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Hello! If you are reading this you have shown an interest in volunteering for The Phelps Community Center. I am Janie Burgess, the Executive Director for the center, and I am very excited to have this opportunity to present our needs to you and to have an opportunity to answer any questions you may have.
Donate Your Time to the Phelps Community Center
There are many opportunities at the center where you can help. It does not have to be a huge time commitment to help us out. We really just need 3 hours per month from several different people. Maybe you are only available certain times of the year. Any gift of time you can give us we would be very happy to receive.
Below are some examples of how you can help?
- Help prepare for an upcoming event
- Assist with Events
- Assist in the garden
- Painting
- Serve on a Committee – Fundraising, Special Events, Buildings & Grounds, Business, Volunteer
- Assist with a workshop that might need an extra set of hands
- Decorate a bulletin board
- Help supervise the building
- Assist in the office
- Assist with small cleaning tasks
- Distribute posters/flyers around town
- Perhaps you have a skill that you would be willing to share with us!
I will be more than happy to show you around the community center, have you meet our staff, get to know you better and you us. If you would like to set up a time to talk or visit, please contact me at email@example.com or 315-548-8484. I look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you again for the interest you have shown and I hope you will soon be a part of our Volunteer Team.
Sincerely Yours,
Janie H. Burgess
Give A Donation To The Phelps Community Center:
The Phelps Community Center is at the heart of our community and we need your support!
The Phelps Community Center enriches the lives of so many people in our community. As a non-profit organization, the programs and facility that we provide is made possible by the generous support of community members and businesses. Without the assistance of community minded individuals and businesses like you, we wouldn't be able to serve on average 2300 people per week in our community. We currently do not receive financial support from your tax dollars.
This past year we were able to bring several new programs, new equipment, added more staff, and events to our center. To name a few, we had a fantastic Youth Garden Program, started a Youth Volleyball Program, had more diverse Community Education classes, and purchased new items for our fitness center and school age rooms. We also added additional security. Some of our events consisted of theater from Merry Go Round Playhouse, Phelps Phenomenal Race, and Family Fun Day.
In 2012 we plan to focus on providing more fitness equipment and programs including Indoor Cycling, a Senior Fitness Program, Youth Sports Programs and Clinics, a newer more efficient phone system, additional staffing and volunteers, more events and community education that are low or no cost, and continue with cosmetic upgrades in the fitness center and school age program to name a few.
Most of the above is not possible without your help. Please make the commitment to support the Phelps Community Center. We have made it even easier to make a donation. You can now charge your donation with a credit card for a one time payment or set up a recurring monthly payment with your credit card.
Every donation makes a difference, regardless of size. Thank you in advance for your commitment to support the efforts of The Phelps Community Center in continuing to make a difference in our community.
Thank you for helping to support the Phelps Community Center!
Janie H Burgess


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Dermalogica Night Bright
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Dermalogica Night Bright Reviews
Dermalogica Night Bright CreamI love this product. It tightens and brightens without a doubt. I just can't afford it. I think it's overpriced for the amount you get. It's definitely not worth the price. — 5 years, 5 months agoashfish | 1 reviews
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don't waste your timeI tried this for 6 months and nothing!!! Don't waste money on natural products if you want to get rid of sun damage. AWFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!! — 9 years, 5 months agogidgee | 5 reviews
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Despicable Me 2 (2013)
Despicable Me 2 Videos
Despicable Me 2 Photos
Movie Info
Watch it now
as Gru
as Lucy
as Eduardo/El Macho
as Margo
as Dr. Nefario
as Floyd
as Eduardo
as Silas
as Agnes
as Edith
as Antonio
as Jillian
as Shannon
as Kevin the Minion/Bob the Minion/Stuart the Minion/Additional
as Additional Minions/Evil Minions/Italian Waiter
as Arctic Lab Guards
as Flight Attendant
News & Interviews for Despicable Me 2
Critic Reviews for Despicable Me 2
All Critics (173) | Top Critics (39) | Fresh (127) | Rotten (46) | DVD (1)
This is one of those rarities, an animated sequel that improves on the original.
Co-directors Chris Renaud and Pierre Coffin, who do Minion voices expertly, never let up on the laughs. A fart joke in 3-D may not be three times as wacky, but the high spirits of Despicable Me 2 are irresistible fun.
How do you tell a story about a bad guy who is no longer a bad guy? Despicable Me 2 embraces the dilemma and adds new ones.
As a sequel [it] stands level with the first film (also directed by Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud), and may have the edge on it.
"Despicable Me 2" lags on occasion, but every time I found my attention waning, the filmmakers did something wicked to goose me.
Audience Reviews for Despicable Me 2
Judging by the title this must be the follow up to the mildly original animated supervillain flick...by jove it is! Now that first film was cute and reasonably fresh, fresh in the sense that the main character Gru was quite a nice design and voiced nicely by Carell. Also the 'minions' were a neat little invention that did garner the bulk of the giggles and kept the film afloat. The down side was it was yet another superhero/supervillain/super spy parody/spoof type flick which has become a saturated genre. The big question for me was simply...did we really need this sequel? my answer to that is no. Yeah yeah I know I sound like a Scrooge but come on, really, this film has been so padded out its painful. The plot is so damn linear, supervillain up to no good, someone has to stop him, that someone is Gru. The first film had the neat little twist that the main character was a villain and becomes a goodie, switches sides. This time its just you're bog standard run of the mill superhero/super spy flick. The problem for me her was nothing really interesting happens, there is nothing to explain, no reason for anything at all. Gru is now a good guy, he's got out of the villain/hero/spy game and he's looking after those sickeningly cute kids which he adopted from the first film. That's it! there is nothing more, did we really need a new film to show us this? oh yeah Gru gets a call to help the 'Anti Villain League' to stop some other villain blah blah blah who cares. The point is none of this was needed, the first film was a reasonably decent quirky animated film that worked well on its own, there was no need to milk it Hollywood sheesh! What I wanna know is what are these minions exactly? what do they speak? where do they come from? and how many of them are there?! In this film there appears to be like...hundreds n hundreds of em! Yes its just a kids espionage cartoon and its not important as such but its just something I'm curious about. I mean sure the film looks great as do all animated films these days, but there is just nothing on offer here that warrants the sequel. One or two new characters amongst all the same visual gags, visual action, childish minion tomfoolery, gadgets and general super spy-like jiggery pokery. OK call me a misery but none of it felt worth it to me, it all fell totally flat, lifeless and stale. One thing I will mention is actually how scary it could be for kids. When those little yellow minions get turned into purple monster zombie minions the film does take a turn to the slightly eerie side. Especially the sequence where one of them is chasing the kids, Jesus its almost like a homage to 'Alien'! End of the day it doesn't really matter how eye blisteringly good the CGI is, if its all the same stuff trundled out all over again from the first film it will just feel like a cheap merchandise machine to me. The finale isn't too bad and ups the excitement somewhat but it still can't detract from a very anti climatic ending. The very final sequence with the kids right at the end is so disgustingly sickening I virtually gagged...good grief (mental note...its a kids film, its a kids film). Anyway no originality whatsoever anywhere, but bottom line if you liked the first then you'll like this I guess. I thought the first was reasonable but nothing overly special, so for me this has gone downhill. Am I being too hard on a kids film? well maybe but the film is so revoltingly sweet n sugary at times with zero originality I just can't sit back and not say it out loud.
Super Reviewer
No surprise to see that this sequel is just as detestable as the crappy first movie, obviously made by retards for retards who can find any of those ridiculous gags funny (fart jokes, really?), so watching another sequel or any Minions movie is absolutely out of question.
Super Reviewer
Slight step down from the original, Despicable Me 2 is nonetheless a fun, entertaining follow up to the original that works well because there are enough comedic moments to make this a worthwhile sequel. The film isn't perfect, but that's the case with sequels. I enjoyed this film despite its shortcomings and the voice cast are great here as well. The film's story is quite good as well, and they toned down the elements a bit, which in a way is why the film doesn't match the first. Nonetheless for a follow-up this succeeds where many sequels fail. For fans of the first movie, there are enough aspects to enjoy here, and it does have the vibe that made the first so good, but at times it does a few things to be desired. However, the main thing that made this film very enjoyable were the minions, they were a big part of the film's appeal, and they really were funny and made me enjoy the film that much more. The material presented here works well, and it's a far better sequel than most that I have seen. With a well crafted screenplay, great voice cast, wonderful animation, Despicable Me 2 is a worthwhile and highly enjoyable picture that will certainly appeal to any age group as well as fans of the original. This is a memorable animated feature, even if it's a slight step down, it's far better than many sequels that fail to capture the essence of what made the original so much fun. This film has that, and we see the result on-screen. With plenty of laughs, a good story and wonderful animation, this sequel is very good, and well worth your time if you enjoyed the first film.
Super Reviewer
Despicable Me 2 Quotes
|Because my house is made out of candy, and sometimes, I eat instead of facing my problems!
|Someday, I wish to play video games for a living.
|Wow... you're so complicated...
|My house is made of candy, and sometimes I eat instead of facing my problems!
|Additional Minions:
|Bee doo bee doo!
Discussion Forum
Discuss Despicable Me 2 on our Movie forum!


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The 'Chuck' actor and the 'Cloud Atlas' star are the last two contenders left in Marvel Studios' shortlist of actors to play leader Peter Quill.
"Guardians of the Galaxy" might be close to find its lead. Variety shares the words that Marvel Studios has narrowed its shortlist into two frontrunners to play Peter Quill. They are none other than Zachary Levi and Jim Sturgess.
For those who are unfamiliar with Quill a.k.a Star-Lord, the character leads a group of alien superheros including Rocket Raccoon, Groot, Drax the Destroyer and Gamora to protect the solar system from an evil force. They come from the future and another dimension. In Marvel comics, the Guardians also work with The Avengers to protect the universe.
Previously, it was said that Marvel tested five actors for the coveted lead role. They were Sturgess, Joel Edgerton, Lee Pace, Jack Huston and Eddie Redmayne. Sturgess is now the only one remaining from the list. As for Levi, though he was not included in the previous list, the studio was impressed with him after he tackled a supporting role in "Thor : The Dark World".
The "Guardians of the Galaxy" film project has hired James Gunn as the director and Black List scribe Chris McCoy as the screenwriter. The movie reportedly will follow a far-future story revolving around a group of alien beings - each the last of their kind - who eventually travel back in time to protect the earth from alien invasion. Marvel plans to release the flick Stateside on August 1, 2014.


text: Today's Range: $2.93-$3.00 52-Week Range: $1.28-$5.19 Volume: 398,000 Three-Month Average Volume: 1.28 million This stock is trending higher ahead of a data release for the results from a 4 key Phase II trials for its primary drug candidate, Zerenex. That data is expected to be released in the next several weeks. From a technical perspective, KERX is bouncing higher here right off some near-term support at $2.80 with light volume. This action is quickly pushing KERX within range of triggering a major breakout trade. That trade will hit once KERX manages to clear $3 to $3.08 with high volume. If those levels get taken out, then KERX will have nothing but a gap down zone above it for resistance, since the stock gapped down in April from $5 to below $1.75. Traders should now look for long-biased trades in KERX as long as it's trending above its 50-day at $2.68, and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 1.28 million shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then KERX will set up to re-fill some of that massive gap from April. Some possible upside targets are $4 to $5 in the near future. Progenics Pharmaceuticals ( PGNX) This is a biopharmaceutical company, which develops and commercializes innovative therapeutic products to treat the unmet medical needs of patients with debilitating conditions and life-threatening diseases. This stock is trading up 6.6% to $2.25 in recent trading. Today's Range: $2.03-$2.52 52-Week Range: $1.41-$11.34 Volume: 2.47 million Three-Month Average Volume: 263,297 Shares of PGNX are spiking notably higher today after the company priced its underwritten public offering of 11 million shares of common stock at $2 per share. From a technical perspective, PGNX is bouncing higher here right off some near-term support at $2 with heavy upside volume. This move is quickly pushing PGNX within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade. That trade will hit once PGNX manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance at $2.52 to its 50-day at $2.68 with high volume.


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" 31 St.Marys / Bootham / York / YO30 7DD / Tel:+44(0)1904 628474. "
Over the weekend of 22nd to 24th September we spent an excellent weekend in York. We travelled up on the Friday morning, arriving just before lunchtime, and got the Sunday afternoon train back home. This gave us two evenings, one full day and a morning and an afternoon to enjoy this excellent city! We actually fell pretty lucky because we (quite unintentionally) happened to arrive at the start of the York Food & Drink Festival, so had food stalls, tastings and a 15 pub "Ale Trail" to occupy us; as well as all the usual sites on offer in York. But, this is all for another review
Our accommodation for the long weekend was booked for us by a friend from Portsmouth. We were travelling there separately, but there would be just over 20 of us meeting up to virtually take over a hotel! We were staying at the Alhambra Court Hotel, which can be found at 31 St. Mary's, York. We walked from the Railway station, via a drink at the Maltings pub for a drink on the way. The best way to get from the station by foot is to turn left out of the station and go across Lendall Bridge, go along Museum Street, turn down St. Leonards Place, turn down Bootham and go along there (past Marygate) and St. Mary's will be on your left. The hotel is a little way down this road and you can't really miss it!
I was really pleased with where the hotel was situated. It is only about five minutes from the Minster and therefore very close to the shops and historical sites of the city centre. Despite being pretty central it is also on a quiet cul-de-sac with very little noise at all.
Due to our train being earlier we checked in earlier than the majority of our party. We arrived about 12.30 pm and the others were due in around 5pm. This was not a problem and the receptionist checked to see if our rooms were ready. Our room was and our friend's single room wasn't because they had started cleaning on the top floors and were working their way down. We checked in and dropped our bags off, while the receptionist offered to lock our friend's bag away safely until we got back. At this stage the receptionist told us that our room keys also unlocked the front door for "if" we didn't get into the hotel before 11pm at night.
Check out was painless even though the party organiser was paying for quite a lot of rooms in one go. Thankfully because he was doing this all we had to do was hand in our keys. Result! Rooms had to be vacated at a reasonable 11am too.
The Alhambra Court is a rather nice looking late Georgian building. The frontage is nicely painted with some rather nice flowers outside. There is also a decent size car park at the back, but we didn't have need for it having travelled up by train. The front door of the hotel is accessible by a few steps.
Once through the door you will find yourself in the reception area. There was a bell to ring for service and a smiling lady very speedily emerged to greet us. The reception area is open from 8am until 11pm, but there is an emergency number if you need anything outside those hours. The reception area which is nicely decorated, clean and furnished in a style in keeping with the age of the building, leads to the staircase with doors off to the dining room/bar, ground floor rooms and two sitting rooms.
The sittings rooms are large with comfy seating and are equally well and sympathetically furnished. According to the website the building was a Georgian gentleman's residence and I would say that the décor of these two rooms reflects that era well. The staircases to the upper floors are quite steep and when we arrived the lift was being serviced and we were a bit dizzy after climbing up the few flights to our bedroom on the third floor. Thankfully the lift (which is through a door to the rear of the reception) was working for the rest of our stay so we walked down and rode up!
The lift was small though and was a little old and claustrophobic.
Once up the stairs our room was down a short corridor. Our room was a double and was quite large with a bathroom facing the main door. The bed was large and comfy (it was actually two decent sized singles firmly attached together making the bed larger than a normal double but not quite a king size) with sheet, duvet and two pillows. There was a good sized wardrobe (with extra pillows and bedding in), a decent number of coat-hangers, dressing table with lots of drawers (one with a hairdryer in), two bedside lamps, television and tea and coffee making facilities. It was a nice bright room and an excellent base for our trip. Oh, yes and evening though the website says that some rooms allow smoking; there was a note in each room to say that smoking is not permitted anywhere now!
The bathroom was also a decent size with a toilet, basin and bath with fixed shower. I did find that the shower was too high up for me and would have preferred one that was adjustable because it was a little too high for me to shower comfortably and not easy to wash my hair with. The toilet had lots of toilet paper and there were the usual supply of shower gel and shampoo sachets which were topped up daily.
We were staying on a bed and breakfast basis, but the downstairs bar and restaurant opened in the evening. Evening meals needed to be pre-booked but we ate out because we didn't want to be tied to a specific mealtime ~ there is a sample menu on their website and the selection seems pretty good so we may have one meal there if we visit again. We didn't use the bar either because it didn't serve any Real Ale. The breakfast though was really good! It was waitress service and the waitresses seemed very friendly and generally quite efficient. Our only niggle was that they temporarily forgot us on our first morning. Once they realised they were very apologetic and our food was bought out very efficiently.
Breakfast was ordered from a menu but if you wanted anything specific they would try and get it for you. There was a choice of three fruit juices, several cereals, full English (that seemed the most popular choice amongst our party), lighter options (like scrambled, poached or boiled eggs with toast), toast with marmalade and tea or coffee. The food was piping hot, well cooked and served with a cheerful demeanour. My poached eggs were cooked just right, the toast plentiful and the fried eggs were runny. The only complaint anyone had was that the sausages weren't too great, as they were tasteless and seemed quite poor quality ~ they let down a generally good breakfast!
As I said before we didn't book the hotel ourselves and we did get a good rate because of the group booking. Prices for the rooms on a B&B basis are £27.50 - £52.50 for double or twin, £37.50 - £62.50 for single rooms and £32.50 - £57.50 for the four poster deluxe rooms. There are deals for multiple night stays and midweek breaks and cost depends on what time of year you visit. All this is explained on the website or you can ring the hotel for details, so I won't go on about all that!
I found the Alhambra Court Hotel to be friendly, comfortable and a good base for a trip to York. It was in an ideal location near to all the sites and not too far from the Railway Station, making the whole package ideal for our needs. The service was good and the staff friendly and helpful. We had to report that a fuse had gone in our main room lights and they were fixed very quickly. I wouldn't say it would be a good choice for anyone with mobility problems because the dining room is down stairs and it didn't look as if the lift went down there. The lift wasn't big enough either and there didn't seem to be any facilities for wheelchair users.
The hotel was great for us though and I will certainly be recommending it to friends. We are also planning to visit York again soon and will try and book into this place again. That is the best compliment I can give!
Alhambra Court Hotel
31 St.Mary's


text: 47 photos $289,250 10.25 acres 2524 N St Rd 227, Richmond, IN 47374 - Wayne County 10.25 acres Richmond, IN An opportunity to own a beautiful property with incredible views right on the bank of the Middlefork Reservoir. The original farmstead remains, featuring the home built around the original log cabin, built in 1875 which was subsequently added to many times over the years. This home underwent some very extensive improvements approximately 20 years ago, and would be a handy man's dream! The woodwork involved in the windows, doors, casings and stairway is a testimony to the craftsmanship of days gone by and not found in today's construction. There is a total of 3 bedrooms, 1 downstairs, and 2 upstairs, a bathroom centrally located on the bottom floor, a large, open concept kitchen-dining area, and a hu Tom James Whitetail Properties


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MobileMe Chat Support is Useless
After four attempts this morning to contact Apple's standard customer service regarding MobileMe outage credit—the first three ended in failed attempts by representatives to transfer me to a billing department—this is the message that popped up on Apple's MobileMe online chat page, the only way people are currently being told they can get customer support.
Right. Because after the first three people couldn't help, customers should really have to wait 82 minutes for the next screwed-up response—it's as if Apple is working from the Dell playbook here. Best of luck, Eddy Cue. Seriously.
Related Stories
I got this screen. And it just freezes and never takes you anywhere. Even if you do wait whatever amount of time it says.
Posted by MikeW on August 7, 2008 at 10:50 AM (CDT)
Same thing happened to me - I tried twice to do this and nothing after hours of waiting…and to make matters worse - I figured I would email the issue at hand to them and there is no way to email them regarding issues around credit. Also I got a letter from them saying they would credit me one extra month which I haven't seen reflected in my online account information.
Posted by Markus on August 7, 2008 at 10:59 AM (CDT)
I got the message saying I had 28 minutes to wait. After waiting 43 minutes, the message said I had another 2 minutes to wait. After waiting another 30 minutes, it still said 2 minutes to go. Eventually I had to cut my losses and walk away…. I do have other things to do in life than wait in front of my computer.
Which of course is precisely what Apple is counting on.
Posted by Jim G on August 7, 2008 at 11:24 AM (CDT)
About 2 weeks ago I was able to chat with a human after waiting for a short time; however, the Apple support guy (named "Orlando") told me he couldn't fix my problem and would escalate my tech support to another technician. He told me I would hear back in about 72 hours. It's been 2 weeks and no one has contacted me.
I never received the apology letter and never got the one-month extension. I still cannot remove my now-defunct .Mac Group from my MobileMe iDisk. So, why is the MobileMe status light always "green"?
Posted by RobS on August 7, 2008 at 1:03 PM (CDT)
Imagine that. When things actually involve a company giving YOU money, they're slow as molasses. Yet they take your money instantly when it's time to collect.
Since the product didn't work as advertised, considering you are trying to get a refund offered to users of something that doesn't work, why not just file a chargeback with your credit card issuer? "product not as described" or similar would be appropriate for something that doesn't work as promised.
Merchants tend to sit up and take notice when they find money being pulled from their accounts due to shoddy service.
Posted by Buran on August 8, 2008 at 11:41 AM (CDT)
I had a similar experience that actually ended well. My .Mac account was set to expire yesterday. On the FAQ about the MobileMe 30-day extension it says that if your account is set to expire then it will not until the 30-day extension has been applied.
Lo and behold my expire date comes around and I get an email saying that my MobileMe account is expired, email will work for 15 more days, and after Aug 22nd we will not be able to save your data or preferences.
Ok so I get on to chat with the support guy. First wait time 37 minutes. It times out before I'm able to talk with someone. Hmm…so I hit the button to chat again 42 minutes this time. After watching the time dwindle to 22 minutes it started going back up to 30 minutes. Ok…came back down and at 16 minutes a guy came and helped me. In my case the FAQ was correct and he said to ignore (the very official) email that said that my account was expired.
He didn't have an ETA for the 30-day extensions. "Engineers" are working on that one and haven't said when it will happen.
So if your account is set to expire (if it's on auto-renew I'd suggest taking that off to eke out a few more days, weeks, months) the word is that it will not UNTIL Apple applies the 30-day extension and then you will have 30 days from when they apply it to make your reup decision.
Posted by ben on August 9, 2008 at 4:06 AM (CDT)
I contacted iPhone support. After waiting 15 minutes the rep took my call. He said to hold one moment while he researched my problem. Suddenly, I heard an AT&T;message.
I was transferred, I think by accident. The AT&T;Support couldn't do me anything anyway because they are closed on Saturday. I called Apple again and waited. Then the rep told me that I had to go chat on the Apple site.
After nearly two hours of chatting the rep told me that I needed to do something to the computer that required me to log off, which would end our session.
This after making my problem worse than when we first started. Now I was not left worse off, and he wouldn't be there to help.
I tried to do what he told me, but it was difficult to execute because I couldn't see any of his directions because I was logged under a different user name.
I stumbled upon your site after looking for the chat page on the Apple website.
I've been a very loyal Apple customer for years. I can't believe how awful this experience has been.
Posted by Lawrence Ineno on September 27, 2008 at 10:57 PM (CDT)
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This is the fifth year I have looked into how the establishment media treats these two topics:
- The use of "Christmas shopping season" vs. "holiday shopping season" (the AP photo at right uses "holiday" and not "shopping," even though there is a C-C-, Chr-Chr-Christmas tree in the picture).
- The frequency of Christmas and holiday layoff references.
I have done three sets of simple Google News searches each year -- the first in late November, followed by identical searches roughly two and four weeks later. The cumulative results of all three search sets during the past four years are in this graphic.
On November 24 (at NewsBusters; at BizzyBlog), I noted that references to this year's shopping season came up with just over 6% of references to the "Christmas shopping season," while the rest referred to the "holiday shopping season." That's a 9-point, roughly 60% drop from just four years ago.
Here are the results of the relevant Google News searches done late last night compared to roughly the same date in 2005 --
- "Christmas shopping season": 2009 - 1,184 (9.4% of total); 2005 - 1,170 (11.8% of total)
- "Holiday shopping season": 2009 - 11,360 (90.6% of total); 2005 - 8,730 (88.2% of total)
While the decline in "shopping season" references to Christmas isn't as steep as it was in the late November comparisons, it's still 2.4 points, or about 25%.
Meanwhile the media's relative non-coverage of Christmas and holiday layoffs during what virtually everyone concedes is the worst economy since the post-Carter, early-Reagan era continues to amaze. Here's how this year compares to roughly the same time last year and in 2007, when the unemployment rate was over five points lower, and over 7 million more Americans were working (actual searches were all without quotes) --
- "Christmas layoffs": 2009 - 1,491 (40.5% of total); 2008 - 6,213 (24% of total); 2007- 1,032 (38.8% of total);
- "Holiday layoffs" plus "Holidays layoffs": 2009 - 2,183 (59.5% of total); 2008 - 19,680 (76% of total); 2007 - 1,626 (61.2% of total)
- Total layoff references: 2009 - 3,684; 2008 - 25,893; 2007 - 2,658.
The search results show that the press has been and continues to be many times more likely to refer to "Christmas" in connection with stories about layoffs than in stories about shopping. This year's 40.5% layoff frequency for Christmas layoffs is more than quadruple the 9.4% in "Christmas shopping" references.
The number of total layoff references also tells an important tale. This year's total is down almost 86% from last year, and is only about 40% higher than two years ago. This is not because this year's economy is 86% better than last year's or only somewhat worse than 2007's.
As I said two weeks ago, consider showing posts such as this one the next time someone tries to tell you that establishment media outlets play news about the economy straight regardless of who is in office. They don't, and it's really not arguable.
Cross-posted at BizzyBlog.com.


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British Transport Police are appealing for the public's help to identify a man they would like to speak to in connection with the theft of a passenger's property from a train in Cornwall.
Investigators have today released CCTV images of a man they believe will have information that can assist the investigation into the theft, which took place on Wednesday, July 31.
Detective Constable Dave Bailey, investigating officer, said: "The victim, a 19-year-old man from London, who was travelling to Cornwall with his girlfriend, boarded the 18:06 London Paddington – Penzance service at Paddington station on Wednesday, July 31.
"He placed his luggage, a black sports bag with a pink ribbon attached, in the racks in the vestibule area of the carriage near to the buffet. When he arrived at his destination, Bodmin station, the victim realised his bag was missing."
The bag contained a Sony laptop computer and charger, and items of clothing.
DC Bailey added: "After reviewing CCTV footage, I would like to identify and speak to the man in these photographs as I believe he will have key information about the incident.
"The man in these pictures travelled on the same train as the victim, leaving the service at Liskeard.
"He is described as white, aged 35 to 50, with short brown hair. He was wearing a polo shirt with horizontal stripes, beige trousers and sunglasses."
Anyone with information should contact British Transport Police on Freefone 0800 40 50 40 or text 61016. Information can also be passed to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
In all calls, quote incident reference B6/WWA of 19/09/2013.


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Annie-Rose Strasser is a Deputy Managing Editor at Think Progress.
Why You Should Care that CVS Will Stop Selling Cigarettes—Even If You Don't Smoke
Posted on: Feb 6, 2014, Source: Think Progress
It strikes a blow to big tobacco and a bigger blow for public health.
Obama Calls Out Fox News: 'You and Your TV Station' Keep Scandals Alive
Posted on: Feb 3, 2014, Source: ThinkProgress
In a Pre-Superbowl interview, the President clashes with Bill O'Reilly's IRS Scandal spin.
Utah School Threw Out Students' Lunches Because They Were In Debt
Posted on: Jan 30, 2014, Source: ThinkProgress
Got a balance on your school account, 3rd grader? Kiss your lunch goodbye.
Three Children Killed During Polar Vortex After Their Heat Was Cut Off
Posted on: Jan 13, 2014, Source: ThinkProgress
Propane space heaters sparked a flame that engulfed an Indiana family's home.
99 Percent Of Police Brutality Reports In Central New Jersey Never See The Light Of Day
Posted on: Jan 6, 2014, Source: Think Progress
This is despite notorious incidents of police brutality.
The Scariest Real Estate Advertisement On Craigslist
Posted on: Nov 15, 2013, Source: Think Progress
Kentucky has long been a hotbed of dirty energy production, but this discovery may just take the cake...
Lululemon Owner Says Women's Big Thighs Are To Blame For His Company's Faulty Pants
Posted on: Nov 7, 2013, Source: Think Progress
The company's founder would like you to know: It's not the pants' fault. It's your thighs.
Florida High School Named After KKK Founder -- in 2013
Posted on: Oct 21, 2013, Source: Think Progress
One Jacksonville resident launched a Change.org petition that has so far garnered over 150,000 signatures, asking the Duval County School Board to change the name.
Countdown to Catastrophe: The Latest Updates on the Shutdown and the Debt Ceiling
Posted on: Oct 15, 2013, Source: Think Progress
House GOP brought the government to a shutdown by refusing to fund Obamacare, but with the added leverage of the debt ceiling, their demands have since grown.
Sixth Grader's Father Says She Wouldn't Have Died If A School Nurse Had Been On Duty
Posted on: Oct 11, 2013, Source: ThinkProgress
Budget cuts have left Philadelphia's schools without adequate medical support, and students are paying with their lives.
Sorry, Rich People: Even You Will Be Affected by the Shutdown
Posted on: Oct 2, 2013, Source: Think Progress
Poor people will have it worse, of course.
Wisconsin Governor Appointee Fired After Calling Undocumented Immigrants 'Satan'
Posted on: Aug 9, 2013, Source: ThinkProgress
On Facebook the man wrote, "You may see Jesus when you look at them. I see Satan. "
Wall Street Is Crazy Sexist
Posted on: Jul 28, 2013, Source: Think Progress
Former female Merrill Lynch employees allege training included a book called "Seducing the Boys Club: Uncensored Tactics From a Woman at the Top"
Conservative Paper Invokes Lynching In Anti-Sharpton Editorial Cartoon
Posted on: Jul 22, 2013, Source: Think Progress
The cartoonist depicted various incidents in which Sharpton has been active as people being hanged from a tree.
McDonalds' Budget For Employees: Get a Second Job, Turn Off Your Heat
Posted on: Jul 17, 2013, Source: Think Progress
How about just paying them a living wage?
Legislator Blocks Openly Gay Colleague From Speaking About DOMA, Cites 'God's Law'
Posted on: Jun 28, 2013, Source: Think Progress
Even after historic ruling, Republicans still just won't give up.
Fox News Commentator: Breadwinning Women Are "Hurting our Children"
Posted on: May 31, 2013, Source: Think Progress
Erick Ericson's neanderthalian views of gender roles will really make you scratch your head.
California Strawberry Pickers Fired for Fleeing Dangerous Wildfire
Posted on: May 10, 2013, Source: Think Progress
The company only reinstated the workers after intense outcry.
Ohio Is Illegally Throwing Poor People in Jail For Owing Money
Posted on: Apr 6, 2013, Source: Think Progress
A new report shines a light on a harrowing "debtors' prison" system in Ohio — one that violates both the United States' and the Ohio constitution.
Georgia Town Passes Law Requiring All Adults to Own Guns
Posted on: Apr 2, 2013, Source: Think Progress
The town's Police Chief said he hopes "having a gun would help residents take their protection into their own hands," since the town has an understaffed police department.
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Founding a Company Without Being Deported
Sunday, March 3, 2013 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM (PST)
Who's Going
San Francisco, California
London, United Kingdom
Florence, Italy
Event Details
You are cordially invited to a special E-week event "Founding a Company Without Being Deported" brought to you by a collaboration of BASES, StartX, and the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies. Experienced international founders will discuss the challenges, strategies, and opportunities of starting a company in the US, a valuable discussion for all whether you will deal with these issues yourself or deal with them via your friends and colleagues.
Event details
- Date/Time : March 3rd, Sunday 6-8pm (FOOD INCLUDED)
- Location : Tressider Oak East (Second floor of Tressider)
- Structure : 80 min of panelist discussion and Q&A followed by mixer with food
- Moderator : Tony Lai (LawGives, StartX)
- Panelists - 4 from BASES and StartX
- Rebecca Hwang (Younoodle) - PhD 2003-2007 Environment and Resources. Co-founder and CEO of Younoodle. Formerly ran the Social-E Challenge for BASES.
- Chun Kai Wang (Kooapps) - B.S. EE 2003-2007, M.S. CS 2005-2007. CEO and founder of Kooapps who built the company while working at Microsoft (until he got his green card). Formerly ran Career Services for BASES.
- Montse Medina (Jetlore) - MS AA 2007-2008, MS CME 2008-2010, PhD CME 2008- on leave. Co-founder of Jetlore. Dealt with immigration for 7 out of 11 members at Jetlore.
- Pablo Diaz-Gutierrez (Appfluence) - UC Irvine PhD 2008 Computer Science. Co-founder of Appfluence. Founded the company while at Intel, then went full time the same week that got green card.
Looking forward to seeing you all there!
When & Where
Tressider Oak East (Upstairs Tressider Student Union)
459 Lagunita Drive
Sunday, March 3, 2013 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM (PST)
Add to my calendar
StartX is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs an accelerator for Stanford-affiliated entrepreneurs. Our mission is to help accelerate the development of the top founders coming out of Stanford.


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Former Ohio State football player Bradley Roby pleaded guilty to having "physical control" of a vehicle while impaired, reduced from a charge of operating a vehicle under the influence, Tuesday.
According to the Franklin County court report, Roby was fined $375 in addition to court fees.
Roby was also sentenced to 180 days in jail, a sentence that was suspended on the condition that Roby participate in a three-day driver intervention program. He was given 30 days of probation as well.
The former OSU cornerback was charged with OVI April 20.
Roby's agent Michael Perrett issued the following statement to The Lantern following Roby's plea deal Tuesday.
"Though my client, Bradley Roby, maintains his innocence and feels he would have been completely exonerated had he taken this matter to trial, Bradley has accepted the prosecutor's offer of a reduced charge to 'physical control' to bring closure and finality to this situation ahead of next week's NFL draft," Perrett said in an email.
"A 'physical control' citation is a non-moving violation that will not result in any points being added to his driving record and there will be no license suspension. Bradley is scheduled to complete a three-day alcohol educational class this week which will effectively terminate the case. This plea was accepted by the judge and entered into the record today … Bradley is very focused and is excited about starting his NFL career."
Roby, who was a three-year starter for the Buckeyes, voiced his frustration with the matter last week.
"I was not driving . I did not get arrested . Was not in a cell . No finger prints . No mugshot," Roby tweeted April 25 from his personal account, @BradRoby_1.
Roby did not immediately respond an email requesting comment Tuesday.
He was suspended the first game of the 2013 season after an incident at a bar in Bloomington, Ind., in July. The charges in that case were later dropped.
Roby, who redshirted the 2010 season, recorded eight interceptions and 179 total tackles in his time at OSU and was named an All-American by ESPN in 2012. He is one of 30 NFL prospects scheduled to attend the NFL Draft in New York May 8.


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It was a pretty good week! Tuesday's run was pretty normal. Well, I don't remember it so it wasn't great or horrible. Wednesday's run was good! I explored a new path and ran a lot and it was kind of sort of fast for me. And it was fun. And I felt all excited about running after. Aaaaaaaand Thursday's run was a big pile of suck. Well, not every run can be good, or even unmemorable. But not the way you want to go into a big weekend.
I put some pressure on this weekend. It was supposed to be 18 on Saturday and 8 on Sunday. Well, Saturday was Ann Arbor Loop meetup day. I knew I couldn't keep up with most of the group for 12. I could probably get 8 in in the same amount of time though. And I certainly didn't think I would be motivated enough to get up and run 10 miles before the meetup started at 8...so the days got switched. I was just hoping I wouldn't be too tired or sore for my longer run on Sunday.
So somehow I became the sort of planner for this meetup. I guess I do live the closest to Ann Arbor (well sclathena was in Ann Arbor but I guess she's not a permanent resident so it was still up to me). So I had to come up with the route and meeting place and such. I made a map of where I like to run (because everyone must like what I like, right? ) but I had a feeling it might be a confusing route if you didn't know the area. I only know the area because the route is around where I travel around school! And since I couldn't keep up with them and tell them where to go, I was even less confident in my little printed map. But off they went extremely confident. Turns out they got lost.
Disclaimer: I stole these picture from RunningPlaces. All credit should go to him
The group
And we were off!
We started out and within a few steps I was in back but sclathena stuck back with me!
We talked, caught up since we hadn't seen each other in a year since our last MI meetup because of her summer job. It was nice. And we were cruising! Even got to run down a path I've never gone down but have wanted to for a little while. After 3 miles I realized we had been running at a pretty good clip for me, with no breaks! 3 whole miles! I haven't ran that far without walking in a long long time. It didn't last and we walked up some hills after that. But going up the hills got us to one of my favorite roads to run down because it is a long, slightly rolling but net downhill. I like to fly down it! We got to go through the other park, Parker Mill County Park, that connects to Gallup Park, where we had started. I like Parker Mill, it is really pretty. And luckily the sewage treatment plant nearby wasn't going that day so there were no bad smells! It was a nice run, a fast-ish run at least for me, and fun! And I really enjoyed runnign with slcathena too. We got to talk about all sorts of stuff and we distracted each other from the fact that we were running.
I ave up and walked the last bit after my watch hit 8. It was hot and I could tell the heat was getting to Charlie. We waited a little bit for Zam to finish her miles so I felt better no one was waiting just because I was lazy and didn't want to run it in. Oh and BriU showed up to run a few miles on her own and go to breakfast!
Breakfast was good and the venue made for some fun and jokes. And then it was time to say goodbye until next time!
So that brings us to Sunday. I said that I put pressure on this weekend. The pressure was mostly on the 18 miles run (although the fact that I would go 26 miles over the weekend was pretty cool ). If this run went well, I would maybe not drop to the half at Old Fart's the next weekend. If this run went well, I might start to believe I was really coming back.
I hadn't gone this far on trails since...I'm pretty sure since the 50K that ended in stitches. So there's that thought going through my head. I hadn't gone that far on trails or roads since the Pig (not counting 72 HOM since that was all walking and a lot of breaks in between). And I don't want to repeat the feeling of the Pig. The Pig hurt.
So I was nervous for this run. I wasn't sure how it would go or if I could finish, just like if it was the first time I was going to do the distance.
Probably the most ridiculous story of the day was getting to the park. All week I walked past my mud-crusted shoes on the side porch. They were full of left over mud from the half marathon the weekend before and every time I looked at them it was "I should really clean those off." I never did. Sunday morning as I was taking a long time to get out the door anyways, I put on my shoes and they were stiff and uncomfortable. Crap.
A decision had to be made and I decided to rinse off my shoes before going. So they were sopping wet. I alternated holding each shoe partially out the window of my car to help them dry. I think it kind of worked.
Got to the park and hit the bathroom before hitting the trail. Less than a mile in I had to decide if I wanted to go the 17.5 mile loop or do smaller loops just in case things went south. Well, I never said I was smart so I went with the 17.5 mile big loop. Mentally I like not having the option to quit.
The first 3-4 miles were (and always are) a little sucky because it takes me a while to warm up. But the scenery was pretty nice.
From around mile 5 to about 10 I felt pretty good. I was running a lot, hiking only the steep hills like the ones that needed extra grips.
I was just in a groove or something. I got to the halfway point and was feeling pretty good other than starting to get hot.
I started wondering where the campground was. I thought it was around mile 10 but 10 passed with no campground. The campground is my favorite part of the trail. Why, you ask? It is not because of the trail or something fun to see or to get to talk to the campers or something. It is because of this.
Refill time! And the water from the pump is COLD. It even tastes good despite being straight from the ground. I even got to have a conversation with a camper about gross freeze-dried meals.
I got a short lived second wind after my refill but then the steep uphills and humidity started getting to me and I slowed a lot and started getting a little down. But still took some pictures!
I was really glad I brought some pringles because I was getting really hungry!
Like, I could go for a huge sandwich so big I can barely bite into it big. Despite being really tired from the humidity, my legs felt good and strong the whole time, I could drink the whole time, was sweating the whole time, had to pee at the end, and could eat the whole time, so no stomach issues! I almost was wishing it was fall so it would stop being hot but I don't really want it to be fall because then winter is coming and I don't need winter in my life right now. Plus I'm not ready for school to start!!!!
I convinced myself to run most downhills and flats the last few miles just so I could be done faster. It still took me a while but I did it so whatever!
I kind of forgot people actually do stuff on Sundays. I stepped out of the woods right into the beach area on the lake and there were hundreds of people there, swimming and barbequeing and such. I felt a little out of place. Plus I ran past because I wanted to hit 18 and I was at 17.something.
And the dirt aftermath!
I splurged on some Injinjis. I think I like them so far! Felt good for 18 miles at least.
Sand poured out of my socks and shoes though. Need to figure out my gaiters before the race next weekend and hopefully that will help at least some.
Anyways, I'm happy this weekend went so well! I'm excited for next weekend. Maybe I can do the whole marathon. I'll be alright if I decide to drop or drop out. I'm a little scared from the stories of those trails, but we'll see!
The rest of the day was spent relaxing, Charlie took part. He wasn't too upset that he didn't get to go on the run (too far for him, at least right now) since he got to go to go in the car to my Mom's house.


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In 2002, former Grand Royal record label employee Brandon Schoolhouse founded Han Cholo along with veteran jeweler Guillaume Pajolec, with the idea of creating unique jewelry for fans of streetwear fashion. Before founding Han Cholo, Schoolhouse gained a reputation for making custom accessories as a wardrobe stylist. Soon after Han Cholo jewelery hit the streets, Schoolhouse's artistic pieces became a staple in the wardrobes of celebrities and musicians.
Shop online now for rings, necklaces, accessories, and more by Han Cholo.
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Shop now for rings, necklaces, and more from Han Cholo, Mister, Monsieur, and Monserrat De Lucca.


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Business Solent Champion of the Year Award contenders
THEY work together to promote the Solent region as a great place to work, invest, study, live and enjoy.
Business Solent's 200- plus champions joined forces with the aim of driving economic prosperity.
The Business Solent Champion of the Year Award will recognise the organisation most dedicated to that vision.
Judges are looking for outstanding commitment to promoting the region on a regional, national and international basis.
And the winner will also have demonstrated pride in the region through its involvement in projects and events that attract businesses and people to the Solent, as well as key involvement in Business Solent action groups, projects and events, and a partnership that has benefited the region.
Sally Lynskey, pictured left, CEO of Business Solent, said: "Our worthy winner last year was Southampton-based LHC, who specialise in architecture and urban design.
"Their support for the Future Southampton Group – through the chairmanship of Richard Summers – was second to none.
"The Future Southampton Group was instrumental in encouraging Southampton City Council to go ahead with the masterplan and this incredible action group will continue to play a key role in its delivery.
"Judging this year will focus on a champion's dedication to enhancing and promoting the Solent region as a great place to work, invest, study, live and enjoy as well as their support for Business Solent in its role as a connector and enabler," she said.
PSP, based in Segensworth, is one of the leading global freight forwarding firms and is highly dedicated to the Solent region.
An active and dedicated member of Business Solent, it is renowned for its inward investment in the region through its sponsorship of the PSP Southampton Boat Show, which helps to promote the Solent on a national and international basis.
PSP is actively involved in Business Solent groups and events and managing director Frank Dixie has passed on his experience of doing business internationally to help other companies in the area.
CAPITA is the UK's leading professional and support services organisation. In October 2007, Southampton City Council began a 10-year strategic partnership with Capita.
It is working with the council to deliver property consultancy services, customer services, HR and Payroll, IT and print, procurement operations and revenues and benefits. The partnership aims to support the council in providing excellent services that achieve high levels of satisfaction for the residents and council.
Southampton has proved an exceptional location for Capita to nurture the skills and talent that is available in the Solent region.
In recognition of that Capita has invested its own resources and time in supporting the work of Business Solent and the ambitious programme of events and projects it has developed.
City College Southampton
CITY College Southampton is committed to changing lives through education and arming the Solent's businesses with the relevant skills to drive economic prosperity.
Its work helps raise a new generation of highly-skilled workers, which makes the region an attractive place to do business.
With its campus redevelopment the college has secured investment in the city (£25m external funding) that now benefits not only students but businesses and the community.
Its principal and CEO, who has spearheaded the dramatic turnaround of the college, is tirelessly committed to the region and contributes actively to many of the Solent area's boards and networks.
The Southampton Hoteliers Association
THE Southampton and Region Hoteliers Association comprises all the main hotels in the city and covers an area to Winchester in the north, the New Forest in the west and the Meon Valley in the east.
The Association works collaboratively with Business Solent, Southampton City Council and other bodies to actively promote the region and visitor economy.
Strong links have also been forged with numerous local schools and the region's education and business partnership to host educational visits and competitions aimed at encouraging students to consider a career in the hospitality industry.
The association is a not for profit organisation. A modest subscription fee is charged to each hotel annually and is then used to put on various events throughout the year and to support promotional activity such as a stand at the PSP Southampton Boat Show.


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Section 724 of the Code sets forth the treatment options for certain types of liens, including tax liens, in a Chapter 7 case. The trustee is granted the power to avoid certain liens altogether. These liens include claims for fines, penalties, and punitive damage claims, among others. The full list is found in 11 U.S.C. 726(a) (4). These types of liens are treated as low priority claims under Chapter 7. The trustee has the ability to subordinate tax claims to other types of claims, including secured claims. The trustee can subordinate tax claims on property of the estate to pay prior secured creditors and most priority claims, including the trustee's commission. The purpose of this subordination is to protect the debtor's fresh start.
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Adult visitors to Burrell School District should have their drivers licenses handy this school year.
Superintendent Shannon Wagner said the Raptor Technologies visitor-management system will be in operation at all school offices when classes begin on Monday.
For any visitors intending to go beyond the office and interact with students, staff will swipe their drivers licenses through the system to check whether they are registered sex offenders.
If so, those visitors won't be permitted beyond the office.
Wagner said substitute teachers, parent-teacher association volunteers and parents attending class parties and other functions will be scanned.
The system will print a name badge that includes the visitor's photo, a feature Wagner said she especially appreciates.
Coupled with the more permanent identification badges worn by employees, everyone encountered in school hallways should now be easily identified through district-issued photo identification, Wagner said.
The system logs a visitor's name, photo and the time of the scan. Other personal information is not retained, Wagner said.
Wagner said the system will not be used for events that draw a large crowd; she acknowledged it would be too unwieldy to check in every visitor at choir or band concerts and the like.
In those instances, new gates will be used to prevent visitors from wandering unsupervised through instructional areas of the schools.
One of the new gates was in use during the school board meeting on Tuesday.
Since the board room is in a hallway full of classrooms, a metal gate stretched across one end of the hall to keep people from accessing other parts of the high school.
The gates and visitor-management system plus additional metal detectors were bought through a $23,000 state grant the district sought last school year.
Wagner said information will be sent to parents explaining the new Raptor system and informational signs are posted at the offices.
She said anyone who is flagged as a sex offender will be able to visit school offices and interact with staff to drop off or pick up items for students and conduct other business.
Once word spreads that Burrell is using the system, Wagner said, she hopes the knowledge deters anyone convicted of crimes against children from even attempting to gain access to students.
Liz Hayes is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 724-226-4680 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Young softball roster doesn't faze Sewickley Academy coach
While a youthful roster can cause stress for some coaches, Sewickley Academy softball coach Win Palmer is embracing it.
His Panthers have only two seniors and one junior on the roster, but that isn't stopping them from looking to qualify for the WPIAL Class A playoffs for a second straight year.
"We are very excited for this year and the future," Palmer said. "We have the pieces in place and feel we can battle for a playoff spot like last year. We are rock solid for the next four or five years."
The Panthers No. 1 pitcher will be freshman Savannah Henry. The youngster plays for a travel team so she has experience to go along with her ability on the mound.
"She throws a nice fastball and has a wonderful changeup," Palmer said. "She moves the ball around nicely. She has great tools and works hard."
Sarah Manzinger also will see time as a pitcher and offers a strong arm and quick release, according to Palmer. But the sophomore's true contribution will come as a catcher, a position she played last season when she allowed just three stolen bases.
"I think the defense all starts behind the plate," Palmer said. "In my opinion, we have a top pitcher in the WPIAL, not just our section."
Freshman Megan Kyne also will be a pitching option but will likely be used more on the junior varsity level.
The youthful pitching staff will benefit from several returning players around the diamond. The team's lone junior, Mackenzie Pryor, returns at first base, a position she received all-section honors for last year. Senior Camdin Bartholomew will be back at shortstop.
"Kat Goebel will be back at third base after an outstanding rookie year," Palmer said. "Camdin's younger sister, Alexa, started in right field last season and will be moved to second base this season."
Palmer said his squad lacks a true power hitter but will make up for it with several solid batters, including Goebel and Manzinger, who both hit near .400 last year.
"I felt we were streaky last year," Palmer said of the 9-7 club. "We would pile up the hits on some teams and struggle to hit against others. We want more consistently solid at bats."
The Panthers will move to Section 1-A this season but will continue playing many of their Section 3-A rivals from last year, including Cornell, North Catholic, Northgate and Sto-Rox. Avella will also play in the new section, as well as Bishop Canevin and Burgettstown, which both dropped down from Class AA.
"Playoffs are definitely the overall goal," Palmer said. "There are a lot of unknowns because we don't know a lot about Avella, Bishop Canevin or Burgettstown. Sto-Rox has a good team and will get one of the spots. So, basically there will be seven teams playing for two spots. If we can make the playoffs again, it will be a wonderful accomplishment."
Nathan Smith is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach him at email@example.com.


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You quit the airport and drive along roads flanked with palm trees, past fields of tall sugar cane and stone-walled gardens bristling with red hibiscus flowers, and it's clear that you've arrived in a very different part of Japan.
Ishigakijima Island might be the main transport nexus for the Yaeyama Islands, situated at the southwestern end of the Okinawan archipelago in Okinawa Prefecture, but the airport itself is a pint-sized affair, sleepy like the rest of this island. Ishigakijima is keen to proclaim the fact that its main city, also called Ishigaki, is Japan's southernmost city, but it's one where the main road is completely deserted on a Saturday afternoon, its shops devoid of customers.
Though Ishigaki is for the most part about as quiet a city as you are likely to find, one hive of constant activity is its harbor. From here, boats large and small depart for the more famed other islands of the Yaeyamas — Taketomijima with its delightful streets of coral sand; Iriomotejima with its primeval jungles; and Yonagunijima, home to mysterious underwater structures some believe were the handiwork of an ancient civilization.
Boats also figure as one of the best-known tourist attractions on Ishigakijima. Kabira Bay has a picture-postcard beauty that guarantees its use in most publicity materials promoting the Yaeyamas. Swimming may be forbidden, but with its gleaming white sands, dense green vegetation on small offshore islands and waters varying in color between turquoise and cobalt blue, it is indeed the most picturesque spot on the island. The prettiness of the place ensures its popularity, and a gentle resortlike atmosphere hangs over Kabira, where village shops sell the black pearls that are cultured here.
Kabira Bay's appeal is not limited to what is visible on the surface. The subtropical Yaeyamas offer some of the best diving in Asia, as the surrounding waters boast 260 coral species, the highest number found in coastal waters in the world. The reefs surround Ishigaki, and some of the island's top diving spots are clustered around Kabira.
Glass-bottomed boats depart from the beach, taking visitors on trips across the bay while showing them the great diversity of underwater life. They catch a glimpse of brightly colored fish darting over the reef, variegated corals in fantastic forms and the recumbent shapes of starfish. At the most popular point, the boat stops and all mobile phones poise over the rectangular trough of the glass to take photos of the orange-and-white clownfish, familiar from Disney's "Finding Nemo." Before boarding, the man touting the tour assured passengers that the half-hour trip was good value for 1,000 yen. He wasn't wrong.
Going back to Ishigaki City, located on the other side of the island from Kabira Bay, the bus drives past pineapple and sugar cane fields that have long been a mainstay of the local economy. Along parts of the coast, especially in river estuaries, can be seen the mangrove forests, another distinctive feature of the island. Although not as extensive as the mangroves on nearby Iriomotejima Island, Ishigaki's have been officially designated as natural monuments.
Ishigakijima is the most built-up of the Yaeyamas Islands, with 80 percent of the Yaeyamas' population living there. Largely for that reason, it is the part of the islands that most lacks a distinctive regional identity. It still bears something of a distinct traditional stamp, however. Interspersed among the modern buildings are the typical old one-story dwellings of Okinawa, with their square plans and orange-tiled, hipped roofs. A fierce-looking lion-like figure known as shisa, is visible on the roofs of both traditional houses and many modern dwellings, there to ward off evil spirits. Such strong affection do the locals have for these creatures that one convenience store even calls itself Shisa Konbini.
A common sound in this town, one heard coming out of many a private home, is the plink-plonk tone of the sanshin, the stringed instrument with the snakeskin body similar in sound to the shamisen.
Within the town, the most prominent historical sight is the residence that goes by the name of Miyara Donchi. The house was built in 1819 by the Matsuhige family, which then controlled more than a third of the island. Miyara Donchi was modeled on the dwellings of nobles in Shuri on the main island of Okinawa, and today this Important Cultural Property is the only remaining residence of a high-ranking samurai in all Okinawa.
The samurai may have been local bigwigs, but Miyara Donchi is of rather humble dimensions compared with samurai residences on the mainland. As handsome a structure as it is, with its somewhat run-down character it could use a little restoration.
Not far from Miyara Donchi are the two best-known religious structures on the island, the Torin-ji Buddhist temple and Gongen-do shrine, both of which date back to 1614.
Reflecting the geographical position of the Yaeyamas — much closer to Taiwan than the main island of Okinawa — Gongen-do is like no shrine in mainland Japan, with its walls of coral, its orange tiled roof and exotic embellishments of elephants and dragons.
Exotica are also clearly evident in the markets of Ishigakijima, where the produce and atmosphere are reminiscent of southeast Asia. The brightly colored reef fish that flit around Kabira Bay are on sale, as are the fruits of the region — dragon, star, and passion fruit as well as bananas the size of a finger.
Also sold are the odd menacing-looking crustaceans known as coconut crabs, which can grow to the size of a cat and are so adapted to terrestrial life they drown if submerged long in water.
For the tourist with little time, Ishigakijima sometimes gets overlooked for the other islands in the Yaeyamas. It would indeed be an unusual visitor who came all this way without seeing lovely Taketomijima nearby, whose sense of otherness from mainland Japan is more pronounced. But there's more than enough to make Ishigakijima Island not just a transit point, but a destination in itself.


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RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia Commonwealth coach Shaka Smart is staying with the Rams after leading them on a surprising Final Four run.
The school said Monday that Smart agreed to an eight-year contract. Details will be released once the deal is signed.
"True to form, Coach Smart's primary concerns were about his players, coaches and the overall support of the basketball program," VCU athletic director Norwood Teague said in a statement. "We are honored that he has decided to stay a VCU Ram."
The second-year coach led VCU from one of the "First Four" games in the NCAA Tournament to upsets of prominent programs including Georgetown, Purdue and Kansas to reach the Final Four.
VCU (28-12) became only the third No. 11 seed to get that far, losing to Butler 70-62 in Saturday's national semifinals.
Four of the Rams' five tournament wins came by double-digit margins, including 71-61 against the top-seeded Jayhawks for the Southwest Region championship.
That run had Smart mentioned for other coaching vacancies. Team spokesman Scott Day said N.C. State had recently offered Smart the job to replace Sidney Lowe, who resigned in March.
USF to visit Kansas
USF will take on a national powerhouse for the first time in program history next season as the Bulls have agreed to play Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse on Dec. 3. It's the first time the Bulls will play the Jayhawks, who went 35-3 before losing to VCU in the Elite Eight. With one senior in its top six scorers this season, Kansas should again be one of the nation's top teams.
There's also a 50-50 chance USF will face Kentucky in the final game of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Tipoff tournament in Springfield, Mass.
Missouri hires Haith
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Frank Haith is returning to the Big 12, this time as a head coach.
Missouri said late Monday that Haith had agreed to leave Miami and take over the Tigers. The Hurricanes said Haith had resigned to take the Missouri job, but the Tigers were quiet until the university curators met in a closed session.
Haith, who spent three years as an assistant at Texas and Texas A&M, will replace Mike Anderson. Haith went 129-101 in seven seasons at Miami and made the NCAA Tournament once, losing in the second round in 2008.
Two Missouri starters didn't wait for their new coach, saying they would declare for the NBA draft. Juniors Kim English and Laurence Bowers said they plan to pursue pro careers but have not hired agents, giving them time to change their minds.
PRINCETON COACH DEPARTS: Sydney Johnson, who led Princeton to a share of the Ivy League title and a berth in the NCAA Tournament, was hired by Fairfield. He coached at his alma mater for four years and went 66-53.
JURISPRUDENCE: Oklahoma State's Darrell Williams, 21, will stand trial on rape and other felony charges alleging that he inappropriately touched two female students, Payne County Special Judge Michael Stano ruled.
TOWSON: Pittsburgh assistant Pat Skerry was named coach. Skerry replaces Pat Kennedy, a former FSU coach who resigned last month after seven seasons.
WICHITA STATE: Gregg Marshall is staying as coach after leading the Shockers to the NIT title and a school-record 29 wins.
Times staff writer Greg Auman contributed to this report.


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Just as Old Mother West Wind and her Merry Little Breezes came down from the Purple Hills, and jolly, round, red Mr. Sun threw his nightcap off and began his daily climb up in the blue sky, Great-Grandfather Frog climbed up on the Big Rock in the Smiling Pool. Early as he was, all the little people who live along the Laughing Brook and around the Smiling Pool were waiting for him. Bobby Coon had found two traps set by Farmer Brown's boy, and Billy Mink had almost stepped in a third. No one felt safe any more, yet no one knew what to do. So they all waited for the advice of Great-Grandfather Frog, who, you know, is accounted very, very wise.
Grandfather Frog cleared his throat. "Chugarum!" said he. "You must find all the traps that Farmer Brown's boy has set."
"How are we going to do it?" asked Bobby Coon.
"By looking for them," replied Grandfather Frog tartly.
Bobby Coon looked foolish and slipped out of sight behind his mother.
"All the Coons and all the Minks must search along the banks of the Laughing Brook, and all the Muskrats and all the Otters must search along the banks of the Smiling Pool. You must use your eyes and your noses. When you find things good to eat where you have never found them before, watch out! When you get the first whiff of the man-smell, watch out! Billy Mink, you are small and quick, and your eyes are sharp. You sit here on the Big Rock until you see Farmer Brown's boy coming. Then go hide in the bulrushes where you can watch him, but where he cannot see you. Follow him everywhere he goes around the Smiling Pool or along the Laughing Brook. Without knowing it, he will show you where every trap is hidden.
"When all the traps have been found, drop a stick or a stone in each. That will spring them, and then they will be harmless. Then you can bury them deep in the mud. But don't eat any of the food until you have sprung all of the traps, for just as likely as not you will get caught. When all the traps have been sprung, why not bring all the good things to eat which you find around them to the Big Rock and have a grand feast?"
"Hurrah for Grandfather Frog! That's a great idea!" shouted Little Joe Otter, turning a somersault in the water.
Every one agreed with Little Joe Otter, and immediately they began to plan a grand hunt for the traps of Farmer Brown's boy. The Muskrats and the Otters started to search the banks of the Smiling Pool, and the Coons and the Minks, all but Billy, started for the Laughing Brook. Billy climbed up on the Big Rock to watch, and Grandfather Frog slowly swam back to his big green lily-pad to wait for some foolish green flies for his breakfast.
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- Join Date
- Jan 2014
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General Discussion Metagalactic, Leave your opinion please???
My name is Tyler Falzone,
My team and I here at Hazardous Material Productions have come to that point in a young Video games life that we have to talk about it somewhere.
Metagalactic is an Endless, 2D, top down, space craft combat, and exploration game.
The core concept of the game is that, a game shouldn't end at some arbitrary story line ending, we believe that the player should be allowed to adventure into the depths of a game and experience everything.
Metagalactic is our answer to this...
The story line is random, every decision you make can effect the outcome of the missions you take in the future, which factions align with you and your path, who puts up a price on your ship, who wants you dead because you killed their people in a dog fight over some rare space rock.
You play the way you want to, customize your ship, choose your weapons, make your allies fear hanging you out, force your enemies to crumble under your power, all from the cockpit of some of the most advanced warships in the know universe.
That not enough??? Bring 5 of your friends online, 6 player co-op play, merging your storylines into a single adventure.
I know from what you can see of it right now, that it doesn't look like much. This is only 3 weeks into development for a team of 3.
Anyone who wants to see an early early access build, send me a request, up till the 15th, that is, i'll be happy to send out some of our latest alpha builds.
Send Requests to Metagalactic.official(At)gmail.com
Anyone interested, I'm using Unity 4.3 Pro for my development.
My PC specs are:
- CPU ------ Intel I7 3770k @ 4ghz
- GPU ----- Asus DCUII AMD R9 280x @ stock clock
- Mobo ---- Asus P8Z77-V LK
- Ram ----- 16gb Gskill Ripjaws Z
- Storage - OCZ vertex 4 120GB SSD (OS), 1TB WD (games), 2TB WD (Video Editing).
- Cooling -- H50 on CPU with Scythe Ultra Kaze case fans
- Case ----- NZXT Gamma
Last edited by Tjhazmat; 12-01-2014 at 07:25 AM.


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1) A disease in which you must be awesome 100% for the time
2) An other term for awesomeness
2) An other term for awesomeness
"That young man suffers from awesomesis!"
by Kody Jeevas November 16, 2008
The Urban Dictionary Mug
One side has the word, one side has the definition. Microwave and dishwasher safe. Lotsa space for your liquids.Buy the mug


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Placentia PD Declines to Oust Kogi Truck
After a long Saturday spent trying to restore files to the in-laws' PC (incidentally, HP, there is a special place in Hell for you), I got home and decided I needed to get some fresh air. Since I like beer with my air, I headed up to Placentia to have a drink at the Bruery and discovered that the Kogi and Frysmith trucks were there as well.
It was quite the festive atmosphere, with people tailgating in the parking lot (I am not making this up) and a larger-than-average number of people inside the Tasting Room enjoying the usual range of beers on tap.
The police showed up just as I was about to leave. They asked a few questions, mostly to make sure people didn't have booze outside the licensed premises, moved a few people back into the room, and left. Perhaps it was because the trucks were parked in a lot on private property, or perhaps they just honestly had bigger fish to fry.
Not news, you say? I beg to differ; if you've been following the food truck fad, you know that generally when local police and food trucks are in the same vicinity, it goes badly for the food trucks; they're often forced to shut down and leave, leaving some to believe that the police are acting on behalf of bricks-and-mortar restaurant owners and their profit margins.
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Well, I'm a big believer in giving credit where it's due. There were no shutdowns of the food trucks, no harassment, no criminalizing of kalbi or rajas fries, just maintaining order and making sure there wasn't a traffic nightmare, a parking knot or drunk-and-disorderly behavior.
Kudos to you, Placentia Police Department. Would that other departments would follow your lead.
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LADY LAKE, Fla. - Parishioners walked over the splintered remains of the Lady Lake Church of God on Friday, rescuing torn Bibles from the jumble of broken pews, altar and glass left behind by a tornado.
Someone had pulled a framed religious poem nearly unscathed from the rubble. Its title: "The Touch of the Master's Hand."
The reinforced building had been considered an emergency shelter before the storm early Friday turned it into a twisted mess of wood and metal.
"Hell opened up and half the demons came out," said Russell Timmons of Lady Lake.
Mike Barfield, 41, lost the roof of his trailer home, which sits about 100 feet from the church. As he huddled with his wife and their baby granddaughter in the dark, he looked out the window and saw the building explode.
"I don't know if it was transformers blowing up or what, but it was a green-colored glow right over the top of the church," Barfield recalled.
Pastor Larry Lynn, 58, said the building was supposed to be able to withstand 150-mile winds. He stared at the remains of his Pentecostal church and attempted to console parishioners.
"It's a total loss," Lynn said, "but there are a lot of people in the area who are in a lot worse shape than we are."
When told parishioners had found his mother's Bibles, Lynn choked back tears.
"We'll move forward," he said quietly.
- Associated Press
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Food for the Ancestors DVD
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Jesus and His Times is a dazzling immersion to the Biblical world that takes you back to the places and people that experienced the presence of Jesus. Watch as the New Testament comes to life before your eyes! Filmed entirely in the vibrant landscapes of Israel in the real locations where Jesus and his followers live, Jesus and His Times beautifully transports viewers back to the time of Yeshua, the Messiah.More >
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I consider this one of the best Bible videos that I have seen. It brings the times of Jesus to life with real people and gives a good explanation of life in Jesus day as well as now. I am using this with my Bible classes to help them visualize what they are studying. Right now we are studying the Parables and the section on the sower is perfect! Having been to the Holy Land it brings it back to me as well. I also love the music and the supplementary sections.


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Youngwood school serves up 10,000-plus safe bartenders
Dan Clougherty, the owner of Wines, Steins and Cocktails, a professional bartending school in Youngwood, teaches people how to serve alcoholic beverages with a healthy shot of responsibility.
Health Communications Inc. recently gave the school the 2014 Training for Intervention Procedures, or TIPS, Award of Excellence for the number of employees certified in the program, as well as good feedback from students.
TIPS started in 1982 as a way to teach bartenders, bar backs, servers and managers how to safely serve alcohol.
Of the 3 million certified in TIPS nationwide, Wines, Steins and Cocktails has trained more than 10,000 bartenders and servers.
"Wines, Steins and Cocktails has played an integral part in ensuring hospitality professionals are not only equipped with exemplary bartending skills, but are empowered to provide some of the best service in the industry," HCI's President and CEO, Adam Chafetz, said in a press release. He could not be reached for comment.
"Society rightly demands that we should sell alcohol responsibly," Clougherty said.
He said TIPS not only teaches others how to safely serve alcohol, but also redirects the blame for alcohol's harmful effects from the server to the consumer.
In short, it's training that not only protects the customer, but also the server, Clougherty said.
Training programs for alcohol awareness, like TIPS and the Responsible Alcohol Management Program, or RAMP, come in many shapes and sizes.
They are typically one-day sessions, and many are completed online. Most outline laws on alcohol and teach students what rules they must follow when serving.
Students complete a multiple-choice exam at the end of the program to qualify for certification.
The TIPS program taught by Clougherty and his wife, Barbara, encourages far more student participation.
While students still complete the program in one day, they learn through simulating ID checks and making sure customers make it home safely, Clougherty said.
"We legitimately practice these things," Clougherty said. Students "can internalize the techniques to the point of spontaneity."
Barbara Clougherty, who typically teaches the TIPS program, said the class focuses on ways alcohol affects different people, cues to look for in determining drunkenness and techniques for handling intoxicated customers.
"TIPS tries to keep people from having a problem with intoxication, but it also teaches students how to deal with already intoxicated people and with cutting people off without fighting about it," she said.
Dan Clougherty said that no bartender trained through the TIPS program since its inception more than 20 years ago has been sued in a third-party lawsuit for irresponsibly serving alcohol. Because of this, he said, some insurance companies are beginning to offer discounts on liability insurance to bars that require bartenders or servers to get TIPS training.
"Bars can get 20 to 25 percent off their insurance, which translates into thousands of dollars saved," Clougherty said.
"People are taking it much more seriously," he said. "This is truly training that will protect them."
Alicia McElhaney is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 724-836-6220 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Just as New Yorkers contextualise everything in before or after 9/11 terms, Singaporeans now measure their collective memory in a pre-or-post SARS scenario.
Such has been the impact of the airborne virus on the tiny island nation, where the battle against severe acute respiratory syndrome continues to be waged on both a health level and one of perception.
Strategically positioned at one of the world's busiest air and sea crossroads, Singapore has suffered dramatically since March 12 when its first three SARS cases were announced.
Since then, the virus has claimed 32 lives out of 206 positively reported cases.
While just one person remains in hospital and the country has been off the World Health Organisation's black list for more than a month, SARS continues to dominate life, as hundreds of thousands of Singaporeans monitor their temperature twice daily under stringent quarantine measures.
The crisis has already cost the government $S300 million ($252.4 million) in direct health costs, with losses worn by business not yet tallied.
And while life is returning to normal, the country's crucial tourism industry, which contributes 5 per cent to the gross domestic product, is a ghostly shadow of its former self.
In China Town, where streets normally bustle with tourists, row upon row of tables remain empty as restaurateurs do their best to entice patrons with prominent signs attesting to their staff's good health.
Hotels, which routinely run at occupancy rates of 75 per cent and above, are struggling to fill one-third of their rooms.
Latest figures from the Singapore Tourism Board indicate a 71 per cent drop in international arrivals for the month of May compared to last year, including a 73 per cent drop in Australian arrivals, with the figure increasing in the first half of June to a 56 per cent drop.
Heinrich Grafe, general manager of the luxury Conrad Hotel, believes life has changed for good.
"The impact was bigger than anything else that has happened before. It was bigger than the Asian crisis, it was bigger than the aftermath of 9/11, it was bigger than Bali," he said.
"I don't think life will ever be the same again. Our generation and the younger generation will always have it somewhere in the back of the mind."
Only with "creative redeployment" of staff, wage freezes and leave without pay was the hotel able to retain its staff.
Singapore Airlines, which has been forced to cut more than 400 employees, has predicted more cuts in coming months.
The airline, which is second only to Qantas in ferrying international tourists to Australia, saw its passenger numbers plummet by more than 30 per cent, as it lost an average $US6 million ($8.84 million) a day.
"We were very much in the eye of the storm along with Hong Kong and greater China," said SIA's senior manager of public affairs Innes Willox.
"It impacted directly upon us. Our response came in many different ways; we cut all discretionary spending, we froze hirings, we cut our capacity by over 30 per cent, by wage freezes for management, and a range of measures to cut back."
But the country is fighting back and its efforts appear to be paying off, with indications the crisis has bottomed out and confidence is returning.
The tourism, hotel and airline industries have combined in a massive show of cumulative force to turn things around, with huge discounts in flights, holiday packages and shopping bargains offered in a $S200 million marketing campaign.
And the promotional offers are expected to continue for at least the next six months.
"The thing with SARS is nobody knows if it has been beaten or not, or if it is coming back," Mr Willox said.
"So you have to remain vigilant. We may be through this phase of it but we don't know if we are through it permanently or not."
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Taiwan nears deadline for removal from hit list
Beijing bans eating wild animals in restaurants
Toronto no longer SARS infected
New death brings Canada's SARS toll to 39
Taiwanese tourist diagnosed with SARS
It's official: anti-SARS drive was a triumph
WHO warns that SARS is mutating
Anti-SARS measures affect uni entrance tests
Taiwan reports no new SARS cases
Canadian heath-care workers demand better pay and safety
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