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Cubs trying to help Lake get back on track
CHICAGO -- The Cubs have been trying to find spots for Junior Lake to get the outfielder back on track, but he's continued to struggle at the plate.
Lake batted .273 in May, then hit .190 in June and .114 in July. Manager Rick Renteria has started the right-handed hitter against lefties, but the Cubs had not faced many until their two series against the Rockies, and Lake went 3-for-15 in six games.
"We tried to run him out there against the lefties, and we'll continue to see where we can get him some at-bats," Renteria said. "He hasn't had many over the last three or four days, but we'll continue to find ways.
"He's been working really hard on his mechanical approach, and when we can, we'll try to get him in there."
Last season, Lake batted .284 in 64 games with six home runs. This year, he's hitting .216 in 95 games with nine home runs and 101 strikeouts.
Carrie Muskat is a reporter for MLB.com. She writes a blog, Muskat Ramblings, and you can follow her on Twitter @CarrieMuskat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Division of Workforce Solutions has reorganized
The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Division of Workforce Solutions is reorganizing into two new divisions. Please select the program information or division you are interested in from the lists below.
If you have created entries for these programs in your "Bookmarks" (NN) or "Favorites" (IE), please update the entries to the new locations listed above.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Effects of Aircraft Cabin Altitude on Passenger Comfort and Discomfort
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- No Study Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
Commercial aircraft passengers are exposed to atmospheric pressures ranging from the pressure found at ground level to that encountered in the external environment at 8,000 feet. There is some evidence in the medical literature that symptoms of acute mountain sickness can result from ascent to altitudes of 6,300 to 10,000 feet by unacclimated persons during the first few days following ascent, probably due to the hypoxia that results from breathing air at the reduced ambient pressures at altitude. The logical hypothesis that follows is that exposure to 8,000 feet could cause hypoxia sufficient to adversely affect the comfort and well being of some commercial aircraft passengers on prolonged flights. There is insufficient data in the literature to validate this hypothesis.
Exercise at sea level and at altitude reduces arterial oxygen levels. The logical hypothesis that follows is that the combination of moderate exercise and exposure to altitude could cause hypoxia sufficiently severe to adversely affect the comfort and well being of some people and that the combined effect of exercise and altitude on comfort and well being is greater than the effect of exercise or altitude alone. Again, there is insufficient evidence in the literature to substantiate this possibility.
The purpose of this investigation is to test these hypotheses.
|Acute Mountain Sickness
|Procedure: Hypobaric hypoxia
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single
|Official Title:
|Investigation to Determine the Effects of Aircraft Cabin Altitudes on Passenger Comfort and Discomfort
- ESQ IV factor scores measured at 2 hour intervals
- Oxygen Saturation measured at 2 hour intervals
|Estimated Enrollment:
|Study Start Date:
|October 2002
|Estimated Study Completion Date:
|April 2003
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|21 Years to 75 Years (Adult, Senior)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria: age 21 - 75
Exclusion Criteria:Height greater than 6'2", BMI greater than 45. Specified acute or chronic medical conditions -
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00326703
|Principal Investigator:
|James M Muhm, MD, MPH
|The Boeing Company
Publications automatically indexed to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number):
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT00326703 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|Study First Received:
|May 15, 2006
|Last Updated:
|October 16, 2006
Keywords provided by The Boeing Company:
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Altitude Sickness
Respiration Disorders
Respiratory Tract Diseases
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017


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French Professor Jay Lutz and I designed a First Year Seminar course called "Eyes on Africa." The seminar explores the culture, literature, people and current events related to the African continent, as well as relevant connections to the African Diaspora—the manifestation of African culture outside of the continent. This manifestation includes Africa's indelible impact on the United States through the influence of black Americans.
In exploring the rich contribution of Africans on the United States, we thought it appropriate to take our class on a journey to Charleston, South Carolina, the historic city many call "ground zero" of African American culture in the United States. Charleston has this designation because as the fifth largest city in late 17th century colonial North America it was a major slave port, receiving tens of thousands of African men and women destined to toil in South Carolina plantations, rice fields, and urban centers. Moreover, it is estimated that more than half of all African Americans, no matter where in the U.S. they reside, had at least one ancestor who was trafficked through the Charleston port.
Our FYS had the privilege of being escorted throughout much of our Charleston tour by South Carolina historian and author Wayne Anthony O'Bryant, who was generously gave the entire FYS an autographed copy of his book, In the Footprints of a Giant: The Vesey Connection, which traces Denmark Vesey's life and legacy through the author's childhood recollections and revelations.
Our seminar group visited and learned about the domestic and international slave trade at Charleston's Old Slave Mart Museum. Originally Ryan's Mart, this very building held slave auctions where men, women and children were bought, sold and traded. The museum has sobering exhibits focused on the institution of slavery and its importance to the economy and general development of colonial South Carolina. The black population of colonial South Carolina frequently equaled or exceeded that of whites, which permitted a thorough diffusion of African culture, art, music, dance, architecture, craft, cuisine, spirituality, and even language in the region and beyond. Some of the most significant slave insurrections in colonial America, including the Stono Rebellion of 1739 and the Demark Vesey's famous revolt of 1822 occurred in or around Charleston.
We also toured the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture. Founded in 1865 by the American Missionary Association as the Avery Normal School, this institution, for nearly a century, groomed Charleston area African Americans for professional and academic careers until its doors closed in 1954. Today, the Avery is not only a research center, but also an archives and a museum containing valuable historical documents related to local African American culture as well as to the African diaspora.
Our group also traveled to Columbia, S.C., where we visited the African American Monument, the first and only monument dedicated to African American culture built on the grounds of a state capitol. The granite and bronze monument sculpted by Ed Dwight opened in 2001 and uses a series of expressive panels to trace African American culture from the arrival of Africans to South Carolina shores to the present.
Before returning to Oglethorpe, our FYS explored Sullivan's Island, a place with significant historical significance despite its relatively low-key status as a Charleston-area landmark. A major battle of the American Revolution took place at Fort Sullivan (now Fort Moultrie). However, prior to becoming a Revolutionary-era battleground site, for much of the 18th century, Sullivan's Island served as a "quarantine station" for Africans arriving in the United States before beginning their new lives as slaves. It is estimated that 40% of African Americans can trace an ancestors through Sullivan's Island, making this sacred site akin to an "African-American Ellis Island."
Dr. Mario Chandler is Associate Professor of Spanish. He received his B.A. from Iowa State University, and his M.A. and Ph.D. from The University of Georgia.


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STANTON, Calif. - A 72-year-old grandmother in Southern California fired at an intruder and barely missed him in a confrontation recorded by a 911 operator.
Jan Cooper of Anaheim said Tuesday that she fired one shot from her .357-magnum revolver early Sunday as a burglar tried to break in through a sliding glass door. Cooper says she has owned guns since she was a teenager and has years of practice at the shooting range with her husband, a World War II veteran.
The suspect was arrested by Orange County sheriff's deputies a short time later.
Sheriff's spokesman Jim Amormino says the gun was legal and registered.
In a 911 call, Cooper can be heard firing one shot and then cursing and screaming at the man to go away as deputies arrive.
Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Final Cut X 10.03… are we good to go?
Confession… we haven't delved into FCPX yet.
We were deep in a couple of editorial jobs when it came out, so it would have been unprofessional to jump in. Then all the negative buzz kept us away when those projects finally wrapped. At the very least we couldn't/ still can't use our Matrox I/O devices with it, so that was a non-starter. Instead, we upgraded our Adobe package and planned to get cranking on Premiere Pro sooner than later. Well, we still haven't done that either. We've been getting happily by with our trusty FCP7, but now there is a new update to FCPX.
It includes:
Bigger and better multicam
Better XML
Support for layered PSD files
The ability to open FCP7 projects with a $10 plugin/app called 7toX (big one for us)
Support from a grand sampling of the the plugin scene, including Red Giant
And finally support for I/O, just not Matrox… yet.
Read more here. And here. Is it time for us to try it out? Have you tried it? Thoughts? Let us know. The FCP7 road is coming to it's end, but our post-production journey continues. Where should we go from here?


text:
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Nov. 18, 2009
TTBC Broadcast Nationally on CBS Sports This Saturday
LAKE CONROE, TEXAS – The Toyota Texas Bass Classic (TTBC), the professional bass fishing world championship, will be broadcast nationally on CBS Sports this Saturday, November 21.
More details at the link below.
On the Net:
- http://www.toyotatexasbassclassic.com/2009/11/17/ttbc-broadcast-nationally-on-cbs-sports-this-saturday
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(5.4.16 i)


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Oct. 29, 2007
Big Time Texas Hunts Winners Selected
AUSTIN, Texas — Tommy Bridgers has joined an elite group of sportsmen who can call themselves desert bighorn sheep hunters. That's because the Duncanville, Texas resident is this year's winner of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's Big Time Texas Hunts Grand Slam.
"I'm absolutely flabbergasted," exclaimed Bridgers. "That's the only way I can describe how excited I am about winning this contest."
Bridgers was selected in a random computer drawing from among 20,355 Texas Grand Slam entries and will participate in a series of four separate guided hunts for all four big game animals in Texas — white-tailed deer, mule deer, pronghorn antelope and desert bighorn sheep.
Bridgers paid $10 to apply for the drawing and said he has been entering the Big Time Texas Hunts annually. The bighorn sheep hunt alone is priceless, something only a handful of people ever get a chance to experience. "I'm a member of the Dallas Safari Club and I know we auctioned off a bighorn permit last year for about $100,000," he said. "Anybody who hunts sheep knows how hard it is to get one of these permits."
For his four hunts, Bridgers just needs to bring hunting gear and a valid hunting license. Guide service, food, lodging, and on-site transportation for himself and a non-hunting companion are all provided.
Here are this year's winners and hometowns for all seven Big Time Texas Hunts categories:
Texas Grand Slam
- Tommy H. Bridgers, Duncanville, TX
Texas Exotic Safari
- Jimmy R, Clark, Somerville, TX
- Oscar Buenrostro, Houston, TX
Texas Premium Buck
- Kenneth Watson, Weatherford, TX
Texas Whitetail Bonanza
- Alan C. Weston, Burnet, TX
- David G. Fallin, The Woodlands, TX
- Jean J. Astie, , Dallas, TX
- Robert Valentine, Houston, TX
- Stephen L. Holley, Dallas, TX
- Lee R. Jones, , Wichita Falls, TX
- Buren A. Haltom, Dayton, TX
- Ward M. Cooksey, Sulphur Springs, TX
- Miguel Saldivar, Devine, TX
- Roberto J. Laurel, Laredo, TX
Texas Big Time Bird Hunt
- Paulino Silguero, Hebbronville, TX
Texas Waterfowl Adventure
- Richard A. Pratt, Plano, TX
Texas Gator Hunt
- Adolfo C. Nabarrette, Odessa, TX
All told, hunters bought 79,815 Big Time Texas Hunt entries during this year's sales period from Aug. 15 through the Oct. 15 deadline. This generated $798,150 in gross revenue to support wildlife research, habitat management and public hunting.
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(5.4.16 i)


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LA Galaxy goalkeeper Josh Saunders won't win the league MVP award, but that doesn't mean he isn't the most valuable player in MLS.
After all, one measure of a player's impact is how his club plays without him.
The Galaxy went 0-5-2 when Saunders missed six weeks this season while he went through the league's substance abuse and mental health program. The rough stretch dropped LA into last place in the Western Conference.
Since his return on June 17, the Galaxy are a league-best 12-3-3—with eight shutouts—to climb into third place, only two points behind Real Salt Lake heading into Saturday night's showdown with RSL.
"I can't say our turnaround is attributed to Josh returning, but it certainly has helped, no question about it," LA coach Bruce Arena told the Los Angeles Times. "He's done a good job for us."
Saunders, a 31-year-old native of Grants Pass, Ore., has been intentionally vague about the cause for his absence, only saying "it's my personal life." Still, Saunders says club officials and teammates were supportive during his time away and upon his return. Even though the club struggled without him, he says he has no regrets about his break.
"There are certain necessities that are more important than others," he told the newspaper. "Doing that was what I felt was more important."


text: GW excited to make state cheer tournament debut By Tommy R. Atkinson December 7, 2012 Story Share CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The Civic Center will be buzzing with energy today as the high school cheer state championships hit the floor.Twenty-four squads (eight from each of the three classes) from across the state will descend upon the Capital City beginning at 10 a.m. to decide the state titlist in Class AAA, AA and A. Class A will begin the competition, followed by AA and AAA. (See box for order of performance.)Brooke (AAA), which has garnered 12 championships, and Tug Valley (AA), which has won three titles, are back to defend their championships, although the Panthers will be competing in Class A this year. Three-time defending Class A champion Clay-Battelle failed to advance out of last week's regional competition. The top two teams (winner and runner-up) from each of the eight regions move on to states.George Washington will be making history, appearing at states for the first time. The state cheer championships have been held since 1987."I'm very proud of them,'' said GW fourth-year coach Lori Davis. "It's a big accomplishment. They've worked very, very hard for it. We've been building a program the last four years and we're getting to the point where I think they'll see GW at states much more often now."We have started to put an emphasis on competing as well as supporting the other sports. We want to be athletes, too. Since I have come to the school, we have put an emphasis on the actual sport side - stunting and tumbling.''The Patriots were runner-up to Riverside in the regional."We had always been pretty much at the bottom or last,'' said Davis. "We have an excellent group of kids and parents. Their parents are so supportive. "When [the cheerleaders are] outside of my practice they go to tumbling to try and improve their skills. The school supports cheerleading and has allowed us to build a program to get to the point where we can actually compete at states.''GW has had much success of late in its other sports, and now the cheerleaders are ready to make their mark."They're very proud of themselves,'' Davis said. "They've had so much support from their peers. It's been really great for them. As cheerleaders, we have been at all those state tournaments cheering on our school and sports."This is the first time that we get to go and have an audience there to support us. I think we stand a good chance to place well. We have a very talented group of girls that's going to go out there and put their heart and soul into it. We hope we place at the top. It's going to be a hard road for us, but we're willing to take that chance and go give it everything we have.''In addition to GW and Riverside, Winfield - which won its only title in AA in 2003 - is the only other school from the Kanawha Valley to advance to states. Brooke, Jefferson, Lewis County, Logan and Wheeling Park round out the AAA field. Brooke, Jefferson and Logan, which was last year's runner-up at states, also won regional crowns.East Fairmont, Independence, Liberty Raleigh, Robert C. Byrd, Lincoln, Mingo Central, North Marion and Tolsia, which has 12 titles, make up the AA participants. East Fairmont, Robert C. Byrd, Liberty Raleigh and Mingo Central captured regional titles. Lincoln finished as state runner-up last year.Wheeling Central, Fayetteville, Tug Valley, South Harrison, Moorefield, Williamstown, Tyler Consolidated and Wahama round out the Class A field. Central, South Harrison, Tug Valley and Williamstown took regional titles. Nitro's Kathy Barr will be recognized during the competition as the state coach of the year. Tickets are $8 for adults and $7 for students.Reach Tommy R. Atkinson at firstname.lastname@example.com or 304-348-4811. Story Share Story Share Trending Now 1 Facebook founder visits Cabin Creek Health Systems 2 Teen pleads guilty to voluntary manslaughter in Oakes Field shooting 3 Safety shutoff disabled prior to June coal-mining death, report says 4 Congressional opioid investigation targets drug wholesaler Miami-Luken 5 Reunions: Sept. 26, 2017 Dots capitalize on Clay miscues, win 78-51 Previous Story Huggins no stranger to Virginia Tech rivalry Next Story


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Amir Khan has vowed to "earn" a bout with boxing's pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather by comprehensively beating Luis Collazo in Las Vegas.
Khan appeared set for a showdown with the undefeated Mayweather this Saturday, but the American instead chose to fight Marcos Maidana in a world title unification bout.
But rather than sulk, the 27-year-old from Bolton agreed to star on the undercard and will make his welterweight debut against Collazo, a rugged southpaw from New York who has won his last four fights, which includes a shock second-round knockout victory over former 147lb world champion Victor Ortiz.
While Khan is refusing to look past the 33-year-old (35-5, 18Kos), he hopes a dazzling display will put him in the shop window for a lucrative showdown with Mayweather later this year.
"As long as I put on a great performance I'll earn that shot [at fighting Mayweather]," he said at the final pre-fight press conference.
"But, to be honest, I'm not looking past Collazo. I need to win this fight and take it from there. I need to put on a good performance and we'll see what happens.
"It's going to be a hard fight. It will be tough and exciting, but I think I have all the tools to beat him.
"He's coming off a big win so I know it won't be an easy fight. I'm looking to make a big statement on the Mayweather undercard."
Many observers were surprised Khan chose to make his bow at welterweight against an experienced campaigner in Collazo, having not fought in nearly a year and struggling badly last time out against Julio Diaz before earning a razor-thin points win.
Questions marks over his ability to take a punch continue to dog Khan (28-3, 19Kos), but he insists he has been honing his technique with trainer Virgil Hunter and that his time away from the ring may prove to be a blessing in disguise.
"I'm excited to put on a great show. I've trained my way up to this weight. The hand speed and movement is always going to be here but there are a lot of new things you will see," he said.
"I'm going to put on a great performance and I hope we give the fans what they want.
"Spending this time with Virgil Hunter has only made me a better boxer.
"I've been working hard and improving myself. It's not like I've been taking time off. I've been sparring and working on my style."
For his part, Collazo is determined not to be another stepping stone on Khan's path to a potential shot at Mayweather, and is keen to upset the odds in a bout that will be contested for the lightly regarded WBC Silver welterweight title.
The former WBA champion gave Khan's compatriot Ricky Hatton all sorts of problems before losing a tight - and controversial - decision eight years ago, but claims he is now at his peak as he attempts to pull off his second shock win in a row.
"This is the highest of the high for a boxer and I'm humbled by the opportunity," he said.
"It's been a tremendous ride. I'm blessed to be here and soak this moment in.
"Khan, welcome to the welterweight division. Once the bell rings you're going to see the best Collazo you've ever seen."
Both Khan and Collazo tipped the scales at 147lbs at Friday night's weigh-in.


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In season now: peppers, eggplant, last of the tomatoes and stone fruit, beans, potatoes, fresh herbs, new apples and pears, and plenty more.
In season soon: More winter squash, more root vegetables, more broccoli and brussels sprouts and other members of the brassicae family. Winter is coming.
It's clearly fall at the Greenmarket. Winter squash, apples, and the family brassicae begin their approach over all the late summer produce that's hanging on for dear life. Click through the slideshow for a closer look.
The Union Square Greenmarket is open on the North and West sides of Union Square Park every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
About the author: Ben Fishner is Serious Eats' advertising operations administrator, and he is currently planning his next meal. He blogs at Ben Cooks Everything. Follow him on Twitter or Tumblr, won't you?


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Who belongs on an All-Floyd Casey Stadium team?
Since Floyd Casey Stadium debuted in 1950, the Bears have featured 45 All-Americans and six College Football Hall of Famers (including head coach Grant Teaff). Later this fall, Baylor Athletics will honor the best of those who wore the green and gold at Floyd Casey with a series of all-decade teams covering the stadium's lifespan leading up to the Bears' move into the new Baylor Stadium in 2014.
As a fun exercise, Baylor Magazine had longtime BU football followers Jerry Hill (a reporter on the Baylor beat for more than a quarter-century) and John Morris, BA '80 (who has been calling Baylor games since 1987) take stabs at drafting their own "All-Floyd Casey" teams; the results are in the current issue (Summer 2013) of Baylor Magazine.
[See the complete draft results || Listen to Hill & Morris discuss the draft]
I think just about every Baylor fan can guess who the first pick was, but you might be surprised to see who else was (and was not) selected as both Hill and Morris went 10 picks deep for a total of 20 selections. Every decade was represented by at least one player, with the decades of the 1980s and 2010s earning the most nods.
Sic 'em, Floyd Casey Bears!
[Baylor Magazine is mailed out four times a year to any member of the Baylor family who would like to receive it, including 140,000 alumni, parents and friends of the university, and distributed in kiosks around campus. If you're not currently receiving the magazine, click here to sign up for free.]


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Welcome to Snowmobile Country
This year, come enjoy the many wonderful wintry pleasures offered by the regions of Lanaudière and the Mauricie. Together under the banner of Authentic Quebec, we welcome you with superb trail conditions and a limitless number of circuits over 4,800 km of snowmobile trails. Tour these two vast regions through magnificent landscapes of forest, mountains and frozen lakes.
Authentic Quebec is an extraordinary place! «Supertrax magazine»
Our broad trails ensure safe touring, and their high quality and excellent grooming are two reasons why Snowmobile Country has earned an international reputation. Another reason is the exceptionally long season that often lasts from mid-December to late March!
Treat yourself to a short or long stay exploring the fantastic network of circuits in our two regions, with a package that combines friendly hospitality and good eating. Here at this website, you can order a copy of the Lanaudière-Mauricie snowmobile map, choose from a variety of packages and find helpful information to plan a great trip. This winter, make Snowmobile Country your destination!
- September 8 2016 Open house snowmobile trails event - January 21 and 22, 2017
Joining forces under the brand label of Authentic Québec, Lanaudiere and Mauricie offer a true, natural and authentic experience of Quebec. Our great regions welcome you with outstanding trail conditions and an endless choice of circuits. Bordered by the St. Lawrence River, this vast area between Montreal and Quebec City invites you to the only true Snowmobile Country! A paradise for real enthusiasts!


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- Product Details
This 5x5 Personalised Wooden Frame is beautifully engraved with a "Be My Valentine" design on the top which is standard.
You can also personalise this fantastic photo frame with a message of your choice up to 60 characters over 3 lines, 20 characters on each line.
It's sure to be the pride of the recipient's desk, wall or shelves.
This Personalised "Be My Valentine" Wooden Frame is handmade out of real wood and beautifully constructed.
The warm wood tones will highlight your favourite photo and will make a wonderful compliment to any décor.
Measures: Height 22.5 CM Width 22.5 CM Depth 1.5 CM
- Delivery & Returns
We are aware of how important it is for you to receive your gifts in time. Therefore, once you place your order we will process straight away and dispatch as soon as they are ready to go. We usually dispatch all items within 24-48 hours, however, this may be a little longer during special occasions such as Mother's Day, Father's Day, Christmas, etc. If multiple items ordered, we may dispatch items separately or all together, depending on the process.
*2nd CLASS ROYAL MAIL
Sent via 2nd Class Mail for only £3.99.
*1st CLASS ROYAL MAIL
Sent via 1st Class Mail for only £4.99.
Sent via Royal Mail Tracked for only £5.99.
Orders received by 2pm, sent via next working day courier tracked service for only £7.99.
Orders received by 2pm, sent via Royal Guaranteed Saturday Delivery for only £9.99.
The cost for delivery to European countries is calculated based on the destination. Please allow approx. 2-5 working days from dispatch, however, this is not guaranteed.
Below areas will incur a remote area surcharge - £30
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*Spain: Ceuta, Melilla
*Finland: Aland Islands
*Free delivery excludes items that are on offer or discounted from the original price and sent via 2nd Class Royal Mail, only UK.
*2nd Class Royal Mail - Royal Mail aim to deliver within two to three days, however, this is not guaranteed by Royal Mail, only UK.
*1st Class Royal Mail - Royal Mail aim to deliver your order one to two days, however, this is not guaranteed by Royal Mail, only UK.
*Premium Tracked - Royal Mail aim to deliver your order the next day, however, this is not guaranteed by Royal Mail, only UK.
*Next Working Day - All Orders placed before 2pm will be delivered next working day (Excludes Northern Ireland, Overseas UK addresses, and Parts of Scotland).
*Saturday Delivery - All Orders placed before 2pm will be delivered Saturday (Excludes Northern Ireland, Overseas UK addresses, and Parts of Scotland).
*All our items require production time and this is stated on individual product pages.
We're sure that you will be satisfied with your purchase and we also understand that sometimes you may want to return. We keep this process simple! Just contact us if you wish to return goods. Please note: personalised, made-to-order and perishable items are non-refundable.
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Kogan, an Australian online electronics dealer, has started imposing a "tax" on customers visiting its site using Internet Explorer 7 (and presumably below, though the announcement doesn't mention IE6). Yes, that's right, IE7 users visiting Kogan will pay more than those using a modern web browser. Or, more likely, they'll just shop elsewhere.
Here's how the tax will work according the Kogan's blog: "From today, anyone buying from the site who uses IE7 will be lumped with a 6.8% surcharge — that's 0.1% for each month IE7 has been on the market." The post goes on to claim that the move will help Kogan "keep prices for all smart shoppers down." Sure it's a cheap, attention-getting gimmick, but who hasn't wanted to ban IE?
Even Microsoft is frustrated with older versions of Internet Explorer that still hang around. The company already has a site dedicated to tracking the demise of IE6, and it's not a stretch to imagine that it will soon be extending that death wish to IE7.
That said, browsing through Kogan's site it's hard to see what about it is causing IE7 headaches for Kogan. We're no fans of IE 7, but building websites following best practices like progressive enhancement means your site will work even in older browsers. It may not always look exactly the same as more capable browsers, but it will at least function. In my brief testing it appears that Kogan's site does indeed work in IE7, though the company might need a few lines of IE7-only CSS to clean things up.
Contrary to what Kogan says, starting with the foundations layering on extras as you go means supporting IE7 isn't a cost of doing business, it's just a nice by-product of the process of building successful websites — like supporting older mobile browsers, feature phones, televisions, gaming consoles and dozens of other web-connected devices that aren't always going to function as well as a desktop browser.Go Back to Top. Skip To: Start of Article.


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Rachel Kramer Bussel has collected a wide and wild variety of original erotica stories that are deliciously short - just one orgasmic bite at a time. In 1,200 words or less, these authors explore every which way you can "get it on", including threesomes, sex toys, public sex, BDSM, fetishes, and much more. Get "Anal-yzed", learn "The Advantage of Working from Home", and spy some risqué "Vacation Pictures". There are pecan rolls dripping in caramel and meals where lovers feast on nothing but each other. From crossword puzzles to Godzilla, these tales are perfect for reading aloud before you live out your own frisky fantasy. For those who like their sex quick and naughty, Gotta Have It has a host of erotic offerings to get you going.
©2011 Cleis Press (P)2013 Cleis Press
"Hot Tasty Morsels - 69 of Them!"
I haven't read the print version of this book, but the narrator's delivery could only multiply the impact of the stories.
There are 69 stories, each with its own characters.
I can't think of a better narrator for these stories than Rose Caraway. Her delivery is talented and sultry. These are all short stories, but her voice draws you into them. Never boring.
Buy it!
"I Loved This!"
This book had 69 tasty short stories and loved almost all of them. Perfect for my daily commute.
Love to listen too book on tape . My fav genera is erotica
"Got to have it"
Listening to rosé do these stories is what dose it for me. she has a way of using the sensory imagery. that the writers right that engulfs her listeners. bravo to all the writers as well for whom with out there would be no stories to tell. I will be looking for more of your work from most of you thx again and can there be a sequel need more rose
Every thing there was enough of a mixture that any one could benefit from this book who is a fan of erotica that is.
She is just awesome the way the words just roll off her tongue engulfs you and you lose track off every thing dam near crashed the car lol I am fine but it was a close one lol
Dose turned on count lol
This is from chocolate Ty rose love ya girl
"69 EROTIC stories 90% Excellent!"
Never read print version.
No this was the first time and she did good job
There were many short stories and each one was very different, you could start and stop and keep everything going. When you get an anthology of stories, your not going to "Love" every one of them but I believe at least 90% were excellent and worth the buy. Some were hard core, others were soft core, other were just romantic. A nice mix. I usually enjoy anything RCB puts together. I wasn't disappointed on this one. The good part none of the stories were more than 15 minutes long, so if you felt it was not to your liking you could skip to the next. I only did that 4 times.
"for adults only hot sexy and great"
the stories are smoking hot, the narrator's are perfect, hot sexy and keeps your blood pumping great for couples as well
all of them, just listening is a turn on almost as much fun as watching
her sexy voice and the way she tells the story
laugh cry no lol but it will get you excited
a must read!!!!!!!
"Short and sexy stories told in a sultry way"
I don't know if I'd say it's better but it's definitely incredibly hot. Rose Caraway's voice is perfectly sultry and had me rapt with attention. She makes sure each story is a treat, whether it's funny, romantic or a down and dirty one.
Got a Minute? by Alison Tyler because both feature very short stories.
I liked the opening story because I do crossword puzzles, and the wordplay kicked off the book with a bang.
I liked the playfulness of the food story "Hot Buns on a Saturday Afternoon" by Erica Rivera and was moved by the romance of a long-term relationship in "After Ten Years" by Christen Clifford.
Rose Caraway sounds like she's almost whispering in your ear, her voice pitched in a way that can highlight a dirty word or a deep emotion.
Just me...
Yep, I sure would! It was really good, I even liked that in some of the stories no sex was had at all, it was just passion and desire! Sometimes that can be even hotter than the act itself. Some stories caught me off guard, like whoa! That just happened! But over all it was great
I dunno, it's different then any book I've read. I can tell you this much, it's better then some other erotic books I've listened to...just saying!
Awesome per her usual! She has an amazing voice!
I did! And were it not for work, school, and the need for sleep I probably would have! Lol
Is there gonna be part 2? (Gotta Have Some More!)
"absolutely loved this book, over and over again"
I prefer audio, for the commute
So many were, lets say enjoyable.
I've been listening to Rose for a long time, in many formats. KMQs and The Sexy Librarian
Yes, but had to do multiple listenings, then repeted
Stupid Fish, KEEP UPTHE GOOD WORK!
Mentally tough
"Great hot short stories"
Literal, suggestive and sensual
Awesome narration. Fantastic voice!
Each story is short and yes there are 69 of them. But you'll want to hear everyone of them. The suggestive stories are well written and definitely will put you in the mood!
"Rose Is The Best-est!!!"
I first heard about Rose Caraway from a friend at work, and I fell in love with her iTunes podcast on the very first listen. "The Beacon" episode touched me in a real way. Rose manages to bring a tangible combination that I've never heard in erotica before. It's fun, sexy, smart, and has plenty of heart. Each new "Kiss Me Quick's" podcast episode is the highlight of my day.
OK enough about the podcast, here's what I have to say about Gotta Have It.
It's terrific!
Rachel Kramer Bussel did a wonderful job of putting together 69 stories that were sexy, and different. Tasty bite sized little morsels of bliss. They were perfect for my daily commute home to my fella. BTW- He's a fan of this audio book and he hasn't even heard it yet, if ya know what I mean.
In terms of the narration, it doesn't get any better.
Most "sexy" narrators that I've heard are so "over the top" and "put on" that it's distracting and obnoxious. Rose takes a completely different take on sexy. Her style of delivery lets you forget the narration completely and just get sucked into the story. Rose is the perfect blend of sexy, authentic, and sweetness.
"struggled to finish"
struggled to finish it. didnt find it. to be what i thought it to be
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DINOSAURS and mummies captivated pupils when a children's author visited a primary school and opned a new library.
Ian MacDonald was visiting Spring Meadow primary school in Dovercourt as part of their literacy week.
Mr MacDonald, whose books include The Mummy's Finger and Skateboard Gran, organised special workshops for each year group.
The school's literacy week ended with the opening of the new school library.


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Topic: I am recently diagnosed
I was diagnosed in mid-July. In mid-August I had surgery to attempt to resect the left lobe of my liver, but it was not successful. The tumors have spread further into the right side than was thought.
I see an oncologist this week. I am hoping there will be a chance for me. I want to live!


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Wells, Grimm will open season at Triple-A
SURPRISE, Ariz. -- The Rangers have knocked out two more candidates for their rotation, leaving Nick Tepesch all but certain to be the fifth starter.
The Rangers told veteran Randy Wells and rookie Justin Grimm, who is the club's No. 10 prospect according to MLB.com, on Thursday they are being sent to Triple-A Round Rock. That leaves Derek Lowe, who signed with the Rangers two weeks ago, as the only other possible candidate for the rotation, and he is being viewed more as a middle reliever.
Tepesch, who is ranked the organization's No. 18 prospect by MLB.com, still has two more starts in camp, and the Rangers haven't made a formal announcement on his status, but Robbie Ross has been told he is going to the bullpen and Martin Perez is still sidelined with a broken arm. Kyle McClellan is also sidelined with a strained ribcage muscle.
That leaves Tepesch, who was a 14th-round pick in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Missouri. The 24-year-old split last season between Class A Myrtle Beach and Double-A Frisco, and he was a combined 11-6 with a 3.67 ERA. The right-hander averaged giving up 9.2 hits and 2.4 walks per nine innings along with 7.1 strikeouts.
"He's still here," manager Ron Washington said.
Wells made it competitive, going 1-0 with a 4.15 ERA in four starts. He has also made 86 career starts and 11 relief appearances with the Cubs from 2008-12. The Rangers also considered him for a role as a long man in the bullpen but prefer him starting at Triple-A to give them some rotation depth.
"It is what it is," Wells said. "The guy pitched well. I made it competitive, but I just came up short."
Wells signed a Minor League contract with the Rangers in the offseason. Unlike others who signed similar deals, Wells does not have an out clause that will allow him to take his free agency if not added to the Opening Day roster.
"This is where I wanted to play," Wells said. "I wasn't in a position to go anywhere, but this was No. 1 on my list. I got the opportunity. ... I'm very grateful. The guy just stepped up and I came up short. There's no real mystery. It's never what you want to hear, but I have been around enough to know how the game works."
Grimm, who made two starts and three relief appearances for the Rangers last season, got off to a slow start this spring and never could catch up to Tepesch. Grimm was 0-2 with a 9.64 ERA in four outings this spring. Like Wells, Grimm will be in the Triple-A Round Rock rotation.
"He needs continued growth," Washington said. "As a young pitcher, he needs to pitch regularly and harness what he has."
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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The Effect of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury on Recovery From Injury
This study has been completed.
University of Pittsburgh
Information provided by:
University of Pittsburgh
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
First received: February 17, 2006
Last updated: February 7, 2008
Last verified: February 2008
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- No Study Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
Detailed Description:
Mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a common injury that can produce significant functional sequelae and ongoing disabling symptoms. Predicting who will have an uncomplicated recovery and who will suffer ongoing symptoms is difficult. This protocol evaluates the use of neuropsychologic testing after mild TBI in injured patients to attempt to objectively establish predictors of long term disability and functional recovery.
|Traumatic Brain Injury Trauma Head Injury Brain Concussion
|Procedure: neuropsychologic testing
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary Purpose: Diagnostic
|Official Title:
|The Effect of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury on Recovery From Injury
Resource links provided by NLM:
MedlinePlus related topics: Concussion Traumatic Brain InjuryU.S. FDA Resources
Further study details as provided by University of Pittsburgh:
Primary Outcome Measures:
- functional outcome
- subjective symptoms
|Estimated Enrollment:
|Study Start Date:
|October 2004
|Study Completion Date:
|September 2007
Patients who are hospitalized and who have suffered mild TBI (loss of consciousness or post-traumatic amnesia; Glasgow Coma Score 13-15; admitted within 24 hours of injury; able to read, speak, and understand English) who do not have pre-injury dementia or significant cognitive impairment will undergo computerized neuropsychologic testing using a previously validated tool that has been effective in sports-related mild TBI. Sequential testing will be performed during recovery and patients who report disabling symptoms and/or functional impairment will be compared to patients who recover uneventfully. Goal is to identify those parameters that predict early who may suffer long term sequelae or functional impairment and therefore benefit from early cognitive rehabilitation. Secondary goals are to establish objective parameters for functional recovery after mild TBI.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years and older (Adult, Senior)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- Mild TBI
- Admitted within 24 hours of injury
- Able to read, speak,and understand English
Exclusion Criteria:
- Expected to die of their injuries
- Pre-existing dementia or significant cognitive impairment
- Neurologically impaired and incapable of completing testing
- Physically incapable of using arms/hands to complete computerized testing
Contacts and Locations
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below. For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00295074
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00295074
|United States, Pennsylvania
|University of Pittsburgh Medical Center-Presbyterian
|Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, 15213
Sponsors and Collaborators
University of Pittsburgh
|Principal Investigator:
|Brian G Harbrecht, MD
|University of Pittsburgh
More Information
Keywords provided by University of Pittsburgh:
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 25, 2017
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT00295074 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|Study First Received:
|February 17, 2006
|Last Updated:
|February 7, 2008
Keywords provided by University of Pittsburgh:
traumatic brain injury
head injury
neuropsychologic test
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Wounds and Injuries
Brain Injuries
Brain Concussion
Craniocerebral Trauma
Brain Diseases
Central Nervous System Diseases
Nervous System Diseases
Trauma, Nervous System
Head Injuries, Closed
Wounds, Nonpenetrating
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 25, 2017


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Here's a recent interview with Herb Simon. Don't believe we've seen this one. "Optimistic" in the thread title is my word.
Indiana Pacers co-owner/CEO Simon sees progress in turnaround
6 hours ago
INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Pacers co-owner Herb Simon had become discouraged.
His team was losing, its attendance was the NBA's worst and his players were constantly in trouble with the law.
After CEO Donnie Walsh left for the New York Knicks last season, Simon seized the opportunity to become more involved with his struggling franchise by replacing Walsh himself.
Nine months into his new role as a hands-on owner, the 74-year-old Simon sees progress but acknowledges it will be difficult to reach his goals of rebuilding the team and its image while dealing with the financial downturn in a relatively small market.
"We've lost some consumer interest in us," Simon said in a recent interview. "It's challenging to come back and regain the faith of the community. In a year, we've made a pretty good turnaround. We're not finished yet."
The Pacers reached the Eastern Conference finals six times between 1994 and 2004 and made the NBA Finals in 2000. The franchise's reputation began to decline with the brawl between Pacers players and Detroit Pistons fans in 2004, and it hasn't recovered. The losses started piling up, and the fans bailed.
Simon believes the franchise can regain the respect he and his brother, Mel, worked so hard to build since becoming co-owners in 1983. Herb Simon's optimism comes primarily from two sources: Danny Granger's emergence as a superstar and an increase in attendance.
Granger has rewarded the Pacers' five-year, US$65-million extension by becoming an all-star for the first time. He averaged 25.5 points through Tuesday's games.
"We showed a lot of faith in him by giving him a long-term contract, and he didn't rest on his laurels, he got better," Simon said. "That's a special kind of person."
Attendance is up, from an average of 12,222 at the end of last season to 13,487 through Tuesday's games, a result of a furious marketing campaign and numerous special promotions.
But problems remain.
Though attendance has increased, it still ranks 28th out of 30 teams in the league, and far below the league average of 17,079 through Tuesday. Pacers executives say the team has lost money nine of the past 10 years, and is on pace to do so again.
"We had a very sharp decline in attendance over the past three years," Simon said. "This year, even though perception is better and attendance is up, the dollars aren't following because of the economy and the other factors."
The Pacers also still haven't gotten rid of Jamaal Tinsley. The point guard got into three late-night incidents in a 14-month span and was told to not come to training camp this year. The Pacers have said they won't buy out his contract, and they're still trying to trade him. They're having a hard time finding a partner, despite Tinsley's 11.9 points and 8.4 assists per game last season. Simon didn't want to discuss Tinsley, preferring to talk about the players contributing on the court.
"We're not only trying to change not only the quality, but the character and the spirit of the team," he said.
Though the Pacers are more competitive and entertaining this season, they still have a losing record. Like recent years, injuries have slowed the team. Forward Mike Dunleavy, who averaged 19.1 points per game last season, missed the first 34 games with a sore right knee. Point guard T.J. Ford has missed time with a back injury.
"I think to a large extent, even though we've had some problems this year with injuries and what have you, we've come a long way," Simon said.
Simon knows the degree of change he desires will take time to develop. He started making changes last year by hiring Jim Morris as president of Pacers Sports and Entertainment, Rick Fuson as the chief operating officer of Pacers Sports and Entertainment, David Morway as general manager of the team and giving Larry Bird control of basketball operations.
"The enthusiasm and the inspiration and the encouragement that Herb has brought to this franchise this year has uplifted, has changed the environment," Morris said. "He's an exciting person to work with."
Bird, the Celtics Hall of Famer who coached the team from 1997 to 2000, left and came back to the front office in 2003, did his part to help Simon change the franchise by bringing in seven new players.
He traded mainstay Jermaine O'Neal to Toronto for Ford, Rasho Nesterovic, Maceo Baston and the rights to rookie Roy Hibbert, and picked up Jarrett Jack and the rights to rookie Brandon Rush in a trade with Portland. Ford and Jack, also a point guard, have played well and made Tinsley's absence a non-factor.
All have contributed, leaving Simon feeling good about Bird's performance. Simon said last year that Bird had "one to three years" to get some results.
"He's a special person, very talented and knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with," Simon said. "We're very impressed with what he's done."
For now, Simon plans to see the rebuilding effort through as CEO. He has no succession plan in place.
"I'm a young guy," he said, laughing. "I could do this for 20, 30 years, right? I have no time limit one way or the other. I'm not going to put a time limit on doing the right thing for the city or for the team."


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source GAIA package: Sx_MilitaryTimes_M6201310306300009_5675.zip Origin key: Sx_MilitaryTimes_M6201310306300009 imported at Fri Jan 8 18:18:10 2016
The Marine Corps has taken extraordinary measures to suppress evidence in its prosecution of the only officer charged in connection with a vulgar war-zone video that surfaced online last year, his attorneys allege.
Capt. James Clement is charged with dereliction of duty and conduct unbecoming an officer because four enlisted Marine scout snipers in his unit recorded themselves urinating on Taliban corpses in Afghanistan's Helmand province on July 27, 2011. Clement's case is one of two remaining after six others were resolved.
The video has proven an embarrassing ordeal for the Marine Corps and some of its senior leaders — including the service's commandant, Gen. Jim Amos, who is implicated in an internal complaint made to the Defense Department Inspector General alleging he, or others acting on his behalf, manipulated the legal process to ensure stiff punishment of the Marines involved.
Court documents and emails obtained by Marine Corps Times suggest the Marine Corps has sought to block Clement's attorneys, John Dowd and Maj. Joseph Grimm, from accessing evidence they say exonerates their client and would ensure he receives a fair trial. The material includes witness statements recorded more than a year ago during separate investigations into the urination video — one conducted by the Corps, the other by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service — plus related communication between the commandant, his legal advisers and several Marine generals.
The witness interviews, including testimony by Clement and others in his unit, were inappropriately classified as "secret" on orders from the commandant's civilian counsel, Robert Hogue, and the Marine Corps has continued to make it difficult to access the materials despite subsequent orders to declassify them, according to a motion filed June 21 by Dowd and Grimm. They've asked the government to make the evidence available or justify why it must be classified.
According to emails exchanged in May between several Marine attorneys, the communication between Amos, Hogue and others is relevant to accusations that senior Marine officials deliberately and unlawfully sought to influence the outcome of the urination cases. In one of these messages, a staff judge advocate says "there does not appear to be any action on the part of the Government that is not somehow contaminated" by unlawful command influence.
In a written statement, Dowd said he and Grimm want to "uncover the truth hidden by the abuse of the classification process to deny [Clement] the evidence that will acquit him."
"The evidence includes his voluntary recorded statement provided in a grueling four-hour interrogation," Dowd added. "The evidence includes the recorded sworn statements of his comrades which acquit him of dereliction of duty and unbecoming conduct. The evidence includes recorded testimony which exposes [conflicting statements] — all in violation of [Clement's] constitutional right to a public trial, to confront witnesses against him and to call witnesses in his favor."
A spokesman for the commandant's office declined to comment. Prosecution of these cases is overseen by Marine Corps Combat Development Command in Quantico, Va. A spokesman there, Col. Sean Gibson, provided a statement in response to questions.
"The government takes its discovery obligations seriously and will ensure that requests by the defense are addressed appropriately," he said. "Motions requests are part of ongoing litigation between the government and the accused and commenting on them could compromise the integrity of the military justice process."
The defendant
Clement is the highest ranking Marine to face court-martial because of the incident. All eight men known to have faced disciplinary action were members of 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines, an infantry unit based at Camp Lejeune, N.C. Sgt. Robert Richards, one of the four scout snipers in the video, also awaits court-martial.
The urination video is one of several the scout snipers made that day depicting a host of violations, from photographing the dead bodies to needlessly firing weapons. Clement was on patrol with them, serving as the communications link between the sniper team and fellow officers at a nearby command center, but maintains he was neither aware of nor present during any wrongdoing.
After Clement's Article 32 hearing in April, the investigating officer recommended he receive nonjudicial punishment for failing to stop the Marines from firing their weapons. Clement refused, setting the stage for his court-martial, now scheduled for November.
The 10-page motion from his attorneys is accompanied by more than 80 pages of supporting documentation, including the inspector general complaint alleging wrongdoing by Amos, Hogue and three other legal advisers to the commandant: Maj. Gen. Vaughn Ary, Col. Joseph Bowe and civilian Peter Delorier. First reported by Marine Corps Times in May, the complaint was filed by Maj. James Weirick, who serves as an attorney for Marine Corps Combat Development Command and has been heavily involved in each of the cases stemming from the urination video.
That's classified
Weirick's complaint was filed with the Pentagon inspector general in March. It alleges the commandant's legal advisers sought to classify evidence assembled during the investigation in an effort to "prevent or delay the disclosure of information before court-martial, to conceal violations of law, and prevent embarrassment to the United States Marine Corps." That, Weirick contends, breaches an executive order, signed by President Obama, defining what constitutes classified national security information and what does not.
The videos and investigations were classified Feb. 29, 2012, by Lt. Gen. Richard Tryon, deputy commandant for Plans, Policies and Operations at the Pentagon. Weirick contends Tryon did so at the direction of Hogue, Delorier and Bowe, calling it a "coordinated effort to circumvent proper classification procedures."
At that time, U.S. forces in Afghanistan were on high alert in the wake of deadly protests provoked by reports that personnel at Bagram Air Base inadvertently burned copies of the Koran, Islam's holy book, and other religious materials. Riots throughout the country left hundreds wounded or dead, including at least four U.S. troops. Among them were an Army officer and an Air Force officer killed in an attack at the Afghan Interior Ministry in Kabul.
The week before Tryon signed a memorandum classifying the videos and investigations, Weirick's supervisor, then-Lt. Col. Jesse Gruter, emailed Col. Donald Riley, who was serving as the legal adviser to Gen. John Allen, then the commander of coalition forces in Afghanistan. Gruter was looking to get a sense for the level of involvement he could expect from officials in the war zone.
Riley's response is illuminating. The colonel said Allen grew concerned upon learning other videos were discovered during the urination investigation. Allen, Riley said, addressed his concerns with Gen. James Mattis, then the head of U.S. Central Command. From there, Riley's email says, Mattis communicated the concern to Amos, who spoke to Gen. Joseph Dunford, then the Marine Corps' assistant commandant. Dunford then relayed the insight to Lt. Gen. Richard Mills, Gruter's boss at Combat Development Command and the man overseeing the prosecutions.
"Accordingly," Riley's email says, "this went rapidly from Gen. Mattis [to] Gen. Amos [to] Gen. Dunford [to] Lt. Gen. Mills to ensure that the investigation got 'Classified' so that someone did not leak the video. Of course, I see some leak like that as low risk, but right now things are very tense here and are hanging by a thread with the double tap of the Koran burning and the murder of the two officers at the [Afghan Interior Ministry]. Gen. Allen's concern is that another video, especially one showing that U.S. Forces could have engaged in misconduct would definitely push this over the edge."
Weirick alleges Mills and his team were directed to classify the videos two days before Tryon signed the classification memo. The directive came from Bowe, who was relaying orders from Dunford, according to a report Weirick filed to the Department of the Navy Central Adjudication Facility, part of NCIS responsible for determining eligibility for security clearance.
Protests ignored
In that document, Weirick says he protested the classification order on several grounds: The videos were "freely exchanged" among Marines, making it impossible to account for all the duplicates; Mills lacked the authority to classify the materials because, as the head of Marine Corps Combat Development Command, he is not an "original classification authority" — meaning he can't order the material classified even if he wanted to; and finally, that the scout sniper videos posed no direct harm to national security.
When Mills' team balked, Tryon signed the order. But his head of information security, William Potts, was not involved, saying in an email "we weren't consulted on this process."
After that, in June 2012, Weirick petitioned a classification authority outside the Marine Corps who recommended the videos be declassified. Tryon agreed and rescinded his original decision.
The evidence was declassified in August. However, this past February, when Clement's attorneys sought access ahead of his Article 32 hearing, they were told Clement's interview was classified and unavailable, as were other witness statements recorded during the investigations, according to their motion.
What's in the broom closet?
The classified witness statements are located at Camp Lejeune, "in a small broom closet, not a workspace, which cannot accommodate the four members of the defense and the accused," a footnote in the document reads. Clement and his attorneys have asked to have the recordings moved to a more accommodating facility closer to where they are based in the Washington, D.C., area, but "that request was ignored," the motion states.
Of principal interest to Dowd and Grimm are statements made by Clement and others in the battalion to NCIS and Lt. Gen. Steven Hummer, whom Amos tapped to lead the Marine Corps' internal investigation.
Apart from Clement, Hummer spoke to 50 witnesses, according to the motion, including Capt. Rudyard Olmstead, Clement's company commander, and then-1st Lt. Edward Leslie, a platoon commander within the battalion. The pair watched the scout sniper mission unfold remotely via "surveillance assets," according to court documents.
When Grimm sought to review the recordings of these and other interviews his request was ignored, even though he possesses the appropriate security clearance, the motion states. Clement, Dowd and Grimm were permitted into the broom closet one day before his Article 32 hearing, and allowed to hear Olmstead's and Leslie's statements to Hummer, the motion states. They were allowed also to review summaries of the interviews, which the motion says omitted evidence in the recordings indicating Clement did nothing wrong and suggesting Leslie provided "conflicting testimony."
Leslie is one of two officers from the battalion singled out in a May 2012 position paper emailed to Amos and a host of other generals by Gen. John "Jay" Paxton, then the three-star commander of Camp Lejeune's II Marine Expeditionary Force. It says six leaders in the battalion, including the battalion commander, Lt. Col. Christopher Dixon, were put on legal hold and questioned at length as part of the investigation. The paper concludes there was no evidence they knew about the violations allegedly committed during the scout sniper operation.
Paxton is now the Marine Corps' assistant commandant. His position paper recommended that Leslie be released of all holds along with the battalion's executive officer, then-Maj. James B. Conway, the son of Amos' predecessor as commandant. Both were subsequently promoted.
Dixon, however, remains on hold at Camp Lejeune. He was selected for promotion to colonel and to participate in an academic program at the Justice Department in Washington, but both moves remain frozen pending conclusion of judicial proceedings.
The email to which Paxton's paper was attached says Amos and several generals discussed how these cases should be handled. That happened last year during the Executive Offsite, a quarterly meeting that includes three- and four-star generals and Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Mike Barrett. They recommended unanimously to "grant well supported exceptions" to Conway and Leslie.
Paxton's paper says "the scope of their responsibilities, geographic location and battlefield circulation did not put them in contact with or have influence over the Scout Sniper Team." Both Conway's statement to investigators and Leslie's testimony during Clement's Article 32 hearing would seem to contradict that assessment, however.
Conway told investigators he helped unload the bodies when they were brought back to base. Leslie was "watching the operation," he said in court. "I definitely had the ability to influence events by reporting to them what I was seeing," he testified.
Clement's attorneys allege Leslie's testimony during the Article 32 hearing in April differs from what he told Hummer during the investigation. According to a transcript from the hearing, Leslie told Hummer the scout snipers were engaged by the enemy and that Clement's reporting was solid.
But in court testimony he said he had not seen the videos prior to the investigation. After watching them during his meeting with Hummer — which lasted between two and three hours, he said — Leslie felt the situation on the ground was not as it had been relayed to the command center by Clement.
The emails
There's interest among Clement's and Richards' attorneys in what discussions took place among Amos, Hogue and other senior leaders relating to these cases. They share concerns about Amos' decision to give Mills oversight of the urination-video cases after first appointing Lt. Gen. Thomas Waldhauser to handle them.
Waldhauser was the commanding general of Marine Corps Forces Central Command, which oversees Marine operations in Afghanistan. Richards' civilian attorney, Guy Womack, has said Amos made the shift to Mills after Waldhauser intended give Richards only nonjudicial punishment. Womack is expected to interview both three-star generals in the coming weeks.
In early May, Weirick emailed Hogue and Delorier indicating defense attorneys had requested their emails and other communications related to the decision to replace Waldhauser, talks during the Executive Offsite and Tryon's classification order. In a subsequent message to the judge advocate division at Marine Corps headquarters, Weirick explains that the manner by which the materials were classified "was, or could be argued to be, intertwined" with the unlawful command influence claims.
Gruter, who was Mills' top legal adviser before becoming his chief of staff in May, expanded on this in a response to Weirick and five other Marine attorneys, pointing out that if the Marine Corps is not forthcoming "with everything that is relevant to this matter the Government will appear to be less than credible and these cases have enough issues as it is."
"The problem we have is 'this matter' happens to be [unlawful command influence] and because of the various actions that have been taken, there does not appear to be any action on the part of the Government that is not somehow contaminated with 'this matter,' " Gruter's email says. "In isolation, it may be defensible to say the subject of classification is irrelevant, but none of the actions taken — shift [from Waldhauser to Mills], classification of the investigation, the 'hold' of certain individuals in the battalion outside the authority of [Mills] — can be considered in isolation because each … were taken and/or directed by higher authority when all authority to handle [these cases] — administrative and disciplinary — was vested in the [commanding general], MCCDC."
Hogue and Bowe met with Gruter after the evidence was classified and made it clear "all military justice matters would flow through him to and from CMC," Weirick's email says. Gruter again expanded, noting that Hogue described his role as being involved "in all those things he is hired to do and all those things he is directed to do by the CMC."
"All 3/2 matters," Gruter's email indicates, "fell into the latter category."
As the senior legal adviser to the commandant, Hogue in fact has a wide purview, according to his official biography. Among his responsibilities are legal issues related to the Marine Corps' business and procurement ventures, fiscal law, land use, labor law, and chain-of-command issues. Criminal law and military justice do not appear in that list.


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The Who spark retirement rumours with 50th anniversary tour
The Who star Roger Daltrey has hinted the band's upcoming 50th anniversary tour will be their last. The rock legends will hit the road in Britain in the autumn (14) for a series of special shows to mark their five decades in the music industry, and frontman Daltrey has sparked retirement rumours by describing the trek as "the beginning of the long goodbye."
The singer made the comment in a post on the band's website, while his bandmate Pete Townshend adds, "Trying to stay young. Not wearing socks. Growing a great big woodcutter's beard. Might even wear a check shirt on stage and get a tattoo of a Union Jack. Always a fashion victim. But under no illusions. We are what we are, and extremely good at it, but we're lucky to be alive and still touring. If I had enough hairs to split I would say that for 13 years since 1964 The Who didn't really exist, so we are really only 37."
The band's tour kicks off in Dublin, Ireland on 26 November (14) and concludes in London on 17 December (14).


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Topic: Oxiliplatin
Mom has been on Oxiliplatin and F5u for 8 cycles. For a woman of 79, the onc says we should be thrilled. They want to do a scan next week and decide what to do next. The effects of the chemo are setting in and the onc feels its time to stop the Oxiliplatin.
What is the average number of cycles most people stay on Oxiliplatin?


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Trail Foods Banana Pudding is macronutrient balanced, high in protein and aids in recovery after a long day of activity. Trail Food Banana Pudding contains creamy banana pudding with vanilla cookies and real banana pieces. To prepare empty pudding mix into pouch, add 8 ounces of cold water, mix and let stand for 5 minutes. Serves one. Enertia Performance rated breakfasts, lunches, snacks and dinners are macronutrient balanced to keep active individuals energized during long periods of activity. Each meal is designed by outdoor enthusiasts to prepare, perform and recover. Take them on your next adventure.
|Item #:
|4.75 oz / 134.66 g
|Meal Type:
|Snack & Desserts
|Made in:


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Editor's Note: TheStreet ratings do not represent the views of TheStreet's staff or its contributors. Ratings are established by computer based on metrics for performance (which includes growth, stock performance, efficiency and valuation) and risk (volatility and solvency). Companies with poor cash flow or high debt levels tend to earn lower ratings in our model One out of the three major indices are trading lower today with the Dow Jones Industrial Average ( ^DJI) trading down 1 points (-0.0%) at 13,971 as of Friday, Feb. 15, 2013, 11:49 AM ET. The NYSE advances/declines ratio sits at 1,429 issues advancing vs. 1,408 declining with 163 unchanged. The Health Care sector currently is unchanged today versus the S&P 500, which is unchanged. On the negative front, top decliners within the sector include Agilent Technologies ( A), down 3.8%, Dr. Reddy Laboratories ( RDY), down 2.6%, Stryker Corporation ( SYK), down 1.0% and Thermo Fisher Scientific ( TMO), down 1.0%. Top gainers within the sector include Pharmacyclics Incorporated ( PCYC), up 5.1%, Biogen Idec ( BIIB), up 2.4%, Shire ( SHPG), up 2.3%, Novartis ( NVS), up 0.7% and AstraZeneca ( AZN), up 0.6%. TheStreet Ratings group would like to highlight 5 stocks pushing the sector lower today: 5. DaVita HealthCare Partners ( DVA) is one of the companies pushing the Health Care sector lower today. As of noon trading, DaVita HealthCare Partners is down $2.17 (-1.8%) to $117.04 on average volume Thus far, 442,845 shares of DaVita HealthCare Partners exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 1.0 million shares. The stock has ranged in price between $116.01-$118.50 after having opened the day at $118.47 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $119.21. DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc. provides kidney dialysis services for patients suffering from chronic kidney failure, or end stage renal disease (ESRD) in the United States. DaVita HealthCare Partners has a market cap of $11.3 billion and is part of the health services industry. The company has a P/E ratio of 21.5, above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 7.4% year to date as of the close of trading on Thursday. Currently there are 10 analysts that rate DaVita HealthCare Partners a buy, no analysts rate it a sell, and 3 rate it a hold. TheStreet Ratings rates DaVita HealthCare Partners as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its solid stock price performance, increase in net income, revenue growth, notable return on equity and growth in earnings per share. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company shows weak operating cash flow. Get the full DaVita HealthCare Partners Ratings Report now. It's Official: Action Alerts PLUS beats the S&P 500 with Dividends Reinvested! Cramer and Link were up 16.72% in 2012. Were you? See what they are trading for 14-days FREE
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Investigating Optical and Neural Causes of Vision Loss
This study has been withdrawn prior to enrollment.
(Project has ended)
VA Office of Research and Development
Information provided by (Responsible Party):
VA Office of Research and Development
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
First received: June 22, 2009
Last updated: April 3, 2015
Last verified: April 2015
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- No Study Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
Detailed Description:
With the aging of the population, the prevalence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) eye disease has resulted in a large number of people suffering from central vision loss. In fact, the most prevalent cause of blindness among veterans is AMD. Since the number of elderly veterans is expected to double in the next 10 years, loss of vision due to AMD is also expected to proportionally and considerably escalate. People with impaired vision have difficulty with daily activities, such as, reading, driving, and recognizing faces. The goal of the research project is to provide information on factors that contribute to visual impairment. This knowledge is necessary for the development of innovative approaches that will optimize the benefit of vision rehabilitation techniques, aimed at improving vision, thus allowing our veterans to maintain function and productivity. The findings from the proposed research will benefit our veterans and all aging people.
|Macular Degeneration
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Observational Model: Cohort
Time Perspective: Cross-Sectional
|Official Title:
|Investigating Optical and Neural Causes of Vision Loss
Resource links provided by NLM:
Genetics Home Reference related topics: age-related macular degeneration
MedlinePlus related topics: Macular DegenerationU.S. FDA Resources
Further study details as provided by VA Office of Research and Development:
Primary Outcome Measures:
- Ocular aberrations [ Time Frame: One time only ]
|Study Start Date:
|December 2014
|Estimated Study Completion Date:
|July 2015
|Primary Completion Date:
|March 2015 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
|Group 1
Detailed Description:
Vision loss has become a major public health problem due to the growth and aging of the population. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of vision loss in people over 50 years of age. In the United States, over 10 million people have AMD and over 1.6 million people age 50 and older have late-stage advanced AMD. It is well established that AMD patients with central vision loss use preferred retinal loci (PRL) which are peripheral retinal areas adjacent to the fovea for performing daily activities, such as reading. However, even in healthy eyes, peripheral vision is limited due to reduced neural sampling density compared to the fovea. Additionally, the function of the peripheral retina can be further reduced in patients, owing to degenerative disease processes. These neural substrate losses are coupled with losses in the quality of the optical image on the retina. Optical imperfections increase with age and off-axis viewing, compared to viewing along the optical axis of the eye. The combination of these factors plays a significant role in reducing visual performance of patients with eccentric fixation. The long term goal of the project is to improve the visual performance of veterans with central vision loss by development of innovative approaches that will optimize the benefit of vision rehabilitation techniques. In the current proposal, optical and neural losses will be assessed in AMD patients with central vision loss using novel techniques. Increased optical losses due to age and viewing off the optical axis of the eye will be established with wavefront analysis technology. Increased neural losses due to retinal dysfunction at PRL will be determined based on measurement of visual acuity with blurred stimuli. Improvement in reading speed will be evaluated, conditional on neural losses at PRL and/or the stability of PRL, after compensating for optical losses with our adaptive optics system. The findings will provide knowledge of PRL function and stability that is beneficial for improving the outcome of available vision rehabilitation methods that train patients to better use their PRLs. Also, customized correction of optical imperfections of the eye for effectively improving visual performance can be developed as an approach for better vision rehabilitation of patients. Optimizing vision rehabilitation of our veterans will allow them to maintain function and productivity.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|50 Years and older (Adult, Senior)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
|Sampling Method:
|Non-Probability Sample
Study Population
Normal healthy subjects and patients diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration and central vision loss will participate in the study.
Inclusion Criteria:
Standard inclusion criteria are:
- qualification for entry into the study based on clinical evaluation,
- competence to understand and willingness to sign an informed consent form and participate in the study,
- pupils that dilate to 5 mm or more.
The inclusion criteria for normal subjects will be:
- corrected visual acuities better than 20/30,
- intraocular pressure less than 21 mm Hg,
- no family history of AMD,
- no history of ophthalmic surgery or neurologic disease,
- no history of diabetes, glaucoma, or a history of elevated intraocular pressure.
The recruitment will ensure that approximately 40 subjects will fall into each of the three age groups, 50 to 60 years, 61 to 70 years, and 71 years and older. One eye of each subject will be selected at random to be included in the study.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Ocular opacities that preclude acquiring a clear fundus photograph or refractive errors greater than 4 diopters.
Contacts and Locations
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below. For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00926913
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00926913
|United States, Illinois
|Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL
|Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60612
Sponsors and Collaborators
VA Office of Research and Development
|Principal Investigator:
|Mahnaz Shahidi, PhD
|Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL
More Information
Keywords provided by VA Office of Research and Development:
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017
|Responsible Party:
|VA Office of Research and Development
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT00926913 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|Study First Received:
|June 22, 2009
|Last Updated:
|April 3, 2015
Keywords provided by VA Office of Research and Development:
Macular Degeneration
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Macular Degeneration
Retinal Degeneration
Retinal Diseases
Eye Diseases
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017


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Hi everyone, my first post here. i've finally decided to join a forum in order to discuss some of the issues im having with my work.
I'm currently working as a web designer for a large online retailer and the majority of my work involes making banners and landing pages for different products and manufacturers. Pretty mundane if I'm honest but its my first job roll and I've learned alot so far in terms of html and css.
One thing im really struggling with and which leaves me stewing in photoshop for far too long is the layout of content. For each landing page were given textual information and are then asked to mock up a design layout, this is then approved and has to be coded up(which I'm finding relatively easy and rather enjoy).
I've always used a grid system within photoshop to help with layouts and spacing/aligning content but lately I've been finding the laying out blocks of text, headers and lists effectively to be frustratingly difficult.
Do you guys have any advice? A subject i should look deeper into, a book I should read etc.
Thanks in advance.
I'm not a graphic designer myself but I have a innate sense of what looks good and what doesn't. I think people are just born with it or not. If you find layout of basic elements frustrating, that may be a sign that it's not a natural talent. Nothing wrong with that. You just have to know your strengths. I'm sure there are great books and advice on best practices but I just don't think it's something that can be learned. For example, I'm not an artist so I never to graphic design. I also don't think I can learn to be an artist because I'm not gifted in that way. You gotta play to your strengths.
Whenever I'm surfing the web and see something I like visually, I always take note of what it is that makes the site pleasing to the eye (graphics, layout, alignment, etc) and try to use that where appropriate in my own design. More often it seems, I find things that look awful and in that case I try not to repeat their mistakes.
If I was in your position, I might try working with other designers doing the same thing you are doing to see how they deal with basic layout.
You are way ahead of me! I have been doing this for over a decade and just recently started exploring typography. Here are some of the resources I've bookmarked:
Thanks for the replies, I've often wondered to myself if I have that talent you mention which makes this type of thing come easy, conversely I know for sure I have that innate sense of what looks good/right and what doesn't. After all if I didn't I think I'd be getting on with producing below par work and not spending as much time as I do stewing over my decisions on layout. I'm hoping that like with everything a certain amount of practice is required to get this type of thing right. I'll take a look at those links, its a shame all 5 parts are not available as that content looks really useful.
Thanks again.
@MikeWD ; I tweeted to Mark Boulton that his links didn't work and he seemed chagrined. Maybe he'll fix them? Let's hope so. There was some really good typography info in those other four parts!
I think both writing for the web and designing for it take a certain amount of talent, but I also believe that the 'talent' only grows with experience and education. Most important is the desire to do things right and from your first post, it looks to me like you are off to a good start!
Awesome post and very informative answers about typography.
You could add stuff like this to the stylesheet for those pages if you need to leave that width there:


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Woman says neighbor's security camera looks into her bedroom
BOISE,Idaho (KBOI) - A Boise woman has a feeling someone is watching her. That's because she says her neighbor has a camera pointed right at her bedroom.
Lindsay Haskins says back in June she noticed a blinking light at her neighbor's house, that's when she realized a camera was pointing right into her bedroom window. Lindsay asked her neighbor to move it, but that hasn't worked.
"I know its legal for him to have a camera on his premises and I was told by a lawyer that there is a fine line between legal and illegal and he shouldn't be able to catch our side of the property but when I tell cops that, they tell me they have no idea what I am talking about," Lindsay said.
According to reports she has called the Boise Police five times. Lindsey added, "If he wants to be a creeper be a creeper, if no one's going to help me with it, if the cops aren't going to help me with it I guess there's nothing I can do. But I am not going to live my life in my back yard."
Haskins says that not only is the camera pointed at her bedroom window but it's also in the line of sight of her hot tub. That's a problem when her friends jump in. "They don't want to come over and tan in the back yard or get in the hot tub or do anything because it makes them uncomfortable, which is fine. It sucks because my friends don't want to come over," she said.
The neighbor, Kevin Maness says the camera isn't even real. "I bought a camera on Amazon for $9.50, as a deterrent. (I) ran a wire from it to make it look like it's coming into the house but it's not real," Maness said.
Maness says he's had some problems with vandalism and that's why he uses the camera as a deterrent. But he says he's not the neighborhood creep. He says, "She thinks I am a window peeper. To me that's insulting -- I'll tell you that's one step below a child molester in my book. I'm not a window peeper."
One attorney we spoke with said this would be a hard case to prove in front of a jury. And the Ada County Sheriff' Office says if any law were broken it would be a case of voyeurism, but if the camera is not real than there is no law broken. At this point Maness says he hasn't been cited by police.


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We were jolted out of dreamland as first light lit Mount Diablo's grassy western flank with a rosy hue reminding us we were in California, not at the foot of the Spanish Pyrenees.
David's mom, after 95 years of healthy independence, had had the proverbial stumble and passed away peacefully a few days earlier, changing our travel course from the Mediterranean to Contra Costa County.
November became a journey of farewell rituals and travels across the family's fascinating genealogical map. Memorabilia recorded history spanning from the maternal family's crossing on the Mayflower to their migration west, where the last three generations spread roots between Napa and San Francisco Bay. David's great-grandfather, a piano maker, had traded a Napa carpenter a piano for a house. His grandfather, a sign painter and Oakland paint factory owner, had designed the original colors for the Shell Oil Co. logo. David's own California roots stretched from the shores of Oakland's Lake Merritt to Contra Costa's walnut groves, now a "soccerburbia."
In 30 years of driving passed the East Bay's post-World War II sprawl, I had always thought of the suburbs as human rookeries where people led mostly cookie-cutter lives fenced in by generic shopping malls. But 10 days on David's childhood turf taught me there are "suburbs" and then there's "Danville." Although four-lane speedways and traffic lights replace the two-lane moonlit country roads, and there are more houses standing than walnut trees, Danville remains a unique enclave.
Once upon a time the little "cow town" beat with the pulse of cattle-ranching prosperity in the shadow of majestic Mount Diablo's 3,864-foot peak. Now it gleams with historic charm among the glitter of fine dining, boutique shopping, organic markets and cultural festivals. The Livery's exterior wood-framed mall celebrates Danville's western heritage with stores, restaurants and outdoor cafes connected by covered boardwalks.
In contrast, Blackhawk's mega-mansion subdivision on Diablo's slopes flaunts its affluence with the plaza's fountains and terraced duck pond's cascading water surrounded by upscale shopping and patio dining.
Deciduous trees showing off autumn's shimmering gold and red cozy up to cool redwood canopies and regal palms, screening a maze of back roads where California rambling ranch-style estates enjoy anonymity against oak-studded slopes. Rolling open space, green belts and surrounding communities are linked by an astounding matrix of paved recreational paths and dedicated roadside bike lanes complemented by a network of multi-use trails lacing around Mount Diablo State Park's 20,000 acres and the 70,000 acres of adjoining preserves. Mountain man "Grizzly Adams," jazz pianist Dave Brubeck and playwright Eugene O'Neill were seduced by this majestic mountain's magnetism whose views radiate across the horizon to the Sierra Nevada, Mount Lassen and San Francisco Bay's eight bridges.
Eager for an outdoors weekend on two wheels, the Iron Horse trail was our portal to adventure. Danville Depot San Ramon Valley Museum was our first orientation stop adjacent to the fabulous Saturday morning farmers market. We continued our pedal along the leafy corridor keeping cadence with the streams of joggers, dog walkers and baby strollers pouring in from side streets with fresh youthful vitality. Our route paralleled Walnut Creek's dynamic downtown and veered along quiet canals and creek crossings. As the landscape unfolded, Mount Diablo became a pristine island floating in a suburban sea. Bike paths soon merged with horse and hiker trails seamlessly stitching neighborhoods with natural habitat along easements and through a collage of regional, city and state parklands assembled from historic ranches and land grants.
We closed our 40-mile loop at the Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site. The thigh-burning climb to Tao House at the edge of more open space rewarded us with breathtaking views of the San Ramon Valley dominated by Mount Diablo's peaks. Ranger Tad Shay's animated guided tour of the famous playwright's home was the highlight of the weekend. O'Neill is the only American playwright to win the Nobel Prize. He wrote "The Iceman Cometh," "Long Day's Journey into the Night" and a "Moon for the Misbegotten" at Tao House.
Dog lovers may well find "The Last Will and Testament of Silverdene Emblem O'Neill" the most moving of the playwright's work. If ripping your heart open reading the family Dalmatian's will at his gravesite isn't enough, copies of the testament are available for sale in the museum gift shop.
The next morning, we branched off the Iron Horse Trail west through Moraga and the historic centers of Orinda and Lafayette, fueling our 50-mile ride with picnic breaks and local goodie indulgences. Loard's creamy coffee-chip ice cream delivered a caffeine spark backed up by a sugar rush from Anzac cookies (original recipe baked for husbands in the WWI Australia New Zealand Army Corps) from a French bakery. Add a slice of home style apple pie at Chow's fresh market and restaurant and we were pumped for the pedal back to Danville.
Muscles content and minds relaxed from the weekend "cyclothon," we feasted on old-fashion bubbly crusted pepperoni pizza and moist meatballs over spaghetti Bolognese while reminiscing about past family dinners at Primo's Pizzeria.
Linda B. Mullally and husband David share their passion for travel, outdoor recreation and dogs through articles, hiking books, photography and as cruise hosts. www.lindabmullally.com.
If you go ·Sleeping: Danville Best Western or the San Ramon Marriott Residence Inn are both next to the Iron Horse Trail. Things to do:
·Eating: Have a famous "kistwich" sandwich at Valley Medlyn's Fountain and Coffee Shop in Danville, since 1935 (925-552-6449), and meet locals at The Brass Door Steakhouse, since 1946, (www.brassdoor.com).
· Pegasus Bicycle Works for bike rentals, Danville, 925-362-2220
· San Ramon Valley Museum at the Danville Depot, www.museumsrv.org
· Blackhawk Automotive Museum, blackhawkmuseum.org
· Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site tours (by reservation only), www.nps.gov/euon.
· Lindsay Wildlife Museum, www.wildlife- museum.org
· Mount Diablo State Park, www.parks.ca.gov/mountdiablo
· East Bay Regional Park District, www.ebparks.org
If you go
·Sleeping: Danville Best Western or the San Ramon Marriott Residence Inn are both next to the Iron Horse Trail.
Things to do:


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Pagan questionable with mild hamstring strain
SAN FRANCISCO -- Angel Pagan was taken out of the Giants' game vs. the Dodgers before the sixth inning Friday because of a right hamstring strain. It wasn't clear when he suffered the injury.
Andres Torres, who entered the game in left field as part of a double-switch in the fifth, replaced Pagan in center field, while Francisco Peguero took over in left and in Pagan's leadoff spot.
"He's got a mild strain on his upper hamstring," manager Bruce Bochy said after the game. "He's questionable for tomorrow. That's how mild it is. We'll wait until he gets in here tomorrow and see where he's at."
Willie Bans is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.