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Pistorius murder trial: Prosecutor accuses athlete of using emotional outbursts to dodge questions
Pretoria: State prosecutor Gerrie Nel will focus his pinpoint cross-examination on incidents surrounding the death of Oscar Pistorius' girlfriend in the toilet cubicle of his home last year, highlighting contradictions in the athlete's evidence as he hones in on a murder conviction.
On Tuesday, Mr Pistorius entered his seventh day of evidence in his murder trial, accused of using emotional outbursts to avoid difficult questions, changing his defence and screaming at his girlfriend to "get the f--- out" of his home the night he shot and killed her.
Monday marked his fourth day of relentless cross-examination, chief prosecutor Gerrie Nel appearing to tie Mr Pistorius in knots as he continued to explore the fine details of his story, submitting to him that his version was so improbable that it was simply "not true".
Mr Nel sought an adjournment a few minutes before the usual 3pm time, saying he was about to commence a series of questions about "the toilet" and so wished to resume on Tuesday to avoid repetition.
Judge Thokozile Masipa granted the slightly early break, as speculation raged as to just how long Mr Nel would take in cross-examination.
In his most notable previous success, he kept an accused police chief on the stand for nearly nine days before securing a conviction.
In a bid to prove Mr Pistorius is lying about his version of what occurred in the early hours of Valentine's Day last year, Mr Nel on Monday alleged numerous inconsistencies in his account, highlighting that Mr Pistorius was a stickler for detail on some matters but had a blank memory on others.
Twice the court was adjourned to allow the athlete time to regain his composure, prompting an increasingly exasperated Mr Nel to suggest he was using tears to mask difficulties in answering questions and keeping his story straight.
After one exchange in which the athlete appeared to be on the verge of tears, Mr Nel asked why he was emotional when there had been no mention of Ms Steenkamp or, by inference, her horrific injuries: "Mr Pistorius, you're not using your emotional state as an escape, are you?"
The Olympian said he was not – one of dozens of denials made during day 22 of the trial.
The morning's first break in proceedings came after Mr Nel focused on the moments after the Olympian claims to have heard the window open in the bathroom that fateful morning.
He has previously told the court that as he grabbed his 9mm pistol from under his bed, he had told Steenkamp in a soft voice that she should "stay down and call the police".
However moments later, on his version, as he went up the passageway towards the bathroom, he was yelling at her to call the police.
Mr Pistorius said he wanted to "chase" the intruders from his home.
Mr Nel asked what words he shouted, and Mr Pistorius tearfully told the court he was yelling: "Get the f--- out of my house! Get the f--- out of my house!"
The court quickly adjourned as the Olympian dissolved into sobs.
But there was no let-up from the prosecutor when the court resumed.
"Why did you get emotional (just now?) Isn't it exactly because that's what you shouted at Reeva: 'Get the f--- out of my house!' That's what you said, that's why you got emotional, isn't it?" he asked.
"No, my lady," Mr Pistorius replied.
"I don't understand why you would get emotional then - when you shouted it?" Mr Nel asked.
Mr Pistorius said he was "traumatised" by the event, and recalling what he felt on the night prompted his outburst.
As the court approached the lunch break, Mr Pistorius said he "pulled the trigger as I perceived danger to be coming towards me".
Mr Nel jumped quickly: "So it was just lucky that the gun was pointed at the door?"
"Why would it be lucky? She lost her life," Mr Pistorius fired back emotionally.
Mr Nel commented "now you cry again" before noting it was time for the hour-long recess.
Legal experts said the prosecution had made significant headway on the question of "intent", not helped by Mr Pistorius appearing to change his defence from one of self-defence, in which he genuinely believed he was acting lawfully, to another - that of "involuntary action".
The latter is usually associated with occurrences like an epileptic fit.
Mr Pistorius denied it was his defence that he fired at an attacker, saying he just fired in response to a noise; there was no thought behind it.
He said: "I wasn't aiming at the door . . . I was trying to make sense of it, my eyes were going between the window and the door. The firearm was up."
Mr Nel persisted: "Were you aiming?"
Mr Pistorius: The firearm was pointed at the door, my lady . . . I then discharged my firearm . . . I didn't want to shoot. I didn't know what I wanted to do. I was terrified."
Mr Nel quickly replied: "So that is your new defence? Involuntary action? You can only have one defence, Mr Pistorius! And yours is changing too many times, and that's because you fired at Reeva!"
Mr Pistorius, almost screaming, said: "I did not fire at Reeva!"
The court was once more adjourned, but when they returned, Mr Nel accused Mr Pistorius of becoming emotional because he had got his defences mixed up.
Mr Nel later suggested that Mr Pistorius' claim that he wasn't thinking was "a problem" for the defendant – because that would imply recklessness.
"One of the ways out was through the door, but you never gave them a chance," Mr Nel said.
The trial continues.
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A Culture of Evil: Sarah Nitschke and Robin Assner
Sarah Nitschke and Robin Assner's latest body of work is an examination of "evil" from a humanistic perspective. Including sculpture; needlepoint; typography; traditional and digital photography; video; and graphic design, this multipart project challenges pre-conceived notions of personal and community understanding, response, responsibility, and perpetuation of the existence of evil. Awakening the viewer's understanding of the complex genesis of evil, and its roots in human biology, psyche and experience, the artists ask viewers to examine their own views and personal responsibility as complicit bystanders and accessories to the rampant global ills that relentlessly haunt us.
A Culture of Evil opens to the public on
Friday January 17 from 5-8pm
The show runs from January 17 to March 9
Gallery hours for January 21 - May 12
Monday - Saturday 12:00pm to 4:00pm
Closed Sunday

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Skip Top Navigation Skip to Content
WSDOT wants small businesses to work with us as:
To help small business owners find these opportunities, we've gathered the necessary information here for you to start doing business with WSDOT.
Before doing business with any state agency, including WSDOT:
For more information about business licensing, grant opportunities, and loans, visit Washington State's Doing Business Portal.
WSDOT has recently implemented a State Small Business Enterprise Program. To register as a state small business, you need to register with the Washington's Electronic Business Solution (WEBS) system.WSDOT also has a Federal Small Business Enterprise Program. To participate in this program you must become certified as a Small Business Enterprise by the Washington State Office of Minority and Women's Business Enterprises.
Learn how to identify potential work opportunities at WSDOT and bid on contracts.
Several state agencies and organizations assist small businesses with training, certification for veteran-owned businesses and socially and economically disadvantaged business enterprises (minority, women, and other disadvantaged individuals), grants and other resources. View the variety of small business services available to help you succeed.
Contact WSDOT's Office of Equal Opportunity Small Business Program at email@example.com .


text: +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | TPWD News Release 20051123b | +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | This page contains only plain text, no HTML formatting codes. | | It is not designed for display in a browser but for copying | | and editing in whatever software you use to lay out pages. | | To copy the text into an editing program: | | --Display this page in your browser. | | --Select all. | | --Copy. | | --Paste in a document in your editing program. | | If you have any suggestions for improving these pages, send | | an e-mail to firstname.lastname@example.com and mention Plain Text Pages. | +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ [ Note: This item is more than 11 years old. Please take the publication date into consideration for any date references. ] [ Media Contact: TPWD News, firstname.lastname@example.com, 512-389-8030 ] [SL] Nov. 23, 2005 TPWD Unveils Possible Coastal Fishing Rule Changes AUSTIN, Texas -- The success of resource management efforts on a variety of fronts has led Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists to recommend several possible changes to next year's coastal fishing regulations. Among the topics being considered include elimination of the trophy red drum and tarpon tags. The annual regulatory review process begins each fall after resource assessments by biologists and through a review of recommendations received from various groups throughout the year. During this scoping portion of the process, TPWD gathers public input and weighs the biological implications of each issue before presenting the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission with a set of proposed regulation changes in January. Prior to then, TPWD staff attempt to scope the public and user groups regarding the possible changes during a series of nine upcoming public scoping meetings along the Texas coast. Following the January commission meeting, further input will be sought through the public hearing and comment process when an actual proposed rule has been published in the Texas Register. Following is a summary of those potential changes for coastal fisheries: Largetooth sawfish (Pristis perotteti) The National Marine Fisheries and the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service have listed the smalltooth sawfish as endangered. Because of the extreme difficulty that anglers will have in distinguishing the smalltooth sawfish from the largetooth sawfish, protection of both is believed to be the only way to protect the listed species. This proposal would prohibit the taking of both. Red Drum TPWD will scope two proposals to eliminate the red drum tags. Either option would continue to ensure protection of red drum in Texas and provide the benefits of having the tags without the administrative issues of maintaining tags in the license system. The options presented are: --one red drum larger than 28 inches may be taken as part of the 3 fish daily bag limit --one red drum larger than 28 inches may be taken in addition to the 3 fish daily bag limit Tarpon A proposal to eliminate the trophy tarpon tag and implement a bag limit of one fish with a minimum size limit that corresponds to the state record (87 inches) is being considered. This will allow fishermen to continue to challenge that record while preventing the retention of any other tarpon that may be caught. Black Drum TPWD also will scope a proposal similar to the tarpon recommendation of one fish above a maximum size limit (i.e., set at the state record of 52 inches) for black drum would be allowed per day. Southern Flounder Changing the possession limit on flounder so that it is equal to the bag limit for the recreational fishery. This is already the case in the commercial fishery. This will create some redistribution of the current catches in the recreational fishery and basically limit a person to 10 fish per trip instead of the 20 fish bag they can keep if they fish past midnight now. Part of the rationale is that since flounder mortality from the recreational and commercial harvest makes up only 18 percent of its mortality, changes in the directed fishery will not have a large impact to the overall population. Current trends in the fishery suggest that recent emphasis on shrimping effort and bycatch are starting to show signs that the flounder fishery is improving. Tripletail (Lobotes surinamensis) TPWD will scope a proposal to list tripletail as a game fish, place a minimum size limit of 17 inches and a 3 fish bag limit. Alabama has a 17-inch minimum and bag limit of three and Florida has a 15-inch limit and bag limit of two. Creating Exemptions for Guide Boat Limits on Red Drum and King Mackerel Trips Currently when conducting a guided fishing trip in freshwater or saltwater, the boat limit allowed is equal to the number of paying customers on the trip multiplied by the bag limit for any species. For example, if 2 people are fishing with a guide then the boat limit may have a total of 6 red drum (2 clients times 3 fish per person) on board within the 20 to 28 inch size range. At the annual statewide public hearing there were comments from two guides associations to consider a proposal that would allow guides to keep fish when fishing for red drum or king mackerel. The proposal to allow guides to retain bag limits for red drum and king mackerel is included as a scoping issue as well. While public comment on these issues will be accepted by email, mail or phone, scoping meeting sites have been arranged to facilitate those who prefer to comment in person. --Dec 6, 7-9 p.m. -- Brownsville -- Brownsville Event Center, 1 Event Center Blvd. --Dec 6, 6:30-8:30 p.m. -- Bay City Service Center -- 2105 Ave. M, Bay City, TX 77414 --Dec 7, 6:30-8:30 p.m. -- Fort Bend Public Library, George Memorial Branch -- 1001 Golfview St., Richmond, TX 77469 --Dec 8, 6:30-8:30 p.m. -- Dr. Pattie Dodson Public Health Center, 2805 N. Navarro St., Victoria, TX 77901 --Dec. 8, 7-9 p.m. -- Rockport -- Aransas County District Court Room, 301 N. Live Oak --Dec. 13, 7-9 p.m. -- San Antonio -- Lion's Field Adult Center, 2809 Broadway, San Antonio --Dec 13, 6:30-8:30 p.m. -- TPWD Dickinson Marine Lab -- 1502 FM 517, Dickinson, TX 77539 --Dec 14, 6:30-8:30 p.m. -- Jefferson County Courthouse -- Precinct 8 Courtroom -- 525 Lakeshore Drive, Port Arthur, TX --Dec 15, 7-9 p.m. -- Corpus Christi -- Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, Natural Resources Center, Room 1003, 6300 Ocean Drive Comments about these issues and others of interest may be made to TPWD, Regulatory Proposals Public Comment, 4200 Smith School Road, 78744, by phoning (800) 792-1112 or by visiting (http://tpwd.texas.gov/) --- On the Net: TPWD Public Comment: http://tpwd.texas.gov/business/feedback/public_comment/ -30-


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Lovely Apartment in Paris (330)
Size40 m²
Floor No.
- Kitchen
- Washer/dryer
- Internet/WiFi
Accommodation summary
|Rue des Francs Bourgeois, 75004 Paris, France
|Property type
|Property ID
|Acceptance rate
|< 50%
|Response time
|A few hours
|Calendar updated
Between Gardens and historic monuments, you will be there in the smartest and styliest Paris. Five minutes walking distancefrom Rue de Rivoli, the subway Saint Paul and thus the line 1 of the subway takes you to the main monuments of the capital (Louvre, Concorde, Champs Elysées, Arc de Triomphe etc.)
The apartment overlooks a courtyard and will charm you by its peace and its exposure.
Furnished in a cosy and modern style you will pleasantly be surprised by the volume of the apartment and the light brought by two big windows. Very functional, its offers an Italian-style shower, a fully fitted kitchen, a large flat screen television. On the bedroom a king size bed will allow you to take advantage of an undeniable comfort.
House rulesDeposit of 500 €
Arrivals and departures between 21:00 and 08:00 are charged € 30 (There is also a surcharge for arrivals and departures on Christmas, New Years and Easter)
No smoking
Pets not allowed
|Weekly rate for up to 4 guests
|Monthly rate for up to 4 guests
|Check-in after
|On arrangement
|Check-in before
|On arrangement
|Check-out before
|On arrangement
|Cancellation Policy
Reviews for this host's other properties
We must say that the attention of John has been excellent throughout expeditious consultation was very picturesque place quickly and within expectations excellent department.
Adrian Govoni
Debemos decir que la atención de John ha sido excelente en toda consulta realizada fue expeditivo rápidamente el lugar muy pintoresco y dentro de lo esperado el departamento excelente.
Adrian Govoni
Sweet little apartment.
Clean, quiet despite central location.
Everything is there, what you need ...
Great central location.
Metro, supermarket and great bakery around the corner.
We will be back !!!
Regards, M & M
3rd floor, narrow stairs and no elevator.
Süßes kleines Appartement.
Sauber, ruhig trotz zentraler Lage.
Alles da, was man braucht...
Super zentral gelegen.
Metro, Supermarkt und toller Bäcker um die Ecke.
Wir kommen wieder !!!
Grüße, M&M
3.OG, enge Treppen und kein Fahrstuhl.
Perfect location near the Marais by metro, bus, taxi and supermarket 100 meters. Pretty apartment, complete with everything. Welcome from the contact person caring and satisfying.
Posizione perfetta a ridosso del Marais con metro, bus, taxi e supermercati a 100 metri. Appartamento grazioso e completo di tutto. Accoglienza del referente premurosa e soddisfacente.
Nice, clean and perfectly located. Highly recommended!
Handing over of apartments has worked quite well, ext. was clean and in very good condition.
Everything in its place, any time :-)
Übergabe des Apartements hat ganz gut geklappt, App. war sauber und in sehr gutem Zustand.
Alles in bester Ordnung, jederzeit wieder :-)
I went to Paris to spent four days with my sister and I found a very dirty flat. Anyway the neighborhood was very nice. We had to change the sheets because they had stains. Under the table there were some dirty socks. Wifi was available only for first 24 hours. I had to contact with the owner five times and the only answer was "how can I solve the problem?, in most places of Paris there was free wifi."
I wouldn't recommend this flat because it's was a unpleasant experience with it.
A very nice accommodation with all the trimmings. In one of the nicest streets of Latin Quarter. Many shops selling fine wines, cheese, meat, fruit, bread and chocolate. Perfect start for a nice break. A nice walk to the Seine or wander around the streets in the district.
In the loft is really everything, himself a vaatwassertje, washing machine and iron.
A small disadvantage is the sound of the supply carts from the shops on the street. But who would want to stay long in bed in town this gift?
Een zeer nette accomodatie met alles erop en eraan. In een van de leukste straatjes van Quatier Latin. Veel winkeltjes met lekkere wijnen, kaas, vlees, fruit, brood en chocolade. Perfecte start voor een mooie stedentrip. Een mooie wandeling naar de Seine of lekker struinen door de straatjes in de wijk.
In de loft zit echt alles, zelf een vaatwassertje, wasmachine en strijkbout.
Een klein nadeeltje is het geluid van de bevoorradingskarren van de winkeltjes op straat. Maar ja, wie wil er nu lang in bed blijven liggen in deze gave stad?
The stay was very satisfactory. they have adapted very Bioen our early arrival time, and we were waiting on the porch.
the house is correct and well situated. No complaints about that.
Missing some things like toilet paper, coffee filters, they very kindly brought in 15 minutes.
Address to recommend.
On the negative side, I did not like that the last day will not get the OK to exit, and stay with the guarantee of 500 € for 48 hours, in case they find any fault !!
La estancia ha sido muy satisfactoria. se han adaptado muy bioen a nuestra hora de llegada temprana, y nos estaban esperando en el portal.
la casa está correcta y muy bien situada. Ninguna queja al respecto.
Faltaban algunas cosas, como papel higiénico, filtros de café, que muy amablemente nos los trajo en 15 minutos.
Dirección a recomendar.
Como aspecto negativo, no me gustó que el último día no te dan el OK a la salida, y se quedan con la fianza de 500€ durante 48h, por si encuentran alguna anomalía!!
We had a wonderful time in Paris and mostly because of our quite small but very comfortable and convenient apartment. It's situated in a strategic position: Although it's really close to any kind of shop and many good restaurants and bars, it's in the internal part of the building so it is very silent. Absolutely suggested.
The apartment was perfect, very central, comfortable, clean and super comfortable,
the wifi worked. A few steps a street filled with restaurants and supermarkets.
No problem for the keys.
L'appartamento era perfetto, centralissimo, comodo, pulito e super accessoriato,
il wifi funzionava. A pochi passi una via piena di negozi supermercati e ristoranti.
Nessun problema per le chiavi.
- Quality assured accommodation
- Every host is verified by telephone
- Secure payment via SSL encryption


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Guessing this will probably fall into the "local only" category seeing as it's pretty big...
For Sale: Polk RM6880 Powered Subwoofer
I just upgraded subwoofers. This RM6880 subwoofer was originally part of the RM6880 and RM6881 Home Theater speaker packages. It provides plenty of low end both for music and lots of rumble for sound effects in movies. It's in excellent condition and has only a little bit of wear on the corners that could easily be touched up.
My camera flash managed to pick up a lot of dust on the top that could be easily cleaned off with a damp cloth.
10" Polymer Composite Driver
Slot-Load Port
Frequency Response: 32Hz - 180Hz
130 Watts Dynamic Power Output
65 Watts Continuous Power Output
Cabinet Dimensions approximately 8" Wide, 24" Deep, 16" High
Accepts Speaker Level or Line Level Inputs
Built in Crossover
On/Off/Auto Auto-sensing Power Selections
Phase switch for normal or reverse phase.
$60 firm.


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The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.
LEADERS: Azerane Bam BinkyBunny JerseyGirl LBJ10 LittlePuffyTail LongEaredLions RabbitPam
Hi, I'm Melissa, I have a Rex named Charlee. She is four and a half months old, I've had her since she was 6 weeks old(March 30th). She is not spayed yet, since she has a bit of an upper respiratory infection that we're still trying to clear up. Charlee is an affectionate, curious ball of energy who isn't frightened easily! She's loving life in her rabbit condo I made out of NIC cubes, she's litter trained-well she was up until about a month ago when she started marking her territory with her poops and her new favorite past time if digging up the carpet! Charlee is my second rabbit, I had a dwarf bun named Shadow when I was pretty young..I've learned a lot about rabbits since then and fell in love with Charlee when I met her!


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E.L.F. Studio Complexion Brush Reviews
Treat Yourself to The Decadence . . .ELF continues to amaze me with its deals. Their "Studio Brush" is hard to tell from a natural-hair brush. It is incredibly lush, soft, and dense. The bristles don't fall out, even after washing. The versatility is incredible, and so is the ridiculously low price ($3.00!). — 3 years, 11 months agoGigiSD | 1102 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 1 of 1 people said helpful
An amazing brush.I would pay much much more for this brush, but it's only $3! It's incredibly soft, doesn't shed, and looks nice. It did smell a little plasticky when I first received it, but the smell disappeared after washing. Would absolutely buy this brush again, and would strongly recommend it to friends. Why pay more?! — 8 years agoLipglossandSpandex | 521 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 4 of 4 people said helpful
Good quality, but don't know what to use it for.You know, I feel embarrassed to give this brush less than 9 stars simply because the quality is amazing. And if you factor in the price - theoretically there should be no cons, right? But I am a little perplexed by this brush. Presently, I have four of the "Studio" line brushes which I use every single day: the powder brush (for foundation), the kabuki (for powder), the perfect concealer (for ...read moreconcealer) and the small tapered brush for contouring, highlighting and bronzing. So now the reason the complexion brush confuses me if that I don't know what to use it for. In my opinion, it is too big to be used for blush or bronzer or contouring of any kind. It's a little too stiff to be used with powder. Maybe it's due to the fact that I use light coverage powder and these bristles just aren't soft enough to disperse the powder. I guess it would be better used with powder if you are looking for a heavier coverage... You could almost stipple with this. And I know you might be thinking: Why not just pick up a little powder and kind of lightly go all over your face with this brush? But that's just it. You can't do it lightly because the bristles will move your foundation (if you use foundation) or blush. And if you are using cream blush - forget about this brush as a setting tool... But I still think that the quality of the brush versus the price is amazing. It is very fluffy and very natural feeling and very dense. That could be the issue for me actually. Maybe it's just a little too dense for me... In any case, I don't want to say that the brush is bad, but I did want to point out that it can not be used for blush (unless you use blush all over your cheeks), bronzer or light coverage powders. And it's definitely not flat enough to be used with foundation. If I were to recommend this, I would recommend it for blending your face products together. And ONLY if you haven't used foundation or cream blush. Or of you use a very matting and drying foundation, like Estée Lauder Longwear or Clinique Everlasting... — 3 years, 10 months agoNikatron | 150 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 1 of 1 people said helpful
I DARE you to try this! ;)This is quite possibly my favorite brush ever! The bristles are dense, soft and there is no shedding. Although ELF does make a separate Powder Brush, this could easily be used for powder, bronzer, blush and even applying highliter or bronzer on your body. It is extremely versatile and at only $3 it is a steal of a deal and a must have! (As a sidenote, I did not notice a plasticky odor as some have stated, but their cases do tend to have this odor when first opened.) — 3 years, 11 months agopixie_dust | 492 reviews
Review: E.L.F. Studio Complexion BrushWorks well. The bristles are not insanely soft, but it is not that bad. I like the way it applies powder as well as bronzer. — 6 years, 4 months agoaly7 | 396 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 4 of 5 people said helpful
Very niceI use this brush to apply blush but also highlighter. They aren't very fluffy because it's narrow and kind of flat, but they fit beautifully for the cheekbones but also above it as well. It's very very soft (like all of their studio brushes) and does not shed. Wallet friendly! — 4 years, 1 month agohleeee | 210 reviews
Excellent brushIt is a great brush for a very low price. It is fairly large, and the bristles are rather dense, and are soft for a non-natural-bristle brush. I like that the brush also looks and feels nice, not like a $3 brush. I've had it for over a year, and use it regularly for plain powder or HD powder. I've been washing it pretty much every week too, and it holds up perfectly- no shedding, doesn't lose sh...read moreape. Very happy with the brush, and recommend it to those who don't want to spend much on a brush, but want a good quality product! — 4 years, 3 months agovenenumletalis | 176 reviews
wonderfulgreat, soft, thick brush. cant beat it for the price. holds up against my MAC brushes without looking cheap! — 8 years agocorizotti | 550 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 2 of 3 people said helpful
Another hit from Elf!Elf brushes never seem to disappoint. I have owned 4 of them and after months of use, they are still in great condition! I have washed them and used them many times and they do not shed at all. This particular one I love to use for bronzer and blush, it is perfect for contouring! The bristles are so soft and just like all of Elfs studio brushes, it is all black which makes it look professional. ...read more You would think that because of the quality of the brush that it could be pricey but it's only 3 dollars! I will always be a fan of these brushes! — 3 years agonelly_recinos | 139 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 0 of 0 people said helpful
Great Brush For An Even Better Price!This brush is such a nice quality. It NEVER sheds and I used it every day for bronzer. It's soft and deposits product evenly. I love that it has a pinched ferrell as this makes it more precise. The slight taper at the ends makes blending effortless. This brush gets the job done. It's cruelty free since it's synthetic. And, It's only $3. Why not get one?! — 4 years, 3 months agoanimakeupgrrl42 | 85 reviews
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My Reasons for Reporting This


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When was the last time there was this much cause for joy in Westwood?
Shabazz Muhammad will play for UCLA. Now.
"It's great news," UCLA coach Ben Howland told Sporting News. "I'm thrilled that it's over — excited for Shabazz, excited for our team and his teammates. There's closure and we're moving forward."
— College basketball scoreboard: Track all games live
A 6-6 small forward from Las Vegas, Muhammad was the No. 2 national recruit in the 2012 class and signed with the Bruins in the spring, but he faced questions regarding his eligibility until the NCAA announced Friday he has been reinstated provided he sit out 10 percent of the season — the three games he already has missed — and repay improper benefits totaling $1,600.
He will be permitted to play Monday for No. 13 UCLA (3-0) against Georgetown in an 8 p.m. ET game at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. If the Bruins win, they will play on Tuesday against No. 1 Indiana, which defeated Georgia 66-53.
Howland said it was unlikely Muhammad would start because he is only now recovering from a shoulder injury that kept him out multiple weeks. He had only had two practices as of Friday.
"But he's definitely going to play," Howland said.
In a statement released by UCLA, Muhammad sounded relieved that he could finally begin his college career.
"I am excited to be able to play for UCLA starting next Monday," Muhammad said in the statement. "My family and friends were very supportive of me throughout this process and I couldn't have gone through this without them."
— Top 25 teams in action: No. 11 North Carolina |
It was a fairly dreary conclusion to what had been hyped by some into a titanic showdown between the NCAA and an elite prospect. Because the NCAA had warned member schools that Muhammad would face eligibility questions, it had been suggested that this would be some sort of test case by which the NCAA would assert greater authority and less flexibility in defending its amateurism guidelines.
Instead, Muhammad's penalty turns out to be not at all severe — although he did miss the team's summer trip to China — and the amount of money considered to be an extra benefit provided by an outside party turned out to be rather insignificant. Josh Selby, who played at Kansas in 2010-11, missed far more time (nine games) and was ordered to repay far more money (more than $5,000) following his eligibility investigation.
Earlier this week, the Muhammad family had released a statement indicating it had obtained prior approval through NCAA member compliance offices to have Shabazz's expenses paid by a man considered to be a family friend. They said they received clearance for the payment.
A week ago, the NCAA had said he was not eligible to play at the time and that it was examining other "pending issues." Following an appeal hearing early Friday, the NCAA stood by its declaration that the payment was improper and ordered that it be reimbursed — usually such repayments are directed to charity — but closed his eligibility case.
Muhammad's importance to the Bruins' offense cannot be overstated. He produced big scoring numbers in the McDonald's All-American game and the Nike Hoop Summit and is expected to become UCLA's primary scoring option. With freshman shooter Jordan Adams blossoming into a 24-point-per-game standout and playmaker Kyle Anderson performing well, though bothered by a wrist injury, the Bruins will have multiple perimeter weapons.
When considering the preseason top 25 last spring, Sporting News initially projected UCLA as a top-5 team. When the uncertainty surrounding Muhammad, the Bruins dropped to No. 11.


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Cueto 'just off' with delivery vs. White Sox
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Johnny Cueto made his third start of the spring Sunday, but was erratic and never found a rhythm against the White Sox at Camelback Ranch.
"He was just off in his command and usually he's sharp," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "We wish he was sharper, but he wasn't. [But it's early and] we've got a long way to go."
After allowing two runs in a laborious four innings, Cueto lowered his spring ERA to an even 5.00.
"Yeah. Too fast," Cueto said when asked if he felt he was rushing his delivery. "I think my shoulder [was flying] open."
Cueto threw 64 pitches in his outing and allowed three hits. However, he struggled with his command as he walked three batters, hit one with a pitch and also had a wild pitch.
Despite the lack of command, Cueto was able to finish strong as he struck out the last two batters he faced, finishing his start on a positive note.
"It felt pretty good [to strike out] those last two hitters," Cueto said.
William Boor is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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President Obama's 2011 State of the Union address declared this "our generation's Sputnik moment" before going on to set a goal for the nation to derive 80 percent of its electricity from clean energy by 2035. In February, Obama submitted a 2012 spending request for the Department of Energy (DOE) that increased spending on renewable energy--including solar, biomass and geothermal projects--while cutting fossil energy programs.
Despite White House support, the renewable energy industry still faces challenges. Financing is scarce, a result of the still-recovering markets, the relatively low recent prices of traditional fossil fuels and the lack of a price on carbon emissions. Meanwhile, the DOE budget proposal faces political attacks.
"Looking out onto the horizon, it seems like more clouds of uncertainty are emerging. ... There have been reports on House proposals to eliminate or significantly reduce various DOE financing mechanisms for renewing loan guarantees and other things," says Brian Dunkiel, founding partner at Shems Dunkiel Raubvogel & Saunders. "The renewal of the [Treasury Department's] cash grant program was helpful--but these fits and starts are a real challenge, especially when some of the larger projects take several years to conceive, permit, finance and construct."
Not all renewables are suffering--although 2010 saw the slowest year for wind power since 2007, it was the best year the solar energy industry has ever seen. Key to the continuing growth of renewables are two federal programs, a cash grant program and a loan guarantee program respectively created and bolstered by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).Cashing In
In December 2010, President Obama signed into law a one-year extension of a Treasury Department grant program that has been crucial to keeping the renewable energy industry afloat. Prior to the creation of the grant program, renewable energy developers relied on their ability to leverage an investment tax credit worth either 10 percent or 30 percent of expenditures. Many partnered with tax equity investors to finance projects, but after the financial crisis hit, the renewables tax equity market quickly dried up, dropping to $1.2 billion in 2009 from $6.1 billion in 2007, according to the U.S. Partnership for Renewable Energy Finance (US PREF).
Under Section 1603 of ARRA, developers can receive a cash grant in lieu of the tax credit, enhancing liquidity and making it easier for developers to secure financing even in the face of a depressed tax appetite. Andy Melka, a wind project development manager with E.ON Climate & Renewables, says the Treasury grant program allows developers to recoup some of their costs up front rather than over 10 to 15 years, thus reducing the risk associated with falling energy costs.
"That really got investors off the bench," says Kathleen Drakulich, a partner at McDonald, Carano and Wilson and former in-house counsel to utility companies. "You don't have to waste time now."
Funding Projects
From Section 1603's enactment in February 2009 until February 2011, grants totaling around $6 billion have been awarded to 1,878 projects (mainly wind and solar).
"In the deals I've seen, the cash grant really significantly can increase the viability of a project," says Dunkiel. "That change was really important in keeping projects moving along when the market would have been much more depressed than what it was."
As part of the tax bill Obama signed in December, the 1603 grant program was extended for one year, until the end of 2011. US PREF estimated last year that absent the extension, renewable energy projects totaling more than $24 billion would not have gone forward. Unless another extension is passed before the end of 2011, renewables will lose a program that likely will remain integral to financing projects.
"The tax investors are not coming back yet," Melka says. "It really would be putting wind power at a distinct disadvantage compared to traditional energy sources if the grants went away and the tax equity market was still depressed. All forms of energy are subsidized. This is just putting wind on more of an equal footing with other traditional forms of energy."Crucial Credit
The DOE's Title XVII Loan Guarantee Program, created in 2005, is another federal program supporting the industry through diminished sources of financing. ARRA created a "rapid deployment" sub-program and funneled $6 billion to the DOE program to support loan guarantees of up to $60 billion for eligible renewable energy and transmission projects. In total, the DOE's loan program has committed nearly $18 billion in loans to support 20 clean energy projects since 2009.
The DOE announced on Feb. 15 a $343 million loan guarantee to develop the ON Line project, a 500-kilovolt transmission line stretching 235 miles across Nevada land rich in solar, geothermal and wind resources.
"The DOE came in strong," says Drakulich, whose firm represented developers as Nevada counsel on the DOE opinion piece of the loan application process. She praises the program: "It makes these loans available, and on a low-interest basis, which saves cities and states lots of money."
While Melka describes the 1603 grant application process as quick and relatively pain-free, the loan guarantee program has taken some criticism for a complicated application process hampered by bureaucracy and a lengthy review process. But while the Treasury grants might be for $10 million or $20 million, the loan guarantees can cover hundreds of millions of dollars.
With that much money at play, "the Office of Management and Budget, the Department of the Treasury and the DOE all like to be pretty satisfied when they provide a loan guarantee that the projects are going to work," says Mary Anne Sullivan, a partner at Hogan Lovells and former general counsel of the DOE.
In addition, she says the application process has improved, particularly in the past six months. Whereas previously the DOE upheld a policy against asking follow-up questions before resolving an application, they're now more willing to prod applicants for additional information. The burgeoning program
now is fully staffed and has created processes for selecting law firms and individual engineers and technology reviewers, which has streamlined its due diligence process.
"The program has taken a lot of criticism, but the first-of-a-kind technologies would not otherwise be getting to the marketplace at all," Sullivan says. "I keep saying to clients that the loan guarantee process is so difficult, you shouldn't go to the DOE if you have other options--but they don't have other options."


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Trientine Hydrochloride for the Prevention of Macular Edema Associated With Pan-retinal Photocoagulation for Severe Non-proliferative and Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy
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|Diabetic Retinopathy
|Drug: Trientine Hydrochloride Drug: Oral placebo capsules
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: Double (Participant, Care Provider)
|Official Title:
|Trientine Hydrochloride for the Prevention of Macular Edema Associated With Pan-retinal Photocoagulation for Severe Non-proliferative and Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy
- To evaluate the effect of a copper chelator in suppressing post-PRP macular edema in eyes with retinal neovascularization.The treatment effect will be measured by assessing changes in photoreceptor function (via visual acuity and contrast sensitivity) as well as retinal inflammation and thickening (via Fluorescein Angiography and Ocular Coherence Tomography).
|Study Start Date:
|November 2010
|Study Completion Date:
|April 2013
|Primary Completion Date:
|April 2013 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
|Assigned Interventions
|Experimental: Arm II
Drug: Trientine Hydrochloride
All participating subjects will all receive PRP (pan-retinal photocoagulation) according to present standards of care; however, subjects randomized the intervention group (trientine hydrochloride) will be on a 10-day course of oral Trientine at 1500mg administered for 7-days prior to and 3 days after the PRP sessions.
Other Name: Syprine
Placebo Comparator: Arm I. Placebo + Pan-Retinal Photocoagulation
All participating subjects will all receive PRP (pan-retinal photocoagulation) according to present standards of care; however, subjects randomized the placebo group will be on a 10-day course of oral placebo capsules at 1500mg administered for 7-days prior to and 3 days after the PRP sessions.
Drug: Oral placebo capsules
All participating subjects will all receive PRP (pan-retinal photocoagulation) according to present standards of care; however, subjects randomized the placebo group will be on a 10-day course of oral placebo capsules at 1500mg administered for 7-days prior to and 3 days after the PRP sessions
Detailed Description:
Individuals with new-onset severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy or retinal neovascularization who present to the retinal service of the UBC/VGH Eye Care Centre will be offered participation in this study. Subject inclusion criteria will parallel those of the DRS (Diabetic Retinopathy Study) and ETDRS (Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study). One PRP session will consist of between 800 to 1000 laser burns. Subjects with discomfort during laser (a known side-effect) will be treated with local anesthetics.
As noted, participating subjects will all receive PRP according to present standards of care; however, subjects will be randomized to either a 10-day course of oral Trientine at 1500mg administered for 7-days prior to and 3 days after the PRP sessions, or a placebo. Serum copper levels and urinary copper levels will be evaluated before and after Trientine administration to determine the amount of free copper present systemically at the time of PRP treatment.
Ocular outcomes will include visual acuity testing (ETDRS), fluorescein angiography and ocular coherence tomography (OCT). These studies will be used to evaluate retinal morphology and photoreceptor function pre and post laser. All these evaluations are considered part of the routine evaluation of diabetic retinopathy in subjects being treated with PRP.
Outcome measures will be assessed at day 2-post laser, week 1, and Day 28-30. Further clinical PRP treatment will be administered if necessary after Day 28-30 at the discretion of the patients' ophthalmologist.
The primary analysis will involve comparing the retinal thickness measurements between subjects undergoing PRP with and without Trientine use. Secondary analyses will involve evaluations of visual acuity and fluorescein angiography. As well, changes in visual acuity, angiographic leakage, and retinal thickness will be regressed against serum copper levels. Sample size calculations suggest 15 subjects per arm should be adequate to demonstrate a 40% reduction in retinal thickness with a power of 80% comparing subjects receiving Trientine to controls.
Subjects who are randomized to Trientine will receive 1500 mg Trientine PO daily for 10 days. Subjects, study-coordinators, and investigators will be masked to treatment group. The primary analysis will be a comparison of OCT thickness measurements.
This is a single centre study involving 30 subjects (15 cases and 15 controls). A 1:1 randomization will be employed (Trientine 1500 mg: Placebo). No normal subjects will be enrolled.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|19 Years and older (Adult, Senior)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- Severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy or retinal neovascularization secondary to diabetic retinopathy meeting DRS criteria for PRP laser
- ETDRS (Early treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study) eye score of at least 34-73 letters (at 2 meters) (20/20 to 20/320) for study eye and 20/800 in non-study eye
- Clinical evidence of macular microantiopathy in the study eye (lipid or retinal thickness is acceptable)
- No other ocular disease that could be responsible for decreased vision, macular edema or could limit macular imaging
Exclusion Criteria:
- Individuals with retinal neovascularization from causes other than diabetic retinopathy
- Any intraocular surgery within 2 months or Yag capsulotomy within 1 month in the study eye
- Prior retinal or vitreous surgery (including posterior segment vitrectomy or scleral buckling)
- Medical conditions requiring the use of mineral supplements (copper in particular)
- Individuals with anemia
- Individuals with mental or physical disabilities that prevent accurate vision testing
- History of treatment of PDR by PRP
- Active hepatitis, clinically significant liver disease or any evidence of renal failure.
- Stroke or myocardial infarction within preceding 6 months or ventricular tachycardia under treatment
- History of severe cardiac disease or unstable angina
- Subjects who are in an experimental therapy study or who have received experimental therapy within the last 12 weeks
- Subjects who are a poor medical risk because of other systemic diseases or active uncontrolled infections
- Women of childbearing potential not on 2 effective forms of birth control
- Women who are pregnant or plan to become pregnant
- Subjects with an allergy to fluorescein dye.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01213888
|Canada, British Columbia
|Eye Care Centre - Vancouver Coastal Health
|Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V5Z 3N9
|Study Director:
|Patrick Ma
|University of British Columbia
|Study Director:
|Andrew Merkus
|University of British Columbia
|Study Director:
|David Albiani
|University of British Columbia
|Principal Investigator:
|David Maberly
|University of British Columbia
|Responsible Party:
|University of British Columbia
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT01213888 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|Study First Received:
|September 30, 2010
|Last Updated:
|May 1, 2013
Keywords provided by University of British Columbia:
Diabetic retinopathy
pan-retinal photocoagulation
macular edema
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Macular Edema
Retinal Diseases
Diabetic Retinopathy
Macular Degeneration
Retinal Degeneration
Eye Diseases
Diabetic Angiopathies
Vascular Diseases
Cardiovascular Diseases
Diabetes Complications
Diabetes Mellitus
Endocrine System Diseases
Chelating Agents
Sequestering Agents
Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017


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British firm studio SH just sent us their competition entry for the new Gosan Public Library in South Korea which had snatched the second place in this hugely popular international competition. The proposal, "White Diamond," was designed by studio SH partners Seung Hyun Yuh and Se Hyeon Kim. — bustler.net
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Photography by Mr John Lindquist | Styling by Ms Tanja Martin
Words by Mr Tom M Ford
Despite being the founder of a much-fêted harmonic indie-folk band with a diverse fan base including the likes of Jay-Z, Beyoncé and Radiohead, the polite, modest demeanour of Mr Droste, who towers over me in a North London studio, belies success. Since humble bedroom-recorded tracks at the turn of the century, Grizzly Bear have released popular tracks such as "Knife" and "Two Weeks", which have appeared in various TV commercials and shows as well as three exquisite studio albums - perfecting a distinct, melodic sound along the way.
Whetting our appetite for LP number four, Shields, released 18 September on admired label Warp, was the release of single "Sleeping Ute" - all soaring guitars and percussion - earlier this year. "It's indicative of the new album," Mr Droste tells me in his lilting Massachusetts drawl. "It's a bit more raw and exposed - less polite," he continues. Considering how far they have come, and that their previous effort, Veckatimest, reached number eight in the US charts, he exudes calm at the prospect of following it.
Mr Droste's understated approach stretches to sartorial style too. Although keen to try on our new season offerings, the band members aren't ones for extravagance. "I love fashion to a certain extent, but not all of the band do. I have my labels I really like such as rag & bone and Band of Outsiders, but I don't really go for that Belgian craziness. I respect it, but it's not really my day-to-day wear." For a group whose musical synergy seeps into every track (they effortlessly swap vocal and instrumental duties), it isn't a surprise that they eschew shallow images, too. "There's no uniform or flashiness. I think it's gimmicky to do that - it's then more about the image than the music."
There's no uniform or flashiness. I think it's gimmicky to do that - it's then more about the image than the music
Despite the latter being the main focus, Mr Droste is refreshingly unpretentious when talk turns to his passion. Fan and friend of current indie favourites Beach House, as well as newcomer Kindness, he fed on a diet of rock such as Pavement and the Pixies as a youth, and becomes animated talking about unexpected old favourites: "I was listening to a lot of Fleetwood Mac during the latest album, although you wouldn't notice it. I was rediscovering Missy Elliot's first album this past year. I love it." Attempting to recall influences during Grizzly Bear's initial output, he laughs, wistfully referring to the "blur" of those early years.
This time around, we can ignore allusions to youthful excess and incongruous music. Creativity is today's only excess, buoyed by increased collective input: "Song-wise, the new album is our strongest collection. We had 25 tracks we could pick from," Mr Droste says. "We just kept writing and there was a lot more collaborative experimenting with each other. If Veckatimest is us with our heads in the clouds, then this one is the earth album. Our feet are on the ground."
As he leaves, misplacing his Comme des Garçons wallet after patiently holding the door for me, Mr Droste talks nostalgically of an abandoned career in journalism. Let's be thankful he swapped magazines for music and that Grizzly Bear continues on its way, with feet firmly on the ground.
The five tracks Mr Droste currently has on repeat
"Motion Sickness"


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New York Mets owners Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz, fresh off their entanglement with friend and Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff, could find themselves on the brink of another humbling and costly relationship with a secretive hedge fund manager and friend whose operation is in federal prosecutors' sights, The New York Times reports.
Wilpon and Katz sold a 4 percent share of the team earlier this year to Steven A. Cohen, the owner of SAC Capital Advisors, who has seen at least seven of his former employees implicated in a multiyear insider trading investigation by the federal government. Three have pleaded guilty to insider trading while working for Cohen.
"You have to scratch your head and say, 'Was this the smartest thing in the world for the Mets?' " said Philip Aidikoff, a partner in a Los Angeles securities firm, who has clients defrauded by Madoff, The Times reported.
Aidikoff speculated that there had to be other wealthy people who were willing to buy a piece of the Mets "who don't have the kind of baggage Cohen has." And yet, according to The Times, Cohen was one of numerous people approached to buy minority stakes in the Mets over the last 18 months, but only a few individuals ultimately did.
Then, on Tuesday, one of Cohen's former portfolio managers, Matthew Martoma, was arrested and charged with being part of an insider trading scheme that made more than $276 million, the largest such case ever, according to the federal prosecutors.
That draws prosecutors closer to Cohen, who for the first time was cited by the government in a trade that may have been improper, The Times reported.
Cohen hasn't been charged in the case, and, through a spokesman, vigorously contended that he is innocent of any wrongdoing, a contention that his legal teams made to Major League Baseball when it was studying his business dealings as part of his attempt this year to buy the Los Angeles Dodgers. He lost that bid to a group featuring Magic Johnson.
If Cohen eventually is charged, commissioner Bud Selig could suspend him or compel the Mets to buy out his ownership share.
According to The Times, unless the Mets have another buyer ready in the wings, they would have to find $20 million to repay his investment, which could be a burden for a club that went to Cohen and others precisely to raise desperately needed cash.
On Wednesday, the Mets and Major League Baseball would not comment to The Times on the latest legal developments involving Cohen's firm, whose investment returns are among the best on Wall Street, according to The Times, averaging about 30 percent over the past two decades.
Meanwhile, the Mets have finished fourth in the NL East four consecutive seasons, and attendance at Citi Field has slid while losses escalated to $70 million in 2011, the newspaper reported.
The team, whose payroll falls in the middle of the pack among MLB teams, is facing big-dollar decisions this offseason as it considers whether to extend or trade 2012 NL Cy Young Award-winner R.A. Dickey and sign All-Star third baseman David Wright to a long-term contract.


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British Pathé Newsreel has put up more than 80,000 newsreel clips on YouTube – all free.
As the site notes, "Pathé News was a producer of newsreels, cinemagazines, and documentaries from 1910 until 1976 in the United Kingdom. Its founder, Charles Pathé, was a pioneer of moving pictures in the silent era. The Pathé News archive is known today as British Pathé. Its collection of news film and movies is fully digitized and available online. Follow us through the 20th Century and dive into the good and the bad times of the past. Feel free to explore more than 80,000 videos of filmed history and maybe you'll find stuff no one else has ever seen. From next week on you'll get a new playlists each Monday and Thursday, a special collection of videos we've picked out for you. On top of that you'll get a weekly highlight video every Friday! Look forward to Top Ten lists, special occasions and recent events put into context. Have fun with 3,500 hours of filmed history!"
This is a truly amazing resource; click here, or on the image above, to access the entire library – free!


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A three vehicle incident has caused delays on the A120.
The crash, between two HGVs and a van, happened this morning just before 10am in the road west of the Coggeshall bypass.
It has been cleared but there are still delays in both directions.
An Ambulance spokesman confirmed that they had sent an ambulance but no-one was injured.


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"The President shall from time to time give to Congress information of the State of the Union and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient."
-- Article II, Sec. 3, U.S. Constitution
The Speech
In 1790 George Washington delivered the first "Annual Message" to Congress. Now, over 220 years later, the tradition continues. President Barack Obama gave the annual State of the Union address to Congress and the American people on January 25, 2011.
In a press release, the White House gave the following overview of this year's address: "In his State of the Union, President Obama spoke of the need to maintain America's leadership in a rapidly changing world so that our economy is competitive – growing and working for all Americans. To do so, he is putting forward a plan to help the United States win the future by out-innovating, out-educating, and out-building our global competition. At the same time, the President understands the need to reform the way our government does business and take responsibility for our deficit – by investing in what makes America stronger and cutting what doesn't."
President Obama's full State of the Union Address is available online: [transcript][video]
The Response
Each year the State of the Union address is followed by a response from the opposition party. This year it was Wisconsin Representative Paul Ryan who delivered the response. View his full response to President Obama's State of the Union address on YouTube. There were also responses from the Tea Party Movement, the Libertarian Party, and the Socialist Party.
Fact Check
As with Presidents before him, President Obama made many large statements in his annual address. How do these statements hold up to fact? Various agencies have checked the validity of many of the statements made in the 2011 State of the Union address, see how the facts stack up: Associated Press, PolitiFact, FactCheck.org, National Public Radio, and ABC News.
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For years a group of Wisconsin collaborators explored pasture-based systems as a source of 'specialty milk' for value-added dairy processing. The final report of this research, possible through a North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Grant, is now available.
"About 22% of Wisconsin's dairy farmers use managed grazing as their system for providing the bulk feed for their cattle," said Laura Paine, the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection's Grazing and Organic Agriculture Specialist. "With the state's tradition of artisan and value-added dairy production, it made sense to build on this foundation and explore the opportunity for grass-fed milk products in the marketplace."
Paine coordinated the project, which included four years of research by farmers, processors, chefs and University of Wisconsin scientists on the chemistry and culinary performance of grass-based products. Consumer taste panels and a professional focus group were conducted. A market research report and video were created.
"Our group found that the color, texture, aroma and flavor of grass-based products were different from conventional dairy products," added Paine. "Through formal and informal evaluations of the products, their performance and consumer response, we were able to make recommendations."
Final recommendations included the need to organize grass-based dairy farmers and generate funds for marketing. The industry needs to create a standard that ensures the integrity of grass-based products and come to a consensus on what terms should be used to describe pasture-based milk.
A complete summary of the project is available at datcp.wi.gov/Farms/Grazing/Grass_Fed_Market_Development. The 26-page document gives an introduction to the project, background information, findings, consumer response, marketing positioning and recommendations for industry's future.
"This project allowed us to find opportunities in the marketplace for grass-based products and identify challenges," explained Paine. "By sharing the findings, we will be able to move the industry forward."
One of the results of this grant is a video titled, "From Pasture to Plate." This video provides an overview of grazing in dairy farming by featuring the farm of Bert Paris. Cheesemakers Mike Gingrich of Uplands Cheese Company and Bob Wills of Cedar Grove Cheese discussed the process of taking fresh, quality milk from grass-fed cows to make award-winning cheeses.
Leah Caplan of Metcalfe's and Jack Kaestner of Oconomowoc Lakes Country Club shared their experiences using grass-based dairy products in cooking. These experts compared the unique physical, chemical and flavor differences in grass-based dairy products in side-by-side tests with other products. To access the video, visit youtube.com/widatcp.
"I encourage producers and consumers to learn more about the difference of grass-based dairy by watching this 12 minute video," concluded Paine. "It follows the milk from the farmer's pasture to the chef's kitchen and gives a great summary of what was accomplished in the project."
For more information, contact Paine, at 608.224.5120 or email@example.com, or visit the website at datcp.wi.gov/Farms/Grazing.


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Former Blue Jays Draft pick Eliopoulos passes away
TORONTO -- Former Blue Jays Draft pick Jake Eliopoulos passed away on Monday at the age of 21. Details surrounding his death were not yet known.
Eliopoulos was originally selected by Toronto in the second round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft. The two sides could not come to an agreement on a deal, and Eliopoulos instead attended Chipola Junior College in Florida.
The native of Toronto unfortunately suffered a drop in velocity and went 1-2 with an 8.44 ERA before dropping out of the program midseason. He was selected in the 15th round of the 2010 Draft by the Dodgers and by the Blue Jays the following year in the 43rd round.
Eliopoulos never signed a professional contract. His funeral will be held Monday at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Toronto. He is survived by parents Jim and Lea, siblings Derek and Zoe and his best friends Max, Grant and Colin, according to his obituary.
Gregor Chisholm is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, North of the Border, and follow him on Twitter @gregorMLB. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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On Tuesday, someone asked me why I thought we weren't seeing giddiness in the market -- and the only reason I can come up with is Apple (AAPL), which just hasn't been able to get up off the mat. Poor Apple -- it went from the stock to own to one that's shunned.
I still think the "bear-taunting" is present -- and, in fact, it was significantly louder Tuesday. I expect that, if Apple can play beat-the-number in its earnings report, folks might take that as the "all-clear" to get highly bullish. Ahead of earnings, I don't have a strong view here. If the shares had already been trading above $510, I'd be more inclined to like it. However, it's sitting right in the $500 zone, so I can see it up big or down.
Away from that, let's take a look at Google (GOOG), which got everyone so excited after hours. The stock has spent the last week or so pushing lower by just over $40 -- and, after hours Tuesday, it was up $30, so it's essentially reclaiming what it lost. What I will watch for now is whether it can make a higher high. If it cannot, then I'd say there's a possibility this rally may become the right shoulder of a head-and-shoulders top.
I was asked about the chart of the S&P 400 mid-cap index, which I had liked back in December, when it broke out above 1000. There is a measured target on this chart around 1080 to 1090 -- so with its Tuesday close at just over 1080, the price is getting into its target zone. It hasn't done a thing wrong, but once a target zone is reached, the next step is typically either sideways or down. I'd be a profit-taker now.
Finally, I was asked about the dollar-yen currency pair. We discussed the chart of the euro-yen cross just over a week ago, and I noted it had a target of between 120 and 122. It has since struggled to get above 120.
The dollar-yen cross, meanwhile, is sitting right on an uptrend line that I am certain every currency trader has their eye on. If it breaks that line, I think we'll see a quick move under $88, followed by a snapback rally that would then fail at the underside of the line. But I believe a break of that line would get folks' attention. The dollar-yen has been on a tear for nearly three months now, so any change in trend should be noticed. I do think it will break, and I do think the stock market will care.
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WCU Women's Basketball Team to Participate in SSAC West Division Tournament
Head Coach Tracy English will lead the William Carey University women's basketball team to the 2012 Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) West Division Tournament at The Forum in Rome, Ga., on Wednesday, February 29, as they play Southern Wesleyan University for their first game of the tournament. The Lady Crusaders went 13-13 in the regular season and 9-9 in SSAC post-season games. WCU defeated Southern Wesleyan 79-59 in December. Members of the women's basketball team are Haleigh Arcement of Kiln; Anna Ard of Louisville; TeAnna Carter of Waynesboro; Chelsea Combest of Baker, Fla.; Erin Holifield of Hattiesburg; Jasmine McClinton of Colins; Erica Moore of Grove Hill, Ala.; Megan Reynolds of Mobile, Ala.; Ashton Scarbourgh of Columbia; Ciera Sibley of Denham Springs, La.; Tisa Smith of Biloxi; Crystal Tucker of Laurel; and Kendria Young of Baker, Fla. DJ Pulley serves as assistant coach and Hannah Martin as manager. CUTLINE:
The William Carey University women's basketball team begin their quest for the 2012 SSAC Championship on February 29 as they take on Southern Wesleyan University at The Forum in Rome, Ga.


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14.01.15 Best Dressed
More From Red carpet Fashion Awards:
12.01.15 Menswear
2015 Golden Globes Menswear Roundup
The guys were none too shabby when it came to their sartorial selections at the 2015 Golden Globe Awards, held last night (January 11) at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, boasting a range of looks that went way beyond the standard black tux.
Matt Bomer: The Best Supporting Actor winner for 'The Normal Heart' was dressed just as winningly in an impeccable Ralph Lauren Black Label navy shawl collar tuxedo that naturally brought out his own baby blues and was handsomely paired with a dark bowtie and crisp white button-down shirt.
Eddie Redmayne: Looking as sharp as ever, 'The Theory of Everything' Best Actor winner took a Euro-cool version of black velvet out for a spin, donning a Gucci notch-lapel, two-button New Signoria evening jacket with a white evening shirt, black satin bowtie, black tuxedo trousers and black patent leather lace-up shoes.
Alan Cumming: Having quite the nude moment, 'The Good Wife' actor and nominee wore a buff wool, two-button peak lapel tuxedo, buff dress shirt and buff silk skinny tie from the Spring 2015 Calvin Klein Collection. Between the monochromatic buff-ness and the rolled pant legs, not to mention his Christian Louboutin 'Mika On Stage' sneakers, this look translated as more comical than cool.
More From Red carpet Fashion Awards:
Sarah Hyland In Emilio Pucci – HBO's 2015 Post-Golden Globe Awards Party
Sarah Hyland attended HBO's 2015 Post-Golden Globe Awards Party held at Circa 55 Restaurant on Sunday (January 11) in Los Angeles, California.
The actress wore an Emilio Pucci black leather crop top and black sequinned column skirt from the VIP collection.
Sexy and edgy without stepping too far off the mark, her dramatic party look was styled with Lorraine Schwartz jewels and a slicked-back do.
Credit: Getty
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Gwyneth Paltrow In Michael Kors – 2015 Golden Globe Awards
Gwyneth Paltrow snuck in the back entrance so we only got to see her on stage while presenting at the 2015 Golden Globe Awards held at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday (January 11).
The actress wore one of her favourite designers, Michael Kors, wearing a custom pink silk crepe gown with tulle inset, which she styled with a matching pink lip and Harry Winston jewels.
Twitter was abuzz that shows like 'The Good Wife' and 'Game of Thrones' were robbed, as well as other actors and actresses, but I would say that Michael Kors was robbed of what would've been a great red carpet moment.
The only full-length image from twitter shows back.
Credit: Twitter & Getty
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12.01.15 Menswear
Sophie Hunter In Erdem – 2015 Golden Globe Awards
Benedict Cumberbatch and pregnant fiancée Sophie Hunter attended the 2015 Golden Globe Awards held at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday (January 11) in Beverly Hills, California.
Since Sophie has come into the picture, I have to admit that for me she has stolen the spotlight from Benedict.
My eyes always fall straight to her.
On this occasion she looked gorgeous wearing another Erdem gown, this time a navy metallic floral jacquard gown from the Pre-Fall 2015 collection.
Styled with a complementary rouge lip and chic chignon, this lady is the only one who can rival Camila Alves in the best-dressed plus-one department.
Oh, and with regard to Benedict, the papa-to-be of course looked very handsome in a classic tux.
Credit: Getty


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By Scott Balestrier & David Des Roches, BDO.com
Proactively managing taxes should always be top of mind for businesses at year-end. Recent Congressional actions and extension of the Bush-era tax cuts are serving as this year's reminder. As many retailers seem to be returning to profitability, there are several tax and accounting opportunities that should be considered.
On September 27, 2010, The Small Business Jobs Act of 2010, Public Law No. 111-240, was signed. The bulk of the bill focuses on providing loans to small businesses, which are defined as corporations with assets of less than $50 million. From a tax payer perspective, there are significant benefits such as the increased gain exclusion to 100% on investments made in small business stock from September 27, 2010, and before January 1, 2011. The new law also allows businesses to fully deduct up to $500,000 of investments in depreciable property. The dollar limit is reduced by the amount by which the cost of qualifying property placed in service during the tax year exceeds $2,000,000 for 2010 and 2011. For the remainder of 2010, the new law extends the 50% first-year bonus depreciation, which had expired at the end of 2009.
Retailers also need to be conscious of tax changes that have resulted from the IRS decision to require some corporations, like those with assets exceeding certain amounts and that have audited financial statements, to report their uncertain tax positions arising in 2010 and beyond. Compliance is phased in over the next several years based on the amount of a taxpayer's worldwide assets.
In early 2010, the IRS released Schedule UTP, which is the tax form to be used in 2010, and future years, for the reporting of uncertain tax positions relating to United States federal income tax positions. Retailers should check Schedule UTP and note: for taxpayers with worldwide assets of over $100 million, reporting begins for the 2010 tax year. For taxpayers with assets over $50 million but not exceeding $100 million, reporting is deferred until 2012. Finally, for taxpayers with assets over $10 million but not exceeding $50 million, reporting is deferred until 2014.
The following tax savings ideas may help ease the tax burden for retailers as they look to build on the positive momentum realized in 2010 as we head into 2011 and beyond:
Gift Card Deferral: Advanced payments for gift cards or certificates, which are redeemable for goods, may be deferred until the earlier of redemption or the end of the second taxable year following the year of receipt. Alternatively, businesses can choose to defer gift cards for goods and services until the taxable year following the year of receipt.
Catalog/Promotional Costs: Costs incurred to promote products (e.g. advertising expenses) or to produce catalogs and other such literature (chemicals, ink, printing costs) may be deducted in the year incurred or consumed. Such costs were previously capitalized and amortized.
Warranty Service Income: Warranty service income may be deferred beyond the year of receipt, when it was previously recognized in the year income was received.
Advance Payments: A one-year deferral is allowed for the recognition of advance payments for services, the sale of certain goods, the use of intellectual property, revenue from computer software and other items. Under the one-year deferral method, the company recognizes advance payments into taxable income in the year of receipt to the extent that the payment is recognized for financial reporting, and the balance of the advance payment is recognized in year two.
Trade Discounts: Businesses are permitted to treat advance trade discounts as a reduction in the cost of its inventory when it subsequently purchases the related inventory. Similarly, companies are permitted to treat qualifying volume-related trade discounts as a reduction in the cost of merchandise purchased at the time the discount is recognized.
Cash Discounts: Businesses that receive cash discounts, and that use the gross invoice method of including the price of the goods before discount in the cost of the goods, are permitted to use the net method of accounting by reducing the purchase price by the discount.
Rebates and Allowances: Businesses that are adding reserves for rebates and allowances back into taxable income are allowed to deduct such items to the extent that payment is made within eight and a half months of year end.
The following are tax saving ideas specific to state and local planning:
Sales/Use Tax Refunds: Businesses who have made significant capital expenditures over the past three to four years have often overpaid sales/use taxes. With careful review of transactions by sales tax professionals to identify such overpayments, applications for refunds may be submitted to tax officials in order to benefit the company.
State Credit Review: Many states offer income tax credits to businesses for hiring individuals that reside in designated areas or have employment barriers. Depending on the state, the credit may be as much as $34,000 per employee over a five year period.
Property and Payroll Factor Apportionment Review: An analysis of dormant stores and facilities as well as review of personnel traveling outside of state as a regular part of their job can result in a shifting of income from high tax rates states to lower tax rate jurisdictions.
Leasing Company for Store Equipment: Establish a leasing company to spread sales tax due on equipment purchases over the life of the lease.
Next year will surely bring new challenges for retailers. However, a careful review of tax accounting methods leading up to the year-end could help retailers generate new or additional tax savings while working to potentially eliminate exposure to risks.
Scott Balestrier and David Des Roches are Tax Partners in the Retail and Consumer Product Practice at BDO USA, LLP, an accounting and consulting firm. For more information visit the Consumer Business Compass blog at blog.bdo.com or visit bdo.com/industries/retail/.


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As Greek yogurt continues its surge in popularity, companies are vying for consumers' dollars and the top spot in this yogurt revolution. Since first introduced to the American consumer in 2007, Greek yogurt now makes up 35 percent of the yogurt sales. However, not all companies have fared well in the race to win this Greek yogurt "revolution" according to an article in Advertising Age.
And the winner is…
Chobani dominates the Greek market, counting for 47.3 percent of shares. Greek yogurt fans can thank Turkish immigrant Hamdi Ulukaya, the man behind the Chobani, for introducing the product to the American market in 2007. The company has grown by leaps and bounds since its meager start, now employing a workforce of 1,200. A new yogurt factory in Twin Falls, Idaho, is also making progress and will be the world's largest yogurt factory upon completion. Read more about his story.
In a recent report, BernsteinResearch suggested that Chobani will need to fight to stay at the top; however, the company appears to be ready for the challenge.
Bigger isn't better
Larger companies that have traditionally dominated the yogurt market have struggled to remain competitive in the Greek yogurt sector. Kraft Foods launched its Greek yogurt Athenos in 2011, but competition drove them out. Kraft exited the Greek yogurt market earlier this year.
General Mills, meanwhile, has suffered from a late start.
"We believe that General Mills has likely missed out on Greek. … From having started late to poor positioning of the product, we consider that General Mills is unlikely to become a major player in Greek yogurt," BernsteinResearch said in a recent report.
Dannon entered into the Greek yogurt market in 2007, but the company has only recently started to aggressively win over consumers with a brand name shift to "Dannon Oikos Greek" and a big-dollar advertisement during the Super Bowl. While they are second in total yogurt sales, Bernstein projects that Dannon may "potentially see its share in Greek rise to 30 percent to 40 percent of the Greek market over the next few years … catching up to Chobani."


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Senior Fellow and Program Director of the Center for Science & Culture ,Stephen C. Meyer, will be speaking on his most recent book, Darwin's Doubt: The Explosive Origin of Animal Life and the Case for Intelligent Design, as part of the biology department's E.O. Grundset Lecture Series at Southern Adventist University.
When Charles Darwin finished The Origin of Species,he knew that his theory did not explain the "Cambrian explosion," when many animals suddenly appeared in the fossil record without apparent ancestors in earlier layers of rock. In this presentation, Dr. Meyer will show that the origin of biological information - stored in DNA - as well as other mysterious features of the Cambrian event, are best explained by intelligent design, rather than purely undirected evolutionary processes.
WHEN: Wednesday, January 22, 2014
TIME: 7:30 pm
WHERE: Lynn Wood Hall 3135
Southern Adventist University
Collegedale, Tennessee
This lecture is open to the public and free of charge.
For more information visit the University's Biology Department's Website.
Darwin's DoubtSouthern Adventist University
Past Event January 22, 2013


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Herend Rothschild Bird china features beautifully rendered birds and vibrantly colored insects, but perhaps the most interesting element of the Rothschild Bird tableware design is the tree containing a gracefully draped pearl necklace - an element included specifically for the famous Rothschild family!
Due to the large number of pieces in this pattern, we've divided it into multiple pages.
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It's been a long journey for Marcus Gloster, a/k/a Black Cobain. Releasing his first mixtape Now Or Never in 2009, the Alexandria, Virginia rapper built a slow but steady base within the DMV area that blossomed with last year's Young, Gifted & Black. The emcee's stature has grown alongside Board Administration label mate and fellow DMV representer Wale, and with his latest mixtape Cheers, Black Cobain is poised for Hip Hop stardom as the project showcases a well-rounded selection of records made for the streets as well as the radio. Now that's something to toast to.
DXnext recently spoke with Black Cobain about Cheers including his work with producer Chi-City, who played an integral role in crafting the project's sound. A man of style and taste, his affinity for Adidas clothing and recent work overseas are covered here too. And make no mistake; while his career may be aligned with Wale's, he's certainly in no one's shadow as an emcee.
Making Hip Hop A Full Time Gig: "A lot of people live life with a 'Plan B.' I don't. I feel like when I'm doing something that I love and doing something that I'm passionate about, that's the only thing I'm gonna do and I'm not going to worry about it. At the time, I had a job, benefits and all that. And you know how bad the economy is, a lot of people wouldn't quit their job like that. So it takes a real strong person and somebody who knows who they are to do that."
Growing In Between Projects: "I think I kind of figured out what it takes to be a radio hog. A lot of people…Some of my fans since the Now Or Never days like Young, Gifted & Black better than Cheers. But I'm the type of person that is all about growth, evolution. I could sit back and make a hundred Hip Hop mixtapes, but how am I gonna make money? They're not gonna put those songs on the radio. So you have to make a decision in your life. It's a lot of rappers that do the Hip Hop thing, but if you're true to the game you know what you're really in it for. You know you didn't just leave your job to make Hip Hop music and really not maximize the amount of money you can make. So I think it's a little more commercial on Cheers, but it definitely still has that Hip Hop feel and definitely still has conceptual records. It's definitely a body of work. It's about things that I've seen and what's going on in my life. I'm not just going on a record and saying anything or lying about what I'm doing in my music."
On Integrating A Southern Style Into Cheers: "The mission statement for Cheers was to make sure that I captured all of my audience, including everybody that listened to me and knew my style before I dropped Cheers, because I knew it would be a little different for people that were following me before. And what I mean by that is with the down South records. People gotta understand that I've been living in Atlanta for six months, and I'm a fan of all Atlanta rappers. And for people that don't really know music, they don't understand how good Atlanta rappers are when it comes to like cadences and their structure of a record. I think that's incredible. So I get a little bit of that from Atlanta artists, being that I lived down there. That's all it was, it was a mixture of what I was already doing with the Atlanta music. I didn't feel like I jeopardized what I was doing. I feel like I expanded on making better music and that helped me elevate to where I'm at now. I have a lot more fans since I dropped Cheers."
"If Ralph Jordan I'm Cool With Being Scottie Pippen": "My intentions with that line were for the people who compare me and Wale. They think I'm always gonna be in his background or they think I'm trying to rap like him. With that line right there, if you don't know what Scottie Pippen has accomplished in his career, if you don't know how many championships he's got, if you don't know, he's Top 50 all-time in the NBA, then you wouldn't understand what I meant by that line. What I meant by that line is everybody knows Jordan's the best player ever, but they also know he couldn't have won those championships without Scottie Pippen. You know what I mean? And Scottie Pippen is one of the Hall of famers in the NBA. So that speaks volumes.
Everything that a lot of people want, that they can't get, that's what I'm going to have. So if you think I'm this, that and the third, that was just to shut people up. Like, I don't care. If Wale gonna be better than me, he's gonna be better than me, but I'm still gonna make an impact on this game whether you like it or not. And I'm gonna have some rings, and me and my team are gonna win. By all means, I'm in no one's shadow. I'm me, I'm Black Cobain. I don't sound like Wale, I don't sound like nobody. If you take that all with a grain of salt, then you know what that means. If you take it like, 'Oh, he's gonna be his sidekick,' then you're in idiot."
Collaborating With Producer Chi-City: "We got a lot of people that work for the Board, and one of our members, Santrise, she's out of Chicago. Chicago is one of my biggest markets, like when I go there, my shows are insane. I have so much love for Chicago. So she called my manager one day like, 'I got this producer here, he's pretty dope.' I heard some of his beats, and I thought they were cool.
At the time I didn't really know what I wanted to do for [Cheers], I was so lost. So she was like, 'I'm going to send him out to Atlanta.' I was like cool. And I was waiting for him to get here, it's like a four-hour flight, and he took the bus! Eighteen hours on the bus, and when he came, he had one bag and it was all his equipment. He just came in with some sweatpants on like, 'Yo, I'm Chi-City.' We used to call our place 'The Traphouse' because it was like eight of us in this one townhouse but we was just grinding. Wale was making Ambition, I was making Cheers, everybody was handling business. And he just came out of nowhere, nobody knew him, he didn't really talk to anybody and made like four beats. We went to the studio, we recorded, then he took a bus back to Chicago and I didn't talk to him for like three weeks. Then he came out like a month later, and it was no turning back after that. Every record we did was fire.
Me and him just developed a relationship. We was going to the studio every day, we were staying in the house just coming up with concepts, watching Hip Hop movies, old videos and listening to old records and '90s Hip Hop and everything. And we just maxed out until we came up with the formula. Cheers happened in two months. That's a hell of a story, we don't have any video footage of it so I'm always gonna be able to tell this story like it just happened."
Performing In "Carbon Life": "That was a once in a lifetime thing man. A lot of rappers in the game right now ain't gonna do what I did. That's huge. I was performing in front of Royalty, like the Prince went to one of the shows. It was getting reviewed in front of people who are used to ballets, and here you have this kid from Alexandria whose a rapper onstage performing in front of people who enjoy ballet. Traditionally, you don't clap until the end of the ballet. They were clapping after I finished rapping, in between songs.
With Mark Ronson, he's amazing. His composure, his style, his swag, the way he writes music; I'm genuinely a fan of Mark Ronson. Andrew Wyatt from Miike Snow was there too, that's my man. Boy George was there. We just had a great time. I'm supposed to be going back out there soon. We're going to record the songs that we performed for the Royal Ballet with Mark Ronson. So it's gonna be a compilation album put together, and it's gonna come out overseas. And once Mark Ronson puts his name on it, it's over. I mean, he's writing songs for the Olympics. It's going to be golden."
On Loyally Rocking Adidas: "That infatuation came from just being around my homies. I'm from Virginia, and we're really close to [Washington] DC. Maybe like four or five years ago I started going to DC a lot to hang with them. Like, they know about fashion. My man Greg worked in the fashion industry for about five years under Nelly, and that was a multi-million dollar company. He knew what was poppin' before it really happened. He always had me in Adidas when I first started rapping. First it was sweat suits, and then it went to Jeremy Scott sneakers and then it went to classic sneakers. Samoas, shell toes, etc. It's real comfortable to be in when you don't feel like getting dressed. Just throw on a fresh sweat suit and some shells, and you're good."
Interest From Major Labels: "There's a lot of labels looking man, and not just at me, but the company as a whole. With the Board Administration, they haven't seen anything like this for a long time. Maybe since like Roc-A-Fella and Bad Boy [Records]. And I'm not saying the other crews who are in the game don't move like that, but we just have a clique full of hustlers. Like we move different, and I think a lot of labels appreciate that. We have a lot of smart people who have been around in the game. I don't really ask, but I know my manager gets a lot of calls on which labels are interested and all that. But I just want to keep grinding, put out good music and put out videos. I think when the time is right, that's when it will happen.
We got Tiara Thomas about to come out. The labels already want her, and she hasn't even put a project out yet. So we're strong with just me and her. And then we have other artists on the horizon. It's gonna be crazy when everything comes full circle."
Time Schedule For A Debut Album?: "Right now, that's not even on my radar. I think I want to get my foot in the door, at least put out another mixtape. And if I'm still independent, then I'll do the Mac Miller thing. I respect Mac Miller. He put out a project [in Blue Slide Park] that sold over 200,000 independently. That's amazing. But either way, I love to do Hip Hop. I'm not chasing a label, I'm making music. And whatever else happens is gonna happen. I'm gonna do it my way. I don't want to sit here like, 'When the labels calling?' I'd rather just keep working."


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'Viva Los Dodgers' returns on Sunday
LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers are continuing their "Viva Los Dodgers" initiative, which celebrates Los Angeles' Latino culture and the legacy of Latin American players past and present with family-friendly events before Sunday home games.
Shortstop Hanley Ramirez will make an appearance on Sunday at the first "Viva Los Dodgers" event, as the organization recognizes the 2013 World Baseball Classic champion Dominican Republic. Ramirez played for the squad, but tore a ligament in his right thumb during the tournament.
Ramirez said he's itching to get back on the field and will be out of his cast in less than two weeks. The three-time All-Star said he's proud to be a part of the Dodgers tradition.
"It's unbelievable," Ramirez said Friday. "Coming from the Dominican, the Dodgers down there are really big, doing this stuff and helping the community and helping a lot of people down there. For me, to be a part of this team is something that I'm always going to be proud of. My whole family always watches this team from the Dominican."
Sunday's pregame festivities begin at 11:10 a.m. PT and will feature musical entertainment from Yari More y su Orquesta. Dodgers coach Manny Mota will join Ramirez on stage at noon. Mota will sign autographs for fans. Admission is free with a ticket to Sunday's series finale against the Pirates.
Ken Gurnick is a reporter and Austin Laymance is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Mystique and X-23...
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To buy action figures, take a look at BigBadToyStore.com, BriansToys.com, ToyWiz.com, SmallJoes.com, MonkeyDepot.com, and Urban-Collector.com.
For statues and sculptures, go to CSMooreStudio.com.
For t-shirts, take a look at 80sTees.com.
Kotobukiya reveals two new Marvel Bishoujo pieces scheduled for release in early 2012. These include Mystique in February and X-23 in March. Each 1/7th scale PVC statue will retail for a SRP of $59.99.
Check out our photo gallery below for even more images of these two lovely Marvel superheroes.


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Fairfax County's Six Annual Caregiver Seminar and Resource Fair
Department of Family Services/ Fairfax Area Agency on
12011 Government Center Parkway, Suite 708
Fairfax, Virginia 22035-1104
Contact for News Media: Grace Lynch, Communications
Division of Adult and Aging Services
October 27, 2008
A Family Caregiver Speaks Up:
It Doesn't Have to Be This Hard
Author to Speak at Fairfax County's Sixth Annual
Caregiver Seminar and Resource Fair
Suzanne Geffen Mintz, president and co-founder of the National Family Caregivers Association and author of A Family Caregiver Speaks Up: It Doesn't Have to Be This Hard, will address family caregivers at Fairfax County's Sixth Annual Caregiver Seminar and Resource Fair on Friday, November 7, 2008. The event is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Springfield Golf and Country Club, 8301 Old Keene Mill Road, Springfield, VA 22152.
Ms. Mintz's own caregiver experience led to her awareness that family caregiving is an important health and social policy issue. Her latest book advises family caregivers on how to deal with the healthcare system for relatives with chronic illnesses and reviews public policy related to caregiving.
Several county and private agency representatives will discuss community resources and demonstrate products at the Resource Fair.
Limited scholarships for attendees are available upon request.
The event, which includes a snack and buffet lunch, costs $10. Registration is required. Register online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dfs/olderadultservices. To register by phone, request reasonable accommodations and/or request information on scholarships call 703-324-5631, TTY 703-449-1186. Checks should be made payable to Fairfax Area Agency on Aging Caregiver Day and sent to: Fairfax Area Agency on Aging, Caregiver Day, 12011 Government Center Parkway, Suite 708, Fairfax, VA 22035.
This event is sponsored by the Department of Family Service's Fairfax Area Agency on Aging with funding from the National Family Caregiver Support Program through the Administration on Aging and the Virginia Department for the Aging.
To request this information in an alternate format, call 703-324-7758 or TTY 703-222-9452.