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Justin Timberlake Photo 300x300
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American pop musician and actor. He has won six Grammy Awards as well as two Emmy Awards. He achieved early fame when he appeared as a contestant on Star Search, and went on to star in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, where he met future bandmate JC Chasez. Timberlake became famous in the late 1990s as the lead singer of the boy band 'N Sync, whose launch was financed by Lou Pearlman.
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Even Alibaba, Baidu Are Chipping Away Chinese Banks' Businesses
Even Chinese Internet companies are chipping away the banks' fat profits. Bloomberg has the details:
Moving money around with a smartphone to earn higher returns has become so popular in China that Yu'E Bao, which means "leftover treasure" [and is offered by Alibaba Group], drew $31 billion from 43 million customers -- more than the population of Argentina -- in the six months after it started in June, Alibaba reported. While that's only 0.4 percent of the country's total household savings, other technology firms, including Baidu (BIDU), are jumping in with products.
Internet companies' wealth management products do not have the many investment restrictions that banks require (such as minimum investment and holding period). Alibaba is 24% owned by Yahoo (YHOO).
The banks acknowledge the Internet companies' threat by now, commented Citi analysts Simon Ho and Paddy Ran, after a recent trip to China meeting with regulators and banks:
Many banks now recognize the competition from new internet financial services (eg. Alibaba, Baidu). These players are still small but are growing and moving fast, and are competing away deposits from the banks. But we believe the real impact to the banks is small in 2014.
As Beijing moves towards liberalizing interest rates, the last step being removing the deposit rate cap, higher interest rates offered elsewhere may be there to stay, says Citi:
Many [bankers and regulators] believed that beyond the seasonal volatility, interest rates could be on a rising/higher trend going forward.
Chinese banks offer few positives, except that they so cheap:
We do expect liquidity conditions to ease post CNY and think valuations have factored in near term liquidity concerns. T he sector is now on 0.9x FY14E P/B , just 6% above the P/B trough in June ; hence we maintain a constructive stance. Our preferences: CMB, CCB, ABC, CRCB. Least preferred: MSB and Huishang.
A price-to-book value less than 1 means the market believes the bank will sell less than its book asset value in the event of a liquidation.
Here is the year-to-date performance of the big four banks: ICBC (1398-HK) lost 5.9%, China Construction Bank (939-HK) lost 5.1%, Agricultural Bank of China (1288-HK) lost 6.6%, and Bank of China (3988-HK) lost 4.2%.
Banks are a major factor that contribute to the mediocre performance of the large China ETFs. The big four banks constitute 25% of the iShares China Large Cap ETF's (FXI) weightings. About one-fifth of the iShares MSCI China's (MCHI) weightings are in these banks.
The China Large Cap ETF lost 6.4% this year. The MSCI China ETF lost 5%.

subset: commoncrawl


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DETROIT - Michigan health officials are investigating a cluster of nine cases of salmonella in southeast Michigan.
Six of the nine people have reported eating raw kibbeh on Dec. 7 and 8, 2012. Kibbeh is a Middle Eastern dish made from ground meat. Not all of the Michigan cases have reported eating kibbeh, and the source of their exposures is still under investigation.
The dates of illness onsets range from Dec. 9, 2012 to Jan. 7, 2013.
The cases range in age from 2 to 87 years, including five females and four males. More than half of the cases were hospitalized.
Most of the cases reside in southeast Michigan (Huron, Macomb, Delta-Menominee, Oakland, and Wayne counties).
In addition to the Michigan cases, nationally there are eight other cases.
Company recalls ground beef products
On Thursday, 500 pounds of ground beef products were recalled by Jouni Meats, Inc., a company based in Sterling Heights.
The beef products were produced between Dec. 4 and 9, 2012 and were distributed to a Macomb County restaurant and sold directly to consumers.
These products were sold without a label.
Signs of salmonella poisoning
Most individuals infected with salmonella bacteria often experience diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12-72 hours after infection.
The duration of illness is typically 4-7 days and most people recover without treatment. Sometimes a salmonella infection can be more severe and may spread to the bloodstream and other body sites, resulting in hospitalization.
Young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems are more likely to have a severe illness from salmonella infection.
How you can prevent salmonella
Cook ground beef, poultry, and eggs thoroughly to recommended internal temperature using a food thermometer.
Do not eat or drink foods containing undercooked or raw eggs, or raw (unpasteurized) milk.
Don't handle raw meat or poultry, and an infant (e.g., feed, change diaper) at the same time. Be particularly careful with foods prepared for infants, the elderly, and those with weak immune systems. Wash hands, kitchen work surfaces, and utensils with soap and water immediately after they have been in contact with raw meat or poultry.
Copyright 2013 by ClickOnDetroit.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Posted 5 years ago
(1 item)
My parents, who will be celebrating their 63rd anniversary in September 2012, bought a Crosley TV-Radio-Phonograph Combo when they got married. Attached are pic's of the device. It still has all the original parts and I was surprised to find the instruction booklet. My mother thought it might be good to finally let it go, but I have no idea where to start to find out what is is worth. Any advice? I also have a collection of records that were stored in the unit. I am new to this site, so I thought showing it off might be a good place to start.


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2013/2014 Broadway in Atlanta Season Will Feature THE BOOK OF MORMON, GHOST and More
Theatre fans will once again have the opportunity to experience some of the most acclaimed shows offered on Broadway without leaving Atlanta. Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Atlanta is set to bring another season of the hottest musicals and first-rate Broadway performances to the historic Fox Theatre.
From the creators of South Park and winner of nine Tony Awards, The Book of Mormon will play a limited two-week engagement January 29-February 8, 2014. The New York Times calls it "the best musical of this century" and Entertainment Weekly says it's "the funniest musical of all time." Season Subscribers receive priority ticket opportunities to shows so a season subscription is the best way to guarantee seats to The Book of Mormon.
The 2013-2014 Season will also feature fan favorites GHOST The Musical, Once, Green Day's American Idiot and Evita. Returning to Atlanta after six years, Disney's The Lion King will be on stage at the Fox Theatre for the first time ever. Audiences are in for a treat as a number of Broadway's premier shows make their Atlanta debuts at the Fox Theatre.
"This is undeniably one of our most anticipated seasons in recent years," said Russ Belin, vice president of Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Atlanta. "We're thrilled to continue offering such a strong line-up for our patrons, and the 2013-2014 Season is sure to exceed expectations. This series is packed with a mix of Tony Award-winning shows and some of the most recognized musicals in recent years. Atlanta will truly have the opportunity to get plugged in to the best of Broadway."
GHOST The Musical
November 5-10, 2013
Relive the iconic and magical moments from the Oscar-winning movie "Ghost" in a brand-new Broadway musical. GHOST The Musical breathes glorious new life into a timeless love story. The musical features an original pop score from multiple Grammy Award-winners Dave Stewart, one half of the 80s pop duo the Eurythmics, and Glen Ballard, co-writer with Alanis Morissette on the multi-platinum album Jagged Little Pill, among many other notable credits and collaborations. The musical's tale of everlasting love is thrilling entertainment for audiences of all ages.
Adapted from the hit film by its Academy Award-winning screenwriter Bruce Joel Rubin, GHOST The Musical follows Sam and Molly, a young couple whose connection takes a shocking turn after Sam's untimely death. Trapped between two worlds, Sam refuses to leave Molly when he learns she is in grave danger. Desperate to communicate with her, he turns to a storefront psychic who helps him protect Molly and avenge his death.
The Book of Mormon
January 28-February 9, 2014
Ben Brantley of The New York Times calls it "the best musical of this century." Entertainment Weekly says it's "the funniest musical of all time." From South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, it's The Book of Mormon, winner of nine Tony Awards including Best Musical. Jon Stewart of The Daily Show calls it "a crowning achievement. So good it makes me angry." Contains explicit language.
March 4-9, 2014
Winner of eight 2012 Tony Awards including BEST MUSICAL, Once is a truly original Broadway experience. Featuring an impressive ensemble of actor/musicians who play their own instruments onstage, Once tells the enchanting tale of a Dublin street musician who's about to give up on his dream when a beautiful young woman takes a sudden interest in his haunting love songs. As the chemistry between them grows, his music soars to powerful new heights... but their unlikely connection turns out to be deeper and more complex than your everyday romance. Emotionally captivating and theatrically breathtaking, Once draws you in from the very first note and never lets go. It's an unforgettable story about going for your dreams... not living in fear... and the power of music to connect all of us.
Disney's The Lion King
April 10-27, 2014
Experience the phenomenon. The most eagerly awaited stage production ever will leap onto the stage of the historic Fox Theatre for the first time. Visually stunning, technically astounding and with a musical score like none other you've ever heard.
Giraffes strut, birds swoop, gazelles leap. The entire savannah comes to life and as the music soars, Pride Rock slowly emerges from the mist. See the Tony Award-winning Broadway sensation that Newsweek calls "a landmark event in entertainment." The New York Times says, "There is simply nothing else like it." Marvel at the breathtaking spectacle of animals brought to life by a cast of more than 40 actors. Wonder at the inspiration of award-winning director Julie Taymor, who created visual images for this show that you'll remember forever. Thrill to the pulsating rhythms of the African Pridelands and an unforgettable score including Elton John and Tim Rice's Oscar-winning song "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" and "Circle of Life."
Green Day's American Idiot
Week of April 28
Winner of two Tony Awards, the smash-hit musical American Idiot tells the story of three lifelong friends, forced to choose between their dreams and the safety of suburbia. Based on Green Day's Grammy Award-winning multi-platinum album and featuring the hits "Boulevard of Broken Dreams," "21 Guns," "Wake Me Up When September Ends," "Holiday" and the blockbuster title track, American Idiot boldly takes the American musical where it's never gone before. With direction by Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening), choreography by Steven Hoggett (Once, Black Watch) and orchestrations and arrangements by Tom Kitt (Bring It On, Next to Normal), the result is an experience Charles Isherwood of The New York Times declares "thrilling, emotionally charged, and as moving as any Broadway musical I've seen this year!" Contains explicit language.
June 3-8, 2014
Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Tony Award-winning musical returns at last! Eva Perón used her beauty and charisma to rise meteorically from the slums of Argentina to the presidential mansion as First Lady. Adored by her people as a champion for the poor, she became one of the most powerful women in the world - while her greed, outsized ambition and fragile health made her one of the most tragic. Evita tells Eva's passionate and unforgettable true story, and features some of theater's most beautiful songs, including "Don't Cry for Me Argentina," "Another Suitcase in Another Hall" and "High Flying, Adored."


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Grimm uses homers, 'break' to top Mariners
Double-play call overshadows big flies by Baker, Berkman
SEATTLE -- Rangers starter Justin Grimm was struggling through the first three innings on Friday night against the Mariners, allowing eight hits to the first 15 batters he faced.
"It was a battle," Grimm said. "I don't mind giving up hits, but I was leaving the ball over the plate and making it easy for them."
Grimm was able to limit the damage by getting some big outs in crucial situations. But a bizarre phantom double play also helped, and that's what they were talking about after the Rangers held on for a 9-5 victory over the Mariners at Safeco Field.
"That was a huge double play," manager Ron Washington said.
He was asked if he saw the replay.
"I don't need to see a replay," Washington said with a smile. "We caught a break there."
That was the case on a night when Jeff Baker and Lance Berkman hit their first home runs in two weeks. That helped the Rangers beat Mariners starter Joe Saunders, who was 9-0 with a 1.72 ERA in 13 career starts at Safeco Field going into the game. But this was his first start here against the Rangers.
Saunders, after allowing six runs in five innings, is 3-9 with a 6.60 ERA in 14 career starts against Texas. That's the third highest ERA ever against the Rangers by a pitcher with at least 10 starts in opposition.
"He probably wasn't quite as sharp as he normally is here," Berkman said. "But we're a good-hitting team, and we took advantage of some situations."
Baker's two-run homer in the top of the second gave the Rangers a 2-1 lead going into the bottom of the second. That's when the Rangers caught the break of the night.
Grimm gave up leadoff singles to Raul Ibanez and Justin Smoak to put runners at first and second. Jesus Sucre followed with a grounder at first baseman Mitch Moreland, who threw to second to start the double play.
Both Moreland and Grimm then went to cover first. Moreland won the race, but shortstop Elvis Andrus' return throw was more toward Grimm, who was a few feet off the bag to the inside. Both players went to catch the ball, but Grimm made the grab. Smoak was called out by first-base umpire Jeff Nelson, even though Grimm did not have his foot on the bag and Moreland didn't have the ball in his glove.
"That happened so fast," Grimm said. "I didn't realize the umpire called him out. When Elvis threw the ball, I didn't think Mitch would get it, so I snagged it trying to save a run and keep the double play in order. [Umpires] have a tough job. I don't think people realize how quick things can happen out there. We caught a break."
Moreland said Sucre would have been out if Grimm had not intercepted the throw.
"When he called the guy out ... I told Grimm, 'Walk with me. There's going to be an argument,'" Moreland said. "But I felt I was right on the ball."
There was an argument by Mariners manager Eric Wedge, but even he didn't know exactly what happened.
"Everybody's just focused on the bag," Wedge said. "I thought he came off the bag. That's what I was out there arguing. And then I come to find out later, with the replay, that he didn't even catch the ball. ... It would have been a much bigger argument if I had known that at the time, no doubt about it."
Brendan Ryan's double drove home a run to tie the game, 2-2, but Grimm struck out Michael Saunders to end the inning. Berkman then put the Rangers ahead with a three-run home run in the third. It was Berkman's fourth home run of the year, but his first from the right side.
"It doesn't matter to me if it's left-handed or right-handed, I'm just happy I hit it," Berkman said.
Grimm gave up three straight two-out hits in the third as the Mariners cut the lead to 5-3. But, with runners at second and third, he retired Smoak on a fly to center to end the inning. He followed that up with three scoreless innings before leaving after retiring the leadoff hitter in the seventh. He allowed 10 hits but did not walk a batter and struck out five. With his second straight win, Grimm is now 4-3 with a 4.05 after eight starts.
"The first three innings he kept getting the ball up," Washington said. "After that he got the ball down and got the outs we needed."
T.R. Sullivan is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Postcards from Elysian Fields, and follow him on Twitter @Sullivan_Ranger. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Mail: Southern statues symbolize suppession
Mail: Thanks for helping Aiden
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Fall: Good time to spray musk thistle in rosette stage
Robertson and Delsing re-elected chair, vice chair of NWB
More Ag News
As the costs continue to come into focus for a mega-water farm in southern Lincoln County, the Twin Platte and three other Natural Resource Districts will meet Tuesday to figure out how to run the place.
The official price tag is $83 million for 19,500 acres, an unprecedented sum for highly erodible sandy soil. Interest costs and the loss of tax revenue will push the costs higher.
The crop farm will become a conservation farm owned by a government body. It will be owned by four Natural Resource Districts that have joined to make one of the largest single farm real estate deals in the states history.
The four NRDs will divide the purchase cost equally.
Its the water
If all goes as planned, the cropland will be converted to grass. The 100-plus irrigation wells will be converted to stock wells and new hi-capacity wells will be dug to pump water into two Nebraska rivers -- the Republican and the Platte. The goal is to meet water requirements for the rivers, agreements made with surrounding states and the federal government.
Irrigation water users will be taxed to pay the $83 million price of the land, plus interest. And, the loss of taxes on the property would fall on all property owners. That lost tax income could amount to $500,000 each year, Lincoln County Assessor Julie Stenger said, if the land comes off the tax rolls. Stengers said that it could, because a government agency does not have to pay any taxes.
The deal was arranged so quickly even elected officials are still grasping the consequences. It was signed in mid-October, before the public knew about it, out of concerns that more time and knowledge would sour the deal. Within days, county and school officials expressed concern about the loss of tax revenue.
The managers of the resource districts say their intention is not to hurt schools and county services, but have not said how they will prevent it.
On Nov. 8, the water farm took another step toward reality. One of the four NRDs the Twin Platte NRD headquartered in North Platte -- okayed a financial agreement to make the purchase, approving an amount not to exceed $75 million. They also approved an interest rate as high as 5 percent, which would add $50 million or so to the overall cost of property.
Longer range, the four NRDs, or the new entitiy created to manage the farm, intends to sell bonds at a lower interest rate, Kent Miller, the Twin Platte NRD manager, told the Bulletin.
People filled the Twim Platte NRD meeting room and lined up in the hallways before the vote on Nov. 8. Many spoke, asking questions to a board that made no response, although the chairman said their questions would be recored, and he promised to answer them in the future.
Stenger was among the speakers. She told the board when they decide to address the public, to have all four NRDs present, to "please" highly publicize the time and date, to have the meeting as soon as possible and have it in a room big enough to seat everyone.
The board of directors -- elected public officials -- of the Twin Platte NRD voted 9-2 for the financial agreement. The two no votes came from the same two dissenters attorney Doug Stack and retired constructor Bob Peterson who have vote no all along on the deal.
Stenger previously estimated a tax revenue loss of $300,000 a year to the county, schools, fire departments, community college and cemeteries, but that amount did not include personal property taxes on farm equipment.
There are 117 pivot irrigation systems on the farm valued at $60,000 each, she said. Removing them creates a loss of $7 million in taxable valuation, amounting to nearly $100,000 a year in actual tax revenue. And, there are tractors, combines, other farm equipment, houses and buildings. All that could add another $6 million or so in lost valuation, Stenger said.
Considering all that, the loss per year in property taxes would be around $500,000, or maybe more, she said.
People are just starting to realize the economic impacts of putting the place out of business, said Ken Anderson, who works at the farm.
Anderson has said the farm:
Generates 1.75 million bushels a year of corn and soybeans, plus millions of pounds of potatoes -- enough potatoes to fill two warehouses before the spuds are shipped out of state. A third potato warehouse is under construction just west of Dickens, he said.
Employs 14 full time workers for corn and soybean production, most of whom live in North Platte, plus part-time workers during planting and harvest.
Employs about 25 full- and part-workers just for potato production.
Buys significant supplies, including new machinery and nearly $1 million in seed each year from North Platte businesses.
Flatrock Publishing, Inc.
1300 E 4th St., Suite F
North Platte, NE 69101


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Military and Reserves
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20. Lunch like a lady
On occasion, my friends and I do ladies' lunches, which is generally code for having a glass of wine with our salads, and there's no better spot for it than the magical patio at La Casa Sena (125 E Palace Ave., 988-9232), where the trickle of a fountain and the generous shade of an enormous cottonwood have the power to transport the ladies in attendance to lunchtime nirvana. Men can come, too…sometimes. (AS)
21. Explore Indian Market
One of the only times you'll ever feel like you're in a big city in sleepy Santa Fe is during SWAIA's Indian Market (Aug. 12-18). In its 92nd year, the 2013 Indian Market anticipates an attendance of over 150,000 people from around the world to admire, buy and sell Native artwork. (MRC)
22. Dip your feet in the Rio Grande
A few weeks ago, a boy, a dog and I took a little trip
to Diablo
Canyon. The canyon, which is about 15 miles from Santa Fe, but a
45-minute drive on long dirt roads, is eerie and magnificent. The dark basalt
walls loom overhead, dotted with the occasional rock climber and echoing the
calls of various desert birds. Our destination was the Rio Grande.
The trek down to the river is three miles long, but in the spring and
summertime heat, walking the sandy arroyo is a challenge. The sandy routes
reminded me that we live at the bottom of a dried-up sea—a thought that made me
feel small and very parched. (It's difficult to carry enough water for two
people and a thirsty dog.) Toward the end of the three miles, green trees
appeared in the distance. The river must be close. The Rio Grande there is
glorious—a desert oasis of trees and river shrubs. We stepped into the water,
which was less chilly than I'd anticipated: the power of the desert sun. We
stripped and sat down in the water. The river is shallow enough that one must
lie down to be completely submerged. The walk was worth every step for the cool
sensation of water on our sunburned skin. Thank goodness for running rivers;
they are the perfect place to dip in your toes and cool off. (MRC)
23. Catch the Waves
While there are a host of great day spas in town—and the beloved and scenic Ojo Caliente just a short drive away—Ten Thousand Waves (3451 Hyde Park Road, 982-9304) offers a true escape plan, transporting visitors to the lush, watery bliss of a Japanese onsen. Book a massage, facial or other treatment, or just relax in one of the spa's secluded private tubs. (AS)
24. Ride the Rail Trail
With a new connection underneath busy St. Francis
Drive, Santa Fe's paved, scenic Rail Trail is the perfect
place for a long (or short, if you prefer) bike ride. For a rewarding
afternoon, start your ride at Second Street Brewery (1814
Second Street, 982-3030). Go as far as you want, then return the way you
came—cold beer and hot burgers will be waiting for you at the end. (AS)
25. Learn to fly
Sure, the Santa Fe Airport's direct flights are convenient for getting the hell out of Dodge in a hurry, but it's also a destination for another reason: flight school. Sierra Aviation (474-0774, sierraflying.com) offers an $80 "discovery flight" that includes 30 minutes of instruction followed by a 30-minute flight where you're at the controls—no experience necessary. They also do instruction for $50/hour and rent planes to already-certified pros. (AS)
26. Go barefoot in the park
Sometimes it's important to let yourself breathe. It's summer, it's hot, so go commando! Or at least take off your shoes, walk on the lush, green grass at Patrick Smith Park and dip your feet in the Santa Fe River. Who knows? There might even be water in there. (MRC)
27. Tennis, anyone?
It's called the "sport of a lifetime" because, truly, it is. Dust off the old racquets, open a new can of tennis balls, and hit the courts at Alto-Bicentennial Park (1043 Alto St.). If it's hot, visit the nearby public pool for a swim afterwards. Hell, it's almost like you just joined a country club. (AS)
28. Play golf (the hippie kind)
Since watering an entire golf course in the desert is, um—let's just go with totally unsustainable—we recommend you leave the clubs at home. Instead, pick up a Frisbee, a few friends and some brews, and head out to one of Santa Fe's many disc golf courses. Santa Fe Disc Golf just raised money to refurbish the city's oldest course, at Ashbaugh Park; New Mexico Disc Golf (nmdiscgolf.org) hosts a list of upcoming events. (AS)
29. Go to the Santa Fe Opera
Seriously, just go. Even if you hate opera (or know nothing about it), the SFO experience is so much more—fancified tailgating, amazing views, fabulous people-watching and overall a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Oh, yeah—and if you do like opera, SFO consistently pushes the envelope in terms of talent and innovation. This year, for instance, it hosts the world premiere of Oscar, an opera about Oscar Wilde. If that doesn't scream Santa Fe to you, maybe you took a wrong turn in Albuquerque. For season dates and tickets, visit santafeopera.org. (AS)
30. Patio sipping
Nothing says summer like a chilled cocktail sipped slowly on a sunny patio, and Secreto Bar at the Hotel St. Francis (210 Don Gaspar Ave., 983-5700) has perfected the ambiance—and the drinks. From classic cocktails to the famed smoked sage margarita, mixologist Chris Milligan is sure to mix up a craft cocktail to suit your summertime fancy. (AS)
31. Ice cream is for grown-ups, too
Actually, this particular ice cream is only for grown-ups. In a revamped cocktail menu that embraces all things summer, Coyote Café (132 W Water St., 983-1615)—the more refined cousin adjoining the Cantina of the same name—has put the talents of its mixologist and owner, Quinn Stephenson, to good use. We adore the Manhattan sorbet—a Manhattan, essentially, frozen into sorbet using liquid nitrogen ($16, available Fridays and Saturdays). It's the perfect combination of an adult drink with the childlike delight of an ice-cream cone. The mixologist amuse bouche—cucumbers "completely inundated with salted gin" ($6)—is also not to be missed. (AS)
32. He said, she said
If you've never submitted an Eavesdropper ("Overheard in Santa Fe") to the Reporter, quite frankly, you haven't truly lived in Santa Fe. Sure, this one's a little self-serving, but open your ears, and you'll be shocked, awed and occasionally delighted by the weird shit you hear around here. The Plaza can be an especially fruitful listening spot. Send eavesdroppers to firstname.lastname@example.com. (AS)
33. Soak up the sun
Sometimes, the sun shines so much here that we take it for granted. Don't! Slather on the sunblock, whip out your floppy hat, and catch some vitamin D at the Railyard Park (corner of Paseo de Peralta and Cerrillos Road). There's a pretty cool play area for kids, a beautiful garden (thanks, Railyard Stewards!) and, on weekends, farmers and artisan markets nearby. (AS)
34. …or the shade
One of our city's unsung beauties is Federal Park (corner of Washington Ave. and Paseo de Peralta), where towering trees shade soft grass to provide the perfect weekend reading or picnicking spot. (AS)
35. Get your art on
Santa Fe's art scene blooms in the summer. The Railyard district's contemporary galleries offer a creative counterpoint to Canyon Road's classic visual arts and Friday-night openings, and its cornerstone is one of our perennial favorites: SITE Santa Fe (1606 Paseo de Peralta, 989-1199, sitesantafe.org). This summer, SITE is doing what it does best: boldly going where no other galleries have gone before with The Pearl, a project by multimedia artist—though that hardly does him justice—Enrique Martínez Celaya. Celaya's "immersive installation environment" is slated to take over SITE's entire space starting July 13 and "includes several large and small-scale paintings, sculptures, video, waterworks and olfactory interventions." (AS)
36. Ride 'em, cowboy!
From June 19-22, the 64th Rodeo de Santa Fe (rodeodesantafe.org) comes to town. General admission costs $17 for adults and $10 for kids and seniors—a bargain for some of the best mutton-bustin', rodeo-clownin' and general cowboy-themed merriment this side of the Rio Grande. Thirsty for more? On Aug. 10-11, the Zia Regional Rodeo, sponsored by the nonprofit New Mexico Gay Rodeo Association (nmgra.com), combines the thrill of bronco riding with the good cause of equality. (AS)
37. Roll hard
If you've never been to a roller derby bout, well, 'tis the season to watch hardcore girls in rollerskates vie for dominance of a roller rink! Santa Fe's own Disco Brawlers face the Albuquerque Dooms Dames on Aug. 15; for more info on upcoming bouts, visit dukecityderby.com. (AS)


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Revised 1/18/07
I. The University has created a process for sending e-mail broadcast correspondence (as opposed to personal or confidential e-mails) to all employees. For those employees who do not have their own individual e-mail addresses, the correspondence will be sent to generic e-mail addresses monitored by the employees' departments for distribution to the employees. Otherwise it will
be sent to individual e-mail addresses.
A. E-mail administrators from various units will provide a one-time
load of e-mail addresses so IT can update HRS.
B. New employees (both faculty and staff) will be assigned an e-mail
address when they are hired so they will be included on HRS in the
future and will be made aware of the e-mail address and how to
update it in myUM. Department heads will submit forms requesting
e-mail addresses to appropriate e-mail administrators as part of
the hiring process for new employees, with a copy to the Faculty
Affairs Office or Human Resources, whichever is relevant. When
new faculty process their I-9 forms, they will be provided a copy of
these e-mail request forms and instructions about how to register
this address and their e-mail alias on myUM. Non-faculty will be
notified as part of new employee orientation. If appropriate,
department heads will also submit e-mail forms in conjunction with
inter-department transfers if the new employee needs to switch
e-mail systems. The system will be programmed to send e-mails
reminding supervisors to send paper work to terminate an e-mail
account when one of their employees leaves the University (and,
if necessary, to reassign responsibility for the generic e-mail
account described below).
C. Supervisor names will be added to the Human Resources System.
D. The University will promote the use of e-mail aliases as the primary
address used for University communications. Human Resources,
Information Technology, and unit heads will endeavor to have
employees routinely update myUM whenever they change e-mail
addresses (e.g., if they switch jobs, if their e-mail system is
discontinued, and, if appropriate, when they go on vacation).
E. E-mail communications will be sent to faculty and employees
who do not have an e-mail address on record using generic
e-mail addresses. Generic e-mail addresses will be assigned
to each unit and a designated person will be assigned
responsibility to check this generic e-mail address on a daily
basis. More specifically, each unit will be assigned an
"@miami.edu" alias that would direct e-mail to an ACTUAL UNIT
e-mail account that would reside on an e-mail system of choice
but must not be a personal account (to avoid unmonitored e-mail
when the designated person leaves the department). The
designated person would maintain this unit e-mail box or, using
the features of the selected e-mail application, forward the
messages to an account of choice (although this second method
could cause confusion when replying and forwarding.). The
division head will decide whether this generic e-mail address
will be assigned at the division or office level, and each unit head
will designate someone to monitor the e-mails sent to the generic
address and decide how to distribute them (e.g., print and provide
a separate copy to each person in the office who does not have
individual e-mail, circulate with a routing slip, or post on bulletin
IT has developed a mechanism by which e-mails sent to generic addresses will indicate who should receive them (i.e., a list of individuals in the department without their own e-mail addresses), which will facilitate distribution within the department.
Department heads are responsible for ensuring that responses are provided to any requests sent to a generic e-mail address (e.g., those generated by the department's Web page) just as they
are for requests sent via other media. They must also make sure that if the designated person leaves the department or is on vacation, someone else is assigned responsibility for monitoring e-mail sent to the generic address.
II. The University has created a policy for determining which e-mails are mandatory (sent to everyone in a target group) and which are optional. In addition, the "Subject" line of e-mails relating to official announcements (e.g., policies, deadlines, important University-wide news) begin with "Notice:" and be followed by a short description of the announcement. The "Subject" line of the e-mail for information or "promotional" purposes (e.g., events, awards) says "Info:" and is followed by a short description. The policy includes the following:
A. Mandatory e-mails will be sent to an entire employee category if
approved by the data custodian for that category (e.g., Human
Resources for employees, Provost's office for faculty, all categories
of employees if e-mail is from President's office). Third-party
information will be verified before sending.
B. Mandatory e-mails will be sent to all employees in their units
if approved by the unit head.
C. Mandatory e-mail to committees and other groups will be sent if
the committee chair creates a distribution list.
D. E-Veritas will go to everyone (and all other Exchange
announcements will be handled through e-Veritas instead of
via separate e-mails). E-Veritas will, for the immediate future,
continue to be a text-based e-mail with links to Web sites.
E. Web-based versions of important communications will be archived
indefinitely on the University's Web site so that there is a
permanent electronic record to which employees can refer at a
later time rather than having to print and file the e-mail
F. Opt-in distribution lists and announcements on the UM Web site
will be used for all non-mandatory e-mail communications. IT will
provide a Web page with a comprehensive list of opt-in distribution
lists for non-mandatory communications. Individuals who opt to
join a distribution list will receive an e-mail confirmation. New
voluntary distribution lists will be announced in e-Veritas
as they are created.
III. Information Technology has implemented the following process for distributing e-mail:
A. The long-term solution is a single broadcast to a master
distribution list of preferred e-mail addresses. This approach has
the advantage of avoiding redundancy and supporting generic
addresses more easily. The problems with this approach are that
distribution lists potentially produce a large volume of e-mails at
one time that could create problems for some systems and
networks and, until accurate e-mail records are on file for
everyone with e-mail accounts, a distribution list would not reach
everyone except via the generic e-mail route. A timed release of
a master distribution list might help solve volume problems, and
increasing the number of addresses on HRS and improving
accuracy would solve the coverage problem. This approach is
the preferred solution, although a transition to this approach
may take time.
B. In the short term (and the existing solution), IT will continue to
mail announcements to all e-mail administrators, who in turn will
send them to everyone on their own systems. Problems with this
approach include duplicate e-mails, lack of e-mail administrator
response (not forwarding messages in a timely manner), and
lack of e-mail administrator participation (not registering to
participate in this process). This approach does address
concerns with network traffic and e-mail systems performance.


text: The numbers are in and most data indicates that Nevada is making economic progress in recovering from the depths of the recession. The state's unemployment rate, while still high, is lower than it was a year ago, the housing market is up, and tourism numbers are slightly higher. This weak and prolonged recovery is taking its toll, but Nevadans – ever resilient – are hopeful … [Read more...]


text:
Exploding oven doors: Isolated incidents or greater safety concern?
SEATTLE -- Across the country, consumers are reporting sudden explosions in the kitchen.
The surprising source? The glass in the door of their gas or electric oven.
If they hadn't seen it for themselves, Susan and Dave Baker of Port Orchard still wouldn't believe it. The inside glass on their oven is fine, but all that's left of the outside glass is crumbling shards stuck inside the door frame.
"I was scared. Because I thought somebody had possibly broke into the house," Susan said.
It wasn't a break-in, but a blow-out. The couple says they came home in August to an explosion of glass all over the kitchen floor and an empty space where the outer glass should be. They say the 4-year old, $1,800 Frigidaire oven hadn't been used in days.
The Bakers are appalled that no one seems concerned, especially when other consumers report the same glass door explosions.
For Betty Chan of Vancouver, BC, it was the outer glass in the door of her Bosch oven. For Katie Andrews of Missouri, the outer glass in her Kenmore oven. Andrews said the oven hadn't been used all day.
The manufacturers each had similar reactions. Sears, which owns Kenmore, said it takes product safety issues very seriously. In earlier reports about Andrews' case, spokesman Larry Costello said a glass door can break as result of a micro-fracture. By email, Costello told the Problem Solvers, "This is not a safety concern - the tempered glass is designed to 'pebble.'"
Electrolux, which makes Frigidaire, said it too is serious about safety. By email, spokeswoman Eloise Hale said, "We take the safety of our products seriously and work diligently with industry regulators to ensure the glass used in oven doors is performing as expected."
Both Sears and Electrolux point out that the glass in all their ovens are in compliance with federal and industry safety standards. After being made aware of Betty Chan's case, Bosch agreed to investigate.
A check of oven door explosion complaints with the Consumer Product Safety Commission turned up dozens of incidents -- some with injuries -- involving many manufacturers.
Local appliance-repair experts say newer oven glass is more prone to fractures because it's not as sturdy as the glass in older models. And they say your chance of glass shattering really increases if you use the self-cleaning feature on new models, because of the extremely high heat. A number of the CPSC complaints online involved glass doors that shattered or exploded during the self-cleaning cycle.
Repair experts point out that the number of glass shattering cases is relatively small compared to the millions of ovens on the market. But, given the pages of federal incident reports, consumer who've dealt with the problem wonder why there have been no safety alerts.
"I don't understand how we weren't notified," Andrews said.
That's a question KOMO posed to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
"We take all incidents involving shattering glass seriously," a commission official said. "There are standards in place for consumer products that use glass which should lead to the glass breaking into nuggets and not shards, if the product shatters."
Turns out, as long as it shatters in "tempered nuggets," the oven glass meets safety standards.
So what can oven owners do? Both Sears and Electrolux offered up advice.
From Electrolux:
"We also recommend the consumers reference their owners manual for safety tips and care instructions on the doors. They are: Special Door Care Instructions - Most oven doors contain glass that can break. Read the following recommendations: 1. Do not close the oven door until all the oven racks are fully in place. 2. Do not hit the glass with pots, pans, or any other object. 3. Scratching, hitting, jarring or stressing the glass may weaken its structure causing an increased risk of breakage at a later time. "
From Sears:
"Within the first year of purchase, failure in the glass may be due to imperfections in the glass at installation and would be covered under the manufacturer's warranty. Breakage beyond the first year following purchase is most likely due to damage caused to the glass during use. Damage to the glass can be caused by a number of things including using the door to push in an oven rack or an object striking the glass-both examples may cause a weakness and lead to failure over time.
Some additional information which may be helpful is the reference to the glass pulled from our owner's manual. Owner's Manual, page 26: Special Door Care Instructions - Most oven doors contain glass. Glass can break. Read the following recommendations: 1. Do not close the oven door until all the oven racks are fully in place. 2. Do not hit the glass with pots, pans, or any other object. 3. Scratching, hitting, jarring or stressing the glass may weaken its structure causing an increased risk of breakage at a later time.
Beyond that, based on accounts from appliance-repair experts and consumer incident reports, if you have a newer model oven, avoid bumping the glass door with anything at any time. If your door has handles that loosen and need tightening, do not over-tighten the screws. And never slam the oven door closed.
And if your oven glass shatters, take multiple, clear pictures immediately. Then contact the manufacturer and file an incident report with the Consumer Product Safety Commission. If your oven in still under warranty, you'll likely get the glass replaced for free. If the warranty has expired, be prepared to pay for the repairs yourself.
And before you buy a new oven investigate consumer reviews, not just for the bells and whistles, but for repairs and complaints and how well those repairs are handled. You can also use the SaferProducts website to research incident reports about any product. While you're shopping, keep in mind that appliances, like any other product, have limited warranties and parts that wear out over time- as one customer service rep put it, even the glass in your oven door.


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PSP Wallpapers | PS3 Wallpapers
This is a Ashanti wallpaper. This Ashanti background can be used for your PS3 or other widescreen devices including a computer as long as the resolution matches. You can find several other widescreen wallpapers in our large selection of PS3 wallpapers, possibly including other Ashanti wallpapers and backgrounds.Short Link for PSP/PS3 Browser: http://www.psxextreme.com/s/381
| Ashanti Wallpaper | Ashanti Wallpaper |
Use this picture on your site or blog!


text:
These short explanatory pieces were written for the British Go Journal by Tony Atkins, who wrote "Recently I received a letter from a BGA member who had risen to nearly dan level, but confessed to knowing little about the Go scene in Japan and elsewhere in the far east. He was not clear on many things, for instance: "What's the difference between a Sensei, Gosei and Go Seigen?" Although the British Go Journal (BGJ) has often contained in-depth articles on various topics, it was claimed that there had not been anything such as a glossary for novices. This series will hopefully build up such a glossary and help prevent our player from being in the dark."
There is also an alphabetical index.


text:
I like it, but there's no status bar background in the photos app so pictures and time, battery, etc clash.
There's also an iOS 7 theme. Kinda fun!
Attachment 642365
Attachment 642364
Someone else is working on it but I have this so far
Still working on it though if I have time
[email protected]
Here's the wallpapers I've found:
I'm using this one as my Homescreen w/ Parallax & DeepEnd
I found this repo:
and it has everything in it. The only thing I disabled is the Lockscreen because this Lockscreen theme is a 'little' better.
The other theme's Lockscreens show the camera but they're off center from Grabby.
I also have a feeling the signal indicators are bigger than on iOS 7 but I might be wrong...
UPDATE: iOS 7 Bars & Battery has just been released. It looks 'to me' like a more accurate view of the signal size
UPDATE 2: I decided I wanted to try and make a theme for the Wifi and Data icons! This is my take on what might look good.
Here's the files. Place inside the Themes folder:
I'll submit to MMI soon!
UPDATE 1 Million: Actually, I just threw everything (Full UI, Icons, Lockscreen, Signals) into one theme folder so here ya go!
If I could change anything it would be the STU text to be lowercase and the arrows and STU text to be an overlay
Would anyone wanna help?


text:
And, of course, the fine print:
Get free shipping on your next order when you spend over $100. The discount will be automatically applied to your purchase; no promo code required. The subtotal of your purchase must be $100.01 or greater after any promotional discounts have been applied. Additional fees such as tax or shipping and handling do not apply toward your minimum subtotal requirement of $100.01. Offer applies to standard shipping only. Certain items that require additional shipping and handling are excluded from this promotion and do not apply towards your $100.01 subtotal minimum. Offer subject to change.
Smooth, citrusy with sweet hints of vanilla, this blood orange loose leaf tea blend is an
unbelievably refreshing brew. Naturally caffeine-free.
This product ships from the maker within 7 days, via USPS
Unused and unopened items may be returned within 14 days


text:
To begin, what is health care reform?
According to the White House's official site, HealthReform.gov, the Administration believes that comprehensive health care reform should accomplish the following:
To understand these goals and the terms used in the debate over how to achieve them, check out some of these user-friendly glossaries.
At the very root of the health care reform debate lies the issue of insurance: who needs it, how to improve it, and how to fund it.
One goal of healthcare reform is to improve current systems of insurance by mandating insurance providers to do the following:
As it stands now, more than 30 million American citizens are uninsured. Therefore, another proposal of the reform plan is to set up a "public option" healthcare system which would be a federally funded insurance program that any citizen can access and buy into, regardless of age, employment, or pre-existing conditions.
Ideally, the low-cost government program would compete with existing insurance companies in order to drive costs down and quality of care up in pre-existing insurance programs.
There's no doubt that health care reform is a hot-button issue. There are a lot of claims made on all sides of the debate. If you're having trouble separating the fact from the fiction, check out the Health Truth-O-Meter on PolitiFact.com, a Pulitzer Prize-winning political fact-checking website.
Follow the links below to find Missouri's federal legislators' positions and to contact them with your own questions and comments.
Find this article at


text:
Shoulder injury lingers, but Wong back from DL
ST. LOUIS -- Kolten Wong battled to play through a shoulder injury for more than a week in June, and it appears that battle could linger the remainder of the season.
The good news for Wong, who was activated from the disabled list on Sunday, is that the shoulder has improved enough to allow him to produce and return to the field.
"I wouldn't say it's 100 percent, but it's pretty close," the Cardinals second baseman said. "I'm able to finish my swing now without any pain and kind of get back to where I was before I got hurt."
Wong jammed his left shoulder into the ground on a diving play June 3 and missed four of the next five games, before ultimately fighting through the injury to remain on the field.
During a span of 10 games after the injury, though, Wong went 2-for-30. The pinching in his shoulder worsened to the point of him not being able to finish swings and sitting out batting practice before going on the DL June 21.
"I wanted to try to push the pain and keep pushing, but it got to a point where it was really affecting my play," Wong said. "I felt like this was just the best way to go."
Wong had two cortisone shots in his shoulder -- one in the front and one in the back -- shortly after going on the DL. He went 5-for-11 in three rehab starts at Triple-A Memphis before being activated Sunday, with outfielder Shane Robinson being optioned to Triple-A.
"It's never going to be back to normal," Wong said. "You play 100-something games, your shoulder is never really going to feel good. It feels great right now. I've been swinging the bat and finishing my swing without any pain."
In 15 games dating back to the start of May before injuring his shoulder, Wong was 18-for-57 with eight runs scored and 10 RBIs. He was back at second base Sunday for the series finale against the Marlins.
"Part of the game at this level is you've got to push," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "That's part of the beauty and the challenge of this game is to not just play 162 [games], but figuring out how to make it through when the majority of time you don't feel good."
Alex Halsted is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
Holland to make another rehab start Sunday
ARLINGTON -- The Rangers have yet to name a starting pitcher for Sunday's series finale against the Royals, but don't count on it being left-hander Derek Holland.
Holland is scheduled to make his sixth rehab start with Triple-A Round Rock in Las Vegas on Sunday. He pitched five-plus innings for Round Rock on Tuesday, allowing two earned runs on seven hits while striking out seven and walking three in his longest rehab outing yet. Holland has missed all of this season while rehabbing from left knee surgery.
"Right now, he's pitching in Las Vegas," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "We'll see how we get through the next two days against the Royals and we'll see who's pitching on Sunday."
Washington has Miles Mikolas slated to start Monday's series opener against the Mariners, followed by fellow right-hander Nick Martinez on Tuesday, allowing them both to pitch on five days' rest. When Holland will make his season debut has yet to be determined.
"We'll let Holland do what he's got to do in Vegas and then we'll make that decision," said Washington.
Christian Corona is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Jets coach Rex Ryan has a big mouth. He talks a lot, brags a lot, jokes a lot. Some say he's full of hot air. What do we say? We love Rex! Where's the fun in the same, old boring quotes and tired cliches? At least Ryan has personality, a little charisma. Think of Muhammad Ali. He floated like a butterfly, stung like a bee and talked faster than an auctioneer. He was the greatest. He told us so. Today's 2C is dedicated to those who have followed in Ali's footsteps and made sports what they are — fun. Here's a look at our favorite, most charismatic, most entertaining personalities in the sports world right now.
Rex Ryan
Many want to criticize the Jets coach for his swagger and tough talk. But be honest, who would you rather listen to, Ryan or Patriots coach Bill Belichick? Besides, Ryan's trash talk is playful stuff, and he takes as many shots at himself as the other guy. When the game is over, he flashes a smile and essentially says he was just clowning around. He showed an impressive display of profanity skills during the HBO series Hard Knocks. But before you criticize, know this: His players love him. Look at it this way: NFL games are played once a week. We need something to keep us interested during the other six days. Ryan keeps us interested.
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaq is one of the best basketball players of all time, but what we love about him is he doesn't take himself too seriously. He is extremely fan friendly, often giving away tickets and gear through Twitter. He'll tell fans to show up at a certain spot at a certain time, and he will appear, handing out T-shirts. Once, he tweeted that in one hour, he was going to be in Boston's Harvard Square to pose for photos with anyone who showed up. Sure enough, an hour later, O'Neal arrived and stood like a statue while fans climbed on him and had their pictures taken. How cool is that? And we like how he has a new nickname — Shaq Fu, Big Diesel, The Big Aristotle, The Big Daddy, The Big Shamrock — every week.
Ted Leonsis
When you have a few free moments, do yourself a favor and check out the blog of the Capitals and Wizards owner. Ted's Take, found at TedsTake.com, is constantly updated (sometimes as often as five times a day) with Leonsis' quick thoughts of the moment. It can be movies, the Internet (he's a former president of American Online), politics or music. But it's mostly his way of talking to the fans about his teams. One recent post about the Capitals read, "I hear it when you boo. I read your e-mails. I empathize. I understand. But still we have 57 points to date and we are fifth in the East and tied for first in the division. It could be worse. It should be better. But enjoy a win. Thank you.'' Another about the Capitals was brutally honest: "To be frank, our youngest and first-year players are our best players right now. It is odd to see our core players being so unproductive.'' What other owner communicates to the fans like that?
Charles Barkley
The former NBA star has turned into a superstar broadcaster because of how unaffected he is on the air. You get the feeling he doesn't even realize the cameras are turned on or he's even on television. He doesn't have a shtick. There's nothing fake or premeditated about his style. He just talks. Along the way, he really doesn't always care about grammar or the censors or whom he offends. That's why we love him so much. He has no agenda other than telling people what he honestly believes. Plus, for as carefree as he is, he actually makes sensible points and does it in a funny manner. Heck, he's one of our favorites just because when he says "terrible," it comes out as "tuuurible.''
Floyd Mayweather
If you're going to talk trash, you have to do two things: back it up and be funny. No one backs it up better than Mayweather, who has never lost in 41 professional fights. And this is funny: Before fighting Ricky Hatton in 2007, "Pretty Boy" Floyd said, "When I retire, I'll get Ricky Hatton to wash my clothes and cut my lawn and buckle my shoes. Ricky Hatton ain't nothing but a fat man. I'm going to punch him in his beer belly. He ain't good enough to be my sparring partner." Not only is that hilarious, Mayweather knocked out Hatton in the 10th round. But then he showed class after the fight by calling Hatton one of the toughest fighters he ever faced. We'd like Mayweather even more if he would get into the ring with Manny Pacquiao, but he's still our favorite trash-talker.
Don Cherry
The legendary analyst of Hockey Night in Canada might be the most politically incorrect sports broadcaster of all time. It's a small miracle he has managed to keep his job for 30 years at Hockey Night. Cherry, 75, has lobbed verbal bombs at French Canadians, Europeans, Americans and anyone he doesn't deem a manly man. In Cherry's mind, the media is made up of a bunch of "liberal pinkos," and anyone who disagrees with him, especially about fighting in hockey, is just plain wrong. He believes in three things: God, Canada and Bobby Orr. Sooner or later, every person watching him will be offended by something he says. But if you get beyond the blustery personality and wild suits, you will find two things: He is highly entertaining, and he is an old softie. Each week on his must-see "Coaches' Corner'' segment, Cherry chokes up talking about a Canadian solider killed overseas or a young child battling some life-threatening disease. At those moments, you realize what a treasure he is.
Chad Ochocinco
The dude changed his name to a number … in Spanish … and it's not even the proper Spanish word for 85. The Bengals receiver has taken trash talk to another, more imaginative level. He once posted on the wall outside the visitors locker room a new NFL policy that made it illegal for him to be covered one on one. The policy was put in place "for the safety of embarrassment to all defensive backs.'' Another time, he sent a case of Maalox to a defensive back because he knew the opponent had an upset stomach worrying about covering Ochocinco. Another time, he sent deodorant to a team's secondary because it stunk. You have to admit, that's better than, "Your mother wears Army boots!''
Brian Wilson
Can we admit something? The Giants closer frightens us a little bit. He is baseball's version of Christopher Walken (right). We're not sure if he is being funny or the men in the white coats are about to haul him off to the mental hospital. Those who have seen his sidekick, The Machine — the leather-hooded, chain-wearing man who resembles The Gimp from Pulp Fiction — know what we're talking about. That might be the most bizarre thing we've ever seen from an athlete. It's either really funny or really scary. Throw in the Mohawk haircut, long, dyed beard and the fact he was the lights-out closer for the world champions, and you have one of the most mesmerizing figures in sports. Just don't let him get too close to us.
Brian Wilson
Can we admit something? The Giants closer frightens us a little bit. He is baseball's version of Christopher Walken. We're not sure if he is being funny or the men in the white coats are about to haul him off to the mental hospital. Those who have seen his sidekick, the Machine — the leather-hooded, chain-wearing man who resembles The Gimp from Pulp Fiction — know what we're talking about. That might be the most bizarre thing we've ever seen from an athlete. It's either really funny or really scary. Throw in the Mohawk haircut, long, dyed beard and the fact he was the lights-out closer for the world champions, and you have one of the most mesmerizing figures in sports. Just don't let him get too close to us.


text:
Regardless of popularity or industry impact, these devices claim the best design, the most-compelling features and the overall most impressive value among all the hundreds of mainstream tech products released in 2012.
Samsung Galaxy S III
The good: The Samsung Galaxy S III comes fully loaded with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, 4G LTE/HSPA+ 42 capability, a zippy dual-core processor and a strong 8-megapixel camera. The bad: The Galaxy S3's screen is too dim, and Samsung's Siri competitor, S Voice, disappointed us.
Apple iPhone 5
The good: The iPhone 5 adds everything we wanted in the iPhone 4S: 4G LTE, a longer, larger screen, free turn-by-turn navigation and a faster A6 processor. The bad: Apple Maps feels unfinished and buggy; Sprint and Verizon models can't use voice and data simultaneously. The smaller connector renders current accessories unusable without an adapter. The screen size pales in comparison with jumbo Android models.
Google Nexus 7
The good: The Nexus 7 features a sharp screen, a comfortable design and great battery life at a low starting price. Android 4.2 adds some welcome and useful features. The bad: Android still needs more tablet-optimized apps, and HSPA+ speeds seem particularly location-dependent.


text:
On concussion DL, Salty resumes baseball activities
ARLINGTON -- A concussion has kept Jarrod Saltalamacchia out of the lineup since June 1. But the Marlins catcher is getting closer to getting back into action.
Saltalamacchia was cleared to participate in baseball activities. At the team's complex at Jupiter, Fla., the switch-hitting catcher took 25 swings from the left and right sides on Tuesday. He also played catch and rode the stationary bike.
"He will be on a day-to-day progression, to make sure he doesn't have any symptoms come back, and no headaches, or anything like that," manager Mike Redmond said. "As far as his timeframe, I don't know. It kind of depends on how he feels and progresses through the baseball activities."
The Marlins placed their catcher on the seven-day concussion DL on June 1. He can remain on that status for 14 days. If he needs more time that that, he would be transferred to the 15-day DL.
Jeff Mathis started behind the plate for Miami on Tuesday at Texas.
Joe Frisaro is a reporter for MLB.com. He writes a blog, called The Fish Pond. Follow him on Twitter


text:
New York City, New York, U.S.A.
Athens, Ohio, U.S.A.
San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country, U.S.A.
Barcelona, Spain
Kronshagen, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S.A.
Davis, California, U.S.A.
Melbourne, Australia
Istanbul, Turkey
Farmgirl's Farm, Missouri, U.S.A.
On the farm at Farmgirl Fare, Susan is telling us how she manages to grow and harvest turnips all year round. Don't miss this if you're interested in gardening! She also gives some ideas for using every part of the turnip, from the baby bulbs to the greens.
Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A.


text:
22 Dec 2012 at 23:56
In der dunklen Stadt
With Flat Pat
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text:
'"It was a tough time there for me for about a month when I didn't see any ice time," Butler said. "I give a lot of credit to [assistant coach] James Patrick and [player development coach] Kevyn Adams, who were real helpful to me. [Patrick] told me he went through the same thing and if you look at the career that he had, it can happen to anybody."'
You are here: Home / SabresBeat / Young Sabres' defensemen "Great, real good, excellent'


text:
Child Care Assistance Policies: At a Pivot Point
Oct 23, 2013
By Stephanie Schmit
The National Women's Law Center's (NWLC) annual report on child care assistance policies, released today, finds that states are at a pivot point as they make important decisions to build on their subsidy systems. The report finds that families are better off under one or more key child care assistance policies than they were last year in 27 states; however, in 24 states, families are doing worse. State policymakers play a key role in determining families' access to child care assistance.
Key findings from the report include:
- Nineteen states have waiting lists for child care assistance in 2013, a decrease from 23 states in 2012.
- Only three states pay rates at the federally recommended level (75th percentile of current market rates), a sharp decline from 2001 when 22 states had rates at the recommended level.
- The income eligibility limit was above 100 percent of the federal poverty level ($19,530 a year for a family of three) in all states in 2013. A family with an income above 150 percent of poverty ($29,295 a year for a family of three) could not qualify for child care assistance in 14 states. A family with an income above 200 percent of poverty ($39,060 a year for a family of three) could not qualify for assistance in 38 states.
- In eight states, copayments for a family of three at 150 percent of poverty increased as a percentage of income between 2012 and 2013.
- Forty-six states allowed families receiving child care assistance to continue receiving it while a parent searched for a job in 2013, the same as in 2012.
Whether state child care assistance policies will pivot in a positive or negative direction is ultimately unknown and will depend on many factors. With uncertainty at the federal level due to sequestration, the recent government shutdown, and looming budget battles, state policy choices are more important than ever. But states need support from the federal government. If we can get past the Congressional stalemate and invest in those programs that help low-income families succeed economically, we may just be able to pivot in the right direction.


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ONTARIO — In honor of the awardees of Soroptimist International signature programs, four local clubs will hold their 20th annual Have a Heart Banquet on April 25 at the DoubleTree Hotel, 222 N. Vineyard Ave., Ontario.
Cocktails are at 6 p.m. with dinner at 6:45 p.m.
The club's Ruby award honors women who are working to improve the lives of women and girls through their professional or personal activities. This year's awardees are Peggy Stapleton from SI of Chino Valley; April May of SI of the Foothills; Lucy Valencia of SI Baldy View; and Deputy District Attorney Tamara Ross from SI Chino Hills/Inland Empire.
The Violet Richardson award, given to girls between 14 and 17 to recognize their commitment to volunteerism, will go to Tracy Huddleston from Baldy View; Tailor MacLellan of Chino Hills/Inland Empire; Eunice Seon of Chino Valley; and Hannah Scheenstra from SI of the Foothills.
To assist women who are a head of household who are going back to school to further their education, Soroptimist International has made the Women's Opportunity Award their signature international program.
This year's awardees are Gorgina Barahona from SI Chino Hills/Inland Empire; Regina Ray of Chino Valley; Jani Kopman from the Foothills; and Gabriella Carbona from the Baldy View club.
Soroptimist International is a service organization that seeks to improve the lives of women and girls in their communities and throughout the world.
Tickets are still available for $35. Information: Diane Tomesett at firstname.lastname@example.com, or Therry Hansen at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Hey everyone,
I was at an auction yesterday, and got a good deal on a pair of chest waders. They are all rubber with nice boot type feet. They are in perfect condition. The foot size is an 8, and they should fit a 7 or 9 as well. I would like $20 for them, and that includes shipping. You could find a lot of discs with these! Normal price is $50-$70 + shipping for waders like these.


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SHEPHERDSVILLE — If funding continues to fall for education, officials must find other ways to generate revenue.
In Bullitt County, a pair of unlikely sources have returned thousands of dollars to the coffers.
One is an on-going savings while another is present only when the opportunity arises.
Kimberly Joseph, the district's energy coordinator, said that in the past year, conservation measures, as well as steps taken to improve efficiency, saved Bullitt County taxpayers nearly $500,000 in utility costs.
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WikiShared.com was created for and by a diverse set of Internet junkies who want wasting time to be more than just a waste of time. Through highly shareable video, trending news, and listicles, Distractify draws over 30 million people away from something boring (like waiting for the bus), tedious (like doing homework) or pointless (like every conference call) each month.
The Internet was supposed to open doors to new ideas. But too often it's the opposite.
The internet often narrows our world instead of broadening it. And fills it with a waterfall of empty stories that drown out the ones that matter most. But sometimes a story opens a door to a new and better world. It might make you feel surprised, happy, inspired, motivated, even sad. But it's those stories that give us what we're missing. They connect us with each other. They are rocket fuel for empathy. They change our hearts, our minds and sometimes even, the world.
Wikishared tells those stories and helps them break through. Stories that are worth your time - and that make the world a better place.
According to what you are looking for, we also share other information that you can still find below. Thus this information, Hopefully This site helps you to find the information you are looking for right now. Below are some articles related to at


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A KEEN supporter of St Richard's Hospice has walked the length of the Birmingham to Worcester canal in memory of his late wife, who was cared for by the charity before her death.
Bill Richardson, aged 65 from St Peter's, Worcester, said: "My late wife Brenda was cared for so well in St Richard's in-patient unit. The nurses and doctors were wonderful and always made sure that Brenda was comfortable and that other family members were ok."
He added, "I am pleased to be able to help the hospice continue with their wonderful caring work, and would encourage anyone considering this year's Waterways Walk to take the plunge – it really is a spectacular walk and a great feeling of achievement."
Mr Richardson was joined on the 30-mile sponsored walking challenge with his brother-in-law, Mike Kavanagh, from Middlesbrough, and they managed to raise £2000 for a cause very dear to their hearts.
The total includes a £750 donation from Mr Richardson's former employer, Barclays Bank.
Sr Richard's Hospice, in Wildwood Rive, Worcester, looked after Mrs Richardson before her death, in 2012.
Mr Richardson is a fund manager for the Severn Waste Environmental Fund, and he began supporting St Richard's many years ago, long before his wife was diagnosed with cancer.
Among many fundraising challenges he has taken part in over the years, Bill has completed the 31 mile Worcestershire Way Walk and the 21 mile circular Waterways Walk.
Mr Richardson said: "We thoroughly enjoyed the recent canal hike and were lucky enough to have very good weather. A walk along this canal passes through interesting scenery, including both town and countryside, which kept us going although the last ten miles seemed a lot longer and really tested our resolve."
St Richard's Hospice provides free specialist palliative care for patients living with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses and supports their families. Each year the hospice team supports over 2,400 patients and family members in Worcestershire.
Patients are cared for in Day Hospice, the 17-bed In-patient Unit or in their own homes by a specialist professional team as well as many trained volunteers.


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One charming aspect of the Gerrit Noordzij Prize is the design of the award itself. By tradition, it's something created by the current prize holder, and presented to the incoming awardee. Past winners have used the occasion to create something that not only encapsulates their own work in some personal way, but postulates some connection to the interests of the next designer in succession. Erik Spiekermann, winner of the 2003 award, presented the above to our own Tobias Frere-Jones in 2006: it's a witty rendering of his twentieth-century Meta typeface, produced in the distinctly nineteenth-century technology of wood type. As a gift to a type designer whose work regularly engages with historical form, I thought it was especially poignant.
The set was made by Scott Polzen, who began exploring the resurrection of wood typemaking while still a student. His latter-day wood types are lovely artifacts, cut from cherry and finished with sandpaper and file, as Polzen explained in an essay in Letterspace, a journal of The Type Directors' Club. As intriguing as the how of this project is the why: "I've come to understand," Polzen writes, "that my real motivation for this project was to gain a greater sense of participation in the culture of reading and writing: making wood type forced me to think quite literally about how the written word works." I thought this sentiment nicely echoed Noordzij's own philosophy about the primacy of written, not printed, words; it makes Polzen's connection to the award even more apt.
Wim Crouwel will receive the 2009 Gerrit Noordzij Prize on Friday, when we'll have the first photographs of the award that Tobias designed for him. I will miss seeing it around our office. —JH


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White Sox riding big home runs to victories
CHICAGO -- To characterize the White Sox as solely a home run-based offense is a bit of a misnomer.
But this team does seem to win the games where the hitters deliver game-changing home runs. Take a look at Chicago's 10 victories from the 2013 season entering Saturday night's contest as examples.
Win 1: Tyler Flowers' solo homer serves as the only run in a 1-0 victory against the Royals.
Win 2: Adam Dunn, Dayan Viciedo and Flowers all hit solo homers in knocking out Kansas City's Ervin Santana.
Win 3: Alex Rios' two-run homer off of Felix Hernandez gives the White Sox the lead.
Win 4: Vicideo hits a walk-off 10th-inning blast off of the Mariners' Kameron Loe.
Win 5: Paul Konerko's two-run homer off of Brett Myers erases a 1-0 Indians' lead and helps the White Sox end a five-game losing streak.
Win 6: Konerko's seventh-inning homer off of Josh Johnson ties the game after the Blue Jays took the lead in the previous half-inning.
Win 7: Flowers' three-run shot off of J.A. Happ in the second gets the White Sox going.
Win 8: A two-run homer from Rios in the fifth gives the White Sox a three-run advantage over Cleveland starter Zach McAllister.
Win 9: Dunn gives the White Sox breathing room with a two-run drive in the sixth off of Jeremy Hellickson.
Win 10: An unlikely trio of Hector Gimenez, Tyler Greene and Conor Gillaspie all go deep, with Greene's homer giving the White Sox control after trailing 3-0.
Like it or not, the home run is a staple of the White Sox attack.
"That's not a knock against our team. We've got plenty of guys in this lineup capable of hitting 20-plus home runs," White Sox starter Jake Peavy said. "We've got to tighten up and score any which way we can, but we are a good team, and we win and we play with the best teams in baseball when we run into some long balls and pitch the way we are capable of pitching.
"If you watched us play last year, that's really what we do. We seem to win when we hit the ball out of the ballpark."
Those home runs increase as the weather warms up at U.S. Cellular Field, as it has this weekend, meaning the White Sox pitchers also have to be on alert. Chicago's success also is predicated on strong efforts from the men on the mound, with solid defense behind them.
"This team, when you look at it, we are built on pitching and defense, and we got some guys who are -- throughout the lineup -- who do damage," Peavy said. "They have to do damage for us to score runs and win, and they will, especially when the weather warms up."
Scott Merkin is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Merk's Works, and follow him on Twitter @scottmerkin. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Join us Oct. 27-28 for the Reformation Festival at Luther Seminary.
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With Luther Seminary's Distributed Learning (DL) program, you can pursue an M.Div. from virtually anywhere. Learn at your own pace and participate in a cohort of up to 25 students. Here's how it works:
M. Div. DL students complete their curriculum by taking two-thirds of the courses online and the remaining one-third through two-week intensives held on campus each January and June. The basic rhythm of the academic year for M.Div. DL students includes:
Though students in the M.Div. DL program study part-time, the coursework is still demanding. We invite you to use the following formula to determine the time commitment necessary for each semester.
By embracing community life with intention and authenticity, M.Div. DL students develop vibrant relationships with fellow cohort members, holding one another accountable spiritually, relationally, and academically. Supported by colleagues in your cohort and in your local community, you will develop your pastoral identity and imagination.
Though you will enjoy living on-campus for only short periods of time, you will find yourself engaged by the following community experiences:
Just like our on-campus M. Div. program, these program components are also included in the DL program:
One of the unique things Luther Seminary offers is the possibility for students to attain a concentration while pursuing a M.Div. degree. At Luther, six concentrations are offered which include:
Concentration in Old Testament
Concentration in New Testament
Concentration in History of Christianity
Concentration in Systematic Theology
Concentration in Children, Youth and Family (CYF)
Concentration in Congregational Missional Leadership (CML)
Essentially, pursuing a concentration entails students choosing to concentrate their electives in either CYF or CML. If you have any questions about M.Div. concentrations, please contact Admissions at firstname.lastname@example.com.
2016-2017 course catalog


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The main reason I — and I assume most other people — wanted to attend the Dallas "tour premiere" of Blue Man Group was the answer that burning question: "Just what the hell is Blue Man Group anyway?"
I still couldn't tell you.
It wasn't just that the most exciting that happened during the debut performance at the Winspear Opera House was an audience member who seemed to have a heart attack midshow; it's that all the drumming, New Age music, lame comedy, overwrought technology, strobe lighting and wannabe magic, filtered through the conceit (apparently) that the Blue Men are extraterrestrials learning about earth culture innocently, is at once too much and not enough. E.T. — stay home.
The problem is, if your show is too outre to fit into a genre — and I'm not saying every show must — then what you do had better be done well. It was distracting how, during a long sequence involved over-sized iPhones, you could see the cast members in costume behind the scenes long before they were to make their entrances. A show like this is about surprises; if you don't surprise me, if you're sloppy in your execution, you fail.
The nature of the show is in some ways an elaborate social experiment — an attempt at groupthink with entertainment values thrown in. But beyond improvised artwork (which, admittedly, gives legitimacy to the importance of buying non-toxic paints) and gags with marshmallows and jokes about plumbing, I just don't get it. Max Headroom was a fascinating fad 20 years ago; Blue Man Group should have faded with it.


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My girlfriend of five years wanted nothing more than a
marriage proposal and an engagement ring.
What she got instead was a 1972 36' Gibson fixer upper. Fortunately for
me, she comes from a houseboating family, so she enjoyed the gift. We love
spending quality time together `floatin' & boatin' around the Cincinnati,
OH riverfront. I'm sure wedding bells
are in our future but for now we're too busy for all that stuff. We've got a
Prior Engagement.
Mike Vasseur
Erlanger, Ky.
© 2017 Houseboat® Magazine | Published by Harris Publishing, Inc.


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" Address: Round Coppice Road / Stansted CM24 1SF / United Kingdom "
I recently flew to Austria from Stansted Airport and as I am currently living about 4 hours drive from London I decided to stay at the Hilton Stansted for one night so that I would be able to get to the airport in time.
When looking for a Stansted Airport hotel I compared a few prices online and they mostly seemed to be roughly similar. The two cheapest ones I found were Travelodge and the Hilton. I chose the Hilton because they have a swimming pool which I could use while hanging around there in the afternoon and evening before my flight. I paid £65.40 for a double room and breakfast.
=== Location and Airport Proximity===
The hotel is extremely conveniently located for Stansted Airport. The address is Round Coppice Road
London Stansted Airport, Stansted, England CM24 1SF and it was very easy to find it as it was basically the first thing we saw when following the signs into Stansted. We also put the postcode into the sat nav and had no problems at all.
There is a large car park there, and you can have one hour of parking for free. This was sufficient for me to be dropped off. If you want long stay parking while you're on holiday then I assume there is a charge for this but as I didn't use it I can't say how much.
It is very close to the airport and the hotel offers a shuttle bus, which leaves twice every hour. To reach the airport building it only took about 5 to 10 minutes at the most. There is a separate small charge of £2 to use this shuttle bus. I didn't really mind paying this as £2 is not really going to break the bank but I did hear a couple of people moaning that they had to pay it! The bus has plenty of space for suitcases and luggage as they obviously realise that everyone will have stuff with them.
Despite being so close to the airport, I did not really hear any airport noises or overhead planes or anything while I was in the hotel. I wasn't disturbed in the slightest and I only really thought about this when I was leaving and waiting for the bus, when I saw a low flying plane overhead and it occured to me that I had not even heard anything!
=== Reception and Service ===
Check in is supposed to be from 3 pm according to the information I got when I booked, but I ended up getting there over an hour earlier as I had been given a lift to the hotel. The receptionist allowed me to check in straight away as she found a room available, so I was pleased with that. The service was friendly and polite.
In the evening I rang reception from the phone in the room just to check when the check out time was, and the person I spoke to was also extremely polite and gave me the info immediately.
There was a survey about the stay in the room which I filled in as I thought I might as well, since I didn't really have anything better to do, and I was surprised to get a personal email back a few days later thanking me for my feedback and telling me that one of my answers (about a bedside lamp being broken) would be passed on. I thought this was good customer service and was more than I had expected!
=== Bedroom ===
The room was pretty much what I was expecting. I would say it was quite a standard hotel room, being fairly spacious but without having anything fancy in it. The room was very clean and neat, with crisp white bedding.
One thing I did really appreciate was that there was a fairly large desk area, as sometimes hotels only have small side tables and nowhere to work or write. I had to do some work to prepare English lessons for my classes that I would be teaching for two weeks at a summer camp, so I appreciated having some desk space to spread papers out and work without feeling too cramped.
There was a TV mounted onto the wall which provided free TV channels as well as pay per view entertainment. I only watched the free TV and this was fine, but there was a slightly long winded menu to go through to get it.
There are menus in the room providing information on food which is available to order to the room, most of it for 24 hours a day. Some of the prices were a bit expensive for what the food was, but there was a good choice and most of it looked quite nice. I didn't order anything from it. There was also a bottle of mineral water on the table, but this was labelled as being £3.95. Free teas (a few varieties), coffee, hot drinks making facilities and biscuits were in the room as I was satisfied with that.
Other facilities provided in the room were a hair drier, which was okay but very small and not really powerful, an alarm clock (which I didn't use as I had my phone), a landline, Bible, notebook and pen...
=== Bathroom ===
The bathroom was also quite typical - nice, clean and fresh but nothing really out of the ordinary.
I had a shower over the bath as well as a large wash basin. The shower was fairly powerful and the temperature was easy to control.
There were plenty of fresh white towels and information stating that towels left on the floor will be removed and cleaned, whereas if they are hung up you are assumed to want to use them again, as with a lot of hotels to save water.
Toiletries were also provided, including a shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, face soap and shower gel. Oddly they didn't actually provide a hand soap, so I had to wash my hands using either the shower gel or face soap (which was a solid bar). The toiletries are all from Peter Thomas Roth, as he was commissioned to design some products especially for all Hilton Hotels about a year or so ago. I wasn't keen on the shampoo as it left my hair really dry and frizzy. I didn't use the conditioner as I had my own Aussie one with me so I gave it away. The shower gel was really nice and smelled gorgeously refreshing. It had little beads in it which pop when rubbed into the skin. The face soap and body lotion were quite nice too.
There was hardly any toilet paper in my room - the end of the roll had been folded into a point so clearly someone had checked it, but hadn't thought to give another roll even though it was nearly empty! There were also tissues in a dispenser on the wall and I used quite a few of these as I had a cold. The tissus were 1 ply and quite rough, so after using a few they really irritated my skin.
=== General Hotel Facilities ===
WIFI Internet is available in the reception, but to use it in your room you have to buy a data package. I did not use this as I didn't have my laptop with me but I did think it would have been nice to have free WIFI in the room! Still, at least with it being freely available in the lobby that is better than nothing.
The hotel has a gym and swimming pool. I used the pool in the afternoon. There is one "large" pool as well as a jacuzzi and a smaller pool area for young children. There is also a sauna. I put inverted commas around the large, as the pool was much smaller than I had hoped for! I wasn't expecting an Olympic sized pool, but this one was a little bit disappointing as it was shallow everywhere, so wherever I was in the pool I was able to stand up. The length of it was also pretty short, so it was a case of swimming a few lengths and then nearly needing to turn around again, giving the feeling of a big fish swimming in a little goldfish bowl! Still, I did appreciate the fact that they had a pool at all as at least it gave me something to do. It was not massively busy, but a few people did come in while I was in there. Due to the small size, the pool feels very cramped once you have 4 or 5 people in it.
I was disappointed and really surprised to see that the changing rooms for the pool were completely open and communal. I haven't encountered changing rooms like that for years! All pools and gyms I go to have cubicles, which is what I regard as the norm. I am not really comfortable with communal nudity in a changing room, and considering this is a pool at an airport which is obviously going to have people from different countries and cultures I think they should be more understanding of the fact that different people are going to have very different attitudes to getting changed in public and they should provide some cubicles. I did get changed there as I didn't have much choice. Lockers are provided and you need a coin for this (can't remember the amount but I think a £1 coin).
=== Breakfast ===
The breakfast is served from very early in the morning for those with early flights and goes on until much later in the morning. It is not included in the room price, so when you reach the dining room someone will check your room number.
It is a typical buffet style but there is a small level of service, such as a waiter will ask if you want tea, coffee, juice etc and bring some over. The buffet includes the usual full English cooked breakfast, including vegetarian options along with the usual bacon and sausages. There are hash browns, beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, various eggs etc. You can also get pancakes cooked freshly for you. At the cold part there is plenty of cereal, pastries, fruit, toast, bread rolls, muffins and the usual items. You can top up your own fresh juice as much as you want too. I liked everything that I tried from the breakfast and I definitely think it was worth paying for it, as I think I added about £6 to my bill to get the breakfast and I definitely got my value for money when you consider a coffee, juice and a pastry in the airport at the likes of Costa would cost that much if not more, and at the breakfast buffet I ate more to fill myself up because I would miss lunch.
=== Overall ===
It is not exactly a luxury hotel but if you are flying from Stansted Airport and you need somewhere to stay then I would have no problem in recommending this.
The service, rooms, food and facilities and good and I was pretty much satisfied with everything. The main annoyances were that the pool is so shallow and the changing room is communal, but at least the hotel had swimming which is more than the other airport hotels at Stansted could offer.
This hotel is fantastic. I have never been in a hotel better (apart from the Radisson SAS hotel at Stansted). This hotel is really moden and looks extremely nice from the inside and outside. It's in a very good location, you can see the planes take-off out of the window, but they are not too close so you can't sleep at night. Busses run regualy to the terminal building at Stansted from right outside the front doors of the hotel and only take 10 minutes. I have stayed a night in the Hilton Hotel at Stansted twice and both times were excellent, the room was very clean and tidy on arrival both times and one of the best things about this hotel is that you can never get bored here, partly because of the swimming pool. The breakfasts are very good quality and the breakfast room in this hotel is not cramped at all. This hotel ticks all the boxes. I highly recommend this hotel if you want good quality and price and a brilliant start or end to your holiday!