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Underground Comedy at The Big Hunt
October 18 @ 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm
|Recurring Event (See all)
An event every week that begins at 8:00pm on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, repeating until December 29, 2018
Event Navigation
Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, & Saturday, join some hilarious local and touring comedians in the Devil's Kitchen bar at the basement of Big Hunt. Want your own shot at it? Get on stage and make 'em laugh! Just email firstname.lastname@example.com.
See more details at undergroundcomedydc.com!
All shows are 21+


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BP Comment Quick Links
|Strength of Schedule Report
March 28, 2014
TTO Scoresheet Podcast
Episode 11: Filling Out Your Lineup Card
While participants in other types of fantasy baseball may cool their heels after the pre-season draft, Scoresheet players have one final task at hand before Opening Day: filling out the lineup card. Some find the lineup card a chore, but spending a few extra minutes on it is a must to wring every last win out of a Scoresheet team. The general key to filling out a lineup card is to think like a manager from the 1980s. A smart manager somewhat ahead of his or her time, sure. But trying to force the latest in sabermetric thinking onto the card will often just result in leaving wins on the table. Keep that in mind as we go through the main features of the lineup card.
Batting Order
As for the order itself, we generally slot one of our best hitters in the no. 2 slot, one of our best hitters who leans toward power at cleanup, one of our best hitters who leans toward on-base ability at leadoff, and then fill out the rest of our lineup in descending order of overall ability.
Defensive Substitutions
Starting Rotation
Prefer to Face Teams
Vs.R / vs. L
Have any other strategies for the lineup card? We'd love to hear them!
This Week's Podcast
To follow the TTO Podcast, subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher, or follow @TTOScoresheet for more.
Download Here (1:32:58)
22 comments have been left for this article.
BP Comment Quick Links
Hi guys,
Mar 28, 2014 07:09 AM
I also thought it was only the batters that had splits in scoresheet.
Mar 28, 2014 08:06 AM
There are some very good Scoresheet players out there who use a very high number for relievers in hopes that it ensures the pitcher getting rocked keeps pitching until he runs out of innings and won't ruin another game. I am not one of those - I pretty much agree with these guys. If I have a full pen and don't have to stretch every inning out of my guys, I use 1.5 for my set-up men and top middle relievers. If it is that low, you can still win the game. Sure, they might come back in another game, but they might do that anyway, even if your hook is high. There could be a chance that they'll come back and be great because you hooked them early after they gave up a run, and ERA matching will now be very nice to them. There's also the possibility that you won't even need him again.
Mar 29, 2014 21:33 PM
For Hook, my strategy has been to use the max setting(9.75). As far as I can tell, Scoresheet is not like Strat-o-Matic where pitchers get "broken". Given the fairly weak relationship between runs allowed in a given real life week and a given scoresheet week (a pitcher could throw a perfect game in scoresheet but still give up a dozen runs in Scoresheet), and the desire not to burn scarce RP appearances in a game where I am probably losing anyway (because my pitcher just gave up a pile of runs), I'd prefer to get the max number of innings from each pitcher appearance. Or is there a flaw to this approach?
Mar 28, 2014 08:14 AM
- I meant "(a pitcher could throw a perfect game in real life but still give up a dozen runs in Scoresheet)"
Mar 28, 2014 08:15 AM
If your offense is decent, why give up the chance to come back? While comebacks are pretty rare after the 7th, earlier in the game they are not unusual. This is particularly true early in the season when some teams will have underdrafted pitchers, or not set up their relief corps well.
Mar 28, 2014 14:56 PM
Hi guys. Keep the Scoresheet articles coming. Roto is soooooo 80's.
Mar 28, 2014 09:50 AM
I think you are seeing the effect of a hitter having fewer ABs due to platooning versus his real life ABs. The Scoresheet program just provides percentage chances---across the same number of ABs, chance and real will approach each other. With fewer ABs, more chance for divergent Scoresheet results, both up and down (and when they are up, you don't think "Scoresheet did me a favor there", you think "I am a brilliant manager").
Mar 28, 2014 15:01 PM
Agree - love every single SS article!
Mar 28, 2014 13:32 PM
And I will add---yes, Scoresheet articles and ratings and services all very appreciated. I dropped roto leagues long ago for Scoresheet, and never regretted it.
Mar 28, 2014 15:16 PM
I'm team 1 in this 12 team BL league.
Mar 29, 2014 05:18 AM
Here is what it would look like...
Mar 29, 2014 05:40 AM
No, it will use the pitcher with the most innings year-to-date. Otherwise you could cheat the system getting the pitcher with usually the best outing. Scoresheet has been around a long time. They don't have such an obvious loop-hole.
Mar 29, 2014 21:01 PM
Of course, this would work the first week if you don't have any good relievers eligible as starters - and still would be a bit of an advantageous trick to get the best possible pitcher most often in that case. In fact, there used to be more relievers eligible as starters. The better of these were generally much better than the 6th and 7th starters, you would otherwise use. Now, at least in the American League, you are generally stuck with your reserve starters for those first three innings. So, putting them on your farm is probably a sneakily good idea - especially if you don't have a lefty and a righty to take advantage of a platooning line-up from the more advantageous side.
Mar 29, 2014 21:13 PM
Going into my first season of Scoresheet.
Mar 29, 2014 16:24 PM
I wrote this awhile ago. It should all hold up, though: http://scoresheetwiz.tripod.com/id48.html
Mar 29, 2014 16:24 PM
I found that very helpful. Thanks
Mar 31, 2014 18:41 PM
It makes it more important to have 8 actual starters. That's the way I'm playing it. I drafted 9 starters on both of my teams with 1 on each team expected to come off the D.L. (Harrison) or get called up soon (Duffy?) and each with Drew Pomeranz, who I am optimistically expecting to get called up about mid season.
Apr 01, 2014 20:21 PM
In a ten team NL only league unless you punted on pithing, you will have a hard time platooning with reserves. Ordinarily there will be to big a gap in OPS between between your starters and reserves.
Mar 31, 2014 19:32 PM
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subset: commoncrawl


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Scientific Name: Myotis sodalis
Description: Indiana bats are dark gray or brown bats with soft fur. They look similar to little brown bats and northern long-eared bats. One way that scientists can tell the difference between these species is by the size of their feet and the length of their toe hairs!
Size: Indiana bats are about 3.5 inches in length with a wingspan of 9.5 to 10.5 inches. Like all bats, they must be incredibly lightweight to fly. Adults weigh an average of 7 grams, which is less than the weight of two nickels!
Diet: Indiana bats are insectivores that prey on beetles, flies, moths, and other flying invertebrates. To locate their prey, most insect-eating bats use a system called echolocation, which is similar to sonar used in ships. The bat emits a high frequency sound that bounces off of objects in their environment. They can then determine the location and size of prey by listening to the sound echo that returns to them.
Predation: Predators of Indiana bats include snakes, owls, and raccoons.
Typical Lifespan: Indiana bats usually only live 5 to 10 years in the wild, but they've been known to survive into their teens.
Habitat: In the winter, Indiana bats hibernate in special roosting sites called hibernacula. Hibernacula are located in limestone caves, where bats cluster in the thousands. They migrate north in the spring and roost in tree cavities or under loose bark in trees such as shagbark hickory, elm, beech, birch, oak, maple, ash, sassafras, sycamore, pine, aspen, cottonwood, locust, and hemlock.
Range: Indiana bats are found from New Hampshire south to northern Florida and west to Iowa, Missouri, and Oklahoma.
Life History and Reproduction: Mating takes place near hibernacula in the fall. Males mate with multiple females, but females don't become pregnant right away. Instead, they are able to store sperm over winter so that their pups are born in the summer when food is more plentiful. Females form maternity roosts were they raise their pups under tree bark or in tree cavities. Pups rely on their mothers to take care of them when they're first born, but they become fully independent within 2 to 3 months.
Fun Fact: Even though Indiana bats have a large range, they were first discovered in Indiana and so were named for the state.
Conservation Status: Indiana bats are federally listed as endangered. Although they have a large range, they have very few winter roost sites. They face a range of threats from humans while in hibernation. Spelunkers sometimes wake the bats out of hibernation, causing them to use up precious energy stores. People have also been known to invade roost sites and purposefully kill bats. Another major threat that emerged in 2006 is white nose syndrome, a fungal disease that infects and kills hibernating bats. Indiana bats receive protection in the form of bat-friendly gates that keep humans out of their roost sites, but little is known about how to combat white nose syndrome.
Indiana Department of Natural Resources
NatureServe Explorer
New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
U.S. Forest Service
University of Michigan Animal Diversity Web


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He is the incoming boss of Channel Ten Melbourne – the struggling network that sacked Helen Kapalos – but that didn't stop Russel Howcroft attending her lunch with CBS news executive, Bill Mondora.
Fairfax Media has obtained photos of Howcroft and Kapalos leaving the upmarket Bar Americain in New York a few hours ago.
Witnesses say Howcroft asked Mondora and Kapalos for "tips on how to run the station" and advice on engaging viewers through social media.
He also reportedly asked Mondora, "Are you from Eyewitness News?" – the name of the bulletin broadcast by rival ABC. The witness says Mondora replied, "No no, we're CBS."
Howcroft, who attended with his 18-year-old daughter, is said to have apologised for swearing during the lunch.
However, a spokesman for Network Ten said the reported conversation between Howcroft and Mondora was "simply incorrect" and the lunch was set up about six weeks ago.
"Russel is holidaying in New York and took the opportunity to catch up with Bill Mondora and Helen Kapalos ... this was organised weeks ago," the spokesman said.
Fairfax Media has attempted to contact Howcroft but he has not returned calls.
On November 9, Channel Ten sacked Kapalos as part of a nationwide cost-cutting drive. More than 100 news staff were retrenched, including 20 reporters.
Sources say that there is no animosity between Howcroft and Kapalos because he was not involved in the decision to sack her, yet his presence at the lunch is unusual.
On Sunday, Fairfax Media reported rumours that Kapalos was being courted by networks around the world – including CBS. She is also speaking with Foxtel, at least one Australian network and Aljazeera.
Howcroft, a panellist on ABC1's The Gruen Transfer, is currently the CEO of advertising agency George Patterson Y&R. He takes over as Ten's executive general manager of its Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth stations in February.
Kapalos declined to comment.
It was reported recently that she had "unfinished business" in Melbourne and planned to return soon. On her blog, she wrote that Melbourne is "unquestionably my spiritual home".
Kapalos started her career with ABC Radio in Newcastle in 1994 before moving to SBS. She has also been a reporter for Channel Nine's A Current Affair and a newsreader on its now-defunct programs Nightline and Sunday.
Meanwhile, Sacked Sydney newsreader Bill Woods is also considering his options.
"It's all been so sudden ... at this stage, I have no idea what I'll do next," he told Fairfax Media.
"I don't know whether I'll do print, radio or TV; I'm exploring all three at the moment."
Woods said he had received "a lot of support from the public, particularly in Sydney, and that's been great".
"There are a lot of people who are losing their jobs at the moment so I certainly don't expect anyone to feel sorry for me," he said.
"These are uncertain times in media but it's also an exciting time for me professionally."
Woods and colleague Ron Wilson, who was sacked when his Morning News program was axed last week, leave Ten at the end of this month.


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What crucial truth about the Sabbath does Jesus reveal here? How can we take this principle and apply it to our own Sabbath experience?
Jesus and His disciples had just walked through a field of grain, and the disciples, hungry, had picked some of the grain and eaten it. The act of picking grain while one was passing through a field was not a problem, as the rules of the society permitted this. Food is a necessity, and it was perfectly acceptable for the disciples to relieve their hunger by eating what they found as they walked along. The problem was that religious leaders regarded their own made-up rules for Sabbath observance as more important than was human need. This was a continuing point of controversy between Christ and the Pharisees. Jesus' response indicated that their priorities were wrong. The Sabbath should be a day for human blessing, not used as an excuse for prolonging suffering.
What other activity did Jesus do on the Sabbath, despite the controversy that it engendered? See Matt. 12:9-13, Luke 13:10-17, John 5:1-17.
Nowhere in all the Sabbath controversies recorded in the Gospels does the question of the validity of the Sabbath ever arise. The issue, instead, was how should the seventh-day be kept, not whether it was to be abolished or superseded by something else.
Jesus' example shows not only that the Sabbath remains something that should be observed but also shows us how the Sabbath should be kept. And one thing we can clearly see from His example is that work done on the Sabbath to help relieve human suffering does not violate the Sabbath. On the contrary, if anything, His example shows that doing good for others is exactly how the Sabbath should be kept.
In what ways could your Sabbath keeping better reflect the principles seen in Jesus' example to us?


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The Body Shop Of a Man Hair & Body Wash
The Body Shop Of a Man Hair & Body Wash Reviews
great!works great, smells good! — 9 years, 4 months agobrassa | 447 reviews
Of a man is the bestI like this a lot. This one is great because it's a 2 in 1 hair and body. And the smell is good. — 9 years, 5 months agosteadyeddie925 | 351 reviews
Awesome!My husband has been using this product for a few years, and I recently borrowed some while we were on vacation. I loved it! It's a gel, but it has an awesome , almost creamy consistency. It glides on easily and a little goes a long way. It foams up satisfyingly but isn't at all drying. It was also strong enough to remove thick sunscreen residue. The fragrance is masculine of course, but I didn't mind it. Great product! — 6 years, 11 months agoJessica8 | 225 reviews
Home » Reviews » Body » Body Wash + Shower Gel / Foam » The Body Shop Of a Man Hair & Body Wash
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My Reasons for Reporting This


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I have been playing socially for about 4 yrs, during that time I used a champion monarch(175) for RHFH drives and BH approach and DX Birdie(175) for putting... About 3 months ago I started to play more seriously, getting to my local(TC Jester) course 5-10 times a week. I'm addicted!!! So I started reading the forums to see what kind of disc I should be throwing to build solid form and accuracy. I have been slowing adding, but here is what I got and what I am seeing the disc do... Just this week I started breaking 300ft... Please help me out, thanks...
Distance Drivers-Not throwing these too often because they don't go any farther then my fairway, I read to leave these at home until you fairway drives are going 350+ feet accurately????
1 Champion Valkyrie (171) - it holds a nice S-line, going about 300-320max
1 Champion Monarch (175) - use it for rollers/forehand drive, nice fade at the end
Fairway Drivers-Use these for all my Driving - Max 300-320ft
1 DX Teebird (171) - This is my goto driver, it hold a really nice strait line with just a little fade at the end
1 DX Wraith (167) - I think this is suppose to be a distance driver?? but I use is for anhyzer shots, it almost always goes right
Mid-Range-I am very consistently getting 250-300ft with good accuracy
1 DX Roc (168) - I love this disc! It flies perfectly strait if I release flat, but it shows me every-time I mess my form up. Use it for long puts too sometimes.
1 Z Buzz (167) - I got this and the roc at the same time because they are so popular on the forum and I wanted to see which I liked better... I like it, flies strait with a little fade at the end, i think it might be my form though...
Need Something Under Stable I Think??
Putters-Most improved part of my game, making everything 50ft in and getting close on anything 100ft in...
2 Omega SuperSoft (171 & 175) - I Absolutely LOVE the 175, it took a stroke off my game for each hole, but it is a little overstable and it drops at the end... I thought that it might be a bad idea to keep putting with it because it is so complicated to throw... Shouldn't a putter fly strait and consistent?
1 DX Aviar (172) - Just picked this up a few days ago, but it seems to fly strait and far... Not nearly as soft as the Omega and I feel like it bounces off the chains
I read that the Teebird and Roc were solid to perfect technique because they show all your mistakes... I also cut my power down and I am slowly increasing while trying to keeping my accuracy... I throw mostly BH and I am getting a little better at my x-step. If I throw full power FH I can get the CE Monarch 350+ but not very accurate. I read that I should stay around 165-170 weight on everything except the putter(max on those) I am really curious about what weights to get???
Disc I've been considering: DX/CE/Pro Leopard, Wizard SS, X Comet, Z Wasp, A Variety of Roc's, Star Aviar...
Any recommendation will be much appreciated!! Thanks in advance.


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The End of My First Semester
The semester is coming to an end, and I'm ready for the month-long winter break that Young Harris gives us. I look forward to spending time with my family and seeing all my friends from high school—both make the two-hour drive back home worth it.
Don't get me wrong. I have had an amazing first semester. My classes and professors challenged me in the right ways. I've also made a lot of new friends along the way that support me and accept me for who I am. Simply, I've fallen in love with YHC. The College provides plenty of opportunities for every student to excel academically and socially.
It's strange to think about how fast the semester went by. It feels like only yesterday that I was moving into The Towers for the very first time. Looking back, there's nothing I would change about how I did things. I put myself out there in order to meet new people, and I'd say it worked out well. My on-campus job taught me responsibility while also connecting me with the staff and administrators that work behind the scenes. The courses I took made me feel accomplished, and my professors recognized me for excelling. I even learned how to deal with conflict in a professional and respectful way.
With everything that Young Harris has offered me thus far, it's the least I can do to tell prospective students how great this College is. I've grown to love waking up to the mountains every morning and pulling out my big jackets in the winter.
I hope I was able to give you a better feel for what life is like here on the YHC campus. I've had a great time sharing my experiences and knowledge that I've learned after just one semester. To anyone out there thinking about joining the Mountain Lion family, I highly encourage it. Choosing Young Harris College was one of the best decisions I have made.
Thank you for reading what I had to say over the past several months. I really appreciate all the support I've had in the comments from my friends and family.
I hope you have a fabulous Christmas with your families and a happy New Year.


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Reader's comments »
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During the Watergate scandal, Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee coined the phrase "the non-denial denial." Whenever a Nixon White House spokesman responded to one of that paper's allegations by hurling a bombastic attack at the Post's methods (without actually claiming the allegations were untrue), Bradlee referred to the loud attempts to divert attention as "non-denial denials."
So Justin Trudeau's effort on Friday to deflect attention from anti-Alberta smears he made in a 2010 Quebec television interview should probably be labelled a "non-apology apology."
Exactly two years ago, in an interview with Patrick Lagace on provincially owned Tele-Quebec, Trudeau insisted "Canada isn't doing well right now because it's Albertans who control our community and socio-democratic agenda. It doesn't work." Asked by Lagace if Canada would be better served with more Quebecers than Albertans in power in Ottawa, Trudeau smiled and added, "I'm a Liberal, so of course I believe that."
Since this video returned to the airwaves from the Tele-Quebec archives on Wednesday, Trudeau and his campaign organizers have been trying to pooh-pooh it.
They first insisted it was old and meaningless, a desperate attempt by the federal Conservatives to slander their dreamboat candidate. "The Conservatives are using out- of-context statements made years ago in a long interview. … We need to get beyond the divisive politics of the Conservatives and include all Canadians."
Then on Thursday in his non-apology apology, Trudeau insisted he had merely misspoken. "I was wrong to relate the area of the country that Mr. (Stephen) Harper is from with the people who live there and with the policies that he has that don't represent the values of most Canadians." He chuckled sheepishly that at worst he was guilty of misusing Alberta as "shorthand" for Harper.
But he clearly didn't mean to smear Prime Minister Harper alone. He definitely was trying to use Alberta and Albertans as scapegoats for what he sees is wrong with Canada.
He didn't say Canada was on the wrong track because "an Albertan" controls our country. He said, unambiguously, in French, our country is in trouble because "it's Albertans who control our community and social democratic agenda."
It would have been bad enough if he had used the singular — an Albertan. What is it about having an Albertan as PM that would make Canada any more likely to flounder than having, say, an Ontarian or New Brunswicker? That in itself would have stigmatized all Albertans.
But Trudeau clearly says that Canada's problems stem from having Albertans in charge.
Consider if Trudeau had said this: America isn't doing very well right now because African-Americans control its government. Then, when called on it, Trudeau said he was sorry and hadn't meant all African-Americans, just Barack Obama. Would his later explanation and apology have made anything he initially said any less offensive? Not a bit.
Trudeau's 2010 comments, like those made earlier this week by Ottawa Liberal MP David McGuinty about how Alberta MPs should go home if they won't adopt a more central-Canadian view of energy policy, are both products of anti-Western bigotry.
Many Liberals have worked hard over the last couple of decades to change the West's perception of their party as fundamentally prejudiced against the region. In just one week, Trudeau and McGuinty have undone most of those efforts. Will their outbursts affect the outcome of a byelection in Calgary Centre on Monday? I hope so.
High-profile Liberal environmentalist and lawyer Harvey Locke is hoping to win that riding for the Grits for the first time since 1968. I hope voters there send his party a strong message that Liberal small-mindedness about the West is unacceptable.
By adding a comment on the site, you accept our terms and conditions.


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John Calipari wants you to know that he's excited about his five-man fall signing class.
But the Kentucky coach only wants to say it once.
UK announced its five signees on Thursday in a press release that included quotes on each player from Calipari. At a news conference to discuss Friday's Lafayette game, Calipari declined to comment further.
"We put out a press release, so I'll let you guys take it from there if that's all right, so I don't have to rehash all what I said," Calipari said. "We're excited about it, don't get me wrong. I'm jacked up. It's a good class and a good bunch of guys, but you know."
In the press release, Calipari addressed what each of the signees will bring to Lexington next year, and in particular, what their current strengths are as players.
First up were Fort Bend (Texas) Travis High School twin brothers Andrew Harrison and Aaron Harrison. The 6-foot-5 guards - Andrew is a point, and Aaron plays off the ball - are both five-star prospects who are ranked in the top five in the 2013 Rivals150.
"Andrew comes in ready to play physically at the point-guard position," Calipari said. "He's a driver, slasher and playmaker with great size. He and his brother Aaron have the ability to be great on-ball defenders.
"Aaron is more of a scoring guard who can make shots and make plays at the rim. He can also play some point in a pinch. Like his brother, Andrew, he has the ability to physically dominate the opponent."
The next prospect was 6-foot-9 power forward Marcus Lee, out of Antioch (Calif.) Deer Valley High School. Like the Harrison twins, Lee is a five-star prospect in the Rivals rankings, and currently sits at No. 18 in the 2013 Rivals150.
"Marcus Lee is a long, agile, quick-bounce, quick-twitch, 6-9 forward," Calipari said. "He gets to the basket, he's a terrific shot-blocker and he can rebound above the rim. Marcus has unlimited upside because he's going to get stronger and he's going to improve his skill around the basket. His speed, quickness, jumping ability and length set him apart."
The fourth signee that Calipari commented on was in-state forward Derek Willis, a 6-foot-9 skilled combo forward out of Mount Washington Bullitt East High School.
"Derek is a very skilled, 6-9 big man who is learning to play through bumps, which is going to elevate his game," Calipari said. "He's a long-armed basketball player who can get his hands on balls and really pass. Like Marcus, he has a tremendous upside because he's going to get stronger and be able to play more physical and really use his size and his shot-making ability to spread the court for us."
The fifth member of the spring signing class, James Young is a 6-foot-7 wing out of Rochester Hills (Mich.) High School, although he just transferred there for his senior year from neighboring Troy (Mich.) High.
Young is the fourth five-star signee in UK's fall class for 2013, and is currently ranked as the No. 10 prospect in the class of 2013.
"James is a long, athletic and skilled wing," Calipari said. "He's a lefty who can shoot it and get in transition. You can throw it ahead to him and he can make basketball plays. He rebounds the ball for his position as well anyone in the class."
These five signees put Kentucky well on their way to securing a fifth consecutive top ranked recruiting class, a feat that Calipari has accomplished in each class that he has signed at UK.
With these five signatures now inked and official, Kentucky is unlikely to sign any more prospects in the fall. Calipari said Kentucky likely will sign "one or two" more players in the class.


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This game was classified by the community with the following category scores - Violence=1/3, Sex=0/3, Mature Content=0/3. Travel a classic RPG land as Monster King, capturing monsters to fight for you! Explore a world of ice, desert, and lava! Acquire gold, weapons, and armor on your quest to capture every monster, and meet NPCs on the way! Some of them say hilarious things!
Buy Xbox content on Xbox.com. Your Xbox 360 console will automatically download the content next time you turn it on and connect to Xbox Live.Learn More


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Threatened services at Sherston Post Office have been granted a reprieve, a move welcomed by North Wiltshire MP James Gray.
"I was so pleased to hear that Post Office Ltd have re-assessed the proposed status of Sherston Post Office and have now re-designated it as a 'community' office, thereby protecting its existing services," said Mr Gray this morning.
"Sherston Post Office had recently been designated a 'local' office, which would have involved the removal of DVLA services , certain banking services, some postal services and some foreign exchange services.
"It is therefore excellent news that this Post Office, so vital to the village of Sherston, will remain a traditional Post Office."
Postmaster Paul Mather, who took it over in 2004 with his wife Gail, said: "The Post Office in Sherston is integral to the local community which is five miles away from both Tetbury and Malmesbury and any loss of service would have been a huge blow to the village.
"This was reiterated by Prince Charles during his recent visit and was one of the main drivers for supporting The Old School Project with the Prince's Countryside Fund.
"It would have been a pity that so soon after his investment and visit, services provided would have been severely cut.
"I am delighted that the importance of Sherston Post Office to the village has now been recognised by the Post Office.
"This will enable us to maintain our wide range of products and high level of service and to serve the community to the best of our ability."


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It's been hard for us to get excited for Dancing With The Stars now that our favorite British Bravolebrity, Lisa Vanderpump is out of the competition. But with that said, the remaining contestants have reignited our excitement with their amazing behind-the-scenes peek at what we have to look forward to!
Watch: Lisa Vanderpump Opens Up About Fainting In 'DWTS' Rehearsal!
From hip-shaking stud pro Derek Hough to hunky-blonde Bachelor Sean Lowe and a possible new DWTS cast crush, these dance-stagrams are getting us ready for tonight's brand spankin' new episode! Want to see for yourself? Check out the full gallery of pics (taken from the cast's Instagram profiles) below!
Oh, and don't forget to tune into Dancing With The Stars tonight at 8pm ET on ABC and check back later this week for more of OK!'s inside DWTS scoop!
OK! News: 5 Dream Themes for This Season of 'Dancing With The Stars'
Do you have a favorite this season on DWTS? Who are your predictions to win the mirror ball trophy? Tell us in the comments below or tweet @OKMagazine.


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Randomised Controlled Trial Assessing the Impact of Genital Herpes Suppressive Therapy on HIV Shedding
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- How to Read a Study Record
|Herpes Genitalis HIV Infection
|Drug: Valacyclovir
|Phase 2
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double
Primary Purpose: Prevention
|Official Title:
|Efficacy of an HSV2 Genital Herpes Suppressive Treatment on HIV and HSV2 Genital Shedding Among Co-Infected Patients Receiving or Not Antiretroviral Drugs
- To assess the impact of HSV-2 suppressive therapy on HIV shedding among co-infected women taking highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) or not needing HAART
- To assess the impact of HSV-2 suppressive therapy on HSV-2 shedding among co-infected women taking HAART or not needing HAART
|Estimated Enrollment:
|Study Start Date:
|August 2004
|Estimated Study Completion Date:
|July 2005
Infection with Herpes Virus Simplex type 2 (HSV-2) is likely to represent the main cofactor involved in HIV transmission, either through clinical episodes or asymptomatic genital shedding. However, the definite proof of this concept has never been made through randomised controlled trials. Furthermore, the natural history of HSV-2 infection is poorly documented in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as the efficacy of the antiviral drug on virus transmission. The latter can be measured by HSV-2 genital shedding as a proxy.
The objectives of this research programme are to assess the impact of a suppressive treatment for genital herpes on HIV genital shedding among co-infected patients receiving HAART or not needing antiretroviral (ARV) drugs.
In order to achieve these objectives, we propose to perform 2 randomised double blind controlled trials nested within the ongoing cohort of sex workers in Bobo-Dioulasso.
While the increase of HIV transmission by HSV-2 infection stands as our main working hypothesis among HIV positive persons, the specific rationale for individuals taking ARV is the following: Does the potential cofactor effect of genital herpes on HIV remain present when the immunity is built up by ARV? In other words, is HSV-2 infection a public health issue in this group of people. The role of ARV on HIV transmission will also be assessed.
These 2 trials will be performed using exactly the same methodology and the same study treatment. We will use a parallel design with a baseline phase to take into account the important inter-individual variability of genital shedding. Each participant will be its own control. The baseline phase and treatment phases will each consist of 6 visits performed at a 2 weeks interval. The participants will receive either placebo or Valacyclovir 1g/day during the treatment phase (3 months).
The outcomes will be measured using both a qualitative and a quantitative measure of HIV shedding. The analysis will be conducted using an "intention to treat" and a "per protocol" approach.
At the end of our project, the working hypothesis will be much documented in women taking ARV or not. Furthermore, our results will constitute a reference for an upcoming therapeutic vaccine trial.
This work results from the collaboration of the Centre Muraz, the UMR 36 "AIDS and associated diseases" (Montpellier) and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|16 Years and older (Child, Adult, Senior)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- Infection with HIV-1 and HSV-2
- If required to take antiretrovirals according to WHO recommendations, should be on HAART for at least 4 months
- Written informed consent
Exclusion Criteria:
- Pregnancy or willing to be pregnant during the next 6 months
- Breastfeeding
- Renal failure
- Expected non-compliance with follow-up or study treatment
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00158509
|Burkina Faso
|Service d'Hygiene du Centre Muraz
|Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
|Principal Investigator:
|Nicolas Nagot
|London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
|Study Chair:
|Philippe Mayaud
|London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
|Study Chair:
|Philippe Van de Perre
|Montpellier University, France
Publications automatically indexed to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number):
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT00158509 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|Study First Received:
|September 9, 2005
|Last Updated:
|June 6, 2006
Keywords provided by French National Agency for Research on AIDS and Viral Hepatitis:
genital shedding
herpes genitalis
HIV infection
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
HIV Infections
Herpes Genitalis
Lentivirus Infections
Retroviridae Infections
RNA Virus Infections
Virus Diseases
Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes
Immune System Diseases
Herpes Simplex
Herpesviridae Infections
DNA Virus Infections
Genital Diseases, Male
Genital Diseases, Female
Antiviral Agents
Anti-Infective Agents
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017


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|June 3, 2013, 08:11 AM
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Developed a .45 ACP load over the weekend
You won't find this combination in any book (at least that I'm aware of). The recipie was gained from extrapolating data from Sierra using the same projectile weight and from discussion with Hodgdon.
185g Hornady XTP JHP
Hodgdon Universal Clays Powder
CCI #300 LP Primer (because that is the box that was on top of the stack, no other reason - would feel comfortable with Winchester, Remington, Tula or Wolf primers on any of these loads)
Mixed brass
Platform: Metroarms American Classic II full sized 1911 (5" barrel)
All rounds were fired at 7 yards (I don't often shoot more than 10 or 15 as it is). I fired 24 rounds of each charge weight – 2 mags of slow aimed fire and a single mag of rapid fire. Zero FTF's or FTE's. Worst group was probably about a 6" spread in rapid fire. All slow fire groups produced single ragged holes, more or less.
6.0 grains – too light. Great for plinking, or even teaching the missus or a kid the joys of shooting, but overall too light for my particular comfort on an SD load. I suppose one could make the argument that it would be a great reduced velocity load in the confines of a house, but I would be worried about penetration in the bad guy, honestly. Felt like a medium weight 9mm round shooting – so recoil was non-existent. Accuracy was great.
6.2 grains to 6.4 grains – My opinion is that this is the optimal weight powder charge. Produces velocities from 850 fps to 900 fps, excellent accuracy and extremely manageable recoil. At 7 yards in rapid fire, I put all 8 rounds inside a 4" circle. I chose 6.3 grains as my go to load. Should produce a theoretical velocity of 875 fps, which is more than enough to open up the XTP in soft tissue.
6.6 grains – good load, but I didn't see any advantage in accuracy to justify the additional recoil. I also started to see some unburned powder at this charge weight, so that tells me that I've passed up the optimal pressure/powder charge combination for a 5" barrel in a 1911. Still a good load, and still produced excellent accuracy, so it is something that one could load up without any issue.
Although the book tells me I can go up to 6.8 grains, I opted not to. I would feel comfortable in doing so as none of the loads I tested yesterday showed any signs of pressure on either the brass or in felt recoil/firearm operation. All fed and extracted perfectly through my ACII 1911.
And on a semi-related note, whomever decided to start making .45 ACP brass with small pistol primer pockets, I hate you. Makes life a pain when trying to reload. Why would anybody do such a thing is beyond my capacity for thought.
Last edited by schmellba99; June 3, 2013 at 09:54 AM.
|June 3, 2013, 08:15 AM
Senior Member
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Posts: 3,750
Frankly, I would try 6.8 ad my best accuracy is usually at book max...
|June 3, 2013, 08:23 AM
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What book is that? Hodgdon shows a range for a 185 jacketed bullet at 6.0 - 6.4
|June 3, 2013, 09:07 AM
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Join Date: January 8, 2008
Posts: 803
I emailed Hodgdon asking about H. Universal Clays with the XTP as they don't list that combo on their website or in their book, and they sent me some data. I used a combination of the two pieces of information to come up with what I loaded up.
|June 3, 2013, 09:50 AM
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Join Date: September 28, 2008
Posts: 10,447
On the other hand, with the component shortages, it might come in handy to have .45 brass in both primer sizes.
Being able to use large or small primers gives three choices, instead of just one.
Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez:
"Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent."
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New Haven bike gangs robbing pedestrians, police cracking down
Published 12:00 am, Tuesday, September 18, 2012
NEW HAVEN -- Roving gangs of kids on bikes are again robbing and intimidating people, and police vowed to saturate neighborhoods to send a strong message.
Assistant Police Chief Luiz Casanova, who heads the patrol division, said the groups again are roaming around and looking for trouble -- and victims.
A troubling trend was detected in Fair Haven with youths on bikes surrounding pedestrians, setting upon them and making off with their valuables. It's not a straight up street robbery. The groups attack before they even demand anything.
"They're beating them up (first) and then they're taking their stuff," said Sgt. Tony Zona.
In the cases where police have been able to grab one of the cyclists, many times they haven't even been from the neighborhood.
"I'm not going to have them come create chaos in Fair Haven," Zona said.
The problem isn't exclusive to Fair Haven but the robbery concerns are more acute in the densely populated neighborhood with a large undocumented immigrant population. The concern is that undocumented workers, lacking the paperwork to secure bank accounts, often carry significant amounts of cash and are viewed as potentially lucrative prey.
The Rev. James Manship, pastor of St. Rose of Lima Church in New Haven, attended the police Compstat meeting Tuesday. Chief Dean Esserman asked if his parishioners, many of whom are not legal citizens, had increased concerns.
He said he and his parish has concerns.
"We know where that leads to," he said of street robberies. "I don't want to bury anyone else."
The reemergence of gangs of bike riders conjures images of 2005 during the so-called summer of "kids on bikes."
In that case, large groups of youths, sometimes 60 or more, rode around in the Dwight neighborhood, clogged streets, causing chaos and, more than once, attacking passersby. In that neighborhood, the city cracked down on bike violations and handed out scores of tickets for violations.
The department now is formulating a plan to tackle the new problem. It is labor intensive.
According to Zona, the idea is to saturate neighborhoods and stop large groups and not the slowest in the group, take pictures and video and share them with cops stationed at schools and school security guards so conversations can happen there.
When they can, they will seize bike and call parents.
"When you ride in packs, you can expect to be engaged" by police, Casanova said.
Other neighborhoods have seen similar trends.
Downtown, kids on bikes have been blamed for a series of street robberies.
According to Yale Police Chief Ronnell Higgins, Yale cops have made four or five stops of groups on bikes and seized four or five pellet guns.
"The kids ride around on bikes watching, waiting," said Yale Assistant Chief Steven Woznyk.
Esserman pushed officers to construct a plan for a "citywide attack" on the problems with bikes.
To receive breaking news first, text the word NHNEWS to 22700. * Msg & Data Rates May Apply. Text HELP for help. Text STOP to cancel.


text: Lots of talent on display today. List from GBNreport I have highligted the players I will be keeping an eye on. Couple that I didnt highlight are Mike Johnson of Bama and Suh of Neb. We have no chance at drafting Suh and after watching Johnson unimpress all year there is nothing for me to see here. I would love to get other peoples opinions of Johnson just to see if you guys are seeing the same thing as I am. Cincinnati (11-0) at Pittsburgh (9-2); Noon ET Saturday; ABC Cincinnatis fairy tale run at an unbeaten season and a spot in a BCS bowl has one more obstacle when the Bearcats travel to Pitt to play the Panthers for the Big East conference title. Saturdays game also offers Cincinnati QB Tony Pike (#15, 6-5, 225) a final chance to sow he belongs in the same mention as other top prospects for this years draft including McCoy and Tebow. Pikes favorite target is WR Mardy Gilyard (#1, 6-0, 190) who has 149 receptions over the past couple of seasons and is one the best senior wideouts in the 2010 draft class; and for good measure, hes also a terrific KO returner. At the same time, OT Jeff Linkenbach (#71, -5, 315), a strong run blocker with long arms and athletic feet, has evolved into a very good second-tier LT prospect. Meanwhile, other Bearcats pro scouts are watching include FS Aaron Webster (#17, 6-2, 205), CB Brad Jones (#25, 6-1, 205), LB Andre Revels (#50, 6-0, 220) and TE Kazeem Alli (#83, 6-2, 260). Pitt, though, should provide Cincinnati with its toughest test of the year, especially playing at home. The Panthers will look for pressure on QB Pike from junior DE Greg Romeus (#91, 6-4, 265), a former basketball star who didnt start playing football until his senior year in high school and is still very raw, but is a rangy DE with potentially dominating athletic skills. Meanwhile, other veteran Panthers who might draw some later round or free agent interest this spring include TEs Dorin Dickerson (#2, 6-2, 230) and Nate Bynam (#80, 6-2, 250), feisty, albeit undersized DTs Mick Williams (#95, 6-1, 290) and Gus Mustakas (#93, 6-2, 280), QB Bill Stull (#11, 6-2, 220), WRs Oderick Taylor (#88, 6-2, 205) and Cedric McGee (#1, 6-0, 205), C Robb Houser (#64, 6-2, 285), OGs John Malecki (#74, 6-2, 280) and Joe Thomas (#56, 6-4, 290), LB Adam Gunn (#8, 6-1, 230) and CB Aaron Berry (#17, 5-10, 175). The stars of the show, though, are freshman RB Dion Lewis (#28, 5-8, 195) and super soph WR Jon Baldwin (#82, 6-5, 220). SEC Championship; Alabama (12-0) versus Florida (12-0); 4 PM ET; Saturday; CBS The game that everyone has been waiting for all year between the #1 ranked Gators and #2 Tide for the SEC title and a guaranteed spot in the BCS national title game. For good measure the SEC title game also features a ton of talent for the upcoming draft, including arguably the most interesting prospect of all in Florida QB Tim Tebow (#15, 6-3, 245). Tebow will almost assuredly go down as one of the great players in college football history, however, he still has more detractors than fans among NFL personnel people. Indeed, there are whispers that because of his less than text-book mechanics, more than one NFL team is actually looking at Tebow as a great athlete who will have to switch to another position such as FB, TE or even LB, although he is one of the most efficient passers in the country with a career completion rate of 66%. In fact, it wont be a total shock if Tebow isnt even the first Gator off the board this coming April as MLB Brandon Spikes (#51, 6-2, 260), along with juniors Carlos Dunlap (#8, 6-5, 290), a full-sized DE with a burst off the edge, and CB Joe Haden (#12, 5-10, 180) each has top 15-20 potential themselves. Dunlap, though, put his name up for this years Dumbsman Trophy when he was arrested for a DUI offense earlier in the week and wont play Saturday. The Gators, though, still have a decent DE in tweener Jermaine Cunningham (#49, 6-3, 255), himself a late-first day prospect for this years draft, to give the Gators some kind of pass rush. And Florida could have several other first-day prospects this coming April if any of emerging juniors such as TE Aaron Hernandez (#81, 6-2, 255), C Maurkice Pouncey (#56, 6-4, 315), OG Mike Pouncey (#55, 64, 320), OT Carl Johnson (#6-5, 330), DT Lawrence Marsh (#90, 6-4, 305), or FS Major Wright (#21, 6-0, 205) opt to enter leave school early this winter. Meanwhile, veteran Gators who will get later round or free-agent interest include the WRs Riley Cooper (#11, 6-2, 215), a big-play threat who also has baseball options, LBs Ryan Stamper (#41, 6-1, 230) and Dustin Doe (#32, 6-0, 230), PK Jonathan Phillips (#38, 5-10, 220) and KR Brandon James (#25, 5-7, 185). For its part, Alabama, may have this years biggest prospect in DT Terrence Mount Cody (#62, 6-4, 365) a massive fire hydrant with top 20 potential for the upcoming draft. And Alabama could have a second possible opening round pick for 2010 in junior MLB Rolando McClain (#25, 6-3, 255) a full-sized tackling machine with quickness and smarts, while athletic OG Mike Johnson (#78, 6-5, 300) should be one of the first 2-3 players off the board at the position this coming April. Meanwhile, other top Tide veterans to watch include CB Javier Arenas (#28, 5-9, 195), who doubles as one of the most dangerous punt returners in the country with 6 TD returns in his career, physical FS Justin Woodall (#27, 6-1, 220), TE Colin Peek (#84, 6-6, 255), a rangy transfer from Georgia Tech with soft hands, RT Drew Davis (#79, 6-6, 300), DEs Brandon Deadrick (#95, 6-3, 290) and Lorenzo Washingon (#97, 6-4, 285), CB Marquis Johnson (#24, 5-10, 190), PK Leigh Tiffin (#99, 6-1, 200) and P P.J. Fitzgerald (97, 5-10, 195). ACC Championship: Clemson (8-4) versus Georgia Tech (10-2); 8 PM ET; Saturday; ESPN The ACC title game could come down to a battle between arguably the top two RB prospects for the 2010 draft in Clemson senior C.J. Spiller (#28, 5-10, 195), the ACC player of the year and Georgia Tech junior Jonathan Dwyer (#21, 5-11, 235). In fact, Georgia Tech has a number of quality juniors who could impact the upcoming draft including DE Derrick Morgan (#91, 6-3, 275), WR DemaryiusThomas (#8, 6-2, 230) and DB Morgan Burnett (#1, 6-0, 210). Thats good for Yellow Jackets as the program really doesnt have much in the way of seniors prospects this year. Pro scouts, though, will be focused in on a number of very good Clemson veterans along with RB Spiller including speedy WR Jacoby Ford (#6, 5-9, 185), OLB Ricky Sapp (#7, 6-3, 240), C/G Thomas Austin (#65, 6-3, 315), TE Michael Palmer (#86, 6-4, 250), Bs Chris Chancellor (#38, 5-9, 165) and Crezdon Butler (#18, 5-11, 185) and LB Kavell Conner (#33, 6-0, 225). Big XII Championship: Texas (12-0) versus Nebraska (9-3); 8 PM ET; Saturday; ABC The Cornhuskers are the final hurdle for Texas to overcome to finally make it to a national title game in the Colt McCoy era. McCoy (#12, 6-3, 210), the top-rated senior QB in the 2010 draft class, has done just about everything for the Longhorns except lead them to the promised land. And while Nebraska likely wont go down without a fight, Texas has surrounded McCoy with so much supporting talent that a Huskers win would go down as one of the biggest upsets in conference championship game history. WR Jordan Shipley (#8, 5-11, 195), the all-time leading receiver in Texas high school history who was granted a 6th year of eligibility by the NCAA after he missed two full seasons with knee and hamstring injuries, is one catch away from cracking the 100 mark for the season. Meanwhile, DE Sergio Kindle (#2, 6-3, 255), struggled a bit this fall after moving up from SSLB, but is still a dynamic edge rusher who has racked up 17 tackles for loss, while veteran OT Adam Ulatoski (#74, 6-6, 310) is a top 100 prospect, although junior OT Kyle Hix (#64, 6-6, 320) is probably the better prospect. Other Texas players to watch include OLB Roddrick Muckelroy (#38, 6-1, 235), C Chris Hall (#71, 6-3, 300), DT Lamarr Houston (#33, 6-2, 290), OG Charlie Tanner (#52, 6-3, 305) and PK Hunter Lawrence (#15, 6-0, 190). The player pro scouts want to see in this game though is Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh (#93, 6-3, 305) who could very well be the first player taken overall at the 2010 draft after camping out in opposing Big XII backfields all year. Suh anchors a swarming defense which also includes veterans such as SS Larry Asante (#, 6-0, 210), opportunistic FS Matt OHanlon (#33, 5-10, 195), OLB Phillip Dillard (#52, 6-0, 240), and DE Barry Turner (#99, 6-2, 270). If the Huskers are to stay with Texas, they will need some kind of productivity from a very young offense. Indeed, junior RB Roy Helu (#10, 5-11, 215) is the units only solid future pro prospect. Have a great weekend!


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Are Energy Efficiency programs we are participating in another well-meant hustle, or is there lasting prosperity to be had in our industry? Beyond anecdotal reports, ARRA-funded enthusiasm for excellent Energy Efficiency (EE) programs like Energy Upgrade California and Evergreen, San Jose's "Project 5002," are EE endeavors really…Continue
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text: +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | TPWD News Release 20080917a | +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | This page contains only plain text, no HTML formatting codes. | | It is not designed for display in a browser but for copying | | and editing in whatever software you use to lay out pages. | | To copy the text into an editing program: | | --Display this page in your browser. | | --Select all. | | --Copy. | | --Paste in a document in your editing program. | | If you have any suggestions for improving these pages, send | | an e-mail to firstname.lastname@example.com and mention Plain Text Pages. | +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ [ Note: This item is more than nine years old. Please take the publication date into consideration for any date references. ] [ Media Contact: TPWD News, firstname.lastname@example.com, 512-389-8030 ] [TH] Sept. 17, 2008 Sep. 17 Ike News Update from Texas Parks & Wildlife 10 a.m. CDT -- Update 9 Below is information sent by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to the Governor's Press Office today. The governor's office is coordinating official communication about Ike for the State of Texas, including TPWD activities. The following information is provided as a service and convenience for TPWD's audience. For complete information, see the Texas governor's web site at http://governor.state.tx.us/, or news media may phone the press office at (512) 463-1826. Texas Game Wardens/TPWD Law Enforcement Division --TPWD has had approximately 200 game wardens and associated boats and equipment deployed for Hurricane Ike. --A team of about 30 Texas game wardens today is continuing search and rescue work in hard-hit communities on the Bolivar Peninsula. --Most other game warden strike teams have shifted from search and rescue to focus on law enforcement patrols, looting prevention and related assistance at the request of affected cities and counties. This includes teams in Orange County, plus patrols in nearby areas along the Neches River, Sabine River, Cow Bayou, and Adams Bayou. Other teams are in Tyler County, Polk County, Galveston County and Brazoria County, among other affected areas. Texas State Parks --This morning, a total of 18 Texas State Parks remain closed due to Ike, down from 37 closures at the event's height. Since the storm event began, 5,828 evacuees have been given shelter at63 state parks outside Ike's path. --Two coastal parks, Galveston and Sea Rim, suffered catastrophic damage.Facilities at Sea Rim near Port Arthur appear to be a total loss. At Galveston Island, Ike caused heavy beach erosion and swept awaystateparkfacilities. The San Jacinto Battleground and six other state parks in Southeast and Northeast Texas suffered significant damage ranging from downed trees and power lines to storm surge flooding and wind damage to buildings and facilities. --Park field response teams are securing sites, checking on staff and beginning cleanup and emergency repairs. Teams have completed recovery assignments at Martin Creek Lake, Caddo Lake, and Atlanta. Crews continue to work at Dangerfield, Mission Tejas, Huntsville, Lake Livingston, Brazos Bend, Martin Dies, Jr. and other sites. Ecological Impacts/Fish and Wildlife Kills --TPWD is tracking more than 26 spills in affected coastal areas that range from no reported volume to several thousand barrels of contaminants.The department is also is participating in a multi-agency, state/federal Natural Resource Damage Assessment effort planning to set up incident command in Clear Lake.Survey teams from NOAA and US Coast Guard Tuesday moved fromsearch and rescue operations to spill response, and TPWD is also preparing to field ecological assessment and response teams. --The department is asking people in affected coastal areas who encounter dead or dying fish and wildlife or pollution that is threatening fish and wildlife or human health to please contact TPWD's 24-Hour Law Enforcement Communication Center in Houston at (281) 842-8100. TPWD Employee Relief --The Human Resources Division is coordinating agency-wide employee disaster relief efforts aimed at supporting affected employees who lost homes or were otherwise affected by Ike. Initial plans call for amulti-part approach combining agency resources, plus donations from employees, various friends groups and the public. --The Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation has set up a special"TPWD Employee Hurricane Relief Fund." Donation checks can be mailed to: Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, Re: TPWD Employee Hurricane Relief Fund, 1901 North Akard, Dallas, TX 75201. --- On the Net: TPWD Emergency Information: http://tpwd.texas.gov/site/emergency/ -30-


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With its blend of historic interiors and modern conveniences, the Leigh H. Taylor Law Library has become an incomparable resource for legal scholarship. Under the direction of a staff of highly knowledgeable and accessible law librarians, the Library features a major print and microform collection of over 525,000 volumes, custom-designed study and research seating for over 600 people, and computer labs with more than 80 workstations accessing a wide range of online services and software applications. Southwestern's Taylor Library demonstrates in the most tangible way how much we value the students and scholars who pass through its doors.
Located in the Bullocks Wilshire Building, one of the most admired and significant Art Deco structures in the world, the library was named in honor of Dean Emeritus Leigh H. Taylor in 2004. Dean Taylor served as dean from 1978 to 2005 and spearheaded Southwestern's purchase, preservation and renovation of the building.


text:
Game Time Start: 7:30 PM ET
Where: Palace Of Auburn Hills, Detroit, MI
Officials: R. Garretson, B. Taylor, J. Tiven
Media Notes: Indiana Notes, Detroit Notes
Television: FOX Sports Indiana / FOX Sports Detroit
Radio: WFNI 1070 AM / WXYT 97.1 FM
NBA Feeds:*NBA Audio League Pass (available free to NBA All-Access members)
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REMINDER: Per PD policy, please do not share a link to, describe how to search for, request a link to, or request a PM about streaming video of a NBA game that is not coming directly through the NBA. Not even in a "wink-wink, nudge-nudge, know-what-I-mean" round-about sort of way. Thank you
Season Records: (W-L) 3-0 Away: 1-0
East: 2-0
2-1 Home: 2-0
East: 2-0
Upcoming Games: Nov 06 Nov 08 Nov 09 Nov 11 vs vs at vs 7:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 7:00pm
Projected Starting Lineup: HIBBERT WEST GEORGE STEPHENSON WATSON Projected Starting Lineup: DRUMMOND MONROE SMITH BILLUPS BYNUM
Danny Granger - halfway to Lt. Dan (out)
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Piston Powered @PistonPowered
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text:
My son (9 years old) went to the park the other day with my wife and saw the baskets for disc golf. He asked if we could try it one of these days. Well on Thanksgiving we tried to go to the driving range at three different traditional golf courses only for them to be closed. Then he got the idea to go to the park for disc golf. Well we had no discs so we stopped at Walmart and bought two beginners packs that were 8.99 each. We went and even though we really sucked, we had a blast. So he asks to go to the next day again. We went again and we ended up losing a disc. So after reading a little bit of this forum, we went and got a Innova Leopard. We went out again this morning. He loves it and I don't mind taking him out because the park is right down the road and we can play 9 in like 45 minutes.
So as a beginner who has no idea what he is doing, what are some tips? It is frustrating for me since I cannot throw the disc far. I have a college baseball background as a pitcher. I can also hit a golf ball pretty far, but these discs are very humbling. Right now everything for me is going right and at a 45 degree angle.
So any tips on throwing and discs is much appreciated.


text:
Star Wars Clone Wars Series 10 and Vintage Series 6 now IN-STOCK!
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text:
Discussion in 'Miscellaneous' started by Spaceman Spiff, Oct 20, 2010.
^ It's Beavis & Butthead done in that style.
I believe specifically it's from (or a reference to) the peyote sequence in Beavis and Butthead Do America.
Ah, okay. Thanks!
I love this one.
OT: M'Sharak, I skimmed over your post and seeing your avatar out of the corner of my eye thought it was a Maltese dog and that you were Nardpuncher. Looked again and nearly had a frickin heart attack. Great av.
I love this one.
Speaking of rarely used words...
Yesterday I was ego-surfing, and discovered that a book entitled The Thinker's Thesaurus actually quotes one of my articles, because I used a rare word.
Bitches don't know what a sad, deluded jerk I am.
Thanks, but all I did was a crop and slight tweak of a pic I found online. As I found out after the fact, the original photo was of a yeti doll made by this person, to whom the real credit is due. Brilliant work, I thought.
Can we get rid of the smoking? If we can, i'd be on board with that in a second.
I think you hurt my dog's feelings! That thing is scary!
You have to wonder what she thought would happen.
I know, right?
Here's a question....how many times can I watch her do that again and again till it's enough that it would teach her a lesson?
I'm thinking I'll drink a cup of tea and have a biscuit and read a little more of this book I have by some guy called Proust and that should do it.
That's brilliant
Hypnotoad is fucked!
Separate names with a comma.


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Posted by R. Berg on March 27, 2004
In Reply to: Preposition posted by modrijan on March 27, 2004
: : : : : : : Which preposition would you use when saying:
: : : : : : : He writes __the blackboard (or __the wall) all the day.
: : : : : : I would use "on", but since I'm basically a frenchie, wait for additional advice...
: : : : : I'd use on too!
: : : : I agree with "on", is it possible to use over or after?
: : : You could write all over the blackboard ie the writing would cover it all. I don't think you could use after.
: : This is an interesting question because (my linguist friend said recently) in some languages, the word that translates to "on" in English is used only when something is resting on a horizontal surface. It means "on top of." In English, however, we say "He writes on the blackboard," "I put a coat of paint on the wall," "There's a spot on the bathroom mirror."
: I will ask another way. It sounds good to me if "a climber is IN the wall AT THE MOMENT", but what if "the climber is climbing __the wall ALL DAY"? Can we put there OVER (but NOT with meaning ALL OVER the wall). My question is actually: Is there any difference between STAYING there or writing ONCE (ON the blackboard) and MOVING or writing CONTINIOUSLY (OVER the wall, OVER the blackboard)? Does OVER sounds right?
We don't say the climber is IN the wall. We say the climber is ON the wall or is climbing ON the wall. (We can also say the climber is climbing the wall.) Climbing OVER the wall means reaching the top of the wall and passing it, going to the other side.
How long the action (writing, climbing) lasts doesn't determine the preposition.


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Faiz Blaster Form, Den-O Strike Form, and OOO Tajadol Combo...
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Folks in the States may not know too much about Kamen Rider, a series born in the early '70s about mutant-making, cyborg part installing, brainwashing terrorists. One such victim escaped prior to his brain washing and became the Grasshopper-looking hero Kamen Rider. The television series has spawned countless episodes and feature films and now, with the help of Bandai's S.H.Figuarts line of action figures, fans of the show can bring some of their favorite characters home to display.
We have three different Kamen or Masked Riders to look at today and none of them are in the same series. Masked Rider Faiz Blaster Form is actually from KAMEN RIDER 555, the 13th installment in the series that aired 2003.
The seventeenth installment is represented by Masked Rider New Den-O Strike Form from the show KAMEN RIDER DEN-O which made its debut in 2007.
Kamen Rider OOO Tajadol Combo is part of KAMEN RIDER OOO, the twenty-first series made in the franchise that begun airing in 2010.
Packaging for these figures is all very similar, but distinct. There's actually no set design per show, the look varying from figure to figure, at least as far as the color of the packaging goes. Packaged much like previous SHFiguarts figures, a clear tray contains the figure and all of its accessories.
Stellar photography on the back gives you a taste of all the fun these figures can bring to the table. A set of instructions are also included.
Bandai have really outdone themselves in the sculpting department. These figures all look fantastic, like works of art each one of them. From the fine detail in the eye sensors, to the fine lines in the belts and beyond, there is nothing going on that feels too plain or out of place. These figures are extremely well crafted with amazing paint and colors to match. Kamen Rider OOO has a more metallic finish that allows him to pop out a bit more but the subtle colors in the others aren't shabby work either.
And much like the articulation in the Ultraman figures, the Kamen Rider figures are just as flexible. If only the other toy manufacturers can take some lessons from these figures, we would all be in a better world. These figures can do just about anything and look fantastic doing it. The neck articulation sports a good range of motion as do the ball jointed shoulders, biceps, double elbows, wrists, upper torso, waist, thighs, double knees, heels, toes... it's all there.
As if the articulation, sculpt, paint wasnt good enough, Bandai throws in a large assortment of accessories to keep you busier than ever. Kamen Rider OOO comes with eight hands total for a good number of poses. He also comes with a shield, sword, and more.
Masked Rider Faiz comes with only 5 hands to swap around but comes equipped with other goodies to stnap onto his outer armor. He also comes with various belt buckles, mobile phone, and a variety of weapons that can attach to each other.
Masked Rider Den-O comes with an assortment of eight hands to swap out, and even more heavy weaponry.
All in all, if you want art with your action, these Bandai SHFiguarts is where it's at. These imported figures should run you $30-40 each, but they are indeed worth it.
Review and Photography by David Yeh
Review Samples Courtesy of Bluefin


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IP Phone, VOIP Phone & Internet Phone
IP Phone, VOIP Phone, Internet Phone Overview
All modern offices (whether home or commercial) use internet phones as part of their telephony solutions. The IP Phone or VOIP Phone is a voice over internet protocol that allows the call to be routed through the internet and also through your companies local intranet. This allows for neat tricks like sharing contact lists between phones, handing off the call between various devices including the desk phone, IP capable cell phones, and IP phones in a home office. We carry Astra, Cisco, HP, ClearOne, Plantronics, Polycom, Snom, Grandstream and more. Tie these phones into your existing server and network systems or get your gear here.
Need Help? Call Us At: 1-800-881-6577 or Contact Support


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If this is your first time laying out a trail, it might be helpful to print out our trail marking guide. This is helpful both for the people laying out the trail, and the people who will follow it.
You might slip the guide into a waterproof shell to protect it when you go outside, or pop it on a clipboard.
Find a spot where the ground is not too littered with debris, such as a trail that already exists.
You could just draw the markings in the dirt, if you have a trail with dry clear dirt. However, trail markers are fun to make because you can put them on paved trails. Also, if there is a light rain, the drawings might wash away, but the trail markers should stay clear.
Use stick or rock trail signs to explore outside with your friends and play fun games:


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WARRINGTON Wolves stormed into a first half lead against rivals St Helens at the Etihad.
Gene Ormsby opened the scoring before Rhys Evans touched down either side of a Chris Hill score and Alex Walmsley narrowed the deficit late in the half.
The returning Ben Westwood was immediately involved for Wolves when he forced St Helens full back Jonny Lomax back over his own try line.
From the resulting kick Wolves worked the ball left with Stefan Ratchford feeding Ryan Atkins wide out, but the former Wakefield man was forced out by the Saints defence.
Wolves continued to build pressure in Saints' half and saw Chris Bridge held up narrowly short of the line after wriggling free of two would-be tacklers four minutes in.
Michael Monaghan picked up from dummy half and attempted a grubber, only to see the ball rebound back into his arms as he was tackled.
Joel Monaghan collected this time and span a pass out wide to the onrushing Ormsby, who dived into the corner and touched down superbly at full stretch. Chris Bridge was unable to add the extras.
With eight minutes played Wolves doubled their advantage, Westwood at the heart of the attack driving Tony Smith's side forward until he was felled 10 yards out.
The ball was moved through hands until Ratchford fed Trent Waterhouse at close range and the Australian committed the Saints defence before popping it up for Evans to scoot over in the left corner. Bridge failed to convert from a difficult angle.
With 18 minutes played Bridge performed a spectacular piece of juggling to intercept and bring an end to Saints' first foray into the Wolves half.
Wolves were able to pin Saints back in their half again with a Bridge penalty and an almost identical move to Evans' try ended with Ratchford's pass sailing out of the Welsh winger's reach.
However, with 19 minutes of the half remaining Bridge delivered a clever backwards offload to Joel Monaghan and the centre, who broke a century of tries for the club last week, waltzed his way towards the line.
Monaghan was stopped 20 metres out but Westwood was on hand to keep the move alive and fed Hill for the powerful prop to crash over for his first try of the campaign. Bridge converted.
Saints' Mose Masoe and James Roby were penalised when the former went over the top in a tackle on Michael Monaghan and again Wolves were given the opportunity to put the ball in St Helens territory.
The ball was worked to Bridge, whose grubber kick rebounded and bounced awkwardly before finding its way to Ratchford and the scrum half passed to Evans in acres of space on the left for his second try of the afternoon.
Referee Phil Bentham went to the video to check Bridge had not touched it following the rebound, which would have put Ratchford offside, but the mass of Wolves fans in the corner Evans had gone over were confident the move was fine and, on second glance, so was Bentham.
Bridge, who boasted an impressive conversion rate before today's meeting, pulled his kick wide.
Saints put on their first meaningful attack on the half hour mark, which ended with Matt Dawson diving over in the corner, but Bentham spotted a knock on in the build up.
Two minutes later and Jordan Turner intercepted close to his own line and darted 50 metres into the Wolves half, but the centre was struggling for support and his loose pass hit the deck with Ryan Atkins the first to pounce.
Despite Wolves' pressure, Saints again proved dangerous on the break away with Luke Walsh the man to sprint clear this time before delivering a high kick that Ormsby did well to reach first.
The winger was penalised for holding on as his Warrington teammates attempted to regroup and found himself in the sin bin.
Wolves looked like they had weathered the storm when Dawson went over only to again be brought back by Bentham, but eventually the numerical advantage told as Walsh fed Walmsley from close range and then converted from in front of the posts.


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Each day you may be exposed to potentially harmful toxic substances, including:
• Second hand smoke and pollutants in the air you breathe
• Unwanted pesticides and chemicals in the foods you eat
• Industrial solvents at your work
• Alcoholic beverages
• Food toxins
Many of these substances are detoxified within your body. But with today's increasingly impure environment and unhealthy lifestyles, your body's "anti-pollution" mechanisms may need support.
Help your liver help itself
The liver is your body's primary "cleansing" organ, keeping toxins from affecting other systems such as your heart, blood vessels, eyes and skin. But when overexposed to toxins and/or an excessively fatty diet, your liver can become less effective and damaged. Fortunately, your liver has the ability to heal itself. Regular exercise, abstention from smoking or excessive alcohol consumption, eating a health diet rich in vitamins and minerals, and regularly supplementing your daily diet with thisilyn milk thistle can help support healthy liver function.
Silymarin: Thisilyn's key active
The active bioflavonoid complex in thisilyn, called silymarin, is a powerful antioxidant that exerts a protective effect against pollutants and other substances that may be harmful to your liver.
Silymarin binds directly to liver cells and blocks the entrance of toxins. Silymarin also helps your liver produce glutathione: a natural front-line defense against free radical damage. When your liver needs maximum support, silymarin actually helps it synthesize new protein and regenerate healthy tissue.
Thisilyn's superior bioavailability


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MAV TV 500 (Season finale)
At Auto Club Speedway, Fontana
Details: 500 miles (250 laps), double points
Green flag: 7:20 p.m.
TV: NBCSN, 6 p.m.
8:30 a.m. – Parking lots open
9:30 a.m. – Infield viewing area open
10 a.m. – IndyCar Series practice (75 minutes)
2:15 p.m. – IndyCar Series qualifying
3:35 p.m. – Victory Lane Historic Champ/IndyCar showcase
6:15 p.m. – Victory Lane Historic Champ/IndyCar showcase
6:15 p.m. – IndyCar Series practice (30 minutes)
Noon – Parking lots open
4 p.m.-- Fan Zone gates open
4 p.m. – IndyCar Series autograph session (Fan Village)
4 p.m. – Main stage music: Cheaper Trick
4:45 p.m. – Meta Mulisha freestyle Moto X
5:15 p.m. – Main stage music: American Hitmen
5:40 p.m. – Victory Lane Historic Champ/IndyCar showcase
6 p.m. – Meta Mulisha freestyle Moto X
6:30 p.m. – IndyCar Series driver introductions
7:20 p.m. – Green flag, MAZV TV 500 (250 laps)
General admission – $30
Reserved – $50
Premium Reserved – $60
Kids 12 and under are free with a Lefty's Kids Club Membership
(Note: Race day sales increase by $5)
Pit Box Lounge $400 (expires Aug. 28)
– Pit Road Suite experience includes all-inclusive food and beverage menu, pit/garage access, Victory Lane access, VIP infield parking.
Budweiser Block Party $129 (expires Aug. 28)
– Fan Zone hospitality with premium grandstand seat, pit/garage pass and food and beverage
Pit/Garage Passes – $25
800-944-RACE or vwww.autoclubspeedway.com
Lightweight backpacks, no larger than 17 inches.
One soft-sided bag or cooler no larger than 6" x 6" x 12"; soft-sided insulated cooler may contain ice.
One clear plastic bag no larger than 18" x 18" x 4"; may not contain ice.
Binoculars, scanners, headsets, cameras (worn separately over the neck or on the belt), seat cushions (with compartments will be reviewed on an individual basis.
Strollers will be permitted in Fan Zone, not in grandstand seating areas, elevators or concourse.
Test Session
Auto Club Speedway, 4:30 – 10:30 p.m.
Tickets: Free for ticket holders (must present MAVTV 500 ticket or proof of purchase); purchase ticket by 8 p.m.; $10 charitable donation to the Auto Club Speedway Foundation.
Contenders Event
The Grove, Los Angeles (Third and Fairfax)
Noon – 3pm
Drivers: Will Power, Helio Castroneves Q&A. Activities: Astor Cup, live pit stop competition.
Hangar 24 Fan Party
Hangar 24 Tasting Room, 1710 Sessums Drive, Redlands
6 – 9 p.m.
Tickets: $20
IndyCar Driver Autograph Session
4 – 5 p.m.
IndyCar Fan Village, Fan Zone
Walk of Fame Induction Ceremony
2013 race winner Will Power
5 p.m., Gate C
If it's Labor Day, it's time for the most prestigious NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series national event of the year: the U.S. Nationals. Not only is it the last race to claim a spot in the Countdown to the Title, but it's the 60th anniversary of "The Big Go."
It all starts with the first of five qualifying sessions on Friday at Lucas Oil Raceway in Clermont, Ind., just outside Indianapolis. Another pair is set for Saturday, along with the Traxxas Top Fuel Nitro Shootout. The Funny Car version will take place during Sunday qualifying.
Final eliminations for the Chevrolet Performance-sponsored event will begin at 8 a.m.
To gain a spot in the six-event Countdown, drivers in the four professional classes must be in the top 10 in the points standings. A total of 19 drivers are battling for the 11 berths still available for the NHRA version of the postseason.
The tightest battle is in Funny Car as 16 points separate Tim Wilkerson in 10th place and Norco's Jack Beckman, in 11th place. Wilkerson is accustomed to the pressure, having finished 10th in each of the past six seasons.
"There's not really any added pressure, just the same sort of pressure we feel at every race, where we put it on ourselves to do our sponsors proud and do ourselves proud," said Wilkerson, who is 52 points behind ninth-place Del Worsham of Chino Hills. "I try to not let it affect the way we tune the car or the way I drive."
Cruz Pedregon is eighth, 29 points ahead of Worsham.
"We've painted ourselves into a corner. We've put ourselves into a position where we have to be near flawless at Indy to get in," said Beckman. "Now that's just the battle. Our goal is to run for the championship, which isn't possible if we're not in the Countdown. If we can't get this Valvoline car into the Countdown, I'd be devastated, but it means that we didn't earn it."
In Pro Stock Motorcycle, eight riders are competing for five spots. Steve Johnson is in the coveted 10th spot, 66 points ahead of Adam Arana and 75 in front of Gerald Savoie.
"That's why we race all year, to be able to compete for the championship, and if I don't make it into the top 10, then you don't get that opportunity," said Arana, hoping to join his father (Hector Arana) and brother (Hector Jr.) in the Countdown. "I need to try to stay calm and consistent because if you think too much on the starting line, it can create mistakes. I just want to stay calm. I've been doing a pretty good job of that all year, so if we have a fast bike, I hope to be able to go rounds."
The most interesting storyline is in Pro Stock. V Gaines and Chris McGaha are eighth and ninth, with McGaha leading Greg Anderson by 65 points. Anderson missed the first events of the season due to heart surgery just days before the season opener at Pomona.
"I keep saying that as important as it is for me to get qualified for the Countdown and make up more points than Jonathan Gray, it's not nearly as important to me as winning a race," said Anderson, a six-time U.S. Nationals winner. "If I can't win a race, I don't know if I'm worthy enough to win a championship. I have to prove to myself that I can win again.
"I'm not going to worry about trying to survive an extra round. I'm going to Indy to win that race."
Schedules set
Both NASCAR and NHRA announced their 2015 schedules this week, and neither Auto Club Speedway in Fontana or Auto Club Raceway in Pomona will endure date changes.
NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series Auto Club 400 at Fontana remains the fifth date on the schedule, on March 22. But instead of following Bristol, as it had for several years, the Auto Club 400 will complete a Western swing that will start in Las Vegas (March 1) and Phoenix (March 8).
Perhaps the most ironic part of the new schedule is that the Southern 500 at Darlington has been returned to Labor Day. In 2004, much to dismay or hard-core NASCAR fans, the date was given to ACS for its second date. But after the 2010 race, ACS lost the race, which was given to Kansas Speedway.
NHRA will retain its 24 national event schedule, which will open and close at Pomona. The Winternationals are set for Feb. 6-8 for the pros while the Auto Club Finals wrap up the campaign on Nov. 12-15.
IndyCar has yet to release its Verizon schedule for next year, but is expected to release the information during the weekend's MAV TV 500 event at ACS.
Racing around SoCal
It's Thursday Night Thunder tonight at the Irwindale Speedway drag strip. On Saturday, on the half-mile oval, it's Night of Destruction No. 2 with auto soccer, compact car demo derby and trailer races. … Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino will host Fore Off Road on Saturday and Sunday as a benefit for wounded warriors. The racing is set for 3-9 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a,m,-5 p.m. on Sunday. … Motorcycles, both flat track and speedway, make their season debut at Ventura Raceway on Saturday. The original date on the fifth-mile oval in March was rained out. … Perris Auto Speedway is dark this Saturday. The next action at the half-mile clay oval is the Night of Destruction IV on Sept. 6 with Demo Cross, Figure 8s and Trailer Figure 8.
firstname.lastname@example.com @LouBrewsterSpts on Twitter


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With fruits performing better than vegetables, lower average retail prices in the third quarter held back sales gains for fresh produce, according to the latest United FreshFacts on Retail.
For the quarter ending Sept. 29, the report showed total produce sales were 1.7% higher than the third quarter of 2011, reflecting prices that were 0.7% lower and volume running 2.4% higher.
Sales of fresh fruit in the third quarter were up 3.1%, with prices off 0.9% and volume up 4%. Vegetables suffered a 2.4% decline in sales, recording average prices that were 1.7% lower than third quarter 2011 and volume that slipped 0.7% compared with year ago.
The report tracks the performance of the top 10 fruit and vegetable commodities and revealed that nine of the top ten fruits showed volume increases in the third quarter 2012 compared with the same period a year ago. Berries, grapes, apples, avocados and specialty fruit showed the biggest sales gains in the fruit category.
Berry sales showed a 8.9% gain, with grapes 8.5% higher and apple 8.7% above the third quarter of 2011.
For vegetables, the report showed that only packaged salads, mushrooms and cucumbers posted modest sales gains between 1% and 2%, while lower prices for potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce and onions pulled sales of those commodities lower compared with a year ago.
Potato sales were 11.8% lower for the quarter, driven down by a 11.1% decline in average retail prices and a 0.8% decline in volume. Sales of lettuce were off 6.8% and sales of tomatoes were 4.9% lower compared with the third quarter of 2011.
Organic produce sales continued to be a bright spot, with organic fruit sales accounting for 3% of all total produce sales and organic vegetables representing 1.8% of all fresh produce sales, according to the report.
Sales of organic fruit were 23% higher than the third quarter of 2011, pushed by a 22.2% rise in volume and a 0.7% increase in volume, according to the report. Organic vegetable sales were up 12.1%, boosted by a 13.1% rise in volume and a 0.9% decline in average prices.
Value-added fruits increased dollar and volume sales by 8.8% and 1.3%, respectively. Growth was driven primarily by fresh-cut fruit, which accounted for roughly three-quarters of value-added fruit dollar share, according to the report.
Value-added vegetables' growth was tabbed at a 10.2% increase in dollar sales and a 10.6% volume increase.
The report, produced in partnership with the United Fresh Produce Association and Nielsen Perishables Group, is free for United Fresh members and for $50 for nonmembers. For questions about the FreshFacts report, contact Shannon Young, United Fresh education manager, at (202) 303-3400, ext. 405, or email@example.com.


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Using tax policy to shape individual actions and attitudes is not new.
On the carrot side, Uncle Sam encourages homeownership by offering a variety of federal tax breaks. Politicians show their support for families via the child tax credit and child and dependent care credit.
Governments also wield sticks by taxing behaviors deemed inappropriate or unhealthy.
We have tobacco taxes to discourage smoking. Higher fuel taxes prompt purchase of more fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly autos. Tanning, cited as a contributor to skin cancer, is now taxed to help pay for part of the national health care reform law. And taxes on fatty foods and sugary beverages continue to pop up in legislatures nationwide.
Now weapons have been added to the so-called sin tax list.
Chicago-area lawmakers, who've watched the number of gun deaths in their city and surrounding suburbs skyrocket, agreed last fall to a "violence tax." This $25 tax on every gun purchased in Cook County (gun sales already are prohibited in Chicago) is supposed to offset health care and other costs of gun violence.
The Chicago-area action was controversial when it was passed in November 2012. Then a month later, the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., occurred. The shooting of 20 first-graders and six school employees has spurred a rash of gun-tax bills at the federal and lower government levels.
Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Calif., has introduced a bill that would impose a federal 10 percent tax on "any concealable" firearm. Revenue raised by H.R. 793, known as the Firearm Safety and Buyback Grant Act of 2013, would help fund a national gun buyback program. The bill has 23 cosponsors and is pending in both the House Ways and Means and Judiciary committees.
On the state level, legislation that would impose taxes on guns or bullets has been introduced in California, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey and Washington state.
Sin tax self-righteousness?
Will the horror of Sandy Hook last long enough for these measures to make it through the arduous legislative process? Will gun lobbyists be able to sway enough lawmakers and voters to their side to prevent these and other bills targeting weaponry?
And are such taxes even effective in achieving the behavioral changes for which they were designed? Sort of.
Sin taxes tend to work only when they are substantial. Antismoking groups say that the higher cost of a pack of cigarettes, thanks to added taxes, is a main reason why smoking has declined among young people. With limited discretionary income, many youths have opted to spend their meager earnings on things other than cancer sticks.
Smokers who can afford it grumble about the added cost, but continue to buy the higher taxed product.
Still, sin taxes will continue.
Beyond the revenue possibilities and the hope that bad behavior might be changed, such levies provide us with a sense of punishing people for doing something we think they shouldn't.
Remember, though, such self-righteousness is all well and good until the bad act being taxed is your favorite vice.
Want the latest news on taxes, tax reform prospects, filing deadlines, Internal Revenue Service alerts and tax-saving tips? Subscribe to Bankrate's free Daily Tax Tip newsletter, our Weekly Tax Tip newsletter or, if you're a true tax geek, both!
You also can follow me on Twitter @taxtweet.
Veteran contributing editor Kay Bell is the author of the book "The Truth About Paying Fewer Taxes" and a co-author of the e-book "Future Millionaires' Guidebook."


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Limantour Road at Point Reyes National Seashore had to be closed Monday after a culvert failed beneath it, sinking part of the roadway.
The closure affects vehicle access to Limantour Road and the surrounding area, including the Sky and Coast trailheads, the Clem Miller Education Center, the Point Reyes Hostel and Limantour Beach. While the road is closed, all park facilities and trails remain open. Campers at Coast and Sky campgrounds should consider starting their trips from the Bear Valley Visitor Center.
"It is terrible to have to start the New Year like this," said David Brouillette, acting superintendent of the Point Reyes National Seashore. "Limantour Beach is a very popular destination and opening the road is a top priority for us."
The closure does not affect access to the Point Reyes Lighthouse or a shuttle to take visitors to see whales and elephant seals.
The road closure is about 1.5 miles from Bear Valley Road. It does not appear the culvert collapse was weather related, officials said. It's not known when the road will be repaired.
"It's being looked at now," said ranger John Golda.
Contact Mark Prado via email at firstname.lastname@example.com


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Click on the image above for the trailer for Melancholia.
I'm not a Lars von Trier cultist by any stretch of the imagination — his previous work strikes me as empty and pretentious — and I say this only because with Melancholia, easily the best film of his career, he has created one of the the most heartbreaking, elegiac, complex and accomplished films in cinema history — in short, it's a stop at nothing masterpiece, and instantly joins the pantheon of truly remarkable films, evoking everything from Dreyer to Bresson to Resnais and all the stops in-between.
The plot of the film is no secret; Justine (Kirsten Dunst) is a deeply depressed young woman whom we meet on her wedding day, afflicted with melancholia, the disease; at the same time, a huge planet, also named Melancholia, is hurtling towards earth at terrific speed, destined to utterly destroy the planet. All of this is revealed in the first five minutes, in a super-slow-motion montage reminiscent of the video gallery pieces of Bill Viola, culminating in the moment that Melancholia collides with Earth, as seen from distant space.
But after this opening, wordless sequence, scored to the strains of Wagner's Tristan and Isolde, the film leaves the apocalypse plot aside for a close-up examination of Justine's disastrous and ruinously expensive wedding, during which Justine bit by bit collapses into a state of almost complete catatonia. Her sister, Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg), tries to help her through the day-long ordeal, but to no avail. By the end of the day, Claire's husband deserts her, she's fired from her job for telling off her obnoxious boss, and her mother, Gaby (Charlotte Rampling) stands up during a toast and tells the entire room that she hates the very idea of marriage, even as the forced festivities continue.
That's the first half of the film, aptly entitled Justine, but when Claire takes over the eponymous second half of Melancholia, the film deepens into a doleful meditation on mortality, the worthlessness of property and money, the fickle stability of family relationships, and because the end of the film is predestined — we know from the opening moments that everyone in the film will die, as well as every other person on the earth — the tragedy becomes almost unbearably intense, as Justine pulls out of her depression, embraces the inevitability of death, and becomes, against all odds, the most courageous member of the group in the film's final moments.
More than that I cannot and should not say; this is a film that simply must be experienced, preferably on a large screen for full visual and emotional impact. This is the sort of apocalyptic thriller that only an artist can pull off; it's absolutely pitch-perfect for its entire two hour and fifteen minute running time, and like the rogue planet that dominates Melancholia from first frame to last, the film inexorably gathers velocity and resonance as it hurtles towards its horrific and yet transcendant climax. The entire cast is superb — Dunst gives the performance of her career in the film — and John Hurt, Kiefer Sutherland, and all the rest of the ensemble are equally brilliant.
I spend so much of my time watching junk, which is all the Hollywood makes now, so when something as good as this, or Margin Call, comes along, I want to celebrate. It's as Ingmar Bergman said near the end of his life; you see so many bad movies, that after a while, you don't expect anything more. Then something like this comes along. Melancholia is an astonishing, absolutely remarkable film that succeeds on every level — as human drama, as science fiction fantasy, as social parable, as purely visual filmmaking. See it at once.