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Encouraging scholarship, strengthening faith identity, and interpreting contemporary issues in Baptist life.
A Response to Ron Sider's
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A Response by
Hollyn Hollman, General Counsel
ōEvaluating the Faith-Based Initiative: Is Charitable Choice Good Public
Despite the title of the article, Sider gives short shrift to some very important issues raised by opponents of President BushÆs ōfaith-based initiatives.ö Sider spends twice the space arguing in favor of the policy as he does summarizing objections. He includes little consideration of such pitfalls as competition between churches for government funds, religious discrimination in hiring, diminishing the churchÆs independence and prophetic voice, government regulation of churches and the possible decline in private giving.
From the beginning of the article, Sider adopts much of the language of the Bush administration in their push for ōcharitable choice.ö Claims that the initiative is about removing ōillegitimate restrictionsö or ōleveling the playing fieldö echo the politicians, but do little to illuminate the important issues raised in this policy debate. Sider seems to take the architects of charitable choice at their word, and paints opponents as partisan. This framing ignores the considerable questions that have been raised by sincere, religiously motivated critics of charitable choice.
Here is a list of the major problems with SiderÆs article and responses to them:
1) Sider gives little attention to the fundamental contradiction in the policy of charitable choice. A large part of the faith-based initiative is the pursuit of ōcharitable choice,ö a particular legislative policy that has an important and fundamental flaw. Charitable choice purports to allow pervasively religious organizations to receive federal funding without altering their religious character and without violating the ban on government funding of religion. The focus on preserving religious character, however, directly competes with the public policy goal of funding only secular social services and not funding religion.
Sider cites the stated goals of the policy as helping churches and other faith-based organizations (FBOs) provide social services, while respecting the FBOÆs[1] religious roots and without compromising their religious character and identity. Sider and other supporters also specifically point to the unique qualities of spiritual healing and conversion as the main benefit for the delivery of services by FBOs. Thus, despite reference to the regulations that forbid direct funding of ōsectarian worship, instruction, or proselytization,ö the policy implicitly assumes that the government and our tax dollars are supporting a religious experience or conversion to achieve a social service goal.
2) Sider claims that the promotion of charitable choice is about funding what works. While it is easy for religious individuals to accept that faith can be transforming, that belief is not sufficient as a basis for public policy. It has not been adequately tested. Sider acknowledges this. Even if there were empirical proof in favor of charitable choice, the policy cannot be justified if it violates the constitutional values that are so important to protecting religious liberty. The same ends, however, may be achieved through privately funded efforts. The constitutional protections for religious liberty do not depend on countervailing social outcomes. The First Amendment contains principles that come first. SiderÆs argument seems to suggest that if the outcome is desirable, the Constitution does not matter.
3) SiderÆs history section confuses more than it enlightens. Sider correctly points out that the first piece of legislation containing charitable choice, sponsored by then-Sen. John Ashcroft, passed because it was ōunder the radar screen.ö When a motion was made to strike the offending language, the motion failed after only a few minutes of debate. This history belies any political assumptions about the value of this policy. Since charitable choice has been examined and debated in Congress, its defects have become more widely known. No legislation with charitable choice language that has been subject to debate in Congress has passed. Instead, the faith-based initiative has been forced into policy through the executive branch in various executive orders.
4) Belief in the transforming power of religion does not trump the Establishment Clause, which is essential to the religious liberty we enjoy.
Of course, partnerships between FBOs and the government for the benefit of society can work. As Sider acknowledges, religious entities have been involved in the delivery of social services through cooperation with the government for many years. They did so in ways that protect the constitutional separation of church and state. The ōbarriersö cited by charitable choice proponents were in fact safeguards for the Constitution. While cooperation between government and religious entities is not new, the changes reflected in faith-based proposals and advanced by executive orders are a significant departure from tradition.
While religion and ōa right relationship with Godö can transform lives, such conversions should not be funded with tax dollars. Successful programs will be noticed and privately funded without violating the conscience of taxpayers.
5) SiderÆs concern with ōsecularizationö seems too narrow. The author criticizes how under the old rules of government-sectarian cooperation the granting program had to make judgments of the ōdegree of religiosity of organizations.ö He blames them for ōsecularizationö and fails to see the legal purpose of the distinctions made under the pre-charitable choice structure.
Case law frequently resorted to categories like ōsecular,ö ōreligiously motivatedö and ōpervasively sectarianö in judging the propriety of grants. Sider implicitly recognizes the importance of such distinctions when he quotes Stephen Monsma who notes there is ōa huge difference between funding a religious congregation in its core rituals and celebrations [which government should never do under our Constitution] and funding a religious groupÆs social services it is providing to the community.ö Yet Sider seems to ignore the importance of categories in providing a constitutional line in this area of public policy. Charitable choice blurs the existing lines. Giving tax dollars directly to churches invites the governmentÆs eyes into houses of worship and fundamentally changes them.
tries to prove too much. He asserts that religiously motivated
organizations that provide government social services without religious
content ōseem to embrace a deistic worldview.ö Instead, such entities act
out their faith in a way that respects religious liberty and the
importance of our Constitution. The article argues that the prior rules,
which fund only secular or religiously motivated organizations ōmake[ ]
government programs engines of secularization.ö This ignores the
uncontroversial fact that our government is secular, and our
Constitution protects against funding religion. Taking no tax dollars
leaves religious organizations truly independent and free to minister in
any way they see fit. Government neutrality does not equal hostility.
The Center for Baptist Studies, Mercer University, 1400 Coleman Avenue, Macon, GA 31207 Phone (478) 301-5457


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Tom Kacich: Survivor recalls Paxton shootout 35 years later
A lot has changed in Paxton since a notorious interstate highway shootout 35 years ago this month that left five people dead, including two police officers.
The small community hospital where some of the wounded were treated that late Saturday night has closed and now sits vacant on the town's east side, Paxton's population has dropped, its high school has been consolidated, and most of the major figures in that drama have moved away or died.
But Larry Hale, a Paxton police officer who was shot twice that night and somehow survived, still lives in Paxton and is a part-time officer there.
"You gotta do what you gotta do," said Hale, now 62, and literally a man of few words.
An officer for four years and just one week into his first marriage, Hale was working in Paxton that night when Illinois State Trooper Michael McCarter pulled over four speeding vehicles on I-57.
Hale, dealing with his own traffic violator at the time, eventually got to the scene in the southbound lanes and saw a string of vehicles parked on the side of the highway. Within minutes he was engaged in a gunfight. He was shot in the right leg and just below his heart.
He managed to shoot and mortally wound his assailant, later identified as David Lampkin of Union Pier, Mich. It was the only time in his career that Hale fired his weapon, he said.
"Most guys never get it out of their holster," Hale said.
Among those killed in the shootout were Trooper McCarter and his brother-in-law, Donald Vice; Paxton Police Officer William Caise; and two Lampkin brothers, David and Cleveland. A third Lampkin, Clyde, was never charged. The fourth, Monroe, 78, is serving a life sentence at the Stateville Correctional Center. He has been behind bars, either in jail or prison, since the day after the April 7, 1979, incident.
Hale spent the night of the shooting at the old Paxton Community Hospital. He knew as soon as it happened that he had been shot in the leg near his right knee. "It broke a bunch of bones. The doctor who worked on it said, 'You'll have problems when you get older.' And he was right," Hale said.
But the shot in the torso was a surprise, said Hale, who never lost consciousness.
"The doctor put a big, long Q-tip-like thing in there and I said, 'What are you doing?' He said, 'You got shot here.' I didn't even know it."
He was transferred the next day to Burnham City Hospital in Champaign, also closed in the intervening 35 years. Two weeks later he was out of the hospital. Six months later he was back at work.
"I never gave it a second thought. I could have taken a partial disability back then because I had a disability with my leg but I just went back to work," said Hale, who became a cop in 1973 after he befriended a Paxton officer who had given him a ticket for driving with a loud muffler.
"I think things were different back then. People worked. You had to work. You got a job and you figured, 'Well, I've got to go to work.' So that's what we did. It's a little different now where people don't seem to want to work," he said.
Hale said he's not sure where he got that attitude, but it may have been his mother's parents.
"My mom's parents were hard workers. They farmed a little place in Kentucky and yeah, they were hard-working people. There's not much good land in Kentucky," he said. "They had a little tobacco patch and they raised their own cows and pigs."
Hale said he never needed counseling, never had nightmares, and never was afraid to go back to police work, even on weekend nights.
"I don't know, just the old Kentuckian in me, I guess," said Hale. "It was just something that happened on the job. People get hurt on the job all the time.
"I think I had a mind-set that I didn't do anything wrong. They brought it to us. What I did was I just protected myself and the other guys. I didn't do anything wrong."
"Larry's old-school cop," said Paxton Police Chief Bob Bane. "He doesn't talk much about what happened."
"Larry's always been the type of guy who just took things in stride," said Jim Kingston, who was mayor of Paxton at the time and describes Hale as "a good friend."
Since the shooting Hale worked private security in Iraq for a year and has endured a very public police discipline process, and, most recently, the illness of his only son, Clayton, 25.
"It's been an interesting life," he said.
His son is doing better, although he has visits either to Carle Hospital in Urbana or Barnes Hospital in St. Louis every week.
"He's been sick almost his entire life, ever since he was about 4 months old," Hale said of Clayton. "He'd been at Barnes for six or seven months being treated for leukemia. But he's doing good now."
Five years ago Paxton officials held a short service at the city hall to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the shootout; nothing is planned this year.
"There's not too many people any more who remember it," he said. "I'll be taking my son to the hospital that day."
Tom Kacich is a News-Gazette editor and columnist. His column appears on Wednesdays and Sundays. He can be reached at 351-5221 or at email@example.com.
News-Gazette.com embraces discussion of both community and world issues. We welcome you to contribute your ideas, opinions and comments, but we ask that you avoid personal attacks, vulgarity and hate speech. We reserve the right to remove any comment at our discretion, and we will block repeat offenders' accounts. To post comments, you must first be a registered user, and your username will appear with any comment you post. Happy posting.

subset: commoncrawl


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Oh, yes, that is a hard time when you lose a beloved animal. Thanks for sharing that with us LRain, that is so sad. ::sniff::
I think we never forget the good times with them. I do miss my calico cat watching with me. I bet he had a great life.
I find those last comps interesting too, very much so, more if I care about the people.
It may be pretty quiet in the house if Jordan stays, which I hope she does. She does talk some but
seems to need a lot of time to herself.


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The Love 40 [radio1chart.co.uk] is an experimental visualization prototype by BBC Radio 1 that shows the Radio 1 Top 40 chart data supplied by the Official Chart Company.
The "Chart View" consists of a big grid of colored circles. Each circle is a unique release, and each column is a single week of the charts. New entries are shown as starbursts for the week and position they entered the chart. The size of the circles conveys how much "love" that release got, compared to all of the other releases. The current week's chart is closest to the list on the right. The releases in the current chart have a gently pulsing border: the faster one is moving, the more "love" the release is receiving. Users can hover over a circle to see the title and artist, and see how that release has moved around the chart by a continuous ribbon.
The "Love View" shows the Top 40 most loved releases for this week. Users can click on a circle to go to the "Detail View", to explore that release's history, which DJs love it, and how much love it actually has been getting.
Via Flowing Data.


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Hiring the Best Wrongful Death Attorney
It is hard having to deal with the loss of a loved one which could have been avoided. In many situations when a loved one is lost as a result of negligence or abuse of another person, it becomes crucial for you to file a claim for wrongful death. You should hire a wrongful death attorney when you end up in this sort of scenario.
Getting an organization to provide compensation for their mistake and to admit wrong doing, or proving negligence can be very challenging. It isn't a scenario you want to undertake all on your own. Since these people will have their own set of legal defense and corporate lawyers, you will not stand a chance on your own in court. You are ensuring your case is correctly heard and not ignored or delayed by hiring a wrongful death lawyer.
It is never a happy situation when you lose someone which you care about due to the incompetence of somebody else. You have every right to seek justice and receive some kind of reparation for their error. Why should they get off free without even a slap on the wrist to help prevent someone else from becoming a victim? At least there is a thing that can be done about it, although it isn't really fair to begin with that you need to go through this. You'll not just be presenting your case against the wrongdoer by enlisting the services of a wrongful death attorney; you'll also be protecting your loved one's memory.
Smart Tips For Uncovering Attorneys
It is important that you simply hire an experienced and reputable lawyer for the case. Corporations often have lawyers that can cause all types of delays for you personally. The longer they can draw your case out, the less likely they will need to pay. This also raises the odds of the case dropping. Do not become a victim of not being prepared for litigation as a result of not having the appropriate legal counsel. You have your doubts concerning what actually happened to your loved one and the moment this scenario presents itself, hire a wrongful death attorney.
The Essential Laws of Lawyers Explained
You desire to give you and your family the best chance possible if you are going up against an organization. What this means is that you need the attorney to plan the best strategy, an attorney that understands the laws and can interpret them. By making an excellent strategy and sticking to it, they are able to direct you through the entire litigation procedure. Going into this case blindly will be a bad decision. With an excellent legal team, you are able to go into this litigation with your eyes open and knowledgeable about what's happening.
It is possible to rely on your lawyer to advise you on what must be done and how your case is proceeding at any specified time, when you're in doubt about the best way to go in a wrongful death scenario.


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Rep. Eric Cantor - Virginia District 07
In the News
Original reporting and analysis from our OpenSecrets Blog.
Boehner raised nearly $100 million over career, gave much of it to party and candidates
September 25, 2015
Whatever else is said about him, you can't say he didn't share. Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) raised $97 million for his House campaigns and leadership PAC from the time he received his first donations in 1989, Center for Responsive Politics data shows — far more than any other sitting House member. Only Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Lamar…
Independence Day is just around the corner, and families across America will be in search of fun (and maybe even educational) activities to participate in over the weekend. For anyone in Philadelphia — where both the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution were approved and signed, a good place to start would be the National…
Meet Bobby Jindal's money man
June 29, 2015
Louisiana governor-turned-2016 GOP presidential contender Bobby Jindal may not rank high in the polls, but he does have one thing going for him: a super PAC headed by a former member of Congress and longtime lobbyist who knows firsthand a few things about money in politics. Bob Livingston, who chairs the pro-Jindal super PAC Believe Again…
Former members of the 113th Congress have embarked on various new adventures since their defeats, retirements or departures for other reasons: Some are teaching, others are pondering away at think tanks, a couple are embedded in corporate culture, a few are even enjoying their freedom and sleeping a little later every morning. Not surprisingly, though,…
OpenSecrets.org Unveils New Section on Expenditures
February 11, 2015
We have no idea how many jobs are generated by federal elections, but we do know that some individuals and firms make a very good living from modern political campaigns. In fact, we can tell you just how well certain media companies, consultants, pollsters and others in the "election-industrial complex" are doing. In the 2014…
Wall Street's Investments in Deregulation
January 14, 2015
Wall Street did its part to make 2014 the most expensive midterm election ever, outpacing its 2010 total and once again putting the bulk of its financial muscle behind GOP candidates and groups. Donors from the securities and investment industry, otherwise known as Wall Street, contributed a total of $184 million to candidates, parties and outside…
Less than two months after spending $2 million to be re-elected to the House of Representatives, Rep. Michael Grimm (R-N.Y.) announced he would resign his Staten Island seat. In April 2014, Grimm was indicted on 20 counts alleging various frauds; he pleaded guilty to a single felony charge on Dec. 23. Grimm first came under scrutiny when…
Six of the top 10 House candidates drawing money from Wall Street in the 2014 cycle are Republicans, showing the industry is sticking with its recent preference for the GOP. House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has received more money in campaign contributions from the securities and investment industry than any other House candidate this cycle.…
Dave Brat's New Buddies
October 17, 2014
It appears Dave Brat has given up running on a shoestring for a new pair of Air Jordans. The Republican nominee for Virginia's 7th District congressional seat became a political celebrity overnight by defeating House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in a June 10th primary — despite a multimillion dollar fundraising disadvantage. The tea party-supported Brat…
A Well-Oiled Pipeline Brings Party Cash to Nebraska House Race
September 25, 2014
In the Second District of Nebraska, a state that would be crossed by the controversial Keystone XL pipeline, an influx of cash from the national parties is adding fuel to the fire of a competitive House race. Eight-term incumbent Rep. Lee Terry (R) is facing one of the biggest challenges of his career in State Sen. Brad Ashford.…
Feel free to distribute or cite this material, but please credit the Center for Responsive Politics. For permission to reprint for commercial uses, such as textbooks, contact the Center: info[at]crp.org


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We're starting to hear more about how vitamin D is an important nutrient. But are our vitamin D levels affected by our genes?
For a while now we've been told to stay out of the sun, and that if we do wander out we should wear protection: sun block, a hat, long-sleeved shirts, a tarp…
All of this is supposed to prevent skin cancer.
Don't get me wrong — I do all these things, but I'm starting to wonder if we've gone overboard.
You see, sunlight is one of the best sources for vitamin D. Low levels of vitamin D have been linked to cancers, inflammatory disorders, autoimmune diseases, psychiatric diseases, abdominal obesity, high blood pressure and raised triglycerides with low HDL levels [1-5].
Wow, it's like low vitamin D gives you a disease of the everything.
Vitamin D in our bodies
In figure 1 you can see how your body makes vitamin D.
- It starts by absorbing UVB rays (from the sun) via the skin.
- Through a series of biochemical reactions, your body converts vitamin D into 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and then into 1 a,25-dihydroxyvitamin D or [a-25(OH)D].
- After that, it goes off to the intestines, bones and immune system (to name a few) to keep everything working properly.
It turns out that 1 a,25-dihydroxyvitamin D is important in preventing cancer. It suppresses cancer tumor growth and cancers like prostate, colon, breast cancer to name a few [6-9].
Research question
Great, just as us northerners enter into winter with the days getting shorter and getting even less sun exposure, I tell you sunlight is good.
But is there more to the story than just how much vitamin D you make from the sun or eat in your diet?
For example, is there a genetic component to our vitamin D status?
Some studies have found the skin color affects how much vitamin D someone can make.
People with darker skin make less vitamin D. The theory is that people with darker skin traditionally lived in areas that were sunny year round. Thus, they didn't need to be so efficient at converting sunlight to vitamin D. Their bodies had to worry more about absorbing too much solar radiation, thus they produced more melanin (skin pigment) to protect themselves.
On the other hand, people with lighter skin lived in areas with less sun year round, so they needed to be more efficient at making vitamin D from the little sun they got.
But let's say we're not comparing dark to light skin, or Ethiopians to Scandinavians, but people with the same geographic-ethnic background and skin tone. Is there a gene that helps people have more vitamin D?
This week's review look at how genetic differences change vitamin D levels in the body.
Sinotte M, Diorio C, Bérubé S, Pollak M, Brisson J. Genetic polymorphisms of the vitamin D binding protein and plasma concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in premenopausal women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Feb;89(2):634-40
Blood samples and anthropometric measurements were taken from 783 premenopausal women during their routine mammogram (mammography) screening. Of the 783 women, 741 of them approved genetic tests that checked for a vitamin D metabolite.
Average age of these volunteers was 46.8 years old, their BMI was 25.2 (falling in the overweight category) and their physical activity levels were 27.1 MET-hour/week.
What is a MET?
MET stands for metabolic equivalent task.
One MET is your resting metabolic rate that you get when you sit quietly. When you're sleeping, your MET is 0.9 and if you're running at 17.5km/h (10.9 mph) then your MET is 18.
One MET-hour is the equivalent of the energy expended by the body during one hour of rest. You can accumulate several MET hours of exercise during one actual hour. For example:
- 5 MET hours per week vigorous exercise is the equivalent of 45 minutes per week.
- 5 MET hours per week walking is the equivalent of 1.5 hours brisk walking per week.[10]
Geographic location
All this testing happened in Quebec City, Canada between February and December 2001, which is important because the amount of vitamin D metabolite (and vitamin D) in the blood samples would vary as the daylight lengthens (from February to June 21) and shortens (from June 21 to December).
Since Quebec City is at a latitude of 46.8°North (according to Google Maps) then the longest day would have 16 hours of daylight and the shortest day would have under 9 hours of daylight. June 21 is the longest day and December 21 is the shortest (in the northern hemisphere). At this latitude, there is a good 7 hours of difference in daylight between the longest and the shortest day!
If you go far enough North — or South for that matter — you can go for months without sunlight, or conversely with the sun blazing at all hours.
While it's pretty obvious that not seeing the sun for a few months is going to make your vitamin D levels plummet (unless you're supplementing or eating vitamin D-rich foods like cod liver) less significant changes also impact vitamin D levels.
Vitamin D metabolite
The researchers tested for the vitamin D metabolite 25(OH)D. Why not test for vitamin D? Well, vitamin D is quickly converted into 25(OH)D in the liver; thus testing for 25(OH)D gives you a better idea of how much vitamin D was absorbed by the body.
DNA testing
Researchers also tested for the Vitamin D binding protein (DBP) gene .
DBP attaches to vitamin D in the circulation and transports vitamin D (see Figure 1, above). What exactly DBP does with vitamin D is a bit foggy, but we do know that about 90% of vitamin D is attached to DBP.
Basically, the researchers had a hunch that different versions of DBP would change how much vitamin D would be floating around in the blood.
The researchers isolated DNA from the blood collected and checked to see what "flavour" (technically, SNPs — single nucleotide polymorphisms) of DBP each participant had, if any. The two flavours were rs7041 and rs4588 (both are rare).
Vitamin D levels and the seasons
Blood samples collected in the summer and winter had the highest and lowest 25(OH)D levels respectively.
Women's blood samples from the summer were 21.7 nmol/L or 38% higher than those in the winter!
Women with SNPs rs7041 and rs4588 have lower vitamin D
Yup, the researchers' hunch was right, but only partially. The women with one of the two SNPs had lower levels of vitamin D (actually 25(OH)D) in the summer.
These SNPs explained 25 (OH)D levels more than vitamin D intake (from diet and supplementation)… but only from May to October. From November to April, when 25(OH)D levels are lowest, these SNPs weren't correlated to 25(OH)D levels.
Vitamin D levels fluctuate seasonally. Months with little sunlight (winter in northern latitudes) have the lowest levels of vitamin D.
There is a least one genetic component to vitamin D metabolism: DBP genetic mutations (SNPs rs7041 and rs4588).
Both mutations are correlated to lower levels of the vitamin D metabolite 25(OH)D in the summer months. But these mutations didn't correlate to vitamin D metabolism in the winter – when vitamin D levels are already low.
Bottom line
Years of lower vitamin D levels because of genetic mutation may increase the chance of getting certain cancers.
Supplementing with vitamin D or increasing sun exposure could be helpful for people with these mutations.
By boosting vitamin D with supplementation, carriers of the mutation could reduce the risks associated with low vitamin D.
But — and this is a big but — this is one study and the differences in vitamin D were only in the summer when there was the most sunlight and vitamin D. If the differences were year-round or in the winter when vitamin D levels are already low, then I could see this as more of a problem.
So regardless of whether you have a genetic mutation in your DBP gene, I'd suggest you get more sunlight or supplement in the winter.
One thing is clear – vitamin D levels drop in the winter and vitamin D is good for more than just bone health.
Click here to view the information sources referenced in this article.
Eat, move, and live…better.
The health and fitness world can sometimes be a confusing place. But it doesn't have to be.
Let us help you make sense of it all with this free special report.
In it you'll learn the best eating, exercise, and lifestyle strategies – unique and personal – for you.


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U.S. stocks opened higher Thursday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average surging above the 17,000 mark for the first time, boosted by stronger-than-expected U.S. nonfarm payrolls report for June.
The blue-chip Dow and the S&P 500 also renewed their all-time intraday highs immediately after the opening bell and were on track to end the holiday-shortened week at record highs.
U.S. nonfarm payroll employment increased by 288,000 in June, the fifth consecutive month with job gains above 200,000, said the Labor Department Thursday. The fresh data was much higher than economists' expectations.
Meanwhile, the unemployment rate unexpectedly declined from 6.3 percent to 6.1 percent in June, the department added.
The jobs gain in June reflected that "the labor market remains surprisingly and resiliently strong," said the Conference Board, a private research group based in New York, in a note Thursday.
"This is not just catch up after a bad winter. It also reflects some gathering strength in the economy," it added.
Due to the fast improving labor market and firming inflation, J.P. Morgan economists are pulling forward their projection for the Federal Reserve's tightening.
Michael Feroli, chief U.S. economist at J.P. Morgan, said Thursday that they now see lift-off of the federal funds rate occurring in the third quarter of 2015 rather than the fourth quarter of 2015 and expect the funds rate at 1.0 percent for year-end 2015 and 2.5 percent for 2016.
The Labor Department also reported that the number of Americans who initially applied for jobless benefits slightly increased 2,000 to a seasonally adjusted 315,000 in the week ending June 28, in line with market forecast.
Shortly after the opening bell, the Dow jumped 65.20 points, or 0.38 percent, to 17,041.44. The S&P 500 rose 7.32 point, or 0.37 percent, to 1,981.94. The Nasdaq Composite Index added 15.36 points, or 0.34 percent, to 4,473.09.
GMT 11:50 2017 Tuesday ,21 NovemberEuropean stocks shrug off Germany's political woes
GMT 03:59 2017 Tuesday ,21 NovemberWeekly inflation decreases by 0.88%
GMT 23:50 2017 Monday ,20 NovemberBahrain Bourse daily trading performance
GMT 14:54 2017 Sunday ,19 NovemberBahrain Bourse daily trading performance
GMT 03:16 2017 Saturday ,18 NovemberAsian markets head for positive end to volatile week
GMT 11:57 2017 Friday ,17 NovemberUS stocks boosted by solid Wal-Mart, Cisco earnings
GMT 06:51 2017 Friday ,17 NovemberBahrain Bourse daily trading performance
GMT 03:57 2017 Thursday ,16 NovemberStock markets retreat as oil slides


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Validea's pick of the week provides a detailed report on a company that scores well in the stock-screening service's model portfolios. On Validea.ca, investors can analyze 1,000 Canadian stocks through 12 different guru-based models and get individual reports on each company. Globe Investor has a distribution agreement with Validea.ca. Try it.
California-based Robert Half International, founded in 1948, was the world's first specialized staffing firm. Today it is its largest, offering professional consulting and staffing services. It is also the parent company of Protiviti, a global consulting firm that helps companies solve problems in finance, technology, operations, governance, risk and internal audit. RHI has staffing and consulting operations in more than 400 locations across the globe and has a market cap of $6.3-billion (U.S.).
Robert Half has a 12-month relative strength of 73 and a price/sales ratio of 1.46, a combination that helps it get strong interest from the James O'Shaughnessy-based growth model. The O'Shaughnessy-based strategy also likes that it has upped EPS in each year of the past half-decade.
RHI has grown EPS at a 43-per-cent pace over the long term (using an average of the 3-, 4- and 5-year EPS growth rates), which the Peter Lynch based model likes. It has 0.56 P/E-to-growth ratio, helping it get strong interest from the Lynch model.
The company has just $1.3-million in long-term debt versus $650-million in net current assets, which the Benjamin Graham-based model likes. It has strong 53.5-per-cent return on capital (using EBIT/tangible capital employed). It has a 2.2 current ratio, a sign of good liquidity, according to the Graham-based approach.
Robert Half International gets some interest from the Kenneth Fisher-based model, which likes its strong growth, reasonable debt, positive ($1.21) free cash per share, and 5.0-per-cent three-year average net profit margins. The company also has a trailing 12-month return on equity of 29 per cent.
John Reese is long RHI.
Click here for a complete breakdown of Validea's investing guru report.
Read other research reports here.


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Customer Reviews
What You'll Get
Hundred-degree heat adds a challenging dimension to a body-sculpting practice such as yoga or ice carving. Get a chiseled look with this Groupon.
Choose Between Two Options
- $55 for 10 yoga classes (up to a $125 value)
- $99 for two months of unlimited yoga classes (up to a $300 value)<p>
For the first option, all 10 classes must be used within a five-week period. Customers can choose from classes that combine elements of hatha and flow yoga in rooms heated to temperatures of 80, 90, or 105 degrees.
The Fine Print
Promotional value expires Sep 18, 2013. Amount paid never expires. Limit 1 per person, may buy 5 additional as gifts. Limit 1 per visit. New clients only or those who have not visited since 9/1/12. Valid only for option purchased. Must be 18 or older. Must sign waiver. Merchant is solely responsible to purchasers for the care and quality of the advertised goods and services.
About Evolation Yoga
The instructors at Evolation Yoga help their students achieve greater health and centeredness with a unique blend of hot yoga and meditation. Rather than subscribing entirely to the tenets of Bikram yoga, they incorporate other yogic styles for a more fluid approach that's accessible to all students. To achieve the best results, they lead classes in studios heated to keep the mug of tea balanced on each student's head piping hot. They also organize regular workshops and events at each of the studio's more than 30 locations throughout the United States, Costa Rica, Colombia, Europe, and Australia.


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Dubba Gs Biker Business: Wounded Warriors And (Sexy) Motocross Ed [VIDEO]
The weekend's here and there's riding to do!
Got a couple of things for you to see and do this weekend.
First, the "to do" part!
Join the 1st Armored Division Riders tomorrow for their first annual run to benefit the Wounded Warriors Program! Being for the benefit of our wounded soldiers makes this run pretty damn important. Given the scope of the miltarys involvement with El Paso and the Borderland; it becomes even more imprtant.
Registration is at Casa Ford on Montana tomorrow (8/11/12) from 9:30am to 11:00am. Stop #2 is Plainview Lakes and the last stop is the Livery Stable located at 894 Horizon Blvd in Horizon.
Food, drinks, door prizes, an auction and live rock from Alexx await you at the end. Hope to see everyone out for this GREAT cause!
Second, the "to see" part! I introduced you last week to a series of AWESOME intro to motocross videos "taught" by Miss Supercross 2012. (Dianna Dahlgren!) I said I would bring you lesson 2 as soon as possible and here it is!
(Ok, ok. In all honesty, you may not learn a whole lot about motocross. Watch it anyway; trust me!)
Subscribe to KLAQ El Paso on
You're welcome. Ride Safe!


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"On Wednesday, August 19th, 2009 I had a doctor's appointment to find out the sex of our third child. Ryan met me at the doctor's office and we went right in to get the ultrasound. Everything looked so good, except I noticed a big black circle on the ultrasound screen. I asked the nurse nonchalantly what that was, and she said …"I don't know" I asked the tech if it was normal and she said no. It was then, that my world started to crumble around me. I knew something was wrong, but to what extent I wasn't sure.
After the tech was done, I was sent to see my OB. He sat me down in the exam room and told me that he didn't know exactly what this was, but that it was going significantly affect this pregnancy. My doctor was immediately on the phone with a specialist and I was scheduled to see him two days later.
We went Friday to see the specialist and he sat us down and he said that our situation was grave and that the condition our baby had was incompatible with life. He told us that the urethra didn't develop properly, and because of it the bladder wasn't draining properly causing there to be no amniotic fluid around the baby.
He told us we had a few options, one being an experimental surgery but my baby's kidneys had to look good. So the next step was to test the kidneys, and the tests came back inconclusive. One said they were damaged and the other test said they were ok. Because the tests were inconclusive we weren't sure if surgery was the right route.
So we were left with options that pained my heart. We could give the surgery a shot but he didn't recommend it or we could do a do a D&C, or wait until our baby passed on his own, or we could go to the hospital and be induced.
We went to the temple to find some clarity and peace on what we were supposed to do. When I walked into those temple doors I knew that I was supposed to say goodbye and the only way I could see was being induced.
I went in at 8:00 am on August 30th thinking I would be there for a few days but my sweet Skyler was born sleeping at 7:38 p.m that night. It was a very painful day, both physically and emotionally.
Both mine and Ryan's family were all there at the hospital when Skyler was born and I am grateful for the love and support that I felt from all of our family. I felt that same support when they were there making diapers in honor of Skyler's 5th angel birthday." ~Abby Graham, angel mother to Skyler Jack Graham
Stockinette Hats
Please read this entire page before embarking on a hat-making project!
Stockinette tubing, in desired size,
narrow ribbon,
small, clear hair elastics (optional)
measure tape/ruler embellishments (OPTIONAL, NOT REQUIRED AT ALL, we recommend against embellishments for large groups)
fabric glue (if adding embellishments)
First cut your stockinette to the required length (See below).* If cut too short, the hats will be unusable. Please make sure to cut accurately.*
*Cutting guideline for different sizes:
2" width- cut 8" this size will fit 14-17 week babies (small mini-blankets)
3" width - cut 11" and will fit 17 - 23 week babies (for small Teeny Tears diapers, layettes and large mini-blanket sets)
4" width - cut 16" and will fit 24 - 32 week babies (matches large Teeny Tears diapers and layettes.)
Fold cut stockinette piece in half, insert thumb into one side of folded stockinette, hold other side with other fingers.
With opposite hand grab folded edge where thumb is placed and pull it over to the opposite side where other fingers are. Fold Like you are folding a pair of socks. Pull raw edges together and even out.
You should have a raw edge and one that is finished off like pictured to the right.
Next turn hat upright and gather the fabric at the top of hat. Secure with clear small hair elastic. Please do not use colored elastics or loom bands. (Alternatively, you can use a clothespin to hold the fabric together before ribboning instead of using clear elastics!)
***Please remember to donate 2 identically matching hats per family so that one may stay with the baby and the other may be kept by the family in a memory box.
All done! So cute!
Ordering information for stockinette
Claflin is the best source we have for orders over $100. We've arranged a discount with them for Teeny Tears volunteers, their price per box with this discount is the best we have. For bulk orders, please contact email@example.com for ordering assistance and special pricing. (When ordering in bulk quantity, it is recommended to make your order at least one month before your event.)
Mountainside Medical offers very competitive prices on the stockinette. They are currently the least expensive option for smaller orders of stockinette ($6.25 for 2", $8.10 for 3", and $10.25 for 4", per box of 25 yards). They have reasonable shipping rates. You can order online at http://www.mountainside-medical.com/cotton-tubular-stockinette-non-sterile.html Please keep in mind when ordering stockinette in cotton the color is beige, in synthetic it is white. (The Teeny Tears headquarters team has a preference for white stockinette. It is easier to match up with existing clothing donations and the fabric is just as soft as the cotton). Please put "Teeny Tears" in the company field of the order form.
ProMed offers a discount for Teeny Tears Volunteers on all stockinette with no minimum purchase. Orders can be placed via email or over the phone. Their customer service is excellent. They offer white, beige, pink or blue stockinette in lengths of 25 yards or 50 yards. They charge shipping based on weight and distance and only charge you what it will cost them to ship it to you. Email email@example.com for ProMed's price list and contact information.
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Michael Winnick's "Shadow Puppets" has a killer premise, one of those high-concept pitches that, had I heard it, would have bought in a second. The plot of "Puppets" is similar to films like Vincenzo Natali's "Cube", or more recently, the Jim Caviezel picture "Unknown". It concerns seven strangers who wake up in an abandoned facility somewhere underground, with no memories of who they are, or how they got there. Their only choice is to search for a way out; to make matters worst, there seems to be a supernatural creature lurking in the shadows, and it likes the taste of human blood.
DVD sales for "Shadow Puppets" should be reasonably brisk, given the presence of three notable genre names: Jolene Blalock, fresh from "Enterprise", is the female lead, assisted by James Marsters, Spike of "Buffy" fame, and the always enjoyable Tony Todd, doing another one of his off-the-wall psycho characters. Winnick keeps the film moving along at a nice pace, opening with Blalock's Kate locked in a brightly lit cell, from which she wanders out to meet her fellow inmates. Are they prisoners? Mental patients? Or were they the product of some awful experiment gone awry? And why exactly are they all dressed in skimpy underoos?
Unfortunately for the seven strangers (an eighth person is found in a chair, brain dead), they were victims of a mind wipe that has cleaned out all memories of their identities, but left behind whatever skill sets they possessed. Which doesn't really come in all that handy when a black cloud apparition begins stalking them, taking shape and killing them one by one. As their identities are revealed through various discoveries, it soon becomes clear that one of them is not whom they claim to be, and that uncovering the deception before the creature gets to them might be the only way to stay alive.
Written and directed by Michael Winnick, "Shadow Puppets" maintains an excellent storyline right up to the final 20 minutes or so, when the film invariably has to swallow a little bit of cheese in order to provide a, to put it mildly, silly conclusion. Up until that point, "Puppets" is a nicely paced and acted movie, with plenty of thrills and chills to set the table for an excellent ending. The film never reaches that promise land, helped in no small part by a ridiculously rendered "shadow creature" that is likely to elicit giggles in the audience instead of fear. Am I really supposed to be afraid of this thing, with its Predator POV shots, growling and knife soundtrack? If the creature is made purely of abstract darkness, why does it even generate sound to begin with?
But nevermind all that.
"Shadow Puppets" has enough good things going for it in the early parts to wrestle a recommendation from me. It's an engaging film for much of its running time, with a fine effort by Jolene Blalock, who carries the film like a champ. (And yes, she does look fine in that barely-there undies. See pictures.) James Marsters, sans fangs, does well as Jack, even though the script gives Jack way too little to do until the Third Act. Marc Winnick as Charlie and Diahnna Nicole Baxter as Stacy provide the extra potential bodycount fodder, while Natasha Alam oozes sex as a slightly oft-kilter survivor who may not be who she claims.
I can already see "Shadow Puppets" being promoted as an Sci Fi Channel Original Movie. It's got all the staples of the cable channel's M.O.: horror mixed with sci-fi, creature action, a moderate production budget, and easily identifiable genre names. And it's not as if the film is too violent, or indeed too gory, to show on basic cable. I don't foresee a lot of editing, as the film is relatively tame. I'd slap it with a PG-13 if not for a couple of violent stabbings and nudity by Alam during a pool scene.
If you get a chance to catch "Shadow Puppets" on DVD, do so.
Michael Winnick (director) / Michael Winnick (screenplay)
CAST: Jolene Blalock … Kate
Tony Todd … Steve
James Marsters … Jack
Marc Winnick … Charlie
Natasha Alam … Amber
Diahnna Nicole Baxter … Stacy
Richard Whiten … Dave
Jennie Ford … Melissa


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The hedgerow bottoms are still quite bare, but new growth is thrusting up. Nettle shoots compete with arums and docks. Umbellifers, that will soon stand waist high, are beginning to spread over the recumbent celandine.
The path through the wood is obstructed by a number of fallen trees, brought down by the recent high winds, made vulnerable by the encasing ivy. Where the wood is bordered by open ground, there are drifts of the common lichen evernia prunastri. Fronds, torn from their moorings on the trees by the wind, have been cast adrift like salt spray on the shore.
Patches of snowdrops flourish close to the path. The daffodil wood already has its welcome party out.


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Tagged: custom fields, sleekside, slide image
August 5, 2010 at 1:20 pm #554
I had an issue today pop in creating a new post within the latest WordPress update and using the Sleekside Theme. I was trying to enable an image for the slideshow by using the custom field of big_preview with the appropriate image link for the value. When I clicked update to make the slide image take on the home page, it erases the settings in the custom field area and no custome field update is made. The new post content works fine but no slide image. Is this an issue created by the new update? If so, can the code be adjusted behind the scenes directly outside of WordPress? Any assist or info is greatly appreciated. Site: ironicdesign.us
JonAugust 5, 2010 at 2:54 pm #31913
Interesting, I've checked the site and all the images seem to be loading fine.
Which slide are you having problems with?
JamesAugust 5, 2010 at 10:05 pm #31914
Thanks for the reply, James. All the slides currently up before the latest WP update worked fine and still seem to be fine. What I'm seeing happens in the back end when trying to set up the image that feeds into the slideshow. The custom field information gets erased when the update button is clicked on the post page. The post seems to be fine. All the text content loads perfectly and the text for the slide show will load up on the home page as expected but no images. For some reason, the custom field input info on the post page isn't sticking around after the Update button is clicked. Very strange as I've had very little problems with the theme at all since purchase. Any ideas or work arounds certainly welcome.
BTW I had an idea earlier today to try duplicating a post that already worked in the slideshow feed and simply change the images out. Same result. Something bizarre with the custom fields…August 7, 2010 at 10:35 am #31915
Can you set me up a WordPress admin account and email the details to support {at} jamesmorrisondesign {dot} com with the subject:
Kriesi | Sleekside | imdcoop | Sleekside Custom Fields
and I'll take a look.
The topic 'Sleekside Custom Fields' is closed to new replies.


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After seeing this product on a while ago on Channel Five's The Gadget Show I proceeded to buying one after they tested it to within an inch of it's life.
According to the Pretec website the USB Stick is constructed with double layers of metal protection making it capable of sealing the drive from water or fire from damaging the internal circuit and even shielding the dive from a heavy impact such as a drop onto a hard surface or the impact of a bullet. Although I have not had to test any of this out myself yet I believe that some of these claims may be slightly exaggerated. But nonetheless it will protect your files from spills, maybe slight submersion and drops.
The chrome USB stick is stylish with a pattern made up of primitive tribal stick figures going around the stick in a band. It has a key ring and clip attached to the to so that it can be truly portable, and be attached to most things.
One gripe I have with this product is that, although durable and rugged when you want to use it you have to screw the USB Drive part out, so the top remains on your keychain and you are left with the actual USB drive (the part with the tribal men) in your hand. This means that it is extremely easy to forget about, this is especially a problem when in a public place such as an office, school or library.
The product feels well made, solid and extremely durable, and it's priced reasonably compared to other USB Drives. This would make a great little present for anyone!
'Bulletproof' - a word not normally associated with the world of data storage - but that's what the 'Pretec i-Disk Bulletproof Flash Drive' claims to be.
Costing only £12.90 from Amazon for the 2GB version, the small chrome device is certain to look after your valuable files. Not only will it apparently survive being shot at, it should also continue to function if it's unlucky enough to be submerged in water or dropped from a great height - impressive stuff.
In terms of its appearance, the product looks fairly classy with its solid metal shell adorned with a 'totem' pattern. Attached to the removable top end is a keychain which makes transporting the device a doddle. Supporting both USB 2.0 and USB 1.1, the I-Disk feels weighty and well made.
So are there any downsides, or is this the ultimate flash memory drive? Well, the only potential drawback I found, is that if you have a device with a deeply recessed USB port, you may find this product difficult to attach - apart from that, it functions beautifully.
The i-Disk is certainly no slouch when transferring data - it has a 20MB/sec read speed and 12MB/sec write speed - which is quick enough to satisfy most users. These impressive stats are the same on the 1, 4 and 8GB models which are also available from a range of retailers.
In conclusion, the Pretec I-Disk Bulletproof is a very impressive product. It looks great and will give you peace of mind due to its strong and secure nature. For the price it can't be beaten, and should continue to work if you accidentally drop it into a puddle - what more do you want! :)


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'Morning after' drink drive campaign launches
4:28pm Friday 30th May 2014
4:28pm Friday 30th May 2014
A 'MORNING after' the night before drink drive campaign is launching in Gloucestershire this weekend.
Gloucestershire Road Safety Partnership is urging drivers and riders to stop and think about the amount of alcohol still in their body the morning after the night before.
The campaign, which launches on Sunday, targets drinkers who do not realise the time it takes for the alcohol to leave their body and who might get up to drive to work or go the shops the following morning.
Councillor Will Windsor-Clive, cabinet member for road safety, said: "Many of us enjoy a relaxing summer drink or a big night out every so often. The majority of people do the right thing by leaving the car at home, but what they don't realise is the amount of alcohol that remains in the body through to the following day – and especially during the morning rush hour."
According to the Department of Transport, one unit of alcohol takes the body an hour to break down.
This would mean a person drinking three large glasses of wine in an evening who stops drinking at midnight should not drive for 13 hours, or until 1pm the following day.
To support the campaign, posters will be displayed in pubs and clubs, messages posted on fuel pump nozzles and adverts will appear on the radio.
Garry Handley, Road Safety Manager for the Gloucestershire Road Safety Partnership, said: "Although the number of people drinking and driving has reduced significantly in recent years, it still remains a serious road safety problem.
"Around 1,000 local drivers are arrested and convicted every year, and they have to live with the personal and social consequences of their actions.
"Tragically of course, for some, lives are lost and people harmed."
© Copyright 2001-2017 Newsquest Media Group


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Brownie girls from across Mytholmroyd, Ripponden, Sowerby Bridge, Halifax and Elland took part in a huge sleepover at the Magna Science Adventure Centre to mark 100 years of Brownies.
The Brownies, aged seven to 10, joined more than 400 girls to celebrate The Big Brownie Birthday, which seen girls from all over the country travelling to the event.
The girls took part in a range of exciting activities, including a 'kitchen sink' show where they tried hands-on science activities using everyday materials in weird and wacky ways to create an explosive finish.
All the activities were drawn from the Brownie Adventure programme aim to build girls' confidence and self-esteem and encourages them to become active citizens.
Amelia, from first Pellon Brownies, said: "It was a really exciting weekend with lots for us to do. I really enjoyed the different parts of the museum with my friends and playing in the water park. Thank you to our leaders for taking us, it was so much fun."
Sarah Rochford, Brownie leader, said: "It was one tiring weekend but a once in a lifetime experience for many of the girls. The time and planning was worth it to see so many happy faces enjoying themselves. Our Brownies favourite part was seeing the kitchen sink."


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At Philips Healthcare, we are dedicated to creating the future of health care and saving lives. We develop innovative solutions across the continuum of care in partnership with clinicians and our customers to improve patient outcomes, provide better value and expand access to care. Philips is a world leader in cardiology, and with a strong presence in cardio-pulmonary care, oncology and mammography, we are well positioned to help clinicians diagnose, treat and manage today's most prevalent diseases such as congestive heart failure, breast cancer and other cancers, respiratory and other coronary artery diseases as quickly, effectively and efficiently as possible. Our focus is on understanding the continuum of care from hospital to home – choosing to participate in the areas where we can add significant value.
In creating the future of health care, we focus on the unmet needs of the healthcare provider, the patient, and his or her family, in order to deliver innovations that matter to you. The most urgent ones to address across the globe include:
Solution options that we actively explore include…
We always remember that there is a patient connected to everything we do – we hope you share our passion and look forward to your ideas.
Could you have the next winning innovation?
Find out by entering your big idea in the Philips Innovation Open competition.
Learn more about the Innovation Open.
Or, continue to SimplyInnovate, our ongoing initiative for sharing your ideas.
At Philips, we know that innovation can come from anywhere. That's why we're always looking for partners with whom we can collaborate - to combine knowledge in new ways and create new synergies. If you have a potentially winning innovation that addresses an unmet need, we want to hear from you.
Perhaps you have developed a new product that could benefit from our extensive supply and distribution network or marketing expertise. Or maybe you have a piece of new technology that will improve one of our existing products. Or even a business model innovation that could improve the way we do business.
We are open to all ideas and suggestions. Together we can create innovative and meaningful solutions.
We are a global company with over 120 years experience. We can leverage this history and our huge international network, resources and expertise to transform your ideas into innovative products or meaningful business model innovations. We understand product development and know how to market an idea, and we may be able to help you turn your ideas into a reality.
Define your idea
When developing your idea, it helps to try to think about the entire proposition, including elements such as how it will work, how it will be used, and which unmet consumer need it will satisfy. Your idea may be similar to others that we have already developed independently, and we want to avoid any misunderstanding around ownership. For that reason, we recommend that you first protect your idea with a patent (application) or other intellectual property right.
Submit your idea
First we will ask you a few questions to help us understand your idea. The quality and accuracy of the information you provide is crucial for us to successfully evaluate your idea. Please submit only NON-confidential information.
Confirmation and additional information
After you have submitted your idea, you'll receive an email confirmation right away. If we need to know more to help us assess your idea, we may contact you for additional non-confidential information.
We will email you with the outcome after your idea has been evaluated by our innovation teams. We endeavour to respond to each submission within six weeks.


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Before taking his wife out for her first glimpse of Tucson since Jan. 8, Mark Kelly stuffed his pockets with Kleenex.
It was a good thing he did.
One of the first things Gabrielle Giffords noticed during a ride downtown Saturday was a message on the marquee of the Rialto Theatre.
"We love you Gabby," she blurted from her seat in their SUV, reading the sign aloud.
Her eyes misted. Kelly reached into his pocket.
It was one of several times he would do so during the congresswoman's first trip home since she was shot in the head at a constituent event early this year.
The trip was good medicine for his wife, said Kelly, a space shuttle astronaut.
"After everything she's been through, this was a milestone. It was motivational for her to drive through the district and see some of the people she represents and see how things are."
The visit was bittersweet, though, Kelly said, because after five-plus months away, two days didn't seem like nearly enough time to reconnect.
"She had mixed emotions about it. She was happy to come back but at the same time, it was only for a weekend."
When the trip was over, "I was a little concerned I'd have a hard time getting her back on the plane."
The trek to her hometown was one of the first things on Giffords' to-do list after being released Wednesday from a rehabilitation hospital in Houston.
Two days later, the couple - and an entourage that included Giffords' parents, one of Kelly's daughters, a private nurse and a U.S. Capitol Police security detail - were on a private jet borrowed from friends.
Before landing at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, the aircraft circled the Monument Fire near Sierra Vista, part of her congressional district.
Giffords wanted to "see firsthand the devastation down there near Fort Huachuca," Kelly said.
Once in Tucson, the couple split most of their time between Giffords' parents' house and Giffords' midtown home, he said.
On Friday night, they got Mexican takeout for dinner from Milagros Cafe at East Fort Lowell and North Country Club roads.
On Saturday afternoon, they went for a ride downtown, checking out Club Congress, the Rialto and the Fox Theatre, and then on to Giffords' new constituency office on East Fort Lowell Road.
Later Saturday, Giffords attended a reunion with her staffers, including Ron Barber, who was wounded in the shooting and whom Giffords had not seen since.
As Giffords entered the room, the song "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" played on a stereo.
"It was quite a touching moment," Kelly recalled in a phone interview with the Arizona Daily Star on Sunday.
"They were a little teary, hugging each other and just really excited to see each other." Giffords and Barber "did a little comparison of injuries," he added.
Kelly said his wife now knows that six people died and 12 others were wounded in the Jan. 8 shooting, but she does not yet know all their identities.
She's not aware, for example, that her staffer Gabe Zimmerman and her friend, federal Judge John Roll, were among those killed.
Loved ones have been breaking news of the tragedy gradually, so as not to overwhelm her with grief during her arduous recovery, Kelly said.
On Sunday, the couple and Giffords' family had a Father's Day breakfast of eggs, bagels, fruit salad and leftovers from Friday night's Mexican meal.
By 11 a.m., they were back in the air headed for Houston, where Giffords will continue rehabilitation therapy as an outpatient.
Kelly said he was impressed throughout the trip with his wife's mental quickness and her ability to recall detailed information from before her injury.
On their drive to a staffer's house for the reunion, for instance, Giffords advised the Capitol police officer behind the wheel that he was about to make a wrong turn and gave him directions to where they were headed.
While Giffords hasn't yet regained all her speaking ability, "as far as what she remembers and comprehends, at times I feel she's 100 percent," Kelly said.
Despite persistent rumors on the Internet, Kelly said he has no designs on public office and is "absolutely" convinced his wife will return to political life.
"Her communication skills are getting better every week," he said.
"Six months from now we are all going to be amazed at where she is."
Contact reporter Carol Ann Alaimo at firstname.lastname@example.com or at 573-4138.


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Click here for latest LMBA E-Blast (Including information on upcoming events)
LMBA Endorsement of Initiative 940
Joint Minority Bar Associations Statement on Violence in Charlottesville
LMBA's Statement on the Death of Charleena Lyles:
Thank you all for your support of the annual dinner! Photos by Andre Dayani are now available to view here.
Thank you to Seattle Mayor Ed Murray for proclaiming May 19, 2017 as Philip L. Burton Memorial Scholarship Day!
NOTICE – Amended Bylaws adopted April 3, 2017.
See LMBA Letter to Snohomish County officials:
Loren Miller Bar Association
Welcome to the Loren Miller Bar Association's (LMBA) website. LMBA is a statewide organization and local affiliate of the National Bar Association ("NBA"), which is the oldest minority bar and the largest organization of African-American attorneys in the United States. For more than 40 years, the Loren Miller Bar Association has thrived in its efforts to advance the social and economic well-being of our membership, while improving relations between the legal profession and community at-large. The legal profession is experiencing a time of enormous transformation and change. The Loren Miller Bar Association will continue to provide leadership, networking opportunity and understanding of complex issues as we continue to wade through what have been tumultuous economic times. This site will help you to remain informed, get involved, and stay connected. Browse through these pages and you will find many opportunities throughout the year to become active in our programs and events.


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It looks like a few upcoming Verizon smartphones have been revealed a bit ahead of schedule. The devices include a pair of Android running smartphones, the Pantech Breakout and the Samsung Illusion.
Lets begin first with the details for the Breakout (pictured above). This handset is sporting 4G LTE branding on the backside along with features to include a 4 inch WVGA touchscreen display, single-core 1GHz processor, 512MB memory, a front facing webcam and a 5 megapixel rear facing camera.
In terms of the Samsung Illusion (pictured above), this handset is sporting the model number of SCH-i110 and looks like it is going to arrive with an HVGA quality touchscreen, an 800MHz (or possibly a 1GHz) processor and a 3 or 5 megapixel camera on the back. Bottom line, much of the details of the Illusion are still unknown, however one thing seems fairly certain — this is a device destined for the entry level market.
With that, we are still missing the key items such as pricing and release dates. Plus, an official announcement from Verizon would be nice to have.
Via [Pocket-Now]


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From the author of the New York Times best seller Swamplandia!—a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize—a magical new collection of stories that showcases Karen Russell's gifts at their inimitable best.
A dejected teenager discovers that the universe is communicating with him through talismanic objects left behind in a seagull's nest. A community of girls held captive in a silk factory slowly transmute into human silkworms, spinning delicate threads from their… (more)
This book covers war, gender issues, puberty, marriage, and death with such flair and delight that it's still surprising to realize this is only Russell's second story collection.
Reading this marvelous book, I felt the way one of its characters, Samson, feels about surfing: "It's like you're coasting outside of time, outside your own skin."
If, like me, you're haunted by Bradbury's calliopes, King's snowbound resorts and dark woods, Poe's cheerful murderers, and Mieville's inter-dimensional insects, but also like a dash of humor with your terror, Vampires in the Lemon Grove is a must-read.
Publisher: Vintage (February 12, 2013)
Format: EPUB
Page count: 272 pages
File size: 2.1 MB
Protection: DRM
Language: English


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Paiste PST 5 N 14'' Sound Edge Hi-Hat Cymbals
Paiste PST 5 N 14'' Sound Edge Hi-Hat CymbalsDetails
The new 2014 PST 5 N 14'' hi-hat cymbals are ideal for players with an articulated playing style. Bright and strong to the ear when closed, and full bodied when open, these hats offer a defined and cutting tone. The PST 5 N series of cymbals offers players fantastic, quality cymbals at affordable prices.
Product Ref: 47317View Full Description
Full DescriptionView Full Description
Comments from customers who bought this item:
- Size: 14"
- Weight: Medium Top/Heavy Bottom
- Volume: Low to Loud
- Stick Sound: Bright, Dry
- Intensity: Lively
- Sustain: Medium
- Chick Sound: Pronounced, Sharp
The product price includes 4 years' warranty and 90 day money back guarantee.
However, the Gear4music extended warranty scheme provides an enhanced service, and is designed to offer a higher level of protection than many 'free' warranties offered by some retailers and manufacturers.
The highlights of this enhanced warranty service are:
- Warranty is extended to 4 years from the date of delivery.
- Our Money Back guarantee is extended from 30 days to 90 days (terms apply after 30 days)
- Collection and delivery costs are included for the first 2 years
- Claim 50% cash back on the cost of the policy after 4 years if it has not been used!
- Warranty is transferable if the item is re-sold
- Loan or replacement equipment will be provided if the product isn't repaired within 30 days
- If an item can not be repaired, a similar alternative product or cash discount (as defined in this policy) will be offered
- The policy can be cancelled within 30 days, and at any time after that for a pro-rata discount
Please note that this extended warranty is currently only available on products sold within the EU or EEA, and is subject to the terms and conditions as detailed on the extended warranty certificate provided.
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USA forward Abby Wambach won the female FIFA World Player of the Year award recently at FIFA's big annual awards ceremony at its Zurich headquarters in Switzerland. The award capped off a stellar year for the forward who has dominated women's soccer the past five years. Despite her achievements the past two years in particular, she had been overshadowed by Brazilian Marta, who won the award consecutively from 2006- 2010; last year, after leading the U. S. to the World Cup final, she missed out on the award because captain Homare Sawa led eventual world champion Japan on a miracle run in the tournament, despite Wambach consistency throughout the previous year.
This time around, the forward from Rochester, New York culminated another stellar year-round performance by leading her team to its second Olympic gold, and in the process, avenging the USA's loss to Japan in the 2011 World Cup final. Wambach led the Olympic tournament with five goals as the U. S. went undefeated and untied; in fact, the U. S. finished 2012 with the best record among women's national teams, 28-1-3, as Wambach scored 27 goals.
The tall, solidly built forward carried the U.S. many times, scoring the winning goals on numerous occasions. Although teammate Alex Morgan scored one more goal (28) than Wambach last year, Morgan was the first to admit that it was "Wambach's selfless off-the-ball work, aerial battling and off-field mentorship…" that aided her success. It was Wambach who twice scored to pull the U.S. even in that memorable 2011 World Cup final that went into double overtime.
Now 32, and after scoring 152 international goals, second only to Mia Hamm (158), Wambach's amazing career is obviously nearing its end; she may survive the very competitive U.S. team and could be around for the 2015 World Cup in Canada, but that is no guarantee. She has not won a World Cup, so maybe a World Cup ring could be the impetus to keep on kicking until 34, at least for another two or three more years.
New women's league
The National Women's Soccer League, set to kick off its inaugural season this spring, recently began the process of allotting some of the 55 national team players from the U. S., Mexico and Canada among its eight teams. Abby Wambach was assigned to the Western New York Flash, which is the only New York franchise; her teammate Alex Morgan went to the Portland Thorns, which also landed midfielder Tobin Heath, defender Rachel Buehler and Canadian striker Christine Sinclair, who played college soccer in the area.
Among some others who were assigned teams in the ongoing staffing of the franchises are U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo, who lives in the city and was assigned to the Seattle Reign, along with Megan Rapinoe and Amy Rodriguez. Christie Rampone and Kelly O'Hara went to the New Jersey Sky Blue FC. Ali Krieger and Lori Lindsey will play for the Washington Spirit. Other national team players will be assigned; a college draft along with former professional players from previous leagues and foreign players will also be signed to complete new venture.
Former Canadian national player and look forward to taking on the role of interim head coach for a second time," said Miller. "I am honored to have been selected by the Canadian Soccer Association, and thank FC Edmonton's organization, particularly owner Tom Fath, for its support in this process.".
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I've recently installed Mint 8 on my laptop and I seem to be having some trouble with DC++. I have not enabled the firewall the OS came together with and so I really don't see what could be blocking my access.
I always get a Connection timeout when I try to connect to a hub or I can connect to one but I can't search or get any file lists.
I tried running under passive mode but nothing changes though I suppose I wouldn't normally be able to download much if I don't use Direct Connection.
Even direct connection does not work for me and I've specified my IP and 3 random ports for TCP,UDP and TLS(higher than 49152).I suppose that's alright?I don't know if DC should assign them automatically.
Any device would be appreciated.
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text:
Along with skiing and riding, resort guests are thrilled to sample Vermont's unique and tasty products and learn more about the specialty food industry in Vermont
(PRWEB) January 27, 2012
Well established Vermont landmark products available include Vermont maple syrup, Cabot award-winning cheddar cheese, Ben & Jerry's ice cream, Westminster gourmet crackers, and Green Mountain Coffee organic house blend. Additional smaller scale Vermont specialty food producers include Liz Lovely Cookies, Vermont Natural Foods, Yee Yees, Vermont Peanut Butter, Nutty's Steph's Granola, Vermont Smoke and Cure, Yummy Yammy, Vermont Granola Company, Battenkill Brittle, Olivia's Croutons and Two Guys in Vermont soups will join the sampling events to showcase their assortment of products in Ski Vermont's farm to plate program.
"Along with skiing and riding, resort guests are thrilled to sample Vermont's unique and tasty products and learn more about the specialty food industry in Vermont," said Parker Riehle, President of Ski Vermont. "The ski and agricultural industries of Vermont have a strong alliance. We're proud that our business community is as well rounded as our cuisine; we want people who visit Vermont to experience our healthy, hearty way of life, on the slopes and at the table of our resort restaurants and within our communities."
Current dates on the Roster Include:
Jay Peak, Farmer Appreciation Day
Friday, January 27, 2012
Burke Mountain, Passholder Appreciation Weekend
Saturday, January, 28, 2011
Mad River Glen, Roll Back the Clock Day
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Bromley Mountain Resort
Saturday, Feb 11, 2012
Magic Mountain
Sunday, Feb 12, 2012
Smugglers' Notch Resort
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Middlebury College Snow Bowl, Winter Carnival
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Bolton Valley Resort
March 10, 2011
Pico Mountain
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Killington Mountain
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Mount Snow, Winter Brewer's Festival, Mount Snow
April 7, 2012
Stratton Mountain, April 8, 2012
End of Season Celebration and Pond Skimming


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Gigabyte Intel Z87 Motherboard Lineup Preview
Extreme OC Series
Similar in nature to their last generation top end board line, the Extreme OC Series comes with a slew of features as well as a stylish black and orange color scheme. The Extreme OC series is comprised of the Z87X-OC Force and the Z87X-OC motherboards.
GIGABYTE Z87X-OC Force details
Courtesy of GIGABYTE
The Z87X-OC Force motherboard is the Gigabyte's flagship motherboard. Its crowning feature, and the big one that differentiates it from the Z87X-0C board, is its dual-purpose heat pipe cooling solution. It comes standard with an integrated fan, as well as input and output ports for water-based cooling solutions.
GIGABYTE Z87X-OC Force
GIGABYTE Z87X-OC Force, closeup of CPU socket and dual-purpose board cooling solution
GIGABYTE Z87X-OC Force, closeup of chipset cooler
GIGABYTE Z87X-OC Force, closeup of integrate overclocking buttons
GIGABYTE Z87X-OC Force, closeup of rear panel
GIGABYTE Z87X-OC details
Courtesy of GIGABYTE
The Z87X-OC motherboard is the more cost effective member of the Extreme OC series. The motherboard offers most a similar feature set to the Z87X-OC Force motherboard with several features modified to allow for a more cost effective solution.
To my eye, the pcper image overlay goes beyond its intended purpose and makes it very hard to see the boards in all their glory.
Hm, you think so? We can make it more transparent next time around.
I have an IPS display (Dell U2711) and I have no problem viewing the boards once I zoom in. The logos seem plenty transparent to me.
A touch more transparent....
Not too work friendly.....
Yes if you zoom in and use full screen...its fine
if you having a crafty look in work and you just cannot
zoom in (for obvious reasons) its a little in the way......
Nice to see the photo's
Clearly you want to protect your hard work.
Not a big issue, just though I would make a coment...
Weaksause, Where's the msata love at?
And I love the new design.
The logo should be in the corner
Nope, no it shouldn't, it's too easy for other less reputable (They know who they are, yes I am looking at you, you less reputable site. lol) sites to crop out of the photo then and claim them as their own. Personally I think the watermark looks fine where it's at.
10K hour special caps? My 5 year old Abit board has solid caps rated at 50K hours, I currently have 47K hours on it without a single issue.
Maybe they meant 100K hours, that's more logical.
If you run your computer 24/7 you can rack up just shy of 9K hours alone.
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text: I played a couple of private party gigs this weekend in some less-than-ideal rooms without PA support. The first was a club in an older building with linoleum floors and tall ceilings but filled with people, the second in a former rail station ticket area: long hall, super tall ceilings, few people. In both situations I was pushing my Ampeg B2r with a 1x15 cabinet (4ohm neo speaker). In the first gig I had to crank and was a bit distorted/farty but very much in the musical mix. The second gig I had to crank gain and volume to about 8 to be heard but still was low in the mix. Oddly enough, the guitar next to me had to keep his amp on 2 to keep from getting crazy loud. This makes me think it was all in the room acoustics. Question is, would more power help? Or a different cabinet? The B2r is rated 350 watts at 4ohms. I've been planning on buying a new Portaflex350 to replace because I like the tone of that series and the weight of that model and often seem fine with 350 watts; but would going up to the PF500 help with my room/mix issues? I've read people say there's not much perceptible volume difference between a 350w and a 500w amp, just more headroom. Does that mean I'd have a "cleaner" sound with more wattage but just as easily get acoustically lost?


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Tag Archives: Los Angeles Lakers
Lakers Game 7 chat
Ron Artest, Rasheed Wallace, Andrew Bynum
The Dodgers have never played a World Series Game 7 in my lifetime, but Game 7 of the 1984 NBA Finals between the Lakers and Celtics came during my heyday as a Laker fan. And I have no memory of it. It's bizarre. I remember so much of what led up to that seventh game, but the game itself jogs nothing in my brain. Basically, when I think of the 1984 Finals, I think of Gerald Henderson's steal. For all that went on, that tells the story.
So maybe tonight's won't be a game for the ages, for me, anyway. When I think of the 2010 NBA playoffs, maybe I'll be more likely to think of Ron Artest's put-back against Phoenix than anything else.
The push and pull of this series has revved me up. I went to Game 2 of the NBA finals and left in defeat but with relative piece of mind, believing that the Lakers would have no trouble regaining home-court advantage by winning one of three games in Boston. And so they did, in their next opportunity.
But by the time Game 5 came, I was dying as Boston made shot after shot. With Game 6, the turnaround by the Lakers brought back the passion of my days as a no-holds-barred Laker fan — not so long ago, really.
I'm not as hardcore as I once was. Almost nothing in the NBA regular season affects me anymore, and if the Lakers had bowed out in earlier playoff rounds this year, I would have been disappointed but similarly composed.
But tonight, I'm back. It's not a matter of being a fair-weather fan, because the Lakers' nearly bottomless pit of fair weather this year has mostly anesthetized me. It's this all-stakes, live-or-die night that's done it. I want this. I really want this. I hope it's one worth remembering.
Lakers, Dodgers and the meaning of a poor regular-season finish
Getty Images
Phil Jackson and Joe Torre have dealt with doubt from outside and within.
What do the 2009 Dodgers and 2009-10 Lakers have in common? Both teams won their divisions and had the top record in their league/conference, but entered the playoffs having lost six of their final nine games.
Last year, there was much anxiety and a fair amount of hopelessness when the Dodgers hit the postseason with such a shaky final stretch. With the Lakers beginning the defense of the NBA title today, I asked current Laker blogger and former Dodger blogger Brian Kamenetzky of ESPNLosAngeles.com and KSPN 710 AM to compare and contrast the two teams.
It's an interesting question, because looking back the Dodgers certainly didn't close well. I remember the sense of doom in the air as it looked like they might somehow blow the NL West title to Colorado. Of course, they were already in the playoffs anyway, so it may not have mattered much, other than to give us media types something to talk about (and set up the Dodgers to see Philly a round earlier, costing guys in the locker room a better playoff share).
So what happened to the Lakers is similar, in the sense neither team went/will go into the postseason playing its best base/basketball. (There's a movie in there somewhere). The difference, though, is expectations. The Lakers spent all season as the, if not prohibitive favorite to win a title, not far off, whereas the Dodgers weren't perceived as the best Major League Baseball had to offer. A nice team, but World Series caliber?
There was similarity in the angst, but I wonder if the different feel despite similar situations reflects some of the more ingrained attitudes fans have towards the teams. Right now, people expect the Dodgers to come up short. They're not pulling for it, but because it's been over 20 years now since the last title, the faithful have less faith. The dark cloud forever hanging over this ownership (before the divorce, even) doesn't help. Neither did the corporate feel of the Fox years.
The Lakers, meanwhile, are expected to succeed. Recent history gives people the strong belief they'll be rewarded for their emotional investment. That's the key difference, as far as I see it.
I also have to think that motivation was more of an issue for the Lakers, since winning a division title is such a non-event for them, relatively speaking. After Cleveland put the league's best record out of reach – an event that only potentially impacts the Lakers in the seventh game of a seven-game championship series – the final week of their season became as much about getting healthy as anything else.
Certainly, poor regular-season finishes indicate at a minimum that a team is vulnerable, but is there a hangover effect? The Dodgers certainly put that theory to rest when they swept the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Division Series (keeping in mind that the Cards themselves lost eight of their final 10 regular season games). And when you consider that the Dodgers were one out away from being even with the Phillies after four games in the NL Championship Series, it's hard for me to see a convincing argument that the late-season losing made a difference – not to mention the fact that an on-fire finish to the regular season could leave a team open to accusations of being over-confident.
As recently as the second round of the 2009 NBA playoffs, when the Houston Rockets won the first, fourth and sixth games of their series with the Lakers, fans and the media were openly questioning the Lakers' heart and ability to advance. Those doubts became a pretty distant memory within the next month, when the Lakers took out Orlando in five games to win the NBA title.
It really feels to me that the playoffs truly are a new season – and definitely not an easy one. I expect the Lakers to come out fully motivated. That doesn't mean they might not fall short of repeating as champions, but if they do, it will be because of how well the other team played, not how poorly the Lakers did. As a footnote: Was the Kings' thrilling overtime victory Saturday over Vancouver in Game 2 of their NHL first-round series a failure on the Canucks' part, or more a triumph on the Kings' part?
But I'll give Kamenetzky the last word:
It started with … needing more motivation, but with about three or four weeks left in the regular season, I really felt the team was trying. It wasn't an issue of complacency, they just weren't playing well.
To me, their struggles are a sign of weakness. The alchemy going into playing the way they want to offensively is heavily influenced by continuity, and they've had none of it this season, thanks to their injury issues. Moreover, the Lakers have serious deficiencies shooting the ball from the outside, especially once Ron Artest fell off a cliff, accuracy wise. The Threepeat teams at the start of the decade weren't good three-point shooting teams, either, but they compensated by using Shaq and a younger, more aggressive Kobe to live at the line. This Lakers team doesn't do either, which historically is a bad recipe for success.
I think they'll get through the early rounds of the playoffs, in part because most of the teams they'll face have issues of their own (primarily health), but I don't think it's a matter of finally having something to play for. They're still very good (or potentially very good, at least) and could win a title, but I wouldn't use my money to lay a bet on it in Vegas.


text:
New Final Fantasy Type-0 Footage Coming This Weekend
Demo event to also feature latest footage of PSP title.
Attendes at this weekend's Square Enix Odaiba Expo 2011 event will not only get a chance to play Final Fantasy Type-0. They'll also get to see new footage of the game. Square Enix used its new 1st Production Department Twitter to announce that new footage will be shown at the event.
Now, the big question is how quickly will a stealth cam version of the trailer leak out online?


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A unified presentation of engineering seismology and earthquake-resistant design, this book presents a wide ranging coverage of the whole subject of earthquake engineering so that the reader is given a clear appreciation of earthquakes before dealing with their effects on structures. In addition, newer mathematical modelling techniques are introduced which can be powerful tools for assessing and dealing with the risks associated with design and construction in seismic regions.
'Earthquake Engineering brings together a great depth of expertise from the authors' many years of experience of the subject, making it a valuable source of reference for practising engineers and researchers.' - Geo Abstracts
Preface. Part One: General overview and fundamentals. Part Two: Engineering seismology. Part Three: Theory of earthquake response of structures. Part Four: Seismic considerations in structural engineering. Part Five: New analytical tools in earthquake engineering.


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Java Draw Created Mar 05, 2011 460 x 640px Unless noted Copyright 2011 2ucwhatic.
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MaFaGaFiZaR Mar 05, 2011
Very good, congratulations:)
AuroraSkye Mar 05, 2011
I LOVE the colours and the shading of this! Whether it is 2ucwhatic or nine -- eitehr way it is great! 5h! :-D
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Girls track team third at U of M meet
Rachel Anderson and Erin Wetzstein swept the top two spots in the 3200 meter run and Taylor Steffen took first in the shot put to lead the Raider girls' track and field team to a third place finish at the 12-team University of Minnesota High School Indoor Track and Field Championships Saturday at the U of M Fieldhouse in Minneapolis.
Prior Lake took home the team title with a total of 96.5 points and Stillwater was second with 59.5 while Hudson placed third with 46. Blake School was fourth with 31 and Minneapolis Washburn was fifth with 29.
"It was nice to get across the border and compete against some different schools," head coach Jami Holum said. "We are really biding our time and excited to get outdoors, but the athletes are really doing a great job working through indoor season and using the meets as a great chance to get some quality work in on a track."
This Saturday marks the final indoor meet of the season for the Raiders when they compete at the All-American Invitational at UW-River Falls' Knowles Center beginning at 10 a.m.
Last Saturday, Anderson took first in the 3200 meter run with a time of 11 minutes, 51.85 seconds and Wetzstein was second in 11:59.66, while Steffen won the shot put by over a foot with a throw of 38-feet, 4.25-inches.
"Taylor did a consistent and solid job in the shot put, and the distance girls are competing very well, showing how much effort and training they put in in the off season," Holum noted.
The Raiders had two of the top three finishers in the 800 meter run, with Sadie Kroll placing second in 2:25.21 and Miranda Miller third in 2:27.8, while McKenna Daulton cleared 9-feet in the pole vault to place second.
Katy Fox added a fifth place leap of 15-1.75 in the long jump and Julia Douglas finished fifth in the 60 meter dash finals with a time of 8.27 seconds, while Hannah Manley was sixth in the 400 meter dash in 1:09.53.
Kayla Dornfeld finished just out of the scoring in the 400, placing seventh with a time of 1:09.81 while Nicole Berdusco was ninth in 1:10.36.
Patsy Castro was Hudson's top finisher in the 1600 meter run with an eighth place time of 5:52.72, while Sarah Krier finished ninth in the 60 meter hurdles in 10.61 seconds. In the triple jump, Fox finished seventh with a leap of 31-7 and Briana Kling was ninth at 29-8.
Holum said she likes the way the Raiders have progressed during the indoor portion of their schedule.
"Everyone has been consistent, and like I said, we are really using our indoor schedule as a way to get some quality workouts and races in while the snow melts away."


text:
It was not an auspicious beginning. The Nimrods, Nimble Storage's softball team, started the season with a 0 – 3 record, with one of those games forced to end by the "mercy rule", invoked when a team is losing by more than ten runs.
But then, something changed: the Nimrods won a game. And then another game. And then all the other games after that, until it all came down to the championship game. Final inning. Two out; Bo Nielson, from Nimble's inside sales team, walks up to the plate. A ball. A strike. And then – crack – a hard shot off the wall, Bo furiously rounding the bases, a throw to home, Bo diving for the plate, Bo just beating the tag, and the Nimrods win it all!
This moment – and the lunch-hour cricket games in the back parking lot, the Friday night beer bashes and poker games – this is what a company's culture is all about. The elusive "work-life balance" that every Silicon Valley start-up strives to provide has never been something that the HR department, or even the leadership team, can manufacture – it's something that must grow organically from the start.
It helps to have the company's founders articulate a clear vision of core values; at Nimble Storage this starts with the on-boarding process and new hire training. Better still, at Nimble each employee answers a survey every 90 days, focusing on company culture and how we're performing against those core values. As Zappos' CEO Tony Hsieh says, "We believe if we get the culture right, we'll get everything else right."
Ultimately, it all comes down to hiring. It takes great people to build a great company. The kind of people who integrate flash and disk from the ground up, with a proprietary file system, rather than just bolting them together. The kind of people who can stare down a 0 – 3 record, start winning games, and keep winning all the way to a championship. Sure, it's just the Twin Creeks industrial league in Sunnyvale, CA, but it's still a championship.
- Author:
- Erin Simmons


text: I am trying to go deer hunting. I small game hunt and ready to upgrade. I have a 22 and a 870 20 gauge magnum. I can hunt behind my house, tight woods, were my shot wouldn't be to long. Will the 20 gauge do the job? I have the magnum and can shoot 3" shells. Most people load up a slug and follow with buckshot. What should I shoot, slugs or buckshot? Also could you recommend some good slugs that would stop them in their tracks. And about how far could I shoot? I know I need to buy some and practice my shots, but wondering if it was worth it. When the funds get up I might buy a 12 gauge 870 or a good deer rifle.


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First there was the cyclist being run over by an antelope. Then there was the motorcyclist who had a deer jump right into his face. Of course a skateboarder-deer collision had to follow. And now — you must get the idea where this is going — a mountain biker, mid-race, was slammed into by one such renegade animal.
Jeff Plassman was pumping through the 2013 Monster Cross and Mountain Bike race Sunday in Virginia's Pocahontas State Park when a deer decided the gap between him and the rest of the pack was its opportune moment to leap.
Knocked off his bike, other cyclists give him a few shout-outs to see if he was alright and he gets quite a few looks. Plassman just picks up his bike and in a comment says he told fellow riders he was "fine."
Plassman's helmet cam captured the whole ordeal:
According to WWBT, Plassman wrote that a few spokes on the bike's wheel broke and he was "busted up a little bit," but he noted that he has seen worse before.
Let this be yet another warning to those riding on two or four wheels.
- See a Cyclist Get Run Over by a Charging Antelope in Africa
- Head Cam Catches the Harrowing Motorcycle-Deer Collision During Race — And Both Walked Away From It
- Skateboarder Hit by Deer in 'Downhill Bloodspill' Going 40 Miles Per Hour
(H/T: Grind TV)