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Plenty of people can't wait to see "42,'' the biggest, most ambitious cinematic treatment of Jackie Robinson's life attempted so far.
Plenty of people are also terrified of "42,'' because of the potential for a treatment of a figure that big to go so wrong. The groups surely overlap at some points.
Thus, a suggestion to all those groups: Go see it. You won't regret it.
Brian Helgeland, the director and screenwriter (he also wrote the scripts for "L.A. Confidential" and "Man on Fire," among others), got the story right. Better yet, he got the life right.
Best of all, he gave Jackie Robinson a life. "42," which opens Friday, passes on the temptation to further buff the mythology and polish the bronze statue that represents Robinson in so many minds nearly 70 years after he integrated the national pastime.
This movie portrays him, instead, as a person—an exemplary one, to be sure, but one who did exemplary things within the context of living the joys and pains of a normal human being.
PHOTO GALLERIES: 42 legendary images from SN's archives | From EBONY Magazine
In "42"—which smartly restricts itself to the 1947 season and the handful of years leading up to it—Robinson is the barrier-breaker who waded in alone (a fact presented by-the-numbers in the opening scene), but also was a young husband and new father living in a new place adjusting to situations that were unprecedented, yet terribly familiar.
In an interview Monday on the National Public Radio talk show "On Point," Helgeland credited that approach to Robinson's widow, Rachel, who was in on the script from the beginning. It shows.
The result, Helgeland said, was a depiction of "10,000 small acts of bravery that turned into one big act of bravery." In doing so, the movie unveils example after example of incidents from Robinson's life that are very recognizable to those who have been immersed in his story for years—and are sure to make newcomers to the full telling of his life and younger viewers recoil in shock.
"42" gets those incidents right.
—How Sporting News covered Jackie Robinson
Obviously, a documentary, or an R-rated film (this one is PG-13), would have been even more explicit about the things America and baseball did to Robinson. On the other hand, it would have been easy to whitewash his story—pun fully intended—or soak it in the kind of melodrama that has become cliche in fiction and non-fiction sports movies.
Helgeland decided that Robinson's actual life was dramatic enough.
Much of the action and dialogue, he said, came straight from original sources, such as Rachel Robinson and the numerous autobiographies by those directly involved. "42" has her imprint, and Major League Baseball's input.
Between them, the trials the game put the Robinsons through are not watered down. At worst, as with most movies like this, some scenes, characters and dialogue get rearranged for dramatic purposes. No important passage gets left out, though, or left without context.
Maybe the most important factor "42" gets right, though? Robinson is the hero.
No, that can never be assumed, not by a generation of moviegoers, especially African-American ones, numbed by a history of being reduced to supporting players in their own stories. The "Mississippi Burnings" and "Cry Freedoms" of past decades still leave scars.
That was part of the fear of "42" by many: that the A-lister in the cast was Harrison Ford, and that this was all set to become a Branch Rickey movie, with the little-known actor playing Jackie (Chadwick Boseman) becoming an afterthought.
It didn't happen.
Ford inhabited his character—it wasn't Han Solo or Indiana Jones playing the Dodgers' president/GM, but a very authentic, multidimensional Rickey. He illustrated why he was the ideal mastermind of the game's integration, without turning him into the savior and diminishing Robinson.
Robinson remained at the center of "42" at all times. Boseman pulls off both the acting and the ballplaying, never a guarantee in such a movie, in which actors often are convincing in one or the other.
Sharing the center was Rachel, played by Nicole Beharie, who should be much more of a name by now, based on her feature debut, 2008's "American Violet." (Her sports-flick cred: She played Ernie Davis's girlfriend in "The Express.") For anyone who knows Rachel Robinson only as the woman publicly keeping her husband's legacy alive the last four decades, she's a revelation. One sees the roots of who she is now.
The rest of the characters, for good and bad, are fleshed out as well, no easy feat considering how they've been fit into convenient boxes over the years. Pee Wee Reese gets to be more than the noble saint defying his upbringing; one actually gets a taste of that upbringing and how it affects him. Robinson's racist teammates aren't drawn cartoonishly so, and neither are his supporters.
As a bonus, a sportswriter got to play a heroic role, too: Wendell Smith, who in real life was one of a handful of writers from black newspapers who, by helping smooth Robinson's transition, became part of the history they were covering.
The story never becomes about any of them. They evolve (at least some of them) as the movie moves forward—but they revolve around him.
Choosing to stick to the '47 season rather than Robinson's entire, just-as-impactful life, shouldn't be held against the "42" filmmakers. Instead, it should be taken as an invitation for the audience to learn the rest of his story for themselves—or for another writer or director to bring that to the screen.
Knowing that "42" set the bar so high for such a movie is refreshing.
And a big relief.
HISTORIC BASEBALL PHOTOS: A sampling of SN's Conlon Collection


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Cowboys Notebook: Brent ordered to wear electronic monitor
Updated 9:28 am, Wednesday, December 19, 2012
A Dallas judge has ordered Cowboys nose tackle Josh Brent to wear an electronic monitor pending his trial on an intoxication manslaughter charge in the one-car crash that killed a teammate.
State District Judge Fred Tinsley also lowered Brent's bond to $100,000 from $500,000 on Tuesday. He ordered Brent not to drink alcohol or drive without a valid driver's license. Prosecutors say Brent was driving with a suspended license on the night of the Dec. 8 crash that killed friend and Cowboys practice squad member Jerry Brown.
Brent will be required to wear a monitor to detect if he has had anything to drink.
Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins said he agreed with Brent's attorney, George Milner, that the initial bond was set too high.
Sports Channel
"We want to treat everyone the same," Watkins said. "Just because he's a Cowboy doesn't mean his bond should be $500,000."
In other developments, ESPN.com, citing team and league sources, reported that Brent won't be permitted on the team's sideline for the remainder of the season.
Brent was on the sideline for much of Sunday's 27-24 overtime victory over Pittsburgh, which caught team and league officials by surprise. Brent is on the reserve/non-football injury list.
ESPN.com reported the team and the league are in agreement that having Brent on the sideline was not appropriate, sources said. Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said Monday that Brent's teammates encouraged him to come to the game and join them on the sideline.
Brent appeared in court Tuesday in a white dress shirt and jeans, with bandages covering his right hand. Police say Brent was speeding when his vehicle struck a curb and flipped in the Dallas suburb of Irving. Brown was taken to a Dallas hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Brent was arrested and charged with intoxication manslaughter, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
A defendant with no prior felony convictions could be eligible for probation. Brent pleaded guilty three years ago to driving under the influence — a misdemeanor — while he was playing at Illinois. In that case, Brent was sentenced to 60 days in jail and two years of probation.
Scheiner joins Browns: Alec Scheiner has been named the new president of the Cleveland Browns.
Scheiner, 39, will join the Browns after eight years with the Cowboys. He was senior vice president and general counsel with Dallas the past five years.
Scheiner will quarterback the Browns' day-to-day business operations in his new post, which will begin Jan. 7.
Staff writer Tom Orsborn contributed to this report.

subset: commoncrawl


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NetWellness is a global, community service providing quality, unbiased health information from our partner university faculty. NetWellness is commercial-free and does not accept advertising.
Monday, September 25, 2017
Pancreatic Cancer
What Is The Management of Atypical Cells?
Are atypical cells in the lesion located on head of the pancreas cancerous? Do they have to be removed? How to manage it if it's not cancerous?
No lesion termed atypical are not cancerous. Atypical cells can arise from inflammation, however, sometimes atypical cells may represent early neoplastic process. We also worry that atypical cells represent cancer that was missed by the biopsy. If there is a mass in the pancreas and biopsy of this shows atypical cells than it is recommended to remove this.
Syed A Ahmad, MD
Associate Professor of Surgery
College of Medicine
University of Cincinnati


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Reimbursement from the Petroleum Storage Tank (PST) Remediation Fund
In accordance with Texas Water Code requirements, the Petroleum Storage Tank (PST) reimbursement program has expired. As of September 1, 2012 no additional reimbursements will be made from the PST Remediation Fund.
Note that although the reimbursement program has expired, the state's PST Program will continue to regulate underground and aboveground storage tanks and oversee the cleanup of releases.
Please note: The PST Reimbursement Application Query is also no longer available.


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Blue Jays accessorize with pink on Mother's Day
BOSTON -- Several of the Blue Jays donned pink for Sunday afternoon's game against the Red Sox as a way to celebrate Mother's Day.
J.P. Arencibia, Jose Bautista, Emilio Bonifacio, Adam Lind and Melky Cabrera were among those who wore pink sweatbands and/or batting gloves to promote breast cancer awareness.
The MLB initiative started in 2006 and continues to grow each season, with a large group of players doing their part to drum up support.
"I think, obviously, it's great to pay tribute, not to just my mom but the meaning behind the color for breast cancer," Arencibia said. "There's a lot of people in this world that unfortunately have to deal with that, and anything we can do to help out and bring awareness to it is necessary."
Arencibia's mother was there for his first Major League game -- a two-homer performance against the Rays on Aug. 7, 2010 -- and she has been a frequent visitor to Rogers Centre over the past few years.
This Mother's Day started just like any other for Arencibia, as he made sure to check in with his mom before taking the field for Sunday's series finale.
"I called her in the morning; she was getting ready to watch the game. It was good to get a win for her," Arencibia said after his club's 12-4 victory. "I'll call her again in a little bit and see how her day is going."
Right-hander Chad Jenkins was able to give his mother a special gift earlier in the week, when he received a surprise promotion to the Majors. He got the start on Sunday after Brandon Morrow was scratched from his scheduled outing because of soreness in his upper back.
For Jenkins, Mother's Day served as a welcome distraction in the morning prior to making his season debut.
"I think it hit me this morning. I woke up and called my mom to wish her a happy Mother's Day," Jenkins said. "We weren't even talking about baseball. I wished her happy Mother's Day, told her I loved her. Then I hung up the phone and I was like, 'Oh, I have to pitch at Fenway in about three hours.' That's when it really hit me. I started to get a little nervous."
Jenkins responded to the pressure just fine, allowing just two runs on seven hits while striking out two en route to his first victory of the year.
Gregor Chisholm is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, North of the Border, and follow him on Twitter @gregorMLB. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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per steelersdepot.com
Did Wallace play his last down as a Steeler?
per steelersdepot.com
Did Wallace play his last down as a Steeler?
Good riddance. Hope we never see him in the black and gold ever again. Go somewhere where all they ask is for you to go deep, nothing else. Have fun getting Larry Fitz $, let's just see what the market bares.
anyone here remember a certain poster wanting to cut his tender when the steelers had a chance?
anyone remember the wallace ballwashers that said pay him 10+
Probably figures why play in a meaningless game and risk a career threatening injury.
Bye Mike, thanks for nothing bud
How about him running for the sidelines on basically any catch underneath, except the Giants game
Never seen so many people so keen to throw away productive players- get rid of Wallace, get rid of Mendenhall, get rid of Foote, get rid of Woodley.
He 2nd guy in line is not always better than the guy on top of the pile.
Schiavone's Race Career:
Starts- 10
Wins- 2
2nd- 4
3rd- 0
Other- 4
Prizemoney- $60,050.00


text: Chicago Auto Show charity benefit raises $1.8 million February 13, 2009 12:00 AM Eighteen area charities shared in more than $1.8 million raised by the 2009 Chicago Auto Show's benevolent event, First Look for Charity, and two attendees left with the keys to new vehicles. About 8,000 people attended First Look for Charity, helping to raise $1,856,025. The event is held the evening before the annual auto show opens its 10-day public run. "First Look for Charity is a great instrument for the area's new-car dealers to show the positive impact they have on their community," said Mark Scarpelli, chairman of this year's auto show. "All the benefiting charities are involved locally, so the money that's raised in Chicago stays in Chicago." As the name of the event implies, those who attend First Look for Charity are part of the premier viewing of each year's Chicago Auto Show. Tickets to the fund-raiser are $225 each, and purchasers can elect to have their proceeds equally benefit all participating charities, or any one charity for which they have an affinity. For the event, the auto show floor is replete with a variety of food and beverage stations. A highlight of the evening this year was the drawing for two grand prize vehicles: a 2009 Kia Borrego and a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro. This year's event awarded the Borrego to John Almy, 23, of Long Grove; and the Camaro to Bosun Kim, 27, of Des Plaines. Both winners cited their new cars as the first prizes they've ever won. Proceeds of Almy's ticket benefited The Cradle Foundation, and the Ray Graham Association for People with Disabilities reaped the proceeds from Kim's ticket. In all, 18 charities profited from the event. Other organizations participating in the 2009 First Look for Charity include Advocate Hope Children's Hospital, Autism Speaks, Boys and Girls Clubs of Chicago, Campagna Academy, Cancer Health Alliance of Metropolitan Chicago, and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago. Also, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Joliet; Children's Memorial Hospital, Clearbrook, Evans Scholars Foundation, and Franciscan Community Benefit Services. And, Misericordia, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago, Spina Bifida Association of Illinois, and St. Coletta's of Illinois Foundation. The 2009 Chicago Auto Show runs Feb. 13-22. See www.ChicagoAutoShow.com for details. Back to News


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Concussion symptoms gone, Ross activated
BOSTON -- The Red Sox activated David Ross from the seven-day concussion disabled list Friday after doctors cleared him to resume playing.
The catcher, who has been on the disabled list since May 12, completed a one-game rehab assignment at Double-A Portland on Thursday, going 1-for-3 with an RBI double.
In order to make room for Ross on the roster, Boston sent catcher Ryan Lavarnway to Triple-A Pawtucket.
"Everything feels better," said Ross, who was not in Friday's starting lineup. "I went on a rehab assignment, played well, felt fine and everything has been good since. It's nice to be able to feel normal again."
Ross was injured May 11 against Toronto, when a pair of foul balls hit his mask. The veteran didn't feel symptoms right away, but he began experiencing physical and emotional side effects a few days later.
"Riding in the car, I got real sick," Ross said. "I was talking to my wife about normal stuff and I got real emotional. I started crying at the drop of a hat, stuff like that. I'm not really a crier, so yeah, that was weird."
The 36-year-old went through a series of exams from doctors that tested his memory and other basic brain functions before being cleared.
Though Ross' health has improved, the Red Sox announced Friday that two of his teammates, third baseman Will Middlebrooks and outfielder Shane Victorino, were placed on the disabled list.
"It's just one of those things every team goes through," Ross said of Boston's health. "The Yankees are going through something even worse with their superstars out longer."
Jason Mastrodonato is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @jmastrodonato. Michael Periatt is an associate reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @Michael Periatt. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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The Sewerage & Water Board issued a precautionary boil water advisory for the East bank of New Orleans, including the Lower 9th Ward and New Orleans East, due to a drop in water pressure.
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Home » Mayor's Office » Press Releases » 2013 » 20130409 Mayor Landrieu to meet with Taxicab CPNC awardees
Subscribe to the Mayor's Press Release feed
NEW ORLEANS, LA— Today, Mayor Landrieu, and City Officials will meet with a number of Taxicab CPNC awardees. In March, the City of New Orleans Taxicab and For-Hire Bureau announced that it awarded 100 new Certificates of Public Necessity and Convenience (CPNC) to taxicab drivers and companies.
In December 2012, the City announced that it would accept applications for new CPNCs. This new opportunity was created to give drivers who have not previously held CPNCs a chance to secure one. The hope is that this creates income opportunities for taxicab drivers to become small business entrepreneurs.
WHO: Mayor Mitch Landrieu
City Officials
Taxicab CPNC awardees
WHEN: TUESDAY. April 9, 2013
WHERE: Mayor's Office
City Hall
1300 Perdido St.
New Orleans, LA 70112
Last updated: 5/18/2016 2:22:27 PM


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Here's a lovely head, ready for your finishing touches! Intended for use with Obitsu bodies (a body is not included).
Please note that the photos shown are of a prototype; the production version may vary.
All contents © 2017 HobbyLink Japan Ltd. Kurohakama-cho 162-1, Sano, Tochigi 327-0813 JAPAN Fax: +81-283-27-2352


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Kate gives her 'hair curtain' the flick
It's not the kind of haircut your boyfriend will notice. ("You look different. Is that a new dress?") But it's enough to set onlookers-in-the-know into overdrive: the Duchess of Cambridge has a new hairstyle.
As much as many hoped for something more radical, true to form, the brunette mane remains conservatively demure, ladylike and strictly Middleton-esque.
While the 30-year-old's long-overdue change, unveiled at the opening of the Treasures Gallery at the Natural History Museum in London this week, may lack drama, the usual tumbling curtain has been given a heavy fringe. The colour appears more tonal and layers have been added to lighten up the look.
Paired with her emerald silk Mulberry dress - complete with peace motifs and a tightly buttoned collar - the look is altogether retro, a touch Farrah Fawcett, a smidgen Jemima Khan.
As to its reception, the jury's out - a quick straw poll is divided. One colleague said it's "a bit play teacher, a bit Diana, even". Another said it is retro in a daring way. A friend added that it "seems to add weight to Catherine's face".
Stylist Brad Ngata, of Brad Ngata Hair Direction salons, is impressed with the look, subtle as it may be.
"Kate's hair is more of a tweak than major change, with some nice soft layers, a part that's more in the middle and a colour refresh.
"Overall, I really like the feeling of it. Kate is blessed with beautiful hair and we know she loves her locks, so I like that she hasn't done anything too drastic. I love the 'Princess' blowdry and it looks healthy, shiny and warm."
The major litmus test of any hairstyle is its uptake. We all remember the Rachael, the Farrah Flick and the Posh. Will 'the new Kate' become the latest look du jour?
"There is a bit of a '70s movement happening in fashion at the moment and this cut is a fresh take on it without being a total slave to trends", says Ngata. "Kate's hairstyle has been a favoured style for women all over the world - so I would expect there will be some die hard fans who run straight to their hairdressers. It will be quite a simple one to copy if you already had 'the Kate' and even still if not.
"It's really just a few simple layers and a different way of styling it. Sometimes a small change is all a style needs to completely change it."
It's no bob, but it makes for a refreshing break from the style we have all come to know so well, even if William, and most men, may not notice any difference whatsoever.
- Sydney Morning Herald


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Tactical Evolution (TAEV) introduces a new category of monsters, Gemini, as well as a new mechanic: Second Summon. It also introduces a new rarity above Ultimate Rare, called a "Ghost Rare." There is an appearance of "Venom" cards, which improves on the Reptile Type. There are also more Elemental Hero support cards and monsters, as well as new Neo-Spacians, Alien and Cyberdark monster and support cards.


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Report: Qualls claimed, Feldman clears waivers
HOUSTON -- Astros closer Chad Qualls has been claimed on revocable waivers by the Tigers, Peter Gammons of MLB Network first reported Tuesday morning. The Astros have until Wednesday to work out a possible trade with them, though it's more likely the Astros pull him back off waivers, which means he can't be traded this season.
FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal first reported Monday evening that Qualls had been claimed on revocable waivers.
The Astros could have traded Qualls prior to the non-waiver Trade Deadline but weren't in a hurry to move their most effective reliever, especially considering he's under contract for next season. Qualls wants to end his career in Houston.
"I don't know what all that entails," he said. "I've been traded a bunch of times in my career and it's no different. I chose Houston because it's close to home and I want to help this team win and I feel like I've been doing the best I can this year.
"Like I said all year, I'd like to stay here this year and obviously beyond that and finish my career as an Astro. It's not in my hands, though, so I don't really put too much thought into it."
FOX also reported Monday that Astros starter Scott Feldman cleared waivers, which means he could be traded to any club. He's in the first year of a three-year, $30 million deal that will play him $12 million this year, $10 million next year and $8 million in 2016.
Feldman, who's served a key role as the veteran to a young pitching staff this year, struck out five and allowed three runs in seven innings in Monday's 8-2 loss to the A's. Nine of his past 12 outings have been quality starts.
"I did see that, but when I'm pitching I don't really think about it," Feldman said. "Human nature, you wonder what's going to happen. When I'm playing, I'm just thinking about the guy that I'm facing. We'll see what happens."
Brian McTaggart is reporter for MLB.com and writes an MLBlog, Tag's Lines. Follow @brianmctaggart on Twitter. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Ball-in-hand out wide secures a third tour victoryGeorgina Robinson, Cardiff
Published: December 3 2012 - 3:00AM
IN HIS own words, Dave Dennis was ''buggered'' and doing a spot of ''seagulling'' on the right flank when he realised it was on.
Berrick Barnes lobbed a long pass out to replacement centre Mike Harris, who beat Welsh lock Lou Reed then repelled winger Liam Williams, and Dennis cranked up the legs for one final run.
''I just pulled back, I knew we were going to come back wide again,'' he said. ''We were trying to get them on the edges. [Sekope Kepu] made a good run earlier and it was working for us, so I knew the ball was coming back my way. I just worked hard on it and I think Mikey Harris had to come on and he put me into a bit of space. I was just happy [Kurtley Beale] popped up, because I don't think I had the legs to get there.''
Beale's match-winning try may have come after 79 minutes of unimpressive territory rugby but that it came at all, 15 tests and countless injuries into a tough season, said as much about the Wallabies as did their loss to France in the first Test of their spring tour. Backs against the wall they will fight to the final seconds, especially for a teammate like Nathan Sharpe.
''There's nothing to it, the boys were desperate for a win,'' Dennis said. ''When you're desperate like that and you want to do it for someone like Sharpie, who's such a quality bloke, you find something and it paid off.''
Wales coach Warren Gatland said his players were ''naive'' to not see the attack coming.
The Wallabies had identified space out wide and wanted to run the ball instead of engaging in more of the aerial ping pong that dominated all but the first and last 10 minutes of the match.
Dennis said Wales' commitment to kicking forced the Wallabies to play the ball in the final 10 minutes.
''I don't think we were in the mindset of playing to get a penalty and kick for a draw,'' he said. ''That last five minutes, although we ended up camped down our half, we felt if we got some ball and spread it around a bit there'd be some chances.
''As soon as I got that space I thought 'we're a chance here', whether I got tackled and we went again, whatever. But we finished it there and then.''
This story was found at: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/ballinhand-out-wide-secures-a-third-tour-victory-20121202-2aoy0.html


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Black Ninja!
Fresh Member
Senior Member
Moderator "The Trinity"
Fresh Member
Fresh Member
Super Member
In this edition of "In Defense Of" I will take a stab at defending one of the most Controversial figures in the IWC and wrestling and that is Eric Bischoff. These blogs usually reflect on in ring talent but in todays blog I will go to the management side of wrestling and take a look at and defend one of the most hated figures in wrestling Easy E, Eric Bischoff.
In 1994 Eric
My last "In Defense Of" Blog involving Sid was very well received and I seen that alot of people feel the same about Sid as I do. So Today I'm gonna concentrate on a much more controversial figure in prowrestling and that is "The Total American Narcissist Package" Lex Luger.... Every wrestler not named Sting has nothing but bad things to say about Lex Luger when his subject comes
I wrote my in Defense of Blog a few days ago about The Ultimate Warrior and surprisingly I found out that a lot of people feel the same way about the Warrior as I do. The Warrior is no ones favorite wrestler but certainly doesn't deserve the criticism he gets for his 1 WWF Run... Today I'am gonna blog about another controversial figure in wrestling and that is Sid/ Sid Vicious/ Psycho Sid/ Sid Justice
I decided to start a blog on defending Wrestlers that the IWC to tear to shreds. The IWC are a weird bunch, We will completely overate some wrestlers and undeservingly bury another. So today I will be defending a man who has been a punching bag for Internet wrestling fans since the Internet was invented and that is the one and only Ultimate Warrior.
One of the complaints people have with
Keeping with the theme of my Wrestlemania Blogs, Today I'm doing some facts and tidbits about the last 28 Wrestlemanias. So lets get started.
Most Matches at a Wrestlemania PPV
Wrestlemania 4 has produced the most matches in Wrestlemania history with 16 matches. The One day Single


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For some presidents, the start of a second term in the White House could bring an emotional letdown. They've already proven themselves up to the biggest job in the world. Their initial mandate has been fulfilled. Their final campaign has been won. Sheer fatigue is the new opponent. A lame duck's feathers are sprouting.
But Barack Obama had better not feel any such letdown as he begins his second term, taking the official oath of office today and speaking to the nation in the public inaugural ceremony Monday on the U.S. Capitol steps.
Obama's first term left more to prove, more to do. Whether it's a little more or a lot more depends on whether the observer is a Democrat, wanting Obama to achieve more of the liberal agenda, or a Republican, believing he has failed the country. It is not his fault alone that the government's partisan rift remains wide and the economy remains sluggish, but there is much the president can do differently to improve things in the next four years.
A big one is his approach to the job.
Obama must be the bipartisan leader he sounded like in 2008 – in fact, back in 2004 when he addressed the Democratic convention about creating a "purple" America, neither Democratic blue nor Republican red.
He must acknowledge, without more of his all-too-evident frustration, that the nation elected a divided government and he must work better with Congress. Though it's too much to expect Obama to change this aspect of his personality, he might try to at least fake a little personal warmth in his dealings with the GOP-controlled House of Representatives. Maybe he should look at the example of Gov. Jerry Brown, who with less political incentive to embrace fiscal discipline in a Democratic-dominated state has got California Republicans lauding his budget.
As far as specific issues are concerned, two cry out for a better effort from Obama.
The first is one just mentioned: improving the government's fiscal health. Tax increases do little to address the budget deficit and national debt. Spending is the real problem, and Obama has to spell out his strategy for cutting it.
The second, of great interest to Southern Californians, is immigration reform. Republican leaders should be more receptive since the party's rejection by the growing Latino electorate in November. But the Obama administration must seize the opportunity and take the lead, pushing a policy that will limit illegal immigration but also recognize industries' need for migrant labor and deal fairly with families with both legal and illegal immigrants.
As last year's mass shootings roused the administration to action on gun reform, the results of the November election should spur action on immigration – if not now, when?
While Obama sets his top priorities for Act II, he should remove the California high-speed rail project from his list. Last week, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told Congress the administration still stands ready to help pay for a bullet train linking the Los Angeles and San Francisco areas. But Californians have cooled on the plan, whose projected cost has doubled to $68 billion since voters approved initial funding. Neither the state nor federal government can afford this. Obama should stand up to California Democratic leaders and pull the plug.
How about backing a less Earth-bound futuristic vision? The administration should renew the nation's commitment to space exploration. NASA could put mankind on Mars; a bullet train would only take us to Oakland.
Some other issues that demand more action: Tax reform. Climate change. Balancing the need for regulation with the freedom for businesses to grow. Continuing the unfinished task of improving the U.S. health-care system. Ensuring the United States' moral high ground in world affairs.
All of these efforts will demand cooperation between a more experienced President Obama and congressional leaders, and that will require better performances from both sides.
Obama must be mindful that he is the first president in 180 years who was re-elected with a lower percentage of the popular vote than he received the first time around. His first term was good enough for him to defeat Mitt Romney last November, but it was not good enough to win him a glowing legacy.
Obama has significant achievements under his belt: health-care reform (though the plan was passed solely by Democrats), the end of the Iraq War and the killing of Osama bin Laden. But the nation wants to see that these will not remain the high points of the administration of the first black president.
He has much more to do. Fortunately for him, he has four more years to do it and a nation eager for results.
Obama can start by going back to the beginning when his energy was highest, by working harder to break down the barriers between him and Congress, and by showing he knows he can't fix America's problems alone.


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Syria: Legal Analysis, Business Structures & Forms
Legal Analysis
According to the Constitution of 1973, the Syrian Arab Republic is a democratic, popular, socialist and sovereign state with a republican system of government. The Constitution establishes Islamic jurisprudence as a main source of legislation.
Two judicial systems operate in Syria: the Courts of General Jurisdiction and the Administrative Courts. Transcendent authority over all courts of law rests with the Supreme Constitutional Court, which deals almost exclusively in matters of constitutional law and other internal affairs of state.
Courts of General Jurisdiction
The Courts of General Jurisdiction are separated into six branches, all of which are further categorized by Civil and Penal Chambers (with the exception of the Personal Status Courts). These branches are: (1) The Court of Cassation; (2) Courts of Appeal; (3) Tribunals of First Instance; (4) Tribunals of Peace; (5) Personal Status Courts; and (6) Courts for Minor Offendors.
The Court of Cassation, the highest court, hears appeals from the lower courts and can overturn judgments rendered by Courts of Appeal in criminal and civil cases.
The Courts of Appeal preside over a separate governorate (Mouhafazat) each and are divided into Civil and Penal Chambers. Each Court of Appeal hears appeals of decisions in cases previously tried before the Tribunals of First
Instance and the Tribunals of Peace.
There are several Tribunals of First Instance located in each governorate. Each Tribunal is divided into several divisions according to nature of the cases presented.
The Tribunals of Peace preside over minor civil and criminal matters and are abundant in each governorate. The Personal Status Courts deal mostly in personal status and family matters and vary according to the religion and ethnic origin of the litigants. The jurisdiction of the Courts for Minor Offendors applies accordingly to matters relating to minors. The Administrative Courts adjudicate matters involving the state and its agencies.
Recognition of Foreign Judgments
Foreign judgments can only be executed in Syria if they relate to civil or to commercial disputes upon the approval of the Court of First Instance in the governorate where the judgment is to be executed. If there is no bilateral treaty on mutual recognition with the country concerned, the Syrian court will re-examine the case and scrutinize the foreign court's opinion. If a bilateral treaty exists, the Court will limit its scrutiny to violations of Syrian public policy.
Dispute Resolution
Generally, both domestic and international disputes are arbitrable, unless otherwise specified in statutory provisions. Public or government institutions cannot agree to submit to arbitration unless provided for by statute. The state can only agree to arbitrate if it is bound by treaty. International arbitration held in Syria is subject to Syrian law and is generally covered by the same rules governing domestic arbitration. The enforcement of international arbitration awards generally follows the same rules as the enforcement of foreign court decisions.
Furthermore, Syria is a contracting party to the New York Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards. Few investment disputes have actually occurred during the past few several years. Such disputes are usually settled (often after long delays) through negotiations or by enforcement of a contractual arbitration clause.
Business Structures and Forms
Companies Law
According to Syrian commercial law contained in Legislative Decree No. 149 of 1949, there are several forms in which entities may be registered in Syria and through which business may be conducted. These are: (1) capital company (either a shareholding or a limited liability company); (2) general partnership; (3) limited partnership; (4) joint venture; and (5) branch of a foreign company. All of these forms enjoy an independent legal personality except for the joint venture.
Foreign enterprises wishing to establish a branch or to carry out work in Syria must register with the Foreign Companies Department of the Ministry of Foreign Trade. The participation of foreign entities may not exceed 49 percent of invested capital. As a limiting measure, foreign companies and individuals of non-Arab origin may not own real property, but may only rent facilities in order to meet their commercial and residential needs, unless the government issues a decree permitting a particular foreign company to own real property.
Shareholding Companies
A non-Syrian company may establish a shareholding company in Syria provided that: (1) the majority of shareholders are Syrian nationals; (2) the Ministry of Economy and Foreign Trade authorizes the venture; and (3) there is a minimum capital investment of SP 50,000.
Shareholding companies must set aside 10 percent of their net profits annually, as a legal reserve that can be discontinued when its total reserves equal at least 50 percent of the share capital of the company. The legal reserves set aside may not exceed 25 percent of the company's net profits per year. Foreign nationals who are members of the board may not exceed the proportion of their relative shareholding participation in the company's capital. In addition, a majority of the members of the board must be Syrian nationals.
In public shareholding companies, at least two members of the board of directors are required to be representatives of the employees. Members of the board of directors are individually liable for any violation of laws, regulations or the terms of the company's articles of association. The board must convene once a month, in Syria, and at least one member more than half of the total number of board members must be present. Voting by proxy or by writing is not permitted. The board of directors must have full authority to deal with all matters pertaining to the company's normal conduct. A general assembly of shareholders is required to convene at least once a year.
Limited Liability Company
In order to form a limited liability company, a copy of the company's constitution must be deposited at the Primary Civil Court within a month of establishment. Capital investment of not less than SP 25,000 is required. An application to register a limited liability company should also be submitted to the Ministry of Supply and Interior Trade (along with a copy of the Constitution) which, if it shall approve the application, shall issue a certificate of registration.
Foreign individuals or corporate bodies are permitted to enter into a general or limited partnership provided a written agreement is signed by all partners, an application is submitted to the Ministry of Supply and Interior Trade and provided that the foreign entity is not a bank, insurance company, law or accounting firm.
General Partnership
In a general partnership all partners are jointly liable to the full extent of their personal fortunes. A minimum of two partners is necessary to found a general partnership. At least one of the general partners' names must be included in the title of the company along with a description signifying it is a partnership.
Limited Partnership
A limited partnership includes limited partners, who are liable only to the extent of their capital investment, in addition to a general partner or partners, who have unlimited liability. A foreign company or individual can be a partner in either type of partnership.
Joint Ventures
There are few joint ventures between Syria and foreign firms. The largest are in the oil sector.
Due to special privileges and exemptions, which include tax and customs duty exemptions, relaxation of foreign currency controls and the easing of some bureaucratic restraints, joint ventures are considered to be very practical. In order to establish a joint venture, a law or legislative decree must be issued to approve the proposal. In order for a foreign business to set up a joint venture, it must first establish its presence in Syria in some other manner.
Branch Offices
Companies wishing to establish a branch in Syria are required to submit a request to the Foreign Companies Department of the Ministry of Economy and Foreign Trade. Following authorization, registration of the company must be published in the Official Gazette. The general manager of a branch must be a Syrian national.
There are no special requirements for the financing of the branch, but the transfer of capital from the branch is restricted. Any amounts transferred must receive prior authorization from the Ministry of Economy.
Commercial Agency
Generally, Syrian law does not require a foreign firm that wishes to do business in Syria to have an agent or a local distributor. Syrian businesses may order directly from abroad without seeking to establish an agent/distributor relationship.
Legislative Decree 151 of 1952 governs the licensing and registration of agents acting for foreign companies. The agent must apply for a license to the Ministry of Economy and Foreign Trade. In addition to providing the agents particulars as required in the application, a notarized, Arabic translation of the agency agreement between the agent and the foreign company must accompany the application. Agents may only be Syrian nationals or a company registered in Syria whose partners or shareholders are Syrian nationals.
© 2000 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)


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It was only one mishap, but early in the season, with a banged-up team and players still trying to get adjusted with one another, sometimes that's all it takes. That was the case for the Columbine Lady Rebels on March 12.
Courtney Brady's goal midway through the first half, off an assist from Whitney Ravan, was all visiting Grand Junction needed for a 1-0 girls soccer victory. The win avenged a 5A state playoff loss to Columbine a year ago.
GREENWOOD VILLAGE — It wasn't that Steven Wilson wasn't throwing strikes — he did. The Dakota Ridge junior just didn't throw enough of them, especially early in the count. As a result, Cherry Creek took advantage in the teams' season opener
Head coaches: Bret McGatlin and Joe Cox
Assistant coaches: Keith Mead, Michael Gordon, Jeff Mages, Todd Meyers
Classification: 5A
Top athletes: Erik Gaytan, Jr., 100, 200, relays; Nick Brown, Sr., discus, jumps; Ben Clark, Sr., shot put/discus; Juliana Grover, Sr., sprinter; Cassandra Hanna, Sr., 100, 200; Amanda Clements, Soph., jumps, relays
COLORADO SPRINGS — Michael Burns and Tyler Mohr each had two hits and Columbine broke open a close game with a six-run sixth inning for a 15-6 win on March 12.
Brandan Glader scored scored three runs and drove in two more. He also tripled.
Dylan McGraw allowed one run on two hits over 3 2/3 innings for the win.
Columbine, which doppred its opener to Legend, improved to 1-1.
DENVER — Vanessa Vigil, as effortlessly as she did in the first half, dropped another layup in the basket at Hamilton Gymnasium with 3 minutes, 21 seconds left in the third quarter to give Front Range Christian a 14-point lead.
It looked as if Front Range Christian's girls basketball team was less than 12 minutes away from a trip to Pueblo and the 2A state basketball tournament on March 5. But Sedgwick County, like it did last year, turned the Region 4 championship game into a bitter ending for the Lady Falcons.
DENVER — Front Range Christian girls basketball coach Dominic Vigil had some sick kids for the team's Region 4 first-round matchup with Rangely.
Point guard Jennifer Vigil and top reserve Katherine Oosthuzien were under the weather, but played regardless and, fortunately, the Lady Falcons didn't need their services in the fourth quarter as they coasted to a 64-50 win at Hamilton Gymnasium at the University of Denver on March 4.
Head coach: Robert Campbell
Assistant coach: Teresa Gomez
Classification: 5A
Top players: Katherine Ross, Jr.; Rachel Frisz, Sr.; Kimberly Arssten, Sr.
Season opener: March 15, at Fairview, 3:30 p.m.
STERLING — Matthew Meek scored a game-high 19 points, but Front Range Christian couldn't overcome a slow start in a 66-44 loss to undefeated Yuma on March 4 in the Region 2 semifinals at Northeastern Junior College.
Yuma (22-0) jumped out to an 18-4 lead after one quarter and led 33-14 at halftime.
The Indians had four players in double figures, led by Shane Terrell's 18 points. Darko Vukasovic scored 15 points, Jared Couglin added 14 and Matt Bowland scored 10.
DENVER — Chatfield's hockey team has a lot to be thankful for this season.
The Chargers won 18 games. The Chargers overcame the early-season absence of head coach Bradd Markusch, who was sidelined with a benign brain tumor. And the Chargers reached the Final Four for the first time in school history.
Unfortunately, for a third straight season, Chatfield's season was halted by Lewis-Palmer.
DENVER — Dakota Ridge's girls basketball season came to a close on Feb. 25 at the hands of defending state champion Denver East. In a 5A second-round playoff game in the Alice Barron Region, host Denver East outscored Dakota Ridge, 62-47, thanks to a 30-17 advantage in the second half, to advance to the Sweet 16.
Copyright © 2017
Columbine Courier is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in South Jefferson County, Colo., and the surrounding area.


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'Thomas Vanek scored his 11th goal in 11 games for Buffalo, and Ehrhoff finished off a give-and-go with Cody Hodgson in the second period for his first of the season. Vanek and Hodgson each finished the night with two points. In the win, Vanek extended his league lead in both goals (11) and points (23).'
You are here: Home / SabresBeat / Miller steals win on Long Island


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By Varietal
These burgers are designed to mirror the delicious filling that I make for the inside of homemade Chinese dumplings.
I love the Caribbean. The bright blue skies and rich blue waters. And the food!! The flavors of the food are so bright and just pop in your mouth!
Some people have a soundtrack to their lives. I have a menu.
Heartland Pork Burgers with Ginger Apple Chutney reflect the flavorful local ingredients that are the Pride of Ohio! Here in the Midwest, pork has always been a comfort food.
The Midwest is the heartland of our country. We are known for our amazing agriculture. As a matter of fact, agriculture is the number one industry here in Ohio where I live.
Our part of Texas is a melting pot of ethnicity. Asian, Mexican, Cajun & Carribean families all influence the cooking scene in southeast Texas.
Milwaukee is a Mid-Western town that has it roots heavily forged by this countries early German immigrants.
After living in Georgia for a few years, I wanted to create a recipe that brought me back south.
My Father-in-law and his memories of Korea. he is a wonderful man, and an inspiration to my husband and me.
This recipie is influenced by the tastes of Cuba and Miami. The ground pork patty is infused with the flavors of mojo, and the finished product is an homage to Cuban sandwiches.
My friends stared at me curiously when I first created this burger because I was spreading vanilla frosting on the buns.
This recipe was inspired by my love for Japanese and Chinese food.
This recipe is inspired by the Caribean flavors of pork, plantain, and mango salsa.
One of my favorite food combinations is fruit and meat. In this recipe I pair grilled pears with pork. I've also added brie which goes so nicely with fruit as well.


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Man after seeing so many threads with red in them, might I offer a more civil approach to policing the threads? How about you just leave it up to the posters to report offensive posts? So many threads contain just back and forth ribbing or blatant sarcasm, yet they have been treated as more than that. It is the internet and people enjoy arguing. Most people are not going to hit the report post button unless they are truly offended. I can't imagine you like to go through all the topic threads.
Also reconsider the 30 day point expiration to 7 or 14 days. Most members check this forum multiple times a day offering their opinions.


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A mum who won her battle with the bulge is now helping other slimmers.
Lucy Satchell sought comfort in food when she moved to Yorkshire with husband Andy five years ago and found herself jobless and more than 200 miles away from friends and family.
At the time she weighed 17.5 stone but despite losing weight, it crept up again when she had to move again due to work in 2011.
Lucy, now of Kings Street, Maldon, was motivated to lose weight when she was asked to be a bridesmaid.
Last March she was slimmer of the year at her Slimming World group in Heybridge and is now a size 12 and 11.5 stone.
The 32-year-old has now set up her own group on Tuesdays at Maldon Baptist Church in Butt Lane, Maldon.


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Prototype pics inside...
For a great selection of film, comic and TV action figures and collectibles, check out BigBadToyStore.com, BriansToys.com, ToyWiz.com, PastGenerationToys.com, MonkeyDepot.com, and Sekaido.com.
For a great selection of film, TV and pop culture t-shirts and apparel, check out TShirtGurus.com and 80sTees.com.
Gentle Giant Studios announces that they will be releasing a new range of mini-busts based on the characters in James Cameron's Avatar. Scheduled to be released in Summer 2010 (July), the series includes Jake Sully, Neytiri, and Tsu Tey Navi Warrior (pictured above in unpainted prototype form). These highly detailed sculptures were created from the film's actual 3-D models.
Gentle Giant is currently accepting pre-orders for their Avatar busts on their website gentlegiantltd.com. Each measures 6-7 inches tall and retails for $75.


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meindzai wrote:Maybe should have included "used to."
mettafuture wrote:meindzai wrote:Maybe should have included "used to."
Doh! I knew I forgot an option. lol.
But since you no longer read them, I guess that could qualify as a "no."
Sanghamitta wrote:No , but I did once read The Lord Of The Rings.
And there fell a celestial rain of Mandâravas, while the drums (of heaven) resounded without being struck; the gods and elves in the sky paid honour to the highest of men.
meindzai wrote:Sanghamitta wrote:No , but I did once read The Lord Of The Rings.And there fell a celestial rain of Mandâravas, while the drums (of heaven) resounded without being struck; the gods and elves in the sky paid honour to the highest of men.
Oh wait,that's the Lotus Sutra! (probably not a very good translation though...)
I was staying in Bombay with a Polish friend of mine who happened to be a follower of J.Krishnamurti. One day he gave me, when I was staying with him, a book to read and this was a book called "Star Maker" by Olaf Stapledon. It's a comparatively early but very good example indeed, of science fiction. And my friend said to me, "You will like this very much. It's just like a Mahayana Sutra." And indeed when I read it I found that that was quite a fair description of it. Of course, there is a great deal of difference between the Mahayana Sutras and even the best of science fiction because the former have a very definite spiritual, not to say transcendental, content. But there are a number of important resemblances too, because neither the Mahayana Sutras generally nor science fiction is confined to this particular planet, this particular Earth. Both of them tend to show consciousness, Man himself as ranging up and down time, and throughout space, from one side as it were to the other. And this can be a very liberating experience even if only imaginatively realised.
Kare wrote:I have read lots of Mahayana texts - but found them more and more superfluous and unnecessary. Some, like the Lotus Sutra, are downright disgusting.
Still I can enjoy some of the beautiful paradoxes in the Lankavatara Sutra, or the deep and sincere feelings expressed in the Bodhicaryavatara, or the penetrating insights of for instance Vasubandhu in his Madhyantavibhagashastra. There is, however, a cathegory of Mahayana texts that have meant a lot to me, and that is Zen stories. In these stories there often are poignant pointers to reality that are easily recognizable from a Vipassana point of view.
meindzai wrote:Vimilikirti is quite funny, if you are not offended easily.
mettafuture wrote:meindzai wrote:Vimilikirti is quite funny, if you are not offended easily.
I don't think I've read that sutra. How is it offensive?
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text: MSA and Paradigm Sample, in partnership with Convenience Store Decisions, are gaining insights into the shopping patterns of today's c-store customers. By Trish Temmerman, Management Science Associates (MSA). Tough economic times and stiff competition across the supply chain make it even more critical for convenience store operators to have a solid understanding of their customers,


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Meet Scott Oelkers. Scott is the President and CEO of Domino's Pizza Japan. He stars in commercials sometimes. Here are some of those commercials.
Now, now. Don't be afraid! Just try to remember, none of it is real.
Oh wait, yes it is. It's all real.
Scott Introduces Hatsune Miku!
Scott Goes to Taiwan!
Scott Goes to the Moon!
About the author: Niki Achitoff-Gray is the editor of Slice and a part-time student at the Institute of Culinary Education. She's pretty big into pizza. Also, she likes offal. A lot.


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5th Class Result 2013
PunjabExamination Commission(PEC)is going to announcefrom the Punjabdistrictwiseresults onMarch 31, 2013. Hundredsof thousands studentsappeared in theexaminationonPEC5th gradeheld back inthe first week ofFebruary 2013.All the studentsare very curiousabout their resultsand waitingannouncementmadePEC(PunjabExamination Commission).
PECfor5thexaminationof PunjabExaminationCommissionformed. Followingareas…. Appearedbefore5th gradestudentsfrom these areasare now waitingfor the result.
Last year thereis a very bigmistake thatthe PECis thatthey will notdownloadresults of the fifthclass orB onthe 2nd dayafter theresultannouncedatPEC(PunjabExamination Commission) officially.So thatparents andstudentshave to suffer.
This page isonly for5th gradestudentswho participatedin the examinationthis year andare still waiting forthe results.While some studentssopleased with the resultsand are confidentin the next classandboughtuniformsforthe entire course ofthe new class.Students can comebackin linewith the above-specified date and can check yourresulton this day.
1.50629Lastyearsto take partin the examinationand the lastpercentagepassing yearis 42…This year,the results ofstatistics will be availablehere …. On March 31, 2013
5th class Result 2013


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'Jason Pominville scored twice for the Sabres, who battled back from an early 2-0 deficit during a wild six-goal middle period. Cody Hodgson scored for the third straight game, and Thomas Vanek picked up a pair of assists to give him eight points in a three-game point streak. Jhonas Enroth stopped 32 of 37 Carolina shots to take the loss in his first start of the season.'
You are here: Home / SabresBeat / Staaled Out: Sabres doubled up 6-3 by Canes


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The dog days of Summer are upon us, and the excitement of the draft and free agency are moving into our short term memory. For the next two and a half months we'll have nothing to tide us over in round ball except an occasional news blurb about some team interested in Rasho Nesterovic to bolster their front line, or another article about whether Lebron is better than M.J…
Maybe it's time for some to look to other things to help pass the time between now and training camp. Royce made a few quality suggestions last week. For me, I decided to fire up the DVR. I have about 20 Thunder games saved, just waiting for me to watch or do something with. I thought maybe I would re watch all of them over this time and come up with some clever angle to write about, but it hit me the other day what I wanted to do: to give a real in-depth analysis of Russell Westbrook.
If you've been reading DailyThunder for awhile, or any of a number of the forums or blogs that deal with the Thunder on a regular basis than you are familiar with one of the recurring debates: is Russell Westbrook our Point Guard of the future? Many would point to his overall rookie output of 15 points, 5 assists and 5 rebounds as a rookie (give or take) and realize that only a small number of rookies (11) have ever reached each of those benchmarks in their rookie seasons; guys with names like Jordan, Chris Paul, Magic, Grant Hill, Oscar Robinson. That's great company to be in, but others would point to his 1.6 assist to turnover ratio, or his 17% turnover rate, or his .399 field goal shooting and .277 three point shooting and say we have a combo guard who will never be a point guard.
I don't plan to definitively answer that question here, but what I thought I would do is watch tape of the Thunder and chart out every offensive and defensive play that RW plays an active role in in a given game and see where he excels and where he is lacking. This is a work in progress, and I plan to make it an ongoing series to help tide over some of us hoop junkies during the off season.
For the first run I chose the April 8th game against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center. This wasn't one of those two close match-ups with Denver that ended on the last shot. This was a 10 point loss to Denver in which Russell started and played 33 minutes. It featured our end of season starting lineup of Durant, Green, Krstic, Thabo and RW. It wasn't Russell's best or worst game, but it was the second night of a back to back, facing a quality opponent (Denver and Chauncey Billups) with all the regulars on board. Russ shot 6/13 from the field, had 14 points, 11 assists and 5 turns.
I've just completed the first quarter of the game and realized I already had a ton of data, so I thought I would share it incrementally by quarters here, and I will start with the defense. In the first quarter of the Denver game there were 18 offensive and defensive possessions. I broke Russ's defense down into 5 categories and gave him a check mark each time he did something to fall into one of the categories (note, the number of category entries will be greater than the number of possessions because often Russ did multiple categorical things during the same possession; like a blown assignment and a defensive rebound in the same possession)
- On the defensive side the first category was "acceptable defense, or not involved in play". Russ scored 12 checks in that box out of 18 possessions. I don't have any idea if that is good or bad, but at least Russ did his job on those 12 defensive possessions. That's 2/3rds which might indicate some level of proficiency. Many of those 12 were where Billups brought up the ball, Russ defended by getting into a good stance with his arms out and his knees bent ready to defend, and Billups simply made an inlet pass to a Denver player and Russ wasn't involved further.
- The next category was "slow fighting over screen". Russ scored twice in that category. This is where Billups had a big man come over and screen Russ and Russ was weak or slow going over the top of it. If coach Brooks defense calls for going over the top of screens, Russ did a poor job on two of these giving Billups tons of freedom to drive, pull up or hit the big man on the roll to the basket. I didn't notice a single time where Russell was strong fighting over the screen.
- Next is "didn't pick up his man". Russ got three checks in this box. Basically it was in transition after a turnover or a Denver defensive rebound where Denver was off running. Russell didn't find his man, or didn't catch up to him regardless of whether his man benefitted from being unguarded.
- The next category is "didn't rotate to help on D in the paint". Russ had one notable check in this box when Billups was out and Russ was guarding Anthony Carter, who took him down into the right corner. Russ cheated off of him and had his feet in the paint watching Carmelo take it to the rack. Russ stood and watched Carmelo score without rotating to help. This may or may not be according to the defensive scheme since Krstic did rotate but was late. Perhaps Brooks wants his guards to stay home and prevent the drive and dish for the corner three.
- Finally the last category was "defensive rebound". Russell attacked the boards and got the rebound once in this first quarter and didn't significantly impact the team D.
Now the offense. The Point Guard is the quarterback of the offense, the catalyst for scoring. How well did he excel? I came up with 7 categories on offense, or 7 areas that I noticed where Russ was either lacking, did well, or had minor or no involvement:
- The first category is "finds the open man". By that I mean he finds a guy who is in position to make a play. The open guy in the corner, or the guy cutting to the basket, or he hits the roller just right on the screen and roll. Of the 18 possessions in the first quarter Russ hit the open man 7 times. He was credited with 4 assists, the other three were missed shots and he got no credit, but he hit the right man at the right time. One play that the Thunder ran repeatedly was a back pass to the trailer. Usually it was transition where we got a turn or a defensive rebound and Russ got the ball and took off running. It seemed to be Uncle Jeff that was predominantly the trailer in this game, but Russ just seemed to know where he was and penetrated into the paint a bit and then whipped a pass back to Jeff who was heading for the rim. Easy money.
- Next was "gets jammed". Russ got two checks in that box. This is where he probes the defense with his dribble and gets bottle necked, often picking up his dribble. He gets trapped and has to find someone to pass to in a hurry. Russ needs to learn to not pick up his dribble there so he can get himself out of the trap. Thunder fans saw a lot of this during the season.
- Next is "forces bad shot". Russ took two of those in the first quarter of the game. One was a 22 footer with 16 seconds on the shot clock, the other was a 21 footer with 19 seconds on the shot clock. These long twos are the least efficient shot on the court and with so much time on the clock compounded with Russ's poor shooting percentages, it's as good as giving away the possession.
- Next is "risky or bad pass". This is regardless of whether or not it resulted in a turn, just an ill advised pass when a better decision could have been made. Russ made two of those, but his teammates saved the possessions and Russ wasn't charged with a turn.
- Next are two categories that I probably could have meshed into one. "Nominal involvement" and "no involvement". Nominal involvement is where Russ passed to somebody who may have passed again or created their own offense and Russ's pass was a very small part. Russ scored 4 times in this category. Russ had 3 checks in the "no involvement" category where usually in transition a rebound and run situation occurred and Russ never handled the ball.
- The final category to me is the most troubling, and the area where in my opinion Russ needs the most work if he is to be our big time Point Guard going forward. The category is "poor use of screen". Russ only had two checks in this box out of 18 possessions, but they were blatantly bad. What happened both times is Russ was the ball handler out above the three point line just a bit off to one side or the other (the high elbow area). Russ gets a screen from a big (either Krstic or Green). The big comes and plants himself at right angles to Russ intending to impede the progress of Chauncey Billups as Russ moves off the screen, opening up numerous options for Russ. It's Russ's job as the ball handler to maneuver himself close to the screening big, ideally almost rubbing shoulders. What this does is seal off the defender and leaves him no room to fight over the screen and continue to defend. Twice Russ didn't maneuver himself or his defender into the screen. He instead got about 3 feet away from the screener and then moved off. This is just wrong. What that does is allow an avenue or a lane between the big and Russell which Billups can run right through. It's like a running back hitting a hole in football. This absolutely needs to be corrected. Russ needs to basically rub off the screener and the screener sort of uses his hip all in one motion to seal off the defensive pursuit or else the whole screen and roll breaks down and becomes easy to defend. Check out Deron Williams running the screen and roll:
The Thunder were 29th of 30 teams in offensive efficency last season, and fixing little things like Russ not picking up his dribble and getting jammed, and learning to use his screens correctly are just little tweaks that can pay big dividends in our efficiency next year. Defensively the team can improve when Russ learns to always find his man in transition and gets to work fighting over those screens.


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Lend Me a HandRiddles are little poems or phrases that pose a question that needs answering. Riddles frequently rhyme, but this is not a requirement.
One and halfscore, the posts are showing,
win, place, and show united is rejection as a marking;
the middle five of the whole, a type of setting,
the last eight is a man prone to writing.
Four in one, its middle two is a cannon booming,
with bursts of fire like a hundred stars dancing;
within that center is a country if you're looking,
a city you'll find,if you focus on the beginning.
Its first quarter is a letter with a greeting,
the next,a memory with one millennium missing;
then a duke,a prince or a king,
the last,an endless catch in the sport of fishing.
QUESTION: What is the word?
HintThe following makes the riddle a piece of cake.
Eleven posts is the number of letters in the spelling,
top three finishers,a mark used in correcting,
the last eight is an author of love and loving,
four is the count after syllabicating.
The cannon in the middle is a candle for celebrating,
in the city lives the shepherd who gives a blessing,
the country is Islamic,rich and oil-producing,
all these found in the center of the readers calling.
The letter or mark to the past is referring,
the memory allows none but watching,
the royal blood, their kind must have a bearing,
the catch is a fish with its tail missing.
QUESTION: What is the reader's calling?
AnswerThe mark is the letter X in Greek writing,
the memory is Read-Only with its M lacking,
the royalty mentioned are male in being,
the fish is a CERO, its tail O missing.
The Greek letter is CHI,former its meaning,
ROMAN is a candle,a numeral or a font setting,
the city is ROMA, OMAN,the country just reminding,
the author is a ROMANCER, romance is his choosing.
CHI,RO,MAN, and CER,syllables we're adding,
CHI and ROMANCER, the eleven that were showing,
it is now clearer than the future he is telling,
that CHIROMANCER is the word and reading the future,his calling.
What Next?
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text:
Choosing the Right Wireframe Strategy for Your Project
February 2014
89 minutes
- Drive design and communication by using wireframes
- Plan projects by defining unique page types
- Build scenarios with states and layers
- Learn to draw "just enough"
- Topics:
Wireframes come in tons of shapes, sizes, and fidelities. But knowing how much effort to invest in making them can be challenging.
For example, tools like Axure encourage you to create interactive prototypes. Illustrator focuses on wireframes from a pixel level. Developers might ask for wireframes with more annotation, and clients might ask you to "make them pretty."
Indeed, wireframes are communication tools; they synthesize expectations into a visual artifact that drives progress-regardless of fidelity-for everyone working on the project.
So what is your wireframe strategy?
Chris Farnum will help you answer that question. You'll leave this presentation with techniques and strategies to help you find the right amount of communication for your team.
Drive design and communication by using wireframes
- Set expectations with your immediate team and stakeholders
- Capture functional requirements, regardless of fidelity
Plan projects by defining unique page types
- Establish a series of patterns to quicken the pace of design
- See how different tools like Axure, Balsamiq, and Visio handle page types
Build scenarios with states and layers
- Define the page states for different kinds of use cases
- Show dynamic changes on a site using layers and diagrams
Learn to draw "just enough"
- Wireframe only what you need to communicate expectations effectively
- Avoid polishing wireframes or using them to solve every possible problem
Watch this seminar if you want to:
- Pick the right prototype tool and fidelity for different kinds of projects
- Establish design patterns by first thinking about unique page types
- More accurately estimate the level of effort you need to tackle a project
- Account for different use cases-especially when handing dynamic pages
We've been chasing this topic for some time, and have finally found the person to help your team tackle its wireframe strategy. Join us!
Watch the preview
Chris explains what you'll learn in this 90‑second preview…
Why Chris?
Whether you're new to sketching or a seasoned pro, you can lean on Chris Farnum to help you find your wireframe strategy.
He's been honing his "how much is enough" radar for 15 years. As a UX designer at ProQuest, Chris is a senior member of the Agile UX team and contributed to the design of the ProQuest search interface and Serials Solutions Intota. Previously at Enlighten, he helped to build sites for TCS and Pittsburgh Paints. At the start of his career, he learned the practice of making wireframes while working alongside his mentors Peter Morville and Lou Rosenfeld at Argus Associates.
We absolutely love how practical Chris is; he's a fan of wireframes as a tool, but more importantly in how they help people work better together.
So if that sounds like what you need, then don't miss this seminar. And if you want some Chris right now, check out his article on UX Matters or follow him on Twitter @crfarnum.


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The New School
Urban Uprising: Re-Imagining The City
As demonstrated by Hurricane
Sandy and the current Great Recession, preparing cities to confront the key
challenges of the 21st century—environmental, economic, social and
political--is more vital than ever before.
On December 1, 2012 the
Design and Urban Ecologies program at Parsons The New School for Design is
co-hosting with CUNY Graduate Center's Center for Place, Culture and Politics,
The Right to the City Coalition, Growing Roots, and The Brecht Forum the second
day of a two-day conference that brings together architects, activists, urban
designers and planners from around the country to re-imagine the city for the
next hundred years.
"Hurricane Sandy has exposed
the longstanding socio-economic and environmental crisis that New York is in,"
said Miguel Robles-Duran, Director of the Design and Urban Ecologies program at
Parsons. "It is our responsibility as designers and engaged citizens to find
new directions that radically depart from how the city is being built today,
and participate in common forms of knowledge that support the claim for our
right to the city."
The event will provide an
opportunity for participants from more than 80 civic organizations to
collaborate and develop ideas for how to affect change. By the end of the day,
each group will have developed its own strategic action plan to radically alter
the way a city works and who it serves.
Schedule, Saturday, December 1
9:00 to 10:00 a.m.- Registration
10:00 to 11:30 a.m.- Opening
Plenary Miguel Robles-Duràn -
Urbanist, Director of the Urban Ecologies, New SchoolRuth Wilson Gilmore -
Associate Director, Center for Place, Culture, and Politics, CUNY Graduate
CenterRachel LaForest - Executive
Director, The Right to the City AlliancePeter Marcuse - Professor
Emeritus of Urban Planning, Columbia University Amaka Okechukwu with Matthew
Birkhold - Co-founders, Growing Roots Nancy Romer - General
Coordinator, The Brooklyn Food Coalition
11:45 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.- Breakout
Sessions These facilitated sessions
will focus on building a holistic vision for a more democratic, sustainable and
just New York City.
1:45 to 2:30 p.m.- Lunch Break
2:30 to 4:15 p.m.: Breakout
Sessions These facilitated sessions
ask the question, "What would your work look like if it was devoted to building
new communities and a new city?" Participants will discuss the role of
transformative demands and of building alternative institutions in realizing a
collective vision for New York City.
4:30 to 5:30 p.m.- Wrap Up
To see the full conference
schedule, including the November 30 agenda, visit www.urban-uprising.org.
Tishman Auditorium, Alvin Johnson/J. M. Kaplan Hall, 66 West 12th Street
Pre-register for Urban Uprising here: https://brechtforum.org/civicrm/event/register?id=12371&reset=1
Email Updates
Browse Events by School


text:
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text:
SANTA CRUZ -- Marty Carey doesn't have any furniture in his living room -- just a nine-foot billiard table.
"I have to walk past it every morning just to get to the kitchen," said the 59-year-old Santa Cruz resident. "That's when you know you're for real."
No one's questioning Carey's legitimacy.
A world-ranked artistic pool player on the World Pool Association Tour, he's competed in state and national pool championships and will be inducted into the New England Pool and Billiard Hall of Fame at Snooker Billiards in Providence, R.I., on March 1.
"It's such an honor," Carey said on a recent afternoon at Fast Eddie's Billiards in Capitola. "I'm not a world champion and there are a lot of guys in there who are. But I have passion."
Carey competes in Trick Shots, where he flips, spins and knocks balls with precision. Want to see multiple balls knocked into chosen pockets with one stroke? Carey's your man.
He's currently working on mastering 40 mandatory shots for the World Artistic Pool Championships in July, as well as his own trick shots for the Super Billiards Expo in Edison, N.J., in April.
"When I pull this shot, they're gonna go, 'Oh!' " said Carey, firmly planting his brown Sperry Top-Siders as he carefully holds his cue at a 45-degree angle with one goal in mind: making the shot.
Born in Portland, Maine, and growing up in nearby Rockland, Carey was introduced to pool at age 14 when he started joining his 18-year-old brother in the local poolroom. He quickly surpassed his elders, proving he had the mechanical skills and ability to visualize knocking the balls just right.
Carey, who moved to Santa Cruz two years ago to sample West Coast living, continued to hone his skills, tackling various competitions such as the New England A's, Maine State Nine Ball and U.S. Open Nine Ball.
While he's come across some fierce competition, his greatest opponent is himself, he said. Carey has struggled with ADHD his whole life, yet pool was always a way to channel his energy. He generally practices two to four hours per day and frequents local pool halls three to four nights per week.
"You can't just slap the balls around like field hockey," Carey said.
And after these upcoming tournaments? Carey hopes to tackle competitions throughout the world with trick shots up his sleeve and notebooks full of sketched ideas.
"I'm getting my passport in order," Carey said. "I'll be ready."
Follow Sentinel reporter Bonnie Horgos on Twitter at Twitter.com/bhorgos
Getting to Know
Marty Carey
Born: Oct. 23, 1953, in Portland, Maine
Family: Daughters Lindsey, 32, and Leslie, deceased
First job: Carey grew up in a coastal town, so he has been everything from a lobsterman to a clam-digger. 'I did it in my younger days to make a buck.'
Mentors: Carey cites pool champions Oscar Johnson and Norm Webber as his greatest influences.
Making money: Carey ran Pool Table Service for 20 years; he'd deliver, set up and repair pool tables.
Helping out: Every Christmas in Maine, Carey would play pool with children at the local Boys and Girls Club. 'The kids would come up and say, "Marty, watch!" Then they'd set up a shot they'd learned the previous year.' Carey plans to start teaching locally as well.


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BP Comment Quick Links
|Strength of Schedule Report
April 17, 2013
Baseball ProGUESTus
When Good Things Come in Three Years
Most of our writers didn't enter the world sporting an @baseballprospectus.com address; with a few exceptions, they started out somewhere else. In an effort to up your reading pleasure while tipping our caps to some of the most illuminating work being done elsewhere on the internet, we'll be yielding the stage once a week to the best and brightest baseball writers, researchers and thinkers from outside of the BP umbrella. If you'd like to nominate a guest contributor (including yourself), please drop us a line.
Chad Finn is a sports columnist for Boston.com and the sports media columnist for The Boston Globe. He lives in Wells, Maine, with his wife, two children, and a cat named after Otis Nixon who is older than Mike Trout. Follow him on Twitter @GlobeChadFinn.
I'm not sure why I've started obsessing over which franchises in relatively recent history have debuted the most high-quality major leaguers in a three-year window. But I'm not short on theories.
Perhaps it's because I remember Tom Glavine, Ron Gant, and John Smoltz making TBS's 1987-89 Braves telecasts interesting for something more than Skip Caray's dry wit.
Or because I've long marveled that the 1966-68 Mets somehow came up with 857 wins' worth of pitchers in Tom Seaver, Nolan Ryan, and Jerry Koosman.
Or that the 1991-93 Indians came up with 1,170 home runs between Jim Thome (612), Manny Ramirez (555), and, er, Jesse Levis (3).
Hell, maybe it's just because I spent the spring trying with exasperating futility to convince prospect-mad Red Sox fans that Jackie Bradley Jr. and Jose Iglesias are not assured of becoming the next Fred Lynn and Rick Burleson, with Xander Bogaerts apparently assuming the Jim Rice role by default.
No matter the reason—or combination of reasons—it was a blast to have a reason to poke around in search of teams that had a three-year prospect jackpot. With the acknowledgment that this is hardly a definitive exercise, here are three that stand out to me…
Lou Whitaker and Alan Trammell, baseball's longest-running double-play combination and two of Hall of Fame voters' most egregious oversights, made their major-league debut in the same game, the nightcap of a September 9, 1977 doubleheader against the Red Sox. Such a quirk of fate is so appropriate—and certainly more meaningful than when they made their acting debut together…
…that you wish that such symmetry had also been there at the end.
As it was, Whitaker retired at age 38 after a 1995 season in which he put up an .890 OPS. Trammell made the unfortunate decision to stay on a year beyond, his superb career concluding amid the catastrophe of the 53-109 Tigers of '96.
But forget the end. This is about the beginning, and a fascinating, varied group of young Tigers. The class of '78 gets the lion's share of admiration in retrospect, and that's understandable. Trammell and Whitaker won over ancient manager Ralph Houk early. "Maybe we'll send them out,'' Houk told the Boston Globe's Peter Gammons that June, ''but it won't be for long. They're can't miss.''
They didn't. Neither did rugged catcher Lance Parrish, who made his big-league debut five days before Whitaker and Trammell and went on to bash 324 homers in 19 seasons, or 254-game winner Jack Morris, whose mythical reputation for pitching to the score shouldn't shrivel his not-quite-Cooperstown-worthy feats.
There were others who arrived sooner. There was the singular phenomenon of Mark "The Bird'' Fidrych, who arrived from nowhere—well, technically, Northborough, Massachusetts—to win 19 games and the adulation of millions with his guileless charm in the summer of '76. He would win just 10 more in the majors, a shoulder injury derailing a feel-good story that simply would not be possible today. It's hard to believe he has fewer victories as a Tiger than the likes of Jeff Robinson (34) and John Doherty (29), but his legend is eternal...
Fidrych did have lower-profile company in the phenom category. Chosen first overall out of USC in the 1976 January draft, Steve Kemp was the Tigers' starting left fielder the following April. Injuries, particularly to his shoulders, damaged his talents too soon, but he did hit 26 homers with a .941 OPS in '79.
He was joined in the lineup by first baseman Jason Thompson, dubbed "Roof Top'' after hitting two balls completely out of Tiger Stadium. Thompson, who hit 31 homers in '77, may have been a big-time slugger, but he didn't dress the part. When Houk's successor, Sparky Anderson, announced a ban on jeans, Thompson was heard to say, "There goes my wardrobe.''
Thompson and Kemp moved to the journeyman life, their promise reduced to a flicker because of injuries. Fidrych was a glorious, tragic flash. But Whitaker, Trammell, Parrish and Morris found varying degrees of long-term greatness, something their old manager Houk foresaw in them when they were fledgling big leaguers under his watch.
"The fans and media didn't know what we had coming up," he said in 1978, "but I did. Before these kids proved themselves, I got a lot of guff, more than I expected. To give the young players a chance, I had to put some old favorites on the bench."
Houk lived until 2010. Long enough to watch so many of the young players he believed in become old favorites themselves.
I wonder how many Reds fans looked at their lineup in September 1987 and thought to themselves, "Of all of our great young players, you know who will be the one sure-thing Hall of Famer? Barry Larkin.''
Now, it's not as if Larkin lacked bona fides, though Reds management did vacillate for a time on whether he or strong-armed Kurt Stillwell should be the shortstop of the future. He was a star of the stacked 1984 US Olympic baseball team, and the University of Michigan product was the fourth pick overall (two spots ahead of Barry Bonds) in the talent-rich 1985 draft.
It's just that other young Reds looked like better bets for superstardom. Twenty-five-year-old Eric Davis was already there, having put up an 8.4 WARP season by hitting 37 home runs, stealing 50 bases (down from 80 in '86), walking 84 times, and posting a .991 OPS. Sports Illustrated compared him to Willie Mays, and Davis was so electric that such a notion wasn't immediately dismissed out of hand.
"What we have here in Eric Davis, Barry Larkin, Kurt Stillwell, Kal Daniels, Tracy Jones [a platoon outfielder who played for five teams in six seasons] and guys like that is close to awesome," manager Pete Rose told Sports Illustrated for its 1987 preview.
The Reds were apparently so deep in young hitting talent that Rose could overlook 24-year-old Paul O'Neill , who would put up an .819 OPS in 84 games and 178 plate appearances that season as a pre-True Yankee.
But Rose did notice perhaps the most interesting player of all of them, not only because of his immense talent, but because he was… well, he was quirky on his best days and insufferable on his worst. Rose knew a gifted hitter when he saw one, and Kal Daniels most certainly was that. In 118 Triple-A games over parts of two seasons, he slugged .600 with a 1.025 OPS, and major-league pitching never fazed him—in his first month in the big leagues in April 1986, he hit .353 with a 1.052 OPS.
He finished the '86 season with a .917 OPS in 207 plate appearances. The next year, his age-23 season, he hit 26 homers and slashed it at a .334/.429/.617 clip. He followed that with a 6.0 WARP in '88. Daniels was beginning to have issues with his knees that foreshadowed his baseball demise, but it sure seemed then that he was on the verge of being the McCovey to Davis's hyperbolic Mays.
"If I stay healthy," he told Sports Illustrated's Steve Wulf before the 1989 season, "I expect big things, which I won't reveal. I'm mysterious."
Three-plus months into the season, the only mystery was why such a productive hitter, just 25, had been traded to the Dodgers for a package including Tim Leary and Mariano Duncan. But maybe it was no mystery to Rose, a manager whom (it was later said) Daniels didn't respect.
"Kal's kind of a strange player in one respect," said Rose in July 1989. "He always told me that he wanted to be the guy who produced runs, but every time I'd put him third or fourth in the order for an extended period, he'd say he didn't like it.''
The deal did not haunt the Reds, who won the World Series in 1990 with Davis and Larkin playing significant roles. And Daniels never did fulfill all of that early promise, his damaged knees leading to the end of his major-league career in 1992 at age 28. His career is an afterthought now, relegated to a dusty bin labeled what-if. But man, you don't have to stare at the statistics long to jog memories of how well Kal Daniels could hit.
In the days of his big-league youth, back when he wore an Eckersley Starter Kit mustache and looked like he belonged riding shotgun alongside Matthew McConaughey in Dazed and Confused, Greg Maddux was no sure thing, certainly no more than any other pitching prospect of good pedigree. A second-round pick out of high school in '84, he breezed through the minors to reach the big leagues at the end of the '86 season, but his 4.6 K/9 rate in Triple A did not suggest there were four Cy Young awards in his future.
This, from the 1987 Bill James Baseball Abstract:
He was right, of course, about Palmeiro, who put up an .879 OPS in 224 plate appearances in '87 en route to a tally of 569 homers, 3,020 hits, and a memorable finger-point that doubled as an unfortunate exclamation point on his career. Maddux's only impact in '87 came when opposing hitters' bats connected with his pitches—he went 6-14 with a 5.61 ERA and a 0.5 VORP.
It was '88 when the promise started to become realized. Maddux struck out just 5.1 batters per 9 – fewer than teammate Moyer (5.4) – but won 18 games with a 3.18 ERA. Grace arrived and hit .296 with a .371 on-base percentage, bumping Palmeiro (.785 OPS) to left field. In the early days of summer, the young Cubs looked like contenders. From the July 11, 1988 Sports Illustrated:
It turned out the collapse was imminent—the Cubs went 34-49 the rest of the way to finish fourth in the National League East. But the fun of their temporary contention in '88 foreshadowed a summer of good times at Wrigley in '89 that for once carried into the fall. Oh, and that Maddux fella? Word is he ditched the mustache and turned out rather okay.
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Two huge omissions:
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text:
But the two soon discover that the town elders, along with Turner's father, want to force the people of Lizzie's island to leave so that a lucrative tourist trade can be started there. Although Turner is forbidden to step foot on the island, he and Lizzie try to save its people, and get caught up in a spiral of disasters that alter their lives forever.
Gary D. Schmidt has crafted a unique coming-of-age novel based on the true event of an island's destruction in 1912. This novel is a 2005 Newbery Medal Honor Book.
©2004 Gary D. Schmidt; (P)2005 Random House, Inc. Listening Library, an imprint of the Random House Audio Publishing Group
"The removal of the Malaga community really happened, and Schmidt weaves that history into a powerful tale of friendship and coming-of-age, adding a lyrical sense of the coastal landscape. Characters are drawn without reverence in this haunting combination of fact and fiction that has a powerful and tragic climax." (Booklist)
"Although the story is hauntingly sad, there is much humor, too. Schmidt's writing is infused with feeling and rich in imagery. With fully developed, memorable characters and a fascinating, little-known piece of history, this novel will leave a powerful impression on readers." (School Library Journal)
"No holds barred"
I read this story to my then 8 year old grandson. It is a very touching and sad story but also shows that people can change and do the right thing. It may have been a bit sad for an 8 year old so would probably recommend it for older listeners/readers. It got the point across without being preachy or overly politically correct. Very well done.
Contra Dancer
"Great coming of age story, authentic Maine setting"
An engaging story that reveals a fascinating slice of Maine history. I live in Maine near the town in which this story takes place, and the author captures life on the Maine coast beautifully.
"Good Service"
Everything worked out well, nice service. Good book.
"a little boring"
Slow beginning and middle. Picks up a little in the last 1/4, but not enough to make up for the other 3/4. The book tries to teach a message, but it takes so long in getting there that its a little bit anti-climatic once it does come.
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text:
Fairfax Traffic Court Uses Technology to Battle High Volume and Courthouse Congestion
Fairfax County Office of Public
12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 551
Fairfax, VA 22035-0065
March 3 , 2005
Fairfax Traffic Court Uses Technology
to Battle High Volume and Courthouse Congestion
The General District Court recently installed a docket display system, which scrolls on monitors like those used in airports, to help people find their way to the correct traffic courtroom.
With average traffic dockets of over 1,000 cases a day, Fairfax Traffic Court has the highest volume of any court in Virginia. Congestion caused by construction and long lines often makes finding the right courtroom at the right time difficult. The court is hoping that the easy-to-read monitors will help defendants find their courtroom assignment more conveniently.
The traffic docket listing of cases is divided evenly between six monitors that scroll through a different portion of the docket in alphabetical order by defendants' last names. Beside each name is the courtroom assignment and case number.
Courtroom assignments and case information are also available on the Supreme Court's Web site, www.courts.state.va.us, where you can look up cases for any district court in Virginia by selecting the specific court from a drop-down menu and entering the defendant's name or case number. Courtroom assignments are rarely updated until the day before court, but other case information is usually available several weeks before the court date. One feature of the Web site is the ability to pay for traffic tickets online with a credit card to avoid coming to court.
To listen to a recording of prepayable traffic fine amounts in Fairfax, call 703-246-2364, TTY 711. For more information contact the traffic division of the general district court at 703-246-3764, TTY 703-934-1296.


text: It's the endlessly creative and fun toy almost all of us tinkered with as a kid. I'm pleased we can bring back the original and best set: Fiddlestix™. 144 pieces to play with! Chunky wooden rods, spools, pulleys, fan blades, caps and more come in multiple colors and fit together easily and securely for limitless building possibilities. For ages 4 and up. Imported.Note: