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PAULA Walker is convinced she's witnessed a miracle as she and partner John Jackson both drive for glory in Sochi.
Paxcroft Mead pilot Walker admits she had her doubts over whether Jackson would be joining her on the plane to Sochi, when the Great Britain number one men's driver ruptured his Achilles tendon during a training session in Bath last summer.
Months of painstaking rehabilitation followed for her man as he battled to keep his dream of leading Britain's four-man crew into Olympic battle alive.
Remarkably, the multiple sessions at the British Olympic Association's medical institute at Bisham Abbey did the trick.
Jackson not only arrived ready to race alongside he crew for the start of the FIBT World Cup season in Canada, but then piloted them to a silver medal at the Lake Placid round in America shortly before Christmas.
Walker never had any doubts about Jackson's determination and conviction to reach his second Olympic Games, but she did worry about the tight timeframe for him to get himself back into shape.
"I was quite sceptical about it,'' she told the Wiltshire Times.
"I knew John would do everything possible to get there, but in the back of my head I thought 'it's going to be close'.'
"But he built up a bit of confidence and it went from there. I don't believe in miracles, but this is one.''
That determination to succeed is a hallmark of both Jackson and Walker, who admits healthy competition is a key component of their relationship.
"Me and John are really competitive whether it's running up the stairs or whatever, but we keep spurring each other one,'' she said.
"We're super-competitive and obviously we compete against the rest of the world but most of all we compete against each other.
"We are also super-proud of each other and if John or I bring a medal back and the other one doesn't, it would still be hung up in the house. If it's his I'll just pretend that it's mine.''
Walker has reunited with brakewoman Rebekah Wilson, with whom she won the 2011 Junior World Championships, for her second Olympic appearance in Sochi, having finished 11th four years ago.
Four top 10 finishes in the World Cup campaign this season point to a promising outlook for the Games and the Trowbridge pilot admits she has learned a lot from her last two seasons.
"I think I learned the hard way last season,'' she admitted.
"I had a really good start, then I got injured (knee) and my performances went downhill.
"This time it's about making sure the pinnacle comes at the Olympic Games.
"It's quite a hard feat to manage old injuries, but I think we've done a good job.
"Consistency is always the key to getting a good result but we've had to go through the process of getting the right brakewoman and the equipment set-up we think we'll need.
"I didn't ever intend to come out of the top 10 overall (she was 12th in the World Cup campaign), so in that respect it's not gone to plan.
"But we're not too far off the pace and we're quite happy.''
The partnership with Wilson, who will be making her Olympic debut in Sochi, is also a happy one.
"We're good friends as well,'' added Walker. "I think that when there is that chemistry, it can go a long way.
"Four years ago (in Vancouver) I was the little rookie, but I think that it's brilliant for me that I can help guide Bex through her first Olympics.''
What is bobsleigh?
- Bobsleigh entered the Olympic Winter Games program in 1924 in Chamonix, with the competition between four-man bobsleds (sledges).
- In 1932 (with the exception of the Games in Squaw Valley in 1960, where there was no luge and bobsleigh track) a two-man competition was introduced.
- Women's bobsleigh was added to the Games programme for the Salt Lake City Games of 2002.
- Bobsleigh involves high-speed mountain descent on special artificially made ice tracks on controlled sledges (bobs).
- The sleighs consists of a main hull, frame, front and rear axle, and two sets of independent steel runners. The driver controls the sled with his hands and fingers, using rings that are attached to a steering mechanism by ropes.
- The competitors wear a specially-made high-tech plastic composite helmet and synthetic material shoes with spikes on the soles for traction during the push start.
- The Olympic competition consists of four runs held over a two-day period in men's two and four-man and women's two-man events. The winner has the lowest overall total time for the four runs.
- The women's two-man event (Paula Walker) takes place on Tuesday-Friday, February 18-19. Heats one and two are on day one at 3.15pm and 4.23pm (British time), with heats three and four on day two at 4.15pm and 5.23pm (British time).
- The men's four-man event (John Jackson) takes place on Saturday-Sunday, February 22-23. Heats one and two are at 4.30pm and 6pm (British time) on day one and 9.30am and 11am on day two.
FOR MORE SPORTS NEWS, REPORTS & PICTURES SEE FRIDAY'S WILTSHIRE TIMES AND FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @WTSport


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Whenever I sign in, I usually see this tidbit of info after it lists how many people are currently online:
"Most users ever online was 1,892, 05-31-2007 at 06:45 PM."
I was just curious - for those who had an account then, does anyone know why so many users were online? This is like 9 times the amount of people that are on right now. This was the same day when Jim O'Brien was announced as head coach. This was at 6:45, so it was before a game, I'm assuming. I just always wonder - nearly every time that I sign in and see this - what made so many people visit this page at that one particular point in time...nearly 2,000 is so many compared to the amount that visit now. Something had to have happened. All I can think of is JOB.
Any theories or thoughts would be appreciated, I'm just a curios cat ;-) (perverted old man winky face)

subset: commoncrawl


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All types of cross stitching books.
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" Private game reserve in Botlierskop, South Africa. "
Botlierskop Private Game Reserve is situated on South Africa's Garden Route near the towns of Mossel Bay and Knysna. It is a private reserve rather than a National Park. It is smaller with limited animals, but the animals are protected and the Reserve is not like a zoo (although the lions are sectioned off, for the posterity of the other animals). There is a limit to the number of animals that can be kept and the Reserve has a breeding programme, and some animals may then move to one of the big National Parks (where the animals are officially wild) or be sold to other Private Reserves. Whilst I would have loved to do a safari again in one of the big parks, this can be expensive and not close to where we were staying. Plus you often have no guarantee as to where the animals are and can potentially spend your allocated time driving around and seeing very little. Here, as the area is smaller, the guides are able to keep better tabs on the animals so you are guaranteed a spot. The majority of the animals have a free range in the park, so are semi-wild with less risk of predators. As herbivores a natural food source for them is readily available. The park has been open for eleven years now.
Our day trip was included in our holiday price but I understand the price for a 4x4 drive as we did was R395 (£34/US$53) which last about 3-3.5 hours. We travelled from Knysna and it was quite a drive.
There were ten of us and we sat in a large, high 4 x 4 vehicle. I don't think you would want anyone else is the vehicle as it could be a squash, as there was some sliding around as the jeep took some steep turns. As it was winter we were also given blankets which we appreciated. Our guide was informative and entertaining. Some guides can be a bit dry and tell you lots of information until you want to go to sleep because you can't take it in anymore, but our guide got the balance right, and was always able to answer our questions.
The first animals we went to see were the elephants that are kept in a separate area. They do not belong to the reserve itself but are privately owned Zimbabwean elephants that are refugees. They are former trained elephants who have acted in a number of movies. 'Naughty', the female has 'acted' alongside Isabella Rossellini. Naughty and her partner Sam are available for a ride, which is how they support themselves, but we didn't have a ride. We sat in our jeep and watched the elephants and their son, 'Surprise', go about their daily business for about ten minutes. They completely ignored our vehicle and meandered about together. Surprise occasionally poking his head out, from between his parents, for the obliging 'aaaaahhhhh's from his admirers in the jeep.
After this we went back to the reserve for our drive, which was larger than I first thought. The rest of the animals (except the lions) don't have names. Here we saw some impala, including black impala which are very rare. They were the result of years of breeding programmes, but now the black impala population at Botlierskop is large enough that some are now sent to the wild, to help boost the population there. Other animals included the blue wildebeest (gnu), kudu, ostrich, bontebok and waterbuck.
We were all fans of the baby white rhino. There is no real colour difference between the two varieties, it is thought that the 'white' rhino was originally the 'wide' rhino as it is bigger and has a wider mouth. The adult rhino have the horns removed surgically under anaesthetic. Whilst this may be far from ideal, the alternative is to have them bleed to death after poachers have hacked the horns off. This is a practice that still goes on as the South African news too often reports.
I was rather taken with the giraffes. I like to think one of the giraffes was also taken with me; he was definitely giving me the eye. Our guide said that I couldn't take him home, which was a shame but logistically he wouldn't have fitted in the overhead locker on the plane. They had a number of giraffes here, and they are all very photogenic. We also got to see a two week old baby Cape Zebra (cue further round of 'aaaahhhhh's).
On return to the main lodge we got out of the Jeep and had time for a quick visit to the loos (all that bouncing about) before getting into a bigger truck to go to the lion enclosure. The lions are in a 100 hectare enclosure, fenced off from the rest of the reserve. They had been hand reared so cannot be put into the wild. Some had been working lions, involved in 'walking with lions' type tourist trips, but after a certain age they are not allowed to interact with the public, which is how they ended up at Botlierskop. In spite of the fact they had been hand reared no risks were taken and we were safe in a nice high truck. They are fed every few days (as they would in the wild) with a dead cow or something similar. No live animals are fed to them, and it is a shame that they don't get to try to hunt, but at the same time it isn't particularly nice for the cow. The lions, of which there were three, were mainly asleep but one did get up, move about a metre, then lay down again flicking her tail at the others. They barely raised their heads to us, except to yawn. Having seen lions in the wild on a previous safari in Zambia some years ago, I can confirm that they don't do a great deal in the wild either (although there is the off-chance you may see them actually hunt).
The Reserve offers private accommodation, but we didn't stay here. We did eat in the main lodge though. I had a veggie wrap and chips which was delicious at R45. I also had a hot chocolate (R15) but disappointingly it was a vending machine made one. There is a gift shop with a number of craft products and soft toys as well as generic regional gifts. The lavatories were spacious, but quite dark, and I didn't have much success getting any hot water. There are a number of comfy sofas here by the fires which help keep the place warm, as it was rather cold in August when we visited.
Obviously a 'real' safari would be the best, but I was in the wrong part of South Africa, and this is the next best thing. The animals are well cared for and have a reasonable amount of space to roam.
Gonnakraal Road
Little Brak River 6503, South Africa
044 696 6055


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Philadelphia Eagles rookie QB Nick Foles will start again in place of Michael Vick on Monday night, The Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeff McLane reported Thursday.
McLane cited an unnamed league source.
Foles made his first NFL start last week as Vick continued to recover from a concussion. Foles was 21-of-46 for 204 yards in a loss to the Washington Redskins.
Eagles coach Andy Reid has not named Foles the starter against the Carolina Panthers, but he told reporters Wednesday that Vick was just close to being able to exercise. The Philadelphia Daily News' Les Bowen notes that that's a long way from being able to play.
Foles took all the snaps during Wednesday's practice, McLane reported.


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ORLANDO, Fla. - One in every 88 children has been identified with an autism spectrum disorder and for their parents every day holds new worries.
"Everyone sees someone in a wheelchair and they can see they have a disability, but when you look like a cute little blond 7-year-old who's cheering, you don't know there's a disability," explains Theresa Merriam, whose daughter is autistic.
But now, Merriam and her family have some peace of mind thanks to a service dog trained to track and find her daughter when she wanders off and alert them a good hour before she has a seizure.
At least once a week the Merriam family does a "track and find" drill with their dog Heaven.
For 7-year-old Taylor Merriam, it's like playing hide and seek. For her mother, she says it's a potentially life-saving practice. For many families who have a child on the autism spectrum this is a real-life scenario.
"Parents who have kids on the spectrum are sometimes on a more heightened alert because they know their child has a tendency to run or wander. So having Heaven there is just amazing," said Merriam.
While Taylor looks like a typical second grader, she has Asperger's syndrome which makes her prone to seizures.
And that is where Heaven lives up to her name. The service dog has been specially trained by a non-profit group called 4 Paws for Ability.
One of her specialties is being able to sense an oncoming seizure a good one hour before it happens.
"Kids or anyone who has epilepsy, before they have a seizure, apparently they have a pheromone, a chemical smell that comes out of their ear and these dogs can smell it," Merriam said. "There were so many times that Taylor had seizures where she was having labored breathing, or stopped breathing, but having a dog now that is barking at the start of a seizure is so amazing we still get goose bumps when we're walking from our room to hers in the middle of the night and the dog is barking and we know exactly why."
Heaven isn't just a life-saving dog, like any canine she offers Taylor companionship which is something that doesn't come easy for a child with autism who has a hard time interacting with kids her own age.
The Merriam family was fortunate enough to be able to raise Heaven's $13,000 price tag in a rather short amount of time with help from the community.
But as you can imagine, it can sometimes take families a few years to raise the money.
Click here for more information on the program or if you would like to donate to 4 Paws for Ability.
Copyright 2013 by News4Jax.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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"Honda is honored to be a part of RE/MAX's World Long Drive Championship, one of golf's most unique events," said Tom Peyton, senior manager of Advertising for Honda. "It is a perfect venue to feature some of our newest products, including the new Accord Hybrid, which is capable of some long drives of its own."
This year, Honda has added a special incentive to those golfers with the longest drive in their respective category - a new Honda automobile. Champions in three divisions - open, women and seniors (ages 45-55) - will be given one additional drive to try and surpass the drive that helped them win their respective division. If they do, the open champion will take home a Honda Ridgeline truck, the women's division winner will get a Honda Pilot and the senior division champ will win an Accord Hybrid.
"Honda's exciting and innovative idea will put an exclamation point on RE/MAX championship week," said Art Sellinger, chief executive officer at LDA (Long Drivers of America), the managing group for the 2005 RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship. "One ball, one swing and one chance to win a new Honda. If the new RE/MAX world champions can find another gear, so to speak, he or she will be leaving Mesquite with a new set of wheels."
The 2005 RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship (WLDC) is regarded as the largest international grassroots event for power golfing. Local qualifying rounds for the 2005 RE/MAX WLDC began in February and continue throughout the spring and summer at more than 400 venues across North America. Information on the competition, which is open to both amateur and professional power golfers, is available at www.longdrivers.com.
# # #
For more information and downloadable high-resolution images of Honda automobiles, please visit www.hondanews.com. Consumer information is available at www.hondacars.com.


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IntroductionThis article has been written for two reasons:
- I was asked to review SolydX or SolydK
- I was reading a question on the /r/linux4noobs subreddit and the question was "which distro should I use?".
With regards to the question "Which distro should I use?" the person asking the question had fairly specific criteria.
- It cannot be a Ubuntu based distro
- Preferably it will be a Debian based distro
- Preferably it will run XFCE
For point 1 I have to say that if you are omitting Ubuntu and Ubuntu based distros then you are missing a trick in this case.
Xubuntu is one of the finest distributions running the XFCE desktop. Even if you forget about Xubuntu there is the XFCE version of Mint that I reviewed last week.
For points 2 and 3 I instantly thought "A Debian based distro running XFCE, hmm, what about Debian itself running XFCE". So what about Debian running XFCE? Well that review is coming up next week.
I have been using SolydX on my laptop for a week now and so lets get started with the review.
InstallationThe installation procedure for SolydX is actually fairly straight forward. It doesn't use the Ubuntu installer so for this review I will run through the installation instructions. (you will be able to see how complicated my partitioning is beginning to get).
5. Choose the disk you want to install SolydX on to.
First Impressions
- Welcome
- Drivers
- Community
- Contribute
The drivers option shows a list of drivers that have been loaded.
The community option shows links to the project's homepage, forums, tutorials and chatrooms.
The contribute option shows how you can get involved or donate to the project.
The system tray has icons for notifications, networks, power settings, a clock and a volume control.
The quick launch has an icon to minimise all windows and show the desktop.
Connecting to the internet
Click the "properties" button on one of the connections to be able to enter the security details.
This screen isn't the most user friendly wireless configuration screen that I have seen but all I had to do was enter the key into the "Key" field and press "OK".
You can set the internet connection to automatically start when you boot.
Flash and MP3One of the selling points of SolydX is that you should be able to perform most tasks straight away without having to install extra software and with that in mind Flash works straight away.
As you can see Youtube videos work straight out of the box and also my favourite Flash game "Stick Cricket" also works without issue.
The music application that comes with SolydX is Exaile. It is one of the more lightweight music applications but it has all the basic features you need to listen to your tunes. More importantly the MP3s played without error.
ApplicationsSolydX is designed to be a lightweight distribution and as such all the applications fit into this category. (Well kind of).
Firstly under the graphics section there is the GIMP. This can hardly be considered a lightweight application.
Other than that one application the rest of the software that is included can be considered lightweight.
The default browser is FireFox. The email application is Thunderbird and messenging software is Pidgin. XChat is also included by default.
As well as Exaile for playing audio there is the VLC player for watching videos.
The office category has the stock XFCE applications Abiword and Gnumeric. These programs are fine if your sole use of office software is writing letters and doing the odd budgeting spreadsheet.
SolydX doesn't give you too much software. There are some distros that bombard you with games (which most of us would never play) and some include obscure software products. SolydX gives you just about what you need without going too far.
Installing Applications
In the top right corner is a search box and the rest of the screen is a series of categories.
Clicking on a category shows various sub categories and a list of potential applications.
By drilling down you can find applications that meet your needs.
If you know the application you wish to install then you can enter the name or a description in the search box and a list of applications will appear with ratings next to them.
Double clicking on the application in the list shows a description of the software and you are now able to install it.
Customising the desktop
To change the desktop background right click on the desktop and choose "Desktop Settings".
SolydX comes with just the one wallpaper. To add your own click the plus symbol and find the picture you want to use as wallpaper.
I have already written a guide showing how to customise the XFCE desktop so if you want to add new panels etc then you can follow this guide.
About SolydX
I had no glaring crashes or errors appear during my time using SolydX..
Thankyou for reading.


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BENTON HARBOR, Mich. -- Whirlpool announced that it was awarded the 2011 Energy Star Sustained Excellence award by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The award recognizes the company's leadership in offering consumers energy and water efficiency through its leading home appliance brands, Whirlpool reported. According to the company, Whirlpool was the only appliance manufacturer to receive the Sustained Excellence award, the highest possible Energy Star award. This is the company's 12th top Energy Star award and sixth consecutive Sustained Excellence win. Whirlpool has been honored with 23 Energy Star awards overall.
"We believe in and support the Energy Starprogram because of the value it offers consumers," said Tom Catania, VP government relations Whirlpool. "We have and will continue to do our part in upholding the integrity of the Energy Star program."


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Make Reservation
Current Special Offers
Avis New Plymouth Airport Car Rental Information
Avis New Plymouth Airport offers a wide variety of late model rental cars to suit any travel needs, including the full size Holden Commodore. Whatever your plans we have the right rental car for you.
Avis operates car rental locations at all major airports in New Zealand including Auckland Airport, Wellington Airport, Christchurch Airport, Dunedin Airport, and Queenstown Airport, as well as other metropolitan areas. Make driving around New Plymouth easy by including a portable GPS in your reservation. Rent your car from Avis New Plymouth Airport today, and enjoy the wonderful city of New Plymouth with Avis Rent A Car.
- Park & lock the car. Place the completed contract & the keys in the key drop box. Remember to take your personal belongings with you.
- Wanganui City - (127 km)
- Wanganui Airport - (128 km)


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Small backyard operations are often the sources for devastating outbreaks, such as the 2002-03 outbreak of Exotic Newcastle Disease. To meet a communications need between state veterinarians, Extension personnel, feed retailers and these non-commercial or hobby farms, the National Center for Foreign Animal and Zoonotic Disease Defense (FAZD) has launched the Animal Health Network.
The Animal Health Network is a state-adaptable, local network concept connecting underserved populations of non-commercial, backyard, and hobbyist livestock and poultry owners with vital animal disease related alerts and information from the state veterinarian through their local feed retailer via the existing Extension system for the protection of our food and agriculture infrastructure.
How it works is the state veterinarian sends out an alert to the state Extension, which passes along the alert (using provided templates) to feed retailers. Feed retailers then post printed alerts in highly visible areas for their customers, especially those non-commercial livestock and poultry owners.
"State Veterinarians, USDA-APHIS Veterinary Services and veterinarians at the Science and Technology Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security agree that underserved communities of non-commercial livestock and poultry owners (NLPO) are a difficult but vital audience to reach for protection of our food and agricultural infrastructure from both accidental or terrorist introduction of animal diseases," explains Andy Vestal, PhD, Homeland Security & Emergency Management Programs, Texas AgriLife Extension.
Historically, many livestock and poultry disease outbreaks begin and flourish among NLPO long before they are diagnosed, Vestal adds. "The 2011 low-pathogenic avian influenza outbreak in Nebraska and recent exotic Newcastle diseases (END) in California and Texas were believed to have originated among NLPOs," he says. "According to USDA the 2002 END California incident alone caused 34 counties to suspend importation of poultry and poultry products from California, Nevada and Arizona; resulted in the depopulation of over 3 million birds; and affected 22 commercial flocks and 2,000 private premises. The control cost of this outbreak was approximately $160 million."
Practicing veterinarians are not a direct target of this program because licensed veterinarians in each state should already be a part of a listserv or newsletter alert system initiated by their state veterinarians, Vestal explains. "However, even if local veterinarians receive alerts directly from their state veterinarian they are welcome to be included along with feed retailers to receive Animal Health Network alerts. They simply need to request to be included by contacting their local Extension agent/educator."
For more information on the Animal Health Network, click here; for information from the National Center for Foreign Animal and Zoonotic Disease Defense, click here.
Sponsors and partners of the program include:
- National Center for Foreign Animal and Zoonotic Disease Defense (FAZD Center); a Department of Homeland Security University Center of Excellence
- Cooperation Extension programs in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Vermont led by Texas AgriLife Extension Service.
- USDA-NIFA, Extension Disaster Education Network


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The Wisconsin Badgers have made a conscious effort to recruit in Georgia, and they extended their 14th scholarship offer in the state to defensive back Cameron Albright on Tuesday. Albright confirmed the offer to BadgerBlitz.com, and said it was part of a big week for him as a whole.
"I think I picked up about three offers this week," Albright told BadgerBlitz.com Thursday evening. "Three offers, almost four. Texas Tech and N.C. State were on Monday, and on Tuesday Wisconsin offered. My coach also told me to call the coach from Georgia Tech. Their coach didn't answer but my coach said they wanted to offer me also."
Albright said the offer from Wisconsin came after running backs coach and recruiting coordinator Thomas Hammock visited his high school earlier in the week. The two spoke previously over the phone.
"He talked to my coach about coming (to Madison) to get a visit to see if I would like them. I really need to get up there since I have an offer," Albright said.
Albright said he hasn't decided on whether he'll visit the Badgers, but he said he and Hammock have a good relationship so far.
"Me and him are cool," Albright said. "We joke around a lot. We never talked about much besides football, but he seems like a good guy and me and him get along pretty well."
Though the Badgers have been in touch recently, they're facing some pretty stiff competition to win Albright's commitment. Albright said North Carolina has been in touch with him the most, and that's an important factor for him.
"(North Carolina) is definitely keeping in touch with me," Albright said. "I talked to coach Fedora I think once a week, sometimes twice a week. They're sending up (two coaches) next week to see me practice."
On top of that, Albright said schools that are relatively close to his home in Kennesaw, Ga., get an extra bonus because it would be easier for his parents to come and watch him play every now and then.
"I want to stay in the Southeast, pretty much," Albright said. "No farther than maybe Mississippi, no higher than maybe Virginia or Maryland or something like that."
But while Wisconsin is pretty far away from home, Albright said he will still consider them and any other school that keeps in touch with him and shows that they want him to sign with them next spring.
"Coming by the school this spring or even before this spring, that shows interest," Albright said. "And them keeping in touch with me - not talking to me one day and giving me a camp brochure and not talking to me after that. That doesn't show a lot of interest.
"However much interest a school shows in me is how much I'll show back to them, or a little more for my part."
Albright said he wants to make a decision sometime in the middle of June, a few months before the start of his senior year of high school.
"Schools that come by and visit this spring- that's going to show me how much they really want me," Albright said.
For more Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and discussion, follow John on Twitter.


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An EZ OneLanguage brain teasers are those that involve the English language. You need to think about and manipulate words and letters.
Using a combination of letters and/or numbers to sound out the answers, can you solve the clues? (The first one is free)
1. Not difficult - EZ (Easy)
2. Unoccupied
3. To do better than others
4. Defeated
5. A number (use only letters for this one)
6. A sport
7. Freezing
Answer2. MT (Empty)
3. XL (Excel)
4. B10 (Beaten)
5. AT (Eighty)
6. 10S (Tennis)
7. IC (Icy)
What Next?
See another brain teaser just like this one...
Or, just get a random brain teaser
If you become a registered user you can vote on this brain teaser, keep track of
which ones you have seen, and even make your own.
Back to Top


text:
Atlanta A Florida real estate development and acquisitions firm said Wednesday it has bought The Home Depot Inc.'s 11 Landscape Supply stores for $22 million.
Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.-based Ram Realty Services said in a statement that it is evaluating the portfolio to determine which of the sites will be sold and which will be redeveloped. The sale includes five stores in the Atlanta area and six in the Dallas area.
The sites range in size from 4.5 acres to 9 acres and contain a former Landscape Supply store building of about 12,000 sq. ft.
Home Depot said in September that it planned to close the Landscape Supply stores as part of its effort to focus more resources on its core retail business.
Home Depot's first Landscape Supply store opened in 2002. The stores catered to professional landscapers, as well as the project-oriented do-it-yourselfer.


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Put Africa back on the map!
If you are interested in or conduct anthropological research in Africa, we want you to join us in the Association for Africanist Anthropology (AfAA). There are five good reasons to join or renew your membership in AfAA.
- We offer book and essay awards to distinguished scholars, graduate student members, and undergraduates.
- As a section of AAA, we review and adjudicate papers and panels for presentation at the meetings. Some people belong to more than one section, but AfAA might be the best place for your work on Africa to be reviewed.
- AfAA is a great place to network. Come to our reception and business meeting. Dialogue with other Africanists.
- The membership fee is only $25 a year.
- We sponsor a Distinguished Lecture in Africanist Anthropology each year following our reception. Great food is always served with proper African hospitality.
See you at next year's meetings!


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We're down to the final hours before the release of Fallout 3. If you're waiting to pick up the game at midnight, here's some coverage you can read to kill the time.
Mike Musgrove of the Washington Post has a new interview with Todd, as well as a feature about Fallout 3 titled, "Fallout 3, Starring Washington, D.C.," which ran on the front page of their Business section yesterday. Here's a snippet:
"Some Washington area game fans have been wondering whether they'll be able to find their office or the buildings in their neighborhood in the game. Chances are, they might not. Bethesda Softworks executive producer Todd Howard says the studio didn't seek to create a street-to-street level of verisimilitude. Instead, it tweaked the city's map in a way that made sense for a video game's pacing. He thinks people who know the area will periodically experience a more general 'Hey, I know this view!' feeling."
A new interview with Lead Sound Designer Mark Lampert can be found over at GameSpy. Here's a quick look at one of the questions:
GameSpy: What real-world weapons did you use to create the sounds of the ones in the game?
Mark Lampert: Quite a bit of the action on the game's small arms (pistols, rifles, shotguns, etc.) is actually recorded from real firearms. A colleague kindly brought two pistols and three rifles over to my place where I could set up a couple of mics and record the sound of the bolt being opened and slammed shut, magazines sliding into place and being taken out, dry firing, etc. The actual sounds of the game's weapons being fired were composited together from field recording libraries, as well a as little bit of Foley recording in places where I might want to add some extra bass or exaggerate the sound of the weapon's action.
Elsewhere, you can read a new interview with Pete at Worth Playing, and Emil's did an op/ed about violence for Edge.
Finally, at The Vault, there's a new contest/scavenger hunt where you have a chance to win a copy of Fallout 3, as well as other Fallout-related schwag. Good luck!


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Farmington Hills, MI (December 22, 2006)--- Blood supplies can reach critically low levels this time of year. This holiday season give the gift of life at Botsford General Hospital's Blood Drive for the American Red Cross on Friday, December 29.
Blood donations will be accepted between 7:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. in the Community Room of the hospital's Zieger Administration and Education Building. Donors are urged to call Kim Renzi, Botsford's Employee Services representative at (248) 888-2610 to schedule an appointment.
For more than 20 years, Botsford has been a site for American Red Cross sponsored blood drives. Statistics tell us that every two seconds someone in America will need a blood transfusion and 95 percent of men and women who reach the age of 75 will have a blood transfusion. However, only five percent of the people who can donate blood do so. While we think of accident victims as the users of blood products, the actual need is far greater. Blood transfusions are also used for heart surgery, organ transplants, women with complications during childbirth, newborns and premature babies and patients receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or other diseases, such as sickle cell disease and thalassemia.
In order to donate blood, you must be 17 years old, in good health and weigh at least 100 pounds. While there is no upper age limit for donors, some medical conditions, medical histories, prescription drugs and recent travel to some foreign countries limit donor eligibility. For more information on these restrictions, call the Great Lakes Blood Services Region at 1-800-GIVE-LIFE or go to the American Red Cross web site at www.givelife.org.
Botsford General Hospital, an independent, acute care, 330-bed community hospital in Farmington Hills, Mich., was founded in 1965. Nationally recognized for quality, safety and medical education programs, Botsford has received the 2005 Solucient 100 Top Hospitals: Performance Improvement Leaders award and the 2005 Governor's Award of Excellence for Improving Care in the Hospital and Emergency Department Settings. Botsford's Web address is www.botsford.org.
MEDIA CONTACT: Nancy Dumas, Beth Montalvo or Stacy Brand


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SWINDON Robins skipper Troy Batchelor enjoyed a successful evening as he finished second in Joonas Kylmakorpi's testimonial meeting tonight.
The Aussie top scored in the qualifying heats as he scored 12 points from his five rides, earning him a place in the final alongside former Swindon captain Hans Andersen, Adam Skornicki and Lewis Bridger.
The Aussie was knocked off by Bridger in the final but got up for the re-run during which he finished second behind former teammate Andersen.
Batchelor, along with Peter Kildemand, competes in the Elite Riders' Championship tomorrow night in Coventry.
Nicolai Klindt scored 11 points from five qualifing ridesw in Morten Risager's testimonial at Ipswich tonight but missed out on a place in the final after hitting the tapes in his semi, forcing him to go off 15 metres.


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Pence asks national board for help in education fight
Gov. Mike Pence is asking a national school boards group to step into an ongoing power struggle with state Schools Superintendent Glenda Ritz.
The fight between Ritz and Pence reached a new level this week when the Democratic schools superintendent stormed out of a meeting of the State Board of Education.
On Friday, the Republican governor wrote a letter to state education board members offering guidance from the National Association of State Boards of Education.
The fight over control of Indiana's education policy has been escalating throughout the year.
Ritz chairs the board as schools superintendent, but the other board members were appointed by either Pence or former Gov. Mitch Daniels. Pence's creation of a new education agency prompted Ritz to accuse the governor of a "complete takeover" of education.


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Right speech, explained in negative terms, means avoiding four types of harmful speech: lies (words spoken with the intent of misrepresenting the truth); divisive speech (spoken with the intent of creating rifts between people); harsh speech (spoken with the intent of hurting another person's feelings); and idle chatter (spoken with no purposeful intent at all).
Sadge wrote:It went well, we had a frank discussion, he threw away all the drugs. We will see how things go.
BlackBird wrote:Having him throw away the drugs may not be the end of it.
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LACOCK youngster Yasmin Watling finally brought her long quest for an individual cross country gold medal to an end as she triumphed at last weekend's Wiltshire Schools' Championships at Grittleton House.
The 14-year-old St Mary's pupil topped the podium in 12 minutes 23 seconds in the junior girls' category, finishing four seconds ahead of Malmesbury School's Zoe Wassell.
"It's great to finally get a first in Wiltshire," she said.
"In other Wiltshire events, I've always finished second. I got a team gold at the South West (Championships) and a club silver but I'm so happy to finally get a gold."
Watling's triumph prevented a clean sweep of the girls' races by Salisbury runners, Alex Mundell (seniors), Hermoine Seymour (inters) and Fleur Sams (minors) claiming the other categories.
And there was more than one reason for the Watling family to celebrate as 12-year-old younger sister Ariana, who is also at St Mary's, finished sixth.
She said: "I used to do sprinting but now I'm more in to cross country.
"Cross country is a lot harder but you get to sprint at the end, which helps. I'm happy."
The championships finally took place having been postponed twice on the previous two weekends because of the wintry weather.
In the intermediate girls' race, Salisbury pupil Seymour was the runaway winner but taking the silver medal was Corsham School's Kirsty Stanley.
The 15-year-old, who lives in Corsham, was aiming for a gold medal but was still delighted to book her place at the English Schools' Cross Country Championships.
"I really wanted to get first – I've raced her (Seymour) eight times and I've always come second, which is a shame," said Stanley.
"But the wind was against us for a lot of the way and I'm glad it's over and happy to go to the nationals."
Hardenhuish School's Grace Lavelle, 15, was third.
"I'm really happy with third – it's the best I've ever done.
"I've done this quite a few times but I've never qualified before so it's a big improvement for me," said the Chippenham youngster.
And also on their way to nationals was fourth-placed Ellen Lindsey, from Sheldon School.
"It was a really hard race and I found I went off too fast at the beginning but I managed to maintain the pace – it was a good race," said Lindsey, 14, from Colerne.
In the senior boys' race, Will Christofi of Daunstey's School finished second, 14 seconds behind Winsley rival Alex Carter (St Laurence School, Bradford on Avon), with Swindon New College student Nyle Clinton third as the trio finished a minute clear of the field.
Will Ballard, from St John's, was fourth.
Hardenhuish School's Cameron Perkins claimed the bronze medal in the junior boys' category, while Jade Littlechild, from Corsham School, was second in the Minor Girls', with St Mary's duo Perrine Corlin and Caroline Brenchley finishing third and fourth respectively.
North Wiltshire were joint winners of the overall team standings at the end of the day, collecting 21 points alongside fellow champions Swindon.


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Cowboys DT Brent in jail after failing second drug test
Updated 9:11 pm, Thursday, June 27, 2013
Cowboys defensive tackle Josh Brent has been jailed after failing a second drug test.
Court records in Dallas County on Thursday show Brent tested positive for marijuana after submitting to a urine test last week. The test result is a violation of bond conditions imposed after being charged late last year with intoxication manslaughter.
Brent had failed an initial drug test in May.
He's being held without bond pending a court hearing scheduled for July 19.
Authorities say Brent was driving Dec. 8 when he wrecked, causing the death of Cowboys practice squad player Jerry Brown. They say Brent's blood-alcohol level was more than twice the limit of .08.
Sports Channel
His attorney, George Milner, was not immediately available for comment Thursday.
Texas-ex Hudson dies: Jim Hudson, the former Texas Longhorn and New York Jets safety who helped the team to its only Super Bowl title in 1969, has died. He was 70.
The Jets confirmed on their official site that Hudson died Tuesday in Austin. The cause of death was not disclosed.
Hudson was a starting safety against the Baltimore Colts, making a key play in the first half of the Super Bowl victory. The Colts were trailing 7-0 when they tried a flea-flicker from Earl Morrall to Tom Matte and back to Morrall, who looked for Jerry Hill near the Jets' 10-yeard line. Hudson stepped in front of the toss, ruining a potential scoring drive.
He had six tackles in the 16-7 win and finished with 15 career interceptions in six seasons with the Jets.
Vikings bring on Bishop: The Minnesota Vikings signed veteran Desmond Bishop to a one-year deal.
Bishop, 28, is the latest player to come to Minnesota from rival Green Bay, joining the likes of Greg Jennings, Brett Favre, Darren Sharper and Ryan Longwell.


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Richmond Grows Seed Lending Library - Orientation
Richmond Grows & Richmond Public Library
Friday, September 17, 2010 from 12:30 PM to 1:15 PM (PDT)
Event Details
Richmond Grows Seed Lending Library is a free seed lending library located in the main branch of the Richmond Public Library. Members can "borrow" seeds for free. It's easy to become a member by attending one of our 45 minute orientations. In the orientation, you will learn how to use the library, what it means to be "borrowing" seeds, and why it is important to save seeds. After attending the orientation, you can borrow seeds any time the Richmond Public Library is open.
The orientation will be Friday, September 17 from 12:30-1:15 p.m. at Richmond Grows (located in the former Reference desk area) at the main branch of the Richmond Public Library.
Please feel free to share this invitation with others who would be interested in becoming a member. Also, if you belong to a group whose members would benefit from the seed lending library, contact us to schedule a group orientation.
If you have questions, feel free to email us at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Fruitfully yours,
When & Where
Richmond Public Library
325 Civic Center Plaza
Friday, September 17, 2010 from 12:30 PM to 1:15 PM (PDT)
Add to my calendar


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Topic: no question is a stupid question...
I know, I know...but it feels like I should know this by now. For clarification, is a cycle of chemo each time or each clump? Like for my mom, the onc said she'll get 8-12 rounds of chemo. Her schedule is 2 weeks on and one week off. So is a round or cycle each and every time or is a round/cycle the 2 weeks on and one week off?
I just want to wrap my head around the timeline.
(Mom goes in for fourth dose of chemo tomorrow...round 2 or round 4?)


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Johannesburg – Kaizer Chiefs boss Stuart Baxter expects his returning Bafana Bafana players to settle back into their club structure when Amakhosi resume the Premiership campaign following the Africa Cup of Nations tournament, which concluded on Sunday.
Baxter's side are back in action on Tuesday when they travel to Pretoria to take on Mamelodi Sundowns in a league clash at Loftus Versfeld.
"It's a difficult one to call, every player is different, but I very much doubt that we will rest everybody and I very much doubt we'll play everybody," Baxter said on Monday.
"Hopefully we'll get everybody into the game and get them to give a good performance.
"Some players come back and take longer, and some players come back and act as though they've never been away."
Baxter believed his leading marksman, Bernard Parker, had a solid Afcon performance, but added that a lack of goals from Parker for the national outfit proved his club side worked well as a unit and put him into dangerous, goal-scoring positions.
"I hope that Bernard would acknowledge the fact that his teammates get him into the game in the areas that he wants," said Baxter, a former Bafana coach.
"In any team, you are more comfortable with your teammates than you are with the national team.
"I think Bernard played quite well, given the fact that he was playing in a slightly different role. If Bernard keeps his confidence and his focus up, he will have an equally successful second half this season."
Chiefs lead the Premiership standings with 35 points after 16 games – one point ahead of second-placed Orlando Pirates, who take on SuperSport United on Wednesday, while Sundowns are a further 17 points behind the log leaders.
Chiefs ran out 2-1 winners against Sundowns when the teams last met in the Premiership in August last year, with Siyabonga Nkosi and Kingston Nkhatha netting for the Glamour Boys, while Itumeleng Khune put the ball into his own net, but nevertheless helped Chiefs edge their rivals.
On that occasion, Dutchman Johan Neeskens was still in charge of Sundowns but was given the boot at the beginning of December, before Pitso Mosimane was hired to get their league campaign back on track.
Mosimane is unbeaten in four games in charge, having recorded two victories Ä over Black Leopards and Bidvest Wits Ä and two draws, but undoubtedly faces his stiffest test at Loftus on Tuesday.
"We have to do what we have to do to move up the log," Mosimane said.
"I expect my team to play, I expect my team to do well because the team resembles the coach.
"I have checked those games (when Neeskens was in charge) and that's when I started realising we are in for a big game. We are playing against a good team.
"If you look at their back five, from the goalkeeper, it's the team in Bafana Bafana. There is no-one who hasn't played for Bafana in the back four."
In Tuesday's other fixtures, AmaZulu host Maritzburg United in Durban, while Free State Stars are at home to Chippa United in Phuthaditjhaba, and Black Leopards face Wits in Polokwane.
On Wednesday, Pirates take on SuperSport at Orlando Stadium, Ajax Cape Town clash with Moroka Swallows at Cape Town Stadium, the University of Pretoria take on Golden Arrows at Tuks Stadium, and Platinum Stars welcome Bloemfontein Celtic to Phokeng. – Sapa


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Brewed by Adirondack Pub and Brewery
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Heads up! Adirondack Oktoberfest may not be available near you. Follow this beer to get notified when it's available nearby, try searching in a different area, or discover some similar beer.
Märzen6.0% ABV22 IBU
Old Ox BreweryAshburn, VA
Available at very few places nearby
A Marzen style lager in the true German tradition. Vienna malts and nice toastiness drive the flavor; very clean, smooth, and malt forward with rounded malt sweetness accompanied by nice biscuit and toast accents. A pleasant hop bitterness adds balance.
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Available at very few places nearby
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Uinta Brewing CompanySalt Lake City, UT
Available at very few places nearby
Robust and smooth, this full-flavored lager is exceptionably drinkable and pitch black in color.


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Gallo enjoys big league weekend in hometown
Minor League infielder Joey Gallo, who is from Las Vegas, gave the hometown fans another thrill on Sunday afternoon at Cashman Field. Gallo started for the Rangers at third base and walked his first two times up.
Then, batting with two on in the sixth inning, Gallo crushed a three-run home run over the wall in right field against Cubs pitcher Esmailin Caridad.
"I hit it pretty well," Gallo said. "I've hit balls better, but I got enough of it to hit it out of here."
Gallo had a double off the center-field wall on Saturday. This one he pulled to right field and had the wind blowing in that direction -- not that it mattered.
"A serious bomb," manager Ron Washington said. "It cleared the wall. It may have cleared the park. I don't know what was back there. I'm happy he got to do it with his family and hometown friends here to see it. They've seen it before, but this was a big league game."
Gallo played at Bishop Gorman High School. One of his competitors was Bryce Harper, who is a year older and played at Las Vegas High.
"He's pretty much the big dog around here," Gallo said. "He steals my thunder."
Not this weekend.
"It means a lot to me," Gallo said. "Playing at home I felt a little pressure to do well, but at the end of the day I had a great time."
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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6621 Westminster Blvd.
Westminster, CA 92683
Our phone number is 714.887.6156.
Our adoption hours are Tuesday-Sunday 12pm-5pm
Please continue to check our site for upcoming adoption events.
Thank You!
Your message has been sent to WAGS (Westminster Adoption Group and Services).
You'll receive a copy, too, at to help you keep track of which pets you've inquired about, and which shelters and rescues you've emailed.
NOTE: Some shelters have physical locations you can visit; some of these shelters may only have pets for a limited time, so please do not wait for a reply—just go visit the shelter! Other organizations are rescue groups run by busy volunteers who may take a while to reply. You can find information about the shelter or rescue group caring for this pet, and their adoption procedures, on the pet's details page on Adopt-a-Pet.com.


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Following the presentation of our Avro RJ100 "Jumbolino" we now turn our attention to our Airbus A320 fleet, which consists of seven Airbus A319s with an average age of 14.4 years, 22 Airbus A320s with an average age of 12.7 years and seven Airbus A321s with an average age of 12.7 years.
With a length of 33.8 metres, the A319 is the smallest in the Airbus family. In the SWISS version, this aircraft seats between 108 and 138 passengers over distances up to 3,000 km. This aircraft has a typical 3-3 seating layout with a Business and Economy Class configuration. It serves such destinations as London, Manchester, Nice, Paris and Amsterdam. Two CFM56 jet engines give the Airbus A319 a top speed of 850 kilometres per hour. Maximum take-off weight is 68,000 kg. Photos of all of our A319-112 aircraft can be seen on Flickr photo gallery.
At 37.60 metres, the Airbus A320 is slightly less than four metres longer than its smaller relative. However, the A319 and A320 have the same wingspan, 34.10 metres, and stand the same height, 11.80 metres. For distances up to 3,650 km with full payload, SWISS uses the Airbus A320 with 136 to 168 seats in a two-class configuration. Two CFM56 engines, each capable of delivering 12,000 kg of thrust, power the aircraft. Aircraft of this type are used on flights within Europe – to such destinations as Belgrade, Prague, Vienna, Milan, Athens and Thessaloniki – and between Switzerland, Africa and the Near East. Photos of our complete A320-214 fleet can be viewed here.
With a length of 44.5 metres, the Airbus A321 is the 'big brother' of the A320 family; it is seven metres longer than the Airbus A320. Its wingspan and height, however, are the same as the other family members. For short and medium distances with high passenger volumes, SWISS uses the Airbus A321 with 176 to 200 seats and a cargo capacity of 4.3 tonnes. Short and medium-haul routes on which passenger volume is comparatively high are served by this type. With its two CFM56 engines, each with 14,000 kg of thrust, the A321 is capable of the same top speeds as the A319 and A320 and has a range of 3,200 km at full payload. Photos of our A321 fleet can also been seen on Flickr.
In our next Blog entry on the SWISS fleet we'll focus on a bigger aircraft in the Airbus family.


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Nissan Titan Vehicle Inspection at Milford Nissan near Woonsocket, RI 02895
Whether your vehicle is new or has been gaining some wear for several years now, it's always a good idea to get your Nissan Titan vehicle inspection at Milford Nissan near Woonsocket, RI 02895. At Milford Nissan we can perform a multi-point inspection and itemize a list of repairs that need to be changed, sooner and later, or stamp your Nissan Titan with a clean bill of health! Getting regular check-ups for the many parts on your vehicle could help prevent large tow bills or big repairs later, so don't wait!
There are several quick and easy ways to make an appointment, including setting one up under our Service Department tab. Click Schedule a Service Appointment, fill in the various boxes, tell us a little bit about your vehicle, and we'll get you all set up with a time and date that best suits your schedule. With our convenient business hours and easy-to-access location, you'll find it simpler than you though to get in and get out quickly You can even just have your Nissan Titan vehicle inspection near Woonsocket, RI 02895, done when you bring it in for regular maintenance, like an oil change or a tire rotation. At the very end, your technician will present a detailed report of what's going on underneath the hood. Our knowledgeable staff are happy to discuss any and every aspect of your vehicle inspection, so don't hesitate to ask questions!
If you're noticing any problems and want to get in for your inspection as soon as possible, give us a call right away and we'll get you our soonest available appointment. The longer you wait to investigate a problem you may be having, the heftier that cost may become! We perform extensive multi-point inspections, covering an endless number of parts and functions throughout your entire vehicle. We look at wear, tear, markings, and more to determine if your engine is working properly. We check all fluids and replace what's running low, such as wiper fluid. Finally, we'll run your Nissan Titan through our carwash and present it to you all clean of road dust.
When you come to Milford Nissan, you'll always be satisfied with our customer service and attention to detail while performing a vehicle inspection near Woonsocket, RI 02895. There's nothing we like more than seeing happy, smiling customers drive away in their vehicles, so set up your appointment today and be confident in the function of your Nissan Titan!
Take the next step
Milford Nissan Service Hours
|7:30 am - 6:00 pm
|7:30 am - 6:00 pm
|7:30 am - 6:00 pm
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Our Location
Milford Nissan
320 East Main Street
Milford, MA 01757 Get Directions
Milford Nissan Service
Murdoch came to work at Milford Nissan in July of 2014 from our owner Jeff Batta's other Nissan store in Marlboro where he worked as a Service Advisor for 11 years. He was only 19 when he began working for Marlboro Nissan and Jeff Batta as a parts truck driver and we are now proud that he is the Service Manager of Milford Nissan. He is married and has two amazing little girls. Outside of work he loves to do all sorts of outside activities that range from camping to playing sports. He likes to work out and to stay fit and nothing helps with that more than being up and about and staying active. Murdoch's choice in Nissan Vehicles would have to be the Nissan Altima. Besides being a comfortable and reliable car it has great gas mileage, and can fit the whole family with ease.
John is from Framingham, Ma. Outside of work John enjoys spending time with his family and friends. He tries to take as many trips as possible with his family in their class- A motor home. Fishing is something that he has always loved to do especially striper fishing, just being outside and enjoying the New England weather is one of his favorite ways to pass the time. He tries to go to as many patriots games as possible. John's favorite Nissan vehicle would have to be the 1994 300zx twin turbo. From its attractive style to its handling performance and power, this vehicle is one of his favorite sports cars that he has ever driven.
Master Technician
Master Technician / Shop Foreman


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The topic of dehorning is featured in a recent issue of ag animal health, a publication of Washington State University Veterinary Medicine Extension.
An article in the newsletter discusses a four-step process recommended by Todd Duffield at the Ontario Veterinary College. The process includes: (1) Developing a dehorning protocol, (2) Using a nerve block, (3) Dehorning at a young age and (4) Using an approved NSAID (anti-inflammatory drug for post-operative pain).
The article states that one more step – training and retraining of individuals who conduct dehorning procedures – should be added to this process.
For more advice, see "Dehorning Resources" at the end of the Spring 2012 ag animal health newsletter.
Source: Veterinary Medicine Extension, Washington State University


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y doesn't PG shot more... damn
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Here we go.
Hibbert will destroy Ed Davis if that matchup continues.
Yeah I was just telling my girlfriend about it, they are cool.
Come on George
George has the skills, to be the Defensive Player of the Year
Yeah Ed Davis never did it for me, not even in college.
BIEBER!!! I bet he could start for the Pistons.
Well there it is, Bieber's a Raptor's fan. We better not lose.
Man I wish Paul would do that more
Man, some of these moves just look so much more natural for PG24 this year.
it's so pretty Paul
wow paul george
I was just going to post that.
I really like them. Reminds me of life in the 70's.
Jamaal Magloire...hahahahahaha
Nice PG
That 3D looking thing is trippin' me out - hahaha.
Our defense is pretty good for so early in the season.
PG has such a pretty shot. I'd like to see Danny shoot about 3-4 shots less than he usually does, and those attempts should go right to PG.
"Freedom is nothing else but a chance to be better." - Albert Camus
"Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well." - Voltaire
"Everyone's values are defined by what they will tolerate when it is done to others." - William Greider
George is a beast


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I do think those making like the schedule has been easy are being disingenuous. Many of those same people probably had the Nets and Bulls seeded higher in the playoffs.
I think another problem is the way the East is stacked. Only four teams are above .500. The team many expected to be terrible is .500. And only one other team is more than one game above .500. Seems like the Pacers are going to have an easy schedule throughout the season because the East is easy..


text: Mooma Ryback it is!! On a serious note, if Ryback faces Punk at HIAC, there has been talk of making Cena the special referee. If that is the case, I'd love to see Punk outsmart both Ryback and Cena, causing Cena to cost Ryback the match and making Ryback snap, turn heel, and beat up/feud with John Cena. After that he'll have to take some math and English classes.


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NEW YORK ( TheStreet) -- Hess ( HES) hit a new one-year high on Monday after the energy giant said it sold a Russian subsidiary to OAO Lukoil ( LUKOY) for $2.1 billion. The move comes amid a breakup plan pitched by the New York-based driller and opposition to the company's efforts from activist investors Elliott Management and Relational Investors, which argue the company still isn't going far enough in unlocking the value of its assets and restructuring its oft-criticized Board of Directors. While some recent asset sales may have underwhelmed investors and Wall Street analysts, Hess's Monday deal was received strongly, as shares gained over 2% to a new one-year high of $73.87 in early afternoon trading. Hess shares have gained nearly 40% year-to-date as the company works to sell terminal, refining and non-core energy assets and become more focused on drilling assets in promising U.S.-based shale basins. Hess will be selling 100% of its Russian subsidiary Samara-Nafta to OAO Lukoil, in a deal the company says will garner after-tax proceeds of $1.8 billion. Samara-Nafta is currently producing 50,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in the Volga-Urals region of Russia, Hess said in a press release announcing the deal. "As the sale of Samara-Nafta indicates, we are making excellent progress in executing our asset sales program, which is a central component of our plan to transform Hess into a more focused, higher growth, lower risk pure play exploration and production company," John B. Hess, Hess Chairman and CEO, said in a Monday statement. In March, Hess said it sold a 4,300-acre Eagle Ford Shale oilfield to Sanchez Energy ( SN) for $265 million, in a deal that fetched about a third of the value that more optimistic analyst had forecast when the New York-based driller put the assets up for sale in 2012. According to Hess, the company has raised $3.4 billion in announced or completed deals to sell interests in the Beryl field in the U.K. North Sea, the Eagle Ford play in Texas, and the Azeri, Chirag and Guneshli fields in Azerbaijan. "
By applying the proceeds from these divestitures to reduce debt and strengthen our balance sheet, Hess will have the financial flexibility both to fund its future growth and also to direct most of the proceeds from additional asset sales to returning capital directly to its shareholders," CEO Hess added in the Monday statement. Asset sales come at a crucial time for Hess, which is embarking on an ambitious strategy to spin off its refining and marketing businesses and become a pure-play oil and gas driller with a leading position in promising shales like the Bakken. Still, as Hess continues a sharp 2013 share price rise on optimism that it may be prodded into unlocking the full value of the company, management continues to face scrutiny from large investors. Hess's proposed split off of downstream businesses, its recent announcement of a $4 billion share repurchase plan and a previous planned sale of its East Coast terminal network come just as activist hedge funds Elliott Management and Relational Investors take large positions in the driller and seek board seats. Unimpressed by the details of Hess's decision to deconsolidate its integrated energy empire, Elliott and Relational are pressing their own slate of directors to counter the company's proposed board reconstitution, which will add directors with experience at TNK-BP Russia and Royal Dutch Shell and lead to a board of 13 of 14 independent members.
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text: Vintage short-sleeve pajama set Item 80295 Color: NAVY Size: All sizes are US sizes. XXX-SMALL XX-SMALL X-SMALL SMALL MEDIUM LARGE X-LARGE XX-LARGE Size Charts Quantity: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Prices do not include taxes. Add to Bag Wishlist Add to Bag Add To Wishlist share: size & fit Top hits at hip. Cropped leg. 26 1/2" inseam. Product Details No more stealing his pajamas. Our take on the borrowed-from-the-boys classic is designed in crisp men's shirting cotton with an easy fit (read: it's the comfiest—and chicest—way to get your eight hours). And even though it's made for sleeping, we love the top layered over a tank and worn with jeans. Cotton. Elastic waistband with drawstring on pant. Machine wash. Import. Item 80295.


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I prefer to look at the Changes log, rather than the version. A decent Changes log will tell you how the project has evolved and give you an indication of its stability. I've dismissed several modules based on their Changes logs. Small versions don't bother me so much, if the author has simply incremented by 0.01 each time they released to CPAN. Even jumps in versions don't annoy me, as long as there's a clear, consistent reason behind it (for example API changes). I'm particularly annoyed, however, when v
I think you missed the point. The programmers aren't complaining.when you have people having to get modules approved for use, there are people that care about versions.
It is the $boss, who hasn't a clue about Perl (he would write it as PERL), who is looking at version numbers.


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Dog Walkers in Coulter, IA
Book a dog walker to give your dog a 30-minute walk around your neighborhood.
Animal lover
Clarion, IA, 50525
Dog Boarding, House Sitting, Drop-In Visits, Doggy Day Care, Dog Walking
About: I work from home and have 1 dog that LOVES to play with other dogs. I will treat your dog like one of our family members. My dad is a veterinaria... (more)
Perrott's Pet Sitting
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Dog Boarding, Drop-In Visits, Doggy Day Care, Dog Walking
"I used Sandy to watch my large boxer lab mix. She can be a little rambunctious so I was a little worried. But Sandy made her feel right at home!! My pup love... (more)"
Rachelle's Loving Care
Sheffield, IA, 50475
Dog Boarding, House Sitting, Drop-In Visits, Doggy Day Care, Dog Walking
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We've been there: rushing home during every lunch break to take the dog for a quick walk around the block. Good news: You can easily find and book Coulter dog walking services on Rover. Whether you need a one-time dog walker or someone to take your dog for a stroll every day, we've got you covered. Exercise for your dog and peace of mind for you are just a few clicks away. Every walk is covered by premium pet insurance, at no extra cost to you. You can even ask your dog walker to send you a photo update. Whether you already have a favorite pet sitter on Rover or you're new to the site, we'd love to connect you with a dog walker in Coulter the next time you're unavailable. We're confident you and your dog will love it.
Wondering what you should be paying for a walk? Check out our standard dog walking rates for a comparison.


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9 Unique Wedding Gifts For Guests
The invitations have been mailed out for the big day, but what do you give your wedding guests as gifts. You can do the cheesy napkins, mints or matchbook with your names on it. Or you could give them something more unique that they'll actually use and remember your special day each time they do.
1. Photo Booth
At a recent wedding we attended, they had a photo booth set up with more props than you could possibly use. You could take as many trips into the booth as you wanted throughout the night. It made for some great memories for both the wedding guests and the happy couple.
2. Sunglasses
If you're having an outdoor, summer wedding, sunglasses may be the perfect gift. The guest will enjoy them during the ceremony and reception, plus they'll actually use them after the wedding is over.
3. Personalized Christmas Balls
Personalized Christmas ornaments are perfect for any wedding around the holidays. Your guests will remember your special day every year when they trim the tree.
4. Temporary Tattoos
Tattoos are becoming more and more popular. Provide your guests with temporary tattoos. Even the kids can benefit from this gift.
5. Flip Flops
Flip flops are the perfect Summer of beach wedding gift. The women in high heels will thank you by the end of the night.
6. Slippers
Instead of flip flops in the summer, slippers for a winter wedding will work just as well.
7. Planting Bulbs
Place planting bulbs in a box and invite guests to pick one up on the way out. They'll think of you every year it blooms.
8. Hangover Kit
Everyone likes to have a good time at a wedding. Especially if there's an open bar. The next day may not be much fun however. So provide your guests with a hangover kit, complete with water, crackers, aspirin and an ice pack.
9. Booze
When all else fails, go with little bottles of alcohol. Maybe the bride or grooms favorite drink. You can never go wrong with booze.
Get more ideas on wedding gifts for your guests and everything else to make your big day perfect at our 'I Do' Bridal Expo & Cake Dive, October 12th at the Stanley Theater.
The "I Do" Bridal Expo and Cake Dive
Join Lite 98.7 on Sunday, October 13 at the Stanley Theater for the "I Do" Bridal Expo and Cake Dive. Lite 98.7 will invite Brides-To-Be, their family and friends to enjoy exhibits from selected vendors and sponsors and compete for a chance to become one of TEN finalists.


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Mother nature brought along the sunshine as families celebrated all that the natural world has to offer as part of the first Wild Sherston event at the weekend.
From the bat walk and snail racing to clay crafts and numerous talks on animals and their habitats, the event near Malmesbury offered plenty for all the family and nature enthusiasts alike.
Organiser Geoff Carss said: "We had sublime weather; you couldn't have wished for any better.
"It was a really good weekend.
"A lot of people went to alot of time and trouble, from the parents to the societies and it was fantastic."
Among the speakers and guests attending was TV presenter and RSPB president Miranda Krestovnikoff and BBC Radio Four science correspondent Kelvin Boot.
Children in particular were taught about the vast array of butterflies, bats, bees and birds on our 'doorstep' helping to boost their enthusiasm for the great outdoors.
Mr Carss highlighted how he came about the idea for the event after hearing about the Nature Deficit Disorder (NDD).
"NDD is about children not getting out and about enough so they become distracted and disruptive at school and so I thought we needed to do something about it," he added.
"We had so many children there and the parents really got stuck in.
"One of the most popular things was the snail racing."
Oak and Furrows Rescue Centre, Wiltshire Ornithological Society, Avon Bat Group and Bristol Avon Rivers Trust were among those represented throughout the event.
For children there were also nature trails, face painting, a bouncy castle, a photographic competition and the chance to meet some animals.
It is not yet clear whether the event will run again but Mr Carss said that they were able to take alot from the day.
"Some interesting things that came out of it, for example, is that there are a few things we can do with the river to improve the habitat for the animals, that sort of thing," he said.
Nest boxes provided for the elderly and those unable to leave their homes to put was also an idea after it was trialled locally and proved a huge success.


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Study to Evaluate Changes in Limb Fat When Switching From a Thymidine Analogue (RAVE)
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- No Study Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
A previous study substituting zidovudine or stavudine to abacavir in patients with severe or moderate lipoatrophy has shown an increase in limb fat by DEXA. This study was conducted over a 24-week period and although improved outcomes were documented by objective measures, DEXA scans, subjective observation did not correspond. Longer-term follow up of these patients is required.
This 48 week study is designed to compare the substitution of the thymidine analogues zidovudine (ZDV) or stavudine (D4T) with either tenofovir DF or abacavir, in patients treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), and show improved outcomes on total limb fat mass, improved body shape by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) and computed tomography (CT) scans and improved cholesterol and triglycerides.
|Drug: tenofovir DF Drug: abacavir 300mg twice daily
|Phase 2
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary Purpose: Treatment
|Official Title:
|A Phase II, Open-Label, Multicentre, Randomised, Comparator Study of Substitution With Tenofovir or Abacavir in HIV-1 Infected Individuals, With a Viral Load < 50 Copies/mL, Receiving a Thymidine Analogue (Zidovudine or Stavudine) as Part of Their Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART)
- Change in total limb fat mass by DEXA scan [ Time Frame: 24 and 48 weeks ]
- Change in VAT by single slice L4 abdominal CT scan [ Time Frame: 24 and 48 weeks ]
- Change in viral load measurements and CD4 cell count [ Time Frame: 24 and 48 Weeks ]
- Change in fasting cholesterol and triglycerides [ Time Frame: 24 and 48 Weeks ]
- Change in blood insulin and fasting glucose [ Time Frame: 24 and 48 Weeks ]
- Change in blood lactate and anion gap [ Time Frame: 24 and 48 Weeks ]
- Change in bone mineral density by DEXA scan [ Time Frame: 24 and 48 Weeks ]
- Incidence of adverse events [ Time Frame: Upto 48 weeks ]
|Study Start Date:
|February 2003
|Study Completion Date:
|February 2006
|Primary Completion Date:
|October 2004 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
|Assigned Interventions
Experimental: A
Stop zidovudine (ZDV) or stavudine (d4T) and start tenofovir DF 300mg once daily along with the other antiviral drugs that are used as part of their HAART regimen
Drug: tenofovir DF
tenofovir DF 300mg once daily along with the other antiviral drugs
Active Comparator: B
Stop zidovudine (ZDV) or stavudine (d4T) and start abacavir 300mg twice daily along with the other antiviral drugs that are used as part of their HAART regimen
Drug: abacavir 300mg twice daily
abacavir 300mg twice daily along with the other antiviral drugs
Detailed Description:
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years and older (Adult, Senior)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- Subjects who are male or female > 18 years of age
- Subjects who are HIV-1 infected as documented by a licensed HIV-1 antibody ELISA
- Female subjects of childbearing potential must have a negative serum pregnancy test (beta-HCG) within 28 days of trial day 1. Women of childbearing potential must agree to use a barrier method of contraception
- Female subjects must not be pregnant or lactating
- Subjects who in the opinion of the investigator have the ability to understand and provided written informed consent to participate in the trial
- Subjects who in the opinion of the investigator have clinical lipoatrophy at > 1 body/facial site
- Subjects currently receiving nucleoside analogue regimen including stavudine (d4T) or zidovudine (ZDV)
- Subjects who are stable on current therapy for >16 weeks
- Subjects with no prior exposure to tenofovir, abacavir, or adefovir
- Subjects with no known K65R, 69S mutations or 3 or more thymidine analogue mutations
- Subjects with documented viral load <50 copies/ml on 2 consecutive occasions including most recent clinic attendance
Exclusion Criteria:
- Subjects who in the investigator's opinion are unlikely to complete the 48 week trial period
- Currently active opportunistic disease or documented wasting syndrome
- Currently receiving chemotherapy for malignancy
- Subjects who in the opinion of the investigator are unlikely to retain viral response after switching based on treatment or transmission history
- Currently receiving an insulin sensitising agent (glitazone or metformin)
- Anabolic steroids in the last 16 weeks other than testosterone at replacement doses (<250mg/2 weekly)
- Growth hormone use in the last 16 weeks
- Statin therapy (HMG CoA reductase inhibitor) commenced in the last 16 weeks (patients stable on statins my be included)
- Current alcohol or illicit drug use which, in the opinion of the investigator, may interfere with the subjects' ability to comply with the dosing schedule and protocol evaluations
- Receiving concurrent medications that - in the opinion of the investigator and according to drug product labelling - will result in clinically significant interactions with tenofovir or abacavir
- Pregnant or breast feeding
- Previously received more than 3 months zidovudine monotherapy
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00647946
|United Kingdom
|Gilead Sciences
|Abingdon, Cambridge, United Kingdom, CB1 6GT
|Study Director:
|Geoff Cotton
|Gilead Sciences
|Responsible Party:
|Geoff Cotton, Medical Monitor, Gilead Sciences
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT00647946 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|Study First Received:
|March 27, 2008
|Last Updated:
|June 27, 2008
Keywords provided by Gilead Sciences:
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Skin Diseases, Metabolic
Skin Diseases
Lipid Metabolism Disorders
Metabolic Diseases
Antiviral Agents
Anti-Infective Agents
Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors
Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors
Enzyme Inhibitors
Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action
Anti-Retroviral Agents
Anti-HIV Agents
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017


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Dunoon is the main resort on the beautiful Cowal Peninsula and the maritime gateway to the Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park.
This one of the Firth of Clyde's foremost resorts is built around the historic Castle Mound and famous for its large Victorian pier. The town has an attractive promenade, and boasts a wide range of accommodation from friendly B&Bs and self-caterings apartments to hotels of all sizes. The town offers a museum and leisure centre as well as a fascinating selection of craft shops, galleries, cafes and restaurants. The town's swimming pool and leisure centre has recently been refurbished to a high standard and is a popular attraction for locals and visitors alike.


text:
Printed from: www.waterfrontwealth.com
Universal Life for Flexibility
Universal life insurance accounted for 38% of all new life insurance premiums in 2015.1 What's the appeal of this type of coverage? In a word: flexibility. If you have a need for life insurance, you might consider the choices offered by universal life (UL) and the related product, variable universal life (VUL).
Protection and Savings
With a VUL policy, you can choose to invest your cash value in a variety of investment options. Though the value of your policy has the potential to grow more quickly, it is also subject to greater risk. The investment return and principal value of the investment options will fluctuate. If your investments do not perform well, your cash value and the death benefit (which are not guaranteed) may decrease.
Adjusting for Life Changes
On the other hand, if you find yourself under a financial strain, you could reduce your premiums or possibly deduct premium payments from the cash value. (Many policies can be structured so that the invested cash value will eventually cover the premiums.) Of course, the premium will affect the rate at which your cash value accumulates. A reduced premium may also reduce the size of the death benefit, depending on the policy and cash value.
You can generally make tax-free withdrawals, up to the amount paid in premiums, or borrow against the accumulated cash value. Although policy loans accrue interest, they are free of income tax as long as they are repaid and usually do not impose a set schedule for repayment. When policy loans, withdrawals, and investment losses reduce the policy's cash value and death benefit, additional premium payments may be required to keep the policy in force.
In addition to premiums, there are contract limitations, fees, and charges associated with UL and VUL insurance. They can include mortality and expense charges, account fees, investment management fees, administrative fees, and charges for optional benefits. If a policy is surrendered prematurely, there may be surrender charges and income tax implications.
VUL investment options are not guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency; they are not deposits of, or guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank or savings association.
Variable universal life is sold by prospectus. Please consider the investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses before investing. The prospectus, which contains this and other information about the variable universal life insurance policy and the underlying investment options, can be obtained from your financial professional. Be sure to read the prospectus carefully before deciding whether to invest.
The information in this article is not intended as tax or legal advice, and it may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. You are encouraged to seek tax or legal advice from an independent professional advisor. The content is derived from sources believed to be accurate. Neither the information presented nor any opinion expressed constitutes a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. This material was written and prepared by Emerald. Copyright 2016 Emerald Connect, LLC.


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He pauses, like a comedian ready to deliver a punch line.
"Sometimes the defense scores points, too," he says with a smile.
In fact, Purdue scored a pair of defensive touchdowns in last Saturday's 51-41 victory over Marshall. Cornerbacks Ricardo Allen and Josh Johnson both returned interceptions for touchdowns.
That, however, was a rarity on a weekend that featured college football's biggest offensive output (60.8 points a game) since 1937.
For instance, West Virginia beat Baylor 70-63 while combining for 1,507 yards. Georgia beat Tennessee 51-45 with a total of 1,038 yards. Texas beat Oklahoma State 41-36 and combined for 1,016 yards. Miami of Ohio beat Akron 56-49 while combining for 1,334 yards.
"Football is a game of momentum," IU quarterbacks coach/assistant offensive coordinator Kevin Johns says. "What happens is at times when the offense gets on a roll, the defense gets on its heels. That makes it tough for a defense to take a deep breath and dig its heels in the ground. Sometimes you get them backpedaling and keep them backpedaling the whole game."
Backpedaling has gone on all season. Oklahoma State leads the nation in scoring at 55.75 points, just below the record of 56.0 set by Army in 1944. Baylor is second at 54.25. Six teams average at least 51.0 points. Twenty teams average at least 40.0.
Nebraska leads the Big Ten, and ranks 10th nationally, by averaging 44.8 points. Purdue is second and 13th at 42.5.
What's going on?
"People have taken the spread offense and evolved it to a different level," Boiler coach Danny Hope said. "There are a ton of plays and a ton of reads. I've made the statement before that in my next life, I sure do not want to come back as a defensive coach. It's just too hard with too many headaches."
Kevin Wilson added to those headaches while directing one of college football's most explosive offenses as Oklahoma's offensive coordinator before taking over at Indiana.
"It's playmakers; it's quarterbacks; it's backs," he says. "What some teams have done in the spread is different than 15 to 20 years ago. They've learned how to be in the spread and still have a running game; how to be in the spread and still be physical; how to be in the spread and throw at a very efficient level. You've got quarterbacks throwing for more touchdowns than incompletions in a game. You've got teams throwing the ball 50 times and not getting sacked.
"The old deal was if you throw the ball, three things can happen and two are bad. Now people are making you defend the whole field. As an offensive coach, I like it."
Not every coach does. Alabama's Nick Saban wondered during this week's SEC teleconference if such high-scoring games, especially via the no-huddle attack, were good for college football, and even if it's dangerous to have a defense out there for 13 to 16 plays (Wilson's response — if the defense does its third-down job, long drives don't happen).
But then, Saban's ball-control offense and dominating defense have won two of the last three national championships. He's never been a light-up-the-scoreboard fan.
Otherwise, from Florida to Oregon, from Texas to West Virginia, offense rules. As Purdue quarterback Caleb TerBush says, "It's a game of checking out the other side and learning. Experience helps with that. The offensive coaches are calling the right plays to get the ball in the end zone."
It's not just coaches. Experienced quarterbacks audible depending on the defense they see, with big success.
"You've got a bunch of teams running the no-huddle and hurrying up the pace of the game," TerBush says. "That's wearing down the defense. That puts it on the players to make good calls rather than the coaches. A lot of times defenses aren't able to call blitzes like they normally would because the offense is already up to the ball. That means you get a base defense and that's easier to exploit."
As far as individual numbers from last Saturday, West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith threw for 656 yards, the fifth most in NCAA history, along with eight touchdowns. His counterpart, Baylor's Nick Florence, threw for 581. Miami of Florida's Stephen Morris threw for 566 yards and five touchdowns. Fresno State's Derek Carr threw for 536 yards and five touchdowns. Miami of Ohio's Zac Dysert threw for 519 yards and six touchdowns. He also rushed for 109 yards. Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel threw for 453 yards and three touchdowns, plus rushed for 104 yards. The 557 yards of total offense broke the SEC record of 540 held by Archie Manning and Rohan Davey.
Running backs also had big days. Air Force's Cody Getz rushed for 222 yards against Colorado State. Middle Tennessee's Benny Cunningham had 217 yards and five touchdowns in an upset win over Georgia Tech. Toledo's David Fluellen rushed for 213 yards on 21 carries in a win over Western Michigan. Oklahoma State's Joseph Randle had 199 yards and two TDs.
What does this tell you about the state of offense and defense in the 21st century?
For starters, speed rules.
Long gone are the clock-chewing ground attacks favor by Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler. Spread offenses, up-tempo attacks (running plays every 15 seconds even though the play clock allows 40), quick passing (and more of it), running quarterbacks and no-huddle approaches are all the rage.
"With college offenses now they've got the spread, the tempo is little bit faster, it's a little bit more wide open attack," Indiana co-defensive coordinator Doug Mallory says. "It's more difficult to defend."
The fast tempo forces defensive coaches to make their calls faster while ensuring the message gets through to everybody. Indiana struggled with that at times during last Saturday's 44-29 loss at Northwestern.
"Sometimes when you get in tempo situations you have to make a call that the kids have to all be on the same page," Mallory says. "It has to be a relatively base call. At times in tempo situations we're running guys on and off, trying to match personnel.
"Looking back (at the Northwestern game), starting with myself, I could have simplified it more. An easier call would have 11 guys on the same page. At times we had a few breakdowns in communication."
Up-tempo also means teams run more plays. Purdue had 90 against Marshall, one less than the Thundering Herd.
"The hyper-speed offenses are manufacturing a ton of plays," Hope says. "We met our goal as far as average yard per rush against Marshall (it averaged 3.5 yards a run)) and average pass completion (it averaged 6.6 yards a completion), but they had a ton of points and a ton of yardage.
"People aren't used to seeing almost 100 plays a game. In the NFL, I don't believe the offense has more than 45 to 50 plays, so you're seeing twice as many at the college level."
Many of those plays spread the field and put fast players in space, trying to create mismatches.
"That's what you look to exploit," TerBush says. "You put quick guys on linebackers or tall guys on short guys. Then you try to get the ball in their hands and let them work."
More and more that work includes quarterbacks such as Michigan's Denard Robinson, Northwestern's Kain Colter and Indiana's Tre Roberson (out for the season with a broken leg), who make as many plays with their running as their passing.
"One of the biggest differences now," Mallory says, "and you're starting to see it in the NFL, you're already seeing it in the college ranks and in high school, is a quarterback who can be featured as a runner. In the old NFL, you never had to account for that guy as a runner. The only time that guy ran was in a scramble situation. Now he's an extra ball carrier. It becomes more difficult to defend."
Adds Hope: The inordinate amount of plays and the style of offense and the spread offense evolving and the dual-threat quarterback being able to feature a passer and a runner, all those things together make up these unbelievable scores you're seeing."
Will defenses ever catch up? In some cases, they already have. Top-ranked Alabama has the nation's stingiest defense, allowing 7.0 points. TCU is No. 2, allowing 7.25 points. Notre Dame is third at 9.0.
Michigan State, which plays Indiana on Saturday, leads the Big Ten and is 12th nationally by allowing 12.8 points.
Alabama uses a 3-4 defense that relies on zone blitzes, disguised coverages and great recruiting. Saban emphasizes defensive dominance and recruits for specific traits (although these aren't etched in stone). For instance, the Crimson Tide prefer cornerbacks who can judge the ball in the air, can play man-to-man coverage and who can tackle. Ideally they should be between 6-foot and 6-2, weigh more than 180 pounds and run a 40-yard dash in less than 4.5 seconds.
Alabama also puts many of its best players on defense, an approach that's hard to ignore.
"You'd better get loaded up on defense or you will struggle to compete for any type of championship," Hope says. "The best teams, the championship teams, are the ones that play great defense. We're hoping we can become a great defensive team. If that happens, we have a shot to be championship contenders."
Purdue has work to do. It ranks ninth in the Big Ten, allowing 20.8 points, but counters that with an offense that has scored at least 48 points in three of its four games. The one exception — it had 17 in the Notre Dame loss.
"We have a lot of people who can make plays, and that's why we can score a bunch of points," TerBush says. "We want to keep scoring to help our defense."
What does all this offense do to officiating?
"I think there's tougher calls now," Hope says. "The ball is in the air; it's all over the place. Defenders are close to receives. There are more opportunities for (pass interference) on either side.
"So the game is tougher to call, and at the same time, things are getting sped up. Things happen in a hurry, and that makes it more of a challenge for everyone involved — the offense, the defense, the officials, the coaches."
Purdue's Short has a final thought.
"Just rely on the defensive line to make something happen," he says.


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altar wrote:you can search the happiest day of your life on facebook.
cooran wrote:Hello altar,
What about the different time-zones? In Brisbane it is now 9.45 a.m. ... but in London it is 12.45 a.m. and in New York it's 7.43 p.m.
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Pronounced as one letter...Riddles are little poems or phrases that pose a question that needs answering. Riddles frequently rhyme, but this is not a requirement.
Pronounced as one letter, and written with three,
Two letters there are, and two only in me:
I`m double, I`m single, I`m black, blue and gray,
I`m read from both ends and the same either way.
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