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Northwest Dodge Dealers Pacific Amateur Finals
Northwest Dodge Dealers Pacific Amateur Finals
The Crosswater Club at Sunriver Resort is hosting the culmination of one of the largest amateur golf tournaments in the U.S. today – the Finals of the 2009 "Pac Am."
Each year, up to 775 players from around the world compete on terrific Central Oregon golf courses, against 25 or more "Flight Mates," and in traditionally difficult weather conditions in an effort to win their respective flight and ultimately, to claim the title as Overall Pac Am Champion.
After three days of net stroke-play competition across seven golf courses, this year's 675 competitors will be reduced to two finalists in each of 30 flights, who will then compete for the overall Championship. The sixty players that play well enough to reach the decisive final test at Crosswater will be playing for trophies that are as unique and prestigious as the event itself.
Good luck golfers!
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|Gift of Reading Story Time
Event Type: Children's Story Time
Age Group(s): Children & Families
Date: 5/16/2013
Start Time: 10:00 AM
End Time: 11:00 AM
Join us for fun stories, songs, and a craft. Every child who attends will receive a free picture book. Recommended for ages 2-6. Children must be accompanied by an adult.Library: Rock Road Branch Map
Location: Meeting Room 1 (RR)
Presenter: Peg Hulse

subset: commoncrawl


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Winner Wednesday!
April 11, 2012 by Ellen
Filed under Core Blog, Fancy Pants, Graphic 45
Good Morning!
We have some winners to announce!!!
First up we have our random Fancy Pants Core Impressions winner….We just loved reading everyone's thoughts on Spring!!!
My favorite thing about Spring is the longer days, working in the yard and watching my grandson play baseball.
And next up we have our March Colour Lover's Challenge winner………..
Louise! You can see her project here. We just love how Louise worked her Copics on the Core! No bleeding, either! Looks gorgeous, don't you think? And the fabulous embossing on the Graphic 45 Signature Series.
Please Note: We have some changes regarding shipping of our prizes packages. We will now be shipping twice a month. This will enable a much smoother process for us and our customer service department. AND this will allow us to throw in other smaller goodies that can't necessarily be picked in the warehouse 😉 You won't be disappointed!!!
Winners will still email email@example.com with the subject line reading the contest you won, For Example: March Color Challenge Winner, name, address, and phone number (only if international). We will send you a confirmation back that we received your email so you know your prize will be on it's way soon!
Looking for another chance to win?????


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via Christian Convert from Islam Beheaded in Somalia. h/t http://vladtepesblog.com
NAIROBI, Kenya (Morning Star News) – Islamic extremists from Somalia's rebel Al-Shabaab militants on Friday (Nov. 16) killed a Christian in Somalia's coastal city of Barawa, accusing him of being a spy and leaving Islam, Christian and Muslim witnesses said.
The extremists beheaded 25-year-old Farhan Haji Mose after monitoring his movements for six months, Christian sources said. Mose drew suspicion when he returned to Barawa, in Somalia's Lower Shebelle Region, in December 2011 after spending time in Kenya, underground Christians in Somalia told Morning Star News.
Kenya's population is nearly 83 percent Christian, according to Operation World, while Somalia's is close to 100 percent Muslim.
A crowd assembled in the coastal city on Friday morning to watch the slaughter of Mose, the sources said.
"His body was split into two, then carried away, only to be dumped near the beach of Barawa city," a Christian source who witnessed the murder told Morning Star News.
Other witnesses, Muslims, independently described the same scene. They and the Christian witness told Morning Star News that the Islamic extremists accused Mose of being a spy for foreigners and of embracing the "foreign religion of Christianity."
Loved ones of the deceased did not risk immediately recovering the body, fearing that the militants would consider them guilty by association and kill them as well. A source said a Muslim fisherman who came upon Mose's body this morning (Nov. 17) lamented, "What a brutal murder – why did the Al Shabaab kill this man? Did he deserve such a brutal death because he associated with the Christian people in Kenya?"
Crickets in the White House, State Department, CAIR offices, Muslim Student Associations, Mona Eltahawy, Keith Ellison and all the usual suspects.
Filed under: Africa, Alerts, Creeping Sharia, Media, News, Politics, Religion, Sharia Tagged: | Creeping Sharia, islam, Life, Media, Muslim, News, Politics, Random, Religion, Sharia, terrorism, travel


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From our earliest days, Sanofi Genzyme has recognized that to live up to our commitment to patients, we must take a global approach to our business. Our roots in treating rare genetic diseases made this approach a necessity: because these disorders affect such small numbers, identifying those who need our therapies has always meant reaching out to patients all over the world, regardless of national boundaries.
Over the years as our product portfolio has grown, Sanofi Genzyme has continued to evolve and expand our presence into new regions based on identified patient needs. Our strategy is deliberate and focused: we start by building a local management team that understands regional concerns and practices. These teams work closely with governments and regulatory authorities, health care providers, and insurers to determine how we can best reach patients and bring value to local health care systems. Sanofi Genzyme's extensive international presence also helps us reach patients whose financial or geographic circumstances make access to treatment a challenge, through our various free drug and charitable support programs.
For Sanofi Genzyme, a global presence involves more than worldwide sales and marketing offices. We've located important operational facilities – including R&D labs and manufacturing plants – as well as key business support functions at sites around the world strategically selected for their proximity to scientific innovation centers, regulatory expertise, and other resources.
Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, near Sanofi Genzyme's original Boston home, our environmentally advanced world headquarters opened in 2003 as a highly visible expression of our commitment to innovation, transparency, and collaboration.
Sanofi Genzyme's Framingham, Massachusetts, campus is home to our largest concentration of employees – approximately 2000 – including those working at our world-class Science Center, the company's hub for early-stage research.
One of Europe's largest bio-manufacturing sites, Sanofi Genzyme's state-of-the-art plant in Geel, Belgium, opened in 2005 to expand our global production capabilities in protein-based therapies.
Our recently expanded manufacturing facility in Waterford, Ireland provides fill-finish capabilities for several of our products.
See a full list of Sanofi Genzyme's worldwide locations, with contact information for country and regional offices.
View our Global Locator
While our origins and our headquarters are in the United States, Sanofi Genzyme now has employees working in 40+ countries to serve patients in 100+ countries. The diverse skills and perspectives of our global workforce are integral to our success and growth, helping us record more than half of our product sales outside the U.S. This global reach has evolved through a series of strategic moves, from acquisitions and partnerships to the establishment of entirely new regional hubs.
Expansion into Europe occurred early in Sanofi Genzyme's history with the 1982 acquisition of a manufacturing plant in Haverhill, England – years before we began marketing any therapeutic products. In the early 1990s, as we began seeking regulatory approvals for our first protein-based therapies, Western Europe was a logical first market because of its identified patient populations and well-established health care systems. We now have sales offices all over the region, and several key European sites play a critical role in our operations:
While Asia-Pacific has been largely a more recent expansion, Sanofi Genzyme's first foray into business beyond the U.S. and U.K. was actually in Japan: our Tokyo office opened in 1987. In 1996 we became the first foreign company in Japan to gain marketing approval for a drug without a Japanese partner, and the country is now a strong and growing market for several of our products.
After Europe, Latin America became the next major region for Sanofi Genzyme's expansion. We established an office in Brazil in 1997 as a management hub to oversee operations in the area. Over time we expanded to several more offices in Latin America, and this "hub" approach became a model for the company's growth in new territories around the world.
In 2001 we opened an office of just two employees in Moscow, Russia, which is now the center of our Eastern European operations. Most recently, we expanded into several emerging markets in Asia-Pacific, including India and China in 2005, as well as established a Middle Eastern hub in Dubai in 2006. As we continue to grow and diversify internationally, our actions continue to be guided by one overriding principle: serving a global patient population.
500 Kendall Street
Cambridge, MA 02142
Learn how we're involved in helping to promote sustainable health care systems and standards of care worldwide.
Through powerful testimonials from patients, caregivers, and health care professionals, this film shares the stories of four families from around the world that are living with Fabry disease.


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Among the destruction cast by the crime and pending punishment of former Harlem mayor and Columbia County commissioner Scott Dean is the lingering black eye to the county and city.
It's been tough to shake off: Even in the midst of their joy this week at winning $10,000 in a nationwide contest, Harlem Middle School officials still felt the need to stave off the shadow cast by Dean's child molestation case, insisting there are better things going on.
The work goes on year-round for charitable organizations serving our community. But the needs seem to be more obvious during the Christmas season.
In large part, it's probably because of the contrast: Shoppers are loading up their cars to the point that the sheriff's office has to warn them to keep their loot out of sight lest they attract criminals. Yet, as Jenna Martin's News-Times story noted Sunday, charities are painfully aware of the everyday needs of those they serve.
Debates this past week about how past actions will determine Columbia County's future were front and center, and very loud.
But within the past couple of weeks, our community quietly has lost several people who did much to make Columbia County the fine place that it is.
• Lt. Gen. Robert Gray, memorialized this past week, died recently in a car crash. Retired as the commanding general of Fort Gordon, in recent years Gray was chairman of the Columbia County Democratic Party.
It takes a load of courage for a victim of molestation to come forward to make their case. Quite often the process, they say, can feel like victimization all over again.
That was the situation radio reporter Scott Hudson faced when as an adult he went to authorities to allege a family friend and Baptist minister had molested him at age 12. Then he was infuriated; even though Columbia County investigators confirmed the charges, they couldn't nab the molester.
Columbia County commissioners in the past year or so have done an admirable job of recognizing the burden large-scale rental developments can inflict on taxpayer services.
An often-extended moratorium halted new apartment rezonings while county officials rewrote the rule book, setting tougher standards that make it less profitable – and thereby less appealing – to build new apartment complexes.
Damned if they do, damned if they don't.
Columbia County commissioners had a choice back in May: Award a Springlakes drainage project to the low bidder, Jeffery Harris Trucking, despite misgivings from the project engineer; or pay an extra $200,000 to get the work done by the next bidder, Beam Construction, as the engineer urged.
They rolled the dice, went with the low bidder – and now are kicking Harris off the $814,000 project for failing to complete it on time. It might now cost even more than Beam's original, higher bid to have another contractor finish the job.
Everyone's heard the term "buyer beware."
Who knew you'd also have to learn "workers beware"?
Georgia's Department of Labor has opened an investigation into "Terror Town," a Halloween haunted house, because of complaints from the mostly teens serving as scare-mongers who say they weren't paid.
Among the more heartbreaking scenes recently was the ceremony and balloon release at A Child's World Day Care in Evans this past Thursday.
Children, staffers and others from the community gathered with the family of Jayden Kerns, a 4-year-old who recently drowned in her family pool. The touching ceremony allowed children, who often have a difficult time understanding death, to say goodbye to their friend.
Once the balloons floated away, the children will be reminded about Jayden with a rock garden they helped design.
Do any of our local anglers have a depth finder that can ping deep enough to fathom the wisdom of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers?
The folks who jealously love Clarks Hill Lake to death by ensuring it has no water in it now want to keep everyone downstream protected in case Thurmond Dam breaks.
They just don't want you to know if you're in danger if that happens.
A little substance made its way into the recent Columbia County Chamber of Commerce Pre-Legislative Breakfast. Along the way, there also was a look into how supporters of next year's transportation sales tax referendum hope to persuade voters.
Typically, the chamber pre- and post-legislative meetings bring in the local delegation to talk about the recent or upcoming sessions, and feature a higher-profile politician to discuss statewide issues.
Columbia County News-Times ©2017. All Rights Reserved.


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The internet has made it easy to download just about any song you want for free, but frankly, illegally downloading music just isn't an option if you're the honest type looking to support the artists and producers who enrich our lives. And although there are plenty of convenient ways to stream your favorite tracks for free — ahem, Spotify — opting for a freemium subscription seldom affords you the off-the-grid listening you need when your connection is slow, spotty, or just plain nonexistent.
Related: Here are 22 of our favorite apps for consuming and creating tunes
Thankfully, there are still a host of excellent websites that allow you to legally download and locally store your music free of charge. Most of the sites are void of Billboard artists like the infamous T-Swift, but if you look in the right spots, you'll still probably manage to find a few hits from a couple of big names, along with scores of independent artists that should keep your ears happy and your wallet heavy.
Below are a few of our favorites, so you can keep the tunes going even when your car rounds the next bend or Comcast decides to cut you off (whichever comes first).
Free Music Archive
Back in 2009, New Jersey-based WFMU Radio embarked on a project to make contemporary music of all genres available to the public, and the Free Music Archive was born. Since its inception, WFMU has partnered with dozens of other curators, and the site has become a veritable treasure trove of free content.
The site combines two different approaches to posting tracks: First, it indexes free music posted by all of its partner curators, and second, it allows users to post their own music directly to the archives. This synthesis of sources creates a mind-boggling library of tracks that you could literally spend months browsing through, whether you choose to do so by curator or genre. In addition, the site hosts a myriad of podcasts, and renowned radio stations such as KEXP frequently post live cuts from their studio sessions with big-name acts passing through. The smash tracks may lack some production, but they're also free.
NoiseTrade is part free music site, part promotion platform. You can download any individual track or album an independent artist uploads to the site if, in turn, you generously supply them with your email address and postal code. The freemium promotion platform also encourages you to spread the word about artists you like via Facebook and Twitter, while giving you the option to quickly tip the artist a suggested $4 donation.
The site's user interface is also remarkably clean and simple, allowing you to effortlessly search or browse artists within a visual hub loaded with recommendations and complimentary mixtapes that cover a wide swath of genres, musicians, and forthcoming events. Furthermore, the site often boasts exclusive samplers and releases from artists before they premiere elsewhere, along with corresponding links for connecting you with artists' social media pages and management. Some of our favorite albums currently being offered last time we checked? Wild Ones' "Keep it Safe" and "John Prine: Live in Asheville '86."
It should come as no surprise that the Walmart of the internet has a massive bargain bin of free MP3 downloads. At time of writing, Amazon has exactly 46,856 free tunes available, and that number will probably get bigger over time. The nice thing about Amazon's list of freebies is that you can easily browse it by genre, and it even tells you how many free tracks there are within each category.
The only tricky part is navigating to the right section of the site. To get to all the free goodies, you can either click here, or go to Movies, Music & Games > Digital Music > Deals > Free. Like most of Amazon's wares, you can also sort its vast selection of MP3s based on average customer reviews, though we suggest taking them with multiple grains of salt given they're typically only written by the most opinionated and vocal listeners. Regardless, it's not a bad way to grab the occasional Blondie or Chance the Rapper track.
With nearly 400,000 tracks from more than 40,000 artists, Jamendo is easily one of the biggest repositories of free music on the web. You won't find all of your favorite artists here, but the site's streamlined user interface makes it great for browsing and finding talented new musicians. Instead of browsing by genre, you peruse tracks by popularity, most downloaded, most played, or by latest release. Popularity is based on user ratings, so despite the massive amount of tracks on the site, you don't have to spend a lot of time searching before you find stuff that pleases your ears. To be sure, the site's penchant for lesser-known artists and experimental tracking make it more suited for someone with an open mind than one who knows exactly what they want.
Not every song posted on Soundcloud is free, but both big-name and lesser-known artists often offer free downloads if you can manage to find their verified profile. You can browse Soundcloud by artist, genre, popularity, or latest postings; you'll be surprised at how many free tracks are out there. There's also a section of the site dedicated to tracks released under Creative Commons licenses, which means you're free to download, remix, or tweak them as much as you like.
Soundcloud essentially serves as the YouTube of music uploading, meaning anyone can upload their tracks to the site before specifying whether they're available for download or strictly for streaming purposes. Moreover, the site touts an extremely active user community and one of the sleekest user interfaces of any site on our list, one conveniently lined with a navigational bar at the top and direct access to the service's accompanying mobile apps. Artists might not always offer free downloads of their music, but the labels nearly always do.


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Photo by Trey Ratcliff/Flickr, cc by-nc-nd 2.0
Picture this: an Iraqi reporter becomes interested in the work of a Jewish student in Israel after reading an article about Jewish-Muslim relations in medieval Spain that the student published online. The reporter contacts the student and interviews him about future prospects for Jewish-Muslim coexistence.
As the student in this story and co-author of this article, Joshua Stanton knows first-hand how technology is reshaping the way people of different religions interact. To start with, he and the Iraqi reporter would never have connected without the Internet, which enabled them to bypass regional politics and borders.


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Lesson Plan
Inkheart Discussion Guide
- Grades: 6–8
About this book
About the Book
Mortimer is a bookbinder and has passed on his great love of books to his daughter Meggie, but he has never read aloud to her. When a stranger named Dustfinger appears at their home, Meggie's world turns upside down. She soon learns some startling truths — about her mother's disappearance nine years earlier, and the mysterious book called Inkheart that her father tries desperately to hide at the book-filled home of Elinor, Meggie's great aunt. She learns that the reason Mo has never read aloud to her is because he has a secret, mysterious, dangerous gift — when he reads aloud, objects and charaters come out of the books — a skill he discovered when Capricorn, the dark villain of Inkheart, came into the world when Meggie was three. Teresa, Meggie's mother, disappeared at the same time, presumably into the story.
Capricorn uses Dustfinger, who is another character from the story, to lure Mo and Meggie to his hideout village; there Meggie sees a demonstration of her father's reading skill when he brings gold treasure out of Treasure Island and a young Arab boy out of the Arabian Nights. When Dustfinger learns Capricorn's true plans, he helps Mo, Meggie, and Elinor escape over the hills. Mo searches out Fenoglio, the author of the book, and together they devise a plan to foil Capricorn's terrible schemes. But Meggie is recaptured along with Fenoglio, and Capricorn discovers that she, too, has the same magical gift. In a rousing finish, Fenoglio and Meggie find a way to foil Capricorn's plans — with surprising results.
Discussion Points
Why does Mo keep his ability a secret from Meggie? Why has he never told her the truth about her mother?
Why doesn't Dustfinger read the ending of the story when he has the chance in Meggie's bedroom? What stops him?
Does Elinor like books more than people? Has she truly been happy living alone with all her books? How does Elinor change in the course of the story, and what causes her to change?
In what ways does Basta's superstitious nature affect him and others in the story? Why is Basta so superstitious?
Why does Farid follow Dustfinger? Why does Dustfinger keep trying to get away from Farid? What does Dustfinger mean when he says he has often just been a spectator?
When Meggie and Fenoglio are taken to Capricorn, why isn't Fenoglio afraid? What do you think it would feel like for an author to see his characters in real life? Does Fenoglio ever fear the characters from the book as much as the others do?
When does Meggie first realize that her mother is alive and no longer trapped in the story? What do you think it was like for Teresa to be trapped in the book?
Fenoglio says he was very proud of writing about the Shadow when he wrote Inkheart, so he knows the passage by heart. How does he feel about the Shadow coming to life? Does he really believe he can change the story's ending?
Why do Basta and the Magpie remain when the other characters disappear?
Why did Fenoglio disappear at the end? Did he go into the book? If so, do you think he planned this? Was it his curiosity about the world of his creation, or was it an accident?
Why does Meggie feel more at home in Mo's van than in their house?
What do we learn of Elinor's character from the description of her home?
In how many ways did Capricorn make the village where he lives his own? How was it possible for him to create such a hideout in the "real world"?
Why did so many of the characters decide to stay in Capricorn's village at the end?
How many secrets can you identify in the story? How does keeping a secret affect a character's life and interaction with others? What does Meggie mean when she says, "Why do grownups think it's easier for children to bear secrets than to bear the truth?"
The theme of truth and lies occurs throughout the story. Find examples of times when one character lies to another. Are there times when it is better not to know the truth? When are lies used for good reasons and when are lies used to hurt people? What is the difference between a lie and a secret?
Fire represents many things to many people in this story. What is the meaning of fire to Dustfinger? Basta? Capricorn? Mo? Farid? Elinor?
Fear is a strong motivating force in this story. Who is motivated by fear? Which characters use fear to control others? Discuss ways in which certain characters control and overcome their fears.
What is the author saying about the power of imagination in this tale? How does Mo bring imaginative things to life? Why can't he control the people that come to life through his reading? What is the difference between reality and imagination?
Mo tells Meggie that "Most people don't stop to think of books being written by people much like themselves. They think that writers are all dead long ago... " Do you think this is true? Is Mo more connected to Fenoglio's story than the author himself? Are you aware of the author when you are reading a book?
About the Author
Cornelia Funke was born in Dorsten, Germany in 1958. At the age of 18 she left that region of central Germany for the northern city of Hamburg, where she graduated from the University of Hamburg with a degree in education theory. She then completed a course in book illustration at the Hamburg State College of Design. She has worked as a designer for board games and as an illustrator of children's books, which inspired her to become an author herself. Her own illustrations grace the pages of The Thief Lord, Inkheart, and many of her other books.
Although Cornelia Funke is one of Germany's best-selling children's book authors, she was relatively unknown in the United States until The Chicken House, whose books are published by Scholastic in the United States, published The Thief Lord in September 2002. The Chicken House's publisher and managing director, Barry Cunningham, received a letter from a bilingual (English and German) young girl living in England, who wanted to know why her favorite author wasn't published in English. Barry set about the task of tracking down the latest title from Cornelia Funke, Herr der Diebe. When he published its English translation, The Thief Lord, it immediately entered the New York Times bestseller list where it climbed to the #2 position in November 2002.
Funke has written over 40 books, including the highly acclaimed Dragonrider and Wild Chicks series, and her books have been translated and sold in many countries. The Thief Lord has won the Swiss Youth Literature Award, the Zurich Children's Book Award, and the Book Award from the Venice House of Literature. After its American release, it received the ALA Mildred L. Batchelder Award for the best translated children's book of the year, the American Booksellers Association Book Sense Book of the Year Award for Children's Literature, and several other accolades. Funke's success in America has been matched internationally, demonstrating the universal appeal — and power — of her storytelling. Cornelia Funke lives near Hamburg, Germany with her husband Rolf, her daughter, Anna, and her son, Ben.
Other Books by Cornelia Funke
The Thief Lord. Scholastic, 2002
A bumbling detective, a mysterious boy who calls himself the Thief Lord, an adventurous woman, a greedy antique dealer, and a gang of orphans living in an abandoned theater in Venice all find themselves embroiled in the search for a magical merry-go-round.
Books Mentioned in Inkheart
1001 Arabian Nights (Oxford Story Collections), retold by Geraldine McCaughrean. Oxford, 2000.
These stories told by the wily Shaharazad to save her life are full of adventure, treasure, magic, and heroism.
Barrie, Sir James Matthew. Peter Pan. (Scholastic Classics) Scholastic, 2002.
Peter Pan, aided by his companion Tinker Bell, is the leader of the Lost Boys in Neverland who battle the wicked Captain Hook and his pirates.
Ende, Michael. The Neverending Story. Puffin, 1996
Bastian Balthazar Bux enters the enchanted world of Fantastica through the pages of an ancient and mysterious book to rescue the fairy people who live there.
Goldman, William. The Princess Bride. Ballantine, 1990.
A story of love, hatred, giants, dwarves, courage, cowardice, revenge, escape, truth, lies, fantastical beasts, and a satisfying end.
Silverstein, Shel. Where the Sidewalk Ends: Poems and Drawings. HarperCollins, 1974.
Silverstein's poems about everything from unicorns to television sets are characterized by sly humor and insight that have delighted countless readers.
Stevenson, Robert Louis. Treasure Island (Scholastic Classics) Scholastic, 2001.
This classic tale of Jim Hawkins' adventures on the high seas with the villainous Long John Silver has been a favorite of many generations.
White, T. H. The Sword in the Stone, illus by Dennis Nolan. Philomel, 1993.
Merlin oversees the education of the Wart, who will grow up to become Arthur, the Once and Future King of Britain.
Related Reading
Crossley-Holland, Kevin. The Seeing Stone. Scholastic, 2001.
A boy named Arthur, living in 13th century England, watches a story unfolding in a magic stone — the story of the birth and growth of his namesake, the great legendary King of Britain. His story continues in At the Crossing Places (Scholastic, 2002).
Mahy, Margaret. The Great Piratical Rumbustification & the Librarian and the Robbers. David R. Godine, 2001.
Imagine having a gang of pirates as your babysitters or a librarian who can charm bloodthirsty bandits by reading aloud to them.
Sanvoisin, Eric. The Ink Drinker. Delacorte, 1998
A boy watches a weird man in his father's bookstore silently sipping the words out of the books; following him to a nearby graveyard, he discovers that the ghoulish stranger is a vampire who lives on ink rather than blood.
Townley, Roderick. The Great Good Thing. Atheneum, 2001.
12 year old Princess Sylvie breaks out of the book in which she is a character and into the dreams of her Reader, leading other characters to a new existence where they have to make up their own story, and remind the girl who loves them of the importance of their story.
To order Inkheart (0-439-53164-0, $19.95) by Cornelia Funke, contact your local bookstore or usual supplier. Teachers and librarians may call toll-free 1-800-SCHOLASTIC. Prices and availability subject to change.
Also available by Cornelia Funke: The Thief Lord (Hardcover, 0-439-40437-1, $16.95; Paperback, 0-439-42089-X, $6.99).
Inkheart and The Thief Lord are both available as audiobooks from Listening Library, a division of Random House Audio.
Discussion guide written by Connie Rockman, children's literature consultant and adjunct professor of literature for children and young adults at the University of Bridgeport and Sacred Heart University, and editor of The Eighth Book of Junior Authors and Illustrators (H. W. Wilson, 2000).
- Subjects:Literary Criticism and Analysis, Literature, Reading Comprehension, Reading Response, Magic and Supernatural, Reading for Pleasure
- Skills:Literary Elements, Reading Comprehension, Listening Comprehension


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The ethics panel's plan is the result of a case involving Tom Gallagher.
By STEVE BOUSQUET
Published November 29, 2006
TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Commission on Ethics wants to require the governor and four other statewide elected officials to put their stock holdings in a blind trust before taking office to avoid potential conflicts of interest.
No such requirement currently exists in Florida. The proposal is a result of an ethics case involving Tom Gallagher, the elected chief financial officer who ran for governor in 2006.
"This would take away the presumption of a conflict of interest," said Norman Ostrau, a Fort Lauderdale lawyer and former legislator who chairs the ethics commission. "The germination of this was the Gallagher issue."
Gallagher faces a possible fine for buying stock in two firms regulated by his office while he was insurance commissioner in 2002. The ethics commission found probable cause in July that the longtime Republican officeholder violated state law in both cases.
Gallagher has rejected a proposed settlement of the case, and a trial before state administrative law judge Barbara Staros is scheduled for Jan. 19.
Messages left Wednesday with Gallagher's spokeswoman and attorney were not returned.
The St. Petersburg Times reported last January that Gallagher used an online brokerage account to manage a personal investment portfolio that at times included stock of companies regulated by the Cabinet.
The blind-trust idea first won the preliminary support of ethics commissioners at a meeting last March. The initial suggestion came from Mike Carr, a Naples lawyer who contributed to Gallagher's campaign for governor.
The proposal is likely to be formally endorsed Friday when the nine-member commission adopts a set of ethics reforms to put before the state Legislature in 2007.
A draft of the proposal notes that it would apply to the governor, lieutenant governor and three elected Cabinet members: the chief financial officer, attorney general and agriculture commissioner.
It says no official may attempt to influence management of the assets, and the trustee must be a disinterested party who is not a relative of the official, a public official or an appointee to a state agency.
Ostrau said he worries whether the idea will gain enough support from legislators to pass. He said ethics reforms often become controversial in the Legislature, and he noted that no ethics proposals are among House Speaker Marco Rubio's 100 ideas for improving government in Florida.
Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, said he will sponsor the blind-trust legislation in the regular session that begins in March.
"It's a great idea and it is needed," Fasano said. "Everything needs to be transparent."
Jeb Bush has kept his investments in a blind trust throughout his eight-year career as governor, and has suggested that other elected officials do the same.
Steve Bousquet can be reached at email@example.com or (850) 224-7263.
[Last modified November 29, 2006, 21:29:24]
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Race Caps Supreme
- Reduces muscle fatigue
- Massively enhances energy & endurance
- Increases workload capacity
- Enhances recovery
- Save on the complete "daily essentials" with
the Daily Essentials Kit Plus
"I started using Race Caps Supreme this racing season and the difference in my performance is off the charts. I will not race without them." -MK
Product Detail & Benefits
If you're not taking Race Caps Supreme, you simply are not getting the most out of your training! Several important substrates ("spark plugs"), such as Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and idebenone, are crucial for the efficient production of energy from your food and oxygen intake. Exercise rapidly depletes these important nutrients. Taking Race Caps Supreme is like putting fresh spark plugs in your body, ensuring consistent, efficient energy production. In addition, CoQ10 and idebenone, as well as other ingredients in Race Caps Supreme, are superb antioxidants and key nutrients for cardiovascular health (idebenone is considered by many experts to be an important anti-aging nutrient, perhaps the most important one yet discovered). Other suppliers offer anemic attempts at an endurance supplement, but Race Caps Supreme stands alone as a safe, comprehensive, and effective formula promoting higher energy levels, increased endurance, and improved recovery. If there's one supplement to buy, this is it.
Note: The endurance enhancing benefits, general health benefits, and potential anti-aging benefits derived from Race Caps Supreme are cumulative. We recommend taking this product on a daily basis. For even greater and more amplified benefits take Race Caps Supreme with Mito Caps.
Bioperine is a trademark of Sabinsa Corp
Nutrition Labels:
Supplement Facts
|Serving Size 3 capsules
|Amount Per Serving
|% Daily Value*
|Vitamin E (as d-Alpha Tocopherol Succinate)
|Calcium (as calcium chelate krebs cycles intermediates)
|Magnesium (as magnesium chelate krebs cycles intermediates)
|Potassium (as potassium chelate krebs cycles intermediates)
(A proprietary blend of Coenzyme Q10, Idebenone, Alpha-ketoglutarate, and Bioperine (95% 1-piperoylpiperidine from piper nigrum fruit)
(A proprietary blend of Trimethylglycine, Inosine, and Glycerol Phosphate)
|Proprietary Enzyme Blend (protease, amylase, glucoamylase, lipase, cellulase, phytase, maltase, and sucrase)
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
† Daily Value not established.
|Other Ingredients: Stabilized Rice Bran, Vegetable Capsules (plant cellulose and water).
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Fueling & Usage Tips
Race Caps Supreme (AES vol 3.14)
The health and performance supplement for every day—not just race day!more
Race Caps Supreme
The health and performance supplement for everybody, every day!more
Recovery - A Crucial Component for Success
Give yourself a major boost on race day by learning the secrets of proper recovery after exercise. Here's what to fuel with and when to restore muscle glycogen, build muscle tissue, and reduce soreness.more
The Hammer Nutrition Daily Essentials Formula
Athletes will derive exceptional benefits for both athletic performance enhancement and overall health.more
Weight Loss Question Suggested Keys to Adopt
The human body is individual when it comes to body weight distribution.more
Off Season Supplement Suggestions
Whether or not you stay active year round, when your main competitive season ends, does that also mean the end of your supplement program?more
In the next 10 years "Antioxidants"(AO) may occupy a place in the prescriptive pharmaceutical halls under lock and key.more
Epic Sessions - Supplement suggestions for workouts and races
The supplements suggested for use prior to an epic workout or race can be thought of as a preemptive strike...more


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Dow Breaks 15,000 as Job Gains Power Stocks, S&P Hits New Highs
NEW YORK ( TheStreet) -- The Dow Jones Industrial Average on Friday broke past 15,000, a record intra-day high, as job growth in April eased concern that the world's largest economy was unable to translate corporate profits into lower unemployment.
The Dow gained 1% to close at 14,975.19 after reaching as high as 15,009.59 intraday while the S&P 500 added 1.1% to 1,614.41 after touching its own intraday high of 1,618.49, shattering 1,600 for the first time.
"Dow 15,000 was one of those mythical benchmarks that very few thought was achievable - like Dow 10,000, or breaking Babe Ruth's home run record, or running a mile in under four minutes," said Keith Bliss, Senior Vice President at Cuttone in New York. "And the publication of the 'Goldilocks' jobs number gave the market the fuel to get above that level."
The April non-farm payrolls report showed job creation below 200,000 but high enough to beat expectations. The unemployment rate fell to 7.5% from 7.6%, its lowest since December 2008. Investors embraced the jobs numbers and appeared to minimize worse-than-expected reports on factory orders and the services sector.
" Dow 15000 sets the stage for a stronger market outlook by year end," said Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at Rockwell Global Capital in New York. "In fact, the broader market gains measured by the S&P 500 signals the Bull charge negates the sell in May and go away theme!"
The Nasdaq gained 1.1% to 3,378.63.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 165,000 nonfarm jobs were added in April, up from an upwardly revised increase of 138,000. Economists surveyed by Thomson Reuters were looking for an addition of 145,000 jobs last month with the unemployment rate remaining at 7.6%.
In other economic news, the Institute for Supply Management reported that the non-manufacturing index softened to 53.1 in April from 54.4 in March. Economists were expecting a dip to 54. The Census Bureau said that factory orders fell 4% in March after rising 3% in February. Economists had predicted a fall of 2.6%.
Advanced Micro Devices
WPX Energy
Oil futures for June delivery were rising $1.74 to $95.73 a barrel. June gold contracts were down $2.30 to $1,465.30 an ounce.
Gilead Sciences


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Product Instructions,
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(based on 9 reviews)
Ratings Distribution
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Best Uses
Reviewed by 9 customers
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Provides Great Motivation!
By Dboohiking
from Washington
Comments about Learning Resources Rhyme & Sort Rockets™:
My son is 4 and just starting to enjoy rockets and just starting to work on beginning sounds. He is super excited when we get the rockets out and works with his sorting for a lot longer than any other methods we have worked with. Currently, our use is to sort beginning sounds, which is a recommended use, my only criticism being that there are NO tiles for some of the letters and in my opinion there should be at least 2 per letter. (And we have provided our own alphabet.) I supplemented with pocket chart pictures, but given the smaller size of the rocket slots, I haven't found anything else that will fit inside. Kindof a bummer. Hence the 4 star review on an otherwise excellent product.
Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
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Love these for my Kindergarten Students
By The Bragging Mommy
from Salt Lake City, UT
There are many things I like about the Rhyme & Sort Rockets. I like how colorful they are. The rockets come in lots of different colors. I really like how sturdy the picture cards are that come with the set. Plus, they use real life pictures so they are more recognizable to kids. My students did have a hard time knowing what a couple of the pictures cards were. Sometimes I even had a hard time knowing what the picture was. A nice thing is that the instruction booklet tells you what all the pictures are. It was really nice to have that.In my classroom, I put them out in a small group workshop center and I let the students sort the cards by if the words rhymed or not. The kids really had a lot of fun with them. Next time though, I think I am going to use them as a more teacher directed activity. I think it will be easier for them do. It was really fun for me to see how well they did on their own though.Rhyming Rockets CollageAnother thing that is great about the Rhyme & Sort Rockets is that you sort the pictures in lots of different ways. You can have the kids sort them but beginning sounds, ending sounds, and more.I really liked the Rhyme & Sort Rockets and I am excited to use them for other learning activities with my students!
Fun way to learn for your little one!
By Cassandra L.
from Beaumont, CA
This is an awesome phonemic awareness sorting set that comes with 8 rockets and 80 rhyming cards, this is intended for ages 4+ in grades PreK+. With my daughter now three and in preschool I am determined to have her excel in school. The perfect way to do that is to make learning fun. This toy offers you the ability to do that.This toy allows your child to make learning a fun adventure, what they have to do is find the card that rhymes and sort them into the correct rockets. This game/toy is perfect for helping with literacy skills and start teaching them about sounds, letters and even matching. I have also enjoyed watching my daughters vocabulary grow while enjoying this game. You will find that you can do many different things with this toy and that it helps to teach your child phonemic awareness, sorting and of course rhyming. Overall I am very impressed with the thought that went into this game.
A FUN Resource!
By A fun interactive learning tool!
from Westminster, CA
The Rhyme and Sort Rocket set is a great way to make learning interactive and fun! We really enjoyed finding the right pieces for each rhyming rocket. I love the recommended ways to differentiate the learning process for various learning levels. A great tool to make learning fun!
Out of this World Rhyming Fun!
By Mama Harper
from Canton, Ohio
Alleigh is loving every minute of being in prekindergarten and is constantly sharing different things she learned about in school with me. She definitely has a hunger for knowledge. In fact today she informed me that we live on Earth which is a planet and that there are eight planets. Oh and that "the little one Pluto isn't a planet anymore and Saturn has a lot of rings"… she is only four years old! Since she loves learning so much I thought it would be a great idea to have some educational products at home as well.That's what led me to Learning Resources which is a leading global manufacturer of over 1,100 innovative, hands-on educational products trusted by teachers and parents and loved by children. Since I'm not a teacher it's a little difficult to know what is age appropriate when it comes to educational products. I don't want something that is too easy that it bores Alleigh or too difficult that it overwhelms her and she doesn't want to try. Luckily Learning Resources has set up their website so parents can easily find products by age, subject, or product category.While browsing around the Learning Resources website for products that would be prekindergarten appropriate I came across the Rhyme & Sort Rockets and immediately knew they would be a hit with Alleigh. She had mentioned learning about rhyming words at school and even likes to quiz me on rhyming words by giving me three words and asking which two rhyme.The Rhyme & Sort Rockets are recommended for ages 4 to 7 or Pre-k and up. It comes with 8 rockets and 80 real life photo cards. A photo card is placed in the rocket doorway slot then cards can be sorted into their appropriate rocket by beginning/ending sounds, syllables, and more. For younger children fewer rockets can be used at first. I have been selecting cards with pictures that I have heard Alleigh rhyme in conversations with me for the front of the rocket. I then sort through the remaining cards and find everything that rhymes with those images and set the remaining cards aside. When she reaches a card that she is having difficulty with I have her say the word out loud and then the word for each rocket until she finds the one that rhymes. I love seeing the look on her face when she figures out the rhyme all on her own and is so proud of herself.The quality of this product is also great. The cards are nice and thick so they aren't going to bend or tear. Plus the rockets are nice and durable too. This is definitely an educational product that we will get lots of use out of and the best part is it feels like a game to Alleigh instead of learning. In fact she asks all the time if we can play the rhyming rocket game.
Images shared by Mama Harper
Tags: Using Product, Picture of Product
Great game for phonemic awareness!
By Melissa ~ Mommy Living the Life of Riley
from Houston, TX
It's an exciting time in my house because my little 4-year-old is beginning to read! Now I've tried teaching her before, but unfortunately, it's next to impossible to do so before they're good and ready. Riley's showing all the signs though of reading readiness and so I'm on the constant hunt to find fun phonemic awareness games for her.Of course, with Learning Resources, I didn't have to look very far. Their new toy, Rhyme & Sort Rockets, may be just the tool I need to rocket my preschooler's early literacy skills into the stratosphere!The Rhyme & Sort Rockets game also comes with a handy activity guide, chocked full of great ideas on how to really utilize the power of this toy. Riley loved the different ways to sort the tiles and this new rhyming skill has oozed over into our daily lives now too. When we're in the car or just doing chores around the house, we're constantly rhyming new words we come across. We even make up nonsense words to use, but they always rhyme with the one before it.Our two favorite activities we like to play using the Rhyme & Sort Rockets game are:Rare Air - Lay out three cards (where two rhyme and one does not) and then ask the child to put the non-rhyming card in their rocket.Cosmic Consonants - Lay out three cards and say something like, "I'm thinking of a words that starts with b and rhymes with sat." The child then puts the correct card in their rocket.If you have a budding reader on your hands, be sure to encourage their early literacy skills in a fun and engaging way. I highly recommend the Rhyme & Sort Rockets phonemic awareness game from Learning Resources to launch them on their way!
Great for practicing Rhyming!
By M_Oachs
from Rosemount, MN
One of the things my son loves to do is RHYME! He loves to play rhyming games where he picks a word and says as many nonsense and real words as he can think of that rhyme with his original word. Sometimes, that game can get old...to be quite honest so when I want him to learn rhyming but do it in an organized manner and with REAL words we turn to our new learning game: the Rhyme & Sort RocketsIt is super easy to set up (just put the tops on the rockets and you are set to go!) and play and my son loves the rockets concept!You just simply place a photo card and word of your choice in the rocket doorway and then your child can search through the other cards and sort and find cards that rhyme that key word/picture. Then you can stick it into the correct rocket.It is a great learning game and is fun for all ages to find a rhyming word and put it in the rocket! My son asks to play this game everyday!
Images shared by M_Oachs
The Rhyming Rockets
Tags: Picture of Product, Using Product
My son setting up the rockets
Rhyming Fun
By Erin Lowmaster | Connected2Christ
from Oregon
My daughter Melody (age 4 1/2 years old) is just learning to read and I'm always looking for outside the box ways to teach her anything new. I found that she learns better by doing something hands on rather than just having something explained directly out of a book. So, anything that has manipulative items has worked very well when teaching not just her but my preschool son too. In knowing this, I always venture toward Learning Resources for the best activity learning sets out there. And in light of learning to read and focusing on rhyming words with my children, I was ever so thrilled to be introduced Rhyme & Sort Rockets by Learning Resources from their brand new 2013 line of products.Rhyme & Sort Rockets by Learning Resources is a must have set geared toward reinforcing phonological awareness to children ages 4 thru 7. This set is very colorful and comes with 8 rockets (Dark Blue, Orange, Yellow, Dark Green, Purple, Red, Light Green and Light Blue), 80 language free image cards (real-life photos) and Activity Guide. How the set works is that you can put a photo card in the rocket doorway, then sort cards that rhyme into the corresponding correct rocket. Some ways to do this is through sorting by beginning and ending sounds, by syllables, and whatever other ways you so choose to do.In the Activity Guide there's a wonderful word list complied from the 80 image cards included with the set. I decided to first sort the cards out into the suggested rhyming groups and then choose 3 word families and 3 rockets to use with my daughter. The rhyming sounds I chose were from the -at family ( bat, cat, rat, etc...), and a few others. I choose 1 card from each family and placed each one into a rocket base. I then had my daughter say aloud to me what was on each of the mixed together cards and in doing so she recognized which words rhymed with the corresponding rhyming word on the rocket base. She then loaded up each rocket with the correct cards. It was really a great exercise for her in recognizing rhyming sounds and the fact we had been working on words from the -at group earlier and then with the rockets really helped her remember everything much better.My son is only two years old and he's extremely verbal. He's caught on quite a bit when I am teaching my daughter with the rockets so it's great fun. So he doesn't feel left out from this awesome set, I sometimes use it to teach and practice with him his colors! The rockets come in almost every color of the rainbow, so why not?Improvements to the set could've been separate durable word list cards (instead of just printed in the guide) and a storage area in the box for the 80 included pieces. I for one like to be extremely organized so I sorted each rhyming word group into those small zip up bags you can find at most craft stores.Overall, I really have been enjoying the set and have already thought of other ways to use it geared toward my daughter's current learning level. Keep in mind though that there are seven suggested activities in the guide provided that are great for one on one or as well as activities and games that can be played with multiple children. I can see us using the Rhyme and Sort Rockets for quite a while yet.
Images shared by Erin Lowmaster | Connected2Christ
Happily Learning.
Kids Loved Rhyming and Sorting!
By A Mom's Take
from Surprise, AZ
Our family loves Learning Resources products and couldn't wait to see what they had to offer for 2013! One of the products I was most excited about was the Rhyme and Sort Rockets. Since I have three kids in the suggested age range (4-7) they were perfect "testers"! One of the things I love about all the Learning Resources products is that each toy comes with several items/choices. There are 80 cards to sort and eight different colored rockets! That meant that all three of my kids could play at the same time and still have plenty of room. I had a lot of fun playing with them and helping them with their rhyming skills! I also liked the real life pictures that were on each card. The rockets were easy to put together, the cards fit in them nicely, and they are just the right size for their little hands! I would recommend this great learning tool to any children who love games, rockets, and learning to rhyme!


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iHerb Customer Reviews
Savings of: $3.05 (23% off)
Posted by Reviewer1440812 on Jan 18, 2008
Chestal is a natural way to help get rid of colds in children.
Toddler likes taste
Posted by Reviewer1686077 on Jun 17, 2010
My toddler likes the taste of this cough syrup, I am just not sure it is very effective. I like this brand and trust the quality but just don't see too much of a result. I'll try a different one next time.
It's OK
Posted by Reviewer3149901 on Jan 29, 2012
Good syrup, helped my two year old child to sleep better at night
Posted by Reviewer1459438 on Jun 12, 2008
Seems to work well, kids tolerate the taste just fine.
Items 1-4 of 4 total


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The Fueled By Ramen Holiday Sale starts on November 28th! Make sure you consult our shipping guide so your items arrive before December 25th!
Each day of the week this year during the Holiday Sale there will be a Fueled By Ramen Limited Deal at 11am. Check it out each morning to see what it is before that item sells out!


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Here's how RW members rated this race (1164 votes).
In short: One of the better yearsIn full: Done this a number of times & everytime in the past there seems to have been some organisational mess up!! This year wasn't too bad in comparison except finish area was a bit chaotic. No medium t-shirts left, which is pretty inexcusable given that there are no entries on the day, not all entrants turned up & everyone puts on their form what size they want. lots more loos this year, which was good. good crowd support. lets get more bands on the run, as they really build the atmosphere.if they could have a more welcoming & less chaotic finish & avoid the mess ups of the past, then this race would really be up there.Date of review: April 1, 2011
In short: Well organised, fun and good marathon prepDate of review: March 28, 2011
In short: A very good race with great atmosphere Date of review: March 26, 2011
Date of review: March 18, 2011
In short: Great day outIn full: A well organised event. The crowd support was great. No correct size tee shirts for us tail enders!*!* Date of review: March 17, 2011
In short: Sells out well in advance, good atmosphereIn full: Only real disappointment was the start groups were on predicted times. Could move back, but not forward. Had to overtake a lot of slower runners who put down faster predicted times. Well supported race.Date of review: March 17, 2011
In short: Very crowded, but much better organisation than I was expectingIn full: Having never entered a big city race, I thought I ought to do one for the experience. After reading previous year's reviews of Bath I was rather worried as to what it would be like. I was also wondering what I would get for my money, as its not a cheap race by any means.As it was, I had a great day. Yes there were queues for the loos (but aren't there always?) but nothing worse than at any other race I've been to. At least they were moving quickly. The walk to the start (I was in the Orange pen) was okay, although it was cold waiting for the 'off' so I was glad I'd taken the organiser's advice and visited Oxfam for a disposable jumper. The streets did look the aftermath of a jumble sale for the first few miles though.The support from the people of Bath was amazing - I was tired at the end from waving & smiling to everyone who called my name out. Water stations were plentiful, although it was a shame to see so many discarded nearly full bottles of Lucozade. Maybe they should make special small race bottles to hand out? It was crowded in places on the course, and I have a lovely scrape on my ankle as a result of a runner shoving past me. But I guess that's part and parcel of a big race.It was a bit of a shuffle at the end to collect medals and goody bags, and was rather a shame to only have the choice of Small or X. Large T-shirts by the time I got through. Surely it wouldn't be too difficult for the organisers to ask on the entry form what size T-shirt you'd like?Overall, it was a great experience, and the smile on my face captured on my official photo says it all. Oh, and a PB to boot :-)Date of review: March 17, 2011
In short: Good race, shame about the buses...In full: Organisation pretty good this year although not sure why they bothered with the mp3 ban as I didn't get lapped by anyone and it wouldn't have been an issue. Major faff with the Park & Ride at the end, with hundreds of people queuing. I ended up walking several miles uphill to Odd Down car park so as not to get frozen stiff in the queue. Sort it out Bath!Date of review: March 16, 2011
In short: Good atmosphere, organisation a bit of a joke considering the costIn full: The atmosphere, support and the topography of the course were excellent. However, the start and start facilities are a joke considering the money it costs to enter. There was insufficient toilets(particularly mens urinals which would speed the queues up a lot)and the less said about the ludicrous journey to the starting pens the better, the bottleneck was a joke. I managed to get to the start with 2 minutes to spare but thousands of people were behind me at this point. The starting area itself is too small to accommodate 15,000 runners and famillies at the same time. At certain points of the course the width was too narrow to fit the amount of runners but we all had fun trying to avoid the thousands of pointless cones laid out down the middle of most of the roads!!Despite my moans I enjoyed the experience but I wouldnt do it again. Charge a lower entry fee or improve the start and start area. Date of review: March 14, 2011
In short: Nice race, good atmosphere.In full: It was my first time doing bath but my 6th half overall. It was congested at the start, yes, but not unusually so for a big race.The marshals seemed on the ball shepherding people into the correct start area (though this was annoying for me as I was using someone else's number - naughty naughty - and he had a slower projected finish time, twas fine, I just lept the barrier, escaped my pen and walked into the next one with my friend!), but otherwise a good system.Yes, it's hilly. Unfortunately I couldn't use that that first hill to my advantage as it was too narrow and busy to overtake and power past.Great atmosphere though, regular music and big turnout of spectators. No PB for me, and it is hilly though I guess there is potential.No problem with queues at the finish, though I can't comment on bag collection times as I didn't use the bag drop.The one way system with all the barriers was really annoying at the start as I was trying to meet someone in a pub to give them by bag but got sent back and for by so many marshals who wouldn't let me past when the pub was right there! Oh well, i'm sure I'll be back in a year or so!Date of review: March 14, 2011
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>Runner's World - My Event Ratings>
In short: Need to change a lot to make me sign up againIn full: The idea, the name, the distance - all great, I've spent a year waiting for this race since I paid my entry fee.... what a let down.Wish the clocks went fwd and I missed this run - shoddy from start to finish which spoilt what could have been an amazing event.Good points - the young marshals were full of encouragement and support throughout... Hard pushed to find a second positive so will have to say the scenery from 8k onwards....Bad points - unclear indication regarding the travel from finish to start, cost of 'bus service' for runners and spectators (with no checks made for tickets), organisation at the start, incorrect information regarding water stops, no halfway indicator for the 26.2 run, finish was an anti-climax, bags left unsecure for running and spectators to walk around and take whatever they want.... buses - well, the comments from everyone else says all about that, text about time was incorrect and I'm sure that they'll increase the fees for next year - so hopefully they take note of comments and make it a worthwhile run! Date of review: October 28, 2012
In short: Flat, flat and flat! Great PB potentialIn full: A great race, big loop of the country side, passing farms got a bit smelly but it's the countryside - what else do you expect!? 99% flat and definitely a PB course - results available within a few minutes of finishing - well put together...2 small things I never liked - running round a small enclosed area at the start just to make up the full 13.1 mile distance, and the t-shirt at the end was grey - looks more like a brickies top rather than a running techy t-shirt! Date of review: May 15, 2012
In short: Not many 20's about - great marathon trainingIn full: Its the top gear track! I know that bend, that plane - what a great touch! But then you go out of the gate and there's a few challenging hills out there! Its 2 laps of a 10 mile course and the second lap starts by watching the 10 milers finish - then seems to find hills that weren't there the first time round!! I enjoyed it though - runners for both Brighton and London marathons should look at this or the Cranleigh 21 a week later for a good training run to get you in the mind set for what lies ahead!Date of review: May 15, 2012
In short: I done it!! At last!In full: 4th attempt at a ballot place and I got in! Its not a hard course (he says, its a blooming marathon!) but the number of people put pay to any PB potential I'd say - GPS system picked up an extra mile of running due to the weaving in and out of slower runners that over-estimate their finishing time - but hey, it's the LONDON MARATHON! Biggest one in the world, the fun run, the one that 99% of runners want to do and I have! Would always do it again but wont under-estimate miles 21-25 which really are not my friends!!Date of review: May 15, 2012
In short: If hills aren't your friends, at least the marshalls are!In full: Ok, so we were warned about 3 hills - I think they must have missed the other 5!! It was a pretty tough course but there were long gradual downhills as well as the painful ups!The marshaling and drink stations were fantastic though and REALLY gave you a boost when it was needed - likewise the guy calling out split times at half way was great (and accurate due to the small field of runners) - and the marshals with number list able to call out your name was an especially nice touch..I wouldn't do it again but am glad it was attacked a few weeks after the marathon to show me what I had left in my legs! I did manage a PB but would not recommend for newer runners as it can get to you when the runners split up and you're going up hill alone if you prefer a bit of buzz - equally the last runner came in at 2:30hrs so this should give a benchmark to decide if you will run it or not!If after the above you still want to challenge yourself - good luck! Lovely scenic course, great team putting it together but a little too hilly for my personal liking!Date of review: May 15, 2012
In short: If ever you need an introduction to hill running!!In full: 3rd year for me and a new PB - its a race of 2 halfs 1-4.5k is more or less flat, then to have almost 1k of climbing followed by 3 of up and down hills before the final run in.... a great race, albeit an early Sunday start (arrive by 7:30am due to road closures!) Really well organised, little touches like medal engraving of name and time at the end (few quid), build a bear and face painting to keep the kids entertained and a mini 2k run too for the young runners! Great run for local area....Date of review: June 5, 2011
In short: The one time I took my missus to BW, and she never shopped!In full: Well, Im glad they told everyone to be there for 7:30! Was like getting in on Xmas eve, but as a local, I knew a cut around to get from the closed off side to the A2 queue.What heat! Even for that time of the morning! Really added to the punishing hills on the course - maybe adding a 3km water station could be considered for next year?The warm up wasn't even noticed for those towards the back of the bottle necked start, but the body shop girls going round with sun cream, face vapourisers, cooling gels and wipes done a great job and were really friendly.....Mr Mankini - WHY!? Im sure you raised loads for charity, but how's the chaffing this morning? And a bit of a trim next time please!!Hills were a bugger after 5k, but there's no other way of doing a run in that area without hills - Iv taken it as a positive that I need to do some more hill training though.Great post race assistance with de-tagging, handing out drinks, medals, goody bags (very nice contents), etc and what a cool touch with the engraving too (shame about the queue there tho!)..Getting out was also pretty bad, but a few alternative "routes" through the car park got us out well enough.All in all, a defo 7.5 out of 10 for me - good effort, and great fun.OH, AND CAN WE START GETTING T-SHIRTS THAT ARE NOT RED FOR RACES PLEASE! Date of review: June 15, 2009
In short: So very nearly perfect!In full: What a day - great organisation from the arrival of the pack through the post - right through to the end..... I'd say this race was 95% perfect, and the rest can be coped with and has been mentioned already (wrongly grouped runners - not BUPAs fault and no water at the finish till you'd been detagged and got your goodie bag.... but who cares? A smashing day out, great for ppl with supports out there (shame the city was closed, roads a bit desolate around fenchurch/cannon street) but couldnt do on a business day! I did the Nike 10k at Wembley last year, and this made that look novice (minus the actual venue)... better organised and a much more scenic route...I'm signed up and ready to go next year - what a great eventDate of review: May 27, 2009
In short: A hard PB in the outfit, but dont we all run for fun?In full: Really loved it! A mate dropped out so ran alone, but when you're all dressed the same does it really matter??! Not really a PB run due to the costume, but the course itself is so if you find another battersea park run, go for it!Will defo repeat this next year, but wont hold out for the after-race granery bar, leave that for the squirrels! Great little medal tho and supporters seemed to love the Santas running by...Date of review: December 6, 2008
In short: My first 10k, could have been better but overall it's a pass!Date of review: September 5, 2008
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text:
This week's "Photo of the Week" shows U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's signature in the guestbook at the Victoria Memorial Hall in Kolkata, India, on May 6, 2012. Secretary Clinton visited Kolkata during her recent travel to China, Bangladesh, and India.
While in India, Secretary Clinton also met with Indian External Affairs Minister Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna in New Delhi, where she said, "It's always a pleasure to be back in Delhi and to reaffirm what President Obama has called one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century. The United States and India are two great democracies with common values and increasingly convergent interests."
Secretary Clinton and Minister Krishna will co-host the U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue, which will be held in Washington, D.C. on June 13, 2012. Secretary Clinton said, "...We look forward to a productive Strategic Dialogue in June in Washington, D.C., not only to showcase the extraordinary progress in our engagement, but also outline how we intend to take our strategic partnership to a new level."
Today at 9:00 a.m. (EDT), Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert Blake will host a Facebook chat to answer your questions about the Secretary's trip to Bangladesh and India. You can submit your question at any time by commenting on their Facebook page.
You can view more photographs from the Secretary's visit to India on the State Department's Flickr photostream.


text:
Got some family coming in town. The masochists want to go to the game against the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday, June 13th.
All kinds of stuff on Stub Hub, figured I'd throw it up in here in case anyone knows of anyone looking to dump a block of tickets for that game.


text:
All of us at DipNote -- Daniel Schaub, Anne McCarthy, Eric Jones, Tamika Johnson, Jeff Jackson, Sarah Goldfarb, Luke Forgerson, Andrea Curran, Aaron Bruce, Ruth Bennett and all the DipNote Bloggers -- wish you a healthy and joyous 2011!
John P. in Greece writes:
Maintain Hop*.
You are doing a magical work DipNote and SD staff!
We love you in a Transatlantic and a Global-Space way!
I wish you copy that Loud & Clear …
Happy New Year U.S.A.!
*[#1 Mission/ #2 flight/ #3 The excursion of a radio wave from the Earth to the ionosphere and back to the Earth]
Donald M. in Virginia writes:
Happy New Years Everyone!
A true tradegy is when a girl in the country of Pakistan is being punished for being a Christian. Shameful that our Government sends Tax Dollars to represent Islam Government but what gets my goat is when that poor Christian girl has been sent to prison. The guilt and shame will follow the country of Pakistan. An argument over the condition of the water between a Muslim woman and Christian girl. The Muslim woman commented how the water is unclean when the Christian girl touched or had a drink from it. The water does NOT belong to Islam or Christians, it belongs to people that God created. The Christian girl replied something negative in Islam which lead to her arrest.
If the country of Pakistan does not change its ways or rules, or continues to treat Christians this way, "NO US Dollars should be given to this country." Why should Christians be paying for this Arb country?, when they are indeed out of line, out of date, and certainly out of touch with the 21th Century towards human rights and certainly religious concerns. Equal rights for religion of any faith should exist. My tax dollars should NOT be paying for Islam Leaders to punish Christians. I believe there should be a full inquiry over this situation. How many more cases in Pakistan exist and go without notice. This is wrong... People around the world should have a choice for religion.
How can the State Department sit idle knowing this poor girl is in prison because she expressed her christian view freely. If that was your daughter, would you sit back and do nothing? Some daughters recieve the best education given to them, while others have to survive with the basics. NO Christians in the world should be treated like this, no human beings sent to prison because they didn't follow the counries religion. They spoke out, and get arrested? God intended Religion to be free, you are given a Choice. If your being punished because you believe in a faith, whether its Christian/Islam or whatever, civil and human rights of the person are being violated. You can count on one thing...In the end God will Judge your actions or failure to act when our people our own Christians are being violated by a lack of taking action to prevent this. I do NOT support a Nation that will punish a girl over religon or a person who believes in God. If ONE US Dollar goes in the hands of the Leaders of Pakistan and they continue to treat Christians like this, "There will be plenty of faces in the Hall of Shame" with God. I will do one thing, pray for that girl since our State Department hasn't even made an effort to help her.
Marco C. in Italy writes:
Happy new year to all your Great staff of Department of >tsate USA; I say on my computer... thinking to YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Palgye in South Korea writes:
Happy New Year
Seoul will be lost in the third purse. Last chance? Perhaps, if I re-identification and no money to think back to Pohang MB or related to the behavior of people think. 'll Raise the money to go away from you, over and over again makes sense. Gaeopneyo can not do anything ... The story would have lost, or to the actions of other people thought I'd try to talk.
I can`t anything.
Do you hear my words?
Ole in New York writes:
Happy New Year, Secretary Clinton and the staffers!
I'd like to take this opportunity to share some thoughts on perhaps the most important front of our foreign relations, namely Russian/Eurasian one, how it should be conducted and what perhaps should be changed in it, in the coming year. as it stands, it is becoming more evident by an hour that the current Russian ruling regime is still, for all "changes" of last 20+ years, our main rival on international stage, using every bit of influence, including such that it only obtained after collapse of Soviet system, and with our own help, to obstruct our policies pretty much in every region of Earth-- from Middle Easy to Latin America, from Ivory Coast to North Corea, and especially in former USSR proper. Vladimir Putin imprisons his political rivals and simply independent people; poisons emigres, bribes his way through international sports agencies, threatens arms race with US(in which light i deem the START treaty ratification a mistake, since its failure would mean a new arms race which Russia inescapably would lose, leading to regime's complete collapse, which would be absolutely in our interests), and does many other openly hostile acts towards us. yet, at the same time, there's a new nationalist but perhaps not totalitarian and not truly anti-western movement, born in Russia, to which we should at least take a note, and maybe even try to befriend--especially since the more liberal community there is both very small and totally unreliable, as evidenced by the events of the 1990s. much like with the "Axis powers' in World War 2, the regime currently ruling Russia needs to be recognized as an enemy, but the country's people, as future friend and ally. The Russian populace is growing fed up with rampant corruption, violence, the failed North Caucasus policies, growing food and utility prices, technological backwardness, filth on the streets and roads and so on. standing up for Khodorkovsky is good, but we'd make a better name for our cause if we stood up for the majority of Russian people's rights as well. Lets not dismiss the notion of national and ethnic aspirations of Russians that easily; if we want there to be a democratic Russia, which will be our reliable ally, its political system must include forces of all ideological persuasions, nationalist, conservative, and leftist included-- not just limited to liberal ones. imagine Russia were truly on our side, and abandoned its support of Lukashenko, Kim John Il, Ahmadinejad, Chavez, Mugabe, Hamas and every other dictator it currently supports! it'd also help to sway China over to our side, as it alone would go against USA, Russia and Europe. and this would spell the end of near every totalitariian oppressive regime out there, and true liberation of the world! but for that, the mother of all totalitarian regimes-- that currently ruling Russia proper-- needs to go, or at least significantly change; and it is in our power to steer it in such direction
With Hope for Liberation in the New Year, Season's Greetings to all! :)
Stepan O. in Bulgaria writes:
Happy New Year,USA!
For Michel Obama end Barak Obama,Happy New Year!
Donald M. in Virginia writes:
Happy New Years
In the Hunt for Osama bin laden or his right hand man. My latest hunch is South/West Pakistan. The reason I came up with this location, is because all the Media reports North West. If these guys watch our Media Coverage, than common sense would indicate they would head South NOT North. Besides, Osama bin laden was always someone living in the Southern areas, like Yeman, Sudan and in Pakistan. So our Intelligence folks need to seriously look at the Southern Quarter near the border for the Taliban Leaders.
Paolo S. in Italy writes:
Happy New Year America!! Hand in hand united we stand..
Alimi A.D. in Nigeria writes:
The United States of America is indeed a world Leader in all aspects. Therefore it should assist some of the Africa continent like Nigeria against the recent bombing within the last four months. The USA should use its inteligence technical know how to help Nigeria. Happy New Year.
Wonhyoyoon in South Korea writes:
Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! all
Christiane L. in New Caledonia writes:
Happy New Year!
Thank you for your skills and talents.
I wish you abundance in its 4 facets!
May your most vibrant feelings and visions be realized in 2011 ♥¸¸.•*¨*•♪♫•*¨*♥
Warmest regards,
Don B. in Norway writes:
Why is it that over the last year period when I have sent several letters and fax and emails to Mrs. Clinton asking for assistance from DOS to reinstate DPO mailing service for retired in Norway so we can get our VA meds which we can not get other wise that I GET ZERO ACK or replies. ONE word SAD. PLS someone in DOS reply.
Marco C. in Italy writes:
Happy new year to all VERY GREAT" STAFF of DIPNOTE !!
..and to Mrs Hillary Rodham Clinton .
Your work to develope humanrights everywhere is great!
Thanks to you, from Italy


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Just had a baby so I am downsizing my collection. Sadly a lot of it I never got to enjoy.All prices are OBO and free shipping!!Bettie Page Paris dress. Size S. $25.00…Continue
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Edgy Dark Brown Crop with bangs
This is a cute hairstyle as the hair is short and straight. On the forehead, the straight hair comes down to near eye level. At back and on the sides, the hair has been flicked outwards.The hair is cut short.The hair colour is a very dark to near black hair colour.
BHA Collection 2009 Hair by: Sharon Peake of Ethos, Manchester. Photographer: John Rawson Stylist: Bernard Connolly Make-up: James Oâ??Riley


text:
Jacksonville Cruises Past Presbyterian
from press release
CLINTON, S.C. – Jacksonville scored seven
goals in the first 10 minutes and never looked back winning by a
final of 23-4 over Presbyterian in women's lacrosse action
Saturday at Old Bailey Stadium. The win took an extra special
meaning for the Dolphins who were playing in support of the
American Hear Association.
Combined, both teams were able to raise over $1,700.
"It was a great day to be able to play our game in honor and support of the American Heart Association," said JU Head Coach Mindy McCord. "Helping to bring awareness about Heart Disease and recognizing family member and friends who have been impacted by heart disease at half time was very special."
"I want to thank Presbyterian Head Coach Julie Redmond for giving our team the opportunity to join their efforts in supporting such a great cause."
Sophomore Taylor McCord (Jacksonville, Fla.) scored three goals and had two assists while junior Ali Hoffman (Gambrills, Md.) added a hat trick as 16 different players found the back of the cage for the Dolphins.
For the JU players the final result did not have as much meaning as the worthy cause they were supporting.
"Today was a game that we could play for something bigger than ourselves and I am very proud of the way each player on the team contributed in a selfless way to achieve a win for a greater cause," said senior goalie Karli Tobin (Moorestown, N.J.) who made five saves in 30 minutes of action before giving way to sophomore Asia Moore (Apex, N.C.).
Tobin added, "Today's game was in particular very special to me because one year ago my dad was diagnosed with a heart condition and had to undergo open heart surgery. He is the strongest man I know and being able to play for him was such an honor."
Freshman midfielder Kelly Lacy (Towson, Md.) felt the same heartfelt sentiments when the Dolphins took the field today.
"Today's game was important to me today because my sophomore year of high school my dad suffered a heart attack," said Lacy. "I played for him today and it was honor to be apart of this game!"
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text:
No surprise: A rush on supplies
January 20, 2007
According to officials of local businesses selling cold weather supplies, eastern New Mexico residents weren't taking the current blast of winter weather lightly as they scurried to pick up supplies before the storm Friday.
Grocery stores reported much heavier traffic than normal, and other retailers were holding their posts to get people supplied late Friday.
"We're running out of things," Randy Stansell, owner of Stansell's Thriftway in Clovis, said late Friday. "We're running out of meat, and that's our top seller."
Stansell said he didn't expect another delivery before Monday and had been surprised at the rush.
At Creighton's Town and Country feed store in Portales, ranchers were getting ready for the storm by stocking up on livestock salt and extra feed to make it through the weekend, according to Garland Creighton, manager.
"People are starting to stock up on supplies and be a little more cautious," Creighton said, "especially with the forecast we're getting."
That National Weather Service forecast the snow to continue overnight with accumulations of 3 to 7 inches and an additional 1 to 3 inches today. A Winter Storm Warning is in effect until 5 p.m. today.
Temperatures are expected to fall into the midteens tonight and winds to increase to 15-20 mph causing further problems with blowing and drifting snow. A chance for snow flurries continues through Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
"It's making us wish we had more ice scrapers, wiper blades and snow melt," said Carquest manager Dick Renfro in Clovis. "Everybody in Clovis is out of ice melt, that's what customers are telling us."
According to Portales Police Capt. Lonnie Berry, the mobile command center had been prepositioned at the First Baptist Church in case Portales receives massive amounts of snow. He said Friday evening few accidents had occurred due to the storm.


text:
PRIVATE MESSAGING - IMPORTANT NOTICE 01/02/2017There has been some confusion regarding the Messaging System on PalmTalk - and what is private and what is posted publicly. I've been asked to explain the two. There are two forms of messages - what I will call "Private Messages" which are Private, and "Activity Messages" which are public. A Private Message is designated with an envelope icon. It is available at the top of every page (click it and use "Compose New"). It is also accessible by hovering over a User's name or Avatar and clicking the envelope icon. Or it is also available on a User's Profile Page - at the top - again, with the envelope icon. Anywhere you see this envelope icon, you can click it and send a Private Message. An "Activity Message" is public. These are the "What's on your Mind" and "Leave a Message on [User X's] Feed" boxes where you can leave a public message directly as a Status Update (on your Profile or Main PT Page) or on a User's Profile Page - which updates his Status Update and also posts on PT's Main Status Update Page. These are "Activities" and labeled as such on the Profile Pages. What is confusing is that both options (Private and Activity) are available on a User's Profile Page. Just remember, that if you want to send a Private Message, use the envelope icon link - wherever you see it. That will get you to the Private Messaging Center. Any other "Status Update," like "What's on your Mind," or "Leave a Message on [so-and-so's] Feed," is public. I would make it less confusing if I could, but I can't.
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text: Zoran, have any more of these? If so I'll take one. Randy Grein, Master CNE, CCNA On Jun 22, 2007, at 2:26 PM, zoran wrote: > couple weeks ago we were talking about clutch cables. > well,I have shipment of this cables now and available. > msrp is $29.99 > cables are routed under carbs and come out on right side of > frame.from there they go to perch and there is no metal elbow.there > is no kinking or metal elbow to hit bracket or gauges.clutch lever > is also smoother. > -- > Zoran Vujasinovic > Twin Works Factory > 775-786-4881 > http://www.twinworksfactory.com/bbs/toast.asp


text: I crashed my 2003 SV650 at Thunderhill on Saturday in T2. Lost the back end. Bike didn't have the decency to merely slide, decided it wanted to hop around a bit as well. Impact to front left upper, tank, rear left upper. Pictures: http://argh.smugmug.com/gallery/3123666/1/171095688#171095688 The really obvious things I need: gas tank fork upper tube(s?) Armour Bodies tail LP screen Vortex fairing stay 1 rearstand spool + hardware 1 Woodcraft clipon bar 1 Woodcraft peg + hardware Attempt repair: Armour Bodies upper Rear subframe Penske shock (Zoran, can I send this to you?) If anyone can hook me up with any new or lightly used items from my above shopping list cheaply, I'd be very appreciative. If one fork inner tube is bent, should I just assume the other is as well? Is there other probable damage, and I should just go find a GSXR750 front end now? After I take off all the obviously damaged stuff, what else should I do to check things? I assume I should plan on making a trip to find out if the frame is bent? Also, any theories on what happened to my rear shock? I had possibly stressed the hydraulic line a bit when installing it and maneuvering the reservoir around, but not really all that much. I'm not sure if it blew off during the crash, or caused the crash by splooging oil on my rear tire while I was leaned over. I suspect the former, but it clearly blew onto a spinning chain because the chain is soaked and it pulled enough up onto the front sprocket that it got blown out the gap in front of the plastic cover onto the left side engine cover. Sudden impact on the rear wheel when the bike launched itself made it blow? (There's a bunch of weeds n stuff between the tire and the rear wheel.. I'm running a DOT rear at 22psi as per Michelin's recommendation.) There's zero damage or dirt in the area where the line attaches, so its not like anything impacted inside there. My novice race season is not quite panning out the way I hoped. :-/ Cringing in anticipation of painful advice... :-) -rg