheriff's Office also received about $84,000 from the grant, which it will use for new equipment and overtime for narcotics enforcement, said Sheriff Mike Shumate.
Some of the new equipment the sheriff's office is looking to buy are night vision glasses and digital recording equipment.
But a large part of the sheriff's grant will be spent on narcotics enforcement because of a burgeoning growth of methamphetamine in the county.
"It is definitely going to have an impact," Shumate said.
© 2016. All Rights Reserved. | Contact Us


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Sound: Burzum's legendary album "Filosofem" is in my opinion really overrated album and it's success is mostly based on the opening track "Dunkelheit." While the album isn't as good as everyone says, it's not a bad album, it's just overrated.
The album is clearly divided into two sides: the killer and the filler. First comes the killer:
The opening track "Dunkelheit" is a great slow and crushing song which had a huge influence on Dark Ambient Black Metal and is the main reason why this album is so popular. This song also has Burzum's only music video.
The second track "Jesus' Tod" is my favorite. Although it's monotonous and has the same drumbeat repeated for like seven minutes without pauses or fills, the song just has something that makes it really good, I really don't know what. One reason is the awesome riffing since the song features some of Burzum's best guitar work.
Final track from the killer side: "Erblicket Die Tchter Des Firmaments." Nothing special really to mention about this song, but it's great!
Then to the filler side: "Gebrechlichkeit" I and II are just useless songs. The first one doesn't have any riffs or drum beat, it's just random monotonous chords and singing, and the second one is exactly the same without vocals and has a long useless intro featuring random noises.
And then there is "Rundgang Um Die Transzendentale Sule Der Singularitt", a 5-second-melody consisting of 5 notes repeated for 25 minutes and that's it. While Burzum's previous Ambient songs were pure awesomeness, this is just boring and useless. Yes yes, it has "the atmosphere" but even "the atmosphere" can't save a song like this.
All the "side filler" songs contain the three ingredients of a filler song: they are simple, boring and too long.
The album's sound is extremely raw and brutal which probably makes it impossible to like for people who are more fans of good production, but for me the only problem is that some riffs in "Jesus' Tod" are quite difficult to hear, otherwise the production is okay for me, and it should be okay for all those who like old school Black Metal and all kinds of raw BM. // 7
Lyrics: While I have no idea about the lyrics, the singing is great! Varg is known for his inhuman screaming vocals which he did on the first three Burzum albums, but here he sounds different. No, it's not traditional Varg, but that doesn't mean that the singing sucks. On "Filosofem" Varg's singing is more like a mixture of traditional and raw Black Metal vocals and he in fact sounds darker than ever. The singing is easily the best thing on the album. // 9
Overall Impression: Well, half of the songs and 62,5% of the albums length are just fillers so I can't really give the album 9 or 10 although most of the world's Black Metal fans would give either one.
"Filosofem" has it's great moments during the first three tracks, but after that the album becomes boring crap. However, I'm pretty sure that fans of Raw and monotonous Black Metal find all the songs great, it's just a matter of taste. While the album is overrated, it's still worth buying, especially if you're a fan of Burzum, and all fans of Black Metal fans should at least try listening to the album (most of them have probably already listened to it) since majority of all BM fans say that "Filosofem" is one of the greatest albums in the history of Black Metal. // 7
Amuro Jay


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Bottoms up for the SEC this weekend. If you had taken a poll during the SEC Media Days all the way back in July how many in attendance would have thought that Vanderbilt, Missouri, Tennessee and Auburn would have pulled upsets on Oct. 19, considering the opponents?
Add in the Ole Miss upset of LSU and it was about as unsettling a day for SEC powers as it could have possibly been.
Only top-ranked Alabama, which demolished Arkansas, 52-0, held serve. What Saturday also did was virtually eliminate all but two SEC teams - Alabama and, if you can actually believe it, Missouri - from the national title race.
Seems like the end of the SEC's dominance in college football could come this season. But it's also of note that a two-loss LSU team won the title in 2007.
After Saturday's wild day in college football, who's to say that won't happen again.
Here's this week's topsy-turvy NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune Top 25 rankings.
1. Alabama (6-0)
The Tide's path to Atlanta and the SEC championship looks even easier with LSU's loss to Ole Miss. That Nov. 9 showdown suddenly lost a lot of luster. But beware of resurgent Tennessee, who Alabama gets this week. It's in Tuscaloosa, though, so advantage Tide.
2. Oregon (7-0)
Mildly interesting for a half as the Ducks led Washington State, 34-24, at the break. They pulled away for a 62-38 victory though. The only thing of note, other than that, was Oregon's defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti calling Washington State boss Mike Leach low class for continuing to pass late in the game. Please.
3. Florida State (6-0)
This looked like the Seminoles of old, completely dismantling an opponent in a big game. Clemson looked helpless as 'Noles freshman quarterback Jameis Winston simply took the Tigers apart, throwing for 444 yards and three touchdowns. Easy to see them doing the chop in Pasadena in January.
4. Ohio State (7-0)
The Buckeyes had to rally against a mediocre Iowa team to win 34-24 on Saturday. It was Ohio State's 19th straight victory. But the Buckeyes have been completely unimpressive this season. They need to start earning some style points and can do that next week against Penn State.
5. Baylor (5-0)
Who'd have thought the Bears would be this high this late in the season? Or any part of this season for that matter. Baylor went back to its high-octane ways with a 71-7 victory against Iowa State on Saturday. They get Oklahoma on Nov. 7, a Thursday. The world will be watching.
6. Missouri (6-0)
No one would have thought Missouri would have been this high this late in the season and, if they're being honest, no one in the Missouri program would have either. But without their starting quarterback the Tigers dismantled Florida and its vaunted defense, 36-17.
7. Texas Tech (7-0)
Okay, okay, you get the picture. No one thought Texas Tech would be on this lofty perch, either. Kliff Kingsburgy has worked an amazing amount of magic in Lubbock this year in his first season. They had to rally to beat West Virginia, 37-27, on Saturday. The Nov. 16 showdown with Baylor could be for the Big 12 title. What a crazy season.
8. Stanford (6-1)
Finally, Stanford's defense finally played as advertised, holding UCLA's high-powered offense to a season-low 266 yards and intercepting Bruins' quarterback Brett Hundley twice. They also sacked him four times. With all the losses Saturday, the Cardinal's national title hopes may not be dashed yet. They have a date with Oregon on Nov. 7 - a Thursday - that could push them way up with a victory.
9. Miami (6-0)
Any other week, the Canes would not have moved up in the rankings after a pretty poor performance against a bad North Carolina team. They had to rally to beat the Tar Heels, 27-23, and look rather ordinary. But they picked a good week to look bad.
10. Clemson (6-1)
Bad enough the Tigers were soundly thrashed by Florida State. But at home in Death Valley with Gameday on campus. Tigers quarterback Tajh Boyd saw his Heisman hopes go up in smoke. And Clemson's defense made Florida State QB Jameis Winston a contender.
11. Virginia Tech (6-1)
The Hokies sure picked a good week to be off, considering the bad karma hitting ranked teams this week. Virginia Tech hasn't been eye-candy good in its victories this season, nevertheless, they're winning. Somehow they avoid Clemson and Florida State in ACC play. Until the championship game.
Thud. That was the sound the Bruins made as they were thumped by Stanford. The offense laid an egg. And it doesn't get any easier this week as UCLA travels to Oregon. Better get things fixed quick or it'll be a long night against the Ducks.
13. Louisville (6-1)
The Cardinals saw their remote BCS title hopes go up in smoke in Friday's 38-35 loss at home to Central Florida. And, unless they get a lot of help, they'll probably end up in something like the Belk Bowl.
It'd be easy to pile on the Tigers here but we'll avoid that. The reality is that LSU isn't that good on defense and will have a hard time beating either Alabama and Texas A&M. But Les Miles seems to get a lot of mileage out of losses like these. And he's got three weeks to get ready for the Tide.
15. Auburn (6-1)
The Tigers jumped to 11th in the Associated Press poll but that seems a bit of stretch, considering they've only beaten one currently ranked team. Auburn outgunned Texas A&M on Saturday at College Station. But the Aggies are one dimensional with no defense to speak of.
16. Texas A&M (5-2)
The thought that Johnny Manziel somehow lost the Heisman in Saturday's loss to Auburn is ludicrous. He rushed and passed for 502 yards and five touchdowns. No one does more for his team than Manziel. Too bad he can't play defense.
17. Central Florida (5-1)
The Knights are a pretty good team that has a quality victory against Penn State as well as Louisville and came close to beating South Carolina. If you've got Allstate Sugar Bowl tickets you may want to check them out. Could easily end up in New Orleans on Jan. 2 maybe against Missouri.
18. Oklahoma (6-1)
The Sooners actually trailed against Kansas on Saturday before coming back for a 34-19 victory. Not a good showing. But, like so many other teams, the Sooners picked the right weekend to win and not worry about a lackluster performance.
19. Fresno State (6-0)
Slowly but surely the Bulldogs continue to move up the rankings. They only have one team left on the schedule, Wyoming, that has a winning record. And the Cowboys' victories come at the expense of some very bad teams. Looking good for Fresno to break into a BCS bowl game, probably the Fiesta.
20. Oklahoma State (5-1)
This late in the season the Cowboys still can't settle on a quarterback. The defense was solid in Saturday's 24-10 victory against TCU. But they're going to need a lot more firepower in November with games against Baylor, Texas Tech and Oklahoma.
21. Wisconsin (5-2)
The Badgers have outscored their last two opponents - Northwestern and Illinois - by a score of 91-38. Not very many challenges left on the schedule so 10 wins - and maybe the Rose Bowl - is doable.
22. Northern Illinois (7-0)
The Huskies' schedule sets up well for them to go undefeated but they'll have to root hard against Fresno State. The BCS won't take two non-BCS conference teams and, right now, the Bulldogs are the more sexy choice.
23. Texas (4-2)
The Longhorns had last weekend off to continue their celebration of victory against Oklahoma. Texas has three fairly easy opponents coming up then finishes with three ranked teams to close the season. Mack Brown's future probably won't be determined until the end of that stretch.
24. Michigan (6-1)
The Wolverines' offense put up a season-high 63 points in its 63-47 victory against Indiana on Saturday. But offense isn't the problem. They'll have to get much better on defense to survive a tough November slate.
25. Arizona State (5-2)
Thinking we should show the Sun Devils more love. They're coming off back-to-back victories where they scored 107 points. Nine or 10 victories certainly isn't out of the realm of possibility for them, especially if the offense keeps rolling.**************
Trey Iles can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com or 504.826.3405.


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The death of Kim Jong Il ends a dismal year for the world's dictators.
His 17 years of grotesque misrule ensured him the top place in most rankings of the worst despots, but close behind came Muammar Gaddafi, of Libya, who was ousted in August and killed in October. His 42-year rule was the longest non-royal reign in the world.
President Mubarak of Egypt was ousted in February after 30 years in power, and is on trial with his son, Gamal.In January Tunisia's President Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia after a mere 24 years of plundering and repression.


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|Download : Games : Puzzles : Puzzle game collect all color diamonds
Puzzle game: collect all color diamonds - Windows Shareware $16.14. This exciting logic game is designed for puzzle fans. The goal of the game is to solve the puzzle in such a way that there should be a possibility to collect all colored diamonds in the certain order on the level. The puzzle consists of many interacting objects, which can change their state depending on some influence or different game situation.
Diamonds system 1.0 29-Apr-05 English 7.4 MB
The first levels of the game are quite simple, and it does not take a lot of efforts to make the combinations needed, but on the following levels the situation is complicated because the access to the positions required must be gained by solving some puzzles of balls destroying each other, teleportation of objects or getting free from stone heaps which can be burnt on fire, and the fire can be put out with the help of soap bubbles; one should keep in mind that the soap balls are under gravitation influence and time for all these operations is limited. Enthralling and advanced logic levels, elaborated interface and various visual and sound effects will bring you a lot of pleasure!
|Puzzle Game. ValSoft Collect Color.
| Diamonds system


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Some of the edible cakes were created based on the following books: The Art of Walt Disney: From Mickey Mouse to the Magic Kingdoms and Beyond, Brave, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and Clifford.
The cakes were showcased at the Atlantic County Library-Mays Landing Branch, and the Ocean City Free Public Library.
During the display, Dean Kelly McClay and Chef Chelius offered cake samples to the public.
For additional information about the International Edible Book Festival, visit: http://www.books2eat.com/.
The ACA is located at Atlantic Cape's Mays Landing Campus and has been training future chefs and food service professionals for more than 30 years.
Contact the South Jersey Times at 856-935-1500 or 856-451-1000 and firstname.lastname@example.com