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Lance Bass' space voyage is at risk while Hollywood dealmakers and Russian bureaucrats squabble over payment for the pop idol's $US20 million ($A37.35 million) trip.
"We have a contract, but we don't have any money," Russian Aerospace Agency spokesman Konstantin Kreidenko said.
Bass hopes to be a member of the crew scheduled to travel on a Russian Soyuz rocket to the international space station in October.
But the deadline for the 'N Sync singer to make a payment to secure his spot has passed, according to a Russian space agency official who spoke on condition of anonymity. Kreidenko would not confirm that.
David Krieff, a Los Angeles television producer who plans a series about Bass' trip and is gathering sponsors, blamed the problems on paperwork snags - and Russian bureaucrats.
"In my mind it's a lot of talk and posturing. That is their style and I can appreciate it," Krieff said.
"This is 100 percent going forward."
Krieff declined to discuss whether a payment was due Tuesday, saying there was a nondisclosure agreement. He singled out space agency spokesman Sergei Gorbunov as a vocal critic of Bass' voyage. Gorbunov called such comments "foolish."
"But should he fly for free?" Gorbunov asked. "Perhaps he (Krieff) thinks I am against the mission because I keep saying that he needs to pay."
Krieff acknowledged there was a delay in transferring funds to Russia and said it was because he had received only an e-mailed copy of the contract. A signed paper version was required to secure insurance, he said.
Bass had no comment on the matter, a spokeswoman said in Los Angeles.
The 23-year-old would become the youngest person, the third paying tourist and the first pop star in space.
He has been training at Russia's Star City cosmonaut center outside Moscow since July. Cameras are recording his progress for the TV show.
"He's doing beautifully, he's kicking butt in every way. He's totally dedicated and everybody loves him there," Krieff said.
Things are looking rosy financially as well, he said. He's lined up three sponsors so far who have committed between $US5 million ($A9.34 million) and $US15 million ($A28 million) each, he said.
Although he declined to identify them yet, he said they include a "huge soft drink" manufacturer and a conglomerate "like Procter & Gamble." He said a US TV network, also unidentified, was attached to the series and that the program had been sold to 40 other countries.
"Celebrity Mission: Lance Bass" would include six one-hour episodes showing the singer training for the voyage and a two-hour special showing the launch and Bass in space. The series would end with an episode about Bass' return to Earth and a concert, perhaps held a week after he's released from post-space quarantine, Krieff said.
Krieff's Destiny Productions is working with Amsterdam-based MirCorp and the William Morris Agency on the project. Both Bass and Krieff, whose credits include a Fox special on skating rivals Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan, are represented by the agency.
The cost of the week-and-a-half-long space trip is in the $US20 million ($A37.35 million) range. Businessmen Dennis Tito of California and Mark Shuttleworth of South Africa have paid to journey to the space station.
Bass' journey could be just the beginning of other "Celebrity Mission" chapters, Krieff said.
"I have 15 other celebrities, huge 'A' and 'B' list celebrities, that are wanting to do exactly what we're doing. It's a dream come true."
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Arcade games often have short levels, simple and intuitive control schemes, and rapidly increasing difficulty. This is due to the environment of the Arcade, where the player is essentially renting the game for as long as their in-game avatar can stay alive (or until they run out of tokens). Read the full article at the Wikipedia.
Norwegian Wood24 Sep 2009)
This game is inspired by the song Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) by The Beatles, and the action is timed to the individual instruments.Genre: Arcade
8-Bit Commando
by 2DEngine
8-Bit Commando is a run and gun platformer with fast-paced action, a rocking soundtrack, local multiplayer and explosions.Genre: Arcade, Platform, Shoot 'Em Up
Super Splatters
Super Splatters is an original arcade-style puzzler that challenges your brain and reflexes in a world of physics-based addiction.Genre: Arcade, Puzzle
by Stolen Couch Games and Jay van Hutten
Ichi is an easy to play but challenging one button puzzle game.Genre: Arcade, Puzzle
Jack Lumber30 Apr 2013)
A tree killed his granny and now he is out for revenge.Genre: Arcade, Puzzle
Project One
by Maus Games0.8.8 (29 Jul 2013)
Project One is a vertically scrolling boss-only shoot'em up with colorful and distinct graphics.Genre: Arcade, Shoot 'Em Up
Primate Plunge
by aelius1.1 (8 Jan 2008)
Help poor Monkey navigate his way down through trecherous jungles, canyons, towering waterfalls, into the heart of a volcano and through...Genre: Arcade, Platform
TRI8 Oct 2014)
Prepare for a mind-bending first-person adventure as you enter the world of the Odd Gods and discover the magical power of the TRI!...Genre: Arcade, Platform, Puzzle
PirateHell(27 Mar 2013)
PirateHell is a fast top-down shooter.Genre: Arcade, Shooter
Dungeon Hearts
by Cube Roots
Dungeon Hearts could best be described as a blend of the ever-escalating pace of Canabalt, the puzzle/action hybrid style of Puzzle...Genre: Arcade, Puzzle
by suvev.1.2 (16 Mar 2014)
Colorful is a short game originally made for Ludum Dare 25, which tells the story of a man, struggling to bear with the depression...Genre: Arcade
Navigate the beauty and hazards of the solar system while riding on a wave of light in this innovative action-puzzle game.Genre: Arcade, Music, Naval

subset: commoncrawl


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On December 31st, Craig Padilla will perform an epic concert (over four hours long) at First Night Spokane to help ring in the New Year. The concert runs from 7:00PM to 11:40PM and will be followed by a huge fireworks display at midnight. If you've ever wanted to experience Craig's live performance, this is what you've been waiting for! Visit FirstNightSpokane.org for details.
Craig Padilla LIVE – New Year's Eve
spopec 2012-12-18T11:35:19+00:00 December 17, 2012|


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Announcing Dr. Jeffrey Bruce's Clinical Trials Webinar
On Saturday, October 27 at 12 p.m. Eastern time, Dr. Jeffrey Bruce will be presenting a live webinar entitled, Understanding Clinical Trials, for the American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA).
This webinar is part of a free web-based educational series offered by the ABTA on topics of interest to brain tumor patients, families, and health care professionals. These hour-long webinars are recorded and then posted to ABTA's Anytime Learning section of their website for later viewing.
In Dr. Bruce's upcoming webinar he will be providing a general overview of the clinical trial process including its phases, facts, risks and more. The course will conclude with a Q & A session.
A clinical trial is a research study done to determine the safety and effectiveness of a specific treatment such as a new drug or medical device. This process helps scientists like Dr. Bruce learn more about various medical conditions and is integral to the process of FDA product approval.
As Director of the Bartoli Brain Tumor Research Laboratory and Co-Director of the Brain Tumor Center, Dr. Bruce is uniquely qualified to speak on this subject. He has a long commitment to the research process and is currently leading an NIH-funded translational brain tumor study with a focus on immunotherapy and drug delivery systems.
Register now for Dr. Bruce's Understanding Clinical Trials webinar.Posted on Oct 22, 2012 by Department Author
In Blog, Brain Tumor Blog, Brain Tumors, Doctors, Education, Neurosurgeons Tags: , ABTA, American Brain Tumor Association, Bruce, clinical trials, Dr. Jeffrey Bruce, webinar


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The most well known moment of Stewart's career came when he returned a blocked punt for a touchdown in a win over Ohio State in the Gator Bowl. The 6-1, 227-pound linebacker was only on campus for one season.
"I have some personal family issues that have caused me to evaluate how far I am away from home,'' Graham Stewart said. "I appreciate my time in Gainesville and have nothing but good things to say about Coach Muschamp and the staff at Florida, but some things are more important.
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Stewart recorded one total tackle in 2011.


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Changing the Face of Astronomy
Even though the country's most famous astronomer, Neil DeGrasse Tyson, is African-American, only 2 percent of all U.S. students earning doctorate degrees in astronomy and physics were black or Hispanic in the years 2000-11.
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In the last two years the small AstroCom NYC program accepted eight students. For Ariel Diaz and his classmates it has been a game changer, enabling them to afford college while providing real hands-on research. Diaz, 27, grew up on the Lower East Side. He served as a Marine before enrolling at the Borough of Manhattan Community College three years ago. He said he still can't believe he'll have a research job this summer.
"And they're paying us," he said. "That's unheard of, to me where I'm coming from."
To listen to the full story, click here.


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US man remanded on cocaine in powdered milk charge
Accused of concealing 33 pounds of cocaine in 15 packets of powdered milk, American-born Jermaine Lowe was refused bail and remanded to prison when he appeared yesterday in court.
Lowe, 28, pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to him by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.
It is alleged that on January 17, at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Lowe had in his possession 15.308 kilogrammes of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.
According to Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) Prosecutor Oswald Massiah, Lowe came to Guyana some time in 2009 and lived with his father, a Guyanese, on the East Coast Demerara. He claimed that he had lost his American passport and later received another from the local US Embassy.
During his stay in Guyana, Massiah said, Lowe made friends with a number of Guyanese. One of these persons offered him a ticket back to America, which he accepted. According to Massiah, an arrangement was struck between Lowe and his friend, which entailed Lowe taking an illegal substance with him to America. Massiah stated that this arrangement was agreed to by the accused. The initial date for the arrangement, it was reported, was scheduled as January 3. However, the plan did not materialise and was instead rescheduled to a later date.
On the day in question, Lowe was being processed to board a Caribbean Airlines flight BW528 when CANU officers on duty, acting on suspicion, summoned him to identify his suitcase. After identifying his suitcase, it was opened in his presence. Massiah stated that the suitcase was discovered bearing 2 bags wrapped in transparent plastic amongst male clothing. The two bags were then opened and contained 8 and 7 packets of what appeared to be Kerrygold-brand milk powder. The bags were then examined by the CANU officers and a whitish substance emerged. A field test was immediately conducted in the defendant's presence and the suspicion arose that the content was cocaine. The suspicion was relayed to the defendant and he was cautioned and arrested before being escorted to CANU headquarters, where the complete number of packets were checked and field-tested. The same result occurred in each. The substance was subsequently weighed and amounted to 15.308 kilograms. Lowe was later charged.
The man's lawyer asked for bail to be granted, stating that his client is asthmatic. However, Prosecutor Massiah objected to bail based on the quantity of the substance.
Lowe was refused bail and the matter was transferred to the Providence Magistrate's Court for January 28, where it is to be called for report and fixtures.
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/// Patrick Fischer, Co-Founder & Managing Director, Creativity Media
Patrick has a diverse background in film finance, production and post-production.
After graduating from the University of Westminster, Patrick began his career as in house Producer at the Gumball 3000 Rally. During his two-year tenure, Patrick produced two feature films; 'Love Live Long', helmed by Academy Award nominated director Mike Figgis and '3000 Miles' featuring skateboarder Tony Hawk and Bam Margera of MTV's Jackass.
In 2007 Patrick left Gumball to set up the indie production company Red Sparrow, which went on to produce the Australian horror hit 'Slaughtered' and the UK thriller 'Psychosis' for Lionsgate.
While producing at Red Sparrow, Patrick consulted on feature film post-production, financing and distribution deals including "Tormented" (2009) and "The Infidel" (2010), as well as the theatrical release of the award winning punk-documentary 'Heavy Load' (2008).
Together with the Supervising Dialogue Editor Richard Kondal and the award winning Sound Designer Alex Joseph and Patrick set up Creativity Media in the autumn of 2010.
Since then Creativity Media has co-produced six films (including the urban comedy smash-hit Anuvahood) and provided full service post for twenty-two films, cementing a reputation for exceptional post-production talent and innovative film finance.
In 2012 Patrick completed his MBA at the Cass Business School and was voted in to the Time Out Top 100 of "those individuals who have brought the most influence, innovation and inspiration to the British Creative and Media industries in the past 12 months".
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Igor Dubina
School of Economics and Management
Altai State University
Barnaul, Russia
Email: email@example.com
Stuart Umpleby
Research Program in Social and Organizational Learning
The George Washington University
Washington, DC 20052 USA
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
With assistance from Daniel Le and Anna Oshkalo
January 2, 2006
Prepared for the Twelfth Annual Deming Research Seminar
13-14 February 2006 in New York City
Igor Dubina
Altai State University, Barnaul, Russia, Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Stuart Umpleby
The George Washington University, Email: email@example.com
A Quality Improvement Priority Matrix (QIPM) was used by the members of the Department of Management Science at The George Washington University in the years 2001 to 2005 to consider priorities and to monitor progress. Using the importance/ performance ratio (IPR), the authors clustered the features of the Department by their IPR scores into four groups – urgent, high priority, medium priority and low priority. The paper suggests a number of new ways to interpret the data obtained from a QIPM.
Research Background
A Quality Improvement Priority Matrix (QIPM) is a method for achieving data-driven decision-making. A QIPM asks customers or employees to rate several features of an organization on two scales – Importance and Performance. That is, how important to them is that particular feature, and how effectively is the organization currently performing on that feature.
A Quality Improvement Priority Matrix was described by the specialists from GTE Directories in their presentation in February 1995 describing how they won the Baldrige Award. (Carlson, 1995) A similar matrix, called a "strategic improvement matrix," was used by the people from Armstrong Building Products Operations in their presentation to the February 1996 Baldrige Award conference. (Wellendorf, 1996)
A QIPM is usually used in determining priorities and for monitoring performance improvement. The features of greatest interest are those that fall in the SE quadrant defined by high importance and low performance. Those features are considered to have priority for an organization.
The matrix was used in several George Washington University (GWU) student group projects in the late 1990s. And a matrix was used by members of the GWU Department of Management Science in 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2005. The faculty in the Department of Management Science at GWU evaluated various features of the Department and the School of Business, such as Funds to support research, Salaries, Coordination with other departments, Classroom facilities, Travel support, Teaching assistants and so on (a total of 52 features).
Although the Department is functioning very well, improvement is always possible. We tried to define where improvement is most needed. Thus, we studied how a Quality Improvement Priority Matrix may be used for improvement monitoring in a university department. We wanted to compare the data from 2001 to 2005 to see how feature priorities had changed during this period.
The first questionnaire was distributed in May 2001. The 2001 questionnaire contained 51 features related to the Department and five questions about the matrix itself. Nineteen responses were received from faculty members. The five questions asked whether the members of the Department found the exercise to be useful and whether they thought it would be helpful to other departments in the University. A large majority thought the results were useful and that similar exercises in other departments would be helpful as well. (Umpleby and Melnychenko, 2002)
The second questionnaire was distributed in May 2002 Twenty responses were received. The 2002 survey listed 52 features of the Department and included some questions seeking additional information on the features rated high on Importance and low on Performance in 2001. The third and forth questionnaires were distributed in May 2003 and April 2005 (22 and 13 responses respectively). They both also listed 52 features. We wanted to compare the data from 2001 to 2005 to see how opinions had changed during this period. In 2005 a scale from 1 to 9 was used. Both visual and algebraic analyses were made of the data obtained. We coded the four quadrants as follows: southeast quadrant as 0, northeast quadrant as 1, northwest quadrant as 2, and southwest quadrant as 3. The features of greatest interest are those that fall in the "southeast" (0) quadrant, that is, those features rated high on Importance and low on Performance (see Figure 1). We also calculated the Importance/Performance Ratio (IPR).
Controversy and Consensus in Evaluation
Standard deviation was calculated as a way of identifying controversial and consensual items for each of the measures I, P, and IPR. Six features were the most controversial in terms of Importance in the years 2002-2005. They were always within the ten most controversial items: Faculty websites; Consulting opportunities in the DC area; Faculty annual reports; Opportunities to meet local businessmen and government managers; Secretarial support; and Help with writing research proposals. There were no items on which there was consensus on Importance (bottom ten in standard deviation) in the years 2002-2005.
No features of the Department were consistently controversial (top ten standard deviation) in terms of Performance in the years 2002-2005. There was consensus on the Performance of only one feature, Library book collection, in the years in 2002-2005. Similarly, controversial and consensus features relative to IPR were identified.
Analysis of Importance, Performance, and IPR
Table 1. The most stable high Importance features (always in the first 15) from 2001 to 2005
Figure 1. Quality Improvement Priority Matrix for 2005
We compared IPR for the years 2001-2005 and identified features which have always been in the southeast quadrant. These features have a stable high priority for the Department (see Table 5).
Table 5. The features always in the SE quadrant from 2001 to 2005
Approaches to Identifying Priorities
One of the goals of this study was to develop methods to more precisely identify priorities. In particular, we tried to develop an approach for automatically clustering features with different priorities.
In earlier studies only one approach was used for this purpose: a visual analysis of the Quality Improvement Priority Matrix as is shown in Figure 1. Features in the southeast quadrant were considered to have a high priority. However, as our study demonstrates, a visual analysis of a QIPM matrix and identifying features in the SE quadrant do not discriminate priorities sufficiently, primarily because up to half of all features routinely fall into this quadrant. For example, 19 of 51 features lie in quadrant 0 in 2001, 17 of the 52 features do in 2002, 23 of 52 in 2003, and 26 of 52 in 2005.
We identified one more problem with this approach. This is a 'border effect'. For example, a feature with a very high Importance (e.g., close to 9) and Performance slightly higher than 5 (e.g., 5.01) will fall in the NE ('successful') quadrant. That seems wrong because of the high priority of this feature (its IPR is close to 2). Vice versa, a feature with Importance slightly more than 5 (e.g., 5.1) and Performance slightly lower than 5 (e.g., 4.95) will fall into the SE ('urgent') quadrant although this factor's IPR is close to 1 (i.e., it is not urgent).
We tried another approach to identifying priorities by using average Importance and average Performance as a midpoint for the graph rather than a scale midpoint, i.e. 5. This approach to define quadrants provides a more even allocation of features within the quadrants, especially for years when average Importance and Performance significantly differs from 5. The allocation of the 2005 features in the 'improved' matrix is shown in the Appendix (the M2 column) and in Figure 2. For example, after applying this approach, 12 of 51 features lie in quadrant 0 in 2001, 12 of the 52 features do in 2002, 8 of 52 in 2003, and 17 of 52 in 2005. But the border effect remains and becomes apparent even more obviously. For example, for 2001, a factor with I=7.61 and P=3.18 falls into the 3rd ('low priority') quadrant. That seems wrong because the feature has an IPR=2.40.
Therefore, using only Importance indexes or only Performance indexes does not permit making a single list of priorities. (A feature with high Importance may have low priority and vise versa). Calculating IPR as a single index of a feature's priority (Prytula, et al, 2002) provided a more convenient priority classification. The higher the IPR, the higher priority a feature has.
Comparative analysis of the values of IPR for 4 years and the Quality Improvement Priority Matrixes for the corresponding years demonstrates that the priority of features can be identified using the value of IPR and the position of the feature in the quadrants. Visual analysis of Quality Improvement Priority Matrixes reveals a similar distribution in the data with the same IPR interval for all 4 surveys (e.g., see Figure 3 and Figure 4). This observation served as the basis for developing a new approach to identifying priorities by choosing clusters (ovals) representing different priorities. Comparing the positions of the features on the diagrams and their IPRs led to the idea that the features could be clustered by the IPR interval.
Figure 2. 'Improved' Quality Improvement Priority Matrix for 2005 (Numbers show rank by IPR)
For each year the IPR values >=2, 1.5 – 1.99, 1.25 – 1.49, and < 1.25 were used to identify four clusters. These clusters identified items that were labeled as urgent, high priority, medium priority, and low priority (Figures 3 and 4).
Cluster Priority IPR interval
0 urgent >=2
1 high priority (1.5 – 1.99)
2 medium priority (1.25 – 1.49)
3 low priority <1.25
Figure 3. Priority Clusters in 2005 Figure 4. Priority Clusters in 2003
The next important question in our study was what criterion should be used to select IPR intervals to specify the clusters. To explore this question, we calculated the correlation coefficient (r) within clusters. For unclustered data, there is a low Performance – Importance correlation. For example r = 0.32 in 2001, 0.51 in 2002, 0.52 in 2003, and 0.18 in 2005. Intercorrelation within clusters (ovals) is much higher, for example for 2001 the correlations for the clusters are .96, .88, .85, and .90. Thus, one way to automatically cluster features with different priorities is to choose intervals that create clusters with the highest intercorrelation coefficient.
The second approach, we suggest, is based on calculating the coefficient of determination (r2 ) in the following regression equation:
where P is Performance, I is Importance, and C1, C2 , and C3 are dummy variables corresponding to clusters. These dummy variables have values 1 or 0 depending on whether a point is or is not in the corresponding cluster (0, 1, 2, or 3). Coefficients b1, b2, and b3 represent the increased Performance for each cluster compared with the cluster 0. We suggest that the higher r2 is in this regression equation, the more precise the clustering. For example, for 2005 we have the following regression equation for the clusters indicated above:
P= -1.92 + .61I + 1.59C1 + 2.77C2 + 3.72C3 with r2 = 0.90
The parallel lines on Figure 5 indicate the levels of medium Performance in the corresponding clusters.
The difference between coefficients b1, b2, and b3 is close to 1. This means that the average cluster Performance changes by 1 from cluster to cluster.
Figure 5. Lines of medium performance in the priority clusters, 2005
Practically, it is more convenient to use an "averaged" regression equation of the following kind:
where C is a dummy variable corresponding to the number of the cluster. It may have values 0, 1, 2, or 3 if a point falls into the corresponding cluster. The coefficient a2 represents the average shift in performance between clusters. For clusters indicated above, we have the following equation for 2005:
P=-1.56 + .62I + 1.11C with r2 =0.89
The coefficient a2 demonstrates that average shift of Performance is 1.11 for the selected clusters. The shift in average Performance may also be an additional criterion for selecting IPR interval. Selecting the shift in average Performance, it is possible to cluster features to provide the desired average shift in Performance between clusters (coefficient a2 in the regression equation). We composed a macro for Microsoft Excel for realizing this approach to identifying features with different priorities.
The number of points / features in the clusters may also be a useful additional criterion in practice. Table 6 demonstrates the influence of different IPR intervals (clusters) on the number of features in clusters, r2 , and the coefficients of the regression equation As the table demonstrates, it is possible to cluster features, depending on the specifics of the situation, according to several criteria such as the number of features in clusters, r2 , and average shift in performance. For example, choosing IPR interval thresholds as 1.9, 1.6, and 1.3 for clustering 2001 features forms a cluster with 10 urgent priority features, a cluster with 13 high priority features, a cluster with 13 medium priority features, and a cluster with 15 low priority features. The average performance shift between clusters is 1.07 and r2=0.88. Such criteria may be used for developing software for automatically clustering features with different priorities (IPRs).
Table 6. IPR intervals, coefficients of regression equation, r2, and number of features in clusters
In this way, we formulated an integrated approach to automatically clustering features with different priorities. Presently, we are creating a special software product realizing this approach. With this software, it is possible to cluster features, according to several criteria, such as number of clusters (for different levels of accuracy), number of features in clusters, IPR intervals, intercorrelation coefficient in clusters, the coefficient of determination, and average shift in performance between clusters.
Analysis of Dynamics
The correlation matrix (Table 7) demonstrates that the greater the distance in time, the lower the correlation coefficients between indexes (Importance, Performance, and IPR).
Table 7. Correlation matrix for 2001-2005 surveys
To analyze how much the features moved from year to year, we used the following indicators:
1) Difference in IPR: dIPR = IPRt2 – IPRt1
2) The length of a vector in the Importance – Performance coordinate scale:
According to the level of dIPR and DI, as well as the set level of DI threshold (DIt), all features were classified into three groups with different levels and directions of change:
1: DI >= DIt and dIPR is positive (regress and greater urgency)
2: DI >= DIt and dIPR is negative (progress and less urgency)
3: DI < DIt (change is not significant)
The parameter DI represents the amount of movement. dIPR represents the direction of movement (becoming more urgent or less urgent). DIt is a threshold of significance.
For multiyear analysis of feature dynamics, we extended the two year analysis and used the following indicators:
1) Difference in IPR: dIPR = abs(IPRt1 – IPRt2) + abs(IPRt2 – IPRt3) + abs(IPRt3 – IPRt4)
2) The sum of the intervals between points in the Importance – Performance coordinate scale:
The first indicator reflects changes between clusters with different priorities, while the second indicator represents only the amount of movement. Table 8 and Figure 6 show the dynamics of the features that changed the most in terms of dIPR. Table 9 shows the dynamics of features that changed the most in term of DI. It is interesting to note, that the features which have high scores for DI often have low scores for dIPR and vise versa. The total correlation coefficient between these parameters (r2) is equal to -.01 (see Figure 7).
Table 8. The features that changed the most in terms of dIPR (Priority)
Figure 6. The features that changed the most in terms of dIPR
Table 9. The features that changed the most in terms of DI (Movement)
Figure 7. How features changed in time on both dIPR and DI
We compared the distance a feature moved during a time interval with the amount of change in IPR. IPR changes when a feature moves in a perpendicular direction (from cluster to cluster). Although some items moved a significant amount within a cluster, the more important movement was between clusters, even if the distance moved was not as great. Movement between clusters means a change in priority. Therefore, the indicator dIPR is more important for analyzing changes in priorities.
Additional Questions
To understand why some features were evaluated with low Performance in the previous year, we also included some additional questions in the survey. For example, for the item,Travel support, two additional questions were included: "We need more support for travel to domestic conferences" and "We need more support for travel to international conferences". These questions were answered using a Likert scale: "Strongly agree – Agree – Neutral – Disagree – Strongly disagree". The results obtained from the additional questions indicate, for example, that with regard to building maintenance more people agree with the statement, "More attention should be given to improving the appearance of common work spaces," than agree with the statement, "More attention should be given to cleaning and maintaining buildings." Another result indicates a higher dispersion (interval not cardinal variables) for the statement, "We should coordinate more with other departments on research projects," than with the statement, "We should coordinate more with other departments on curricula."
In this paper, we investigated a number of ways to interpret data obtained from a Quality Improvement Priority Matrix. We used both visual and algebraic analyses of QIPM data. We investigated how choosing different IPR intervals to define clusters changes intercorrelation. We suggested a new, integrated approach for clustering features with different priorities. We compared the distance a feature moved during a time interval with the amount of change in IPR. We used standard deviation as a measure of consensus and controversy. And as expected we found that the correlation between years decreases with the amount of time elapsed.
As we demonstrated, these methods are easy to understand and effective in terms of time and resources. At the same time, this approach provides enough precision for monitoring changes in priorities and performance. The methods described and the results obtained were discussed at a planning meeting of the Department of Management Science, and they helped to formulate a new strategic plan for the Department. QIPM may be used in universities, businesses, government agencies, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) for selecting priorities and monitoring improvement. Regular and relevant information from employees and customers about the features that most need improvement allows managers to focus attention and resources where they can best contribute to improving employee and customer satisfaction.
Research for this paper was supported in part by the Junior Faculty Development Program, which is funded by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the United States Department of State, under authority of the Fulbright-Hays Act of 1961 as amended and administered by American Councils for International Education: ACTR/ACCELS. The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily express the views of either ECA or American Councils.
The authors wish to thank Daniel Le and Anna Oshkalo for their help with this paper.
Carlson, M."GTE Directories: Customer Focus and Satisfaction," The Quest for Excellence VII, The Official Conference of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, February 6-8, 1995, Washington, DC.
Prytula, Y., Cimesa, D., and Umpleby, S. "Improving the Performance of Universities in Transitional Economies." Research Program in Social and Organizational Learning, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA, 2004, http://www.gwu.edu/~rpsol/
Umpleby, S. and Melnychenko, O. "Quality Improvement Matrix: A Tool to Improve Customer Service in Academia," in J.A. Edosomwan (ed.) Customer Satisfaction Management Frontiers – VI: Serving the 21st Century Customer, Fairfax, VA: Quality University Press, 2002, pp. 6.1-6.12.
Wellendorf, J.A. "Armstrong Building
Products Operations: Information and Analysis," The Quest for Excellence
VIII, The Official Conference of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality
Award, February 5-7, 1995, Washington, DC.
Appendix. Values for I, P, and IPR in 2005 (ranked by IPR)
back to recent papers page


text:
by Al Flaherty's January 14, 2015
Hey folks, our last newsletter went out and one of the items sold faster than we could have ever expected! We appreciate the business and want to make sure customers still get some good values, so to replace the ever popular Sebile Vibrato Jigs we are putting the annual ice fishing favorite Rapala Jigging Raps on sale until February 28th, 2015!
These lures are a constant favorite for perch, walleye, trout, and a wide variety of panfish. Whether jigging on the ice or on open water over structure these jigs have the movement to get strikes when the count!
You can find the Rapala Jigging Raps we have on sale here on our website
If you did not sign up for our newsletter it can be found here, we will only send it to those who have requested being on the list!
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by Jess Walter May 18, 2017
Subscribe to our newsletter and always be the first to hear about what is happening.
© 2017 Al Flaherty's Outdoor Store.


text:
This is a discussion on STI vs. non-STI interior within the Interior Mods forums, part of the Tech & Modifying & General Repairs category; Originally Posted by Blue_Genes Am I the only one here that actually likes the stock STI interior? Yes....now die!...
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2580544 <-- My car.
The only difference is that the STi interior was designed by a panel of America's most prestigious pimps. If you look close, you can see the trademark cane, leopard print feather hat, and gold tooth logo hidden in the stitching.
I knew it!!!
2005 WRB WRX "was" STAGE 2
hah ok well im right there with ya on lovin the sti interior so guys if any of you want to do a complete interior swap let me know i would love to trade with ya even throwin a few bucks your way would be alright too lol i have tr interior and want an sti interior!
Blob-Eye Syndicate #121 MY04 Stage 1 WRB STi
Dirty Crew #89 like it dirty? Dirty Thread!
"0-60 Faster Than Your First Sexual Experience!"
Gettin Sideways At El Mirage
The Best Video YouTube's Ever Seen!
Courtesy of SomeGuy 217 Productions
the blue sti stuff is very gaudy imo... but the Spec-C interior... I'd kill to have those seats in my wrx. i have an 02(ugliest seats made)
Here are some of the pics of the different types of interior if this helps...
^ the difference in the tr and wrx seat are the fixed for wrx and non fixed for tr.
I happen to like the STi seats would may be interested in a front seat swap with an STi - I want to keep my pass through
I like the STi's seats cause they r perforated - better for sitting in the car on a hot autoX day
Hawk-Eye Alliance #117
i love the blue sti interior too.. but i would prefer the limited sti interior
Hey now, this sounds like some serious STi bashing. I personally loved the STi Limited interior when i was looking for an STi. But then I got a regular STi that was within my price range, and now I love the STi interior.
If you don't mind being bling, and potentially rice-boyish, then the STi seats are not that bad. Mind you, you have a huge friggen wing...so it fits.
My three cents.
i love the sti interior, would gladly swap my stock wrx interior for sti
pm me if there are any takers
'02 PSM WRX stg 2
'67 camaro (my dad's, but hopefully one day i can delete these parenthesis)
bugeye mafia #161
Here's a late vote in favor of the STi interior.
Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
2007 WRB WRX TR, Stage 2.5, SPT Intake, Full Invidia 3" Exhaust w/ N1, ISC Coilovers, 17x8 RPF1 w/ Hankook VENTUS V4, DIY Engine Grounding.


text:
PRESS DIGEST - Wall Street Journal - Feb 17
Feb 17 (Reuters) - The following were the top stories in The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
* Brokerage firms are reducing services to hundreds of hedge funds, moves that could force more to find higher-cost financing or close.
* Oracle Corp ORCL.O is quietly going on a shopping spree, completing 10 acquisitions in the past year.
* U.S. auto makers and union representatives dug in for all-night cost-cutting negotiations as the government advanced its point person on auto restructuring.
* Trump Entertainment is expected to file for Chapter 11 protection Tuesday, marking the casino group's third trip to bankruptcy court.
* Banco Santander (SAN.MC: Cotización), Europe's second-largest bank by market value, has sweetened a compensation deal for selected private-banking clients who lost money in Bernard Madoff's alleged Ponzi scheme, according to people familiar with the matter.
* Silicon Valley posted a drop in employment and recorded a decline in per capita income in 2008 for the first time in several years, as the recession caught up with the technology-heavy region.
* With Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY.L: Cotización) and the U.K. government seeking to calm fears that the bank will be nationalized, they face a problem that Lloyds can't control: the souring U.K. economy.
* China Minmetals Corp. is leading its home country's latest push to secure natural resources abroad, launching a takeover bid for Australian miner OZ Minerals Ltd (OZL.AX: Cotización). Continuación...


text:
Out with the old (setup) and in with the new 220 gallon UPDATED 3-20-13
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Hello everyone,
Just want to share our build process. Its a 220 gallon glass tank that we have added 2 Tetra Viquarium waterfalls (older models) and some flagstone and gravel. So far we have some bamboo, bromeliads, and a philodendron (sp?) as well as driftwood.
We have extra filters in there as well to make up for the 60 plus gallons we have in there that the waterfall filters cannot keep up with. Also have a heater in there as well.
We added a DIY fogger system that I made up and the Monsoon RS400 because the wife HAD to have it! But I must admit, it is really awesome and keeps the humidity level nice and high.
I placed an order for some live plants and they should be here end of week.
We are running LED fixtures that are also DIY dimmable.
As of now we have just two turtles who are loving the setup so far.
Question I do have is, we want to add a bunch more plants but we need ones that grow by edge of water where the root system are always wet and can stand high humidity. Where are other good places to order from? Something with color and maybe flowers?
Were still far aways from being done with the tank and the stand and canopy. Still some tweaking in the tank we want to do.
The pic below is one of the many stand and canopies Ive built to date. That one was my reef tank. And this one will mimic the one in the pics. Ive missed it so much that I need to have another.
Here's the old stand and canopy I did
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And here are some shots of day 1 progress.
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Ran out of tongue and groove boards....trip to H.D. I had to go!
And this is pretty much how the stand / Canopy sits now! Been sick and busy with work so it slowed down the building process. Hopefully this weekend I will be able to get more done to stand and canopy.
And some pics of the scape...
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Please ignore the messy wire management, still need to work on that. I need to build a housing to hold the 6 dimmers not to mention all the other wires. But in the 180 I did awhile ago I built a nice power panel and will be doing the same with this one.
Still need to figure out if I am going to do screen tops or glass. The humidity and temps are actually OK with it being open at the top, so may just do the screen as I already built 3 frames that fit perfectly in between the braces, and depends on how that works out I may install a intake and exhaust fan.
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And some others,
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looks awesome! and damn, thats some nice carpentry
cant wait to see a finished product :D
I want to quickly say that this tank is great!
I will be back later to post some plant ideas that you asked for.
Also, what type of turtles are you keeping? How many in that tank?
Be back in a bit, if I haven't posted by the weekend, message me a reminder. ;)
Will be posted some pics we just took with the fogger on, when I shut down the day lights Ill take some pics of the moon lights on with the fog...freaky kind of look but awesome!
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Heres some with the fog on... later ill take pics with the fog and the moon lights...
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Great pics. baby turtles are pretty awesome (adults are cool too, they just need a bit more space...)
I figured after I posted that you probably were well aware of any potential problems with humidity/etc., with building previous tanks and such. Now, even more so with the experience. No offense/slight intended, it's just something that I a lot of people looking at big tanks seem to forget/not consider. :/
Anyways, it looks great, and looks like you have plenty of room for the turtles to grow in. (not something many people consider)
If you still want to tinker with the setup, I'd suggest trying to build your own combo waterfall/filter. I think your pics are about the best use I've seen of those tetra viquarium things, but I feel that most DIY builds can accomplish the same results with a better use of space, etc. especially with all the vertical space available in your tank, you could stick something in a corner, use the height to store filter media, and get a pretty impressive waterfall going.
Back to peace lillies, if you already have any (houseplants, etc.), you can often find little juvenile plants underneath/around the main plant. I've gotten starters for paulludaria and such quite a few times using this method. Granted, your setup is big enough you can throw in full-sized plants, so...
But, yeah, great setup, nice pics, and thanks for posting them.
Hey that looks nice.
Technically speaking I think this is more like a paludarium than a riparium.
I have heard that that pea-size gravel can be an ingestion & impaction hazard for turtles.
We've been searching and searching on how to make our own water feature like you mentioned and found some really cool stuff at a lizard site, not sure if I'm allowed to post other sites like that so for now I will not, but were going to be using what looks like foam, than spray foam and then grout and acrylic paint. If you know specific brands etc we need please post as we need as much help as we can get!
We also had to take the turtles out as they started eating the live plants that were in the water. So this is a learning curve here! But they will now have their very own home in another tank by themselves.
Thanks for the input etc and any future input.
Thank you, as mentioned above we are completly re duing this tank. Going to do more research before we get started.
The turtles will now have their own tank/ home.
Thanks again.
I just wanted to update this as some of you wanted to see what we did with this tank after the tear down. The stand and canopy are still not done (Been slacking on that!) and the tank has now been planted for a little over a week. So some plants are still acclimating themselves and some are starting new growth already.
Here is how she stands now, a vivarium that will house PDFs and fish. I have 6 El Copes that just came out of the water last week and will be getting them on the 6th of April.
We do have 4 otos in their right now, many more fish to come.
Anyways, here's how she sits now...
How did you get the Viquariums to go that way? very familiar with them and usually there is glass on both sides to keep the rocks in. Yours go the opposite direction? I can't imagine the filters working? Did you cut some fiberglass or something? Getting 2 turtles in a special size 50gallon that the viquariums wont fit in, so your way looks great! Just wondering how you did it? Do rocks just spill out the sides or what keeps them in so the meagre filters might work a lil? Thanks in advance!
or did you cover the whole thing around in fiberglass? the side and bottom and even back? want to get my tank up and running and yours is ideal
Damn that is bad ass I want a tank like that one day
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text:
Encounter nature through free-play. Self-guided stations will
explore a new theme each session. Check website for each program's
location. Sept. 14, Oct. 12, Nov. 9, Dec. 14.
Make butter the old fashioned way - by hand churning.
Participants will be able to sample their hard work during the
program. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
Bring your stroller along and explore the exhibits in the
museum. Then kids get hands-on experience as they explore and
discover nature during a 20-minute playgroup.
Just as Victor Frankenstein created his monster from parts of
many different people, this new iteration of "500 Clown
Frankenstein" is constructed by a cast of rotating performers. Five
clowns reconfigure into three different casts, each charged with
the same task: "make monster."
Visitors can walk inside the two-story silo and turn the crank
of a silage machine, watching "corn plants" delivered to the top of
the silo. Plus, learn about the history of silos and silage, build
miniature silos with building blocks simulating wood, brick and
metal and much more.
See a toy so amazing, so unbelievable, it has the power to
transform into anything you want it to be. Enter a world where
imagination rules, and ordinary becomes extraordinary.
A new traveling exhibit created by Children's Museum of
Pittsburgh that links familiar childhood objects to a process of
manufacturing that combines people, ideas and technology. Inspired
by the factory tour segments from Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, the
exhibit offers hands-on activities using real factory tools and
machines to create objects including crayons, a baseball bat and a
matchbox car, just to name a few.
Kids enter artist Gino Severini's interpretation of trains by
role-playing engineer, passenger or conductor in a child-size train
and look for objects in an eight-foot wide "hidden pictures" mural
of artist Don Stewart's "Steam Train." Plus, enjoy specially
designed wooden train tables and a huge new interactive crane.
The exhibit features the illustrations of W. W. Denslow, a
Chicago resident whose famous illustrations helped to inspire the
design of the classic 1939 MGM film starring Judy Garland. The
bright and colorful exhibit provides a variety of learning
opportunities and hands-on activities within a three-dimensional
representation of Denslow's distinctive illustrations.
Discover how sounds make music, and how music makes you feel,
with activities like making melodies on bolt- and wrench-a-phones,
using soft sculpture pegs to make a music box, blowing air over a
reed, moving musical notes on a staff, beating percussion
instruments, and creating an artistic masterpiece that reflects how
music makes you feel


text:
I have a buddy who is lending me a gopro for the weekend, and I have no idea how to run them or what setting is best. can anyone give me some helpful hints or possibly post old threads that could help me out?
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This, as I head into this "Sabbath Lent": "Stop for one whole day every week, and you will remember what it means to be created in the image of God, who rested on the seventh day not from weariness but from complete freedom. The clear promise is that those who rest like God find [Read More…]
Thankful Tuesday (before Ash Wednesday)
February 12, 2013 by michaboyett Leave a Comment
Filed Under: Thankful Tuesday Tagged With: Ash Wednesday, Lent, rest, sabbath, spiritual practice, Thankful Tuesday Leave a Comment
Transfiguration and Beauty
February 20, 2012 by michaboyett Leave a Comment
Last year, I wrote about picking my son up from the nursery after our church's Ash Wednesday service. I was ripe with pregnancy. And not in the good way. I was ripe in the "my due date is in two days" way. I wobbled, waddled and winced (in that order) while I made my way [Read More…]
Filed Under: the Praying Life Tagged With: Ash Wednesday, Lent, mama life, pregnancy, spiritual practice, sweet monday Leave a Comment


text:
Get a low purchase rate of 12.99% p.a. with the QT Mutual Bank Low Rate Mastercard.
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text:
How to Buy
Solutions Overview
This script is Copyright (C) 2004-2015 Tenable Network Security, Inc.
Synopsis :
The remote Gentoo host is missing one or more security-related
Description :
The remote host is affected by the vulnerability described in GLSA-200407-07
(Shorewall : Insecure temp file handling)
Shorewall uses temporary files and directories in an insecure manner. A
local user could create symbolic links at specific locations,
eventually overwriting other files on the filesystem with the rights of
the shorewall process.
Impact :
An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to overwrite arbitrary
system files with root privileges, resulting in Denial of Service or
further exploitation.
Workaround :
There is no known workaround at this time. All users should upgrade to
the latest available version of Shorewall.
See also :
Solution :
All users should upgrade to the latest available version of Shorewall,
as follows:
# emerge sync
# emerge -pv '>=net-firewall/shorewall-1.4.10f'
# emerge '>=net-firewall/shorewall-1.4.10f'
Risk factor :
Medium / CVSS Base Score : 4.6
Family: Gentoo Local Security Checks
Nessus Plugin ID: 14540 (gentoo_GLSA-200407-07.nasl)
Bugtraq ID:
Get Nessus Professional to scan unlimited IPs, run compliance checks & more
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text:
Your Cat, Your Life
The Scoop
Cat News, Politics
Meow-Out-Loud Humor
Cat Chic
Gear and Glam
Your cat loves a clean toilet -- don't we all? Catster's singing Cat Lady, Sarah Donner, explains why.
Cat Breeds
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Photo Comments (1)
The years we've shared were short, yet full of joy.
The memories we've made will go on for me to enjoy.
I haven't stopped missing you since you went away,
and I've asked the Heavens why couldn't you stay.
You lit up my life, my hopes, and my dreams.
You've opened my eyes to see what it all means.
So now that you're gone how can I forget;
Because you were the sweetest of all I have met.
still sad you had to leave on 2.11.11.
always, I love you, always, my sweet Handsome Man.
Dearest Shady,
It's 2.11.2012. Exactly one year has passed since you left. Sweet Shady ... I think about you and miss you every day. The house is very empty without you around. Yet, I know you are in a better place, and healthy once again. Sending lots of love your way, my dearest handsome man.
Love you always,
This has been a furry sad couple of weeks for my meowmy. Even though the Dogcat crossed the Bridge in 2009, meowmy has been missing the Dogcat something fierce. (And, yes, she misses Shady and Rocket Sprocket too.) But that story is too pitiful to tell. Meowmy is running low on tissues.
The Shade Man's first Bridge Date anniversary is coming fast, on Saturday, actually. So meowmy's been thinking about that all week, too.
To make matters sadder, on Tuesday my meowmy (along with thousands of other purrs and people) learned that our dear furiend Yolo will be crossing the Bridge sometime soon to join his momma Baci and me and my brofurs and all of Yolo's Angel Furiends. Oh, No! Say it isn't so!!! Yolo is way too young (4.5 years young) to make the Golden Journey. I hope Yolo can hang on just a little bit longer to spend precious time with his wonderful momma on earth and his brofur Guido.
Shady will be standing at the Rainbow Bridge with all the other kits to welcome Yolo when he makes his Journey. Shady wishes he could be in San Fran to help Yolo's family through this very challenging and sad time in their lives.
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text:
After downplaying his injury after Sunday's loss to the St. Louis Rams, it turns out that Arizona Cardinals running back Ryan Williams will require surgery on his left shoulder and will miss the remainder of the 2012 season. Head coach Ken Whisenhunt made the announcement. Williams missed all of the 2011 season because of a torn Achilles' tendon. Beanie Wells is on injured reserve and can return later this season. LaRod Stephens-Howling 's playing status in Week 6 has yet to be determined.
Fantasy Analysis:
This is terrible news for the second-year back out of Virginia Tech. He missed all of his rookie year and was presented with a great opportunity to re-establish himself with injuries piling up in Arizona's backfield. Now he can add his name to the injury report. The Cardinals will now have to turn to RBs William Powell and Alfonso Smith should Stephens-Howling be unable to play. Powell has three carries for nine yards while Smith has seen no action so far.


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As a parent of a student at the University of Miami School of Communication, you know how the School prepares your child for success. From first-rate faculty to fantastic facilities in a supportive learning environment, we are working to produce the next generation of communication professionals and leaders. As a valued supporter, we invite you to join with other parents to assist in this vital mission.
Your philanthropic support of the School of Communication as a member of the James W. McLamore Society or the Royal Palm Society will promote the academic growth and life-changing experiences that shape SoC students like your child for years to come. Philanthropic support from parents and other family members sends a strong message of support and belief in the mission of the School of Communication.
The James W. McLamore Society recognizes annual leadership gifts of $1,000 or more to the University of Miami. Originally called the President's Circle when it was founded in 1994, the McLamore Society was renamed in 2013 to honor the legacy of the former UM Board of Trustees chair and South Florida businessman whose name is synonymous with philanthropy and service.
James W. McLamore, the co-founder of Burger King, was dedicated to promoting education in the community. His impact at the University as chair of the Board of Trustees from 1980 to 1990 and chair of a historic $517.5 million fundraising campaign from 1984 to 1989 is immeasurable. His leadership and tradition of generous support, which spanned nearly 30 years, played an important role in shaping the University of Miami of today. Members of the McLamore Society are an esteemed group of civic and community leaders who are shaping the University of tomorrow. Gifts to the School of Communication support an array of initiatives in the School, including student scholarships, faculty support, technology equipment, student internships, and travel. You can choose to support the School of Communication overall, your student's department, or other specific funds such as the Technology Fund or the Internship Scholarship Fund.
James W. McLamore Society Giving Levels
|$10,000 to $24,999
|$5,000 to $9,999
|$2,500 to $4,999
|$1,000 to $2,499
All James W. McLamore Society members receive an annual thank-you gift and invitations to exclusive receptions and events throughout the year. In addition, members that support the School of Communication have networking opportunities with the dean of the School of Communication, department chairs and faculty, as well as alumni and other parents.
The main entrance to the University's Coral Gables campus is lined with a regal fleet of royal palm trees—a hallmark entrance that welcomes the world to a place where life-changing experiences happen every day. The Royal Palm Society welcomes the individuals who make these experiences possible into a distinguished circle of supporters who collectively change the landscape through annual giving. Donors of the Royal Palm Society are the foundation upon which the University of Miami continues to grow.
Royal Palm Society Giving Levels
|$500 to $999
|$250 to $499
|$100 to $249
All Royal Palm Society Members receive an annual thank-you gift and recognition in select University publications.
For more information on supporting the School of Communication at the James W. McLamore Society or the Royal Palm Society levels, please contact Brian Weinblatt, senior director of development, at email@example.com or 305.284.9780.


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The official word: Showtime's smoking hot hit is back with Weeds: The Complete Collection, arriving on Blu-ray Disc (plus Digital HD Ultraviolet) November 5 from Lionsgate Home Entertainment. Including seasons one through eight of the popular cable series, the limited edition Blu-ray collection is a must-have for fans and features 16 discs in a special "glowing" acrylic case package along with all-new bonus content featuring Mary-Louise Parker. Headlined by Parker (Red 2) in her Golden Globe® winning role, Weeds also features a hilarious ensemble cast including Hunter Parrish (It's Complicated), Alexander Gould (Finding Nemo), Justin Kirk (TV's "Animal Practice") and Kevin Nealon (TV's "Saturday Night Live"). In addition, the series boasts strong turns from Elizabeth Perkins (Big), Albert Brooks (Drive, Broadcast News), Demian Bechir (A Better Life, TV's "The Bridge") and Jennifer Jason Leigh (Margot at the Wedding, TV's "Revenge") along with celebrated guest stars including singer/songwriter Alanis Morissette, Mary-Kate Olsen (Beastly), Michelle Trachtenberg (TV's "Gossip Girl") and Zooey Deschanel (TV's "New Girl"). During its final season, the series lit up the ratings, averaging 3.2 million viewers an episode across all platforms.
When Nancy Botwin (Parker) faces both sudden widowhood and poverty, she's determined to do anything to keep her kids in suburbia - including taking on the job of neighborhood pot dealer. Subversive and hilarious, the complete series is as intoxicating as ever, with everyone's favorite pot-selling soccer mom and the rest of the Botwin clan dealing with the mafia, love affairs, the birth of an illegitimate child and relocation after relocation. Watch as the Botwins' plans go up in smoke!
Weeds: The Complete Collection includes 16 discs and is loaded with all-new special features including a discussion with the cast as well as a look at what makes Nancy so desirable and why many of her lovers met an early demise. Weeds: The Complete Collection will be available for the suggested retail price of $119.97.
"Pot Circle: Weeds Cast Roundtable" featurette
"They Came, They Smoked, They Left" featurette
"Nancy's Sexcapades" featurette
"Suburban Black Widow" featurette


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Habonim Dror Camp Miriambased on 0 reviews (review)
Camp Directors - Update this ListingCamp Location: Gabriola Island, British Columbia, Canada
Ages: 7 to 17 years old
Gender: Male and Female
Camp type:Day and Overnight
Session dates:
Cost (range): $500 - $1,000 a week
Contact Person:
Phone: 604-266-2825
Mailing Address:
Camp Website
Camp's Description
Our diverse program includes interest groups like sports, photography, arts and crafts, drama, and Israeli dancing, special days which are theme based, sports, swimming, and canoeing. Hebrew is used in announcements and during Shira (singing).
Creative activities and informal discussions about a variety of topics challenge the campers to explore Jewish identity,
Shabat is the highlight of the week at


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By Dawn-58330
I turn 40 this Lent. I can't say I am dreading this birthday or eagerly anticipating it. A part of me is a little heartbroken I am crossing over one of the last vestiges of youth. In my head, I am still a young girl. I don't feel like I'm 40, but what does 40 feel like?
In Biblical terms, it is a "very long time." A long time in the desert. A long time of rain and flood. A long time of facing temptation and hunger. A long time of prayer and solitude.
I'm walking through this Lent – as I've walked through most of them – alone. While I am surrounded by friends and family, I see the Lenten journey as one that I take myself.
Of course, Jesus is my companion with whom I seek out some heart-to-hearts. His Sacred Heart to my somewhat stony one.
Forty years does a number on a heart. I am recommitting myself to pursuing heart health – physically, emotionally and spiritually. Living alone means being life coach, motivator, punisher and consoler all rolled into one.
I've been a CatholicMatch member for seven years, a "very long time." My stony heart – one that has become a little jaded, cynical, broken, impatient and doubtful – needs to soften and open.
I want to have again faith like a child. I want to believe again whole-heartedly that love and my dreams are within grasp. Putting my piglet heart (as I call it) in the Sacred Heart of Jesus is the best medicine. It doesn't guarantee that my heart won't get hurt. In fact, it is a sure path to the pain of the Cross. But it does mean that my heart will beat with Love.
Create in me a clean heart, O Lord.
Reflection question: How can you soften your heart?
Editor's note
Read other reflections written by CatholicMatch members:
Day 13 – Dan-595920: 'I Always Find Excuses'
Day 12 – Annette-639693: 'In The Quiet I Hear God's Voice Clearly'
Day 11 – Ron-40989: 'Remember We Are Purifying Our Love'
Day 10 – Linda-504414: 'God Might Be Trying To Teach Us Something Vital'
Day 9 – Andy-246798: 'I'm Happy To Take A Break From Dating Women'
Day 8 – Marci-365801: 'I'm Worried I Have Drifted Off Course'
Day 7 –Tina-401203: 'Waiting For Our Lives To Begin'
Day 6 – Erik-215414: 'No One Said This Was Going To Be Easy'
Day 5 – Cate-291547: 'I Felt Stuck In A Second Adolescence'
Day 4 – Ryan-672439: 'God Loves A Good Comeback'
Day 3 – Theresa-630252: 'I Think Of This As Preparation Time'
Day 2 – Barb-505508: 'We Have To Read Between The Lines'
Day 1 – Richard-632838: 'I Recognize How Much I Need God's Grace'


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Martinez falters as Bats beat Clippers 8-3
Clippers unable to recover from big early deficit
COLUMBUS, OHIO- After last night's rain out at Huntington Park, the Clippers took the field for a foggy, early morning affair against the Louisville Bats. Clearly, Joe Martinez and the rest of the Clippers were in a haze of their own, losing 8-3.
Clippers' starter Joe Martinez started out strong with a pretty easy first inning, but that was where the success stopped for the righty.
Martinez' second inning started with a soft ground ball hit by Bats' third baseman Mike Hessman. Clippers' shortstop Juan Diaz was able to field it, but wasn't able to get Hessman at first, giving the Bats' their second hit of the afternoon. Bats' second baseman Henry Rodriguez then came up and drilled a sharp ground ball to Clippers' third baseman Ryan Rohlinger. The ball bounced right under Rohlinger's glove and Rodriguez was on base with a single.
With men on first and second for the Bats', left fielder Felix Perez then came to the plate and hit a "no doubt about it" shot to deep right field, putting the Bats' ahead 3-0 .
Martinez got into trouble again in the very next inning.
After a giving up a looping single to Bats' center fielder Billy Hamilton, Martinez allowed a hard hit double to Bats' shortstop and former Columbus Clipper Jason Donald, giving the Bats' a 4-0 lead. Bats' first baseman Neftali Soto moved Donald over on a ground ball to third base making way for Hessman to bring Donald home on a long sacrifice fly deep to left field.
With the score now 5-0 bats, the inning continued with a long fly-ball to right center field from Rodriguez that got him to second base for a double. The home-run hero of the inning before, Perez, then knocked a single to center fielder Cedric Hunter, scoring Rodriguez. As the throw from Hunter came home, Clippers' catcher Roberto Perez caught it and fired it to second base, getting Perez who was trying to stretch his single into a double.
The Bats' were up 6-0 through three, and Martinez' day wasn't quite done.
Starting off the top of the fourth, Bats' DH Dennis Phipps blooped a shot to centerfield. Hunter dove for the ball, but it bounced in front of him and off of his collarbone, allowing Phipps to get to second. Bats' catcher Konrad Schmidt then lined a single through the hole between second and short to put men on first and third with no outs.
After striking out Bat's right fielder Josh Fellhauer, Martinez was pulled from the game and replaced by Clippers' pitcher David Huff. Huff was able to get Hamilton to ground into an inning ending double play, keeping the runner on third at bay.
Overall, it was a pretty rough outing for Martinez. In 3.2 innings, he allowed six runs on 10 hits, four of which went for extra bases. While Martinez looked good in his first start this season against the Bats, this was certainly a step backwards for him. He will look to improve his performance in his next outing.
As for the Clippers' bats, through four innings, things were very quiet. Bats' starter Greg Reynolds was very impressive. Outside of two Clippers' singles from right fielder Matt Carson and Rohlinger, Reynolds didn't allow another baserunner. That is, until the Clippers came up in the bottom of the fifth inning.
In the fifth, Reynolds survived, but his relatively clean plate of a start now had a bit of a messy spot.
After getting Clippers' first baseman Mike McDade to fly out to deep center field, Reynolds allowed Diaz to single up the middle and Hunter to double to the gap. Reynolds then worked Rohlinger to a 3-2 count before getting him to swing and miss, but Perez then came up and cleared the bases with a first pitch double to the wall in right.
Left fielder Tim Fedroff then roped a single to right field, scoring Perez and closing the gap for the Clippers at 6-3. Reynolds got out of the inning by getting Hernandez to fly out to left.
That was it for Reynolds, who pitched five innings, allowed three runs on six hits, had no walks, and struck out two. While he wasn't blowing the ball past Clippers hitters, as his fastball was in the upper 80's for most of his outing, his location was spot on until the fifth inning.
The Bats brought out Jose Arredondo for the sixth and seventh innings, and he was dominant. In two innings of work, Arredondo struck out five of the six batters he faced, including three strikeouts in the seventh. Blessed with a filthy array of off-speed pitches, Arredondo had Clippers hitters guessing even more than Reynolds did before him.
The Clippers had some great relief pitching of their own in Huff. In 2.2 innings of relief work, Huff allowed just two hits and no runs, in addition to having three strikeouts.
He was relieved in the top of the seventh by Scott Barnes. Barnes let up a solo home run to Fellhauer, his first batter in the top of the seventh inning, but quickly settled down, getting the next batter to pop out to McDade and striking out Donald and Soto.
Offseason free agent signing Matt Capps came on for the Clippers in the eighth and made quick work of the three batters he faced. In a three up, three down inning, Capps got Hessman to lineout to Rohlinger, Rodriguez to groundout to second, and Perez to strike out looking. In his inning of work, Capps six strikes and a single ball.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, the Bats brought out former USC baseball standout, former Cubs All-Star, and comeback story Mark Prior to pitch. Prior is trying to make his way back to Major League Baseball after a long series of injuries that have kept him away from the mound. In his inning today for the Bats, Prior allowed no hits, no runs, and had a strikeout on only 12 pitches.
Giovanni Soto came on in the ninth for the Clippers and after a leadoff bloop double by Phipps, Soto gave up an RBI single to Konrad Schmidt to give the Bats an 8-3 lead. He quickly settled down and got Fellhauer to ground into a 5-4-3 double play.
Luis Hernandez then made the play of the day as Soto forced Hamilton to chop a ball to second base. Hernandez barehanded the ball close to the bag, turned his body 180 degrees and was able to throw out the incredibly fast Hamilton, making the play all that much more exciting. The play by Hernandez could have definitely made SportsCenter's Top Ten, or at least Asdrubal Cabrera or Omar Vizquel very proud.
The Clippers relievers had a good day of pitching overall. In 5.2 innings of total work, the relievers let up two runs, one on a solo homer, on 5 hits, and struck out six batters. Unfortunately, they were put into too big of a hole by Martinez for their performance to matter all that much.
Down 8-3 in the bottom of the 9th, Carson lined a single into deep left field, but the offense was unable to get anything else from there. Hermida struck out, McDade flew out to center, and Diaz was thrown out at first following a dropped strike three to end the ballgame.
The Clippers move to 7-6 on the season, while the Bats' improve to match the Clippers at the same record. The Clippers head to Toledo for a matchup with the Mudhens tomorrow, where they will start Daisuke Matsuzaka, who is looking to avenge a less than stellar outing in his Columbus debut. The Mudhens will be starting Jose Alvarez in the first game of this two game set. First pitch is at 6:30 pm.


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Blue Wave Riding a Winning Streak, Beats Chiefland 27-12
Published September 10th, 2011
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If the results are any indication, Rob Cox has the Blue Wave riding high early in the season. Last week's victory marked the first time PK Yonge started the regular season with a positive record since 2005. Add the 27-12 victory against Chiefland on Friday, and the Blue Wave are 2-0 for the first time in recent memory. PK Yonge looks to continue the streak against a reeling Newberry team as the Blue Wave host the Panthers next week.
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- PK Yonge Snaps St. Francis Win Streak, Santa Fe tops Buchholz
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- Gator Softball Ends Losing Streak, Downs Auburn
- Gator Women End Three Game Losing Streak, Down Auburn
- Zunino Continues Hot Streak, Gator Baseball Ends Mid-Week Slump
- Trenton Girls Beat Chiefland to Win District Title
- SEC Media Days: Riding the Johnny Manziel Wave
- Blue Wave Gets Best of Oak Hall 61-28, Other HS Scores


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Dip Gourmet Pretzels at a Gastropub
The pretzel supposedly has religious roots—many believe monks invented the doughy snack—but most of us know it as the ultimate companion to beer, whether at Oktoberfest celebrations, ballparks, or gastropubs, where they've been getting gourmet upgrades around the West:
- At the Brave Horse Tavern, in Seattle, hand-twisted rounds with bubbly brown shells, an authentic tang, and a just-right chewy interior are dipped in spreads like smoked PB&B (as in bacon!).
- Denver's Park & Co. has a salt-speckled pretzel with ideal yeastiness, crunch, and springiness.
- Röckenwagner Bakery, in Los Angeles, offers one of our favorite new carb categories—the pretzel-croissant—as well as regular pretzels in flavors like jalapeño and classic German.
- The menu at Absinthe, in San Francisco, has been known to include a pyramid of super-soft pretzel buns with a healthy rub of garlic and a touch of thyme.
Around The Web


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Cass County Master Gardeners Providing Grants for Local Gardening Projects
Now is the time to plan and plant for future gardens. The Cass County Master Gardeners organization is offering a total of $1500 in grant money to be used by the end of 2012, to encourage gardening to grow food and/or beautify surroundings. The money may also be used for education purposes.
Any Cass County not-for-profit group or individual may apply. Schools, churches, libraries, 4-H clubs, Scouts, and individuals working to improving their communities can use the money to begin or improve gardens or landscaping, or to provide education for their members or the public. Each grant has a maximum of $500. The application must also include plans for teamwork and sustainability. Consideration for the environment is also an important selection factor.
Applications should be completed as soon as possible and grant requests will be evaluated and awarded in the order received. An application form can be downloaded and printed using the link below. Information and forms are also available from committee members, LaVon Eblen, Judy Kennedy or Carolyn Hartman or the Cass County Extension office by calling 712-243-1132, emailing firstname.lastname@example.com, or stop by the Extension Office at 805 W. 10th St in Atlantic.
The Master Gardener program trains volunteers to develop their knowledge and skills in horticulture. These volunteers then give back to their communities through gardening service and education. The program is available in all 50 states and Canada through land grant university Extension programs such as Iowa State University. Education courses are available throughout Iowa on a regular basis. Cass County will be hosting a Master Gardener class this coming winter for anyone interested in being trained. Contact Cass County Extension Program Coordinator Kate Olson, at 712-243-1132 or firstname.lastname@example.com more information. More information on the Iowa Master Gardener Program can be found here.
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text: PLAY Comme des Garçons® striped sweater Item 18040 Size: Size Charts Quantity: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Add to Bag Wishlist Add to Bag Add To Wishlist share: size & fit Relaxed fit. Hits slightly below hip. Product Details We adore this playful, quirky line dreamed up by Japanese designer Rei Kawakubo—founder of cult-favorite label Comme des Garçons—so we just had to share it. Sporty-chic separates, like this classic striped sweater, all feature the signature and totally adorable heart logo designed by New York-based graphic artist Filip Pagowski. Wool. Dry clean. Import. Online only. Item 18040.


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Last week, in Business Week Online, investment columnist Sam Jaffe talked about Microsoft and its stock price. As long as he stuck to traditional business page information (the antitrust suit, the general state of the stock market) he was, I guess, fairly accurate.
Jaffe got in over his head, though, in trying to talk about Windows 2000 ("To put it bluntly, Microsoft goes where Windows 2000 goes," according to Jaffe) and especially when talking about Active Directory.
It's confusing enough that Jaffe talks about Win 2000 as a "program," but he then goes on to say that many corporate customers are slow to migrate to it because of "numerous news reports of the software being bug-ridden and unstable." Actually, Win 2000 is the most stable operating system from Microsoft since DOS 3.1. Jaffe, though, relies on a quote from Eric Raymond, who is the guru of Open Source and sworn enemy of Bill Gates.
Jaffe really gets into deep stuff when he comments on directory services, which he calls "one of the trickiest features in the new operating system" (well, he got that right!). He calls Active Directory Service (ADS) a "feature" that "allows a central administrator to control the network" instead of what he calls the traditional, decentralized method. Jaffe does credit Novell with introducing the modern directory service, but he blithely claims "It wasn't part of an operating system."
He then goes on to state that "Corporate IT managers groaned at the concept of a built-in directory," which simply flies in the face of the information that I've collected from you as well as the information available to Microsoft and Novell.
Jaffe appears to rely on information supplied by Michael Stanek, an analyst with Lehman Brothers who predicts that "two-thirds of Windows 2000 installations in 2001 will be done without ADS." Of course, if you lump together Win 2000 Professional and Win 2000 Server installations, it's quite possible that only one-third will have ADS installed, because it's only installed on servers.
Your life gets harder when business people (and lawyers) start talking about technology as if they understand it. Hopefully, forewarned is forearmed, and you'll be ready when your boss starts spouting off about that new Win 2000 program and its centralized management.
This story, "Throw him an informational life preserver" was originally published by Network World.