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Published on September 24th, 2013 | by Mark Chesnut
HOTEL REVIEW: Hilton Colon Quito — Luxury & Location in Ecuador
During a recent visit to Quito, Ecuador, to attend TravelMart Latin America, I stayed three nights at the Hilton Colón, a centrally located luxury hotel in Ecuador's capital. Over the course of three separate visits within just one week, I put together this review of my experience.
THE STYLE: One of Quito's grande dame hotels, the Hilton Colón's exterior has classic 20th-century skyscraper style. Inside, the hotel's most recent renovation has brought soothing, muted earth tones for an upscale yet comfortable feel. The central location in La Mariscal district, alongside Parque El Ejido, a large city park, is a big selling point for some travelers (if you're there on a Sunday and in need of some artsy souvenirs, walk across the street and check out the artists who sell their original work). I found the check-in experience on all three visits to be swift, polite and attentive, and the staff was fully bilingual.
THE GUEST ROOMS: Guest rooms are well-appointed with the style of an international luxury hotel. For the first night, I checked into room 855, which had two comfortable double beds, a 42-inch flat screen TV, coffee maker, clock radio, two telephones, a safe deposit box and work desk with outlets at desk level (a plus, in my book). The marble bathroom was stocked with Peter Thomas Roth amenities. I got free WiFi in the rooms, which is included for some business travelers and groups; others have to pay, but can still make use of free WiFi in the lobby and restaurants.
Guests looking for additional luxuries should consider an executive room or suite in the La Pinta Executive Tower, which includes free breakfast.
HOTEL FEATURES: The Hilton Colón has four restaurants, including a sushi bar. I enjoyed the diverse offerings at Café Colón, which serves a generous dinner buffet for under $20. The fitness center includes a heated outdoor pool and Turkish bath, and business travelers can make use of 7,000 square feet of meeting space for 700 people. I was especially impressed with the hotel's ability to respond to an emergency: when I realized, at midnight, that I had no toothbrush, I called the operator and they sent one up within five minutes.
BEST FOR: Business travelers in need of meeting space and a central location in Quito, as well as leisure travelers looking for brand-name luxury as well as proximity to dining, nightlife and tourist attractions.
• AIRLINE REVIEW: LAN Airlines Airbus A320, Quito to Cuenca
• Culture, Nature & Adventure: 3 Great Reasons to Visit Ecuador
• Sneak Peek: Quito's Brand-new Airport (photos)
CheapCaribbean Riviera Maya Getaway! 4 All Inclusive Nights w/Air plus $150 Resort Credit
Click here for details!


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Looking for a "great" television show that you can watch with the family? Then NBC's "The Today Show" has a recommendation for you: "The Secret Life of the American Teenager!" Never mind that it's about a pregnant fifteen-year-old. During the July 23 "Today Talk" host Kathie Lee Gifford and guest host Steve Schirripa were discussing the ABC family show "The Secret Life of an American Teenager," which Schirripa stars in.
Schirripa described the show as being, "about a fifteen year old kid that gets pregnant and how it affects everyone's life, and I mean everyone – everyone at school and the other kids and it really is show that you could watch with your kids." Gifford touted, "And learn something." Yep – a great show to learn about sex, promiscuity and contraceptives.
Gifford also praised the show because "it's got great critical raves because of Brenda Hampton who's behind it." Gifford apparently didn't read CMI's 2008 article about the show's reviews. "The Los Angeles Times summed up "Secret Life" by stating, "the tone of the pilot [episode] careens between an after-school special and "American Pie," with a bit of "Pretty in Pink" grabbed along the way." The New York Times called it "a parody of an after-school special" and said "'Secret Life' doesn't take the fun out of teenage pregnancy, it takes the fun out of television." The Hollywood Reporter said 'it feeds into parental hysteria in ridiculously one-dimensional ways.'"
But "to Gifford it's "that great show." Schirripa also said, "And it's good stuff. It's funny; it's got a lot of drama. It's got a little bit of everything. You cry. You laugh." Well, save the laughter for the ridiculousness of the "Today Talk's" conversation.

subset: commoncrawl


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Photographer's Note
This is beautiful from the outside I did not have enough time to look inside, I had a train to catch. It is in St Michael's square in Kiev. If I ever go there again I will look inside but many of these places do not allow photos inside.
Nobody has marked this note useful
Critiques | Translate
linask (2930) 2006-09-02 13:57
Very good contrast between bright golden domes, and dark cloudy sky.
In the workshop version I have darkened the sky even more to emphasize the domes. I also increased sharpness of the photo, as your photo probably wasn't sharpened after resizing for TE.
adores (46467) 2006-09-02 17:37
Hi Sheila!
I like this photo. What's amazing about this photo is that it seems to have been taken during a rainy day but the domes keep shining anyway.
jmdias (73399) 2006-09-02 20:10
What wonderful building and you got a fabulous view. Nice POV, colors..
tatadalou (7459) 2006-09-03 10:32
Hi Sheila,
Like Ana, I am shinig domes give a great effect with this cloudy sky. Great colours.
cjmm (4479) 2006-09-03 17:44
Hi Sheila,
Nice view of the cathedral, with good framing and (eben if you had a cloudy day) very good light and colors.
It may be just me but I feel the image is a little bit tilted. (the white border of the wall on the lower left is leaning to the right).
Anyway I like the photo very much!
Kind regards,
marom (467) 2006-09-06 8:01
Hi Sheila
What I like most about this photo is your passion. You did not have time, you did not have a good position to take this photo and yet you made it. Bravo
Photo Information
- Copyright: Sheila Whittaker (she) (121)
- Genre: Places
- Medium: Color
- Date Taken: 2004-08-00
- Categories: Architecture
- Camera: Canon EOS 300, Sigma 28-300
- Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
- Theme(s): Sergiyade St Michael's Kiev [view contributor(s)]
- Date Submitted: 2006-09-02 11:22
- To cjmm: St Michael's Cathedral (1)
by she, last updated 2006-09-03 10:07
- To linask: St Michael's Cathedral (1)
by she, last updated 2006-09-03 10:12
- To adores: St Michael's Cathedral (1)
by she, last updated 2006-09-03 10:14
- To jmdias: St Michael's Cathedral (1)
by she, last updated 2006-09-03 10:16


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Latest News
Export focus leads the way
Industrial washing machine manufacturer Newsmith Stainless has always exported it's range of industrial washing and drying machines for the food industries around the world but 2011 exceeded all expectations with sales of chocolate mould and plaque wash and drying machines, crate washers, box washers and automatic systems.
With significant orders secured in North America, China, Russia, Ukraine, South East Asia as well as across Europe, The Middle East and New Zealand 2011 was a record year for the company.
Commented sales manager John Glover "Newsmith has always been an export based company but our marketing efforts in particular the significant cost and quality of Newsmiths equipment is reflected in the significant number of orders won by the company. Our qoute and enquiry backlog is the longest it has ever been boding well for an even better performance in 2012.
Washing Machines
- Basket Washers
- Bin Washers
- Box Washers
- Chocolate Mould Washers
- Chocolate Plaque Washers
- Component Washers
- Crate Washers
- Dolav Washers
- Euro Bin Washers
- Hospital Bed Washers
- Pallet Washers
- Pan Cleaners
- Pan Washers
- Rack Washers
- Tote Washers
- Trash Removal Machines
- Tray Washers
- Utensil Washers
- V Mag Washers
- Wheelchair Washers


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In episode three, we're chatting about the intersection of transportation and technology and how they've quickly become one in the same. Since the industry is very popular right now, it is on the mind of a lot of entrepreneurs, looking to cash in on new innovations in the transportation technology industry. Comment below to share your thoughts on this episode, or via Twitter with #TransitTrends.
–moovel on YouTube
Tags: moovel, Transit Trends, Video, YouTube


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On 10 April 2013, Sasha Stocker, Ryan Callinan, Taj Burrow, and 2012 ASP Surf Champion, Joel Parkinson paid me a visit in Bali, and from there (along with a whole lot of camera men), we en route on a 50-minute plane ride and a 2 hour road trip to Sumbawa.
Being passionate surfers, you can expect that once we got to our hotels, we dropped everything, got our boards and went straight out for a surf. Despite a really tiring journey to Sumbawa, we surfed for hours…till our muscles ached. That very same night was Parko's big 3-2 birthday too! And there's no better way to celebrate it than with a good 'ol Aussie barbe.
Surf on the second day was pretty average…but nonetheless fun. It wasn't till our third day in Sumbawa did the swell pick up. It was absolutely amazing! We were all frothing, surfing perfect waves hours after hours for the entire day, everyone was stoked and we managed to get sick photos and videos.
This trip was a short one, but admittedly, this is by far the best trip I have EVER had! Surfing with world champion Joel Parkinson, my surfing idols Taj Burrow and Ryan Callinan; it was truly an honor and an experience!
Pumping waves and great people always make a surf trip a great one to remember.


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The Berlin Pass
The Berlin Sightseeing Pass gives you free entry to your choice of over 50 attractions without further payment! Top sites include the Berliner Dom, Pergamon Museum, Checkpoint Charlie Museum, Neues & Altes Museum and many more…
You also get free travel with public transport in Berlin covering zones ABC and a river cruise. You also receieve a guidebook available in 3 languages. It includes helpful information about each attraction, how to get there, opening/closing times, as well as insider tips.
The pass comes in 2 and 3 day options, depending on how long you are staying in Berlin and how much you want to see.
Important information:
- Shortly after completing your booking, you will receive an e-ticket by email. Please bring this ticket with you on your tour.
- You must pick up your Berlin Pass in Berlin. Your Berlin Pass are NOT being sent home to your address!
- Child age is between 6 and 14 years.


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SEPTEMBER SALE: Select Bikes Marked DownPosted: September 9th, 2015 | Filed under: Featured, Mountain Bikes, Sale, Specialized | Comments Off on SEPTEMBER SALE: Select Bikes Marked Down
If you've been waiting all summer for that big hit mountain bike, now's your chance. We've got a bunch of awesome, full suspension mountain bikes priced right and just in time for the fall. Pictured above, the 2015 Enduro Comp 650b is an awesome, go anywhere-do anything bike with enough travel front and rear to hit any trail with confidence. Stay tuned after the jump to see what else we've got. Read More »


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Yanbian Changbaishan signs Korean midfielder Yoon Bitgaram
Jeju United said they've agreed to deal midfielder Yoon Bitgaram to Yanbian Changbaishan FC, which earned a promotion to the top-flight Chinese Super League for next year. The two sides agreed not to disclose further financial details of the transfer.
Yoon, 25, is the third South Korean attacker on Yanbian, coached by South Korean Park Tae-ha. Forward Ha Tae-goon has been with Yanbian for one season, while midfielder Kim Seung-dae signed with them last week.
Yoon, a former South Korean international, leaves the domestic league having netted 29 goals in 196 matches for three different clubs.
Yanbian were supposed to be relegated from the second-division China League One to the third-tier China League Two last year, but when one of the second-tier clubs, Shaanxi Wuzhou, had to be dissolved due to financial problems, Yanbian were allowed to stay in the League One.
Given the reprieve, Yanbian won the second-tier competition with 17 wins, 10 draws and three losses in 2015, and earned a promotion to the Chinese Super League for 2016.
Next : Lee Nguyen returns to Vietnam amid transfer rumours


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« European Automobile Industry Reiterates That 130g/km Target "Not Feasible" | Main | Cummins Breaks Ground on Fuel System Plant in China »
Pending Fuel Economy Bills Set Slower, Less Aggressive Goals
8 June 2007
Following President Bush's State of the Union speech in January in which he called for a 4% annual increase in the fuel efficiency of cars and light trucks through 2017, lawmakers from both parties introduced legislation in both houses of Congress implementing that goal.
Those early "4%" initiatives have since been sidelined in favor of targets that are further away and less aggressive. There are currently three bills under development or that will be coming up for floor votes during the next several weeks: two in the Senate, and one in the House.
Under current CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) laws, the standard for passenger cars is holding steady at 27.5 mpg. The standard for light trucks increased in 2005 to 21 mpg from the previous 20.7 mpg, and will increase to an expected 24 mpg in 2011 under the new Reformed CAFE rule. Because Reformed CAFE establishes different goals for different automakers, it's difficult to specify a precise average target. (Earlier post.)
The primary Senate bill that is emerging from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation incorporates S.357, originally sponsored by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA). This bill calls for combined fleet (cars and light trucks) fuel economy of 35 mpg by 2020, with a 4% annual increase thereafter. The bill sets initial milestones for 2010 of 29.5 mpg for passenger cars and 23.5 mpg for light trucks—the latter being slightly less than the expected average for 2010 under Reformed CAFE. The bill also brings back the concept of the 4% annual increase after 2020.
Automakers have deemed this proposal unworkable, and are leaning toward a more lenient proposal being developed in the House by Representatives Rick Boucher (D-VA) and John Dingell (D-MI). This House proposal mirrors an alternative bill for the Senate being developed by Michigan's two senators, Carl Levin (D-MI) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI).
Under the Boucher/Dingell and Levin/Stabenow plans, cars and trucks would maintain two different fuel economy standards. The standard for cars would increase to 36 mpg by 2022; the standard for trucks would increase to 30 mpg by 2025.
The Boucher/Dingell bill also bars states from implementing greenhouse gas limits on vehicles. This would preclude California and the other states adopting California regulations from acquiring the waiver from the EPA required to implement the greenhouse gas limits on new vehicles established in AB1493. (Earlier post.)
AB1493 does not establish fuel economy standards per se, only limits on total greenhouse gas emissions from the vehicle. Using the EPA's figures for average carbon dioxide emissions resulting from gasoline (8,788 grams per gallon), we can calculate the approximate impact AB1493 would have on fuel economy.
(Because gasoline and diesel have different carbon levels, the resulting fuel economy requirements to meet a specific carbon target will vary. In other words, a 250 g/mi limit on carbon dioxide results in required gasoline fuel economy of 35 mpg, and required diesel fuel economy of 40 mpg. Here we just approximate the gasoline fuel economy values.)
California divides its light-duty vehicles into two categories: passenger cars and small trucks and SUVs (PC/LDT1); and larger trucks and SUVs (LDT2), each with a different standard. Based on the greenhouse gas emissions targets in AB1493, fuel economy for PC/LDT1 would need to increase to 42.9 mpg by 2016, while fuel economy for the LDT2 would need to increase to 26.5 mpg by 2016. That produces a very approximate (gasoline) fleet average of 35 mpg—the same fleet target as S.357, but 4 years earlier.
A Senate floor debate on the Commerce Committee bill and the Levin/Stabenow alternative is due to start next week.
The House Energy and Air Quality subcommittee (Boucher is the Chair) will consider amendments to the Boucher/Dingell bill next week, and the full committee will debate and vote on the measure the week of June 18.
June 8, 2007 in Fuel Efficiency, Policy | Permalink | Comments (41) | TrackBack (0)
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So the Auto companies get Rick Boucher, from south-west Virginia, who?, to sponsor their bill to cut off California and other states' attempts to increase fuel mileage over what our president agreed to. God bless him and I do hope the people of Virginia remember he was the one who did it; remember Ricky at the next election.
The auto companies could meet this standards if they spent the money on R & D instead of lobbyists, lawyers and PR ads.
I would like to see our citizens keep driving their present cars and not buy a new one until the auto companies address the fuel and GHG concerns.
I'll have to say from this graph it sort of jumps out that the CA proposal seems to leave a loophole early on for trucks. This may have the undesired effect of pushing people that would have otherwise bought sedans into the truck category.
I think any proposal should raise mileage on all categories by the same percentage.
While I don't think there is anything wrong with having CAFE standards, their impact will be too slow and take too long to have much impact given the size of the existing fleet. Regardless, the standard should apply across the board and not be segmented between SUVs and cars. If there is a separae standard for SUVs, there is very little incentive to try to encourage people to move away from SUV into more efficient cars.
Further, none of these proposals are sufficient to reduce energy consumption from automobiles in line with the necessary percentage carbon reductions.
In addition to or in liue of CAFE standards, feebates should be instituted whereby increasingly high fees are applied to cars that fail to meet a certain standard and rebates are provided to those who buy fuel efficient cars. Further, a similar system should be used for registration fees so that existing vehicles are covered.
Gas taxes should also be raised to discourage miles driven by existing vehicles. A floor of at least five dollars per gallon on gas should be maintained so that people will realize that high gas prices are not a temporary phenomenon.
Our politicians are just going through the motions and appear to have no intention of actually doing something that will truly address the problems of peak oil and global warming. By the time these standards have any significant impact, we will already be past the tipping point.
I really wish momentum could build to kill CAFE, and any other far-future, "the check is in the mail" improvement plan.
Either put immediate penalties on consumption, through gas taxes or vehicle feebate plans or simple guzzler taxes, or do not.
At least that is honest. On the other hand CAFE is nothing more than a promise by today's politicians that someone else will work in the problem, later.
The problem with gas taxes is that after a point they stop having the desired effect. Up here we pay over a dollar a litre, routinely. Just last night I payed Tom's $5 per gallon and it hasn't cause me to drive less. Why not? Well because I've already cut my driving down to the barest minimum - I did that back when I was only paying $2 per gallon.
ai_vin, here in the US our "fleet average" mpg is 22-23. The average new car is driven 15K miles per year. The average household miles driven is 21K miles.
Sorry to swamp you with numbers (a href="http://odograph.com/?p=451">link), but do you happen to know what your corresponding figures are? I would guess that you and your nation have adjusted, yes, but with better mileage and lower miles.
Tom, if you're looking for $5/g gas to be imposed, you undoubtedly are going to be quite disappointed. That's not due to lack of action by politicians, that's simply because a vast majority of the public would not go for it at this point. Even here in a liberal state, you would have to look long and hard to find a handful of supporters of that idea.
There would be many ripple effects in the economy as well... higher food prices, lots of lost tourism dollars, etc. That would mean lots of pressure from various business sectors against such an idea.
I would normally advocate for carbon taxes as a technology neutral, market channeling rather than market regulating scheme. But in the case of the USA I can't see enough political support for anything that's going to raise the price of gas (funny people will complain about the price of gas and then cheerfully spend even larger amounts on bottled water). Without a rise in the price of gas the only way I can see for the US to improve it's fleet mpg is with CAFE (as grossly flawed as it is).
We need 40 mpg CAFE pronto. China and Europe are pretty close to that today, and US car companies do profitable business in those geographies today.
Sure the existing fleet will be unchanged, but in 7-12 years, the high CAFE cars will be the existing fleet. Any other technique can not ensure the average is improved enough. Higher gas taxes only affect some drivers. Higher CAFE affects all drivers.
Of course, we can go further to reduce GHG. We can mandate that new cars be flex-biofuel-capable. It only costs a couple hundred dollars to make a car E85 compatible. Running on B80 is a cheap tweak, too. I'm not sure if running on biobutanol even requires tweaks. The point is, by mandating this, we create a huge market for biofuels, which hastens their market maturity and availability.
I'd also like to see a floor on oil prices of $70/barrel, (current price + N must be greater than or equal to $70, where N is a variable tax). I think the market forces will "miraculously" never let the price below $70 again, but either way, the price of oil will remain high enough to bring stability to the alternative energy market.
Higher CAFE will force a autocompanies to change their business model. Instead of pushing upgrade packages that have higher horsepower, they will have to push upgrade packages that emphasize other cool extras...or they will have to charge a lot more for the low mileage option to offset the penalties they will pay.
Rhapsody is pretty much right on target as far as the political environment is concerned, IMO. You won't find any price floors for oil or gas implemented, either. At those fixed levels you would see some heavy investment in alternative sources, but they would be for CO2-heavy things like CTL. You would also hamstring domestic oil producers that have higher production costs than, say, the Saudis, which wouldn't do a thing for energy security.
The best carbon tax would be revenue neutral for the government. Collect the tax and a per capita rebate. A carbon tax would not have to be an abupt tax as long as the consumer sees the tax on the horizon when he purchases a new car.
IMHO, new vehicle purchase is the consumer behavior easiest to modify (as opposed to using public tranport, walking, carpooling, cycling or moving closer to work.)
BillY et al: I concluded the carbon tax was a good idea about 2004.
People like the sound of revenue neutral. But fairness and complication is a sure way to get nothing right.
The carbon tax is intended to influence, not dictate, the millions of decisions people make about conservation, vehicle purchases, use of public transport, AC units, and just plain driving habits. Why should another tax payer benefit from that?
Of course, someone benefits from almost any tax paid by another. But it is a bad idea to make it too obvious.
Better that any carbon tax be passed pure - nothing said about where the money goes. But I feel that way about tax reductions and other matters too. Each bill should be single topic so people can see who pays, who benefits, and why.*
*Exactly why Congress doesn't pass bills that way. The immigration bill that just failed was roughly 600 pages. No one understood everything in it. But someone understood each thing in it; a favor here, a favor there, and pretty soon you get 600 pages.
Yeah screw all this minor incremental improvement. Set up simple consumption "Polluter Pays" tax system. If you drive a Hummer, fine, you pay more in pollution taxes. If are willing to drive a Prius or Civic, you pay less. Let these idiots that consume and pollute more of their fair share go right ahead if they want to foot the bill. Rather than having those of us who actaully care about the environment have to carry those who don't. Put the tax at the pump on every gallon of gas sold and funnel that tax into the next generation of cleaner technologies. Would be really nice if our kids grow up on a planet that still has birds and bugs in the sky and fish in the sea. Thanks for your consideration.
The National Academy of Sciences says 4% is achievable with off the shelf technology.
Would that it were that simple. If you put in a polluter tax, but you don't mandate better fuel economy (or very low GHG/mile, which is the same thing), the car companies will try to use the existing platforms and assembly lines for as long as possible and just pass along the costs to wealthier or power-hungry consumers.
To be maximally effective your policy has to tie as tightly as possible to the behavior you are trying to change, with no real way around it. Aggressively raising CAFE does that.
K: I am with you -- revenue nuetral carbon tax makes the most sense. If a tax does not have a designated use (preferably returned to citizens) then 2 thins happen:
1) Congress will be unable to pass a tax increase, and
2) if passed, government will become dependent on the tax revenue and begin encouraging carbon emissions to maintain or increase revenue.
I with you guys on the goals, your means are less achievable than long shots. You want to tax poor people, or SUV drivers for your sense of greenness. Not going to happen. What ever you drive Prius, civic, Escape you are polluting big time too just not as much. Try getting off your high horse and propose something better than a 1 in 1,000 chance of passing.
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The 26-year-old actress doesn't go out partying and hasn't dated since she nabbed the lead in the musical in late 2008. While in London with the show for 18 months, Miller didn't hit the pubs or stay out late while developing the part.
"I lived like a nun," she says in an interview at a cafe before another long rehearsal day. "It took a lot out of me physically so I wanted to be the best that I could be. And I knew that at some point, maybe, I would be able to take it to Broadway."
Her prayers have been answered.
The musical with funky, soulful songs by Alan Menken and Glenn Slater opens Wednesday at The Broadway Theatre with Miller leading the way, a welcome debut from a young talent whose years of hard work and sacrifice are about to pay off.
"I'm always going to give a 110 percent. I can't do less than that," she says. "When you want something like this, you have to be willing to do what it takes. I'm serious about it. It's my passion. And it's my moment. You only get your one moment. You never know when the next moment is going to happen."
Miller has stepped into the shoes of Whoopi Goldberg, who originated the role of nightclub-singer-turned-nun Deloris Van Cartier in the hit 1992 film. She's the only cast member from the London production to make the switch and so has had to welcome all new actors, a new director, a tweaked script and new songs.
"I'm doing an entirely new show," she says. "I know this character in and out, so no matter what changes in the show, I know my character's journey. I know who she is because I've lived with her for three years now."
Goldberg, a producer of the musical, draws on heaven-and-hell imagery to describe her star, who was nominated for an Olivier Award for the role in London: "Patina sings like an angel and works like a devil. She's fantastic."
Miller took roundabout path to Broadway and might even have gotten there faster without "Sister Act." She had been part of workshops for "The Book of Mormon" and "American Idiot" before she left for London, and had to leave the juicy role of Dionne — who sings the opening lines of "Aquarius" — in the Public Theater's production of "Hair" before it transferred to Broadway.
Even so, Miller has no regrets. Unlike those other roles, her part in "Sister Act" is a star-maker. "If I'm going to do it, I want to do it big," she says. "What I get to do with this character is really everything. It's a fleshed-out character. I get to be funny. I get to be serious. I get to lead a show."
Miller, who graduated with a musical theatre degree from Carnegie Mellon University, says she and her siblings memorized both "Sister Act" movies — the 1992 original and the 1993 sequel with Lauryn Hill — while growing up in Pageland, S.C.
"We would play it and rewind it until we knew all the words — one and two," Miller says, laughing. She even sang Hill's version of "His Eye Is on the Sparrow" from the sequel as her solo in a seventh-grade talent show.
"From then I was known as the girl with the big voice," she says.
Years later, she got Goldberg's personal approval to play the lead in the "Sister Act" musical. Miller says she was nervous when she met her childhood idol — but equally scared about trying to replace her.
"It was the only thing I was nervous about when I first started. I told Whoopi. I was like, `My biggest fear is that people come expecting you and I'm not you.' She told me, `You're not me. You have an opportunity to create a role for a new stage. Do it your way. It's your moment. Own it.'"
The critics in London mostly agreed that Miller had owned it, with The Telegraph hailing her "funky, spunky stage presence and great comic timing" and The Times calling her "the show's great plus."
Miller says her character has changed a lot since the London run, as Douglas Carter Beane built on the original book by Cheri and Bill Steinkellner. The soundtrack also got reworked and Tony Award-winning director Jerry Zaks got a chance to shape the material.
"Dolores is a lot more grounded. Whereas in London she was very sassy, now she's just cool," Miller says. "I am loud and brassy sometimes, but there is another side to her as well which is just cool and laid back. And there's a really serious side to her that you see at the end."
Miller, who appeared this winter in a production of "Lost in the Stars" at New York City Center while waiting for "Sister Act" to restart, has moved into a new apartment near Times Square and is ready for her close-up.
"It was always my dream, to do a leading role on Broadway," she says. "It's what I went to college to do. In hopes of one day someone taking a chance on me and saying, `You know what? You're going to be our girl.'"
So, is she now finally ready to date?
"I don't know, maybe," she says, and then bursts out laughing.
Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


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Album Rating: 2.0Hey WarAllTheTime988 how about getting some taste first?
Album Rating: 2.0All the tones in the album sound the same to me, absolutely nothing remarkable, I cant tell any diference between the songs. Maybe this is one of that records that need some time to like it but for now I´ll pass.
You probably should've just moved on honestly because that was pathetic...
Album Rating: 2.0O rly? The same could be said about your previous comments, but whatever..
The same could be said about your grammar.
I'm really just joking dude. It doesn't have any impact on me if you like this or not - it really came down to writing a paper or being an asshole on Sputnik and you can see which I decided on. That being said, maybe give it a few more listens - phenomenal band/album if you give them the time.
Album Rating: 4.5hmmm, to 5 or not to 5, that is the question...
Album Rating: 4.5to 5!
Album Rating: 5.0Good choice ; ).
Album Rating: 4.5This and Panopticon are my most played. I actually travelled for about a 4 hour round trip to go buy this album when I didn't have the internet.
This still sits just behind Panopticon and Oceanic, But not by far at all. Dulcinea and Garden Of Light are so good.
now i'm starting to see why people don't like this and see it as the breaking point for isis' "gimmick" (a damn good one)--but, this band is too fucking good and it works out in the end. 3.5 or 4.
might go lower (probably not higher) with time, but some nice (even chill! i.e. second-to-last track) vibes here; even if it's a little less active than others
Album Rating: 4.0Oceanic is betta.
Album Rating: 4.0Panopticon > Oceanic > Wavering Radiant > this > Celestial.
All are amazing though.
Album Rating: 4.0album rules, but I do prefer Oceanic. This is just slightly better than Panopticon also imo
Digging: Desolate Shrine - Deliverance From The Godless Void
oceanic is easily the best and this is prob the worst
Album Rating: 4.0Just put Oceanic at the top and list the rest as you please.
Album Rating: 3.5this and oceanic are tied for second just behind panopticon for me, but its a tough call so yeah its hard for me to rank them too
Album Rating: 4.0after Oceanic it's really just a mood thing for me I think. I agree that it would be much harder to rank Neurosis albums, even though I've only heard Times Of Grace and everything after (I'm getting to Souls at Zero and Enemy of the Sun next Fade, I promise).
Album Rating: 4.0You haven't heard Through Silver in Blood?!? That's the best and most important one!
Bands: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z


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The Super Bowl XLVI Ultra-Fantasy Draft
February 3, 2012
Super Bowl
doesn't just mark the end of another season of good ol' American football. It also marks the end of another seasonal sporting tradition: fantasy football. Of course, their definition of "fantasy" doesn't go far enough. These are the "all time fantasy" picks we would make for Sunday's big game if the NFL found a way to break the laws of time and space (and believe me, they're working on it).
Photo: Focus On Sport/Getty Images Sport
Patriots: Steve Grogan
This quarterback wasn't just one of the most impressive members of his team. He was one of the most impressive in the league. Drafted in 1975 to the Patriots, he replaced legendary quarterback Jim Plunkett who was traded to the Los Angeles Raiders and helped break the team's long standing playoff dry spell and the highest number of wins in a season in the club's history. His efforts would eventually help bring the team to Super Bowl XX.
Giants: Charlie Conerly
When it comes to quarterbacks, New York may have some great names like Phil Simms and their most recent star Eli Manning, but they have Conerly to thank for helping to put their team on the map. This starting name from way back in the 1940s helped turn the local team into a powerhouse with three NFL championships in four seasons and turned him into a local legend as the league's top ranked passer.
Tight Ends
Giants: Morris "Red" Badgro
We had to dig way back in the Giants' vault to find this name. It was so far back because he's the oldest person ever to be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. However, it's a well-deserved honor for his efforts on defense as one of the league's most effective blockers and on offense as a very talented wide receiver. In fact, he's the first player to score a touchdown in an NFL championship series.
Patriots: Ben Coates
New England has a fairly impressive defensive record, but this name stands out both because of his numbers and drive from seemingly nowhere. He was a fifth round draft pick and didn't break out until his third season with the team when he broke the tight end reception record. His performance led to five Pro-Bowl appearances and a place in the NFL's 1990s All-Decade Team.
Running Backs
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Patriots: Sam Cunningham
This 1973 first round draft pick, hall of famer and older brother of Philadelphia Eagles' quarterback Randall Cunningham has an equally impressive career under his belt. Even though he's better remembered for his time at USC, his career with the Patriots earned him more than 5,000 career-rushing yards, a Pro-Bowl pick and an induction into the Patriots' Hall of Fame.
Giants: Tiki Barker
New York might be wishing they still had this running back in their roster and for a very good reason. He's one of the best to ever take the position. He's the team's all-time leading rusher, a three-time Pro-Bowl and All-Pro pick and a notable member of the league's "10,000 Rushing Yards Club".
Giants: Mel Hein
Being a center can be a thankless and seemingly easy job, but Hein made it look even easier and his "gentlemen" persona made him one of the more admired athletes in the annals of sports history. His performance in the 1960s consisted of eight years as an all-NFL player having never missed a game and only sustaining one injury during his time on the field. He was also one of the team's clutch players thanks to his powerful defensive abilities as a blocker on offense and a linebacker on defense.
Patriots: Jon Morris
This center actually had a chance to play for legendary coach Vince Lombardi and the Green Bay Packers, but he instead chose to go to Boston where he became a legend in his own right. He racked up an impressive seven Pro-Bowl and All-Star picks over the course of his career and became quite adept at picking up fumbles, earning him a spot in the team's hall of fame.
Wide Receivers
Photo: Diamond Images /Getty Images
Giants: Amani Toomer
This second round draft pick took three years to earn his starting position with the Giants after being drafted from the University of Michigan as a big fan favorite. The wait was well worth it since he would help set a new pace for the team by nearing and breaking some of the team's longest standing records for receiving and touchdowns. His efforts helped bring his team to Super Bowl XLII.
Patriots: Gino Cappelletti
This name should be familiar to anyone who calls themselves a Patriots fan. The wide receiver was one of the most valuable players in the American Football League and the National Football League when the team called themselves the Boston Patriots throughout the 1960's and early 70's. He's a five time all star with a high points per game average and the all time points leader in the AFL's short history. That might not sound as impressive compared to the long and storied history of the NFL, but how many MVP trophies and pro-bowl appearances do you have, smart guy?
Giants: Lawrence Taylor
Sure his efforts off the field may have damaged his reputation both during and after his professional career, but his performance on the field brought a great intensity to the game that has reshaped the outside linebacker position. His efforts to play even when he was injured in 1988 with a torn pectoral muscle would make him a formidable opponent on any starting lineup.
Patriots: Andre Tippett
Few players can honestly say that they alone helped drive their team to a Super Bowl and Tippett certainly deserves the permission to make that claim. His defensive style helped give the team's first Super Bowl appearance in 1985, racking up an impressive number of sacks including a record that he held through his retirement in 1993.
Giants: Roosevelt "Rosey" Brown
This 27th round draft pick may not have been the most highly contested name in the draft bowl, but his performance on the field made some teams wish they could go back in time. His first season performance in 1953 earned him a spot on the field for nearly 13 years in New York until his retirement. He's best known as a formidable pass blocker who could exploit weaknesses in his opponents' plays and provided excellent blocking on running plays. His efforts made him an All-NFL player for eight consecutive years and earned him nine Pro-Bowl appearances.
Patriots: Bruce Armstrong
You don't have to look too far into New England's past to find a good player for a tackle position. His defensive skills earned him six Pro-Bowl appearances in the 1990s and his dedication to the game and his team made him one of the hardest working athletes in the business as the player with the most starts before a torn ligament brought his streak to a halt.
Head Coaches
Photo: Al Messerschmidt Archive/Getty Images Sport
Giants: Bill Parcells
Coaches may not be able to score points in fantasy leagues, but Parcells' groundbreaking work shows they deserve at least some recognition for what they do before, during and after the game. His work in the 1980s turned around a team that had just one winning season under its belt in the previous 10 years. His innovative coaching style and ingenious play designs gave the team two Super Bowl wins in 1986 and 1990. Even his team's style of celebrating, the now-famous Gatorade Shower, started under his watch.
Patriots: Bill Parcells
Parcells' time with the Patriots may not have been as long or memorable as the Giants, but his innovative efforts helped end the team's eight year dry spell in 1993 with a playoff game and an appearance at a Super Bowl three years later. And with all due respect to Bill Belichick, this is a "fantasy" draft and you can't get more fantastic than watching one "Big Tuna" stare down another "Big Tuna" come game day.
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SEATTLE ---- Although it might be a little unorthodox, San Diego State coach Rocky Long's mindset that two is better than one was put to the test in the Aztecs' season opener Saturday.
Preparing for the Washington Huskies, Long and his staff decided that the team would go for two-point conversions after touchdowns. The Aztecs failed on both of those attempts, rendering their final drive down the field meaningless in a 21-12 loss to Washington at CenturyLink Field.
But Long, citing a lack of faith in his kicking game, didn't regret his decision.
"We went for two points because of two reasons," Long said. "I think you ought be able to get 50 percent of them, which gives you the exact same number of points. Every once in a while, you do miss an extra point. ...
"At the same time, you are improving your ability to make plays on fourth down. It's just like a fourth-down situation. So you're getting extra practice time for when you want to go for it on fourth down."
Ryan Katz, a senior quarterback making his San Diego State debut, liked the Aztecs' aggressive approach.
It didn't bother him that had San Diego State kicked two extra points earlier, he would have been on the verge of leading the team to a tie in the final minutes.
Katz's fourth-and-6 pass to tight end Gavin Escobar from the Washington 12 with 4:44 to play sailed well beyond his grasp, anyway.
"That's our identity," Katz said. "That's what we've been practicing all fall camp leading up to this game. That's what we do. Our team knows what we do. We don't really think about it. We've been going for fourth downs and we've been going for two in scrimmages we've had. That's just the mindset we had going into this game. That's what we did."
Still, the end result wasn't what Katz had in mind.
In a new beginning with a new team, Katz faced a familiar foe that carried a painful memory.
The senior quarterback took the reins of the Aztecs this season after transferring from Oregon State, hoping to recapture some magic he experienced with the Beavers during the 2010 season.
But against the Huskies, a team that beat Katz and the Beavers 35-34 in double overtime two years ago here, any magical moments were short-lived. He completed 10-of-19 passes for 128 yards and a touchdown, was intercepted once and lost a fumble.
San Diego State, coming off two straight bowl seasons, opened the 2012 campaign by at times being its own worst enemy.
Playing the Huskies for the first time since 1997, the Aztecs committed two turnovers, both leading directly to Washington touchdowns.
San Diego State trailed 14-0 early, rallied to make it 14-6 by halftime, then watched any momentum deflate in a hurry when Will Shamburger scooped up a fumble by receiver Colin Lockett and returned it 44 yards for a touchdown.
"I didn't get a good look at it really," Katz said of Lockett's fumble. "I thought the play was dead."
Washington's first touchdown came on its opening possession, which started after Katz tossed an interception.
Still, Katz and San Diego State didn't seem fazed by the deficit.
Trailing 21-6 entering the fourth quarter, Katz led the Aztecs on a long scoring drive that culminated in Adam Muema's 1-yard touchdown run with 12:06 remaining. But their next drive ended on the incompletion to Escobar.
The Aztecs, with 13 starters back and a new quarterback, were hoping to pull off an upset against a Pac-12 foe and beat the Huskies for the first time in three meetings. Instead, they lost a season opener on the road for the 11th straight time.
Trailing 14-0, Katz dropped back quickly and fired the ball to a wide open Tim Vizzi on the first play of the second quarter. Vizzi, who was standing a step from the Aztecs sideline undetected by Washington's defenders, sprinted 47 yards down the sideline untouched for a touchdown, slicing Washington's lead to 14-6 as a two-point conversion pass attempt failed.
"That's what we decided the game plan was for tonight yes," Long said of the conversion attempt. "It doesn't' mean we're going to do that every week."
San Diego State later dodged a major bullet when an offensive pass interference call on Washington receiver Kasen Williams nullified a touchdown.
The Aztecs appeared to get off on the right foot when Brandon Wright returned the opening kickoff 51 yards, giving San Diego State the ball at Washington's 40.
The Aztecs picked up a first down and moved the ball to the Washington 28 before Katz made an ill-advised throw that cornerback Tre Watson intercepted and returned 34 yards to set up the Huskies' first touchdown.
Keith Price, in his second season as the Huskies' starter, found three different receivers to move the ball to the 2, then Bishop Sankey punched the ball in to give Washington a 7-0 lead.
The Aztecs had trouble with Price's short passing game, as dump passes and short sprints kept moving the chains for the Huskies.
Price completed 11 of his first 12 passes, including an 8-yard touchdown pass to Williams on the Huskies' second possession of the game.


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Top Boehner aide to leave the Hill
Speaker John Boehner's top policy aide, Brett Loper, is leaving to head American Express's Washington office.
The departure is significant because Loper has been the key player on every legislative battle over the past couple of years. He was a top negotiator during the debt ceiling fight, government funding battles and is considered a top trusted aide to the Ohio Republican.
Story Continued Below
It leaves a void in Boehner's office that will need to be filled in the near term as the House looks to take up immigration reform and once again must deal with the debt ceiling and government funding in the next six months.
Boehner praised Loper for his strong counsel.
"From our work to cut spending and reform our entitlement programs and broken tax code, to our efforts to enact free trade agreements and increase the supply of American energy, Brett has been at the center of every debate, and I have always benefited from his strategic advice and counsel," Boehner said in a statement. "He has an exceptional grasp of policy, politics, and the role and operations of Congress. He will be missed throughout Boehnerland, our conference, and the entire House."
Heading American Express's Washington office is a much sought-after slot on K Street.
"American Express is one of the most admired companies in the world. I am both humbled and honored to have the opportunity to work for one of the most valuable brands in history, with more than 150 years of success," Loper said.
Loper comes on board as the credit card company's D.C. presence has been under transition. He is replacing Arne Christenson, who left several months ago for AIPAC. Bobby Thomson, who had been interim head at American Express, also recently left for Visa.
Loper has also previously worked as staff director under former ranking member Jim McCrery (R-La.). He also served as deputy chief of staff to former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) and served on Boehner's transition staff in 2006 when the Ohio Republican succeeded DeLay as majority leader.


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I have a friend who is now 20 weeks pregnant and is having serious problems, possibly unfixable problems. She got told that her amniotic fluid was low so she had to go see a specialist when seeing the specialist there is NO medical reason why this should be happening, and then on top of that the baby has a heart defect. The baby has a chance to live if it can produce more amniotic fluid but slim to none if it does not.She has already lost a full term baby this year!! I am her best friend and 11 weeks what do I do if she does lose this baby as well since i am healthy and so is the baby???
Answer this question


text:
GOP says distractions won't hurt them
ST. PAUL - Republicans dealt with distractions as they began their national convention Monday, but said the event still will be a success.
First came Hurricane Gustav, whose surge and winds were less than predicted, but forced convention officials to trim their plans.
Then, Sen. John McCain's running mate, Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska, released a statement saying her 17-year-old unwed daughter is pregnant.
Finally, protesters were smaller in numbers than predicted, but the Minnesota National Guard was called in to help police control them.
The convention likely will return to a more normal schedule today after only routine business and discussion about hurricane relief occurred Monday.
Republican officials said it appears that the traditional roll call of the states to nominate McCain and Palin will occur Wednesday night. Palin is expected to speak Wednesday night and McCain should appear in person Thursday night.
Nearly 2,500 delegates, backed up by nearly that many alternates, met for an hour in session Monday afternoon, then recessed an hour before first lady Laura Bush and McCain's wife, Cindy, took the podium to encourage them to donate to flood relief.
Bush, whose husband canceled a scheduled speech to oversee Gustav-fighting efforts, said Americans always come to the aid of those in need and "transcend political parties and partisanship."
McCain and his Democratic opponent, Barack Obama, separately encouraged Americans to donate to relief agencies such as the Red Cross.
Despite McCain's pleas to keep politics out of convention speeches Monday, Mrs. Bush could not resist. In introducing a video featuring Gulf Coast governors talking about the hurricane, she said: "They are all strong leaders. They were planning to be with us today. They also all happen to be Republicans."
Mrs. McCain urged delegates to help.
"Together we can accomplish so much to help those who have been affected," she said.
GOP Chairman Mike Duncan urged delegates to send text messages via their mobile telephones that would allow them to donate $5 to help hurricane victims.
Delegates said it was appropriate to think of the storm victims and tone down their convention.
"We need to put it in proper perspective," said Richard Koch of Jackson, Minn. "It focuses our energies appropriately."
The emphasis on help also is a Republican thing, he added. Republicans prefer to allow private organizations to help with relief, he said, more so than Democrats, who often rely on government.
Mike Charron, who now lives in Winona after representing eastern Twin Cities suburbs in the Minnesota House, was in the first wave of volunteers to help clean up after Hurricane Katrina three years ago and hates to miss helping out this time.
"My heart is ripped in half," he said. "We are talking about families who are losing everything."
A hurricane information center has been set up at St. Paul's Xcel Energy Center, where the convention is headquartered, and organizers of every convention-related event are being asked to contribute to hurricane relief. GOP leaders are not asking for events to be canceled.
Minneapolis-based Target Corporation is donating goods to be sent to hurricane victims, with FedEx donating space on an airplane to deliver the supplies. Delegates will be asked to help pack the relief supplies.
Delegates said they did not think Palin's revelation that her daughter is pregnant will affect voters. Many delegates said it just "humanizes" Palin because many families face similar circumstances.
Palin and her husband, Todd, surprised Republicans today by releasing a statement saying their daughter, Bristol, is pregnant.
"We have been blessed with five wonderful children who we love with all our heart and mean everything to us," the statement said. "Our beautiful daughter Bristol came to us with news that as parents we knew would make her grow up faster than we had ever planned. We're proud of Bristol's decision to have her baby and even prouder to become grandparents. As Bristol faces the responsibilities of adulthood, she knows she has our unconditional love and support.
"Bristol and the young man she will marry are going to realize very quickly the difficulties of raising a child, which is why they will have the love and support of our entire family. We ask the media to respect our daughter and Levi's privacy as has always been the tradition of children of candidates."
McCain's campaign told ABC News that the Arizona senator knew of the pregnancy before picking Palin as his running mate.
Minnesota Republican Chairman Ron Carey said the pregnancy will not hurt GOP chances.
"Whether you are Republican, Democrat or independent, we all face challenges," Carey said.
Carey said he did not think the news would affect the Minnesota delegation's support of Palin, but delegates had little time to digest the information Monday afternoon.
"It humanizes our ticket," added long-time Minnesota Republican leader Tony Sutton.
Delegate Kurt Daudt of Zimmerman said Palin should do well in his 8th Congressional District, northeast and east-central Minnesota, because she is a snowmobiling National Rifle Association member. "That will definitely help."
Minnesota delegate and House minority leader Marty Seifert of Marshall said Democrats should not think of making the pregnancy an issue.
"If they try to turn a candidates' daughter into a political football," it is a big risk, he said.
"It's a situation that hundreds of thousands of people deal with," North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem said, admitting he had heard little about the issue.
To know if it will hurt the McCain-Palin ticket, he added: "It's kind of soon" to know that.
Like the convention's scaled-back activity, an anti-war protest organizers said would yield 50,000 participants drew far fewer.
If delegates knew little of the pregnancy issue, they new less about protesters outside the convention.
One law enforcement estimate put the number of people marching from the Minnesota Capitol to near the Xcel Energy Center at 8,000 to 10,000. Protest organizers said their march drew three times that.
Protesters marching along a permitted and designated route were met by police officers on bicycles and on horses while others were wearing riot gear and blocking protesters from taking alternate routes.
At least 163 arrests were made related to vandalism and at least one confrontation between police and a group of protesters -- dressed in dark colors and wearing eye protection and face masks -- that was not part of the permitted march.
State Capitol reporter Scott Wente contributed to this story.
State Capitol reporters are blogging from the Republican National Convention at www.areavoices.com/CapitolChat.


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Achieving escape velocity
23 January 2014 [12:00] -
By Mohamed A. El-Erian
CEO and co-CIO of PIMCO, and the author of When Markets Collide.
It is not often that one can confidently claim that a single remedy could make billions of people around the world significantly better off; do so in a durable and mutually supportive manner; and thus improve the well-being of both current and future generations. Yet that is the case today.
The remedy I have in mind, of course, is faster economic growth - the one thing that can raise living standards, reduce excessive inequalities, improve job prospects, alleviate trade tensions, and even moderate geopolitical pressures. And most forecasters - including the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank - are now predicting that global growth will pick up in 2014, and that it will be more balanced among the world's major economic regions.
Such forecasts reflect three welcome developments. For starters, Europe will exit recession, with the peripheral economies benefiting from the strongest relative improvement in growth prospects. Meanwhile, 3% annual GDP growth is no longer out of reach for the United States. And emerging economies will be anchored by China's slower but still-robust 7% annual growth.
But, while the prospect of faster global growth is indeed good news, especially given still-high unemployment in many countries and the associated pressures on social safety nets, it is too early to celebrate. There is a risk that, by tempting policy complacency, this year's economic upturn could end up being counterproductive.
This is not because the predicted acceleration in growth is still quite modest. After all, even a limited uptick can make a significant difference if it is part of an encouraging medium-term growth dynamic. Rather, the risk lies in the manner in which this growth is likely to materialize - namely, by depending too much on old and exhausted growth models, rather than by comprehensively embracing new ones.
In Europe, growth this year will largely reflect the impact of financial stabilization, not deep structural reforms. With interest-rate spreads having compressed sharply, and with the threat of a meltdown averted, both domestic and foreign investors continue to return to peripheral economies, thereby alleviating severe credit rationing. That is certainly good news, especially if the source of stabilization is shifted from the European Central Bank's unconventional policies to more durable endogenous balance-sheet healing among a broader set of financial institutions, non-financial firms, and households.
But few of these economies are prepared to embark on the type of internal reforms that promise sustained high growth rates and a substantial reduction in unemployment, which has been at alarming levels for young people and in terms of duration. Meanwhile, exchange-rate appreciation is beginning to undermine exports in the eurozone's core countries, particularly Germany, which has been the regional growth engine in recent years.
The predicted acceleration in US growth this year is more notable, because it reflects the positive impact of a multi-year process of economic and financial healing. We are also starting to see the macro-level impact of certain productivity revolutions - particularly in the energy and technology sectors - that, so far, have mainly been industrial and sectoral phenomena.
Yet America's actual economic growth in 2014 will remain well below potential. Moreover, the US economy's performance remains overly dependent on the Federal Reserve's experimental monetary policies, courageously adopted in the absence of adequate measures by other economic policymakers.
The US economy is certainly capable of reaching the "escape velocity" that the country needs if unemployment is to fall in a more definitive and lasting manner. But this requires Congress to support President Barack Obama's administration in three areas: improving the composition and level of aggregate demand; enhancing the economy's supply responsiveness; and removing residual debt overhangs that continue to inhibit economic activity.
Only decisive progress on these fronts will unlock the trillions of corporate dollars that, rather than being invested in new plants and equipment, remain stranded on companies' balance sheets or are handed over to shareholders via higher dividends and share buybacks.
The issues in the emerging world are more complex and diverse. Some countries are making consistent efforts to revamp exhausted growth models. In China, for example, this involves less reliance on exports and public investment, and more on the private components of domestic aggregate demand.
Other countries, however, have responded to their growth slowdown in 2012 and 2013 by reverting to old practices that offer the temptation of immediate expansion at the cost of growth-dampening outcomes down the road. This is the case, for example, in Brazil and Turkey.
All of this implies that the emerging world as a whole is unlikely in 2014 to resume its role as a major engine of the global economy, and that the quality of what growth there is will be far from optimal.
Indeed, the more detailed one's analysis of today's global growth dynamics is, the more likely one is to conclude that this year's brighter prospects are just that - brighter prospects for 2014. There is still much that can (and should) be done if this year's predicted upturn is to provide a springboard for a meaningful medium-term growth spurt that improves prospects for current and future generations. Unless policymakers keep in mind the larger tasks at hand, they risk falling into a trap of comfortable underachievement.
Copyright: Project Syndicate
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Master Your Favorite Dance Moves in Chippendale! 88% off
Let's Dance! $29 for One Month of Unlimited Dance Classes + 45 Minute Private Lesson in Any Dance Style! ($235 Value)
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What We LikeBecome a dance floor king or queen! $29 for one month of unlimited Salsa and Ballroom Dancing classes plus a 45 minute private lesson! Classes for everyone- Intermediate and beginner group lessons available! Choose any dance style for your private class- Salsa, Latin, Ballroom, Samba, Zouk, Bachata + more! Flexible private lesson times available seven days Convenient Chippendale location with plenty of parking Spacious studio Professional, friendly instructors
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The Fine PrintExpires 23 January 2012 Not valid with any other offer Voucher does not include Zumba classes One voucher only per person Multiple vouchers can be purchased as gifts Bookings essential for first lesson Classes are subject to availability Contact details found on the voucher
Salsa (the dance)
Salsa refers to a fusion of informal dance styles having roots in the Caribbean (especially in Cuba and Puerto Rico), Latin and North America. The dance originated through the mixture of Mambo, Danzn, Guaguanc, Cuban Son, and other typical Cuban dance forms. Salsa is danced to Salsa music. There is a strong African influence in the music as well as the dance.
Salsa is usually a partner dance, although there are recognized solo steps and some forms are danced in groups of couples, with frequent exchanges of partner (Rueda de Casino). Improvisation and social dancing are important elements of Salsa but it appears as a performance dance too. The name "Salsa" is the Spanish word for sauce, connoting (in American Spanish) a spicy flavor. The Salsa aesthetic is more flirtatious and sensuous than its ancestor, Cuban Son. Salsa also suggests a "mixture" of ingredients, though this meaning is not found in most stories of the term's origin.
Rhythm and steps
Salsa is danced on a core rhythm that lasts for two measures of four beats each. The basic step in salsa dancing typically uses three steps each measure. This pattern might be quick-quick-slow, taking two beats to gradually transfer the weight, or quick-quick-quick allowing a tap or other embellishment on the vacant beat. It is conventional in salsa dancing for the two musical measures to be considered as one, so the count goes from 1 to 8 over two musical bars. Typically the music involves complex African percussion rhythms based around the Son clave or Rumba clave. Music suitable for dancing ranges from slow at about 70 beats per minute to its fastest at around 140 beats per minute though most dancing is done to music somewhere between 80-120 beats per minute.
Use of space
Salsa is a slot or spot dance, i.e. the partners do not need to travel over the dance floor but usually occupy a fixed area of the dance floor, rotating around one another and exchanging places. Traveling is not ruled out but is more used in a staged salsa performance. In a social setting it is bad etiquette to occupy too much floor by traveling.
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- Location
- Website
- Contact Phone
- Best Time to Call
- Catalogue (if applicable)
- Product(s) (if applicable)
For other proposed business partnerships, please email us at email@example.com with some more information about your proposition below and we will be sure to get back to you very soon.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+Can I work at Ouffer?
Ouffer is always looking to add new talented people to our fantastic team! Please check our Jobs page for any current vacancies. Alternatively, just send your CV/Resume to email@example.com along with a brief cover letter and we will be sure to get back to you in due course.
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+Can I use a voucher after it has expired?
Voucher redemption is at the discretion of the business providing the service or product. Most businesses tend to enforce the validity terms of the voucher and often are not able to extend past the validity date. We always prefer if our members can use their voucher at any time, but unfortunately, redemption after expiry is purely at the discretion of the business.
Please note, many businesses book out prior to the voucher expiry - we suggest making a booking at least four weeks prior to the end of the validity period (and if you're trying to get a booking for a popular time, like a weekend, the booking should be made as soon as possible. The earlier you book, the more likely it is that you will get your preferred booking time!)
It is very rare for Ouffer to issue a refund in cases where the voucher has expired. Most offers have a redemption period of at least 3 months, which is usually plenty of time for all purchasers to use their voucher. In any case - the expiry date of each offer is clearly stated in the "Fine Print" section of the offer page, and it is the responsibility of the purchaser to ensure that they have availed of the offer before this date!
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+How can I resolve an issue with a past/present offer?
Please note that Ouffer is the medium through which businesses feature their services, and cannot be held responsible for the services provided by such businesses. If you have a complaint about a featured business or the service that they have provided, the first step should be to contact the business directly. They may be able to take steps to resolve the situation, which will usually be similar to steps taken when dealing with any customer complaint.
You will be able to find contact details for the featured business on the offer-page. Other conditions (such as the expiry date) can be found in the "Company" section of the offer-page.
Alternatively, you can ask the Ouffer Customer Experience Team and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Please note, it is really important whenever making a refund request to provide very detailed and accurate information - if any information provided is false, we will not be able to provide a refund to you.
We always provide a credit or refund when a business is no longer operating and you have a valid voucher. You can find our Refund Policy at http://experiences.ouffer.com/refund-policy-adma for further information.
If you would like a refund for any other reason, please let us know via email to email@example.com. Our support team will always do their best to assist.
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+How can I resolve an issue with a product I purchased?
If you've purchased a product that you redeemed directly with a vendor, the first step is to try to contact them - their details should be on the voucher.
If you the vendor isn't getting back to you, or if you've purchased a product that was shipped directly to you without the need to redeem your voucher, please let us know exactly what the difficulties you have are by email to email@example.com and we'll do our best to help!
We are only able to offer refunds in cases where items are faulty, damaged or incorrectly advertised.
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+How can I unsubscribe from receiving your emails?
If you would like to unsubscribe from receiving emails from Ouffer in future, please go to My Account and then click on My Subscriptions.
On that page you can choose exactly what emails you want (you can even choose to receive an email once a week, instead of every day) or you can unsubscribe from all our emails in just a few quick clicks!
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+How do I buy an offer?
Firstly, make sure you are signed up!
Then, after logging in - click 'Buy Now' towards the top-right of the offer page. On the next page, you will be asked to confirm the quantity of vouchers that you wish to purchase (if you're using credits to purchase, this is where you can select how much credit you want to use).
If you're buying a product, you may also be required to provide your Postal Address, or your choice of redemption location. Always make sure you enter the correct address for delivery.
Once you've done all that, you can then go ahead and click "Complete My Order" towards the bottom of the page. The number of credits selected (if any) will be deducted from the cost of the voucher, and the corresponding number of credits removed from your account.
Follow the on-screen instructions from here - you can pay via a registered PayPal account, or using your credit/debit card.
As always, if you you have any questions at all, please don't hesitate to contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+How do I locate my voucher?
After you buy a voucher, you'll get an email with a link to download (and print) your voucher. Unfortunately, some mail servers automatically transfer our emails to your 'junk' mail box.
(If you haven't been getting our emails, it's also a good idea to make sure that you added us as a 'safe sender' to make sure our emails aren't going to your junk box!)
But, you can also actually log into your account and print the vouchers off whenever you like! Here's how:
- Sign into the site,
- Hover over "My Account" at the top-middle of the screen.
- Choose "My Ouffers" from the drop-down menu.
- Choose "All" towards the top-right corner of the screen.
- Click "View/Print" next to the voucher you need to view/print.
Instructions on how to redeem the voucher will be contained on the voucher itself.
Things to keep in mind:
Lots of our members have more than one email address – if you log into your account and you can't find your voucher, you may have used a different email address to purchase – for example your work email or your personal email address. Try all the email addresses you have and if you still can't find it, let us know.
If you used PayPal to purchase, what happens is that a new account will be created using your PayPal email address. If your login email for PayPal and Ouffer are the same then there won't be any problems, but if you use a different address for PayPal, a new Ouffer account with that PayPal email will be created. Your voucher will be placed in that account.
If you purchased a voucher and it isn't showing up, the next step is to check your credit card statement (on-line if you have access!). If there is a charge there, please send an email right away to Ouffer so the team can investigate it for you. Please include as much detail as possible to help us assist you as quick as we can.
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+How do I refer a friend?
In order to refer a friend to Ouffer, you just need to…
First log in to Ouffer! After logging in, in the top corner of the page, there is a link which says "Invite Friends, get $5". You will then be taken to a page that provides personal "referral link". You can copy and paste this link into an email to all of your family and friends (or even use the Facebook and Twitter sharing buttons). If any of your friends sign up to Ouffer, we'll give you $5 credit as soon as they make their first purchase.
If you have any questions about referring friends, please email us at email@example.com.
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+I've booked my travel dates with the hotel - am I able to change them?
Most of our hotel partners allow one change of date, however, that will depend on the hotel's cancellation policy (and how far away your booking is). If your booking is for tomorrow, it is unlikely you will be able to change your travel date, however, if your booking is six months away, most hotels will accommodate a change of date. Some hotels may charge a small administrative fee for any chances (at their own discretion).
We're more than happy to assist where we can, but any date requests need to be made with the hotel directly.
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+I bought a gift voucher, how do I find it?
At the end of the offer, we will send a link to download the gift voucher – exactly like a normal voucher. You can send the voucher as a PDF to the lucky recipient, or you can print it off and combine I with a card if you prefer!
To find your gift vouchers you just need to log on to Ouffer and then click on the "My Account" link, which appears once you have signed in, and select My Ouffers.
Once you've logged in you will notice several tabs, 'Active', 'Used', 'Offered', 'Expired' and 'All' If you click on Offered you'll be able to see any gift vouchers you've bought!
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+I bought an offer - what do I do now?
You will find instructions on how to redeem the offer on the voucher itself. Depending on the offer you've purchased, you may need to contact the featured business to make a booking - contact details will be provided on the voucher. You may also find them in the "Fine Print" or "Company" section on the offer page, along with any other conditions relevant to that particular offer.
Your redemption code is the code printed at the top of your voucher - in almost all cases, you will need to give this code when redeeming the offer you have purchased - this is so that our partners can verify that the voucher is valid and provide you with the service advertised.
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+I can't use my voucher any more - can I give it to someone else?
Yes, your vouchers should be fully transferable (unless the terms of a specific offer state otherwise). So long as you haven't used part of your voucher, you can give it to a friend or family member. If you've had part of a treatment or service, you aren't able to give the voucher away though.
If a voucher has expired, it unfortunately can't be used by anyone.
Whenever you buy a voucher which needs a booking, always be sure to book well in advance of the expiry - the earlier the better. Just to make sure no one misses out, most vouchers will need to be booked between two and four weeks before their expiry.
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+Is Ouffer a secure site?
Ouffer is fully secured by Verisign, the highest level of security a website can have. All financial details are passed directly on to our merchant processor, so not even our staff have access to any credit card details.
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+I want to speak to someone, who do I contact?
If you need our help for any reason, please don't hesitate to contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com so one of our Melbourne and Sydney based team can help you!
In order for us address your issue as quickly as possible, please try to include the following (where possible):
- The email address you have registered your account with
- Your voucher/redemption code
- The name of the service-provider/business for which you purchased your voucher
The above information will enable us to provide you with a much quicker response!
We like to try to reply to any enquiry as quickly as possible. Our support team are based in Sydney and Melbourne, working between 9.00am and 8.00pm AEST. If your contact us outside those hours, it may take us a bit longer to reply.
In the event that you have attempted to contact us and you haven't got a reply after 2 business day, it's possible that your email didn't make it through to us for some reason - we will never not reply to an email.
If this happens, please try to send another email from a different email address to firstname.lastname@example.com.
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+My Password isn't working - What can I do?
If your password doesn't work, you can get a new one by clicking on the "Forgot Password" link underneath the login box.
You should get an automated email sent to you – if that doesn't work, it probably means your email account may be blocking our emails! First thing to do is to check your junk mail box and there should be an email in there. If there is, please add us as a safe sender.
If you can't find an email from us, just send us a quick email to firstname.lastname@example.com and our team will be able to help out and create a new password for you!
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+What does the 'Mark as Used' Button do?
The 'Mark as Used' button allows you to move your used vouchers to the Used section. That way, you can check exactly what vouchers have yet to be used.
It's pretty handy when you've bought a few vouchers for one place but don't use them all at once. You can check your used vouchers by clicking on USED Vouchers and also, if you click Mark as Used by mistake, you can bring the voucher back by clicking on Mark as New – good as new!
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+What is credit, and how do I use it?
If you are using credits for your entire purchase, you won't need to enter any credit card details - you can just ignore the box.
If you are using credit for part of the purchase, you will need to use a credit card to 'top up' the purchase. For example, if you have $15 credit stored up, and you are buying something that costs $100, you would just need to pay the $85 top-up amount from your credit card or PayPal account.
Your credits will expire 365 days after they have been granted, although this doesn't apply to specific promotions which state otherwise.
Your credit is personal to you, so you can't give it away - but you can buy a voucher for someone as a gift using your credit.
If you look at your bank statement right after a purchase, you may notice more than one charge on there (usually, there will be the full amount and the amount less the credit on your statement).
That is an unfortunate requirement of the banks – we haven't really charged you twice! The charge you noticed for the full amount is what banks call a 'pre-authorisation'. Ouffer doesn't actually charge anything until after the deal closes – the pre-authorisation is just a hold on those funds.
When our system goes to charge you, it will see that you are using credit and will adjust the cost accordingly. The original 'pre-authorisation' will 'drop off' within one to five business days (depending on which bank you're with).
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+Why have I been charged twice?
If there are two charges on your statement, it is most likely that the first is a 'pre-authorisation', rather than an actual charge. The 'pre-authorisation' will be removed by your bank between one to five business days (depending on which bank you use for your credit card).
If you noticed that you actually bought more vouchers than you intended, please contact us at email@example.com immediately. So long as Ouffer is told promptly, we can usually credit or refund the mistakenly bought vouchers (but that will depend on how quickly we've been notified and if any bank or administration fees have been incurred).
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+Who can I contact for help?
If you need assistance and can't find an answer on this page, you can find a link to our Contact Us Form below.
If the Contact Us form isn't working, you can get in touch with us at email@example.com - but, if you can, please use the Contact Us Form - this will help us better understand what you need so we can get back to you quicker!
While we do whatever we can to get back to you as quick as we can, please allow between 1-2 working days for a reply.
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
Daily Inspirations


text:
It was a big step for Elizabeth Bachmann and her husband, John, to move to a senior community. It was then that she decided to help other "Baby Boomers" make the transition to senior housing, said the Realtor with Prudential California Realty in Rancho Bernardo.
"I want them to see how wonderful life can be after 55 and what a wonderful place Rancho Bernardo is to live," she said. "I love talking to my clients about the freedom they feel after down-sizing from the large homes where they raised their families to a home half the size."
Bachmann said after the seniors are settled in their new home, they tell her how wonderful it is to have time to do the things they love to do now that they don't spend every weekend taking care of a lawn or cleaning a large home."
"Now they have the time to travel, golf, swim, hike, play tennis and enjoy time with their friends and grand children they never had before," she said.
Originally from Quincy, Ill., in the heart of the Midwest, Bachmann started selling real estate in 1979. Throughout her career she maintained that Midwestern work ethic that puts a premium on a job well done. She graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi and spent many of her early years selling real estate in areas throughout the South.
"Elizabeth is an outstanding professional to have on our team," said Dean Stalter, Rancho Bernardo branch manager and broker of record for the company. "She is synonymous with integrity and quality service. We are proud to have her as part of the Prudential Real Estate family."
Bachmann specializes in listing and selling homes in Oaks North and Seven Oaks and is very knowledgeable about the Rancho Bernardo area.
She can be reached at 858-618-5678 or visit her website at www.ElilzabethBachmann.PrudentialCal.com.


text:
Junior Suite
20 sq.m + bathroom – Max 3 guests
Our refined Junior Suite is ideal for those of you who like to travel in style. Our Suite is big, with wooden floors and has a small private living room where you can relax while reading a book or while listening to some good music. This Suite is perfect for our most demanding guests.
Our Junior Suite services:
- Buffet breakfast included
- Third bed on request
- Private living room
- Flat screen TV with Sky and free international channels
- Mini-bar with 2 bottles of water free of charge
- Air conditioning and heating
- Set of beauty products
- Bathroom with shower or tub and hairdryer
- Dressing gown and slippers
- Safe
- Alarm and direct phone line
- Ironing board and iron
- Room service


text:
2010 has been the liveliest year yet for online campaign ads, as one low-budget clip after another draws enormous audiences through the sheer power of being different. And by different, we mean weird. Some of the ads that took off online originally aired on television, but others took the opposite route: They were posted to the Web first, sometimes at a length far too long for a TV spot, and then appeared free of charge on political talk shows after they picked up enough buzz to qualify as news. Some never left the Internet at all, achieving the sort of fame reserved for dramatic chipmunks and Star Wars kids.
There are two distinct but related phenomena going on here. One is advertising that was carefully designed to go viral: deliberately off-kilter commercials like Carly Fiorina's "demon sheep" ad in the California senate race. And then there are the outsider artists whose ads simply reflect the fact that it's easier than ever for anyone to create and post a video for the whole world to see, whether or not he knows what a conventional campaign ad looks like. The most extreme example is Basil Marceaux, a perennial crank candidate in Tennessee, whose bizarre homemade commercials got attention from the likes of Jimmy Kimmel Live and The Colbert Report.
The new wave of online ads has provoked a wide spectrum of responses, from praise to derision to fear. The most overwrought reaction came from MSNBC host Keith Olbermann, after the Alabama congressional candidate Rick Barber released an ad that invoked the American Revolution. It was standard-issue populist iconography, but Olbermann attacked it as "a call to treason" and declared that the candidate should be jailed.
Here are some of the most memorable clips of the season thus far:
Debut Date: January
The Candidate: Dwight McKenna, Democrat
The Office: coroner, Orleans Parish
The Setup: The incumbent has abused his office to advance a lucrative trade in human organs. To illustrate the scandal, here is a 30-second Frankenstein movie.
The Defining Moment: "'Igor!' 'Yes, Doctor?' 'I need a heart, a spleen, and a liver for tonight's sale!'"
Debut Date: February
The Candidate: Carly Fiorina, Republican
The Office: U.S. senator, California
The Setup: Tom Campbell claims to be a fiscal conservative. Actually, he's a big-spending, debt-swelling, tax-hiking wolf in sheep's clothing.
The Defining Moment: Campbell as a creepy sheep with demonic red eyes, quietly devouring the flock.
Debut Date: May
The Candidate: Dale Peterson, Republican
The Office: agriculture commissioner, Alabama
The Setup: A plain-talkin' angry man with a shotgun is ready to clear the thugs and criminals out of the agriculture department. Also: Illegal aliens are invading the country, my opponent is a crook, and his supporters are stealing my yard signs.
The Defining Moment: "I've been a farmer! A businessman! A cop! A marine during Vietnam! So listen up!"
Debut Date: May
The Candidate: any Republican but Bradley Byrne
The Office: governor, Alabama
The Setup: Flip-flopping, tax-hiking, evolution-believing Bradley Byrne is really a liberal.
The Defining Moment: "He even recently said the Bible is only partially true."
Debut Date: June
The Candidate: Rick Barber, Republican
The Office: U.S. representative, 2nd District of Alabama
The Setup: The anti-tax Barber obtains the Founding Fathers' permission for a second American Revolution.
The Defining Moment: George Washington gravely declares, "Gather your armies."
Debut Date: June
The Candidate: Pamela Gorman, Republican
The Office: U.S. representative, 3rd District of Arizona
The Setup: The candidate fires several different models of firearm.
The Defining Moment: "Rated 100 percent by the NRA, conservative Pamela Gorman is always right on target."
Debut Date: July
The Candidate: Peter Schiff, Republican
The Office: U.S. senator, Connecticut
The Setup: Evidence that Schiff's opponent, Linda McMahon, is a liberal, repeatedly punctuated by footage of her kicking a man in the crotch.
The Defining Moment: "McMahon supporting Obama's bailouts. Isn't that just a kick in the..."
Debut Date: July
The Candidate: Vijay Kumar, Republican
The Office: U.S. representative, 5th District of Tennessee
The Setup: By helping Kumar defeat his opponents, you will help defeat Universal Jihad.
The Defining Moment: "UNIVERSAL JIHAD IS HERE"
Debut Date: July
The Candidate: Travis Irvine, Libertarian
The Office: U.S. representative, 12th District of Ohio
The Setup: Irvine brings in an expert on government waste: infomercial icon Matthew Lesko.
The Defining Moment: "THEY'RE GIVING AWAY MORE MONEY THAN EVER BEFORE!!!"
Debut Date: August
The Candidate: Basil Marceaux, Republican
The Office: governor, Tennessee
The Setup: Finally, a candidate who promises to move the capitol from Nashville to Chattanooga, so he can clear away all the backroom politics. ("It will probably take a year or two.") He will also cease all traffic stops, "remove the gold-fringed flag from our society," and plant "vegitation" (sic) so we can turn it into ethanol and "cash it in for gas or money."
The Defining Moment: "Hello, citizens. This is BasilMarceaux.com."
Debut Date: September
The Candidate: John Dennis, Republican
The Office: U.S. representative, 8th District of California
The Setup: It's a Tea Party–themed Wizard of Oz, featuring a "Wall-Street wizard" and wicked witch Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), whom Dennis melts with a bucket of water labeled "freedom."
The Defining Moment: There's an epic tornado about 15 seconds in.


text:
Storyteller on the Roof
Labels: Happenings
Sholem Aleichem: Laughing in the Darkness" is the tale of the writer who chronicled the Jewish experience in Eastern Europe and whose stories became the basis of the musical, Fiddler on the Roof. The filmmaker Joseph Dorman joins New York Times critic Janet Maslin for a post screening interview. Monday, 7:00 pm. Jacob Burns Film Center


text:
Thomas Baker Hill
Found 10 Records, 10 Photos and 6,074,089 Family Trees
Born in Warrensburg, New York, USA on 1836 to Samuel B Hill and Abigail. Thomas Baker married Ellen Maria May and had 7 children. He passed away on 1910.
Ready to discover your family story?
Simply start with yourself and we'll do the searching for you.
Potential photos and documents for Thomas Baker HillView All 10 Images
Top record matches for Thomas Baker Hill
Surname meaning for "Hill"
English and Scottish: extremely common and widely distributed topographic name for someone who lived on or by a hill, Middle English hill (Old English hyll).


text:
Analyzing Zdeno Chara's big mistake
Alex Burrows' overtime goal in Game 2 in Vancouver was a stunner. It's not every day that you see a former East Coast Hockey Leaguer get a game-winning and maybe championship-turning goal with a solo effort on the game's biggest stage. It's also not every day that you see a Norris Trophy winner and a Vezina finalist beaten so embarrassingly.
For Burrows, it was a daring play to be sure and, with eight goals -- among them a Game 7 overtime winner in the opening round against Chicago -- he deserves to at least be in the conversation for the Conn Smythe Trophy. But it was Zdeno Chara that caught my attention.
Everyone in the game knows that Chara is the biggest player in the NHL and most know, or at least suspect, that he's the strongest. But on Burrows' goal add another superlative, one that is a bit more subjective but certainly true: most exhausted. Chara was on the ice for more than 28 minutes for the second game in a row and it would have been more if he hadn't been sent to the box for an interference call in the first for the Canucks' first goal scored by the ubiquitous Burrows. Chara leads all skaters in ice time in these playoffs with an average of 28:17, marginally above defensive partner Dennis Seidenberg and a fair bit ahead of Kevin Bieksa.
If you adjusted for ice time as a percentage of team-minutes-played -- an overtime adjustment --the workload for the two Boston defenseman would seem heavier still in comparison to their opponents'. And the thing is, Chara has to expend a lot more energy pushing his listed 255 pounds around the ice -- his real weight has been one of hockey's greatest guessing games because he is almost certainly 10, and maybe 20, pounds heavier than the conservative number that appears in the program. And you have to think that the effects of his bout with dehydration that sent him to hospital in the first round.


text:
So I've plenty of time to organize the Lunar New Year gifts on the personal front. While the man (and his family) and I don't celebrate Lunar New Year per se, and are spared the tedious house visits and bromidic chatter, there're lots of festivities going on with the friends and some extended family. Still need to prep some sort of gifts for the older generation, to reciprocate their hospitality especially for invites over to their homes for meals, especially crucial to feel less embarrassed when for dunno-what-reason, the man and I still receive ang pows from SOME stubborn elders in spite of our constant reminders. However, these are visits that the man and I want to make. These are pleasant visits, not the obligatory perfunctory type.
Our family doesn't particularly fancy snacks, and especially not the traditional Lunar New Year goodies. Bak kwa and pork/lard-anything will never make it past our front door, along with the rest of the whatever bottles of whatever cookies, shrimp rolls and all. Extremely glad that I don't have to be obliged to take that one bite because so-and-so made it. Immensely happy that the man's mother doesn't bother with the season either, and makes no qualms about her disdain for certain customs. She doesn't care that I wear the deepest black from head to toe on the first day of Lunar New Year or for 365 days a year. She doesn't take many of the festive goodies either, and if she feels like having some, she's so finicky about the source of production that she prefers to buy it herself. Heh. It certainly makes my life easier because I've heard plenty of real-life horror stories about daughters-in-law having to buy the customary Lunar New Year gifts for their mothers-in-law. But I'm getting my mother-in-law humongous bunches of flowers for the house because I know she likes that.
In the face of a mountain of gifted festive goodies landing in the laps of everybody from everywhere, I decided not to add to the buttery crumbles. Not bothered to arrange for hamper delivery with the stores. Not concerned with keeping up appearances with people I'm not close to. For loved ones, I'll build my own 'hampers'. My prepped bags don't contain anything like pineapple tarts or almond cookies...the sorts. Bought bottles of Manuka honey, packs and packs of honeycombs, dried shitake mushrooms, kombu, lentils, dried scallops, dates, wolfberries, bird's nest, ginseng powder...items that are vacuum-sealed and can last for months. Items that I know the recipients will use in their cooking. Slowly prepping bags over the weekend and next to be given away.
|5 bags packed and counting. 15 more to go.


text: How many of you spent hours as a kid with a corker? Mine was shaped into a figure of a lady. I'm interested in trying this again and would like to know if anyone has a good pattern for making the wooden part. I've checked out internet sites but I value the crafters on our site and would like any and all opinions. What have you made? Any pictures?