text:
a different kind of coffee break with Gerry and Ray Coffey
Disease-Free Living Through Fitness and Nutrition
Genetically Engineered Foods
Oh-so-organic Tune Farm in Falkville
Posted May 2012
Oh-so-organic Tune Farm in Falkville has record year thanks to workersÆ hands-on ōThe care of the Earth is our most ancient and most worthy, and after all our most pleasing responsibility. To cherish what remains of it and to foster its renewal is our only hope.ö Ś ---Wendell Berry, author
Twenty miles south of Decatur, near the Cullman County line, is the sleepy Southern town of Falkville, population 1,218. It is a town of pick-ups, flea markets, plaid shirts and overalls.
Though rooted in the past and agriculture, the town is also moving to the future. Falkville is the site of AlabamaÆs first certified organic farm, Tune Farm, home to three farmers, chickens, three peacocks, barn cats and a dog named Carla.
Down a gravel driveway, nestled along the railroad tracks Ś where the train rumbles past 40 times a day Ś Diane Tune walks the rows of crops, leans over a plant, picks a pepper and takes a bite.
ōOh, oh, itÆs a Joe E. Parker, oh,ö Tune said, tears welling in her eyes as she waved her hand in front of her mouth. ōI have to taste them because they look like the sweet peppers, and once I sent a bag of hot peppers home with a customer thinking they were sweet. Now my tastebuds are shot for the day.ö
And the day had just begun.
It was 8 a.m. on a Friday, known around the Tune Farm as harvest day, and the two acres of turnip greens, tomatoes, okra, beans, lettuce and carrots still needed picking, washing and sorting.
ōWe go to farmersÆ markets on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Harvest days are Tuesdays and Fridays so the vegetables are as fresh as they can be,ö said farm manager, bread baker and vinegar maker Suze Bono, setting down a tub of turnip greens.
As Bono grabbed a scale to weigh the crops, nine chickens stealthily and silently circled the greens, clucking in anger when shooed away by Bono.
ōNot only are we farmers, we are also chicken wranglers,ö said farm manager Oliver Flowers, blocking the tub with his body. ōBut they do lay eggs for us.ö
With only two weeks remaining in the farmÆs fall season Ś a record-breaking season for Tune Farm Ś the farmers canÆt spare even one leaf for the chickens, even if they do produce protein.
ōLast year, the farm made about $8,000. We havenÆt done the final numbers yet, but it looks like this year we will at least double that,ö said Tune. ōIn farming, every cent counts.ö
The farmÆs proprietor credited Bono and Flowers, who spent the last 11 months working the fields, for the success.
In the winter, they built a greenhouse and tended the ground. In the spring, they worked from dawn until dusk hoeing, weeding and planting.
ōDuring planting season, we worked from sun-up until sundown, actually until after sundown. There was so much to do,ö said Bono. ōI know itÆs clichķ, but there were never enough hours in the day.ö
And in the summer, the self-described ōrag tagö duo braved one of AlabamaÆs hottest seasons on record, waking at 5 a.m., working until 10:30 a.m. and returning to the fields in the afternoon.
ōWe had to harvest. If a tomato is ready, you canÆt just leave it on the vine,ö said Flowers, who grew up in Louisiana, graduated from college with a bachelorÆs degree in psychology and worked on a blueberry farm in Maine.
For the farmers, the sweat, aches and sunburns were worth the result, and they sold the crops at the Madison City Farmers Market, the market at Redstone Arsenal and to 15 consumers participating in a Community Supported Agriculture project. They did it, though, not for the money, but for the love of the land.
ōHere I have touched, handled and worked each and every plant. These are like my babies,ö said Bono, a native of Pennsylvania who worked in farming communities in California and Maine and dreams of owning her own farm with Flowers. Tune agreed.
ōThere have been times when a buyer was haggling me over a price of a pepper, and I just wanted to say, æYou donÆt understand. This is where I fell down on my knees, tired and exhausted and asked for God to give me the strength to go on,Æ ö Tune said.
In a world where success is often judged by the amount of money a person makes and in an era where technology is making living faster and easier, farming is not a life chosen by many. But it is a life Flowers and Bono desire and it is the life Tune, a one-time ōbig-city girlö who lived in Los Angeles, created.
In 2004, Tune, inspired by the writings of Wendell Berry, transformed the 260 acres of land her father bought in 1968 into a farm.
ōI was discouraged and lonely. Berry talks about cherishing the land and tending to it. My family had this land, and we were not doing anything with it. I didnÆt know anything about farming, and IÆm still learning, but I love this,ö Tune said. ōIf I wasnÆt working my own land, I would be working someone elseÆs. This makes sense to me. ItÆs joyous.ö
Tune envisioned the land as a farm and a wildlife refuge. Where TuneÆs father once demolished beaver dams, she allowed them to stay.
ōFarmers just donÆt allow beaver dams because they flood the land. I want my land to be a really beautiful relationship between human use and nature use,ö Tune said. ōIt is amazing how allowing nature to be has transformed the land.ö
Tune received her organic certification in 2003.
After farming the land by herself for five years, the self-made farmer sought help online last autumn. In Maine, 1,300 miles from Tune Farm, Bono and Flowers saw the post.
ōWe were looking for winter farm work and thought we would stay for only a few months,ö Flowers said.
ōWhen Diane asked us to stay, we had to. We have become attached to the land and the people,ö Bono added. ōI find it funny that my friends now are all farmers in their 60s.ö
In the past 11 months they, like Tune, have become part of the land and of Falkville. They know the train blows its whistle four times when passing.
They know picking okra burns. They know how to cook eggplant. And they now know what purple hull peas are.
After taking a break for the winter, it is a land they will return to in February.
ōWe not only want to provide healthy food, we also want to educate people. We want people to understand that it does matter what goes into their food and where it comes from,ö Bono said.
StateÆs first organic farm
Tune Farm at 85 Old U.S. 31 in Falkville is the site of AlabamaÆs first certified organic farm. As an organic farm, Tune Farm uses organic hay and materials certified and checked by the state. The farm does not use sprays.
ōIf there is a bug outbreak on the crops, then we go out there and pinch them with our fingers,ö said Suze Bono, farm manager. ōBut bugs usually mean a plant is weak, and here we donÆt have weak plants.ö --Bonnie Sims
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text:
Robot cars vie for $2.6m US defence prize
Page Tools
Ute beaut ... Stanford University Racing Team's entry 'Stanley' crosses the finish line .
Picture: Reuters
Three driverless vehicles have crossed the finish line and entered the history books after traversing 210 kilometres of desert terrain guided only by laser sensors and onboard computers.
No winner was declared yet for the $2 million ($2.6 million) prize in the race, sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to spur the development of driverless vehicles they hope will one day carry water, fuel and other supplies for the US military in war zones.
Organisers said they were waiting for final race times from the three driverless vehicles that finished and two others still on the course, which would be paused overnight and restarted tomorrow.
A winner, based on travel times, would be declared tomorrow, said DARPA director Tony Tether. "We have a winner, we just don't know who it is," Tether told reporters.
Last year, in the inaugural race sponsored by DARPA, called the Grand Challenge, every machine failed within sight of the starting line. The Pentagon decided to double the prize and hold the event again this year.
Twenty-three modified Humvees, 4WDs, pickup trucks and dune buggies were sent into the mountains and valleys in the Nevada desert to navigate man-made obstacles, tunnels and a dry lake bed just after sunrise on Saturday.
One broke down at the starting line.
A blue Volkswagen 4WD, "Stanley", built by a Stanford University team, overtook an automated Humvee, "Highlander", built by Carnegie University students at the 164-kilometre mark and arrived at the finish line first.
Shortly afterward, that Humvee and another, "Sandstorm", also built by the Carnegie Mellon team, finished the race.
The rugged, twisting Mojave desert course, about 64 kilometres southwest of Las Vegas on the Nevada-California border, was chosen because of its similarity to terrain where the US military is currently most active, Iraq and the Mideast.
At one point, the vehicles had to climb through a steep valley that organisers said was "reminiscent of a mountain pass in Afghanistan."
DARPA designed a much more difficult course this year, saying at least a third of the contestants would be able to cross the finish line given the level of technology demonstrated in qualification events earlier this week.
But many of the vehicles simply stopped running on the course. One stopped after a tire went flat and another hit a bridge. Still left on the course was a huge six-wheeled truck called "TerraMax" and a modified 4WD called "GrayBot".
Using global positioning satellites and inertial navigation, the vehicles were programed to follow a pre-defined course disclosed only hours before the race. Radar, lasers and cameras mounted on the vehicles guided onboard computers that steered the vehicles around obstacles.
"This is the first step in the evolution of truly automated vehicles," said Sebastian Thrun, leader of the Stanford University team, adding he was confident Stanley had clinched the prize.
He said Stanley's technology could be used in the near future to assist drivers by detecting potential accidents.
"It's a no-brainer that 50 to 60 years from now, cars will drive themselves," Thrun said.
Both Thrun and Tether compared Saturday's race to the first controlled flight by the Wright brothers in 1903, calling the race a "historic achievement".
By hosting the event, the US military is aiming to comply with a congressional mandate for a third of US military vehicles to be unmanned by 2015.
But DARPA's Tether said that could be accomplished earlier, based on the technology shown so far in this year's race.
"It's closer than we think," Tether said. "We could see convoys deployed in as early as five years."
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text:
louis rams
The Deceiver - Poem by louis rams
She sat in the bedroom window with tears in her eyes
How could she have believed all his lies?
He told her he loved her, he told her he cared
And her life he wanted to share.
He held her, and kissed her as her passions grew
At exactly the right moment he knew what to do.
As his hands traveled up and down her spine
He said not to worry – everything would be fine
She knew what he wanted, but she could not resist
As he pulled her close in a passionate kiss.
All her walls were tumbling down
As she went with him without a sound.
Slowly he led her where he wanted her to be
The rest became a mystery.
Now the consequences she must bare
For a child is growing there
And her life he refuses to share.
Now she cautions all too please resist
His deceit and passionate kiss.
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text:
Wish list
The thrill of flying around a rough and tough dirt track at high-speed is enough to make most people shudder, but not you. You are dedicated to motocross, you live to cross that finish line in first place. You will probably be covered in mud and sweat, so you'll need a cool motorcycle t-shirt to change into after you get your winners circle prizes. Swing by our marketplace to see what kinds of t-shirts we have that show off just how much of a winner you are in your sport and passion.
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A 'Velvet' Touch in Armed Robbery
A woman was found hiding on a nearby porch of a Gloversville convenience store she just held up, police said.
Velvet Reed-Fulton, 29, was tracked down by police Thursday night, March 6, around 10 p.m. for robbing the Cumberland Farms on N. Main Street, police said. While en route, officers found the suspect had run off with some cash. The clerks gave them a description and they scoured a four-block area around Cumberland Farms, police said in a release.
A short time later, Reed-Fulton, of Helwig St., was found hiding on a porch near Third Ave. and Yale St. Police say a black BB gun and cash was found tossed on First Ave. She is charged Robbery (2nd Degree, Class C Felony), Criminal Use of a Firearm (2nd Degree, Class C Felony), Menacing (2nd Degree, Class A Misdemeanor) and Petit Larceny (Class A Misdemeanor).
Deputies from Fulton County Sheriff's Department and Johnstown P.D. assisted, according to Michael Jory from Gloversville P.D.


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Washington, DC—Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid made the following statement today on the floor of the U.S. Senate in support of Senator Boxer's amendment proposing a Department of Justice investigation into the Coconut Road earmark controversy:
"I would like to say a few words about the amendments offered by Senators Coburn and Boxer regarding an investigation of the Coconut Road controversy. As many of my colleagues know, there are reports that a Member of the House of Representatives arranged to have the text of the 2005 highway bill changed during the enrolling process, after the bill had passed both Houses.
"The facts are not yet all known. But if these allegations are true, this is one more example of the corruption that permeated the Congress in recent years. Two Congressmen went to prison for corruption, and others remain under investigation.
"Last year, the new Democratic Congress passed S. 1, the most sweeping lobbying and ethics reforms in American history in an effort to restore public trust in the Congress. These reforms are already changing the way business is done in Washington. Lobbyists have less influence, and there is more transparency in the legislative process.
"We all agree that any misconduct in the legislative process must be fully investigated. Specifically, we want to get to the bottom of this alleged misconduct involving the Coconut Road provision in the 2005 highway bill. The only disagreement between Senator Coburn and Senator Boxer is how that investigation should be conducted.
"Certainly, an investigation into the conduct of a Member of the House of Representatives should start in the House Ethics committee. But, our Constitution does not provide the Senate with authority to direct a House committee to initiate an action. The Coburn amendment proposes a committee of members from both the House and Senate to conduct this investigation. But Senators cannot – and should not – Investigate a House member any more than House members could or should investigate a Senator.
"Although Senator Coburn's goal of fully investigating the incident is worthy – and a goal we all share — the Senator from Oklahoma's amendment is at odds with Article I of the Constitution. And, if we send this constitutionally dubious amendment to the House, it could jeopardize the entire highway technical corrections bill.
"That is why Senator Boxer has proposed that the Justice Department review the allegations of criminal conduct. According to public reports, the Justice Department and the FBI may already be investigating related matters and, possibly, even this precise matter. If violations of federal criminal law occurred, it is the province of the Justice Department and the FBI to investigate and prosecute them.
"The Boxer amendment simply calls on the Justice Department to review the allegations of impropriety and find out if federal criminal laws have been broken. This amendment asks the Justice Department to act 'consistent with applicable standards and procedures.' That phrase recognizes the important separation of powers and due process concerns involved any time the executive branch is reviewing the legislative process."This language incorporates the principles, privileges, and responsibilities that guide Congress's exercise of its constitutional authority to discipline itself. It also remains true to the principles of legislative autonomy and fair, neutral enforcement of the laws.
"The Boxer amendment does not waive any legislative privileges of Members or committees of Congress. It does not seek to intrude upon the constitutional duty of each House of Congress to discipline its own Members. Nor does it alter the duty of the Executive Branch to faithfully execute the laws.
"The amendment simply memorializes the reality that there are serious allegations here that may rise to the level of criminal violations. It is entirely appropriate for the Justice Department to assume this responsibility. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to support the Boxer amendment and oppose the Coburn amendment."


text:
Compsys MMC project - Uses a PIC, but its a resource
MMC to Serial Adapter - Uses an AVR, useful for writing
the low level MMC code.
EE 476 Final Project - Another MP3 project using the AVR
and an MMC card.
Atmel website - you
probably could have guessed that one...
savannah.nognu.org -
Source and rpms for gnu cross tools for avr
avr-gcc-list - a good mailing list for avr-gcc and related issues
pricewatch.com - Good place to look for wicked cheap cards


text:
Reviews: Anonymous
- Anonymous
- Lithuania, Male, 25-30
- Novice Nomad
Rodeway Inn Miami Airport, Miami, USA
Customer service was very poor. We did not feel any hospitality or welcome. They could not even find our reservation. Just after some time they explained me, that my surname was spelled absolutely wrong and they were not able to find it, it was - LITHUANIA...any more comments??? on top of that they charged me full amount again ignoring that deposit was already payed in advance. anyway, they have nice cafe with good food, and free transportation from airport or to to ship port.
- Anonymous
- Lithuania,
- Novice Nomad
Pension Versalles, Alicante, Spain
nice place, perfect location, great landlord. Air conditioning would be great, but if u are not very "sensitive" :) it is ok. So I think I would choose this place again if I will go to alicante.
Hostelworld Mobile Apps
Book on the go with the new Hostelworld mobile apps.


text:
|Home > After Saddam > Article
|Tuesday April 15, 2003
US marines seized control of Saddam's hometown and powerbase, Tikrit, as tanks took up positions in a central square;
In northern Iraq, longstanding ethnic tensions began to resurface as Kurds forced Arabs in outlying villages to move from their homes, crowding families into hastily erected camps in wheat fields;
Bitter in-fighting emerged among the large Shiite communities in cities south of Baghdad; while
There were tentative signs of law and order returning to Baghdad.
Mr Rumsfeld and the US Secretary of State, Colin Powell, warned Syria against giving refuge to 55 figures the US is pursuing from Saddam's vanquished regime.
"Some have left Iraq, gone to Syria and transited to other countries," Mr Rumsfeld said. "Busloads" of Syrian suicide bombers had also been sent to Iraq.
"On one of the buses they found something like several hundred thousand dollars and a number of leaflets that suggested that people would be rewarded if they killed Americans," Mr Rumsfeld said.
The British Foreign Minister, Jack Straw, also demanded answers from Syria about its actions, although he stopped short of the accusation that it possessed weapons of mass destruction. Asked whether Syria had been developing such weapons, Mr Straw said: "No, I'm not sure, is the answer, and that's why we need to sit down and talk to them about it."
The tough US rhetoric appeared to be designed to pressure Syria to hand over information on the whereabouts of senior members of the Iraq regime, and to hold in check radical Islamic groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas in case they are planning suicide attacks against US interests.
Mr Rumsfeld said the Syrian Government was "making a lot of bad mistakes" and warned that if it helped Saddam Hussein, "Syria would've made an even bigger mistake."
Asked what the US would do, he replied: "The last thing I would do would be to discuss that."
Syria's deputy ambassador to Washington, Imad Moustapha, said: "It's been a campaign of disinformation and misinformation . . . about Syria since even before the war started."
He told NBC television that the US was trying to divert attention from "the chaos and the lawlessness" taking hold of Iraq.
Senior Iraqi officials had not gone to Syria, he said, with the possible exception of the former Iraqi ambassador to the UN. On the accusation of chemical weapons, Mr Moustapha said: "We will not only accept the most rigid inspection regime; we will welcome it heartily."
But Mr Moustapha also launched an attack on the US-appointed civil administrator to Iraq, retired General Jay Garner, over his support for the Israeli Government. Out of 270 million Americans, "the person who has been chosen to rule Iraq has close dealings with Ariel Sharon and has been praising what Israel has been doing to the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza".
Mr Rumsfeld said the US had still not found Iraq's prohibited weapons and for the first time suggested it would not be possible unless members of the fallen Iraqi regime helped the US.
"We're not going to find anything until we find people who tell us where the things are," he said.
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War On Iraq
Bush turns his sights on Syria
SAS patrol apprehends senior Iraqi military staff
Kiwi among US troops found alive in Iraq
Bombarded Tikrit falls to marines
With God and guns behind them, clerics begin calling shots
POWs on day their lives took a wrong turn
Threat of military tribunals
US-backed militia called in to bring order back to cities
Chalabi 'does not want role in Iraq government'
Picking a man you can't bank on
Iran troops and rebel mujahideen clash in Iraq
Now Kurds take a turn at oppression
US foresaw chaos, but was unprepared for Baghdad's quick fall
More water, security, jobs - the cry from a fledgling democracy
Howard talks up conflict as triumph
Longtime captives alive
Arms hunt narrows to priority sites
Relief for hospitals frustrated by wary US military
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U.S. Government Begins Shutdown
October 01, 2013 7:30 AM
The U.S. government has enacted a partial shutdown for the first time in 17 years, after the two branches of Congress failed by the October 1st deadline to agree on a single spending bill to keep the government operating.
Thousands of federal workers are arriving at their jobs and being told they are on furlough and being sent home.
Other federal workers, considered essential, are being told to stay on the job but there is no guarantee when they will be payed.
The shutdown comes on the first day of open enrollment for health care plans according to the Affordable Care Act, the controversial U.S. health care reform nicknamed "Obamacare."
Three times on Monday, the Republican-led House of Representatives approved a spending bill that would delay enactment of the new health plan, and in all three cases, the Democratic-controlled Senate rejected it minutes later.
Shortly before midnight, White House Budget Director Sylvia Burwell issued a directive to federal agencies to "execute plans for an orderly shutdown."
While the shutdown will not affect the schedule of Voice of America broadcasts, it does mandate the furlough of an estimated 800,000 U.S. federal workers. Agencies affected will include national parks, traffic safety agencies, and the Defense Department -- mainly the furlough of its civilian employees. Homeland Security agents and border security offices will remain open, as well as other law enforcement agencies. Enrollment for "Obamacare" will also begin as scheduled.
In a video statement early Tuesday, U.S. President Barack Obama said members of the U.S. military will remain on duty and ongoing military operations like those in Afghanistan will continue. He said he plans to sign into law a bill that will ensure members of the military are paid on time. Mr. Obama also pledged to work to get Congress to reopen the government.
Experts say a shutdown of more than two weeks is likely to slow down an already sluggish economy, through reduced tourism cash flow and furloughed federal workers curtailing their personal spending.
Later Tuesday, President Obama will speak about provisions of the health care program that are being activated despite the shutdown. Many Americans who lack healthcare insurance will be able to sign up for subsidized policies on newly created insurance exchanges.
Earlier, the president said shutting down the government is the height of irresponsibility and throws a wrench into the gears of a recovering economy.
He accused House Republicans who want to defund his health care program of appealing to the right-wing Tea Party faction and re-fighting the 2012 presidential election.
The president said the entire country would feel the effects of a government shutdown -- not just federal employees who would not get paid, but citizens who rely on sometimes life-saving government services.
Mr. Obama stressed that his health care program is the law of the land -- passed by Congress, approved by voters, and upheld by the Supreme Court. He said the law will be implemented Tuesday no matter what Congress does.
He rejected proposals to postpone Obamacare, saying it would lead to another fight just a few months from now.
Democrats say the health care law gives low-income families and people without health insurance the chance to buy a low-cost, federally subsidized policy to prevent financial ruin in case of serious illness.
Republicans say the program is confusing and not ready. They also say the law hurts the economy by imposing more taxes and by forcing small businesses to provide coverage for their employees.
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text:
New sound system at Cajundome closes a stellar year for Electro-Voice stadium installations
December 19, 2008
A recent Electro-Voice XLC sound system installation by Louisiana-based Gulf Coast Sound (GCS) and consultants Acoustic Dimensions (Dallas, Texas) at the Cajundome in Lafayette, La. stands out at the end of a stellar year for Electro-Voice arena and stadium installs.
The 12,086-seat Cajundome is the Lafayette area's premiere venue for regional and national concert tours, the Louisiana State Boys Basketball Tournament, and also serves as the home for the University of Louisiana at Lafayette's men and women's basketball teams.
"The intelligibility of the XLC boxes and their ease of application are what set them apart"
Having provided temporary EV sound reinforcement for the Cajundome on numerous occasions, Gulf Coast Sound's familiarity with the venue played a large role in securing the contract for their new permanent sound system. Last spring, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette approached GCS owner Larry Habetz to discuss sound for their three-day commencement ceremonies. GCS brought in an XLC 127DVX system with FIR-Drive to demonstrate the level of precise coverage and audio intelligibility available to the University.
"We used an XLC rig and six EV microphones to cover the orchestra for the commencement demo," Habetz says, "and while we were still setting up, the orchestra began to warm up, so I pushed up the faders on our Midas Heritage mixing console, and my Front of House engineer turned to me and said, "where did you get that CD?' I told him, "that's the orchestra playing.' The system sounded that good running flat!"
Habetz adds, "We also miced the keynote speaker-an older, soft-spoken gentleman-with two EV podium microphones, and we could clearly hear every word he said wherever we walked in the building. With 150 feet from floor to ceiling, the arena has about eight seconds of reverb-it's a very challenging space to work with. The XLC has always been an inherently good-sounding box, but the addition of NetMax DSP/matrix controller with FIR-Drive has taken its coverage and clarity to a whole new level. The university was very impressed, as they've grown used to wrestling with their sound system every year for these events-it has never satisfied the orchestra conductor… until now. Hearing the XLC convinced Director Greg Davis and Operations Manager Phil Ashurst that the time was right. The job went out for bid, as per state policy, but no one else could match the XLC's sound quality."
At the core of the Cajundome's new system are six central XLC hangs. Four corner arrays each comprise six XLC 127DVX and six XLC 907DVX boxes (with 120- and 90-degree coverage patterns, respectively), each with two XLC215 subs on top. This installation marks the first time that 907DVX boxes have been used over 127DVX boxes; EV designed a special FIR preset for these four corner hangs. Both the east and west main hangs comprise 14 XLC 127DVX with two XLC215s; four FRX+940 loudspeakers are flown beneath the scoreboard, providing down-fill for court coverage.
Forty-eight P3000RL amplifiers power the system, and two NetMax N8000 system controllers handle all DSP, controlled via IRIS-Net software. A Midas Verona 240, a Klark Teknik Helix 9344E, and a Helix 9340E round-out a system that is 100-percent EV, Midas, and KT.
"The intelligibility of the XLC boxes and their ease of application are what set them apart," says Habetz. "Whenever we do a show and hang an XLC rig, it's so dynamic and intelligible out of the box that there's hardly any need for EQ'ing. It's easy to get what we're listening for. The XLC is hands-down the most articulate sound system I've ever heard. We've been using XLC since the first generation (2002), through the DVX woofer upgrade, and now with NetMax and FIR filters. This means our six year-old XLC boxes are still cutting edge-a great investment."
But, for Habetz, EV's service and support is even more important than their loudspeakers: "You can have a great product, but without good service, it counts for nothing," Habetz says. "This was our largest installation to date, and EV provided hands-on support of the very highest caliber. Our clients noticed this about EV, and found their attention to detail reassuring. Monte Wise (Special Projects Manager) and Robert Deyarmond (Tech Support) provided design assistance. George Georgallis (Tech Support) created the template for NetMax control and helped with tech support on the install, as did Stu Schatz (Tech Support) and Ethan Wetzell (Technical Product Manager). Bill Gelow (Engineering), Dave Carlson (Engineering), and Rocky Muir (Manufacturing) were all there to ensure we exceeded our client's expectations. They all rock!
"Now, Lafayette has one of the finest arena sound systems anywhere- my industry friends keep telling me that the Cajundome quite possibly has the nicest arena sound system they've ever seen or heard. It really does sound that good."
System control and configuration software providing a unique set of tools with easily configured, user defined interfaces. IRIS-Net provides the ultimate in control and configuration flexibility and performance.
State-of-the art Finite Impulse Response filters and processing provide linear phase performance for sonic clarity and improved pattern control beyond all other DSP and system drive packages.
Photos by Glen Clark
Photos GCS_Cajundome_001-015 by George Georgallis
The Gulf Coast Sound team:
Larry Habetz
Chad Brown
Dusty Durst
Keith Kelly
Rob Viator
Guy Low
Public Relations Manager (ST/MKT-COM)
Bosch Communications Systems
Telex Communications, Inc.
12000 Portland Ave. S.
Burnsville, MN 55337
Tel: 952 736 3935
Fax: 952 736 4582
Marcus Miller
Public Relations Assistant (ST/MKT-COM)
Bosch Communications Systems
Telex Communications Inc.
12000 Portland Ave. S.
Burnsville, Minnesota 55337
Tel: 952 736 4069
Fax: 952 736 4582


text:
Stephen was one of the first deacons of the Christian Church and is considered its first martyr. His was a very violent death. He was falsely accused of blasphemy against the Law of Moses at a time when Jewish law permitted the death by stoning for blasphemy. This passage in Acts of the Apostles reads
"… Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 'Look,' he said, 'I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.'"
"At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.' Then he fell on his knees and cried out, 'Lord, do not hold this sin against them.' When he had said this, he fell asleep."


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As a modeler who routinely develops valuation models for various products, I often find myself trying to decide which valuation methodology to employ, especially when the financial projection is to be done for products that have no to little similarity to existing ones. In such cases it is a well-known fact that there would be significant deviations between projected numbers versus the actuals, which motivates the modeler to be conservative in his estimates. Although any deviation, positive or negative, means that prediction was not accurate, I have witnessed many cases where the stakeholders question and criticize strongly whenever the deviation is disappointing in nature; e.g., when predicting future revenues if actuals come higher than projected figures few stakeholders have questions, if any; whereas if the actual revenues come lower than projected levels then the modeler faces harsh criticism. Along the same lines my due diligence led me to believe that Antares Pharma (NASDAQ:ATRS) is being overly conservative when they are guiding peak sales for their transformational product Otrexup, which has a PDUFA date of Oct 14, 2013. In this article, I would like to present the perspective of a valuation modeler with regards to the blockbuster market potential of Otrexup.
Before delving into Otrexup related discussion it would be helpful to briefly cover the four widely used valuation methodologies by practicing professional modelers. I will use a revenue prediction framework for the sake of clarity and applicability to the Otrexup discussion. In any valuation methodology the first step is to predict what the future demand for the product would be. Demand predictions can be as simple as one single quantity, which can be calculated from market research or demand from a proxy product that already exists in the market; or it can be as complicated as a random variable modeled from a discrete or continuous probability distribution. Although I have several academic papers published on this very subject in conference proceedings and journals, I refer technically advanced readers to my paper published by IEEE for an excellent review of the topic, which presents a framework to price a multi-product bundle where demand is modeled to follow a multi-variate normal distribution. Once the future demand is modeled, the modeler needs to decide which one of the four valuation methodologies to employ. All these methodologies can be considered as degradations of conservatism. On the one extreme, worst-case scenario represents the most conservative approach; whereas the best-case scenario represents the opposite extreme. In between, the third approach is the most likely scenario as derived from the statistical expectation of the demand's probability distribution. The common point of the aforementioned three methodologies is that the modeler eventually represents demand as a single numeric quantity. However, the fourth and the most advanced methodology reflects the full knowledge of the demand's probability distribution, where the demand is represented as a random variable from the hypothesized probability distribution, not as a single numeric quantity. Even in this most advanced methodology the modeler can inject any level of conservatism by setting the parameters of the probability distribution as needed. One of the most widely used demand probability distributions is the normal distribution, which is famous for its bell-shaped curve. The point of the discussion from these four valuation methodologies is to give the reader the understanding that no matter how complicated a valuation methodology is it is up to the modeler to factor in a level of conservatism. Having briefly discussed the four valuation methodologies, now we can turn our attention to as to why I believe that Antares modeled Otrexup peak sales somewhere between the worst case and the most likely scenario.
Many Antares investors are already familiar with the under-promise and over-deliver culture at Antares. Most recent example of this culture is the earlier-than-expected NDA filing of Otrexup in Dec 2012 despite the management consistently guiding for a time frame of Q1 2013. My due diligence makes me believe that we have a similar under-promise over-deliver situation regarding the peak sales of Otrexup as guided by Antares. During the RBC Capital Markets' Healthcare Conference which was held in February of this year Antares reiterated their guidance on peak Otrexup sales as $100-200 Million. This is the same number that has been mentioned several times back in 2012 whenever the issue was brought up on Vibex MTX, which is how it was named back then. Admittedly, Otrexup is a product whose demand is in the category of difficult-to-predict ones; and, thus, the demand distribution would have wide tails; i.e., worst case would almost be a zero demand scenario while the best case lies in the multi-billion dollar blockbuster territory.
So, what is the most likely scenario in terms of Otrexup demand? To answer such a question we need to know the details regarding what already exists in the market for rheumatoid arthritis and how Otrexup is different. Otrexup™ is a combination product for the subcutaneous (SC) self-administration of methotrexate (MTX) for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and is the first product seeking FDA approval of SC administration of MTX. RA is a systemic inflammatory disease, which manifests itself in multiple joints of the body and is believed to be the result of a faulty immune response. Treatment for most people starts with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) including over-the-counter painkillers such as Ibuprofen and aspirin, then slowly progressed for fewer people to non-biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) like MTX and finally progressed for even fewer people to biologics if people had not responded to the previous drugs. Antares's Otrexup uses MTX, which is a DMARD. The good news is that today a much more aggressive treatment approach is advocated for RA, with prescription of MTX within three months of diagnosis to reduce disease activity and prevent joint deformity. Although both NSAIDs and DMARD agents improve symptoms of active RA, only DMARD agents have been shown to alter the disease course and prevent further damage, which is the target as there is no cure for RA. MTX is considered the first-line DMARD agent for most patients with RA
According to CEO Wotton MTX is approved in the US to be given orally and intra-muscularly (IM), which has to be given by a healthcare professional in an office or hospital setting. Antares is changing the route of administration from IM to subcutaneous (SC) with their Otrexup product while making it easier to self-administer MTX. So, what does Otrexup exactly compete against? The answer to this question is critical as we transition to the discussion of Otrexup's market potential; because the demand for Otrexup will be comprised of RA patients who currently use other products. As I outline in the remainder of this article Otrexup will be grabbing market share from three categories of treatments, which are (1) IM injection of MTX, (2) Oral MTX tablets, and (3) biologics drugs. Now, let's analyze each of them with reasons as to why a portion of the existing users of these treatments will switch to Otrexup.
As discussed by CEO Wotton, the IM injection of MTX has to be given by a healthcare professional during an office visit. This makes the IM injections as the first category of treatment from which Otrexup is expected to capture a massive market share. Otrexup provides the following benefits over the IM injections of MTX:
1. Otrexup is easy to teach to self administer to RA patients, which is evidenced by the "Human Factors Usability Study" conducted by Antares and submitted as part of the NDA
2. Otrexup is designed to be comfortably used by RA patients who have moderate to severe hand function impairment, which is evidenced by "Actual Human Use Study" conducted by Antares. 98% of the patients in the study found Otrexup easy to use, which is also submitted as part of the NDA
3. Self-administration with Otrexup is virtually painless as discussed in a previous article.
4. Otrexup's hidden needle reduces patient apprehension and increases compliance. Spring mechanism used in Otrexup injector eliminates the need for a human pushing the needle into the body, which alone makes Otrexup much user-friendly.
5. Dosing errors are eliminated as Otrexup comes pre-filled with MTX.
6. Another benefit of pre-filled cartridge is that any accidental human contact is also eliminated as MTX is a cytotoxic agent
7. Accidental needle sticks is eliminated since Otrexup has a locking needle shield mechanism. It is also easily disposable reducing the sharp disposal concerns.
8. Otrexup will allow massive cost savings to insurance companies and payers as the weekly office visits to receive the IM shot will be eliminated.
9. Increased quality of life for RA patients who need to be physically present once a week in their doctor's office, which will eliminate transportation costs, commuting time, and inconvenience during day hours
10. Medical community favors SC injection over IM injection. In a seminal paper published by Brooks et al., the researchers concluded that pharmacokinetics of MTX administered by IM and SC injections in patients with RA are similar; yet SC administration may be a more convenient and less painful way of administering than IM.
Second category of treatment, which is expected to create the largest demand for Otrexup, is the oral MTX tablets. Oral MTX is used by a much larger group of patients than the IM injections. Why would a patient who is on oral MTX bother with Otrexup? Here are the reasons:
1. In his famous paper Braun et al. studied the very same topic (oral vs. SC administration) by comparing the clinical efficacy and safety of SC versus oral administration of MTX in RA patient. They found that SC administration was significantly more effective than oral administration of the same MTX dosage. Antares did their own pharmacokinetic study comparing the two and established that when MTX is administered orally, the systemic availability plateaus between 15mg and 20mg, whereas SC administration with Otrexup maintained availability up to 25mg. In other words, when patients take oral tablets at doses higher than 15mg they don't get the clinical benefit of MTX, because the body doesn't absorb it. Increased systemic bioavailability, which drives better efficacy, is by far the most significant benefit of Otrexup over oral tablets. CEO Wotton mentioned that more than 50% of patients who receive oral MTX are on doses greater than 15mg, which is great news because that's where Otrexup shines against oral route.
2. Antares's research demonstrates that 30-60% of the patients taking oral MTX tablets don't tolerate it due to side effects. SC administration reduces side effects. In a related study Wegryzn et al. reports that when they switch patients from injection to oral administration they observed increased disease activity, exacerbation of morning pain and hand stiffness, duration of morning stiffness, increased joint pain, and increased joint swelling, and a greater frequency of gastrointestinal symptoms.
3. SC administration through Otrexup removes the variable absorption problem seen with oral tablets. Since oral tablets have to go through the gastrointestinal tract the amount absorbed from tablet to the blood stream varies from patient to patient.
Otrexup will compete strongly against oral MTX tablets due to the combined benefits of better efficacy, fewer side effects, and accurate absorption into the blood stream.
Third category of treatments where we can expect to see Otrexup market share gains is the biologics, which is slightly more difficult to grasp. Biologics are very effective and very expensive drugs used in the treatment of RA. Otrexup will not compete directly against the biologics but in an indirect way. As I discussed above, the treatment for RA usually starts with painkillers and progresses with DMARDs (like MTX). When patients stop responding to DMARDs, they are transitioned to biologics drugs. Otrexup is targeting to carve out a space for itself right at the intersection of DMARDs and biologics; because Otrexup will extend the clinical utility of MTX, which means a delay into the transition to biologics. By replacing the oral route with SC administration, patients will be able to get the benefit of higher doses of MTX since Otrexup bioavailability doesn't plateau at 15mg; and it is better tolerated than oral tablets. Delaying the switch to biologics by just one month saves $1000 per patient as explained by LeRoux Jooste during RBC Healthcare Conference held in Feb 2013. Needless to say cost savings will be the major driver for Otrexup to capture demand from biologics by delaying the switch from MTX to biologics.
After establishing the drivers of demand for Otrexup we can start discussing how to calculate the peak sales by employing a most likely case scenario. RA affects 1.5 to 2 million people in the United States; but, most of these patients are not diagnosed and treated. According to IMS Health there are over 5 million prescriptions for MTX. Antares reports that there are 0.4 million prescriptions of IM MTX injections per year, which corresponds to roughly 1.6 million IM MTX injections annually. Larry Smith calculates 18.2 million oral doses of MTX prescribed for RA annually in the United States.
Market Capture Analysis:
Four separate sources of Otrexup demand along with an explanation of how many doses each are expected to generate are given below:
1. MTX IM Injections: Due to the 10 reasons I outlined above at its peak sales the most likely scenario is that Otrexup will replace the IM MTX injections capturing 1.6 million injections per year.
2. Oral MTX Tablets: Assuming Otrexup will be priced higher than oral MTX tablets the portion of the oral MTX market that can be captured is limited to the 30-60% of the patients who don't tolerate oral MTX. Since we don't want to speculate on the level of oral MTX intolerability of such patients, a conservative estimate is well warranted. Cowen reports that 20% of patients experienced gastrointestinal side effects associated with oral MTX; so, most likely scenario would be that Otrexup will capture 20% of the oral MTX patients, which corresponds to 3.64 million doses annually. 20% is a number that is also corroborated by the physician surveys that Antares conducted by interviewing 156 rheumatologists. These surveys revealed that rheumatologists are willing to triple the number of injection prescriptions if there is a more convenient alternative to traditional vial and syringe. Since vial-syringe injections correspond to 8% of the MTX prescriptions today, we can expect an additional 16% as the physicians triple their prescriptions for injectable MTX. One can argue that another 4% demand can be easily created from patients who don't tolerate oral tablets; so 20% of oral route switching to Otrexup is more than likely.
3. Delaying the switch to biologics: American College of Rheumatology (ACR) guidelines recommend that DMARDs, such as MTX be used as first-line therapy before initiating treatment with one of the biologics. One study found that average total direct costs for a patient treated with a biologic was $19,016 per year compared with $6,164 per year for a patient treated without a biologic. In one survey, 68 percent of managed care medical directors said they consider managing the cost of biologics a high priority. The greatest impact of the high costs of biologics is on un-insured or underinsured patients, especially senior citizens, who comprise approximately 50% of RA patients and often cannot afford to pay the entire out-of-pocket cost of RA medications. Even though Medicare now covers several biologics under Part D, copayments, deductibles, premiums, and the "doughnut hole" leave Medicare beneficiaries responsible for about half of their catastrophic medication costs. All these factors favor for strict payer and patient preference to make sure that patients are kept on MTX as long as possible before the switch to biologics occur. Although Otrexup will not directly move patients from biologics treatment to MTX, we can assume that by keeping the patients longer on MTX the steady-state population size on biologics would shrink fractionally. Although MTX had a higher retention rate compared with other DMARDs, as many as 50% of patients taking MTX discontinued because of lack of efficacy or toxicity within 5 years of therapy. This means that at the steady-state the flow rate from MTX to biologics can be cut at most 10% annually due to Otrexup; however, the exact number would be a fraction of the 10%; because there would be patients who poorly respond to MTX in any form. By using Cowen's 20% number who doesn't tolerate oral MTX, let's assume that 20% of that 10% are switching to biologics due to intolerance to oral MTX. Thus, at the steady-state distribution Otrexup should retain 2% of the oral MTX patients that would have been switched to biologics otherwise. This would create an additional annual dose of 0.36 million units.
4. Market capture from psoriasis: During the meetings between FDA and Antares FDA suggested that the Otrexup NDA includes psoriasis in the labeling. If approved Antares expects the drug label to include this new indication. MTX treatment for psoriasis is most often administered weekly either orally or as an injection. MTX is used to treat severe psoriasis as it suppresses the immune response that triggers the disease, which is a similar mechanism of action for RA. Antares research indicates that in the United States 9% of MTX prescriptions are given for psoriasis, while 70% goes to arthritis, which gives us a ratio of 9/70. Since we calculated the RA market potential from oral tablets and IM injections as 5.24 million doses per year, my most likely scenario for Otrexup demand from psoriasis indication would be 0.67 million doses per year, which is obtained by multiplying 9/70 with 5.24 million
Adding up all four sources of demand gives me the total number of Otrexup doses in the most likely scenario, which comes out to be 6.27 million units. Based on my discussions with Jack Howarth (VP of Antares Pharma) Otrexup is expected to be priced close to the cost of IM injections. IM injections cost at least $125 per week, which is mainly the result of the office visit to receive the shot. Although this sales price is lower than the $150 amount assumed by modelers at Cowen & Company (when they modeled Otrexup sales), it serves as a reasonable and conservative estimate. Antares has not finalized the sales price of Otrexup as they are currently conducting distribution channel and rebate studies with payers. Market research consultancy ZS Associates says that the size of the rebates average about 30% of medicine sales, and can be as low as single digits or higher than 50% of gross sales. In my most likely scenario, I will assume that Antares gives 30% rebate to payers to make Otrexup even more attractive.
Finally, we have all the inputs to calculate the peak sales for Otrexup in my most likely scenario, which is based on 6.27 million units being sold annually at $125 per unit with 30% payer discount, resulting in $549 Million in annual revenue. Although we used a bottoms-up approach as we derived our estimate from individual sources of Otrexup demand, a similar penetration has been observed when SC MTX injection was first introduced in Europe by Medac International, despite their injector being much less advanced than Otrexup; which increases my confidence that our most likely scenario is indeed most likely. Cowen and Company states that cost of goods sold for each Otrexup dose has been guided to be $10. This means that Antares will enjoy extremely strong gross profit from Otrexup sales; i.e., discounted sale price of about $87.5 with $10 COGS gives $77.5 in gross profit for each unit of Otrexup sold.
Before concluding my article, I would like to point out that there are several unaccounted sources of upside in my most likely scenario. Although Otrexup label will include RA and psoriasis, it can be prescribed off-label for several other indications, especially other autoimmune diseases like Crohn's disease and inflammatory bowel disease, any indication where MTX is injected. Secondly, we assumed 20% of oral tablets to be switched to Otrexup but Antares claims that 30-60% of oral MTX patients have tolerability problems. Thirdly, we only considered US market ignoring the vast opportunities in the rest of the world. Antares made it clear that they will pursue rest of the world Otrexup opportunities through partnerships.
As the name implies my revenue expectation is based on the most likely scenario, which has the highest chance of realization among possible demand scenarios. One always needs to keep in mind potential worst case scenarios too such as ((i)) approval delays or rejection of the Otrexup NDA by FDA, (ii) a competitor entering the US market earlier or before the peak sales, ((iii)) commercial launch problems associated with new drugs, (iv) possible resistance by healthcare providers, payers, or patients in adopting Otrexup.
Considering all possibilities I have half a billion in peak sales expectation for Otrexup. I believe that Antares's stated range of $100-200 million in Otrexup sales excluding psoriasis indication is overly conservative, which is very consistent with the under-promise over-deliver culture at Antares. In this case such conservatism gives a unique window of blockbuster opportunity to savvy investors to buy Antares at $3.50 before actual sales starts coming in next year. Indeed, Jack Howarth (VP of Antares) stated that he bought 86,000 additional ATRS shares on the open market in Nov. 2012 bringing his total ownership to over 506,000 shares. However, many investors didn't know this, as Jack is not considered to be an official insider from an SEC perspective and his massive purchases didn't need to be reported on SEC forms or insider tracking websites.
Disclosure: I am long ATRS. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Additional disclosure: This article is intended for informational use only, and should not be construed as professional investment advice. They are my opinions only. Nothing in this article should be taken as a solicitation to purchase or sell securities.


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2003 Mercedes-Benz E320
(3.2 L, Lock-up Automatic/5 speed)
The 2003 Mercedes-Benz E320 emits 12 times more harmful smog chemicals that threaten the health of asthma sufferers than the cleanest medium cars on the road.
Scores for all 2003 medium cars range from 4 (cleanest) to 9 (dirtiest)
|Worse than typical 2003 medium car?
|Your vehicle emits less smog chemicals than a typical 2003 medium car. (FAQ)
|Lax emissions requirements?
|Trucks, SUVs, vans, minivans, and oversized vehicles are allowed to emit more pollution than passenger cars. (FAQ)


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Jed York is already on record saying that the 49ers will hire a General Manager first and whomever they hire will take part in bringing in the new head coach. Now we just have to sit and wait and see what the team comes up with for candidates. Names that will most likely float around are Parcells and Jimmy Johnson, but that is not likely to happen. A name to keep an eye on that might have a good shot is NFL Network's Michael Lombardi.
Tim Kawakami thinks that if the team is looking at Harbaugh as the next head coach, Lombardi is most likely top candidate for GM. Here is a little background on Lombardi.
Of course we'll most likely have to wait a week or so to start getting more legit names and reports of who the 49ers are meeting with, let's just hope Jed makes the right move and gets a GM fast so they can go out and get a new head coach.


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Talk:Second Class rank
From MeritBadgeDotOrg
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m (Talk:Second Class moved to Talk:Second Class Rank: rename article to align with official BSA name)
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I think it makes it much easier to read. - MRW
I think it makes it much easier to read. - MRW
Current revision
I've done some editing on the Tenderfoot and Second Class requirements, eliminating the additional numerical entries on requirements (i.e. 7 a., b., c., etc. instead of 7.a., 7.b. 7.c., etc.). Does this make it easier or harder to read?
John (aka ronin718)
I think it makes it much easier to read. - MRW
Requirement 8 is incomplete. It should show also: 8b. Explain the three R's of personal safety and protection.


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Alvin Patrimonio
|Power forward
|"The Captain"
|6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
|215 lb (98 kg)
|Purefoods TJ Hotdogs
|November 17, 1966
|Mapuá Institute of Technology
|Not drafted - (free agent)
|Pro career
|4-time PBA MVP (1991, 1993 1994 1997)
Alvin Patrimonio is a major figure in Philippine professional basketball, and is considered as the second-most popular Filipino basketball player. He played power forward, small forward, and center for a time, and was a member of the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants team throughout his career, wearing jersey no. 16.
He is married to Cindy Patrimonio, and they have a daughter named Clarice.
Patrimonio was born on 17 November 1966 in Quezon City. He finished secondary school in 1983, and graduated from the Manila Science High School. When he was a student at the Mapua Institute of Technology, he played in the NCCA for the Mapua Cardinals from 1983 to 1986.
After college, Patrimonio entered the Philippine Basketball League (PBL) where he played for Hope, Yco, and Swift. He then graduated to the professional league when he was drafted into the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) in 1988, to play for the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants. He entered the league at the same time as other promising basketball players such as Jojo Lastimosa, who was 1988's Rookie of the Year, Jerry Codiñera, and Glen Capacio.
Patrimonio's records and championships have led fans and teammates to dub him "The Captain" or "Captain Lionheart".
Patrimonio has also played for the Philippine National basketball team, and in 1998 was chosen to play for the Philippine Centennial team.
Patrimonio's professional basketball career lasted for 16 years. He announced his retirement from the professional league in 2004, whereupon he became the Giants' team manager. Throughout his active career, Patrimonio managed to win 15,091 points, which gives him the third highest point total after Ramon Hernandez (18,996 points) and Abet Guidaben (15,775 points)
Records and titles
Patrimonio was declared Most Valuable Player four times during his career, in 1991, 1993, 1994, and 1997.
He was picked for the Mythical First Team for 10 seasons (1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000) and for the Mythical Second Team in 1995.
His team won the All-Filipino cup in 1996 and the Governor's Cup in 1997. He was also included in the roster of PBA's Greatest Players in 2000.
"Alvin Patrimonio." Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alvin_Patrimonio (June 28, 2010).
"Alvin Patrimonio." Hoopeida: The Basketball Wiki. http://hoopedia.nba.com/index.php?title=Alvin_Patrimonio (June 28, 2010).
"Alvin Patrimonio." Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/alvin.patrimonio (June 28, 2010).


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Below you will find a list of discussions in the Excel Questions forums at the MrExcel Message Board. The Excel Questions forum All Excel/VBA questions - formulas, macros, pivot tables, general help, etc.
Please post to this forum in English only.
Use this control to limit the display of threads to those newer than the specified time frame.
Allows you to choose the data by which the thread list will be sorted.
Order threads in...
Note: when sorting by date, 'descending order' will show the newest results first.
Forum Rules


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Justine S W Model
Stephanie ArangoModel Female Los Angeles, California, US
Mayhem # 1675236
About MeI'm a native California girl, don't let my lack of tan fool you. Just turn 21 and trying to get started in the business, so want to build my portfolio.
Aspiring to be a print and commercial model, maybe some acting. Have done a few print commercials.
Have a very friendly & outgoing personality. Love to be creative and artistic
Please no nudity or adult content. Only classy work thank you :)
Have you worked with Stephanie Arango? Add Credits for Stephanie Arango! >>
Justine S W Model
Jessica A Castro Photographer
Ruben A Zamora Photographer
4 WDP Photographer
R L M IMAGES Photographer
StylinShot... Photographer
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b/p of 86/44 for a 13 year old girl, is it normal?
Hello seabee5546,
Blood pressure does run lower in younger people; the range of blood pressure for a 13 year old girl should run from 103-110/62-65. The BP you listed is significantly lower.
This finding could be caused by a couple of things. If the girl has no other symptoms, she could be a perfectly normal variant and have low blood pressure for her age. Two, if she has been bleeding (i.e. has she just started to menstrate?) heavily, that could explain a transiently lower blood pressure. Lastly, illness and dehydration (i.e. has she had a bad cold or stomach virus) can cause low blood pressure.
An appointment with the child's pediatrician would be useful to help determine why her blood pressure is low.
To your health,
Neil MD
FROM OUR COMMUNITYYou should know Answers to your question are meant to provide general health information but should not replace medical advice you receive from a doctor. No answers should be viewed as a diagnosis or recommended treatment for a condition. Content posted by community members does not necessarily reflect the views of Remedy Health Media, which also reserves the right to remove material deemed inappropriate.DISPLAY TEXTLINK URL


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JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. (AP) -- A U.S. Army DNA expert testified Thursday that the soldier suspected of killing 16 Afghan civilians during a nighttime rampage last March had the blood of at least four people on his clothes and guns when he surrendered.
The blood of two males and two females was discovered on Staff Sgt. Bales' pants, shirt, gloves, rifle and other items, said Christine Trapolsi, an examiner at the Army's Criminal Investigations Lab.
To preserve the rest of the evidence, she said she only tested a portion of the bloodstains, and it's possible more DNA profiles could be discovered with additional testing.
Trapolsi testified Thursday at a preliminary hearing in Bales' case. The hearing, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord south of Seattle, will help determine whether the case advances to a court martial. Afghan villagers and soldiers are expected to testify by video from Afghanistan Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.
Bales, a 39-year-old Ohio native and father of two from Lake Tapps, Wash., could face the death penalty if ultimately convicted of 16 counts of premeditated murder and six counts of attempted murder in the March 11 attack in southern Afghanistan.
Prosecutors say that Bales dressed in a T-shirt and cape, without any body armor, and slipped away from his remote post, Camp Belambay. He first attacked one village, returned to the base, and headed out again to attack another village, they allege.
In between, he woke a fellow soldier, reported what he'd done, and said he was headed out to kill more, the soldier testified. But the soldier didn't believe what Bales was saying, and went back to sleep.
Nine children were among the victims, and 11 of the victims were from the same family.
Bales has not entered a plea and is not expected to testify. His attorneys, who did not give an opening statement, have not discussed the evidence, but say Bales has post-traumatic stress disorder and suffered a concussive head injury during a prior deployment to Iraq.
A U.S. agent who investigated the massacre testified Wednesday that local villagers were so angered it was weeks before American forces could visit the crime scenes less than a mile from a remote base.
By that time, bodies had been buried and some blood stains had been scraped from the walls, Special Agent Matthew Hoffman of the Army's Criminal Investigation Command testified Wednesday.
Other stains remained, on walls and floors. Investigators also recovered shell casings consistent with the weapons Staff Sgt. Robert Bales reportedly carried.
He also said Bales tested positive for steroids three days after the killings.
Bales leaned back in his chair at the defense table and betrayed no reaction as an Army doctor, Maj. Travis Hawks, gave clinical descriptions of treating the wounded villagers as they arrived at a nearby forward operating base.
One young girl had a large bullet wound in the top of her head, he said. She was unresponsive at first, but survived after treatment.
A woman had wounds to her chest and genitals, but she and her relatives insisted that the male doctors not treat her. Prosecutors displayed photos of the victims being treated.
Johnson can be reached at https://twitter.com/GeneAPseattle


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From www.liveinternet.ru/users/katish_09/. Their photo shows this portrait as hung on a wall flanked by vases. The background is removed and the handles of the vases have been masked with Photoshop; the portrait has not been altered.
Victoire's bodice uses gathered cloth instead of pleats bound by the vertical center strap to achieve a similar effect in this 1842 Winterhalter portrait.
Keywords: 1842, Winterhalter, Victoire de Nemours, Wettin family, Orléans family, Duchess, hurluberlu coiffure, off shoulder straight neckline, modesty piece, pleated bodice, vee neckline, quarter length close sleeves, vee waistline, full skirt, floral bodice ornament, floral sleeve ornament


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Before being restored, the S.S. Columbia and her sister the S.S. Ste. Clair will make their 'big Hollywood debut' in Michael Bay's film.
New photos from the Detroit set of "Transformers 4" have surfaced online, thanks to The Shady City. This time, there is neither robot nor any human cast member making an appearance in the images as they only tease a major explosion scene taking place on two Boblo boats, the S.S. Columbia and the S.S. Ste. Clair.
Both historic boats, which are docked in River Rouge and used as props, will have different roles in the Michael Bay film. The Columbia's ship keeper, Sam Buchanan, told CBC News that the Columbia would only have a "minor" appearance while her sister was set for "a prominent role" in the sequel to "Transformers: Dark of the Moon".
"When the movie folks are in town, they're always looking for unique place to shoot so these boats came into play," Buchanan said. "They're moving right along. They've been shooting primarily at night. I don't know how much more is going to be going on there but they're not nearly finished."
He revealed that Bay had installed a second smoke stack on both boats, which are scheduled to be restored, for "some sort of explosion in the movie." He added, "It won't harm the boat any. The boats won't be harmed in any way, but they're making their big Hollywood debute."
In "Transformers 4", Mark Wahlberg will join forces with Jack Reynor and face off against Kelsey Grammer who is tapped as a human villain.
While details of the plot remain a secret, the release date for the movie has been set on June 27, 2014.


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I'm 25 and working full time as a senior support worker (working with adults with learning disabilities).
Been climbing for about 2 or 3 years (ish) and have started leading last summer. Fairly confident leading VD/S and have led a couple of VS pitches. Still very much building my confidence and experience though.
Im a keen mountain hiker/mountaineer and have been doing this all my life. I go on multi-day wild camping trips to the lakes and Scotland whenever possible. Usually solo but always happy for folk to tag along, feel free to drop me a message.
East Lancashire
Recent Postings
Interests Outside Climbing
I support many charities such as Amnesty international and Greenpeace and was until recently deputy director at Samaritans. Recently became a support volunteer with Mountain Rescue
Been Climbing For
1 to 3 years
Best Onsights
Trad - VS
Main Sport/Activity
Favourite Crag/Rock
Favourite Wall
West View (closest)
I Climb...
Several times a week
In the UK
Latest Climbs
Eastby Buttress VD
Scoop and Crack S 4a
Western Wall VS 4b
Digitation VS 4b
The Shark's Fin VD
Concave Wall S 4a
Step in the Clouds S 4b
Right Siamese Twin S 4a
... list all 8 climbs
Ticklists BETA
... not setup
Climbs Wishlist
... not setup


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On the hunt for hockey gold
The Peewee AA Subway Selects are into the provincial championship game.
Garrett Holmes
NEW GLASGOW – Speaking out publically for the first time since last Thursday's game, Weeks Jr. A Crusher Garrett Holmes said he is thankful for the support of his team and community.
Holmes, who has Tourette's, appeared to have Truro Bearcats captain Phillip Fife mock him by making a gesture towards him during the exhibition game. The incident sparked several fights among the rival teams, which led to an investigation by the Maritime Hockey League. The MHL has since ruled there was inconclusive evidence to act further than the penalties handed out during the game.
"As for what happened last Thursday there was an incident in front of the net and it was mocking the physical symptoms (of Tourette's) with the head twitching and the words 'twitch, twitch, twitch' were repeated," said Holmes. "I'm a pretty laid back guy and I usually don't fight or anything unless I absolutely have to – or it's for the team or something – but at that moment it just set me off and I personally thought it was too far. "
Related links:
Crushers pull out of exhibition game with Bearcats
Bearcats respond to incident from Thursday's exhibition game
Holmes explained that the two major symptoms of Tourette's he deals with are motor tics and facial tics. He said that motor tics are uncontrollable urges to jerk or twitch a body part such as his arms, shoulders, neck or legs. He said facial tics are essentially the same thing, but it affects specific parts of his face.
"Basically they stick around or the urge continues until the point that you twitch so much that you either satisfy the urge or it just goes away," he said. "Sometimes it can be physically uncomfortable if it takes a long time to satisfy. Facial tics are basically the same things, but they're in parts of my face – my eyebrows or my nose will twitch on the ice sometimes. They get worse in stressful situations, like school, hockey or something like that."
This isn't the first time he's been made fun of for the condition during his hockey career.
"We thought it was dealt with last year and it wasn't I guess, other than that the league – for the suspension part of it – they looked into it and there wasn't enough conclusive evidence. I guess we have to put that behind us and start worrying about the season and what's best for the guys in the room."
According to Holmes he just wants to get back to playing hockey and working with the team to prepare for the regular season, which kicks off for the Crushers on Saturday in Dieppe.
"We need to get past it and start focusing on the little things with our game and get a game plan in play," he said. "I just want to thank the community, my teammates and everyone in the (Weeks Hockey) Organization, especially everyone in the community and our fans. They've been extremely supportive and it's just overwhelming and heart fulfilling. It's amazing what they've been doing and how much they've been standing up for me. It's people like that, that inspire the change. I mean without them it probably would've just been swept under the rug and never noticed again.
"It makes me extremely proud to be from Pictou County."
He continued, saying that after the game Thursday night he saw the community that supported him when he went into the lobby at the Wellness Centre. Holmes said he couldn't walk two feet without someone giving him a hug or telling him that they were proud of him.
He said kids coming through minor sports in Pictou County with Tourette's or other disabilities shouldn't be discouraged because the community is there for them and will be supportive.
"For the kids that are coming up through minor hockey – I just want to tell them that it's important that if they're dealing with disabilities like this too or anything in any sport, whether it be hockey or anything, just not to let anything stand in their way," said Holmes. "The same goes for bullying in schools and stuff. There are always people for them to talk to and there's great support around this town. They don't have to worry about if somebody thinks they're different or not because they're not any different than anyone else."
Wade Taylor, president of the Weeks Hockey Organization, said he's extremely proud of Holmes and the positive change that he hopes to see by discussing the issue at hand. Taylor said the organization had no further comment on last week's game and that their focus is now on this weekend's game.
"We're back to playing hockey and I'm not going to be in a position to make any further comments about anybody else that's involved, outside of what the goals of our hockey club are," said Taylor. "Just like Garrett said, there's been a lot of positive outflow to him. I know he's a pretty classy guy that always keeps his emotions in check, so good on him for being to hopefully enact some positive change and leadership and hopefully be a mentor to some young kids that are being bullied or discriminated against."
On Twitter: @NGNewsChris


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Fewer members of Congress today also served in military
WASHINGTON – Just 22% of members of Congress today have also served in the military — the lowest number since at least World War II.
The decline has been steady since the end of the draft in the 1970s, when the World War II generation was at the height of its political power. Then, four in five members of Congress had military service on their resume.
Even the 4.8 million new veterans from the Gulf War era and later haven't reversed the trend.
STORY: Location matters for job-seeking vets
MORE: Veterans face tough job market
STORY: Programs across USA help vets to get jobs
And while women have grown to 17% of Congress, they're only 7% of veterans. Only one female veteran now serves in Congress: Rep. Sandy Adams, R-Fla.
Veterans in Congress
There are fewer people with military service serving in Congress than at any time since at least World War II.
Sources: Senate Historical Office, House Office of the Historian, House Veterans Affairs Committee, Congressional Quarterly, American Legion
The facts of military life work against veterans as modern candidates, says Donald Zillman, the president of the University of Maine at Presque Isle and an Army veteran who has studied veterans in Congress. "You're moving around frequently. You have significant restrictions on political activity. And you're not making a lot of money."
Zillman argues that the decline has political consequences — particularly in foreign policy and civilian-military relations. Recent veterans, for example, are likely to have a greater skepticism about America's capacity for "nation building" overseas.
"I'm almost at the tipping point," he says. "If we start dropping even further, and the expectations is we will, you really start losing that experience base that's really valuable."
Seth Lynn is more optimistic. He's the director of the Veterans Campaign, a non-partisan project at George Washington University that trains veterans for political office.
He says today's veterans are arguably more prepared for political leadership than ever. "There are young guys who have been in charge of entire towns in Iraq, who have had to worry about how to get clean water into town, how to control different factions — and they're dealing with people who don't speak their language and people are trying to kill them."
The party makeup of congressional veterans has usually reflected the overall control of Congress, but has trended Republican. Of the 92 House veterans today, 63 are Republican. In the Senate, the 24 veterans are split evenly across the aisle.
So Democrats are reprising their "Vet Strategy" of 2006, in which nine high-profile Democratic veterans ran for Congress. This year, there are 11 running in what the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee sees as winnable districts.
To Rep. Steve Israel, D-N.Y., veteran candidates fit perfectly with a key theme of his campaign for Democrats to take back the House in 2012: "There is an unquenchable thirst by Americans for problem solvers. They want members of Congress that aren't about moving to the left or moving to the right but moving the country forward. And what better candidate to carry that message than a veteran?"
Israel, the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and a military history buff, says military service shouldn't be a prerequisite. "But show me a vet and I will show you someone who is patriotic, who is disciplined, who is willing to sacrifice," he said. "With non-veterans, you often get one of those, sometimes two. With a veteran, you instantly get all three."
One candidate Israel is bullish on is Brendan Mullen, a decorated former Army combat engineer who's running in a Republican-leaning open seat in South Bend, Ind. Mullen said he hopes to put a face on veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
"It's a big part of who I am. It's very personal to me, the war," says Mullen, who graduated from West Point in 2001 as part of what he calls the "Class of 9/11." "When I sit at a coffee that my mother's friend-of-a-friend has hosted for me, everyone knows of a soldier who has served in Iraq and Afghanistan in a sort of six-degrees-of-separation kind of way, but a lot of folks have yet to meet one."
Other Democrats include former general John Douglass, running against Rep. Frank Wolf in Virginia, and Tammy Duckworth, an assistant Veterans Affairs secretary running for the second time in what looks to be an open Illinois seat.
The National Republican Campaign Committee wouldn't discuss its veteran recruiting efforts, but provided a list of 74 GOP veteran challengers looking to run in 51 Democratic districts. Many will face off in primaries, and few of the districts are considered competitive.
Posted | Updated


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Thank you)))) This is link for my SoundCloud channel http://soundcloud.com/m1toll first track Sad piano was rejected/ This is the part of message from FudioJungle:
Sorry, but this submission's musical phrasing does quite not meet the current commercial standards required for approval on AudioJungle, despite the nice themes throughout. For this reason we won't be able to approve this submission, regrettably.
Hi all)) i tried to upload my item but got a message from AudioJungle that it does quite not meet the current commercial standards. What does it means?
Hello I'm created my account in AudioJungle yesterday)) I know English not well) sorry) Today i uploaded my first works)
Between 2 hours to 1 week)
i think this tracks nice!) I liked vocal first one) In my tracks i like this: http://audiojungle.net/item/attachment/2759717
Chrome!!! Sometimes Opera)
YA s Ukraini horosho govory po russki))


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China's third richest man, beverage mogul Zong Qinghou, made a flying visit to Western Australia last weekend to scout for possible investments, including in dairy and wine.
It comes just days after WA Premier
The push is occurring at a time of heightened sensitivity to Chinese investment in prime agricultural land, despite official figures showing actual investment is low.
Mr Zong, China's chain-smoking, home-grown cola king, is the chief executive of the fast-growing Wahaha Group. Forbes estimated his fortune at $5.9 billion in March.
The trip was organised by the WA Department of State Development. Officials were tight-lipped about his exact itinerary, but one told The Australian Financial Review yesterday that the tour, to the south-west of the state including the premium wine growing region of Margaret River, had been deliberately low key.
"He was very circumspect and was clear with people that he met that he wasn't going to instantly spend billions," one official said. "He's curious about investment in milk and milk powder, as well as other things in the agricultural sector. He already imports a huge amount of milk powder from New Zealand, but is also looking to diversify."
Mr Zong's wealth reportedly took a hit last year as higher raw materials costs eroded profit margins.
Recent speculation that Chinese investors were interested in buying about 80,000 hectares of farmland in the state's south-west sparked fears about food security.
Mr Zong is from Zhejiang province, with which WA shares a sister state relationship.
Duncan Calder, state president of the Australia China Business Council, said xenophobic opposition to Chinese investment in agriculture was ill informed and people should instead focus on the mutual opportunities.
"Zhejiang is the home of a cluster of super wealthy Chinese," he said. "Historically, pre-Mao, it was also an agricultural hub in China and they are keen to resuscitate that."
Last week the Financial Review reported that strong Chinese interest helped Colliers International sell about $50 million worth of wineries in 2011, compared with $10 million in total over the previous three years.
The Australian Financial Review


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EDITORIAL >> High court does it again
While it was extending them a third chance, the court seemed a trifle more impatient with the lawmakers, who this year disregarded the laws they had designed themselves to produce a constitutional school system.
In a little more than 11 months, a constitutional system must be firmly in place. The court stayed its mandate in the old Lake View school case until then.
What happens then if the state has not acted? The court was, as usual, vague but resolute.
The Supreme Court is obliged to see to it that the will of the people when they wrote the Constitution is followed, the court said, and it added: We will perform that duty. We can only guess that the court would then order its own remedy.
One concurring justice, Tom Glaze, said the Constitution fully clothed the Supreme Court with the power to enforce the constitutional mandate for an equitable and suitable school system.
But that need not and, we are confident, will not happen. The issues actually are far less complicated than in 2004 and 2005, when the legislature previously addressed the courts landmark decision, and the state demonstrably now has resources in hand to complete most of the task.
The state budget has some $100 million of play between revenues and expenditures that it could direct to the schools this year and anticipated cash balances of close to $300 million by the end of the current two-year budget cycle that can be committed to school facilities.
Those are the principal shortcomings that the court-appointed masters found in school funding, which the court itself embraced.
After passing legislation in 2004 to make education the states No. 1 priority in budgeting, the legislature this year failed to give the public schools even the cost-of-living increase that was allotted to all other public employees and agencies, including the legislators themselves. Another $100 million appropriation from current revenues would do that.
While the legislatures own study showed that there were $2.2 billion in immediate needs for school construction and repairs, it appropriated only $120 million over the next two years. That sum could be quadrupled without affecting the other urgent needs of the state and without new taxes.
In case anyone thought the issue was not urgent, the court said the issues needed to be dealt with immediately and forthwith so that children this school year might see the fruits of the labor.
But Gov. Huckabee, who flew back from a governors meeting in Arizona to make the same news cycle, said there was no urgency and that he might not call a special legislative session at all because one might not be needed.
Clearly, he had not digested the courts opinions. Neither ignoring the decision nor waiting until the fall of 2006 is an option unless he and legislators pointedly want to invite a contempt citation by the court for whatever political rewards might flow from standing up to the judiciary.
Huckabee just as clearly had given some thought to the issues in advance because he knew full well what the court would say.
He said he would like to have a current adequacy report on the schools, legislation that would take more regulation of local schools away from school boards and rest it with the state superintendent and coaching salaries, for example and an up-to-date survey of the condition of school facilities. He wants further consolidation of small school districts to be part of the remedy, and it ought to be.
But some of the governors hedging seemed to be just dilatory. He wants detailed accounting of all school spending in the state before he calls a session to deal with underfunding.
He divided total annual education spending by the number of school classrooms in Arkansas and came up with the figure of $94,150 of spending this year for each classroom.
The average teacher salary is only $39,266. So what happened, he asked, to the other $54,884? The answer, of course, is: retirement and Social Security matching, health insurance, buses, bus drivers, fuel, electricity, gas, water, cafeteria and janitorial workers, school books, supplies, equipment, building repairs and debt repayment.
Someone might ask the same question of his office. The governors office this year is spending $5.1 million, but the governor is paid only about $81,000 of that. What happened to the other $5 million?
No, more delay is not the answer. Lets dont risk a fourth chance.


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Checkerboard Scarf by Kimara Wee Folk Art
Welcome! You are browsing as a guestWould you like to see 8 projects made from this pattern and much more? create a free account What am I missing?
Checkerboard Scarf
This pattern is available for free.
This scarf is an easy pattern to knit, suitable for beginners that know how to knit and purl. It is a basic checkerboard pattern, with blocks made up of 4 stitches and rows. It matches our Checkerboard Mitten pattern. It would look lovely made up in soft wools. I, unfortunately, am allergic to wool, so I made mine out of an acrylic. This scarf is best knit with solid yard. Patterned and self striping yarn would camouflage the pattern. Whether you make the scarf and mittens or just the scarf, it's sure to keep you warm!
For more information, see: http://weefolkart.com/content/checker-board-scarf


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iGARCIA_iC... Photographer
Presious KelleyModel Female Saint Louis, Missouri, US
My MM URL: http://www.modelmayhem.com/presiouskelley
Mayhem # 2216969
About MeHello, will keep things sweet, & simple :)
- I have a very busy schedule, so only paid work please. I will NOT do any nude. If your profile is full of nudes in a hotel room, which is very non professional...please do not waste your time contacting me. If you would like to do a paid shoot, or have a paying gig/promo you think I would be great for, please contact me, Currently residing in St. Louis
- Very laid back, easy going
- I see modeling as a way of expressing oneself and takes incredible talent, dedication, and most of all, passion
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By Charisse Jones, USA TODAY
NEW YORK Activists stood outside police headquarters Sunday and called for changes in the way cases of alleged misconduct are handled, following the acquittals of three officers involved in the shooting of an unarmed man on his wedding day.
"The verdict in the Sean Bell case proves it is almost impossible to successfully prosecute cases of police misconduct, especially in homicide cases," said Norman Siegel, former head of the New York Civil Liberties Union.
He was joined by state Sen. Eric Adams, D-Brooklyn, a former police captain, and several members of the organization Adams co-founded, 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care.
"The verdict underscores the need for systemic change in the way New York handles these important and at times high-profile cases and to improve community relations," Siegel said.
The shooting happened outside a club in Queens where Bell, 23, was being given a bachelor party Nov. 25, 2006. The detectives were working the Kalua Cabaret as part of an undercover operation when, Detective Gescard Isnora said, he heard a man say, "Get my gun."
In testimony, Isnora said he approached Bell's car, identified himself as a detective and told him not to move. Bell drove off, hitting one officer in the leg and smashing into an undercover van twice. Police opened up, firing 50 bullets. Bell was killed, and two of his friends, Joseph Guzman and Trent Benefield, were wounded. None had a gun.
Judge Arthur Cooperman said in a decision Friday that the credibility of the prosecution's witnesses was diminished by their conflicting testimony and criminal records. He acquitted Isnora and officers Michael Oliver and Marc Cooper of all charges.
Adams and Siegel said Gov. David Paterson should create a state-level prosecutor's office whose sole task would be to look into police misconduct, brutality and corruption. Such an office was created in 1974, but Gov. Mario Cuomo disbanded it in 1993.
The activists also said that when police might be involved in a crime, the state attorney general should be able to take over the scene and evidence, and new provisions should be implemented for the civilian board overseeing complaints against the New York Police Department, including extending the time limit on inquiries from 18 months to three years.
That is not enough for civil rights leader Al Sharpton and Bell's loved ones.
Sharpton said he and supporters "will close this city down. … We strategically know how to stop the city so people stand still and realize that you do not have the right to shoot down unarmed, innocent civilians."
Bell's fiancée, Nicole Paultre Bell, said she will keep fighting for a different resolution to the case.
"I'm still praying for justice, because it's not over," she said.
The U.S. Attorney's office has said it will review the case and "take appropriate action if the evidence indicates a prosecutable violation" of federal civil rights laws.
The Bell case is the latest in a series of allegations of misconduct by police.
"Emotions are high," said Leroy Gadsden of the local branch of the NAACP. "The judge escalated the tensions between the police and the community."
Four officers were acquitted in the 1999 death of Amadou Diallo, an African immigrant shot in a barrage of 41 bullets as he reached for his wallet outside his apartment building. In 2000, a grand jury did not indict an undercover officer who killed Patrick Dorismond after taking him for a drug dealer. Four years later, a grand jury did not indict the officer who killed unarmed Timothy Stansbury, 19, on a Brooklyn rooftop.
"I've been dealing with these cases since 1997," said Delores Jones-Brown, director of John Jay College of Criminal Justice's Center on Race, Crime and Justice. "And in 10 years, there has not been progress. … People in the community are afraid of criminals in their community and the police who come to investigate the criminals."
Contributing: Marisol Bello in McLean, Va.; the Associated Press
Guidelines: You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. Read more.


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The standalone expansion to Firaxis and 2K's XCOM: Enemy Unknown, XCOM: Enemy Within, is releasing on November 15th. Enemy Within will add a large amount of new features, including new …Continue reading →
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Believe it or not your shiny, new, $400 PlayStation 4 will do more than just play video games. It's capable of providing a whole spectrum of entertainment options through familiar …Continue reading →


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Product Reference: 50228
Provides great protection against scratches and damage to your iPad Air 2
This case will give excellent protection against everyday knocks, drops and scratches to ensure that your Apple iPad Air 2 remains looking as good as it did from the moment you first took it out of the box.
Features rotating multi-angle stand for viewing media
This leather-style case features a unique rotating function that allows you to quickly change between portrait and landscape orientations, perfect for quickly changing between typing and watching movies and pictures.
Includes cut-outs for easy access to all buttons and ports
You can keep your case on your iPad Air 2 at all times. This case allows you to enjoy the full functionality of your iPad without having to remove the case, as it has specialised cut-outs for all of the ports and features of the iPad Air 2.
Sleek and stylish design complements the iPad Air 2's design
The sleek and stylish design of this rotating case suits both home and professional environments, and it is slim enough to add a touch of style to the iPad Air 2 without adding any unnecessary bulk.
Sleep / Wake function
Simply open the cover and the iPad Air 2 intelligently wakes up. Close it and the device automatically goes to sleep - no need to press any buttons. This means you only use your precious battery power when you need to.