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Why are they pushing Chuck Hagel for Secretary of Defense.
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Unqualified? Simply a lie.
And I don't know, I am a Republican and I think picking Chuck Hagel is the best decision Obama as made as president thus far.
But keep on regurgitating the same Glenn Beck/AIPAC/Fox News bullshit until you are blue in the face. Like I give a fuck.
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Unqualified? Simply a lie.Quoting: Anonymous Coward 31557420
And I don't know, I am a Republican and I think picking Chuck Hagel is the best decision Obama as made as president thus far.
But keep on regurgitating the same Glenn Beck/AIPAC/Fox News bullshit until you are blue in the face. Like I give a fuck.
are you an Obama Cyber Warrior?
Thread: DHS Insider: Obama's cyber warriors & preparing for collapse
You Obama-tard.
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Chuck is not an Israeli puppet like so many others and there are still a few people in Washington that would like to see America run it's own foreign policy. On a related note, Ted Cruz is emerging as a wolf in liberty sheep clothing. These people (politicians) have no shame.
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Does anyone have a simple reason why the Democrats are hell-bent on making Chuck Hagel the next Secretary of Defense?Quoting: Anonymous Coward 15235536
This guy is a creep and he is totally unqualified.
American Hero Hagel Gets Hammered by Israel First U.S. Senator Lindsay Graham
The U.S. Senate is currently grilling one of president Obama's most controversial choices for a key job in his team.
Chuck Hagel is being quizzed on everything from relations with Israel and the Arab world to his view of women in the military, during his confirmation hearing to be the new Defense Secretary.
Here, check out Lindsay Graham attacking Hagel for his statement that he is a U.S. Senator, NOT a Senator from Israel. How dare he? Shame on him! Right folks! American Senator? What is this Hagel guy thinking?
[link to video.msnbc.msn.com]
Apparently, Graham, in support of his assigns at AIPCAC, does NOT really get the irony of his attack. Isn't that special?
Oh and now, check this out. RT's Gayane Chichyakyan explains why certain political groups are so against his nomination. The attack ad against Hagel is especially fun and the American people are once again victims to marketing from a foreign power.
Gotta love it….3 Cheers for the Israel first producers, The Emergency Committee for Israel at www.CommitteeForIsrael.com. Go ahead and click on that link. And then send these Anti-American jerk offs a note that we're all over them like a Euro-Bagel on Zionist cream cheese! This is America, NOT Israel!
"Hagel has been forced by the circumstances attending his nomination to recant most of his earlier positions, and even to apologize for some, despite the fact that all were both honest and accurate. These people who put him in that position need to look in their mirrors, review their oaths of office and remember both their citizenship and their sworn responsibility to the American people – and then reflect on the consequences of betrayal." Alan Sabrosky
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Hagel Responds to Zionist Critics
Jan. 9, 2013
The Emergency Committee for Israel is currently leading a campaign to discredit Chuck Hagel, the former Nebraska senator who has been nominated by President Obama as Secretary of Defense.
The Emergency Committee for Israel was a major player in the fight for the Jewish vote in the latest US elections, taking care to represent Obama as anti-Israel and reluctant to fight Iran's nuclear program. Their anti-Obama campaign included videos and press releases which depicted the president in a negative light.
The charge against Hagel's appointment took a similar direction. The same group that tried to discredit Obama is now on a mission to undercut Hagel's appointment. Having unearthed past Hagel quotes the group released a scathing ad on TV channels in New York and Washington.
"While President Obama says all options are on the table, Hagel says military action is not a viable, feasible action," the ad said.
Chuck Hagel dismisses allegations that he is against Israel, saying critics have "completely distorted" his record.
The former Nebraska senator said in an interview that an accurate assessment of his record will demonstrate "unequivocal, total support for Israel" and endorsement of tough international economic sanctions against Iran.
Critics have "completely distorted" his record, the former Nebraska senator told the Lincoln Journal Star, a local newspaper based in his home state.
At last, Hagel said, with his nomination announced by the president, he has an opportunity to set the record straight.
He added that there is "not one shred of evidence that I'm anti-Israeli, not one (Senate) vote that matters that hurt Israel."
"I didn't sign on to certain resolutions and letters because they were counter-productive and didn't solve a problem," Hagel told the Lincoln Journal Star.
Critics have hammered Hagel for not joining most of his Senate colleagues in signing on to a number of policy pronouncements that sometimes were sought by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the influential pro-Israel lobbying organization in Washington.
"How does that further the peace process in the Middle East?" Hagel asked. "What's in Israel's interest is to help Israel and the Palestinians find some peaceful way to live together."
As for allegations that he has been soft toward Iran's apparent efforts to develop a nuclear weapons capacity, Hagel pointed to his support for strong international sanctions, including those now in place.
"I have not supported unilateral sanctions because when it is us alone they don't work and they just isolate the United States," he told the Lincoln Journal Star.
"United Nations sanctions are working. When we just decree something, that doesn't work," he added.
"The distortions about my record have been astounding," Hagel told the newspaper, adding it's important to answer now with an accurate assessment of his positions.
But, Hagel noted, it's also important to recognize that "the president is commander-in-chief and he makes the final decisions" on those issues.
"The secretary of defense has the responsibility to give the president the best advice I can give him on national security matters," Hagel said.
"I will do that. I will give him my most honest advice," he added, noting he also would always be truthful with members of Congress.
"I fully recognize that confirmation is up to the Senate. All I ask is a fair hearing, and I will get that. I am very much looking forward to having a full, open, transparent hearing about my qualifications and my record.
"All I look for is an opportunity to respond," Hagel said.
Recognizing that his views on Israel and Iran have been the focus of most of the opposition to his nomination expressed in advance by some senators, he told the newspaper he looks forward to responding with a more accurate understanding of his views.
"I have said many times that Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism," he said. "I have also questioned some very cavalier attitudes taken about very complicated issues in the Middle East.
"Israel is in a very, very difficult position. No border that touches Israel is always secure. We need to work to help protect Israel so it doesn't get isolated," he added. "Furthering the peace process in the Middle East is in Israel's interest."
The Republican Jewish Coalition, along with countless others, has cited a long list of Hagel's anti-Israel policies, asserting that his nomination would "be a slap in the face for every American who is concerned about the safety of Israel."
Obama has defended Hagel's record, saying he "is somebody who has done extraordinary work both in the United States Senate, somebody who served this country with valor in Vietnam. And is somebody who's currently serving on my intelligence advisory board and doing an outstanding job."
Sen. Lindsey Graham said on Sunday that Hagel as Secretary of Defense would be "the most antagonistic Secretary of Defense toward the state of Israel" in U.S. history.
"Not only has he said you should directly negotiate with Iran, sanctions won't work, that Israel should directly negotiate with the Hamas organization, a terrorist group that lobs thousands of rockets into Israel, he also was one of 12 senators who refused to sign a letter to the European Union that Hizbullah should be designated as a terrorist organization," Graham said in a television interview.
"He has long severed his ties with the Republican Party. This is an in-your-face nomination by the president," Graham said. "And it looks like the second term of Barack Obama is going to be an in-your-face term."
Our Comment:
True Torah Jews rejects the approach of those who seek to tear down Hagel based on his attitude to the State of Israel. As American citizens, we are loyal to America and we strongly believe that American politicians should be chosen based on whether their positions will be good for America. Also, we don't define someone as an anti-Semite just because he is not an unquestioning supporter of the State of Israel's policies, especially the current right-wing government.
It is interesting that one of the groups attacking Hagel is the same group that attacked President Obama during the elections, a move which True Torah Jews sharply condemned at the time. In the end, we see that their efforts failed miserably, and President Obama won with 69% of the Jewish vote. We are confident that they will fail again in their current campaign against Hagel. These irresponsible individuals don't seem to care about the way the American Jewish community feels about what they say in our name. It seems that their interests are more important to them than the wellbeing of American Jews.
[link to www.truetorahjews.org]
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It's the 25th anniversary of the Apple Macintosh, but Steve Jobs' eyes are dry. At the company headquarters in Silicon Valley, where he was presenting a set of new laptops to the press last October, I mentioned the birthday to him. Jobs recoiled at any suggestion of nostalgia. "I don't think about that," he said. "When I got back here in 1997, I was looking for more room, and I found an archive of old Macs and other stuff. I said, 'Get it away!' and I shipped all that shit off to Stanford. If you look backward in this business, you'll be crushed. You have to look forward."
Here's what's amazing about the Mac as it turns 25, a number that in computer years is just about a googolplex: It can look forward. The Mac's original competition—the green-phosphorus-screened stuff made by RadioShack, DEC, and then-big kahuna IBM—now inhabit landfills, both physically and psychically. Yet the Macintosh is not only thriving, it's doing better than at any time in its history. Much of the attention directed at Apple over the past few years has focused on new products like the iPod and the iPhone. Click wheels and touchscreens have distracted us from the news that the Mac market share has quietly crept into double digits. That's up from barely 3 percent in 1997, just before the prodigal CEO returned to the fold after a 12-year exile. Any way you cut it, the Mac is on the rise while Windows is waning. Roll over, Methusela—the Macintosh is still peaking.
What's behind this autumnal upswing? Apple COO Tim Cook lists six factors: better computers, better software, seamless compatibility with Windows, marketing acumen, successful retail stores, and the belly flop of Microsoft Vista. (Redmond's lame new OS was merely the last straw; over the past two decades, millions have switched from PCs to Macs.) But the larger story of Apple's rebirth begins with the return of its cofounder. Jobs called the company he came back to a "beautiful Porsche speedster that had been sitting in a field. And it got really dirty, covered with mud." He slashed the product line, Picasso-ized the design, launched a wildly successful chain of retail stores, and turned the annual Apple keynote address into the high tech equivalent of a popcorn blockbuster. And yes, Apple did make better computers than its rivals.
There was something else at work, too. Unlike almost anything else dating from the era of Culture Club and The Cosby Show, the Mac has retained its vitality and cachet without ever becoming retro or kitsch. A sense of a cultural divide was there from the very beginning and persists to this day. The skunkworkers behind the Mac were self-styled corporate outcasts who flew a pirate flag and talked trash about the competition. ("We've made almost every computer that's ever been made look completely absurd," Mac teamer vgbfvrn told me back in 1983.) On the very first day I spent with the Mac team members, working on a Rolling Stone story two months before the January 1984 launch, they made it clear that they saw themselves as a new kind of digital hipster—silicon artists determined to take down the faceless giants dominating the industry. They weren't building a computer for some wonks behind a desk; they were building it for themselves. Jobs made the case when we went out for pizza that night (he was lobbying for the Rolling Stone cover). "What if you did a story about what a group of really neat people are doing in the 1980s?" he prodded. "They aren't in the garage with a set of drums and a few guitars. At two in the morning they're in the lab, writing software." (Jobs no longer begs for covers; now he manages the press so well that we beg him.)
Those original Mac rebels (including their leader) are now in their fifties, but the Mac itself has managed to avoid middle-age wrinkles and creaky joints. Forever young, it's associated more with Millennials than geezers, even though many Millennials weren't even born when that famous first commercial—Ridley Scott's "1984" spot—ran during Super Bowl XVIII. The Mac is Obama, Microsoft is McCain. Computer scientist Paul Graham summed it up in a famous online essay in 2007: "Windows," he wrote, "is for grandmas."
That generational perception is why Apple's long-running PC-versus-Mac ad campaign, with the nebbishy John Hodgman portraying the PC, has deeply unhinged Microsoft despite the company's dominant market share. When I mentioned the ads to Bill Gates at the January 2007 Vista launch, he went Vesuvius on me. "I don't know why they're acting superior," he said. "I don't even get it. I mean, do you get it? What are they trying to say? There's not even the slightest shred of truth to it!" But that's not what the public thinks, and the sales figures prove it. Microsoft is now so rattled by Apple's advertising that it's running a $300 million counterpunch. The whole point of the "I'm a PC" campaign is to assure customers that they aren't pathetic losers.
Generally, when products go mass market, they lose their edge. So it's remarkable that with 30 million users, being a Mac person is still a statement. If the Mac share keeps growing, will that stay true? If 50 million people are using Macs, does that mean they're still "thinking different"? How about 100 million?
We may just find out.
Wired – Senior writer Steven Levy (email@example.com), who wrote about Microsoft's Ray Ozzie in issue 16.12, still has his first Mac

subset: commoncrawl


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Chicago Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall began this season the way he finished off the 2012 campaign, a year in which he broke franchise single-season records in catches (118) and receiving yards (1,508). In the first two games this year, Marshall combined for 15 catches, 217 yards and two touchdowns.
Yet since then, he's seen a steady diet of double- and triple-teams from opposing secondaries. As a result, his production has dropped off considerably. The past three weeks combined he has just 16 catches for 161 yards and 1 TD. For some players, that might constitute a solid three-game stretch but for Marshall, one of the most dominant receivers in the league the past seven years, that isn't good enough.
And not surprisingly, amidst Marshall's limited production the past three games, the Bears have gone 1-2 and fell to second place in the NFC North.
"As a receiver, you always want the ball because you think you can help the offense or the team move the ball down the field," Marshall said after last week's loss to the Saints. "The past few weeks have been frustrating, but it's part of the game. Each year is different."
Marshall has expressed his desire for touches throughout his career and this rough stretch is no different.
"If you pay a receiver $10 million, for them to be OK with not being productive, get out of here," said Marshall today. "If I'm a coach or an owner of a team some day and I'm paying a receiver that much money and he's happy and he's not complaining or communicating with me about wanting more, he's got to go.
"It's not a greedy instinct. I broke this down a few years ago. The quarterback touches the ball every single play. He controls the game. Offensive linemen, they don't care about anything outside of their box. Running backs, they're going to touch the ball — they have like 20 opportunities. Wide receivers, it's on everybody: coaching, the offensive line, the guy on the other side, the running game. You only get a few opportunities. So guys, they want to be productive and make plays.
"I think that comes off as selfish, but there's so many other variables that go into a wide receiver being successful. I don't think any receiver ... there might be a few guys out there who really don't care. I don't think any receiver would be happy playing in the NFL and not catching balls. So yeah, I want to catch footballs. I want to score touchdowns."
But the fact remains that Marshall has had guys bracketing him, with cornerbacks underneath and safeties over the top, for three weeks. Unless Jay Cutler is looking to break records for interceptions, it's wise for him to spread the ball around to open receivers, right?
"I mean, yeah, that's obvious but there's so much more that comes into it, like schemes and different things we can do," Marshall said. "Of course it makes sense that you can't throw the ball in double coverage."
Cutler's reluctance to force the ball to Marshall, as he did all of last year, has resulted in some big games for second-year wideout Alshon Jeffery. Last week, Jeffery's 218 receiving yards broke a 58-year-old single-game franchise record. In the long term, that should pay dividends to Marshall, as opposing defenses now must pay Jeffery more attention.
"That's the reason why I wanted him down in Florida with me [this offseason]," said Marshall. "Last year when you look at some of the things teams were able to do to us. You look at the statistics, 40 percent of our passing game came to me or through me. Alshon was banged up. Earl [Bennett] was banged up with a hand a little bit. We didn't have a stable guy on the other side or at the tight end position to really help. Alshon, the only thing with him was just his body, the maturity of his body, getting him strong. Taking those hits so he could go for 218 yards and then turn around and play a game in three or four days. Alshon put in the work and he's definitely getting the reward right now."
For Marshall, the key to dealing with stretches of less-than-ideal production is to put the team first, particularly on game day.
"They're not paying me 10 million bucks just to not make a play. There's validity behind that," Marshall said. "Now it's what you do in that frustration, what do you do when you're angry. Those are the things. Do you blow up? Are you a distraction in the locker room? Are you a cancer, or do you communicate the right way? There are some things I still fail at.
"The first few weeks, Coach Trestman calls it a 'palms up guy.' I'm coming off the sideline like 'man what's going on? It's been three drives?' So I go to coach and say 'man I'm sorry, I won't be a palms up guy,' and I've gotten better. I'll work on that. It's a process. I'm human. I'm still proud of the track that we're on as a team and my role on it."
For his part, Marc Trestman says Marshall has been nothing but a team-first player this season, which is a far stretch from some of his notorious past behavior.
"He's been as important to leading this team as anybody. He's been doing it all winter," Trestman said today. "As I said, he's brought players in here. I mean Alshon Jeffery, he's playing the way he's playing because he spent time offseason with Brandon learning how to treat his body, get himself in shape, how to eat properly. He helped recruit D.J [Williams]. He helped recruit Martellus [Bennett]. I've seen nothing but a guy who when he's been on the field and has worked and has been locked in to try to help this football team. That's what I've seen."
The cure for Marshall's recent woes could come this Thursday when the Bears take on the New York Giants and their porous defense.
"This is my kind of game," said Marshall. "If they're going to double me, that's fine. We'll go to our other guys. But if they're not, man, they're going to have to pay. That's where I'm at: confident. If they want to put one guy out there, [that's why] I get paid."
Jeremy Stoltz is Publisher of BearReport.com and a member of the Pro Football Writers of America. He is in his third season covering the Chicago Bears full time. Follow Bear Report on Twitter and discuss this topic on our message boards. To become a subscriber to the Bear Report Web site or magazine, click here.


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Arthritis & Rheumatism, Volume 62,
November 2010 Abstract Supplement
Abstracts of the American College of
Rheumatology/Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals
Annual Scientific Meeting
Atlanta, Georgia November 6-11, 2010.
HD6: A Novel Antibody That Recognises Cell Surface HLA-B27 Homodimers.
McHugh3, Kirsty, Payeli1, Sravan K., Kollnberger2, Simon, Thiel1, Markus, Shaw2, Jacqueline, Kleber1, Sascha, Wadle1, Andreas
Department of Oncology, University of Zurich
MRC Human Immunology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Oxford
MRC Human Immunology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Oxford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
Possession of HLA-B27 is strongly associated with development of the spondyloarthropathies, including Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS). The mechanism by which HLA-B27 confers this susceptibility is unclear. HLA-B27 forms both heterotrimers (B27) associated with peptide and beta-2-microglobulin, and also heavy chain homodimers (B272). A pathogenic role for these homodimers has been proposed. However, determination of the extent, distribution and triggers of B272 expression have been hampered by the lack of a specific detection reagent. In order to investigate the role of homodimers in AS, we generated an antibody to B272 using phage display technology.
Phage display technology was used to generate monoclonal antibodies specific for B272. Biotinylated recombinant B272 complexes were used for positive selection and heterotrimeric B27 for negative selection of a phage Fab library. One clone selected for further characterisation, HD6, was then sub-cloned to generate a chimeric antibody comprising human Fab2 and murine IgG1 Fc. ELISA was used to confirm its specificity for B272 complexes. For recognition of cell-expressed B272, human B cell lines transfected with HLA-B27 or control HLAs, and AS patient and control peripheral blood mononuclear cells were used and results analysed by FACS. Inhibition of the interaction of B272 with the immunoreceptors KIR3DL1, KIR3DL2 and LILRB2 was determined using transfected and FACS-sorted cell lines.
1) In ELISA, HD6 specifically recognised recombinant B272 but not HLA-A2, B7 or B27 heterotrimers. 2) HD6 bound in FACS to LBL721.220 cells transfected with HLA-B27, which express B272 cell surface homodimers, but not to LBL721.220 B7 or to B27 with Cys 67 mutated to serine (which do not express B272). HD6 also bound the C1R human B cell line transfected with HLA-B27 but not with HLA-A2. 3) Cell surface HD6-reactive HLA-B27 molecules were sensitive to treatment with papain (in 3 independent experiments). 4) HD6 bound in FACS to peripheral blood monocytes from AS patients but not controls. B272 expression on monocytes from AS patients (n=7) was significantly higher when compared to monocytes from B27+ (p=0.01, n=4) or B27- (p=0.06, n=7) healthy individuals, respectively. Low level binding to B27+ B but not T lymphocytes was also observed. 5) HD6 inhibited the binding of the immunoreceptors KIR3DL1, KIR3DL2 and LILRB2 to B272.
A novel phage display-derived monoclonal antibody recognises both recombinant and cell-expressed B272. HD6 stains monocytes from AS patients, implicating these cells in AS pathogenesis. HD6 will be a powerful tool to address the potential pathogenic role of B272 in SpA and may additionally have therapeutic potential.
To cite this abstract, please use the following information:
McHugh, Kirsty, Payeli, Sravan K., Kollnberger, Simon, Thiel, Markus, Shaw, Jacqueline, Kleber, Sascha, et al; HD6: A Novel Antibody That Recognises Cell Surface HLA-B27 Homodimers. [abstract]. Arthritis Rheum 2010;62 Suppl 10 :1973
DOI: 10.1002/art.29738


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For school staff and students alike, returning to the classroom from winter break can be a struggle,
Current subscribers have full access to all online news content as part of their subscription. If you are a current subscriber, please log in with your website account information for full access. If you are a current subscriber, but have not yet registered for access to the website, please call our Circulation Department at (419)281-0581


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DENISON, Texas The winds of fate have not been kind to Central Open competitors this year.
After being hounded by the wind during the last tournament on Kentucky Lake, anglers once again launched to heavy winds and high waves on Lake Texoma.
The site of the final Central Open of the year was unfriendly even during the opening hours of competition.
Elite Series pro Jami Fralick suffered motor failure within minutes of launching and was spotted sprinting back up to the dock to get the spare loaner boat his service crew had brought.
"I think it was a coil," said Fralick, relaying the message that the only thing on his mind was getting back on the water to stay in contention.
By the end of this weekend, three more Bassmaster Classic berths will be awarded. Unlike the Southern Open finale, the race to Shreveport is wide open and Fralick, in fifth, is only 5 points away from a Classic berth.
The rest of the top 10 is also within striking distance. While Jerry Williams holds a sizeable 65-point advantage over second place, the race gets tighter from there on out.
Elite Series pro Rick Clunn (seventh) is only 19 points away from the third and final Classic berth.
Even though Clunn has already qualified, thanks to Bobby Lane's Southern Open performance, a double-up by Clunn here would make Elite Series pro Rick Morris the next man in the Classic.
The Central Open field is littered with Elite Series pros, many of whom are well within striking distance of their own Classic berth.
One of those Elites is Bradley Hallman, who has been haunted by the talk of big bags.
"I haven't been having a good practice," said Hallman. "That worries me because everyone I've talked to is smashing them."
That may be true, but if there is one thing Elite Series pros have become good at, it's embellishing their stories and underestimating their own potential.
Elite Pro Preston Clark (currently 15th in the points) was more calm and collected when assessing his chances of landing in the Classic.
"I have a very good chance to finish in the top 10, but I'm probably going to have to win the whole thing and lead for a day or two to have a shot at the Classic," said Clark.
"I think I can do it I mean, someone will and it might as well be me."
It is worth noting that the Central Opens sport a large Louisiana contingent, all focused on making the Classic this February on the Red River. After Boyd Duckett broke the home-water jinx with his victory in 2006, it is very believable a local angler could walk away with the coveted trophy in 2009.
Homer Humphreys, fourth in the Central Open points, certainly doesn't think it is out of the question. A Red River rat living fewer than 30 minutes from the lake, Humphreys likes his chances in the Classic, should he snare a berth here this week.
"I've had quite a few first- and second-place finishes out there, so you could say I'm looking forward to it," said Humphreys jokingly. "I've had calls from a few guys already saying 'I wish you well this week Homer, but I sure hope you don't make it (the Classic)."
The Classic picture will begin to get clearer after the Day One weigh-in, which begins at 4:35 p.m. ET from Highport Marina.
Visit Bassmaster.com for full coverage of the Central Open 3 from Lake Texoma, Texas., Oct. 30-Nov. 1, 2008. Daily weigh-ins with live streaming video and real-time leaderboards start at 4:35 p.m. ET.


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Howard University Med Students Petition Bravo To Cancel "Married To Medicine"
Med students from Howard University College Of Medicine started a Change.org petition to urge Bravo to cancel a new reality show, "Married To Medicine." The reality TV program set to debut on March 24 portrays the ups-and-downs for black women doctors and doctors' wives/socialites in Atlanta.
According to Bravo's web site, the show only features two black women who are doctors: Dr. Jacqueline Waters and Dr. Simone Whitmore, who are both OBGYNs. The other stars of the show are all doctors' wives — from various ethnic backgrounds — who work, raise children and do volunteer work.
"Married To Medicine" looks to have the same charity-attending-ball-gown-wearing-wine-glass-throwing subplots as other Bravo reality shows, albeit with an inside peek at the world of medicine (as well as what goes on at home). And that's why Change.org petitioners want it canceled.
According to the petition:
Black female physicians only compose 1 percent of the American workforce of physicians. Due to our small numbers, the depiction of Black female doctors in media, on any scale, highly affects the public's view on the character of all future and current African American female doctors. Bravo's "Married to Medicine" not only exploits the 6 lives of its Black female cast members, but, through its advertisements and commercials, heavily associates Black females in medicine with materialism, "cat fights", and unprofessionalism.
The petition requests Bravo cancel the program "for the sake of integrity and character of black female physicians" over concern that the depiction of these women onscreen and their association with medicine will hinder black women in their careers.
I'm sympathetic to the Change.org petition because I don't trust that Bravo's crack team of video editors won't exploit the content of "Married To Medicine" to portray the usual "ratchet TV" stereotypes. But if I'm being honest, I also think this show doesn't sound that bad — and on the contrary, maybe even interesting or a little inspiring. Female doctors are a fresh topic for reality TV and problematic as reality TV may be, I'd be more interested in watching the adventures of doctors than watching more of anyone's "wives."
[Clutch Magazine]
[Madame Noire]
Contact the author of this post at [email protected] Follow me on Twitter.


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Motte and Garcia to rehab in Springfield this weekend
By Springfield Cardinals | May 1, 2014 5:34 PM ET
Springfield, MO - The St. Louis Cardinals have announced that Cardinals RHP Jason Motte and LHP Jaime Garcia will join the Springfield Cardinals on Rehab Assignments at Hammons Field this weekend. Garcia is scheduled to start Sunday's 2:10pm game against the Tulsa Drillers and Motte is also expected to join the team.
In addition to the great lineup of promotions this weekend, don't miss the two big league pitchers make their return to Hammons Field as the Cardinals take on Tulsa for the four-game series. Click below to get your tickets right now.
Motte, 31, continues his return from Tommy John surgery after tying for the National League lead with 42 saves during an excellent 2012 campaign. That year, the Port Huron, Michigan native became the first pitcher in Cardinals history to record every save for the team during an entire season. He also became the 4th Cardinals pitcher to save 40 or more games in a season, and just the 5th to log 20 saves before the All-Star Break.
That all followed a 2011 campaign in which Motte set the Cardinals single-season record for most appearances by a righthanded pitcher with a career-high 78. He also set Cardinals records with 12 appearances and five saves in the postseason that year, playing a huge role in helping the Cardinals win the 2011 World Series. Despite missing the 2013 campaign, Motte leads all Cardinals pitchers with 270 appearances since 2009. He was selected by the Cardinals in the 19th round of the 2003 June Draft and suited up in Springfield in parts of the 2005-07 seasons.
Garcia, 27, was also a huge part of the 2011 World Championship winning team, going 13-7 with a 3.56 ERA through a career-high 32 starts and 194.2 innings. He also set a career-high that year with 156 strikeouts during the regular season, before making five starts in the postseason. Garcia started two games in the 2011 World Series and posted a 1.80 ERA, the lowest ERA by a Cardinals pitcher making two starts in the same World Series since Danny Cox registered a 1.29 ERA in two starts in 1985.
Garcia took the big leagues by storm in a breakout 2010 rookie season, going 13-8 with a 2.70 ERA through 28 starts. He was named to the Topps, Baseball Digest and Baseball America All-Rookie Teams, finishing 3rd in the National League Rookie of the Year voting. Selected by the Cardinals in the 22nd round of the 2005 June Draft, Garcia was a member of the 2007 and 2008 Springfield Cardinals, before making a previous rehab start in Springfield in 2012.
Click here to get your tickets to see Jason Motte and Jaime Garcia at Hammons Field.
Don't miss the 2013 National League Championship Replica Ring Giveaway and $1 Brats tonight
The Cardinals continue the homestand with the St. Louis Cardinals 2013 National League Championship Replica Ring Giveaway for 2,500 fans this Thursday. Thursday is also a "Buck a Brat" Night with $1 bratwursts at the ballpark, as well as an AT&T Dreams Come True Sweepstakes Night. First Pitch is 7:10pm, gates open at 6:10pm.
The homestand will also include the AM Pyrotechnics Friday Night Fireworks featuring Music from the 90s on Friday, May 2, the Price Cutter and Bar-S Foods 10th Season T-Shirt Giveaway (2,500) on Saturday, May 3 and much, much more. Click below to view the complete schedule.
For information about becoming a Season Ticket Holder, organizing a Group Outing, booking a The Cup Birthday Party or ordering Individual Game Tickets right now, call the Front Office at (417) 863-2143 or visit SpringfieldCardinals.com.
Click here for the Cardinals full 2014 Promotional Schedule and to get your tickets right now.
Escape to Cardinals Baseball!
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.View More


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Clergy used to rank near the top in polls asking Americans to rate the honesty and ethics of people in various professions. This year, for the first time since Gallup began asking the question in 1977, fewer than half of those polled said clergy have "high" or "very high" moral standards.
But opinions on clergy differed markedly by party, with Republicans viewing them far more favorably than Democrats.
Overall, 47 percent of respondents to the survey gave clergy "high" or "very high" ratings, a sharp drop in confidence from the 67 percent of Americans who viewed them this way in 1985.
Among Republicans, 63 percent gave clergy one of the two top ratings for ethics, compared with 40 percent of Democrats.
In a piece accompanying the poll, Gallup Senior Editor Jeffrey M. Jones wrote that Republicans might think more highly of clergy, police and military officers "because those people work in traditional institutions in American society, which Republicans may hold in greater esteem because of their generally conservative ideology."
"Greater religiosity among Republicans than among Democrats also factors in to Republicans' higher ratings of clergy," Jones added.
Young people aged 29-34 tend to rate professionals more highly than those 55 and older, but the pattern does not hold for clergy. Less than one in three young people (32 percent) give clergy high moral marks, compared with 50 percent of those 55 and older.
This may be because young people tend to be less religious than older people, Jones writes.
This year, clergy took a back seat to nurses, pharmacists, schoolteachers, medical doctors, military and police officers.
Nurses are the most trusted and have been nearly every year since Gallup added them to the poll in 1999, with 82 percent of people saying they rank high or very high on the ethical spectrum. Clergy came in seventh of the 22 professions ranked.
The overall trend for clergy has sloped downward since 2001, with Gallup pollsters attributing the slide to scandals involving the sexual abuse of minors.
"The Catholic priest abuse stories from the early 2000s helped lead to a sharp drop in Americans' ratings of clergy, a decline from which the profession has yet to fully recover," Gallup Managing Editor Art Swift wrote about the poll.
But the Rev. J.C. Austin of Auburn Theological Seminary suggests another reason that the clergy's reputation has suffered. Too often, he said, divisive clergy overshadow those working toward the common good.
"We saw that this year, in particular, around the marriage equality debates when voices of faith were represented as the opposition even though countless people of faith fought for marriage equality precisely because their faith compelled them to do so," he said.
Though clergy seem to be dropping in the nation's esteem, they are far from the bottom of the list. Reading from the bottom up, the poll ranks lobbyists, members of Congress, car sales people, state office holders and advertising practitioners as the least ethical.
The poll of 1,031 Americans was conducted Dec. 5-8 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.
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Sean Slevin, LPC, LMFT, NCC
Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, National Certified Counselor
250 East Market Street, Suite D, Harrisonburg, Virginia 22801
Depression can vary from a vague sense of unhappiness and disquiet to crippling experiences of hopelessness that feel as though they will swallow you completely. Regardless of how your depression is manifesting, you cannot work through it alone. I would be honored to help you grow and heal such that you experience hope, joy and peace again (or perhaps for the first time). You do not have to be stuck in the darkness of depression--our brains are built with the ability to heal, and I would love to help you experience that.
Rebecca Norris, Psychologists, LCPCs, LCSWs and MD
Appalachian Behavioral Health Center (301)724-7277
507 Henderson Avenue, Cumberland, Maryland 21502
The patient will learn to seek out and recognize the positive aspects of living. Everyone should have the privilege of waking up and looking forward to their day!! We teach effective ways to deal with and beat Depression. Our trained therapists will help the client identify the root cause of their depression. Sometimes clients don't know HOW or do not give themselves permission to be happy! Our goal is to dig to the root of the patient's depression and work as a team to be free in one's own mind and body!!
John Raymond, MA, MS, LPC
Licensed Professional Counselor
160 Warrior Dr., Stephens City, Virginia 22655
Feeling isolated, listless, and just plain down? Can't figure out what is going on? Or know what is going on but don't know what to do about it? People telling you to "just cheer up, look at your life it ain't that bad" or "Christians don't get depressed"? Well, they do. I hope that I can help you with your process of healing. I may not have all the answers, but I have an ear. Contact me.
Virginia Center for Family Relations, LPC & LMFT
Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
100 B Mactanly Place, Staunton, Virginia 24401
Depression is another natural , common emotion for all of us. It it what we tell ourselves and how we process it that allows for it to get to an unhealthy level. Our therapist takes a cognitive approach to help individuals deal with their depression. We also takes a "here and now approach", helping one move beyond the past and learn not to worry about the future or "what if's". The use of the behavioral approaches, such as staying active, exercising, eating healthy play a significant role in battling depression.
Linda Shreve, LPC
Psychotherapist, MS, LPC, NCC
Morgantown Mall, 5000 Greenbag Road, E7, Morgantown, West Virginia 26501
Depression affects many individuals, and often, individuals are not aware that depression is causing them to feel bad and they may struggle to understand what is happening to cause them to feel sad, to not want to get out of bed, to lose interests in things they once enjoyed, or to withdraw from family and friends and the people they love the most. For some, thoughts of harming themselves or even ending their life seems like the only solutions to the misery and agony they experience. I will help individuals learn to recognize and understand symptoms of depression and how to better manage their mood by learning to identify stressors and triggers and then learning to apply Cognitive and Dialectical Behavioral strategies to help alleviate depression. In...(view profile to read more)
Terry Chapman, MSW, LICSW
Independent Clinical Social Worker
118 Adams Street, Suite 203, Fairmont, West Virginia 26555
Feeling depressed from time to time is part of the human experience. However, medical depression which is chronic and/or acute can be debilitating and painful. Depression is a complex issue with no one clear contributing factor. As a therapist, I work with individuals to determine what factors contribute to each individual's feelings of depression. I then help clients identify existing strengths and skills they can use to increase a sense of well-being. In addition, I teach new skills to further empower individuals in managing their mood.


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Orbital's live rig
Discuss musical topics that are not directly 808 State related.
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Orbital's live rig
I never got into Orbital. They have a strong following. Some decent tracks Chime, Satan etc. When the electronica/IDM era came around a lot of that music went in one ear and out the other. Didn't really get into it. I guess it was a bit boring.
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Mental Health
Have Mental Health Questions? Ask a Psychiatrist Online
I believe I can help you with your concern
I can understand your concern about finding this content on her Kindle. May I ask, what exactly are you trying to find out by asking more questions? If she wants a lesbian relationship with someone, may have been intimate with a woman in the past or recently, thinks she may not be heterosexual anymore, etc..?
Okay, well that makes sense then. Well first you can her how long she has had fantasies about women and to what extent (erotica, companionship, relationship, etc...)
Has she ever been with a woman before? Was this before meeting you or after meeting you?
Is she still attracted to you would be another good question?
Also does she masturbate to this literature or fantasies? That would judge the extent of her fantasies and how much she is infatuated with them
Another question to ask, but I would do it later it in the conversation and if she has expressed interest in developing a sexual relationship with a woman would be to ask if she wanted to add a woman in your sex life with your wife
It is uncommon to be honest, but many women out there are just attracted to the female body and lesbian erotic literature, but do not act on it or want to in real life.
They are mostly just fascinated and admire the lesbian erotica and female form
It would not hurt going to couple's therapy to explore the extent of this as well
Well I think usually these thoughts develop when you are a young adult, but if you do not act on them or experiment at that time, then by the time she hit middle-age she started to get a desire to explore that before it was too late and this is why it may have triggered this compulsion that she is talking about.
Well i would talk to her first and see if this is very ingrained and these interests is lesbian erotica are at a point where she wants to act on them. If they are, then I would suggest couple's therapy to discuss why these interests popped up and what she wants to accomplish with them. It is possible couple's therapy may establish that this is just a phase and it will pass


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Gujarati Soni Brides
Gujarati Soni Brides at Truejodi matrimony service - Find thousands of verified Gujarati Soni matrimonial brides, girls profiles at Gujarati Soni matrimonials for best matches and marriage. Join at safe Gujarati Soni brides matrimonial service to quick search beautiful Gujarati Soni brides profile by ID, photos and more to find best match, your life partner. Register Now Free and post your Gujarati Soni bride profile right away!
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Health, Wealth & Happiness
Short. Writer/Director/Producer. A dark, magical horror fairytale. One Of The Albion Tales.
Short. Writer/Director/Producer. A dark, magical horror fairytale. One Of The Albion Tales.
Short. Writer/Director/Producer. A real estate scam starring Olivia Poulet, Lisa Kerr, Bally Gill. One Of The Albion Tales. IMDB
Short. Writer/Director/Producer. A noir thriller starring Daniel Caltagirone and Lucy Cudden. One Of The Albion Tales. IMDB
Shorts. Writer/Director/Producer. A set of three dark, interlocking tales set in a mysterious contemporary London. Shooting Summer 2016.
Short. Writer/Director/Producer. Finalist Soho House House Shorts Competition. IMDB / WATCH
SF Comedy. Writer/Producer. A low-grade civil servant is accidentally promoted to the highest levels of the global oligarchy that actually controls our world. SITE
Short. Writer/Director. A bully finds himself in an unforgiving netherworld - and he's not alone. IMDB
"Behind The Curtain". Documentary. Producer. Editor. Behind the scenes at Madrid's Royal Opera House. IMDB
Writer/Producer. Two women lock their mutual boyfriend in a cellar for cheating but discover his crimes are darker. From an original theatrical play.
Director. Musical performance for Catalan precussion group Kasammba shot in Girona, Spain. TRAILER
Commercial, music video, documentary, expermental and so on. Some of it over at COMPLEXITY.


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VTU Online filling examination Application form and Hall ticket printout details for 3,4,5,6,7,8 sem
Bangalore, 1 November 2012: VTU Online filling examination forms will be enabled through web based application and the same is available on www.examform.vtu.ac.in from the dates as mentioned below. The college shallmake arrangements to submit the application forms of all the candidates.
The schedule is as detailed below: For all the UG and PG cources offered under VTU university (except the 1st sem UG and PG) the online application forms must be filled between 30th October 2012 to 8th November 2012. However students can pay the penalty of Rs.250 and extend the date to !0th November 2012.
Procedure for Filling the Online Applications:
-Applications submission has to be done through the EMX coordinator.
-The principals are requested to instruct all the heads of the departments to make arrangements for candidat wise online filling of application forms from the staff designated for this purpose from the Department.
Students need to approach designated staff of their department to apply for examinations
-On the request of the students and on Payment fee, online applications shall be submitted by the designated staff members.
-A printout of application thus submitted shall be taken to get the students signature, which shall be approved by the HOD and Principal's representative.
-Prncipals of respective institution shall make the arrangements to submit the consolidated list of applications to the respective regional offices of the University along with a DD for the fee collected drawn in the favour of Finance Officer, VTU Belgaum within Seven days from the last date.
Admission Ticket:
-List of students submitted shall be approved by the principlal.
-On aproval from the principal, Admission tickets of such candidates shall be generated and a printout in triplucate shall be taken. Photograph of the concerned students shall be pasted on all the three copies.
-The admission tickets with photo shall be attested by the Principal/HOD.
-One copy of the admission ticket to be provided to the student, which will be the valid document for the students to enter into the examination Hall.
-The college Shall retain one copy and the other copy shall be submitted to the respetive regional offices.
Application Fee:
Apllication processing fee of Rs.10 per candidate may be collected, out of which colleges may deduct Rs.5 per candidate towards application processing and printing charges and remaining Rs.5 shall be submitted to the university along with the examination and marks card fee in a single DD as stated above.


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"Hey, watch where you're going!" the orc growls as he turns to meet the clumsy fool that ran into him.
|Faelyn Sindrel
"The man you just barreled into!" Truk roars.
"Who is this whelp?" the big orc asks the two women.
|baldwin the merciful
|Faelyn Sindrel
What an oaf. I guess the troops are looking for some extra muscle. Let's see if we can get a rise out of him. You are using that word rather loosely don't you think? Faelyn smirks at the large "man".
Ready to blink away if he attacks.
|Lucrezia Villanova
Lucrezia steps between Truk and Faelyn. "Faelyn, this is Orn's brother Truk-tosh. Truk-tosh, this Faelyn, our mage who will be competing in that contest that I mentioned."
Lucrezia will turn her back on Truk for the moment so that she can face Faelyn. "Once the others get here, are you up for looking around the are where the match will take place? I do mean both inside and out. I would like to get a feel for the surrounding are and mark the areas where we could likely expect any ambushes when we leave and know all the quickest routes away from it. Since the reigning champion has been reigning for a while now, he may take being beat rather hard and plan for something bad after the match."
|Faelyn Sindrel
Truk's growl rises in his throat as the elf issues his challenge. He takes an aggressive step forward but stops when Lucrezia intervenes.
"Of course he's your wizard. F***ing wizards…"
"Lead the way then beautiful, before your elf makes me break my word."
|Faelyn Sindrel
Faelyn reaches in his robe and pulls out a set of harrow cards. He dexterously shuffles the cards and then shoots a card with his right hand on the ground infront of the half orc. The bear...that figures.
Truk glares at Faelyn and his cards with an intensity that suggests he might attack after all.
He holds the position for a long tense moment before busting into a fit of roaring laughter.
"You may be a slip of an elf but you've got a pair on you", he says between laughs. "Call me a bear if you like, just remember what they say about sleeping bears."
"Tell me about this little game you're dragging us to tomorrow."
|Orsino 'Orsin' Bessatte
"No, I'm good," Orsin remarks smiling at Andrea's stunning triumph. On their way out Orsin whispers to the cleric, "Nicely done. Perhaps we should start calling you 'High Inquisitor'?" He elbows her playfully as they move on to the next interrogatee.
|Faelyn Sindrel
Faelyn lets out a laugh as well (and a hidden sigh of relief). It is a gladiatorial event where you fight with your summons. It is new to me. I have been doing some research, but I will be at a disadvantage tomorrow.
"I'm afraid I don't know much about enemies in the night or corrupt government angles", the big orc admits. "But I figure your dwarf and Lucrezia here didn't ask me along for my smarts."
Truk finishes with a grin in the varisian woman's direction.
"So you're going to pit your biggest beast against another wizard's and this other wizard has the edge on you in experience at the very least", Truk summarizes. "Have you thought about evening the odds?"
When the next prisoner is hauled out Andrea will cast Suggestion on him.
DC 18 with my Charming trait boosting it from 17 to 18
You influence the actions of the target creature by suggesting a course of activity (limited to a sentence or two). The suggestion must be worded in such a manner as to make the activity sound reasonable. Asking the creature to do some obviously harmful act automatically negates the effect of the spell.
The suggested course of activity can continue for the entire duration. If the suggested activity can be completed in a shorter time, the spell ends when the subject finishes what it was asked to do. You can instead specify conditions that will trigger a special activity during the duration. If the condition is not met before the spell duration expires, the activity is not performed.
A very reasonable suggestion causes the save to be made with a penalty (such as -1 or -2).
Well now, we would like you to answer our questions truthfully so we can all get home as quick and safely as possible.
|Faelyn Sindrel
|baldwin the merciful
"The wolf is fierce but wise enough to know when he faces a stronger opponent. He will strike hard and fast in order to hobble his prey and then withdraw. He only returns to finish the task once the bleeding has weakened his opponent."
"This other wizard is more experienced than you but his resources still have their limits. What if he were attacked before your bout and forced to use his most powerful spells defending himself? I believe that would put the two of you on more even ground."
|Faelyn Sindrel
Well now. You were in command of at least the forces going after the Grulios, correct? Did you report to anyone else in particular? Do you know where the warehouse you were barracked in is in the city? Did you meet any of the nobles who hired your group personally and who were they?
Feel free to chip in anyone if they have questions.
"We needn't hurt him, even if he is a rotten wizard. We just need to scare him - make it look like a mugging or a robbery. After he blows some of his big flashy spells, we make a break for it."
|Faelyn Sindrel
It is risky, but genius. We need to avoid this happening to me as well. I can not believe I did not see this. Faelyn walks over and offers his hand to Truk. You are going to be an asset to this group.
|Lucrezia Villanova
"We were told that injuring or weakening another contestant pre-contest is forbidden. So that idea is out. Too risky we will be identified as the ones behind it and we would lose out on the information."
|baldwin the merciful
|Faelyn Sindrel
Truk takes the offered hand and swallows it up within his meaty grip as he shakes it.
"We were told that injuring or weakening another contestant pre-contest is forbidden. So that idea is out. Too risky we will be identified as the ones behind it and we would lose out on the information."
"You didn't seem like the sort to worry about the rules", the big orc says with a frown. "If you don't think we can pull it off without getting Faelyn disqualified, he's going to have to do this the hard way."
|Lucrezia Villanova
Lucrezia puts her hands at her hips as she attempts to start down Truk. "Well Trouble, exactly what "sort" do I seem like to you? And as for pulling it off, I'd rather not risk an attack of any kind. This fellow may well be a useful source of future information in addition to what we need now and I would prefer we didn't piss the fellow off."
Andrea does consider oneor two more questions.
Where were you supposed to regroup after your mission was done? Did you ever see any Dottari or Hellknights who were..'agreeable' with what you were doing? I am just wondering if there were any bribes handed out.
Lucrezia puts her hands at her hips as she attempts to start down Truk. "Well Trouble, exactly what "sort" do I seem like to you?"
Truk answers her challenging gaze with his own.
"The sort that breaks the rules if she has to, to get a job done; the sort that takes what she wants and doesn't apologize after; the sort that isn't afraid of trouble..."
The big orc steps in closer as he speaks. His voice grows deeper and huskier with each word, until he's right on top of Lucrezia and he can barely be heard except by her.
"...not even big trouble."
|Lucrezia Villanova
Lucrezia holds her ground as the big half-orc advances upon her. "I am not afraid of any trouble. No matter how big or small." Lucrezia glances down as she she says the word, 'small'. "And I have broken my fair share of rules when needed, but I'm trying to learn when it is and when it isn't smart to do so."
Truk grins when Lucrezia's gaze travels down.
"I don't know if you're ready for that kind of trouble", he says with a laugh.
"But have it your way - this is your show. I'm just here to provide the muscle. It's your elf that's going to suffer."
|Orsino 'Orsin' Bessatte
Andrea will have the prisoner taken back to his room after the questioning is done and then go talk to Maurice.
Well we got everything we could out of them. We did consider releasing them onto the streets and then following them back to whereever they might go. Might allow us to see who else they are working with and perhaps ambush THEM! What do you think?
However, I am very certain that this should not be done until we inform the others and make sure we are in top form. I have use dmany of my miracles today and thus if we get intoa fight I will not be able to use very useful spells such as protecting us from fire. So, we might have to give this a pass.
Andrea suddenly looks inspired. I do however have that scroll of scrying that we recovered from the Crux that we could use to scry on the sergant if we get some of his personal possessions. However, I have only the one scroll and there is no guerentee that we will be able to fidn the ones we want.
"If keeping an eye on some one is required. That's something I am reasonable at..." She says quietly.
High sneak skill. Ninja stuffs. Disguise skill. Shadow hould be able to follow some one all right. (^_^)
At the fate of Sunny Shadow's features darken and the looks she spares the captives is filled with menace. She retains her composure, however and replies.
"Yes...but Sunny was on the edges of a fight. The idea is for me to not even be seen in the first place." Shadow points out.
Shadow nods...though sparing a glare hostile enough to strip paint towards the helpless figure.
|baldwin the merciful
Andrea does consider oneor two more questions.
Where were you supposed to regroup after your mission was done? Did you ever see any Dottari or Hellknights who were..'agreeable' with what you were doing? I am just wondering if there were any bribes handed out.
"Yeh, I saw some dottari hanging around, talking to the Captain. Couldn't really describe them though but I did over hear 'em once. Said something about a council is watching, not sure what it meant." He stops, "Water...we were to meet back a the warehouse if all went well, if this went south there were two rabbit holes to get to that lead through the sewers."
|baldwin the merciful
|Maurice Greenhelm, NPC, Dottari
Andrea will have the prisoner taken back to his room after the questioning is done and then go talk to Maurice.
Well we got everything we could out of them. We did consider releasing them onto the streets and then following them back to whereever they might go. Might allow us to see who else they are working with and perhaps ambush THEM! What do you think?
"Not sure if the Missepe's, who are set to take the prisoner's, will agree to turning them free. There was talk on turning them over to authorites for what it's worth. Besides, if they hit a dottari holding cell, I sort of believe, they will be freed on there own. Sounds like some powerful and connected noble houses are involved." He shrugs, "That may be way, to see who bails them out, but then again getting captured could be death sentence if they think you talked." There is long pause, "Both Grulios and Missepe respect you all, and what you've been fighting for, they may listen and agree with your idea."
Maurice hands you a small locket and clothing the Sergeant had on him.
|Faelyn Sindrel
When Lucrezia says small and looks down, Faelyn laughs out loud. Maybe the cards should have picked a worm! Don't worry Bear...I've got an enlarge spell for you! Faelyn quickly blinks away fifteen feet.
|baldwin the merciful
When Lucrezia says small and looks down, Faelyn laughs out loud. Maybe the cards should have picked a worm! Don't worry Bear...I've got an enlarge spell for you! Faelyn quickly blinks away fifteen feet.
The wizard's comment takes a couple seconds to begin registering in Bear's face, providing the spellcaster ample opportunity to get out of reach.
Truk is secure enough underneath his leather kilt that neither Lucrezia's jab nor Faelyn's followup get much of a reaction.
"So did you still want to scout the area being used for this competition?"


text:
Cherrymat Cherry Pitter
- Online Only
- Summary
Making the most of fresh summer cherries has never been easier. Pitting up to 25 pounds of cherries in an hour, this efficient tool uses a stainless-steel plunger to neatly punch the stones out of whole cherries, leaving the fruit intact. The pits are automatically collected in a waste container for easy disposal.
- Pitted cherries are perfect for baking, canning and preserving—or enjoy them in chilled desserts and homemade ice cream.
- Super-efficient pitter can process up to 25 pounds of cherries in a single hour.
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- A nonskid pad on the base anchors the pitter firmly to the countertop.
- Quickly disassembles for easy cleaning.
- Dishwasher safe.
- 10 1/2" x 4 1/2" x 6" high; 15.8 oz.
- Made in the Czech Republic.
- Shipping
Shipping Information
UPS can deliver most in-stock items within 4-5 business days. UPS is unable to deliver to P.O. boxes.
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The shipping rate varies depending on your order total and shipping destination. View Shipping Options and Charges.
Next Day Delivery
For an additional charge of $17.50 per address, we can expedite delivery to most destinations. This service is not available for some oversize items, items shipped directly from the supplier (including perishable and custom-manufactured items), out-of-stock items and items to be shipped outside the contiguous 48 states.
Orders received by 9:00 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Thursday will arrive the next business day; orders placed Friday through Sunday will arrive on the following Tuesday.
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At Williams Sonoma, we take great pride in the quality and craftsmanship of our products. Attention to design, materials, safety and construction are our priority. Upon receipt, please inspect your purchase and notify us of any damage; we will arrange for a prompt replacement.
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For all cutlery returns (knife sets, single knives, cutting boards, knife sharpeners, and knife storage) please contact us at 888.922.4108 to initiate the return.
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Made to Order and Final Sale Furniture items are non-returnable, and cannot be cancelled once the order is placed.
For returns of items purchased from your Williams Sonoma Gift Registry, we will gladly provide a refund or exchange for the merchandise within 90 days of your event or within 90 days of purchase, whichever date is later. View Full Returns Policy.
Rated 3 out of 5 by Okicook from Broken Base The Cherry Pitter arrived quickly but the base which is plastic was broken. The top mechanism appears to work well. There was no padding in the box. I would recommend buying it in the store where you can check that there are no broken parts.Date published: 2017-01-31Rated 5 out of 5 by turquoise from Excellent Purchase I love big dark sweet cherries but not the seeds. Have looked for a cherry pitter for years and when I went on line to WS saw this one. Had good reviews so I ordered. Great purchase and I cant believe how perfectly and easily it works. Now I can have sweet cherries everyday until they are off the market. Going to see if this product works with Olives.Date published: 2016-07-21Rated 3 out of 5 by NYKitchenGal from Not perfect If cherries are the right size, this is great. However, if the cherries are too big for the slot where they line up with the plunger, this does not work well. That said, it does split the fruit in two for you, making it easier to remove the pit by hand and not shredding the cherries.Date published: 2016-07-20Rated 4 out of 5 by LacyL from Really fun to use! This is faster than the hand-pitter, so works well for pies, tarts and galettes; my only caution is that the pits don't actually come out of the cherries very easily; about half of them pop out but remain attached and you have to go over each one to pick the pit off and discard it. It is still pretty fast, and fun to use, but that half the cherries don't pit like you would hope earns it 4 instead of 5 stars.Date published: 2016-07-08Rated 5 out of 5 by PatPatPatPat from The Easiest Cherry Pitter There Is . The Germans have the most wonderful cherries in the world, (I lived there once, so I know.)so they had to have mastered the craft of removing their insides - and they did! This thing is so easy to work that it's unbelievable. Great little tool! Just pull up a little bit on the plunger to dislodge the cherry that may be stuck to the plunger after you whack it down. Fast and easy and fun!!!Date published: 2015-06-24Rated 3 out of 5 by meadowmoondancer from Processes quickly This tool is a balance of terrific and problematic. I purchased it to pit beach plums for jam. Most of my plums are similar in size or smaller than cherries. We had the largest crop in my 40 year memory of harvesting them from our little property. The pitter worked very quickly on the thousands of plums. Its plunger is larger than on the other pitters (the other pitters I have are Progressive brand 4 cherry punch) I have used, so it pushed through more flesh into the waste bin than I would like. The clear plastic waste bin has developed cracks at the two corners nearest the plunger after using it for a number of quarts. It hasn't fully broken, but I am afraid that it will soon. The plunger spike that pits the fruit has to go through a little guard with a + shaped hole in it. Even though I was careful to line the guard up in its slot, the plunger chewed up two of the supplied guards in the two times I used it. Hopefully, one can purchase extras of these.Date published: 2014-10-06Rated 5 out of 5 by Beachgolfer from Easy and Fun To Use With cherries abundant, delicious and well-priced this summer, I ordered this to ease the chore of pitting. That it does! Also, it was lots of fun to use with my 9-year-old twin granddaughters, who love to help in the kitchen. If your kids or grandkids want to help pit cherries with this, I recommend that you hold the unit so it doesn't tip while they push down the lever.Date published: 2014-08-08Rated 5 out of 5 by sashasmomma from Excellent cherry pitter... This thing works great. Worth every penny even if you don't use it very often.Date published: 2014-08-08


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Last night as I was channel surfing, I came across Breakfast at Tiffany's on Zee Studio. It's one of those films you just have to stop and watch, no matter where you're watching from. I managed to catch the last scene.
The influence of Breakfast at Tiffany's on popular culture cannot even be measured. One of my favourite television shows, Gossip Girl paid a tribute to it through Blair's dream.
I love trench-coats. Doesn't Leighton Meester do a good Audrey Hepburn?
When I travelled to the UK, I posed with Audrey Hepburn's wax statue at Madame Tussaud's. The Moon River soundtrack plays overhead. The picture unfortunately is only imprinted in my mind. My cousin promised to give us the photos and we haven't seen them. 😦 Below is a picture of what it looks like though.
Closer to home, a Breakfast at Tiffany's image has been tweaked for a popular advertising campaign.
Tanishq jewellers have a store at Shoppers' Stop in Juhu and therefore, the image has made it's way on to a carry bag. Click on the link to my earlier post to see what it looks like: No Riksha Day Outfit
And even closer to me is a bag I picked up at Loose Ends in Mumbai. When I went for the last day of the Kala Ghoda Arts' Festival, I was wearing my new dress from Golmaal. I felt very Mad Men inspired and thought I must carry my Audrey Hepburn bag. You should watch Mad Men for its vintage fashion. The television show is based on America in the 60s, the same time Breakfast at Tiffany's released.
Photograph: Aniruddha Guha
Do you love Breakfast at Tiffany's too? Share your fondness because you know Alice loves to hear. 🙂


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A double star in which the components orbit a common centre of gravity and are gravitationally bound to each other. Many stars in the Galaxy and the Universe are binary stars.
The Planets
This Month's Guide
Algol Minima
Algol eclipse dates and times for July
Meteor Shower
Southern Delta Aquariids (Aquarids) meteor shower peaks on July 29
Northern Hemisphere
West:- Mercury (mag. -0.5 to +0.3) (second half of month)
Southwest:- Jupiter (mag. -2.0)
South:- Saturn (mag. +0.2)
West:- Jupiter
South:- Saturn
East:- Neptune (mag. +7.8)
Southwest:- Saturn
South:- Neptune
Southeast:- Uranus (mag. +5.8)
East:- Venus (mag. -4.1)
Southern Hemisphere
West:- Mercury (second half of month)
Northwest:- Jupiter
East:- Saturn
West:- Jupiter
North:- Saturn
East:- Neptune
West:- Saturn
North:- Neptune
Northeast:- Venus, Uranus
Deep Sky
Small telescopes:-
Messier 13 - M13 - Great Hercules Globular Cluster
Messier 92 - M92 - Globular Cluster
Messier 11 - M11 - The Wild Duck Cluster (Open Cluster)
Messier 7 - M7 - The Ptolemy Cluster (Open Cluster)
Messier 6 - M6 - The Butterfly Cluster (Open Cluster)
Messier 4 - M4 - Globular Cluster
Messier 8 - M8 - Lagoon Nebula (Emission Nebula)
Messier 16 - M16 - Eagle Nebula (Emission Nebula with Open Cluster)
Messier 20 - M20 - Trifid Nebula (Emission and Reflection Nebula)
If you like the website and want to contribute to the running costs then please do so below. All contributions are most welcome.


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TOP STORY>> Banks still at odds on branch
By Sara Greene
Leader staff writer
Bank of the Ozarks is set to complete its purchase of a property in Jacksonville after Arkansas Bank Commissioner Robert H. Bunny Adcock announced Monday that the bank can build a branch at 901 W. Main St. despite a protest from another bank, which says Jack-sonvilles economy cannot support more competition.
The new bank will be in Hastings Center, where the old Long John Silvers restaurant now stands.
We feel strongly that Jacksonville is a vibrant community, and we look forward to being an aggressive competitor, said Donnie Farmer of Bank of the Ozarks, who will manage the new Jacksonville branch unless First Arkansas Bank and Trust succeeds at keeping Bank of the Ozarks out of Jacksonville.
First Arkansas had filed a protest with Adcocks office over the Jacksonville branch addition, citing an overcrowded field, and it has 30 days to appeal the commissioners order in Pulaski County Circuit Court.
We will closely review the commissioners comments re-garding his decision on the application to determine how we proceed from here, said Larry T. Wilson, chairman, chief executive officer and president of First Arkansas Bank and Trust. He was recently elected chairman of the Arkansas Bankers Association.
Obviously, an appeal to circuit court is an option at which we will be looking, Wilson added.
The order approving the Bank of the Ozarks Jacksonville branch comes nearly five months after the application was first submitted with the Arkansas State Bank Department on Dec. 28, 2004.
The bank department and the State Banking Board are responsible for the issuance of new charters, authorization of branches and other applications relating to ownership and structure of banks and bank holding companies.
First Arkansas Bank and Trust filed a formal protest against the application with Adcocks office on Jan. 12.
Wilson said evidence shows that there is already significant banking competition in Jacksonville, citing six banks with 13 locations and the states largest credit union.
There are also three brand new bank branches in Jacksonville that are in various stages of construction or have recently opened, our protest merely asked that the commissioner wait until these new branches proved to be viable before other new branches would be approved, Wilson said.
Last year, Jacksonville-based First Arkansas Bank had a net income of $6.6 million and total assets of $268 million. The recent purchase of First Team Bank of Heber Springs will increase First Arkansas assets to about $500 million.
Bank of the Ozarks, a Little Rock-based bank, had a net income of $28.1 million and total assets of $1.7 billion.
Adcock and the Arkansas State Bank Department examined the application, protest and responses before deciding to allow Bank of the Ozarks to proceed with the Jacksonville branch.
Were excited about being in downtown Jacksonville across from the chamber of commerce, and I hope we can dress up that area and become a big part of the community, said Farmer, senior vice president of Bank of the Ozarks.
According to the four-page order from Adcocks office, Bank of the Ozarks Jacksonville branch would not have a significant or highly adverse impact on First Arkansas Bank and Trust or other financial institutions.
In addition to economic feasibility, the order said the Bank of the Ozarks newest branch would promote public convenience and necessity.
Were very pleased to get a positive decision from Mr. Adcock, and were looking forward to serving our customers in Jacksonville, said Mark Ross, Bank of the Ozarks president, chief operations officer and vice chairman.


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by Oleg Severgin
Moscow (Voice of Russia) May 15, 2012
The US has carried out regular tests of the NATO missile defense system for Europe in anticipation of the NATO summit in Chicago scheduled for the end of this week, which the Alliance considers to be very important.
According to the official report of the US Missile Defense Agency, a modernized missile-interceptor Standard Missile 3-Block IB had successfully struck its target in the Hawaiian Islands area. Missiles of this type will be deployed by 2015 in Romania and Poland, and they are to become the basis of the missile defense system.
We should not forget that this system is supposed to use a radar station in Turkey, interceptor missile bases in Poland and Romania, and also the ships of the US Navy based in the Spanish port of Rota.
In addition, the NATO missile defense system for Europe will equip Dutch Navy ships with early warning systems. According to NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the ABM system will be brought to a state of full operational status by 2018. The initial stage of its readiness is expected to be announced at the NATO summit in Chicago.
Much has already been said about Moscow's concerns in connection with NATO's missile fence near Russian borders, which is easy to turn one way or another; and about the demand to provide legal safeguards that the ABM system for Europe will not be targeted at Russia; and about the possible response measures.
Other things are interesting in this case. Why was it necessary to conduct the test of the upgraded missile-interceptor exactly on the eve of the NATO summit, while Moscow still expects that the meeting can produce some positive developments in the problem of the ABM system? Experts are not inclined to see a kind of a demonstrative demarche against Moscow in this action.
Nevertheless, when Voice of Russia asked Sergei Oznobishchev, Director of the Institute of Strategic Studies, whether the missile-interceptor test would bring a new tone to the situation with the negotiations on the ABM system problem, his answer was as follows:
"Of course it will. This test will be used by those who create tension in connection with the ABM system. And both sides are creating this tension. First of all, look at the clumsy actions of the American and NATO politicians who do not take into account the position of Russia, which considers NATO to be its partner.
"If we are partners, the concerns should be eliminated. Otherwise we will come to a dead end, and spin a new round of psychosis and ideologizing of our relations.
"The test, of course, will be interpreted by the Russian side as further evidence of the fact that our opinion is not taken into consideration, and that it is necessary to be ready for response measures."
In other words, the military target was hit, but the political objective turned out not to correspond with the demands of the current situation. As a matter of fact, these days other signals were heard from the Western "positions".
On May 10, delivering a government statement in the German Bundestag, Chancellor Angela Merkel reminded that, at its summit meeting in Lisbon in November 2010, the Alliance had invited Russia to take part in the development of the missile defense system.
"With the help of this cooperation," Frau Chancellor noted, "we expect to open a new chapter in relations with Moscow." And she added that the proposal "is still valid."
Much has also been said about the conditions of cooperation acceptable to Russia. But the fact of readiness to continue the dialogue expressed by the head of the German Cabinet is very important. Sergey Oznobishchev regards the words of Angela Merkel, who is considered "one of the most reasonable and moderate Western politicians", as evidence of a positive shift in the European partners' position.
It is still possible to reach an agreement, the expert believes. In addition, at the last Moscow international conference on this issue, Russia's Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev proposed to jointly develop such a concept of the missile defense system for Europe, which would strengthen security of all the countries of the continent without exception. What a pity, then, if another appeal by Moscow is not heard in Chicago.
Related Links
Daily Russian News
Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com
All about missiles at SpaceWar.com
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On Mon, 2010-02-01 at 13:20 -0500, Robert Haas wrote: > On the basis of all of the foregoing, I don't think we can consider > this patch further for this CommitFest and will update > commitfest.postgresql.org accordingly. If the user community grows or > if one of the committers takes an interest in this down the road, I > think we could consider it for a future release. > I spoke with James offline about this as well. My understanding (correct me James) is that he is working on an implementation that can be installed via PGXS. Joshua D. Drake > ...Robert > -- PostgreSQL.org Major Contributor Command Prompt, Inc: http://www.commandprompt.com/ - 503.667.4564 Consulting, Training, Support, Custom Development, Engineering Respect is earned, not gained through arbitrary and repetitive use or Mr. or Sir.
Next: From: Tom Lane Date: 2010-02-01 18:31:10 Subject: Re: [BUG?] strange behavior in ALTER TABLE ... RENAME TO on inherited columns Previous: From: Robert Haas Date: 2010-02-01 18:28:05 Subject: Re: remove contrib/xml2


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Advice From A Firefly Magnet
Reads: Advice from a FIREFLY Be full of bright ideas Pulse with excitement Have a healthy glow Delight in summer evenings Keep a childlike sense of wonder Set a shining example Lighten up!
Features bright, colorful image decorates your file cabinet or fridge. Strong, full surface magnet holds notes, papers and photos. Made in USA. Size: 2 1/2" x 2 1/2".


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Police accreditation team invites public to comment
A team of assessors from the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA) will examine all aspects of UT Southwestern Medical Center's Police Department policies and procedures, management, operation, and support services on May 5.
Verification by the team that the Police Department meets IACLEA's state-of-the-art standards is part of a voluntary process to gain accreditation – a highly prized recognition of campus public safety professional excellence, said Thomas Bickers Jr., Chief of the UTSW Police Department.
University members, agency employees, and the public are invited to offer comments by calling 214-633-1645 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on May 6. Comments will be taken by the Assessment Team.
Telephone comments must address the Department's ability to comply with IACLEA's standards. A copy of the standards is available at the Police Department (BLC200). Contact Accreditation Coordinator Akim Singthao at 214-633-1619 to view the standards.
Anyone wishing to submit written comments about the UTSW Police Department's ability to comply with the standards for accreditation may send them to IACLEA Accreditation, 342 North Main St., West Hartford, CT 06117-2507.
The Police Department has to comply with 240 standards in order to achieve accredited status, Chief Bickers said.
"The accreditation helps ensure our policies and practices are consistent, and underscores that we have in place, and are following, best practices," Chief Bickers said.
Mr. Singthao said the Assessment Team is composed of experienced campus law enforcement professionals from out of state. The assessors will review written materials, interview individuals, and inspect facilities where compliance can be witnessed. The assessors are Director Peter Agnesi, Broward College in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Debbie Underwood, Medical University of South Carolina Police Department; and Assistant Chief Raymond Bouchard, University of Connecticut Health Center Police Department, Team Leader.
Once the assessors complete their review of the department, they will report back to IACLEA, which will then decide if the Department is to be granted accredited status, Mr. Singthao said.
Accreditation is for three years, during which time the Department must submit annual reports attesting to continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited.


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Carr, Diane and Burn, Andrew and Schott, Gareth and Buckingham, David (2003) Textuality in Video Games. In: Level up : Digital Games Research Conference, 4-6 November, 2003, Utrecht University. Faculty of Arts, Utrecht University, Utrecht, pp. 144-155. ISBN 9039335508Full text not available from this repository.
|Item Type:
|Book Section
|Additional Information:
|Inclusion in the proceedings of the Digital Games Research Association's 2003 International Conference was peer reviewed, and very competitive. This paper outlines the methodologies adopted during the Textuality and Video Games project (2001-2003).
|IOE Departments > Departments > Learning, Curriculum and Communication
IOE Departments > Departments > London Knowledge Lab
IOE Departments > Departments > Psychology and Human Development
|Depositing User:
|IOE Repository Editor (2)
|Date Deposited:
|09 Oct 2009 15:57
|Last Modified:
|29 Jan 2015 09:25


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President Fallon's report to the Board of Regents
President's Report
Board of Regents Meeting
March 21, 2006
Thank you, Regent Valvo.
It seems almost unbelievable that it was just a little more than a year ago, at the March 15, 2005 meeting of the Board of Regents, that I was selected to serve the people of the State of Michigan as the 21st president of Eastern Michigan University. As I shared then, this is a very special place with a faculty and staff that is committed to providing an outstanding educational and co-curricular experience for students. I remain as committed to, and excited about, the opportunities and possibilities at Eastern Michigan University as I was that day.
The past several weeks have been extraordinarily busy, as I've juggled on-campus responsibilities with donor and alumni events in Florida, Arizona, California and Washington, D.C.
While these visits are informative and absolutely essential to the University's advancement work, I find that as I get older, I find myself agreeing with Mark Twain when he commented that: "Travel no longer holds the same charm for me. I've seen all the places I want to see except for heaven and hell, and I don't have an urgent need to know about either of those."
I'm pleased to report that two major positions on my leadership team will be filled in April when Darryl Sczepanski and Derrick Gragg join the staff.
Darryl Sczepanski, vice president for advancement at Kettering University, will join the University April 3 as vice president for university advancement and the executive director of the EMU Foundation. Darryl has more than 30 years of experience in capital campaign planning and management, major gift fund raising and alumni relations.
Derrick Gragg, deputy athletic director at the University of Arkansas, joins the University April 3 as the new athletic director. Derrick brings an impressive record in athletic administration to EMU. He has served as a senior-level athletic administrator at four Division I institutions and received accolades for his work at each.
While I look forward to the experience and vision both Derrick and Darryl will bring to their positions, I would be remiss if I didn't publicly thank Bob England and Tom Stevick for stepping forward and providing interim leadership during this transition period. Both served the University very well. I believe both are in attendance today, and I would ask that they stand so that we can give them an appropriate acknowledgment.
We have good news to share relative to continuing activities at the EMU Foundation.
Gifts such as these are critical to the University, especially as we face less-than inflationary increases in state appropriations. As you've heard, both the Governor and the Senate have now weighed in with budget proposals for FY07. Although their funding scenarios differ slightly, under both proposals the University would receive slightly less than a 2 percent increase. While we are pleased that we are not facing cuts to our appropriations as we have done the past two years, this modest increase provides a significant challenge to our ability to deliver high-quality, accessible educational programs.
As I shared with the Senate Subcommittee on Higher Education Appropriations, this challenge is further exacerbated for the seven sister schools hit with costs for the Michigan Public School Employees Retirement System—an unfunded state mandate for retiree health care benefits that is hurting us. Costs for MPSERS have more than doubled since 1998. The cost to the University in FY05 was $4,845,175, an increase of $252,723 over FY04. It is estimated that the FY06 composite benefit cost will increase to $5,536,866—an amount equal to a 5.5 percent tuition hike.
For the past two years the state has provided some relief to the seven institutions by subsidizing payroll contributions from a stabilization sub-account, but that source is now depleted. We continue to lobby in both chambers for continued relief in this area and I will make it a part of my request when I testify before the House Subcommittee on Higher Education Appropriations April 19.
We were pleased to see that renovation and restoration of Pray-Harrold was included in the Governor's proposed budget, and received support from the Senate subcommittee. I personally want to thank the Regents and faculty, staff and students who visited Lansing to promote the necessity of this project, or wrote letters of support, or who hosted state legislators as they toured Pray-Harrold to see first-hand the scope of its problems. I also want to urge you to keep doing what you've been doing.
As you know, the development of the state budget often takes a circuitous route from start to finish. We're only in about the fourth inning of the game, so we need to keep the pressure on. This pressure will take a different form on May 2 when some 100 students, faculty, staff and alumni descend on Lansing for "EMU Day in the Capitol." This event will begin with a breakfast in the rotunda for our folks and legislators followed by four-person team visits to all 138 legislators. Our intent will be to share the special character of this university and some of its noteworthy programs and particular strengths.
Thanks to the Board's foresight in designating a portion of this year's tuition increase to funding the debt service on new bonds, we're in strong position to move forward. Both Moody's Investors' Services and Standard and Poor's have affirmed EMU long-term debt position with ratings of AA and A respectively. In rating EMU, Standard and Poor's cited the university's "enrollment and demand trends with a growing applicant pool; and healthy financial performance with consistent balanced operations despite a decreasing reliance on state operating revenues."
The University's ability to attract and retain students is critical to maintaining this position. To that end, two indicators for fall enrollment show positive activity:
We are also continuing our Return to Learn activities. These programs, focused on helping adult learners complete their degrees in order to compete more effectively in the changing marketplace, have attracted more than 200 students who have expressed an interest in working with EMU. You may have seen the story featuring one of our adult learners that recently ran in the Detroit Free Press.
Along these same lines, Eastern Michigan University is partnering with Automotive Components Holdings, LLC, to provide services to those employees who take advantage of its recently announced educational buy-out option. ACH, an entity managed by Ford Motor Company, is offering this buyout to hourly employees at all of its U.S. plants, including Saline and six other plants in southeast Michigan. The ACH educational buyout includes free tuition up to $15,000 a year for up to four years and other benefits. To provide even more incentive, EMU will offer up to $300 for books and waive the registration fee.
Two activities that you've heard about in previous reports have moved into a new phase. We officially launched our AQIP projects two weeks ago. These continuous improvement projects will help us focus strategically on academic advising services, general education, assessment and customer service as part of our reaccreditation with the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association, our primary accrediting agency.
The Visioning Task Force is preparing for two open forums during which time the University community will be invited to provide input regarding the core elements of the task force's work. The sessions are scheduled for Monday, April 10, from 10-11 a.m., in the Tower Room, McKenny Union, and Tuesday, April 11, from 5-6 p.m., in 104 Mark Jefferson.
Planning for my investiture April 7 has entered the "nervous" stage. I'm pleased that the planning committee has looked for every opportunity to present a quality event while at the same time keeping costs down, and that the evening program is doubling as a benefit to raise money for student scholarships. I am hopeful that funds raised that evening will allow us to establish at least one new endowed scholarship, and to "top off" several others that need a slight boost to raise them to the funding level at which a scholarship could be awarded. In all, I am hopeful that some 20 new scholarships will be awarded next fall as the result of the investiture. This approach lends yet additional meaning to one of my favorite concepts: leveraging. I hope you will all join me April 7 for the investiture activities.
Another major event on the horizon that has great promise for raising dollars to support Eastern Michigan University is a benefit concert being presented April 15 at the EMU Convocation Center by A.R. Rahman, one of India's leading musicians and music director for Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Bombay Dreams" and the musical, "Lord of the Rings."
The show, "Wake Up! A.R. Rahman with 150 All Stars," will bring together Rahman's works on stage through colorful costumes and set designs, along with Indian and American singers and dancers. Rahman also will perform with the Global Rhythm All Stars, a group of more than 150 American artists that has performed with numerous Grammy-winning artists. This project is the brainchild and present passion for my wife Sidney. I hope many of you will be able to attend.
As always, I'd like to close my remarks by sharing with you news about the successes of our students, faculty, staff and alumni.
FACULTY and STAFF
Our student athletes and teams have had a successful winter.
March 27 Salute to Excellence: Graduate Research Fair
March 28 Salute to Excellence: Employee Recognition
Salute to Excellence: Student Gold Medallion Ceremony
March 29 Salute to Excellence: Distinguished Faculty Awards
March 30 Salute to Excellence: DSA Gold Medallion Awards
March 31 Salute to Excellence: Undergraduate Symposium
The sixth annual Education Alumni Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The 2006 Hall of Fame inductees are: Michigan State Superintendent of Public Instruction Michael Flanagan, Dean of the University of Miami College of Education Sam Yarger, EMU Regent Floyd Clack, and Mary Lou Durbin, a teacher consultant for the Garden City School District.
April 3 Holman Learning Center's Faculty and Tutor Appreciation Awards
April 7 Investiture activities
April 12 President's Open Forum—McKenny Union
April 15 A.R. Rahman Benefit Concert at the Convocation Center
April 19 House Higher Education Subcommittee Hearings
April 26 Office Professionals Day
April 30 Spring commencement ceremonies. The morning ceremony is at 10:30 a.m. and the afternoon cceremony is at 2 p.m.
May 2 EMU Day in Lansing
May 6 Alumni Awards Banquet
May 20 Congressman Dingell's "Conversation and Art" at Ford Gallery
Eastern Michigan University is a public, comprehensive university that offers programs in the arts, sciences and professions. EMU prepares students with the intellectual skills and practical experiences to succeed in their career and lives, and to be better citizens.
Editor's Note: Looking for an expert source for a story? Check out EMU's Eastern Experts online at www.emich.edu/univcomm/easternexperts.
EMU Home | University Communications Home


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3 Recommendations
mgpolar101's recommendation
Very cool underwater camera with 'no hands'!
Magicman's recommendation
No one wants to take their digital camera into the water for the fear of breaking it. This mask provides an all in one snorkelling device. So convenient and useful. Takes stills as well as video.
chad's recommendation
Take pictures and videos, underwater, without swimming around with a camera. This combines the goggle and the camera. Simple!