text:
- AM FM Radios
- Antennas
- WiFi & Internet
- Audio
- LED Light
- Emergency Supplies
- Closeouts
Prices shown in currencies other than US Dollars are estimates based on current exchange rates. We will charge your credit card in US Dollars on the day your order is shipped, and the conversion to your local currency will be done at the prevailing rate by your credit card issuer.
C. Crane will not mark your parcel as a "gift", declare a value lower than the actual price paid, or otherwise prepare false customs information.
You may have noticed this new acronym popping up on some of our products. RoHS stands for Restrictions on Hazardous Substances, and it's a directive that could have a huge impact on the production and disposal of consumer electronics. First adopted in Europe in 2006 (and later adopted in California in 2007), RoHS restricts the use of six dangerous substances in lots of common electronics. According to the official RoHS compliance Web site (www.rohs.eu), the RoHS symbol indicates that "new electrical and electronic equipment put on the market does not contain any of the six banned substances: lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, poly-brominated biphenyls (PBB) or polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), in quantities exceeding maximum concentration values."
While some military and medical equipment is exempt from RoHS compliance, the electronics governed by the standard are among the most common you'll find in your home, from radios to MP3 players to cell phones and (increasingly) computers. In practical terms, the standard protects factory workers at the production level, sharply reducing their exposure to hazardous substances. The standard also has a profound impact on the disposal and recycling of electronics, in that disposed substances will no longer have at least six of the most hazardous chemicals formerly found in electronics, and recycled electronics will not expose workers to toxics as they harvest components.
Internet Radio - Clock, Alarm & Memory Presets with iHeartMedia® owned radio stations, Pandora® & Radio.com-CBS®
Most people get a wifi radio so they can listen to their favorite stations with perfect clarity. With the CC WiFi Radio the stations are always clear, no matter how far away they are. You are also able to pick up stations on the CC WiFi that are difficult to get on a computer.
We've all had that period in our life, usually when we were younger, that gave us the most exciting and memorable times. Music was probably a big part of that and the CC Wifi lets you travel back in time and relive memories and feelings you thought you might never have again. You can receive your favorites anytime, anywhere with perfect clarity and maybe even a few tears. You can also listen to Pandora®, iHeart®, your favorite talk show or discover something new from an immense library of audio from all over the world in all languages.
With over 16,000 stations to choose from, you can find 10 or maybe 100 times more news and music with the CC WiFi than any other type of radio. For example, you will find about 500 stations each of Jazz or Classical music to choose from. The radio can access these stations from any place in the world where high speed internet is available.
The CC WiFi has good audio for its size and it can be connected to your stereo system directly for superb audio. If you'd like an audiophile quality amplified speaker set to use with the CC WiFi Internet Radio, check out the new AEGO³ 2.1 Amplified Home Speaker System w/ Bluetooth® .You can also use our FM Transmitter-2 to send the WiFi signal to a nearby radio or stereo.
|General Features:
All Internet radios require a broadband Internet connection.
Note: The CC Wifi uses Reciva technology. C. Crane has no control over content or the provider for internet radios.
|General Specifications
|Input Power:
|Radio: AC Adapter 100-240V 50/60Hz 7.5VDC 1500mA center tip positive
Remote control: CR2025 Battery
|Audio Output:
|1.5 Watts RMS
|Full range dynamic speaker (2.5") 8 ohms 5W
|Station Aggregator:
|Reciva based
|Wired: RJ-45 Ethernet
WiFi: 802.11b and 802.11g
|File Formats:
Microsoft Windows Media™ Audio
|Display Lines:
|Earphone Jack:
|1/8" (3.5mm) Stereo
|Line Out Jack:
|1/8" (3.5mm) Stereo
|Sleep Timer:
|15-195 minutes (15 min steps)
|Yes, 5 Independent
|12/24 Hour Modes
|6.5" W x 3.9" H x 3.9" D
|1lb 2.6 ozs
|1 Year Limited Warranty
|Included Accessories:
|AC Adapter
Remote Control
|Note: Specifications are subject to change without notice.
No, but you can get the same stream to play on the WiFi Internet Radio, though you must have the most recent firmware upgrade for this to work. After upgrading your firmware you will be able to create a "My Stuff" folder on your radio that contains a list of audio streams selected by you. In order to add streams to your "My Stuff" folder, you must set up an account through the Reciva Web site.
Before trying to add your own stream to your Reciva account, we recommend searching for the radio station in Reciva's listing of over 17,000 available stations.
Once your account is created and you are logged in, click on the MY ACCOUNT tab at the top of the Reciva web site and log in.
Next click MY RADIOS and enter the electronic serial number and register key from your radios menu.
The stream should play if it is in a compatible format.
As long as your WiFi Internet Radio is on the same wireless network as your computer, there are two ways to use your WiFi Internet Radio to play audio files stored on your computer: File Sharing and Universal Plug & Play (UPnP).
To Share a Folder Using Simple File Sharing:
Note: You may need to configure your PC's firewall settings for media file sharing to work.
The next way to use the WiFi Internet Radio to access audio files on your computer is through Universal Plug & Play or UPnP.
To play music from the RealMusic web site on your CC WiFi Radio, you will need premium account with Real Networks. If you don't already have a premium account, you can get one by visiting www.reciva.com, logging into your account, and clicking on the premium tab. From the premium page, mouse over the RealMusic logo and then click on the "here" link that will take you to a RealMusic registration page.
After you have registered with RealMusic and have a username and password, return to your Reciva account at www.reciva.com. Next, choose the premium tab on the top of the home page. Under RealMusic click on Click here and enter in your Real Networks User Name and Password. After following these steps, you will be able to play audio from Real Networks over your WiFi Internet Radio. Note: If you have just set up your RealMusic account, you may have to turn your radio off and on in order to receive the RealMusic radio stations.
The CC WiFi Radio works with the Reciva radio database and can play radio streams encoded with the Real Audio format.
The radio has gotten a bit confused in switching between the two connections. There are two possible solutions for this (pick only one of them):
1. After the radio is powered on and booted up, connect the Ethernet cable. Select CONFIGURE, then NETWORK CONFIG, then WIRED/WIRELESS, then finally select AUTO or WIRED ONLY.
2. Perform a factory reset on the radio. After the radio is powered on and booted up, it will show Scan for networks. At this point plug in the Ethernet cable and it will connect to your wired router automatically.
There are two typos in the middle of page 14 of the CC WiFi Radio manual. They incorrectly refer to stored presets instead of recalling presets. This information should read:
B. Using the Remote Control to Recall Presets 1-9.
Briefly press and release the preset button assigned to the station
you want.
C. Using the Remote Control to Recall Presets 10-99.
Briefly press the RECALL button, then the --/- button, and then
enter your desired preset number 10-99.
Constant buffering or a loss of the audio stream usually means that your wireless network is not working properly. Strong interference from a neighbor's WiFi signal, a microwave oven, electronics, or a cordless phone can sometimes distort the connection between your wireless router and the WiFi Internet Radio causing a deficit of consistent signal. In this case the radio will need to buffer in order to catch up to the playable stream. Another less likely cause for buffering takes place when the Internet radio station is unreliable or has gaps in the audio stream. Make sure your WiFi antenna or router is up off the ground and not obstructed by physical objects.
Another tip is to try a reliable station, like BBC Radio 1 for a few hours to see if it has the same problems with buffering. If the radio works well on BBC Radio 1 then the problem is not with the WiFi Internet Radio or reception between it and the router but lies with the station. Reciva copies one of the stations streaming URL addresses and uses it for their database. When too many people are using the same URL then it gets overloaded and causes buffering on the radio. Reciva may be able to add an alternative stream to be used. Contact Reciva with station problems by email using firstname.lastname@example.com.
It could be one of two reasons:
1) It's most likely that the website for that particular Internet radio station has changed the URL for that audio stream. When Web sites change their URL, it sometimes takes a while for Reciva to update their database to reflect the new URL. Once Reciva has updated the URL in their database you should have no trouble connecting to that Internet Radio station again. Computers are not affected by the URL change because they get the media players on your computer get the stream directly from the website and are updated automatically. If you are aware of an Internet radio station that has changed its URL you can help resolve the issue by emailing Reciva (firstname.lastname@example.com) and requesting the URL to be updated.
2) Another factor that may be affecting your audio stream is a recent switch by some radio stations (mostly in the United States) to using Shockwave Flash-embedded players. These players do not use a standard streaming protocol and block external audio players. Many of these embedded players use an algorithm to change the URL of their stream dynamically from once a month to once an hour. The goal of these players is to force you to go to the station's website to view advertisements that help supplement the station's income. At this time there is no permanent work-around for these type of audio streams, however Reciva is aware of this situation and are working on a solution. In the meantime they are trying to obtain dedicated streams from the individual radio stations that use Shockwave Flash-embedded players.
We have found that, sometimes, the CC WiFi Radio does not "see" the network on the initial scan. When this happens, you may have to press BACK to try scanning again. The second scan usually finds your WiFi network. Another option is to unplug the power cord momentarily from the back of the radio, then plug it in again, and try to scan for your wireless network again after the radio restarts.
If rescanning or restarting your CC WiFi Radio does not help find your wireless network you may have to check your router's wireless settings and verify that broadcast of ESSID is enabled. You may also want to try changing the wireless broadcast channel on your router to channel 1. For instructions on how to change these settings in your router please consult the documentation that came with your hardware.
|Download Time
|CC WiFi Internet Radio w/ Clock, Alarm & 99 Memory Presets Instruction Manual (rev. 11)
|1:10 @ 56KBps
CC WiFi Internet Radio w/ Clock, Alarm & 99 Memory Presets Instruction Manual (rev. 9)
(Radios purchased prior to April 24, 2014)
See FAQs for iHeart® & CBS Media® Information
|1:10 @ 56KBps
|CC WiFi Internet Radio – New Features (2016)
|Download Time
|Additional Information Not Included in Manual
|0:33 @ 56KBps
|What's in the Box


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Young People in Merthyr Tydfil have gained valuable experience in becoming reporters through the training given by Makewaves [1]. They made a video about their Bike Club.
Makewaves and Bike Club works to bring exciting and relevant educational opportunities to to Young People. From posting a question to an Olympic cyclist to the chance to report at Cardiff Millennium Stadium, being a Makewaves Bike Club means young people can get involved in real world projects at no additional cost.
Makewaves Projects provide:
- Themed curriculum activities and resources
- An international community to collaborate with
- Engaging, real world formats
- Prizes and exclusive opportunities for young people and leaders

subset: commoncrawl


text:
LED-backlit LCD
An LED-backlit LCD is a flat panel display which uses LED backlighting instead of the cold cathode fluorescent (CCFL) backlighting used by most other LCDs.[1] LED-backlit LCD TVs use the same TFT LCD (thin-film-transistor liquid-crystal display) technologies as CCFL-backlit LCD TVs. Picture quality is primarily based on TFT LCD technology, independent of backlight type. While not an LED display, a television using this display is called an LED TV by some manufacturers and suppliers.[1] In the UK, the Advertising Standards Authority has made it clear in correspondence that it does not object to the use of the term LED TV, but requires it to be explained in advertising.[2]
Three types of LED may be used:
- Edge-lit LEDs
- In which the LEDs are formed around the rim of the screen, using a special diffusion panel to spread the light evenly behind the screen (the most common use)
- LED backlighting (full array)
- Behind the screen, whose brightness is not controlled individually
- Dynamic local dimming backlight
- LEDs controlled individually (or in clusters) to control the level of light/color intensity in a given part of the screen.
The iPhone 5 has an LED-backlit IPS LCD, while the Sony Xperia S is an example of an LED-backlit TN LCD.
Full-array LEDsEdit
Many brands use LED backlighting technology, which offer the advantages over CCFL LCDs of reduced energy consumption, better contrast and brightness, greater color range, more rapid response to changes in scene and more accurate image rendering.[3]
Dynamic local dimming LEDsEdit
This method of backlighting allows local dimming of specific areas of darkness on the screen. This type of display comes in white or the more expensive RGB LED configuration. This can show truer blacks, whites, proper color saturation (on RGB LEDs), and photorefractive effects[4] at much higher dynamic-contrast ratios by dimming (or brightening) the backlight locally (at the cost of less detail in small, bright objects on a dark background, such as star fields or shadow details).[5]
Comparison with CCFL backlit displaysEdit
- Offer a wider color gamut (when RGB-LED backlighting is used)[6]
- Produce images with greater dynamic contrast (When LED backlit with local dimming and/or RGB LED backlit are used)
- Allow a wider dimming range[7]
- Can be extremely slim (some screens are less than 0.5 inch, or 1.27 cm) thin in edge-lit panels
- Are significantly lighter, often as much as half the total chassis and system weight of a comparable CCFL
- Run significantly cooler
- Have (typically) 20–30% lower power consumption (and longer lifespans)
- Are more reliable[8]
LED-backlit LCDs are not self-illuminating (unlike pure-LED systems). There are several methods of backlighting an LCD panel using LEDs, including the use of either white or RGB (Red, Green, and Blue) LED arrays behind the panel and edge-LED lighting (which uses white LEDs around the inside frame of the TV and a light-diffusion panel to spread the light evenly behind the LCD panel). Variations in LED backlighting offer different benefits. The first commercial full-array LED-backlit LCD TV was the Sony Qualia 005 (introduced in 2004), which used RGB LED arrays to produce a color gamut about twice that of a conventional CCFL LCD television. This was possible because red, green and blue LEDs have sharp spectral peaks which (combined with the LCD panel filters) result in significantly less bleed-through to adjacent color channels. Unwanted bleed-through channels do not "whiten" the desired color as much, resulting in a larger gamut. RGB LED technology continues to be used on Sony BRAVIA LCD models.
LED backlighting using white LEDs produces a broader spectrum source feeding the individual LCD panel filters (similar to CCFL sources), resulting in a more limited display gamut than RGB LEDs at lower cost. A dynamic "local dimming" LED backlight was first demonstrated by BrightSide Technologies in 2003,[9] and later commercially introduced for professional markets (such as video post-production).[10] Edge LED lighting was first introduced by Sony in September 2008 on the 40-inch (1,000 mm) BRAVIA KLV-40ZX1M (known as the ZX1 in Europe). Edge-LED lighting for LCDs allows thinner housing; the Sony BRAVIA KLV-40ZX1M is 1 cm thick, and others are also extremely thin.
LED-backlit LCDs have longer life and better energy efficiency than plasma and CCFL LCD TVs.[11] Unlike CCFL backlights, LEDs use no mercury (an environmental pollutant) in their manufacture. However, other elements (such as gallium and arsenic) are used in the manufacture of the LED emitters; there is debate over whether they are a better long-term solution to the problem of screen disposal.
Because LEDs can be switched on and off more quickly than CCFLs and can offer a higher light output, it is theoretically possible to offer very high contrast ratios. They can produce deep blacks (LEDs off) and high brightness (LEDs on). However, measurements made from pure-black and pure-white outputs are complicated by the fact that edge-LED lighting does not allow these outputs to be reproduced simultaneously on screen.[clarification needed]
In September 2009 Nanoco Group announced a joint development agreement with a major Japanese electronics company, under which it will design and develop quantum dots (QDs) for LED backlights in LCDs.[12] Quantum dots are photoluminescent; they are useful in displays because they emit light in specific, narrow normal distributions of wavelengths. To generate white light best suited as an LCD backlight, parts of the light of a blue-emitting LED are transformed by quantum dots into small-bandwidth green and red light such that the combined white light allows for a nearly ideal color gamut generated by the RGB color filters of the LCD panel. In addition, efficiency is improved, as intermediate colors are not present anymore and don't have to be filtered out by the color filters of the LCD screen. This can result in a display that more accurately renders colors in the visible spectrum. Other companies are also developing quantum dot solutions for displays: Nanosys, 3M as a licensee of Nanosys and QD Vision of Lexington, Massachusetts.[13] The importance of this type of backlighting was demonstrated by various TV manufacturers at the Consumer Electronics Show 2015.[14]
Backlight-dimming flickerEdit
LED backlights are often dimmed by applying pulse-width modulation to the supply current, switching the backlight off and on more quickly than the eye can perceive. If the dimming-pulse frequency is too low or the user is sensitive to flicker, this may cause discomfort and eyestrain (similar to the flicker of CRT displays at lower refresh rates).[15] This can be tested by a user simply by waving their hand in front of the screen; if it appears to have sharply-defined edges as it moves, the backlight is pulsing at a fairly low frequency. If the hand appears blurry, the display either has a continuously-illuminated backlight or is operating at a frequency too high to perceive. Flicker can be reduced (or eliminated) by setting the display to full brightness, although this degrades image quality and increases power consumption.
- ^ a b LED vs LCD TV Comparison
- ^ ASA Adjudication on Samsung Electronics UK Ltd
- ^ Bong-Ryeol Park and Ho-Young Cha, Thermal consideration in LED array design for LCD backlight unit applications, IEICE Electron. Express, Vol. 7, No. 1, pp.40-46, (2010).
- ^ H. Seetzen; et al. (2003). "SID03 Digest" (PDF).
- ^ Scott Wilkinson. "Ultimate Vizio". UltimateAVmag.com. Posted Fri 29 May 2009. Retrieved 16 December 2009.
- ^ Dell Studio XPS 16: Highest Color Gamut Ever?. Anandtech.com, 26 February 2009
- ^ "Driving LEDs versus CCFLs for LCD backlighting". Retrieved 25 October 2011.
- ^ "Plasma Vs LCD vs LED TV". Retrieved 1 October 2011.
- ^ H. Seetzen, et al.: "A High Dynamic Range Display System Using Low and High Resolution Modulators", SID03 Digest
- ^ BrightSide DR37-P HDR display
- ^ "Samsung.com". Samsung.com. Retrieved 17 May 2009.
- ^ "Nanoco PR: "Nanoco Signs Agreement with Major Japanese Electronics Company"".
- ^ IEEE Spectrum, 2012, 8, p.11-12 Quantum Dots Are Behind New Displays
- ^ CES 2015 - Placing bets on the New TV Technologies. IEEE Spectrum, January 7, 2015. Retrieved January 12, 2015
- ^ http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/articles/content/pulse_width_modulation.htm#side_effects
External linksEdit
Media related to LED-backlit LCD television sets at Wikimedia Commons


text:
Note: This item is more than four years old. Please take the publication date into consideration for any date references.
Print – Plain Text – Permalink
News Release
Media Contact: TPWD News, email@example.com, 512-389-8030
Aug. 22, 2013
Texas Parks and Wildlife 2014 Budget Reflects Legislative Support
Increased Funding Will Keep Parks Open, Fund Wildlife and Fisheries Work
AUSTIN – Funding to keep Texas State Parks open and provide grants for city and county parks, millions to aid the declining bobwhite quail and its grassland habitat, fisheries funding that benefits water resources, and dollars for conservation law enforcement are among the highlights of the 2014 budget approved today by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission.p>"Barring any catastrophic event like a hurricane, extreme drought or a wildfire, the state budget adopted by lawmakers means that no state parks will close due to lack of funding in the next two years," said Carter Smith, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department executive director. "Further, the legislature also funded many of the critical requests for the fisheries and wildlife side of our business. We appreciate very much this support from state elected leaders for parks and conservation."
The department's fiscal year 2014 operating and capital budget totals about $380 million, including about $272 million for salaries, related benefits and operating expenses, about $30 million for grants and close to $75 million for capital items such as construction and computers.
The 2014 budget is an increase from the 2013 budget of $357 million, but still below the $423 million for 2011. The state budget bill also increased TPWD's employee count by 103 full time equivalent (FTE) positions, to a total FTE cap of 3,109 employee positions for 2014.
The budget reflects overall funding approved by legislators in the state General Appropriations Act for the 2014-2015 biennium, which authorized additional funding requested by the agency in six exceptional items. That included, in two-year totals:
- For TPWD's first exceptional item requesting about $18.9 million for state park operations, the final state budget included close to $17.9 million.
- For the request for $11.9 million for capital budget priorities such as replacement vehicles and computers, the state budget included $10.4 million.
- For the request for $40 million for capital repairs and construction, the budget included $8 million for Fund 9/fisheries and wildlife facility capital construction and $11 million in bonds for repairs at any existing TPWD facility.
- The budget provided TPWD's entire request for $13 million for important fish and wildlife funding. This includes $4 million for quail habitat enhancement.
- The budget also included all of TPWD's request for $15.5 million for local park grants to cities and counties across Texas.
- Regarding the request for $3.7 million for state data center cost increases and Information Technology needs, the budget provided a net total of about $1 million (after adjusting for across the board data center reductions made elsewhere).
Lawmakers also provided other funding for the department, including (in biennial totals):
- Rider 27 allows the agency to carry forward up to $5.5 million from 2013 into 2014. It also provides increased appropriations of up to $2 million, if the agency is able to bring in revenue above the Comptroller's Biennial Revenue Estimate from sources such as state park fees and hunting and fishing license sales.
- Rider 41 provides $2 million over two years for an interagency contract with Texas A&M University to help a species in decline: bobwhite quail. This will develop educational resources and programs to reestablish quail populations based on research-proven best management practices, plus fund various quail research efforts. In addition, as described above, lawmakers appropriated another $4 million in exceptional item funding for quail habitat enhancement, making a total of $6 million for quail in 2014-2015.
- Other riders will fund $700,000 in capital construction for cabins, bridges and trails at Fort Boggy State Park and visitor center improvements at Big Spring State Park.
- Rider 10 appropriates an estimated $1 million over the next two years expected to come from sales of four TPWD conservation license plates (horned lizard, bluebonnet, deer and bass) that benefit state parks and fisheries and wildlife work. Since inception, the specialty license plates have raised more than $6.3 million for conservation causes.
- Lawmakers also allocated $5.2 million to replace a damaged helicopter needed for game warden operations and fish and wildlife survey work.
During the session, legislators also approved supplemental funding for TPWD using 2013 dollars. This includes $5 million for state park capital repairs, close to $4.9 million for Bastrop State Park wildfire recovery, and $889,000 in state park operating funding from motor vehicle registration opt-in donations approved in the previous legislative session.
Background detail on TPWD finances, including financial information for previous years, is available in links to budgets and strategic plans on the department website.
On the Net:
Publication — Permission is granted to publish, in whole or in part, any news releases on this page.
Print — A print-friendly version of the news release shows only the release with font sizes set to the browser default.
Plain Text — Plain text versions of TPWD news releases are provided for copying and pasting into editing software.
To copy text into an editing software:
- Click a Plain Text link to display the plain text page in your browser.
- Select all.
- Copy.
- Paste in a document in your editing program.
Permalink — This is a direct link to the news release, omitting the navigation context from the URI.
English/Spanish — News releases posted in both English and Spanish have one of these links.
If you have any suggestions for improving these pages, send an e-mail to firstname.lastname@example.com and mention Plain Text Pages.
(5.4.16 i)


text:
I wasn't writing your post. I was trying get a handle on what you do and do not know about the Buddha's teaching. I have seen enough.curiosity wrote:How do you deny the existence of separate "experiencers"?
Are we all not experiencing different things?
I didn't write your posts, you didn't write mine, my questions are not popping into your head and vice versa.
So we are separate on that basis alone, this is undeniable.


text:
The Tech 4o Traileader 1 Navigation Watch looks like a watch but works like the ultimate survival tool providing key features that are sure to help you out in a time of need. The new Tech 4o Traileader 1 Navigation Watch packs everything you need to navigate the wildest of wild places into a compact and rugged stainless steel case, including an accelerometer, digital compass, altimeter, barometer, as well as features like dual alarms, 6 timers, dual time zone and low battery indicator. Equipped with rugged ventilated polymer band that keeps your wrist from overly perspiring, the Tech 4o Traileader 1 Navigation Watch is the altimeter watch and digital compass that is perfect for the outdoor enthusiast.
|Item #:
|30 ft / 10 m


text:
All Natural Cinnamon Glee Gum 16-piece Packs (Allergen Free) - 12 Ct. Case
All Natural Old-Fashioned Cinnamon Chewing Gum Packs.
Glee Gum base has super chewy natural chicle harvested from Sapodilla trees in the rain forests of Central America.
Yum! All Natural!
• No Preservatives, No Artificial Flavoring, No Artificial Coloring, and No Artificial Sweeteners(e.g. aspartame, saccharin or cyclamate).
• Certified Vegetarian, Additive Free, Lactose Free, Dairy Free, Wheat Free, Gluten Free, Casein Free, Egg Free, Yeast Free, Nut Free, Soy Free, and Peanut Free.
• All natural ingredients, Glee Gum has Rice Syrup instead of corn syrup.
• 100% Biodegradable Packaging.
• Case contains 12 Packs of All Natural Glee Gum pack(each pack contains 16 pieces).
From Tree to Glee. Ever heard of chicle? It's the secret to delicious GLEE GUM:
"Chicle is the sap of the sapodilla tree, which grows in the rainforests of Central America. Men called "chicleros" climb up the sapodilla trees and, with machetes, cut crosses in the trunks so that the sticky sap flows out. Then the Cchicle is processes and turned into gum. Once all chewing gum was made from chicle. But today, most chewing gum is made from synthetic stuff. Not Glee Gum! Glee Gum uses chicle because it is a sustainable, eco-friendly way to keep the rainforest standing. And chicle is what fives our um such great chew! Don't just chew gum, chew chicle!"
Try other natural flavors of Triple Berry, Bubbblegum, Peppermint, Tangerine, Spearmint, and Cinnamon >>
Additional Info
- g103262c


text:
Soybean farmers have a few years to wait but should be looking forward to protecting their crops using a new novel insect-resistant trait being developed by Dow AgroSciences.
Dow AgroSciences explains that it is advancing an insect-resistant trait that, when commercialized, will provide soybean farmers with the "broadest spectrum for insect control against lepidopteran pests."
The company's insect-resistant soybean trait is the first to be submitted for approvals that expresses two Bt proteins. This will provide broader in-plant protection of lepidopteran pests, as well as improve sustainability of the technology compared to other soybean technologies being advanced in the market with only one Bt protein.
Extensive research has shown that the company's trait provides broad in-plant protection against lepidopteran pests such as fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), soybean looper (Pseudoplusia includens), velvetbean caterpillar (Anticarsia gemmatalis), soybean podworm (Helicoverpa gelotopoeon) and tobacco budworm (Heliothis virescens) as well as Rachiplusia nu.
U.S. soybean farmers are not expected to be the first users of the trait. This trait has been submitted to regulatory authorities for approval in key soybean countries as part of the global authorization process. The trait is initially targeted for commercialization in South America. Brazil represents the largest opportunity where insect pressure results in significant yield loss every year. Argentina soybean farmers also face significant impact to their soybean yields due to insects. The company plans to broadly license the technology to regional seed companies in these countries to provide wide access for farmers.
Upon regulatory approvals of the insect-control trait and the Enlist soybean trait in the U.S. plus breeding of soybean varieties, the two traits will be offered as a stack in elite and high-yielding soybean varieties, which is the same marketing concept for South America, just earlier than the U.S.
"This integrated solution will provide much-needed insect control as well as tolerance to multiple herbicides for improved weed management, allowing crops to maximize yield in a highly efficient and sustainable manner," the company explained.
"Our insect-resistant soybean trait is a major advancement of outstanding technology that will help farmers who struggle more every season to control significant lepidopteran pests," said Rolando Meninato, global leader, Seeds Traits and Oils, Dow AgroSciences. "By developing this new technology in combination with the Enlist Weed Control System, we will be able to provide a significant, multi-trait product with the broadest pest control package that enables both insect and weed control so soybeans can deliver their yield potential."
Pending regulatory approvals, the trait package is expected to be available in elite and high-yielding soybean varieties for the Brazilian and Argentinean markets in the next three to five years.


text:
Prize Recipient
Mark A. Kasevich
Stanford University
"For developing atom interferometer inertial sensors with unprecedented precision, and for pioneering studies of Bose-Einstein condensates, especially the achievement of non-classical spin states and the demonstra-tion of a mode-locked atom laser."Background:
Mark Kasevich is a professor of physics at Stanford University. His research interests include atom optics and dilute, ultra-cold quantum fluids. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1985 with a BA in physics. He received his PhD from Stanford University, Department of Applied Physics, in 1992, and was a member of the Stanford physics department faculty from 1992-7. From 1997-2002 he was a member of the Yale University physics department faculty.
Selection Committee:
Randall G Hulet (Chair), Louis DiMauro (12/02), Christopher Monroe ('01 Rcpnt) (12/02), Tom Gallagher (Vice Chair) (12/04), Gordon Drake (12/04)


text:
Eden Prairie, Minn. Supervalu Inc. will close all five of its organic Sunflower Market stores, the company confirmed Tuesday.
A company spokeswoman said that the division did not meet the company's goals. Supervalu had planned to expand the stores nationally as a competitor to larger organic chains like Whole Foods and Wild Oats.
Sunflower's five locations will close the week of Feb. 18.


text:
Did You Know?
Magellanic penguins are named after Ferdinand Magellan who first discovered them in 1519.
Do you have cats at home? You might have noticed some similarities between your cats and ours here at the Zoo. They lounge for hours to conserve energy, have a carnivorous diet and have excellent eye sight in low light conditions. There are however, a number of things that make big cats unique from you domesticated house cat. Aside from the obvious difference in a few hundred pounds, there are a few things that stick out when you compare the big to the small.
How about sounds? Your house cat can purr, trill and growl – but it can't roar like an African lion! This is because of the hyoid bone, which connects a cats tongue to the roof of its mouth. In big cats, this bone has an elastic segment which small cats do not have. This allows them to produce those earth shaking roars you hear!
Have you ever looked into the eyes of a big cat? Another noticeable difference is that small cats, with the exception of the lynx, have pupils that close to a slit under bright light. Big cats actually have round pupils.
There are more unique features of course, even amongst the big cats themselves! But if I tell you everything here, you won't have anything to explore on your own.
Get up close with our big cats next time you visit the Zoo and take notice of the similarities and differences between them – but remember that our animals should never be considered for pets. Not only are they extremely dangerous, they require care that cannot be provided without proper facilities and a trained staff.


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SHE has lived through two world wars, a millennium and the Queen's coronation, and this week a former Hampshire house maid celebrated her 100th birthday.
Mary Street, who has eight grandchildren, 11 great and two great great grandchildren, worked as a house maid at Abbots Worthy House in Kings Worthy in Winchester, and a nursery maid in London.
A birthday party was held in her honour on her birthday on Tuesday, June 10, at Age Concern's Alresford Day Centre.
Paid just £1 per month, Netley-born Mary recalls spending a whole week's wages on a 'talkie', life as a servant and taking in evacuees.
The youngest of five children, she went to school in Butlocks Heath where she learnt reading, writing and arithmetic – the three R's.
She left at 14 to work as an under-nursemaid at a house in Hammersmith.
"I was paid £1 a month and was given a half day off a week, plus every other Sunday," she said.
"I blew a whole week's wages going to see a 'talkie', as they described talking films in those days. It was Al Jolson in The Singing Fool. I was so hard up I couldn't afford the bus home."
At 17, Mary worked as a nursery maid in Hampstead, before moving closer to home to work as a house maid at Abbots Worthy House.
"The house was owned by a Mr and Mrs Benson but I never saw them as I was considered too lowly to show my face," she remembered.
"Life at Abbots Worthy House was a lot more fun than in London, mainly because I began to go dancing at the local village halls and there was a great camaraderie among the staff. We had to ask permission from the housekeeper to go and because she was often rather strict about us disappearing for an evening, a few of the girls struck a deal with the butler.
"He agreed to leave his window open and a key just inside it so we could let ourselves back in if we sneaked out.
"I remember walking across the lawns rather than on the gravel for fear of being detected, in a long evening dress and then sneaking out along the lanes all the way to Avington or Easton to get to a dance."
In a love story reminiscent of Downtown Abbey, it was at a dance that she met her husband Harold, who was working as a handy man at Pilgrims School.
"We got married at St Mary's Church in Kings Worthy in 1937. It was a very simple affair. I had no wedding gown – just my 'Sunday best' dress and we celebrated at The Jubilee Hall with a crate of beer for the men and tea and sandwiches for the ladies!"
They had three children together, Laurence, Joyce and Frank.
Harold was sent to Africa during WWII, at which time they lived in what is now the Post Office in Kings Worthy and regularly took in evacuees to make ends meet.
They later moved, with Mary taking over a newspaper delivery business.
"I collected newspapers from Winchester at 5am each day and then delivered them to Kings Worthy, Easton, Itchen Stoke and Avington. Although it was unusual for a woman to be working at the time, I enjoyed the work, despite always having black hands."
Laurence eventually took over the business, which is now the main Post Office in Kings Worthy, and Harold sadly passed away in the eighties.
"I think the secret to my long life is down to all that hard work. Even now I like to stay busy."


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Melissa Chuang, Stanford gymnastics: Chuang, a sophomore from Monta Vista, scored 9.825 on the vault to help the Cardinal first-place finish at the NorCal Quad meet at Sacramento State.
Julian Edelman, New England Patriots: Edelman, a quarterback at Woodside High, College of San Mateo and Kent State, had a breakout season as a wide receiver for the Patriots, catching 105 passes for 1,056 yards and six touchdowns.
Paul Fanaika, Arizona Cardinals: Fanaika, an offensive guard from Mills High, was drafted out of Arizona State by the Philadelphia Eagles in the seventh round in 2009. Fanaika was on the practice squad for the Eagles, Browns, Redskins and Seahawks — playing in only three games for the 2011 Seahawks — before starting every game for the Cardinals this season.


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immune globulin intramuscular (generic name)
Biogam (brand name)
It helps to prevent or reduce the severity of certain infections in patients who are at risk
(im MUNE GLOB yoo lin)
Table of Contents
Top Learning Centers(Recursos en Español)
What is this medicine?IMMUNE GLOBULIN (im MUNE GLOB yoo lin) helps to prevent or reduce the severity of certain infections in patients who are at risk. This medicine is collected from the pooled blood of many donors. It is used to treat immune system problems, thrombocytopenia, and Kawasaki syndrome.
What should I tell my health care provider before I take this medicine?They need to know if you have any of these conditions:
extremely low or no immune antibodies in the blood
heart disease
history of blood clots
infection in the blood, sepsis
kidney disease
taking medicine that may change kidney function - ask your health care provider about your medicine
an unusual or allergic reaction to human immune globulin, albumin, maltose, sucrose, polysorbate 80, other medicines, foods, dyes, or preservatives
pregnant or trying to get pregnant
How should I use this medicine?This medicine is for injection into a muscle or infusion into a vein or skin. It is usually given by a health care professional in a hospital or clinic setting.
In rare cases, some brands of this medicine might be given at home. You will be taught how to give this medicine. Use exactly as directed. Take your medicine at regular intervals. Do not take your medicine more often than directed.
Talk to your pediatrician regarding the use of this medicine in children. Special care may be needed.
What if I miss a dose?It is important not to miss your dose. Call your doctor or health care professional if you are unable to keep an appointment. If you give yourself the medicine and you miss a dose, take it as soon as you can. If it is almost time for your next dose, take only that dose. Do not take double or extra doses.
What may interact with this medicine?
-aspirin and aspirin-like medicines
-medicines for infection like acyclovir, adefovir, amphotericin B, bacitracin, cidofovir, foscarnet, ganciclovir, gentamicin, pentamidine, vancomycin
-NSAIDS, medicines for pain and inflammation, like ibuprofen or naproxen
-zoledronic acid
What should I watch for while using this medicine?Your condition will be monitored carefully while you are receiving this medicine.
This medicine is made from pooled blood donations of many different people. It may be possible to pass an infection in this medicine. However, the donors are screened for infections and all products are tested for HIV and hepatitis. The medicine is treated to kill most or all bacteria and viruses. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of this medicine.
Do not have vaccinations for at least 14 days before, or until at least 3 months after receiving this medicine.


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Steve Martino, PhD
Professor of Psychiatry; Chief of Psychology, VA CT Healthcare System
Research Interests
Curriculum; Psychotherapy; Motivational Interviewing; Psychiatry and Psychology
Research Organizations
Psychiatry: Addictions, Division of | Division of Substance Abuse | Mental Health Services Research, Division of | Pain Research, Informatics, Multimorbidities, and Education (PRIME) Center | Psychology Section | Psychotherapy Development Center
Research Summary
The driving force behind my research and related scholarly activities has been my dedication to promoting the use of evidence-based treatments in clinical settings. My major contributions have been:
- Modifying an approach called motivational interviewing for patients who have both psychiatric and substance abuse problems;
- Studying the degree to which community program clinicians use motivational interviewing with skill;
- Researching different strategies for training clinicians in evidence-based treatments.
This latter work has involved examining expert and train-the-trainer approaches, a stepwise approach for offering training to only those who demonstrate a need for it, and use of standardized patient instructors. I am currently conducting a multi-site randomized clinical trial testing the effectiveness of supervising motivational interviewing on both clinicians' ability to use it and on their clients' treatment outcomes. I also am studying the effectiveness of motivational interviewing delivered by medical practitioners compared to a computer-based version of this treatment approach. Finally, I have developed performance rating systems to measure how much and how well clinicians use motivational interviewing in practice and have modified these materials for use as clinical supervision toolkit.
Specialized Terms: Motivation interviewing (MI); Clinician training strategies; Implementation science; Technology-based treatment approaches; Curriculum evaluation
Extensive Research Description
The driving force behind my research and related scholarly activities has been my dedication to promoting the use of evidence-based psychosocial treatments in clinical settings. In the early 1990s, I began to apply motivational interviewing (MI) in the treatment of patients with severe mental illness and addictions. I engaged in a series of studies to develop this adaptation and empirically examined its treatment effects in a randomized clinical trial. At the time, few investigators had published about how to specifically apply MI to this dual diagnosis population and to test how well it worked. To my surprise, I found that MI was differentially effective with psychotically ill patients who abused cocaine, but not with those who abused marijuana. My work highlighted the complexities of enhancing motivation in patients with severe co-occurring mental illness and addiction. From these efforts to tailor MI, I became more interested in studying how to effectively train clinicians in evidence-based practices. I was impressed by the disciplined methods used to teach clinicians behavioral treatments in clinical trials (use of manuals, recording sessions, integrity rating, supervisory feedback and coaching, ongoing close monitoring of performance) and, ironically, how uncommon this careful training approach was employed in real world educational and practice settings. This simple observation led me to shift my research toward dissemination and implementation science, and I became increasingly involved in the NIDA Clinical Trials Network. Specifically, I assisted in the conduct of several national multi-site effectiveness trials involving MI. I had primary responsibility for serving as the local, and then national trainer, and developing an integrity rating scale and system to be used for supervision and independent observer treatment validation in the trials. I took the lead in psychometrically validating the scale and developing a NIDA-SAMHSA national dissemination product called Motivational Interviewing Assessment: Supervisory Tools for Enhancing Proficiency – a manual that details methods for supervising MI in community treatment programs. Subsequently, I became the national trainer-of-trainers for MIA: STEP and played a key role in its dissemination nationally and internationally. As a Principal Investigator, I am currently conducting a multi-site trial testing the effectiveness of MIA: STEP supervision on improving client outcomes and the extent to which clinician MI adherence and competence mediates this process. To my knowledge, this will be the first clinical trial directly testing the impact of any form of psychotherapy supervision on client outcomes. In addition, I have studied other strategies for training clinicians in evidence-based practices. I have published studies that have examined the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of a train-the-trainer approach for teaching community program clinicians behavioral treatments. I also have piloted an innovative stepwise approach in which clinicians only receive more intensive treatment training if they fail to meet a criterion performance threshold. The study showed the promise of more adaptive training program designs and suggested that future training trials screen participants to exclude those who already have the targeted skills and little room for improvement. In a recent publication, I reviewed the clinician training strategies literature and identify key areas that need more research.
Selected Publications
Unintended effects of training on clinicians' interest, confidence, and commitment in using motivational interviewing
Decker, S.E., & Martino, S. (2013). Unintended effects of training on clinicians' interest, confidence, and commitment in using motivational interviewing. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 132, 681-687.
Correspondence of motivational interviewing adherence and competence ratings in real and role-played sessions
Decker, S.E., Carroll, K.M., Nich, C., Canning-Ball, M., & Martino, S. (2013). Correspondence of motivational interviewing adherence and competence ratings in real and role-played sessions. Psychological Assessment, 25, 306-312.
Cost and cost-effectiveness of three strategies for training clinicians in motivational interviewing
Olmstead, T., Canning-Ball, M., Carroll, K.M., & Martino, S. (2011). Cost and cost-effectiveness of three strategies for training clinicians in motivational interviewing. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 116, 195–202.
A criterion-based stepwise approach for training counselors in motivational interviewing
Martino, S., Canning-Ball, M., Carroll, K.M., & Rounsaville, B.J. (2011). A criterion-based stepwise approach for training counselors in motivational interviewing. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 40, 357-365.
Teaching community program clinicians motivational interviewing using expert and train-the-trainer strategies
Martino, S., Ball, S.A., Nich, C., Canning-Ball, M., Rounsaville, B.J., & Carroll, K.M. (2011). Teaching community program clinicians motivational interviewing using expert and train-the-trainer strategies. Addiction, 106, 428-441.
Informal discussions in substance abuse treatment sessions
Martino, S., Ball, S.A., Nich, C., Frankforter, T.L., & Carroll, K.M. (2009). Informal discussions in substance abuse treatment sessions. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 36, 366-375.
Correspondence of motivational enhancement treatment integrity ratings among therapists, supervisors, and observers
Martino S, Ball S, Nich C, Frankforter TL, Carroll KM. Correspondence of motivational enhancement treatment integrity ratings among therapists, supervisors, and observers. Psychother Res. 2009 Mar;19(2):181-93.


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At the meeting of the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, today in Ames, the three public universities will present their preliminary budget plans for FY10. You may view a PDF of the slides UNI will share at http://www.uni.edu/president/budget/BoRpresentation_061109.pdf
Final budgets will be presented at the August meeting. We are committed to making strategic decisions as we move forward during these very challenging budget times. I will continue to provide updates as plans are finalized.


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Mickey Shunick Reward Upped To $25,000, Mother Nancy Shunick Speaks At Candlelight Vigil [VIDEO]
By now the message is clear. Bring Mickey Home. Approximately 1000 volunteers have stepped up in the search for Mickey Shunick - the Lafayette girl who has been missing for 5 days now. The reward for information leading to her return home has been upped to $25,000 and search efforts have intensified.


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This publication is now archived.
There are an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants living and working in the United States. Their presence signals the intense demand for labor in the country, as well as the ineffectiveness of policies for regulating the flow of people across U.S. borders. U.S. legislators are nearing action on a raft of proposals for dealing with the situation, ranging from building barriers and tightening border security to instituting guest-worker programs and amnesty. Debate has intensified during this election year, causing divisions within political parties and between groups usually allied on other causes.
What is the state of the national immigration debate?
Contentious and deeply divided, experts say. Public opinion polls show most Americans are in favor of strong punitive measures to prevent and/or reduce illegal immigration. However, business leaders, policy experts, and politicians—including President Bush—have proposed amnesty programs and other measures that will not cut off what they call a necessary flow of labor into the United States. "There's a big gap between the elites and the American general public" on how to handle immigration, says Joseph Chamie, director of research at the Center for Migration Studies. Immigration is a "political hot potato in an election year," he says. "It's a lose-lose situation for politicians."
What are the current immigration proposals before the Senate?
There are several currently being considered. They include:
The McCain-Kennedy proposal. The Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act was sponsored by Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Edward Kennedy (D-MA), with support from several key congressmen. The proposal would:
- Grant three-year, renewable work visas to illegal immigrants for a $1000 fee.
- After six years of working legally, immigrants can pay another $1000 and apply for permanent work status if they haven't broken any laws and have studied English.
- Potential immigrants could apply for a $500 work visa if they can prove there is a job waiting for them.
The Cornyn-Kyl proposal.The Comprehensive Enforcement and Immigration Reform Act (PDF), sponsored by Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Jon Kyl (R-AZ), states that:
- Illegal immigrants can work in the United States for two years and then are required to go home for one year. After that, they have the option of coming back as temporary workers or on permanent visas.
- A guest-worker program for new immigrants would be set up. Those in it would have to go home every two years for at least one year and would not be able to apply for citizenship.
- Companies that continue to employ illegal immigrants would be fined.
The Specter proposal. A compromise proposal from Senate Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter would:
- Allow a three-year renewable guest-worker program with a six-year limit and no route to permanent legal status. Workers would have to be sponsored by employers who verify they tried to hire U.S. workers first.
- Allow immigrants who arrived before January 4, 2004, to be grandfathered into eligibility for permanent legal status.
- Make it a crime to be illegal or harbor an illegal immigrant.
- Require employers to verify the legality of new employees.
- Make sure illegal immigrants applying for green cards would not "cut the line" of people applying legally from their home countries.
- Increase the quotas on employment-based green cards from 140,000 to 290,000. It would also more than double the number of H1-B visas for skilled workers, from 65,000 to 150,000.
What type of legislation is most likely to be considered by the Senate?
A committee bill with aspects of the three proposals above is expected to make it to the Senate floor the last week in March, although Senator Bill Frist (R-TN) has threatened to begin debate March 27 on his own version of the bill. Still, some analysts are positive about the developments. "I'm more optimistic than I was during the House debate because the Senate committee is working hard to seek consensus and is taking a responsible approach to the issue," says Deborah Meyers, senior policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute. Other experts agree. The Specter compromise is "a package that combines the better elements of the many bills," says Tamar Jacoby, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute.
What was the immigration bill passed by the House?
The House of Representatives passed the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act (HR 4437) in December. It proposed strong steps against illegal immigration, including:
- Building a fence along 700 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border;
- Imposing stricter penalties on employers of illegal workers;and
- Making it a felony to be an undocumented worker.
The House bill would also make it a felony for groups like Humane Borders and other charity organizations to give water or other assistance to illegal immigrants crossing the border from Mexico. The bill has sparked protest rallies across the country and has earned the opposition of the Catholic Church, which is encouraging its adherents to defy it. Other critics say the House bill, with its focus on only one side of the immigration issue, will likely make the problem worse. "Enforcement is clearly an important part of the question, but enforcement alone is insufficient," Meyers says. Jacoby agrees. "You need tough but workable enforcement," she says. "The law-and-order Republicans [in the Senate committee] laughed the [idea of building the fence] out of the room."
What are the benefits of temporary worker programs?
Advocates of temporary or guest-worker programs say they would acknowledge and legitimize a massive work force that is completely unregulated. While illegal immigrants work and pay taxes, they have no workplace protection and are vulnerable to exploitation or abuse. The giant pool of unregistered illegal immigrants in the United States is also an enormous security risk in the age of terrorism. Proponents of guest-worker programs—including many business associations—say they would honestly address the labor needs of the U.S. economy and give necessary protection to the workers who fill those needs.
"There needs to be a legal mechanism for people to enter and work in temporary jobs," Meyers says. She points out that many jobs—harvesting crops, for example—are seasonal, and many immigrants would like to come in, work for the season, and then return home. "Temporary worker programs are one approach, and certainly better than what we have now," Meyers says. "If there are legal channels of entry, why in the world would you risk your life to enter illegally?" Several of the Senate proposals also include methods for guest workers to become citizens. A Miami Herald editorial argues in favor of these measures, which would allow illegal aliens to earn legal status with hard work and good behavior. "Without such a provision, even border-security efforts are doomed. Politics must not be permitted to get in the way of what is in the country's best interest," the paper wrote.
What are the drawbacks?
Experts stress that many changes to the system are needed, including cracking down on employers who employ illegal immigrants. Last year, only three employers were cited for employing illegal immigrants. Jacoby argues for a national Social Security registry that employers could use to find out if potential employees are authorized to work in the United States. In addition, many argue for increasing the numbers of visas for skilled workers and eliminating the backlog in processing visas. Only if many steps are combined—stronger border control efforts, workplace enforcement, increased visas, and some kind of path for illegal immigrants to earn citizenship—will the problem be brought under control, experts say. "We have to do all these things together. They're all intertwined and necessary," Meyers says.
What's the political mood regarding immigration?
The issue is a highly sensitive one in an election year for all members of the House of Representatives. Many experts say the House bill passed because members wanted to show their constituents they are tough on immigration. Others say that while most people share the goal of reducing illegal immigration, most do not agree on what to do about it. "Everyone agrees: we want people to come in legally, not illegally," Meyers says. "But simply putting up more walls or adding border agents—without addressing the flaws in our system—is not responsible policymaking."
What are the chances that substantive immigration reform will be passed by this Congress?
"It's very, very hard to say," Jacoby says. "[Senate Majority Leader Bill] Frist [R-TN] may not cooperate—he may see this as the first round of a presidential campaign" and seek to oppose McCain, a likely presidential rival. In addition, the legislation would have to pass through committee and debate on the Senate floor, before facing an even bigger challenge: the House version of the bill. "My guess is that the House bill and the Senate bill won't be able to be reconciled," Chamie says. "The political concerns have undermined any rational program." However, Meyers says, the Senate committee has "thoughtful members who have worked on this issue for a long time and have a lot to offer on it." All told, the chances for reform are "certainly possible, but you wouldn't want to be naïvely confident," Jacoby says.


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ALAMEDA — The hurt remains raw for the family and friends of Raquel Gerstel, the 15-year-old girl shot and killed in Oakland last month with her friend Bobbie Sartain, who was 16. But memories of Raquel still helped ease the pain Monday as they gathered to celebrate the teen's life.
"She was the woman of the house," said Barton Gerstel, the girl's father. "She loved to cook and take care of things. She wanted things to be just right. I'm lost without her."
About 100 people attended the celebration at the Eagles Hall on Alameda Avenue. Many wore purple and pink ribbons, Raquel's favorite colors. A disc jockey played music and a slideshow featured childhood photos of Raquel.
Dominique Nelson, 14, first met Raquel about three years ago, when they attended Washington Manor Middle School in San Leandro.
The two girls would listen to Pretty Ricky and the Ying Yang Twins, text friends and hang out together.
"We would be in my living room, belly dancing," Nelson said. "We had a lot of good times."
They quickly became friends because both shared a home life that was sometimes rocky, Nelson said.
"She was my everything," Nelson said. "If I did something, she would do it with me. Even getting into trouble. Now I will have to get into trouble without her."
Courtnee Allen, 14, attends Arroyo High School in San Lorenzo, where Raquel was a freshman.
"Raquel used to come up to me as I was getting dressed in PE and say, 'Come on. You're taking a hecka long time,'" Allen said.
Once in class, boys were teasing Raquel about a hat she was wearing, Allen said. Raquel got up and walked out, despite the teacher telling her to stop.
"She was mad and leaving no matter what," Allen said. "That's the kind of person she was."
But DazJane Whisenton, 14, said Raquel also embraced life.
"If a party was going on, Raquel would be right there," said Whisenton, who also attends Arroyo High School. "She would have everybody dancing on their feet."
So far no arrests have been made in the deaths of Raquel and Bobbie Sartain.
The girls were found shot multiple times about 6 a.m. on Nov. 25, lying on the asphalt in the 2600 block of Minna Avenue near Brookdale Park.
It's unclear what the girls were doing before they were killed. But family members say they stopped by a mobile home that belongs to Bobbie's uncle at High Street and MacArthur Boulevard before they reportedly walked to a nearby Union 76 gas station on High Street.
Neighbor Jed Hamilton, 36, ran outside after hearing the shots and held one girl's hand as she was dying.
Bullets peppered a nearby car and three rounds hit a single-story home on nearby Brookdale Avenue.
"She was a sweet little girl," Erika Aguilar said about Raquel at Monday's event.
Aguilar first met Raquel about eight years ago, when they were neighbors on Taylor Avenue in Alameda. The girl showed up at her garage sale, Aguilar said.
Before long, Raquel was a daily visitor, calling Aguilar "Mom" and often spending the night with her family.
"We were inseparable," Aguilar said. "She just wanted to be around me. She needed a friend."
Aguilar last saw Raquel the day before she was killed, when Raquel joined Aguilar's family at Round Table Pizza in San Leandro.
They talked what was happening in their lives, Aguilar said, a typical everyday conversation.
"I always told her that we are in each other's lives for a reason," Aguilar said. "That we are blessed to have one another. I know she needed me. I am still trying to figure out why she was in my life. But I also know she was put here for a purpose in all our lives."
Reach Peter Hegarty at 510-748-1654 or follow him at Twitter.com/peter_hegarty.
The family of Raquel Gerstel has set up a foundation to pay for her funeral expenses and to help the victims of violence. For information, go to www.raquelgerstelfoundation.com.


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Pre-race favorite Castroneves stalled the car in the pits which shuffled him back and caused the team to roll the dice on a fuel strategy to get him back up front. Not getting a needed yellow he was forced to pit in the waning laps costing him any chance at the win.
Graham Rahal was assessed a costly black flag for blocking.
Tomas Sheckter leaves the pits.
KV Racing and driver Takuma Sato brought back the famous green and yellow Lotus paint scheme to the speedway.
Jack Nicholoson waved the green flag to start the race... then hung around in the flag stand to wave the flag a couple more times for restarts after some early yellow flags.
Yes, Georgetown RD is open for vehicular traffic...
Tony Kanan drove his heart out. It's a shame his final finishing position didn't ultimately indicate the top 3 position he deserved.
Vitor Meira returned to Indy after a bad crash last year.
It's a good time to point out that the AJ Foyt owned car is sponsored by ABC SUPPLY Company... not ABC the television network. It's interesting how the ABC announcers never mention that or clarify it.
Dan Wheldon had a seemingly quiet but excellent race making it all the way to P2 for the finish and also leaving a lot of question marks about whether he could've overtaken Dario on that final lap as Dario tried to conserve fuel. The yellow flag on the last lap made the point moot.
Name the driver that's 15 minutes of fame are about up-
Former crowd favorite Danica Patrick pictured above.
Race winner Dario Franchitti heads to Victory Circle after winning the 2010 Indy 500.
Hard to say Dario didn't deserve this win. He was hooked up all day long. Still, the fuel strategies at the end could've changed everything if there'd been an earlier yellow... or no last lap yellow at all. Dario was conserving all the fuel he could and there will always be some question if he could've withstood a last lap challenge and still had enough fuel to make it. Meanwhile, cars that were ahead of him in the final laps were going to have to stop for fuel (splash and go) unless they got a long yellow that would allow THEM to conserve enough to run to the end.
It was interesting (and to me it was funny) to hear the boos when Danica was introduced before the race. IMHO the crowd didn't sour on her when she threw her team under the bus at quals... that was just the tipping point when the general public had enough of the princess. She is a total media creation who has parlayed some hype and sex appeal, raw talent, and advertising money into a couple of good rides. But she's not really done much special with those rides in whole and realistically has probably underperformed all things considered. Yes, she finished 6th today... but probably deserved 15-16th... But she again drove just fast enough that her team can utilize a conservative strategy to move her up by fuel/pit strategies. Last year she did have a decent season but again she wasn't a threat to win. I see her problem two-fold: She's not as good as she thinks she is and she's not actually evolving as a driver who knows her machine (She would rather spend time marketing herself than concentrate on understanding her car and the nuts and bolts of racing).... AND.... the field is more talented as a whole and the cars are so well figured out that the separation between her and other drivers has grown. Plus I believe Indycar took away the weight advantage she had and mandated ballast be added to equalize car and driver weights (I could be wrong about that... although it was discussed and I thought implemented). That's probably why her qualifying has dropped off.
Anyway, Danica needs to put a quarter in the fame machine because her 15 minutes is about to run out. It's to the point now that if she was to win the 500 I'm afraid it wouldn't be a crowning achievement and a media bonanza.... It would be questions about how far Indy has fallen when Danica Patrick can win it.
IZOD's plan of upping the star power of Indy is apparent. Whether that pays dividends in the future I don't know. I think a bigger star in the Pace car would be smart.
I harp on this every year- Empty seats breed empty seats. The Tower Terrace seats on the north west side of the speedway are not getting filled. They just aren't that good of seats. I'm not sure how much they cost but I suspect 75.00... They should be more like 35... or 25.00. And maybe they are. If so, that's certainly not good. If it was me, I'd admit defeat on those seats, lower the price first and foremost, and consider painting them blue or green and declare them 'general admission... first come first served' or just rip the lower ones out and replace them with shops or a VIP lounge with windows or something.... and leave the more desirable higher seats.
It seemed like traffic indicated a bigger crowd, but I still saw empty patches of seats where I wouldn't expect them (besides the aforementioned Tower Terrace seats). I'm curious if the heavier traffic I'm experiencing is really more people or just a shift in the time people are arriving. And if it is more people, is it general admission people?
I also noticed a lot of empty seats as the race went on that were filled earlier in the race. Do these people just come to see the start and the festivities and leave (to beat the traffic?)?? Do they move to the infield? Today it seemed more noticeable than before so maybe the heat cooked some people out.
I hope the new management at the speedway see the need to allow some innovation back into the Indy 500 if not the series. They've dumbed it down and allowed the current cars to mature to the point that they are costing themselves money in the name of saving money for teams IMHO. When the lack of innovation creates a lack of interest it DRAINS money away from the event/series.
More than anything I think qualifying speeds need to be allowed to creep back up. I'm fine with using technology to keep racing speeds down but the cars need to be touching up against qualifying speeds that make you go "wow". ...Not running the same speeds for several years. Maybe mandate a qualifying motor and a more conservative racing motor. Of course safety is important but there has to be a line and technology should be able to move and improve that safety line as the speeds creep up too.
You combine "A neeeeeeew traaaaaack record" with the new qualifying format and I think you have something.
I'm warming to the idea that Brian Barnhart needs replaced as part of the housecleaning. The race start needs tightened up again and his reasoning for not doing it doesn't hold water with me. It's part of what makes the start of the race exciting. Barnhart seems to be a little too conservative and little stubborn to boot. I also thought some of the black flags today were iffy and probably quick. And probably not consistent either.
I know having "Indy Specialists" (Indy one off drivers) has been around a long time. I'm wondering if the new oval AND road/street course championships (as well as the overall series championship) could be used in a way to get some of these oval specialists rides for just the ovals... Just as it gets them rides just for Indy. I guess it depends on what when the oval or street/road championship pays (if anything, besides a trophy and your name in print).
Yes, it was hot today... .but my seats are shaded so it wasn't too bad. OTOH the walk back to the car was pretty brutal with the sun bearing down.


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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla.—It's a sad day when a man realizes he can no longer make fun of Justin Bieber. But there I found myself Monday, with a weird case of Bieber Fever in front of 7,782 people.
I was trying to avoid becoming part of a hallowed baseball tradition: Making a fool of oneself with a ceremonial first pitch.
For some reason the people at Disney World asked if I'd like to do the honors before the Atlanta Braves-Philadelphia Phillies game. Though I hadn't thrown a baseball in about 30 years, my initial thought was how hard could it be?
Thousands of people have done it since President William Howard Taft tossed America's first first pitch. I might be one of the least revered hurlers ever, but I knew I'd outperform most presidents. And I'd sure do better than that poor mayor of Cincinnati.
Mark Mallory ruined his political career when he sailed one 30 feet wide of home plate at the 2007 Cincinnati Reds opener. How else can we assume his career bit the dirt?
When Barack Obama threw out a first pitch at the 2005 Chicago White Sox game, he feared John McCain would have the cameras rolling.
"Had I thrown a one-hop, I think whatever aspirations I had, they would have shown that clip over and over again," Obama said.
The state senator threw a strike and became president. Meanwhile, Mallory is still mired in YouTube infamy. I currently have no presidential aspirations, but I was getting a little worried as Champion Stadium filled up.
"There's a lot of pressure not to one-hop it," said Tony Morreale, my Disney escort.
Ah, the dreaded one-hopper. It's been causing first-pitch jitters since Taft inaugurated the 1910 season. Our only 300-pound president didn't have to worry about one-hopping it, since he stood in the stands and lobbed the ball about 30 feet to Walter Johnson.
"He did it with his good, trusty right arm, and the virgin sphere scudded across the diamond, true as a die to the pitcher's box," read one newspaper account.
With reviews like that, the grand tradition was born. It was great public relations for presidents, who eventually took off their business suits and moved from the stands to the mound.
The Chicago Cubs gave Ronald Reagan a warm-up jacket to pitch in. Obama fancies a White Sox jacket. Only stars receive such regal treatment, which explains why all I got were a couple of stretching tips from Mickey Mouse.
The Kardashians got crisp white Dodgers jerseys four seasons ago. I don't really keep up, but I think the staff of Kim, Khloe, Kourtney and Fernando engaged in the first four-way first pitch in baseball history.
Four real major leaguers lined up to catch their deliveries. All were baffled by the array of one-hoppers, moon-balls and broken fingernails.
It's easy to ridicule celebrity hurlers. But truth be told, sometimes we're too hard on them simply because they're rich, famous and have 35 million Twitter followers, at least 12 million of whom are old enough to read.
According to countless Internet snipes, Bieber's first pitch before a White Sox game in 2010 made Cincinnati's mayor look like Cy Young. It was really just a 40-mph fastball the catcher had to reach for. Carlos Zambrano has thrown a million of those the past few years.
While Bieber wasn't as bad as advertised, words could never do justice to the disaster that was Mariah "Big Train" Carey. It was 2008 at the Tokyo Dome. She showed up in four-inch heels and microscopic blue-jean shorts. The ball traveled maybe 5 feet.
At least Carey had an excuse. She's Mariah Carey. Nobody ever referred to her as the world's greatest athlete.
They did to Carl Lewis, who threw a seven-hopper to the plate before a Seattle Mariners game in 2003. Thus, King Carl claimed perhaps the most amazing feat in sports history.He threw arguably the worst first pitch. He also sang the worst national anthem ever before a New Jersey Nets game in 1993. Heaven help us if Lewis ever drives the pace car at Indy.
As I was handed the ball Monday, singing the national anthem suddenly seemed like a better option. Jarvis Jones threw out the first pitch a couple of weeks ago. The NFL draft's top linebacker has played in front of 90,000 people at Georgia and probably didn't notice anyone. But stick a baseball in his hand before a spring training game?
"He was a little nervous," Morreale said.
And just my luck, Monday was ESPN's first spring training broadcast. I was sure the cameras would roll a little early in hopes of capturing a Mariah Moment.
As I stood in the tunnel, Mickey Mouse tapped me on back and motioned me stretch my arm. It was either that or he was trying to tell me I had the flop sweats. Then the public address announcer cleared his throat.
"And now, ladies and gentlemen, throwing out the first pitch is David Whitley of the Sporting News!"
As I ran to the mound, I could hear 8,000 people thinking, "Couldn't they at least get Peter Gammons?"
Catching a first pitch in spring training is like drawing latrine duty, but Atlanta's Christian Bethancourt was more than a good sport. He crouched and gave me a nice target.
My Bieber thoughts suddenly morphed into visions of Carl Lewis in four-inch heels. And I was Carl.
"Just don't one-hop it," I thought.
The virgin sphere sailed like a North Korean missile. For a horrifying second, I just knew it was going to clear the backstop and wipe out a family of tourists from Des Moines. Thank God for 21-year-old catching prospects who can jump like LeBron James.
"Good thing I was loose," Bethancourt said.
He was nice enough not to add, "Justin Bieber at least came within five feet of the strike zone."
I hate to admit it, but America's teen heartthrob is a better first pitcher. And if ESPN got it on tape, I probably blew whatever chance I had of becoming president.
About all I can hope for now is to become an honorary Kardashian. Now that's a sad day.


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Don't miss out on a lower price on this hotel
Get an overview of this hotelOpulent hotel by Parliament and National Garden
Popular property highlights
On Syntagma Square
This modern hotel is located on Athens' Syntagma Square in the historical district adjacent to the Parliament building and National Garden and .5 mile from the Acropolis.
Restaurant and business services
Restaurant Parliament offers Greek cuisine, and you can enjoy cakes and pastries at the Plaza Lounge. A 24-hour business center and free WiFi are available for business guests, and a multilingual staff is on hand 24 hours.
Free WiFi
Fabrics by Lauren, Fornacetti, and Versace decorate NJV Athens Plaza Hotel's 180 guestrooms, which include flat-screen televisions, marble baths, designer toiletries, and free WiFi.
Guest Highlights
- Good location
- Proximity to public transit and shopping
- Good for sightseeing
- Helpful staff
- Clean guestrooms
- Comfy beds and overall room comfort
- Guestrooms were a little noisy
NJV Athens Plaza Hotel
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
The NJV Athens Plaza Hotel is located in the historical center of Athens on Syntagma Square, near the university, a park, and the Syntagma metro station; the hotel is connected to a shopping center and within walking distance of Plaka.
This luxury Syntagma hotel features a 2,799-square-foot 24-hour business center that includes 2 conference rooms, a technology support staff, printer, fax and photocopier machines. There is a a computer station and free WiFi in public areas, as well as an on-site restaurant and 2 lounges.
Guests have access to a nearby fitness center (discounts apply) and full-service health spa. The front desk offers tours/ticket assistance and there is parking nearby (surcharge and reservations required). Babysitting or childcare (surcharge) is also available.
- Free newspapers in lobby
- Babysitting or childcare (surcharge)
- Bar/lounge
- Restaurant
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Coffee shop or café
- Limo or Town Car service available
- Conference space
- Multilingual staff
- 24-hour front desk
- Porter/bellhop
- Express check-out
- Total number of rooms - 180
- Number of floors - 9
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Laundry facilities
- Babysitting or childcare
- Elevator/lift
- Year Built 1980
- Wedding services
- Concierge services
- Express check-in
- Free WiFi
- Designated smoking areas
- Tours/ticket assistance
- Designated smoking areas (fines apply)
- Computer station
- Luggage storage
- Meeting rooms 3
- 24-hour business center
- Conference space size (meters) - 260
- Number of meeting rooms - 2
- Offsite parking discounted rates available
- Offsite parking reservations required
- Conference space size (feet) - 2799
- Number of buildings/towers - 1
- Use of nearby fitness center (discount)
Family Friendly Amenities
- Family Hotel
- Free Wi-Fi
- Soundproofed rooms
- Laundry facilities
- Babysitting or childcare (surcharge)
- In-room childcare (surcharge)
- Cribs/infant beds (complimentary)
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Offsite parking discounted rates available, Offsite parking reservations required
Room Amenities
- Premium TV channels
- Pay movies
- Premium bedding
- Room service (24 hours)
- In-room climate control (air conditioning)
- Soundproofed rooms
- Air conditioning
- Phone
- Minibar
- Turndown service
- Private bathroom
- Designer toiletries
- Bathrobes
- Free toiletries
- Hair dryer
- Shower/tub combination
- Slippers
- In-room childcare (surcharge)
- Satellite TV service
- Desk
- Daily housekeeping
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Flat-panel TV
- Free WiFi
- In-room safe (laptop compatible)
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
- Free cribs/infant beds
Where to Eat
Parliament restaurant - Low-key restaurant with city views is popular with the business crowd open for buffet breakfast (surcharge applies), lunch and dinner as well as brunch. The signature dish is Fillets of Dover Sole Meunier with Mushroom and Lemon Cream Sauce. Menu varies.
Explorers Bar - This relaxed bar-lounge serves appetizers, drinks and is open all day.
Plaza Café - Located on a mezzanine overlooking the lobby, this informal, modern cafe is open all day for coffee, tea, cakes, and pastries.
Nearby Things to Do
The picturesque area of Plaka is ideal for a morning or evening stroll. Above Plaka, just one kilometer from the hotel, stands the Acropolis, arguably the most important monument in the Ancient Greek world and a must-see for first-time visitors to the city.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or near the hotel; fees may apply.
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please note them at check-out when you book your room.
Hotel Policies
Check-in time ends at midnight
Minimum check-in age is 18
Check-in time starts at 2 PM
Check-out time is noon
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- Children are welcome.
- Kids stay free! One child 12 years old or younger stays free when using existing bedding.
- Free cribs (infant beds)!
- No pets or service animals allowed
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy.
- No onsite parking is available.
- The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation.
Optional extras
- Fee for buffet breakfast: EUR 20 per person (approximately)
Hotel Name
- Athens Plaza NJV
- Athens Plaza NJV Hotel
- Hotel Athens Plaza
- Hotel NJV Athens Plaza
- NJV Athens Plaza
- NJV Athens Plaza Hotel
- NJV Hotel
- NJV Hotel Athens Plaza
- NJV Plaza
- NJV Plaza Hotel
- Njv Athens Plaza Hotel Athens
- Njv Hotel Athens
We should mention
Cash transactions at this property cannot exceed EUR 500, due to national regulations. For further details, please contact the property using information in the booking confirmation. One child 12 years old or younger stays free when occupying the parent or guardian's room, using existing bedding. The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation. No pets and no service animals are allowed at this property.
Awards & Affiliations
- The property is a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts.


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My wife and I have a new website for our small business and we would like to have a Flash type picture scheme on the homepage. Currently we just a one pic that we change out periodically.
Here is our site. http://holidaytraditionstc.com/
We use Magento as our website platform so we can add and do stuff. We are both learning how to do everything on our own to keep expenses down.
My question is how can we take jpegs of our products and convert them into Flash files and create a slideshow for our homepage for free?


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FRITZ!Box 7390 Service - Knowledge Base
AVM Content
FRITZ!NAS does not display all available files and folders
Not all files or folders on a USB storage device connected to the FRITZ!Box are displayed on http://fritz.nas. When you use the Windows Explorer to access the USB storage device or connect the USB storage device to a computer, all of the files and folders are displayed.
Note:The configuration procedure and notes on functions given in this guide refer to the latest FRITZ!OS for your FRITZ!Box.
1 Updating the file index
The FRITZ!Box only indexes files automatically if they are copied to http://fritz.nas using a web browser. Files copied to a USB storage device connected to the FRITZ!Box using the Windows Explorer or other applications are not displayed until the FRITZ!Box's file index is updated.
Use the FRITZ!Box user interface, a FRITZ!Fon, or a playback device or software that supports UPnP (for example a smartphone with FRITZ!App Media) to update the file index:
Updating the file index using the FRITZ!Box user interface
- Click "Home Network" in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
- Click "Storage (NAS)" in the "Home Network" menu.
- In the table "Storage on the FRITZ!Box", click on "not created" or "was created" for every storage listed that contains files.
Using FRITZ!Fon to update the file index
- Press the "Menu" key on the telephone.
- Select "Home Network" and then press "OK".
- "Media player" > "OK" > "AVM FRITZ!Mediaserver" > "OK" > "File index" > "OK" > "Start Indexing"
Updating the file index using UPnP
- Call up the FRITZ!Box Media Server on a playback device or software that supports UPnP.
- Click "File Index" and then "Start Indexing".