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Power Players: Tom Werner NASCAR drivers feel the pinch Earlier free agency essential for MLB Lefton: Fanatics, NHL goods 'Zero-hour' part of StubHub-MLB deal Power Players: Jim Petersen Power Players: Derrick Hall NHRA highlights attendance gains Comcast to make most of Games A question of timing: College football
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SBJ/September 25 - October 1, 2006/This Weeks News
AAA sees success with NASCAR
Published September 25, 2006
In Mark Martin's new AAA commercial, the veteran racer says, "I never go anywhere without AAA."
|AAA plans to keep rolling in NASCAR
after driver Mark Martin exits.
Martin has been at the center of a landmark year for AAA, a federation of 62 regional clubs that never before collaborated on a national campaign. The auto club, which also offers insurance and travel-agency services, jumped in with both feet this year, spending more than $25 million on the team sponsorship and official-status track deals, most notably with International Speedway Corp.
AAA's first racing-related commercial debuts this weekend during NBC's telecast of the Banquet 400, and the federation also plans a farewell gala for Martin at the season-ending Ford 400 on Nov. 19.
So what happens when Martin exits and the AAA car is piloted by a rookie driver who doesn't carry the same name value?
"We're going to keep doing what we're doing," said Kristin Warfield, AAA's director of motorsports. "We're sad to see Mark go, but we've got a model that will stand up."
Certain aspects of AAA's program will have to change. Martin, the father of a teenager who is nearing driving age, has been the face of AAA's advocacy for safe-driving laws. He also participates in driver-education test drives.
"That's been a great marriage for us," Warfield said. "But soon we're going to go from Mark talking as a father to a 20-something driver speaking from a different perspective, and we'll work through that."
With the commitment to racing this year, AAA recognized the need for someone to oversee its bustling new program. No one on the outside was more familiar with AAA's goals than Warfield, a former ISC sales executive who sold AAA its track deals.
Warfield joined AAA in March with the task of herding the 62 regional clubs into a cohesive flock. That means communicating with a dozen or more regional chiefs, each of whom have their own budget for track activation. Some want to blow it out at the track with hospitality, a mobile marketing trailer and Martin appearances, while others simply want to sign up new members. Warfield worked with GMR Marketing, Charlotte, (AAA's agency of record) to develop a 150-page activation manual for the clubs.
In addition to AAA's investment in its sponsorships, Warfield estimates that the regional clubs have combined to spend at least a dollar in activation for each dollar in sponsorship, targeting its 48 million members with at-track events and services.
Gauging the return on that investment is difficult, Warfield said, because so many clubs are involved. She knows that the program has generated many thousands of new members and even more leads.
AAA at the track
- 12 International Speedway Corp. tracks: Official auto club and official insurance (home and auto)
- California Speedway: Title sponsor of the Auto Club 500 Nextel Cup race
- Dover International Speedway: Title sponsor of the AAA Insurance 200 Craftsman Truck race
- Pocono Raceway: Official auto club and insurance
- Texas Motor Speedway: Official auto club
- Watkins Glen International: Title sponsor of Pole Day and of the FanZone
- Indianapolis 500: Official travel agency, auto club and insurance
- Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Infi neon Raceway: Signage
- Mark Martin Q&As at Daytona, Martinsville, Talladega and Watkins Glen
- Mobile marketing unit
- Giveaways (diecast cars, hats, shirts)
- 10 percent discounts at Martin's merchandise trailer
- Roadside assistance available at select tracks
- New member sign-ups at select tracks


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Photographer's Note
An autumnal scenery close to my weekendhouse in Sile on the Blacksea shore.
Some others will follow in coming days.
Sile evimin yakınlarından bir "sonbahar" güzellemesi. Önümüzdeki günlerde birkaç kare daha gelecek, sonbahar temalı.
Critiques | Translate
bukitgolfb301 (47365) 2013-11-16 1:07
Hi MERHABA dear MESUT
Wow great Autumn image by your signiatured touch and color. Perfect color and light catchin is so wonderful to see. a lovely image covered by so fantatsic nature.
All the best and have a good weekend! TAKERO
rbassin (25271) 2013-11-16 1:08
hello Mesut
une belle prise de vue, les couleurs automnales sont très agréables.
Bon W-E
No_One (4) 2013-11-16 4:23
Hi Mesut
the colors of Autumn are so superb and what a bonus that you captured them under this really glorious light. Really lovely scene of this most colorful time of year
amaryllis (37039) 2013-11-16 5:56
Bonjour Mesut
les paysages d'automne nous ravissent de par les jolies couleurs et ici une belle lumière qui donne sur les feuilles
ktanska (30935) 2013-11-16 7:30
Hi Mesut,
I like the way how that fence divedes space between foreground and background. And still that mixes with nature well. Colours have just started to get richer autumn tones and look very good.
krzychu30 (15512) 2013-11-16 7:47
Hello Mesut,
indeed,autumn has something magic in itself and you were able to capture and to convey it in your photo.
Nice composition,that strikes with delightful vivid colors and so captivating contrast between them.
Powerful composition!
Have a nice weekend
rychem (49331) 2013-11-16 9:07
Really a beautiful autumnal view, the colors of trees are very eye catching, soft light and great peaceful atmosphere
regards Ryszard
Fis2 (115105) 2013-11-16 9:56
Witaj Mesut!
Beautiful landscape.Excellent colors and sharpness.
Photo has autumn climate.
Well done.
Best regards
ChrisJ (126807) 2013-11-16 10:00
Hi Mesut
Punchy light contrasts with a wonderful warm cold colour contrast between the blue sky and yellow and yellow green vegetation. I might have blurred the sky to mask the banding and mottled layers. Good sharpness and the fg fence adds depth to the composition. Tfs!
Merhaba φιλε Mesut
shot with natural warm colors
I love autumn and the whole
autumn atmosphere
I like this creative perspective
amazing delicate and sweet
another beautiful photo
from your gallery
have a nice and pleasant evening
adramad (52536) 2013-11-16 11:51
Hello Mesut.
Splendid this hill completely covered with vegetation, where some trees stand and, with its beautiful, golden autumnal colors.
A perfect colorful natural.
A very bright image with optimum clarity.
Very well done. I love it.
Enjoy the weekend.
Best wishes.
cornejo (51088) 2013-11-17 4:29
Hello Mesut, great photograph of this pretty picture, with the fall colors, very well captured in this beautiful image with a good shot, good sharpness, nice color and light. Excellent and interesting job perfectly done, congratulations my friend. Thanks for sharing this beautiful work.
Good evening and happy start to the week.
Warm greetings from southern Spain.
kato (11630) 2013-11-17 21:01
Hello Mesut,
You're capturing well this nature by a good angle and excellent tone/clarity, so it's impressive to see the spectacle in which the leaf dyed autumnal tints is intermingled with green. Especially, it's impressive in tall trees dyed to yellow. Here looks like clean air and a good environment as resort.
Kind regards,
elenimavrandoni (0) 2013-11-19 20:29
Sile, is beautiful anytime of the year and this autumn picture proves it perfectly..great colors and nice point of view!!
all the best
Zucca (8) 2013-11-21 11:59
Hello Mesut,
Great light and colors, I like this season a lot too... With such a sunny weather, it's a pure delight !
Have a nice evening,
Photo Information
- Copyright: Mesut Ilgim (mesutilgim) (98566)
- Genre: Places
- Medium: Color
- Date Taken: 2013-09-22
- Categories: Nature
- Camera: Nikon D 5000, AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 G VR, 2GB Sandisk Ultra II
- Exposure: f/5.4, 1/630 seconds
- Photo Version: Original Version
- Date Submitted: 2013-11-16 0:53


text:
Score begins weekly editions for 2013--NRCC tweaks Dems on $1 trillion coin--McDonald taps McCleary for NYC mayoral campaign--Frank angles for Mass. Senate appointment--Corbett approval rating stays l
( email@example.com; Twitter: @emilyrs) and ( firstname.lastname@example.com; Twitter: @jameshohmann)
WE'RE BACK: Score returns today from its month-long hiatus, during which James retired a healthy chunk of the sleep debt he accumulated over the last two years. Going forward, Emily Schultheis, who helped out with Score last fall, will become an official part of the Score team. Through 2013, Score will hit your inbox every Tuesday morning before returning to daily production next year. As always, send tips, comments, corrections and suggestions to both of us.
Story Continued Below
RICHARD BEN CRAMER, R.I.P.: One of the greatest writers of our age died yesterday of lung cancer. He was 62. His 1,049-page book on the 1988 election, "What It Takes," is a masterwork. He covered politicians as people, helping us understand everyone from Bob Dole to Joe Biden in a way we otherwise never would. Jonathan Martin wrote this piece reflecting on the book overnight: http://goo.gl/IJYUJ. Buy it: http://politi.co/WHzfvA. His 1986 profile of Ted Williams is worth printing out for your lunch break today: http://bit.ly/WHzird
SNEAK PEEK—NRCC MOCKS DEMS OVER $1 TRILLION COIN IDEA: The National Republican Congressional Committee will announce an online petition today urging House Democrats to say they don't think a $1 trillion coin should be minted to pay down the debt. It's an attempt to get some earned media ahead of the debt ceiling fight and center the conversation on the deficit. Seven Democrats will be targeted with customized releases (photos of their faces on $1 trillion coins), including Jim Matheson (UT-04), Mike McIntyre (NC-07), Collin Peterson (MN-07), Tim Walz (MN-01), Jerrold Nadler (NY-10) and Nick Rahall (WV-03). Check out the graphic that will be circulated to local press in Georgia against John Barrow: http://bit.ly/WHz2bE. Here's the microsite: http://bit.ly/TIgPx4
The debt ceiling could be reached as early as FEBRUARY 15, according to a report released yesterday by the Bipartisan Policy Center: http://bit.ly/TIgR8h
NEW YORK MAYOR PREVIEW – MCDONALD HIRES TOP NRCC AIDE: Republican George McDonald, who's expected to announce his candidacy for New York City mayor on Thursday, has tapped former NRCC aide Brock McCleary and his polling outfit, Harper Polling, to help with his campaign. Harper, a new firm, hopes to serve as the Republican counterpart to the Democratic robopolling firm Public Policy Polling. Other McDonald hires include Lynn Krogh, who served as political director for Rick Lazio's 2010 campaign, and GOP strategist Vince Casale. Winning in New York City as a Republican is tough, given Democrats' huge voter registration advantage – and McDonald, who heads the homeless charity the Doe Fund and comes into the race with low name ID in the city, would still have to win in a likely crowded GOP primary field.
***As Alabama crushes Notre Dame 42-14 in the national championship game, Reince Priebus draws a long-shot challenger and Chris Christie looks to hit the 50-percent mark, here's POLITICO's Morning Score: your daily guide to the permanent campaign.
(1) Will any Senate Democrats oppose Chuck Hagel outright?
(2) Does anyone serious challenge Ed Markey in the Democratic primary for the Massachusetts special?
(3) How far will the Biden group try to go on gun control?
(4) How will Rick Perry's 2014 (or 2016) plans affect his legislative agenda as the Texas session starts today? http://dallasne.ws/TIgOcz
(5) Does Mark Sanford decide to run for Tim Scott's congressional seat?
THE HAGEL CALCULUS—"For Democrats, there's a peril of crossing a reelected president—but also the risk of backing someone with whom their pro-Israel and gay supporters, along with some donors, aren't entirely comfortable," POLITICO's Maggie Haberman reports. "At minimum, senators will be under pressure to extract as much from Hagel as they can before saying they'll support him."
2014 Republicans have disincentive to support Hagel: "Republicans whose seats come up in 2014 — and who don't have much love for Hagel in the first place — don't want to give fodder to potential primary challengers by casting a vote for the president's defense pick, whose comments about the 'Jewish lobby' and Iran sanctions have been widely circulated. A number of senators who could face primaries — such as John Cornyn of Texas, Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, Pat Roberts of Kansas, Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina — have nothing clear to gain politically by supporting Hagel. Graham was among the most vocal critics on the Sunday's morning show circuit…It is unclear whether Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who helped shepherd through the fiscal cliff deal, will be supportive of Hagel or would back a filibuster." http://politi.co/TIgMSa
POLL OF THE DAY – FISCAL CLIFF WINNERS AND LOSERS: President Barack Obama won the fiscal cliff standoff against congressional Republicans by a landslide, a Pew Research poll out Monday found. Overall, 57 percent of U.S. adults surveyed said Obama got more of what he wanted from the legislation, compared with just 20 percent who said Republican leaders did. Those numbers were even starker among Republicans: 74 percent of GOPers said Obama got more of what he wanted, compared with only 11 percent who said Republicans did. The full survey results: http://bit.ly/VyU5hH
MASSACHUSETTS SENATE SPECIAL – WHO WILL PATRICK PICK? With Democratic Rep. Ed Markey the sole Democrat so far in the race and no decision yet from Scott Brown, attention in the Bay State has turned to who Gov. Deval Patrick will appoint to fill John Kerry's seat temporarily until the election is held. Just-departed Rep. Barney Frank has made no secret he wants it, saying he'd like a few more months in Congress to help conclude the fiscal cliff battle. Patrick said Frank would be "a great senator," but that he has "a lot of factors" to consider when making the pick. Patrick aide Doug Rubin, who also advises Sen. Elizabeth Warren, said Democrats have "better options" than Frank, criticism that Frank pushed back on Monday. http://bo.st/VHo5dg
NRSC: "Scott Brown remains very popular with voters and he'd be a strong candidate if he decides to run. Despite the tens of millions of dollars spent against him, it says a lot that Scott still has a strong fav/unfav. At the moment though, the drama is all on the Democrats' side where the Washington establishment has rallied behind a moderate candidate who has spent most of the last 30 years at his home in Maryland, and not Massachusetts. Clearly several of Congressman Markey's more-left leaning Democratic colleagues are aware of that as well so it's not surprising to see the growing backlash against his attempted anointment. But it's still early in the process for both parties so we will see how the weeks ahead play out."
DSCC: "There will not be a repeat of the 2010 special. Every Massachusetts and national Democrat from President Obama and the DSCC on down are all committed to making sure Democrats win this seat. Democrats are already focused on energizing the Patrick/Warren field operations and are extremely confident that turn out will be far better than January 2010. In 2012, Scott Brown was the ONLY Republican incumbent to lose, and voters already know that Brown is ideologically out of step with Massachusetts, a state that President Obama won by 23 percentage points. Brown lost by a surprisingly large margin - 8 points - and the more he personally attacked Elizabeth Warren, the more his unfavorable ratings rose. Like Warren, Ed Markey has spent his career fighting for middle class families and working people. Markey has the experience, resources, organization and personal appeal to beat Scott Brown and take on the Tea Party in Washington."
NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR – CHRISTIE WANTS TO BREAK 50 PERCENT: Chris Christie, who's up for reelection this fall but still has not drawn a big-name Democratic challenger, told the Star-Ledger that he's aiming to clear the 50 percent threshold in November – a high bar for a Republican in a statewide race in blue New Jersey. "I'd consider that to be a real affirmation of my time in office and my vision for the future," he said. He added that he'd be "more ready" to run for president in 2016 than he would have been in 2012. The full story: http://bit.ly/UwgdrK
MORE FROM NEW JERSEY – POLL GIVES CHRISTIE HUGE ADVANTAGE: A Fairleigh Dickinson poll out of New Jersey shows Christie with sky-high approval ratings among the state's voters and a huge lead over any of his potential Democratic challengers. His approval rating statewide stands at 73 percent, including 62 percent of Democrats who approve. In head-to-head matchups with potential Democratic opponents, Christie is well above 50 percent: against state Sen. Steven Sweeney he'd win 65-19; against state Sen. Barbara Buono, he'd win 64-21; and against state Sen. Richard Codey, Christie is ahead 59-26.
VIRGINIA GOVERNORS' RACE PUNDIT PREP—Both sides telegraph their theory of the case 10 months out:
DGA MINDMELD: "Following voters' overwhelming rejection of the Republican Party in November, GOP leaders pledged to support candidates focused on job creation rather than divisive social issues. But instead of moderating, Virginia Republicans will nominate Ken Cuccinelli, whose brand of Tea Party extremism is hostile toward women, students, and middle class families. It's a recipe for disaster for Republicans in Virginia and across the country and they know it - LG Bill Bolling has refused to endorse Cuccinelli and is openly mulling an independent bid of his own. While the GOP infighting continues, Democrats are united behind Terry McAuliffe, the one candidate in the race with a proven record of job creation and working across the aisle in the commonwealth."
RGA MINDMELD: "Ken Cuccinelli's experience serving the Commonwealth as Attorney General will compare favorably to the extreme partisan record of former DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe. As Attorney General and a former state legislator elected in Northern Virginia, Cuccinelli understands the challenges facing middle class Virginians, has a firm grasp on state issues and will run a policy-driven campaign focused on the pocketbook issues voters care most about. … Meanwhile Chairman McAuliffe spent the last two decades as a Democratic fundraiser showing no interest in Virginia until running a losing gubernatorial campaign. While Chairman McAuliffe's dubious business claims are already being exposed, what should alarm him the most is that the more Virginians got to know him during his 2009 campaign the less they liked him. He spent $91 per vote losing to Creigh Deeds in the primary – that ought to make the Chairman himself blush."
RNC CHAIRMAN'S RACE – PRIEBUS DRAWS A CHALLENGER: RNC Chairman Reince Priebus, who's running for a second term and has wide support from the 168-member committee, got his first official challenger Monday: Maine Committeeman Mark Willis. Willis, a Ron Paul supporter elected to the Maine GOP last May amid a wave of Paul supporters announced he'd challenge Priebus at the RNC's Winter Meeting in Charlotte later this month. Given Priebus's almost universal support from RNC members, it's unlikely that Willis will have any real effect on the voting process. http://bit.ly/VyX6yw
MARK YOUR CALENDARS – HALEY SETS DATES IN SC HOUSE SPECIAL: South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley set the dates to fill now-Sen. Tim Scott's House seat: the primary will be March 19, with any runoffs on April 2 (if no candidate gets to 50 percent) and a general election on May 7, per the AP. Two major South Carolina figures who say they're considering the race: former Gov. Mark Sanford and his ex-wife, Jenny Sanford. The 1st district, which is in the Charleston area and leans Republican, is also drawing interest from a handful of local pols, among them state Sens. Tom Davis, Larry Grooms and Chip Campsen, as well as state Reps. Chip Limehouse, Peter McCoy and Jim Merrill. State Sen. Paul Thurmond, son of the late Sen. Strom Thurmond who lost to Scott in the 2010 primary, announced last week that he won't run. http://on.wltx.com/VyUMYa
CANDIDATES FILE FOR ILLINOIS HOUSE SPECIAL: Twenty-two candidates have filed to run for Jesse Jackson Jr.'s Chicago-area congressional seat by the Monday deadline: 17 Democrats and five Republicans. The primary is set for Feb. 26 and the general election will be held March 19. The AP: "Democratic candidates include former state Rep. Robin Kelly, Chicago Alderman Anthony Beale, state Sen. Toi Hutchinson, state Sen.-elect Napoleon Harris and former U.S. Rep. Mel Reynolds. Republican candidates include conservative commentator Lenny McAllister." http://trib.in/VHk1tu
ASSIGNMENT EDITORS: The Supreme Court has set the dates for oral arguments on two same-sex marriage cases. On March 26, it will hear Hollingsworth v. Perry, on California's Prop 8; on March 27, it will hear U.S. v. Windsor, on whether the Defense of Marriage Act is constitutional. http://politi.co/Uwfsz5
ALSO: The Supreme Court will hear Shelby County v. Holder, a challenge to the Voting Rights Act, on Feb. 27 — a decision that could have a big impact on voter ID legislation and other voting restrictions going forward.
NEW JERSEY SENATE – BOOKER STILL WAITING FOR LAUTENBERG: Cory Booker, the Newark mayor who's all but certain to run for Senate next year, said Monday that he hasn't managed to get face time with Sen. Frank Lautenberg to talk about the race and whether the veteran New Jersey Senator intends to run again. "I had a plane trip going down to meet with him and unfortunately, with a lot of the challenges going down in Washington, he had to cancel the meeting," Booker said on CNN Monday, adding that he has "deep respect and love" for Lautenberg. http://bit.ly/VHoso9
PPP: CORBETT APPROVAL PLUMMETS: He still has two years until his reelection, but Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett looks like he'll need every minute. A new survey out from Public Policy Polling shows that only 38 percent of voters approve of his tenure in office, compared with 52 percent who disapprove. And up against potential Democratic challengers in the state, his numbers sit in the low 40s: if former Gov. Ed Rendell were to run again, Corbett would lose to him 46 percent to 40 percent; Corbett would tie Attorney General Kathleen Kaine at 42 percent. Full results from the poll: http://bit.ly/VyFAKH
SCOTT WALKER will moderate in the second half of his first term: The governor "vows that none of the legislation he supports this session will prompt massive protests like those that rocked the state Capitol soon after he became governor in 2011… 'It's just not going to happen again,' Walker told the State Journal in a recent interview." http://bit.ly/WHyvqd
RAND PAUL is in Israel: In Jerusalem yesterday, the Kentucky senator "called for a gradual reduction of American foreign aid, delivering the message in an unlikely venue — since Israel is among the top recipients of American assistance," according to the AP. http://fxn.ws/TIgFG9
HILLARY CLINTON returned to work yesterday: The State Department says she'll testify on Benghazi while still Secretary of State, but "the scheduling of Clinton's appearance would not be worked out with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee until after the presidential inauguration," the L.A. Times reports. http://lat.ms/WHyqCU
BATTLEGROUND BRIEFING—Recent stories you might have missed from real America:
FLORIDA—Rick Scott's approval rating sags in the Tampa region: "Almost twice as many adults in Pinellas and Hillsborough gave Scott a subpar rating than those who gave him a passing mark, according to a Tampa Bay Times/Bay News 9/AM 820 News poll," per the Tampa Bay Times. "Only 23 percent rated Scott's job performance as 'good' or 'excellent,' while 42 percent said they rated him as doing a 'poor' or 'not so good' job. Those who rate him "average" made up 27 percent of the respondents." Poll: http://bit.ly/WHyanp. An assessment of his first two years: http://hrld.us/WHy676
MISSOURI—"On Saturday, the Missouri Republican State Committee elected Ed Martin to serve as party chairman, voting 34 to 32 against incumbent David Cole," reports PoliticMo: http://bit.ly/WHy2Eq
IOWA—"A.J. Spiker won re-election as chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa on Saturday despite fierce GOP in-fighting that has resulted in a slump in financial support to the organization and other problems," per the Des Moines Register. "Spiker, a former Ron Paul campaign staffer, claimed 13 votes from the 18-member Iowa Republican state central committee." http://dmreg.co/WHxXAC
MORE ON IOWA—The state now has the most collective days of Senate service, according to Smart Politics. Chuck Grassley and Tom Harkin have together been in office for 60.1 years. Michigan's Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow are a dxistant second with 46.1 years. See how other states stack up: http://goo.gl/SwTwE
ARIZONA—"Gov. Jan Brewer says she is open to addressing gun-control issues in the upcoming Legislative session, which begins Jan. 14. Her remarks, made to the media Monday morning following an inauguration event of state officials, may indicate a willingness to consider options to prevent such shootings in Arizona in the wake of the Dec. 14 Sandy Hook shootings," the Republic reports. http://bit.ly/WHxSNg
BRIAN WILLIAMS made a cameo on "The Family Guy." http://politi.co/WHyceS
THE ONION: "4 copy editors killed in ongoing AP style, Chicago Manual gang violence." http://onion.com/WHyiDl
TICKETMASTER accidentally sold out of Inaugural Ball tickets a day early: http://nyti.ms/VyEQoN
CHUCK HAGEL wore a Joe Biden mask to a Senate committee meeting in 2007. http://bit.ly/VyEM8y
CODA—QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Let me just say, as a fellow chick, her hair looked fabulous this morning." – State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland compliments Hillary Clinton at a press briefing http://politi.co/WHylyU


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Season Event
Mason Players: A Bad Year for Tomatoes
- December 6, 2012 - December 8, 2012 at 8:00 pm
- December 8, 2012 - December 9, 2012 at 2:00 pm
By John Patrick
Directed by Sarah Morrissey
An upbeat comedy with colorful characters and, well, a ridiculous story. Myra, a Hollywood actress, sets out to find some "real" people and live a "real" life. She soon discovers that, no matter where you are, people are the same - a little crazy. You'll be laughing and on the edge of your seat as Myra has to find a way to prove her innocence for a murder she did not commit.
$10 students, faculty, staff, seniors and groups
$15 general admission


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Conservation groups are urging the Obama administration to keep logging restrictions in place for nearly 4 million acres of coastal forests in the Pacific Northwest. Otherwise, they say a threatened species of seabird could be at greater risk of extinction.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service came out this summer with a legal settlement agreement after the timber industry sued the agency over its plans to protect the marbled murrelet.
Conservation groups oppose that agreement. One of them is the Portland-based Center For Biological Diversity. Noah Greenwald is with the center.
"We'd like them to withdraw from the settlement agreement before the court rules on it, and fight to maintain the protections that murrelets urgently need to survive and recover," Greenwald says.
The agreement eliminates critical habitat protections on forests where murrelets nest. The plan is awaiting court approval.
Fish and Wildlife spokesman Doug Zimmer said the service is committed to protecting murrelets. Zimmer said he could not comment on the conservationists' request because it pertains to ongoing litigation.
Copyright 2012 Oregon Public Broadcasting


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Have a Very USB Christmas
The other night I had my girlfriends over for holiday drinks and they called me a Grinch because I haven't put up a Christmas tree yet. While I'm perfectly pleased it's Christmas, I feel no need to cut down a real tree since I'll be spending the holidays with my family. Less mess, right?
Anyway, the girls are coming over Friday for a gift exchange, and because I don't want to be called a party-pooper forever, I just ordered this funny, 5-inch USB powered tree light. The best part is, it's musical. It comes with a shining golden star on top and a built-in LED which produces a series of multi-colored lights. Get your own USB tree for $15.99.


text:
Movies & TV / Columns
The 411 Movies Top 5 02.15.13: Week 361 – Top 5 Chick Flicks for Guys
Welcome to Week 361 of the Movie Zone Top 5. My name is Shawn S. Lealos and you have entered my world.
The 411mania writers were given the following instructions: This week is Valentine's Day, one of the worst holidays in the world for most guys. I don't know about the rest of you, buy my wife likes chick flicks and this is a perfect holiday to make me watch one with her. Here is your chance to throw out five chick flicks that guys can choose that won't make them want to claw their eyes out while watching it with their loved ones.
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Honorable Mentions: Sweet Home Alabama (2002), She's All That (1999), Straight from the Heart (2003)
5. The Christmas Card (2006)
This Hallmark movie usually enters heavy rotation around Christmas (hence the name) but it's more than just some low budget Christmas TV movie. It tells the story of a U.S. soldier who, while on leave dealing with his dead best friend's arrangements, ends up going to a small Nevada town to meet a woman that sent him a Christmas card while in Afghanistan. It's a sad movie; but that sadness is never overwhelming (star John Newton refuses to allow it). You feel for Newton's Cody Cullen as well as for Faith (Alice Evans), the woman Cullen has come to see. You want them to be together, but you also want Faith to realize it for herself (she's engaged to a real weenie). The ending, while not all that surprising, ends up feeling like a breath of fresh air. Watch out for great work from Ed Asner and the Peter Jason as the flick's two "old men."
4. 27 Dresses (2008)
3. First Daughter (2004)
Directed by Forest Whitaker (yes, that Forest Whitaker), First Daughter tells the story of the college aged daughter (Samantha, as played by Katie Holmes) of the President of the United States (Michael Keaton) as college freshman. She has issues with making friends and interacting with the school's other students because of the constant presence of the Secret Service. Samantha eventually convinces her father to back off on the security so she can try to have a relatively normal college experience. It's at this time that she runs into James (Marc Blucas), a hunky, hip and edgy mysterious grad student and she begins to fall in love. As the story progresses, Samantha finds out that James isn't the guy she thought he was and her life becomes that much harder (school, a love life, the whole Secret Service thing, and her father is running for re-election, so you know that's going to be a pain in the ass). Holmes is great as Samantha, and she clearly has serious chemistry with Blucas. Keaton is awesome as the President, and, man, Amerlie, as Samantha's best friend/college roommate Mia looks outstanding in a bikini. Oh yeah.
2. The American President (1995)
Most people probably don't consider Rob Reiner's The American President a chick flick, but when you really look at it the movie is a proper chick flick. You have the successful single woman (Sidney Ellen Wade, as played by Annette Benning) searching for love (although she probably doesn't realize it until she meets the President, played by Michael Douglas, and he asks her out on a date). You have the personable, likeable widower (Douglas) looking for love and she sort of falls into his lap (he sees her in the meeting room and is immediately smitten). You have several cute scenes where they talk on the phone, engage in sarcastic conversation, there's a funny sex scene (which is engaged in off screen. We get to see the beginning of it, though), and ultimately a happy ending. If you don't believe me, go ahead and watch this movie again. You will see it this time.
1. Hitch (2005)
The weird thing about this, the ultimate chick flick, is that it works because of the chemistry between the two main male characters, Will Smith's Hitch and Kevin James' Albert. Smith and Mendes work well together as a couple, yes, as do James and his character's love interest played by Amber Valletta, but if Smith and James didn't click as the master and his mentor the movie would have failed. Think back to that scene where Hitch teaches Albert how to dance. If you don't laugh when Hitch smacks Albert for dancing like a lunatic the movie fails. But you do laugh. And then there's the whole "Hitch teaches Albert how to be confident around Valletta's Alegra Cole, but Hitch is all nervous and weird around Mendes' Sara" thing. The role reversal works so well because Albert really is a schlub before meeting Hitch, and Hitch is a "can't miss" with the ladies until he both teaches Albert what to do and first meets Sara.
And I'm willing to admit that the dance scene at the wedding that ends the movie is still fun to watch eight years later. It's goofy and ridiculous and cliché, sure, but look at James try to do a split. Hilarious.
5. Forgetting Sarah Marshall
My first two picks are questionable depending on what you believe constitutes a chick flick. If you believe all it needs is a little romance and comedy then I would definitely go with Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Nicholas Stoller made his directorial debut with this film and it is unbelievably hilarious. Jason Segel plays the role of a guy getting over a break-up in a comedically genius way. Not very many actors can make depression look this funny, but he pulls his off. Even though the main character involves a guy, women love to laugh, and the plot involves Segel finding love in Hawaii. This is an excellent romantic comedy selection for couples.
4. (500) Days of Summer
This is basically a chick flick from a guy's perspective on relationships. Again, the main focus of the story focuses on a male, but most women I know actually love this movie. Typically, because they can relate with what the central character experiences. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays the role of Tom who falls in love with a girl named Summer (Zoey Deschanel), who does not believe in relationship labels or true love. Tom is a romantic and finds himself hopelessly chasing these qualities from Summer. I think most of us at one time expected more from a relationship that the other was not willing to give. (500) Days of Summer is actually my favorite love story, but because it has a negative perspective on the fairy tale ideas of romance, I cannot confidently make this my number one recommendation for valentines day. Still, it's a terrific movie.
3. Pretty Woman
Women are suckers for Pretty Woman, which often at times surprises me. Most women look down on the prostitute profession, much less the idea of a man buying a call girl. Yet they love this movie. Why? Well, it's a perfect fantasy romance for men and women. Girls can embody themselves in Julia's character because she is the girl being rescued by the rich charismatic businessman. Men can enjoy it because they get to see a hot younger Julia Roberts nearly naked and playing a prostitute. And yes, it also is a well crafted love story. Although sappy at times, Pretty Woman is a great chick flick that guys can enjoy as well.
2. William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet (1996)
What better chick flick than the greatest love story of all time? Baz Luhrmann's contemporary vision of Romeo + Juliet is a perfect film for guys to enjoy with their lady friend. All the grand romantic themes are still in place. The difference is instead of swords they have guns; horses are replaced with cars; and old style music is replaced with modern rock pop tunes. The direction is wildly energetic and will constantly keep your attention up until the tragic conclusion. Leonardo Dicaprio and Claire Danes are dynamic in the lead roles of the star-crossed lovers. They elevate the material wonderfully throughout the film. If I had to pick a chick flick, this would definitely be a top choice of mine.
1. Jerry Maguire
The reason I place this at number one is because Jerry Maguire brings a fine balance of a chick flick mixed with the aspects of a sports genre. Just like most sports movies, this is very much an underdog film. Jerry Maguire is on a road to redemption to make a career comeback after being fired from his agency. Along his journey a romance sparks with the one fellow employee who believes in him. Zellwegger and Cruise bring tremendous chemistry to the unfolding romance. This aspect, along with the dynamics of the sports industry makes Jerry Maguire one of the best romances for guys to enjoy with their girlfriends or wives. You're welcome Gentlemen!
5. City Lights
I'm not trying to be a film snob with this choice, it is just a fact that, when looking at romantic movies, there aren't many better than this classic Charlie Chaplin film. This is a romantic comedy that pretty much set the template of how the genre became what it is today. Chaplin played his classic "Tramp" character and one day met a beautiful young blind girl selling flowers on the street. The two meet and The Tramp falls in love. After he saves a drunk millionaire's life, the rich man gives The Tramp some money and he takes the blind girl around town. However, when the millionaire sobers up, he throws out The Tramp. When The Tramp learns there is a cure for blindness, he sets out to make money any way he can, running into troubles and stumbling along the way. When he finally gets the money to her, it is to his own peril, but he believes it is all worth it in the end. It is a brilliantly told story, with great slapstick moments and a hopeful ending. It is 100% a chick flick, but this movie is good enough for any man to sit through and enjoy as well.
4. Jerry Maguire
You can't beat this Cameron Crowe movie when it comes to delivering a perfect mix of the guy-girl enjoyment ratio. For the girls, you get a sweet love story of boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, boy screws up and loses girl, boy wins back over girl by saying "you complete me" and she says "You had me at hello." That is enough to make most guys throw up a little bit in their mouths. However, for the guys you get football, an agent trying to win a contract for his star client, an agent trying to create his own agency to escape "the man," and guest appearances from Drew Bledsoe, Troy Aikman, Warren Moon, Barry Switzer, Herman Moore, Art Monk, Al Michaels, Frank Gifford and Dan Dierdorf. Most chicks might recognize two of those names, but it is enough to make this a sappy chick flick with enough in it to keep a guy interested.
3. Say Anything…
We have Cameron Crowe again. The problem with most chick flicks is that the guys in them never really connect with the guys in the audience. They are either too big of dicks or they are too sappy. There is rarely a realistic male character in a chick flick, because most of them create what the females in the audience feel is the ideal male. It's probably the same complaint women have about females in action movies. With Say Anything…, Crowe completely blows that entire stereotype out of the water. While there has been backlash lately on the Internet against John Cusack, he is honestly one of the best actors to pull chick flicks out of the lady's clubs and let them live in the mainstream conscious. Here, he is Lloyd Dobler, a normal guy who falls for Ione Skye's Diane. There is a subplot surrounding Diane's dad, who the IRS is after for fraud, but this movie wins because Lloyd Dobler is a real guy and he wins over the girl of his dreams, instead of being an ideal guy who the girl wins over.
2. When Harry Met Sally…
Rob Reiner's When Harry Met Sally… stands the test of time as the smartest written chick flick ever made. This was at a time where Meg Ryan was appearing in pure chick dreck like Sleepless in Seattle, Molly Ringwald was the poster girl for teenagers everywhere, and women (and D-Rock apparently) were swooning over a hooker with a heart of gold in Pretty Woman. However, this movie looked at a quandary that has haunted most men over history. What happens when a girl just looks at you like a friend? It is a lot deeper than that, because in this movie Billy Crystal starts out with the thought that men and women can't be friends and have sex (that is a Crime against Mankind), but it gets better when they continue to meet up over the next few years and eventually fall for each other. What makes the movie great is the dialogue, perfectly written and performed. And that diner scene. If you want to find a chick flick that doesn't insult the males in the audience, write a smart script. This movie has that in spades.
1. The Princess Bride
Argue with me and tell me that The Princess Bride is not a chick flick. It is a movie about a princess forced to marry an arrogant prince until a valiant pirate comes along and saves her, winning her heart in the meantime. That is a chick flick. This is a love story about two wayward people, who fall in love and then find the world trying to keep them apart, until fate finally intervenes and they find each other in their arms. That is a chick flick. Of course, this also has sword fights, a weasel kidnapper named Vizzini, perfectly portrayed by Wallace Shawn, Andre the Freaking Giant, more sword fights, and a Spaniard who wants revenge against a six-fingered man. It is the greatest chick flick ever made.
"Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."
Star Trek 3 Director Set
Comics 411: Overrated Comic Stories
Howe Twins Snap Bikini Selfie


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Q. I'd like to institute a civility code that goes beyond the basic racial and sexual slurs to include any name-calling that is demeaning, crude or rude. What do you suggest as punishment?
A. You can certainly prohibit racial and sexual slurs that are based on a protected category. However, your proposal is a little different.
You can implement a general civility code, but you must make sure it does not run afoul of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). The NLRA grants employees the right to engage in concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid or protection. That can include criticism (of working conditions or co-workers) that you might consider rude or demeaning.
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is assertive in protecting employees' ability to engage in protected concerted activity. For example, it has found it a violation of the NLRA to prohibit employees from making disparaging comments and using inappropriate, offensive, rude or discourteous language.
If you implement a general civility code, consider narrowing the scope of prohibited conduct. Avoid vague or broad language, and add limiting language so employees understand you are not prohibiting activity protected under the NLRA.
Finally, as to your question about punishment, you should treat a violation of the civility code like a violation of any other policy.


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BINGEN, Wash., Oct. 10 (UPI) -- UAS-manufacturer Insitu Inc. is touting the participation of its ScanEagle system during a recent Canadian military and government exercise.
Operation Nanook was focused around a major air disaster simulation, during which ScanEagle, an unmanned aerial system, provided overwatch to Canadian forces.
The runway-independent ScanEagle UAS was deployed by Insitu and its partner ING Engineering to identify traversable ground routes, to watch for polar bear threats and to monitor iceberg movements.
Commanders in tactical operations centers and troops on the ground received real-time, stable video.
During the exercise, Insitu and ING UAS operators launched and retrieved the aircraft. Handing control to the Canadian forces, company operators were on hand to provide technical assistance as needed.
"Adverse weather conditions are typical of ScanEagle operations," said Insitu Senior Vice President of Business Development Ryan Hartman. "Freezing temperatures, wind, whatever challenge our environment presents, we just work through it. Our standard is 99 percent mission-readiness with 30-minutes notice."
Designed by Insitu Inc., a subsidiary of Boeing, ScanEagle's modularity allows for rapid technology upgrades, like the 2010 introduction of the daylight-quality mid-wave infrared imager payload, and the soon-to-be-released electronically fuel-injected heavy fuel engine that will improve reliability in extreme environments like the arctic.
Modularity allows for rapid system reconfiguration, like adding another network node to beat line-of-sight challenges.


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Electronic Dance Music Triple Threat Series: Bok Bok
Mass Appeal closes out the week strong and our Triple Threat Series with one of underground music's most revered names, Bok Bok.
All week-long, we've introduced you to some of the best EDM producers: from Scuba who kicked off the Triple Threat Series to Distal and Mite. To wrap things up for our third installment is Bok Bok, founder of the Night Slugs label. Hailing from London, Alex Sushon made a unique impression on its thriving underground music scene by creating a label off the strength of a party he started in 2008 with his partner James Connolly, aka L-Vis 1990. Night Slugs as a label distributes talent like Kingdom, Jam City and Girl Unit, a lineup coming to Bristol, tomorrow. Becoming a staple to UK nightlife has become one of their claims to fame, similar to how another UK nightclub cum record label/store, Sidewinder Records helped break Dizzee Rascal—a major influence on Bok Bok. Mass Appeal got wind of the latest releases from Night Slugs, plus what drives their production when we caught up with the man who answers e-mails faster then you can say…. Bok Bok.
Mass Appeal: What was the first piece of music that changed things for you?
Bok Bok: There have been so many milestone records over the years, it's hard to name only one. Dizzee Rascal's first album and DJ Slimzee's Ministry Of Sound CD were both huge milestones for me though. I heard them both around the same time and realized I was ignoring an incredible homegrown scene that was right under my nose, looking for innovation everywhere but right in front of me. Those were my gateways into grime, big time.
Are you still the one mixing most of the records on the label? And if so, has it become easier?
BB: Yes, I've actually just finished a month-long stint of constant work mixing other people's tracks for Night Slugs. It's been very intense. It's got easier in some ways because the more I do it the more I learn (which is natural and it's probably a perpetual process of learning).
"But in some ways it's harder because my standards grow higher. It's a process with equal parts science and black magic."
What was the process like to design the art work/label for Night Slugs? Why this particular type of design?
BB: The visual aesthetic came about as naturally as our audio aesthetic. It just grew into being this recognizable thing. I was a graphic designer in my past life (pre-full-time music that is) so in many ways it was just continuing on existing ideas that were already in my work or in my head at least. Links between physical space and audio space were key from the start, I knew I wanted to create these synesthetic structures or scenarios.
Speaking of space, where are you? Describe your surroundings?
BB: I'm in my studio right now surrounded by gear. Space is a real issue in here at the moment, I'm running out of it. But it's a vibe. Something magical about it. Nowhere sounds quite like it.
How did you come up with the name Night Slugs?
BB: The name comes from a meme borrowed from bassline music. They had a lot of tracks with "Slugs" in the title, and any word could precede it to create the track's theme. So there was "Arabian Slugs," "Culture Slugs," "Salt Slugs," "Screwface Slugs," etc. It was sort of a simile for these bullet-like globules of bass flying out the speakers. So Slugs suggests upfront bass and the Night part is the other stuff that rides atop, the celestial or otherworldly elements. In many ways the title suits us more now than when we first started in 2008.
What was the inspiration to take the monthly party into a label?
BB: FYI the club night was never as regular as monthly. We always kept it a little sporadic. Things are more interesting that way. But to answer your question, really by the time we grew from a night into a label, everyone was just ready, the time was right. We had material ready for several releases already. It felt early on like an aesthetic was taking shape. We had loads of producers around us making original stuff that fit into our DJ sets, it was all very organic.
What has been the biggest struggle for you as an individual as well as a music producer/label owner?
BB: The hardest thing for me is balancing my time so that I still get to work on my own music. Label stuff is really time consuming, I'm involved in pretty much all the aspects of it.
Do you ever feel that it's too much pressure for you especially with you wearing so many hats as an artist, graphic designer, and running Night Slugs?
BB: I wouldn't say I feel pressure, because really it would only be coming from myself. But I try to do everything properly so the only real pressure is time. I could do with some assistants who I could brain-share with via WiFi.
What's next for Night Slugs and for Bok Bok?
BB: Next for the label: we're about to drop the first of our new series of Club Constructions releases, which is by L-Vis. It's a pack of pretty raw and upfront tracks for the club. Then straight after, we have a new release lined up from Girl Unit—it's a double-pack so we're pretty excited about that. Then after that, the long awaited Jam City album Classical Curves is out at the end of May. Loads more planned after that too.
As for me, I'm putting together a remix EP of Southside that is almost finished. I've also got a release coming as part of our white label series with some grimy tracks on there—the dub of the "Dark Hearts" thing I did for Riz and also a track called "MJT." In the meantime I'm locked in my bunker just working hard on new stuff.
How do you feel about Hotflush Recordings and Embassy Recordings?
BB: They're all great big up to everyone working hard putting out music in 2012.


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Before I had children I never thought I needed a day of rest. As always, He knows better than I.
Then I had children and it seemed that when I needed a day of rest more than ever, it was impossible to have one. There are meals to prepare, dishes to wash, laundry to do, diapers to change, and a never ending list of to-dos. Just when I thought I wouldn't be getting a day of rest for another 18-20 years, He opened my eyes. We may not be able to lay in bed all day resting, reading and meditating, but with a bit of preparation we can care for littles and have a day of rest.
Preparation is key, but a proper perspective must come first. We must work towards the Sabbath throughout the week, knowing that rest will come. If you want to have a day of rest, the focus of your week should be in making preparations for that day. Since we keep a Saturday Sabbath, Thursday and Friday are my major preparation days.
Take note of what you are doing on the Sabbath. What jobs are easily avoidable by simply doing them on another day? How can you prepare throughout the week in order to avoid certain tasks on the Sabbath?
Find out what creates peace within your home. For me this means the house is clean. At least as clean as it can be in this season of my life. It also means that we have plenty of food on hand without having to cook a big meal or create a lot of dishes.
Get organized & prepare. Make a list of what needs to be done before the Sabbath comes. Organize your weekly schedule around that list.
Realize that some things are unavoidable. Diaper changes, proper sanitation in the kitchen and feeding and cleaning up babies are all necessary and impossible to do ahead of time. Focus on those other things that you can do ahead of time.
Don't sweat it if things aren't just right. If your week has been hard, if you have a new baby or a sick child – let a few things go. If the bathroom isn't perfectly clean it doesn't change the focus of the day – resting in Him.
This is what works for me in finding a peaceful, restful Sabbath in our home.
How do you do it?
Next week I will share with you the specific preparations I make in cooking, cleaning and laundry in order to avoid those tasks on the Sabbath.


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Colonial with a hint of Tudor2126 PRIMROSE LA -
4 bedroom Colonial situated on private, park-like setting, cul-de-sac location. Updated kitchen & baths. Hardwood floors. Newer air conditioner, gas furnace, hot water tank & overhead garage door 2012. Deck overlooking private yard. Fireplace in Family Room. Newer kitchen and baths. Just off Rt. 7 close to major arterials.
Note from the Sellers: we purchased this property years ago for many reasons including but not limited to the nearby Reist Bird Sanctuary, less than a 10 minute drive to the paved trail that runs along the Mohawk River near Lock 7 where one can take walks and go bicycling. There is ample shopping nearby and we are close to Proctor's Theater. Also, our property is situated in the sought after Niskayuna School District.
Listing information
- Year Built: 1982
- Status: Sold on 6/30/2016
- Parking Type Description: Attached 2 cars
- County: Schenectady
- Elementary School: Hillside Elementary
- Property ID: 103932941
- Beds: 4
- Total Rooms: 8
- New Construction: No
- High School: Niskayuna High School
- School District: Niskayuna
- Style: Colonial
- Baths: 3 (Full: 2 3/4: 0 1/2: 1 Other: 0)
- Fireplaces: 1
- Total Square Footage: 2,075 ($134.46 per sq. foot)
- Middle School: Iroquois Middle School


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" Type: Trainers / Brand: Converse / Gender: for Children / Material: canvas / Sole type: rubber sole / With branding: yes "
* Prices may differ from that shownMore Offers
In my house we have several pairs of Converse All-Star Hi tops. My husband has Khaki green size 11s, I have lilac size 4s, My son (4) has royal blue size 9 (junior), and my toddler has just grown out of her teeny size 5 (infant) ones. They have all been comparable in quality, style, durability etc.
The fit:
My husband loves his Converse, and says they fit very comfortably, except that when worn for a long time the hi tops can hurt his ankle a bit.
Mine have always been uncomfortable, rubbing my toes, despite the fact that there is room at the toes and that I am always a size 4 and find it easy to find comfy shoes. If I bought them again, I would try sizing up, but when I tried them in a 5 the shop they felt a bit clown-like - not a good feel. Maybe they are just not for me - as they are canvas with a rubber toe, there is no give so if they hurt at the start in my experience they will always hurt.
My son's fit great - they have a bit of growing room, and he can happily wear them for hours of play / walking. My daughter's toddler ones were great too, and provided good support for her ankles when in the first years of walking.
They have a reasonable rubber grip, which is great for day to day use / light sports but less substantial than classic trainers. The main problem in the UK is that they are no good in the rain, and there is often a chance of this. They get soaked through, and your feet get wet and cold. They also pick up the dirt quite a bit on the fabric. Some people machine wash them, but I find this makes the logo come off and knackers the belt of your machine.
They do take a bit of a long time to put on, as you have to loosen the laces around the ankle each time. Once on, they are practical for kids, but they are a right pain to get on / off if they can't do it themselves. I might try the zip-side ones next time, but I do prefer the look of these ones.
They are great for durability. Over a long period (years of on/off use) they have worn down a bit on the sole at the back, where the All star logoing is in the rubber. They are never far out of fashion, so I find your can pull them out year after year.
Overall, as long as you are happy with the fit / comfort when you first buy them, they are a long-lasting fashion trainer for dry weather that can be worn by any age group and in a wide variety of styles.
I am a big converse fan and now that the snow seems to have eased off a bit they are making a lovely comeback on my feet :) I have this All Star Hi top pair in black.
They have a thick rubber sole, which has a lot of grip and is great with the current wet weather we have and so they are really versatile. The upper is made of a canvas material which although reasonably thick and good quality, it means these shoes aren't waterproof. Sadly they also do nothing for keeping the heat in so if you insist on wearing them in winter I always ensure to have on tights and socks.
Nevertheless these Converses are so timeless as I have been rocking them for a good 6 + years now (not the same pair of course!) as they are actually really comfortable, trainer type shoes that can be worn every day and although they look quite sporty they can be mixed and matched to wear with skirts and trousers etc. I wear mine with skinny jeans as they are really versatile and make me look quite trendy when I'm having a busy day running around doing errands. They are laced up so means they can be tightened to comfort to give the shoe more support. Likewise, being a hi-top means this shoe covers my ankles and gives me more support, which is great.
Size wise these are quite accurate as I am a general size 5/EUR 38 and I have this exact size. For the price though, I don't think its reasonable as I have paid double for shoes that didn't last half as long and I had these black high tops for over 3 years.
Another small niggle with converses is that as a brand new pair they rub in my heel something rotten. I overcome this by getting my sister who is 2 shoe sizes larger than me to wear them in for 10 minutes and this makes them a lot better in no time and afterwards they are as comfortable as ever so anyone hoping to buy a pair...so keep in mind that you do have to break them in!
Overall, I would definitely recommend converses as they are comfortable and stylish, pretty cheap and really timeless, so I am sure in years to come I will be still be wearing these!


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2013 IEEE 54th Annual Symposium on Foundations of Computer Science (1984)
Singer Island, FL
Oct. 24, 1984 to Oct. 26, 1984
pp: 320-322
N. Alon , M.I.T.
Explicit construction of families of linear expanders and superconcentrators is relevant to theoretical computer science in several ways. There is essentially only one known explicit construction. Here we show a correspondence between the eigenvalues of the adjacency matrix of a graph and its expansion properties, and combine it with results on Group Representations to obtain many new examples of families of linear expanders. We also obtain better expanders than those previously known and use them to construct explicitly n-superconcentrators with 157.4 n edges, much less than the previous most economical construction.
V.D. Milman, N. Alon, "Eigenvalues, Expanders And Superconcentrators", 2013 IEEE 54th Annual Symposium on Foundations of Computer Science, vol. 00, no. , pp. 320-322, 1984, doi:10.1109/SFCS.1984.715931


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Georgia linebacker Odell Thurman stands outside the Citrus Bowl where he will lead the Bulldog defense Thursday in the Capital One Bowl.
Jeff Blake/Staff ORLANDO, Fla. - The talent was never a question.
Mark Richt could see it on display when Odell Thurman suited up for that first special teams scrimmage in his first year on Georgia's campus and made tackle after tackle after tackle for the scout team.
"I thought 'Man, we've got to get him in the game,'" the Bulldogs coach said.
As a partial academic qualifier, Thurman sat out his freshman season.
That's just the first of many curves on Thurman's long and winding road from the small town of Monticello to a New Year's Day bowl with the 11th-ranked Bulldogs.
The journey has included scrapes with the law, his dismissal and return to the program, and persevering after the death of his father on the eve of the 2003 season.
Through it all, Thurman has emerged this season as a middle linebacker of major impact in the SEC, where he was the only sophomore on the coaches' All-SEC first team.
"Everything's pretty much gone better than I thought it would," Thurman said.
Thurman's college football career is blossoming after there were questions whether it would ever get started. Richt booted him from the team in the spring of his freshman year for off-the-field transgressions that included fights, including one at an Athens bar.
"I did a lot of stuff when I first got here as a freshman," Thurman said. "I was on the edge for a good little while, but he kept giving me chance after chance."
After one too many visits to the coach's office, Richt told Thurman he could return to the program if he got his act together at Georgia Military College in Milledgeville.
"He understood his college life and playing football at a major college was kind of at a crossroads," defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder said. "It was either I go to school and I do these things and do them right and get myself back to the University of Georgia or maybe I don't get a chance to play major college football like he'd always dreamed of and wanted to."
Thurman spent only a semester at Georgia Military, but says "it felt like two or three years."
Instead of Georgia's spacious locker rooms and plush team meeting rooms, Thurman changed from his cadet uniform to his football uniform in cramped quarters.
"They teach you to appreciate everything you're going to get because you don't get nothing down there," Thurman said. "You barely have enough time to eat or barely enough time to do anything on your own free time because you don't get none."
The regimented, disciplined way of life didn't fit the fun-loving, free-spirited Thurman.
"Kind of like a lot of guys, he tested the waters a good bit early," Georgia Military coach Bert Williams said.
Thurman missed one game and a half of another for disciplinary reasons. Thurman and a teammate blew off a Sunday evening team run because they were visiting friends in Athens. He was late one night for 11 p.m. taps.
"You had to be in your room by 10 and lights out by 11. I got caught a couple of times," Thurman said with a laugh.
Thurman started the last five games of the season, leading the team in tackles and helping it reach its second straight national junior college championship game. Thurman had a sparkling game with 11 tackles, a fumble returned for a touchdown and an interception, but Georgia Military lost to Joliet (Ill.), 24-14.
"The only linebacker that I've seen or known that went to Georgia that was better than him and probably won't be for long is Kendrell Bell," Williams said of the current Pittsburgh Steelers star. "Odell is one of those guys that you can just feel on the field. He takes your breath away a little bit when the ball went into action."
Thurman returned to Georgia last January, but ran into trouble again in August when he spent part of a night in the Athens-Clarke County jail.
Thurman, 20, was pulled over driving a 2003 Cadillac Escalade that Thurman says is owned by his ninth grade basketball coach, who has been a mentor. Thurman said he was driving to pick up family members and friends who were in town to watch Thurman in a scrimmage. He was arrested for five misdemeanor charges, but according to a clerk with the Athens Municipal Court only two resulted in fines.
Charges against Thurman for underage possession of alcohol and having an open container of alcohol were dismissed and there was no fine for failure to carry a driver's license. Thurman paid $200 for an improper lane change and playing music too loudly.
"It was what I thought it was, but a lot of people thought I was letting him off easily," Richt said. "I believed his story. That's the worst trouble he's been in since he's been back."
Days after the traffic incident, Thurman lost his father, Otis Thurman, who died of liver and kidney failure at 41. Thurman said his father had a drinking problem, but the death still came suddenly. Otis Thurman attended the scrimmage in Athens the weekend before, but took a turn for the worse. Odell visited his father in the hospital while he was in intensive care, but his father was unable to talk.
"He was on all the machines and my Dad never has looked like that," Thurman said. "I knew he wasn't going to make it."
Thurman's mother, Joyce Bland, died in a car accident when Thurman was 10.
Thurman was raised since he was a baby by his paternal grandmother, Betty Thurman, and shared a room with a cousin in a home that included his grandmother, an uncle and aunt and seven cousins. Thurman moved in with his father as a high school senior in a home just a couple of doors down on Spruce Street in Monticello in a neighborhood locals call "Frog Town," some 70 miles south of Athens.
"Growing up I always hoped my father would be there. I always hope he'd come to the game," Thurman said. "Every time he showed up I always did bad so he used to come to the game and hide in the crowd so I couldn't see him."
Thurman plans to add a tattoo after the season to honor his father. He already has eight etchings on his 6-foot-1, 225-pound frame including "Frog Town" and "Little O." Otis Thurman was "Big O."
Otis Thurman never got to see Odell play for Georgia but Thurman says "I try to play every down like he's watching and impress him more than anybody else."
Thurman has impressed many this season as the game now seems to be moving slower to him because he has a better grasp on Georgia's defense. Richt says Thurman does a great job preparing and understanding the little nuances that help him read an offensive set and understand what may be coming.
"When I was in high school I just ran and tried to make the play," Thurman said. "Now I'm trying to get more educated in the game of football. That's why I'm making more plays than I was."
Thurman has reached double digits in tackles in six of the past seven games after reaching the mark just once in the first six games. He leads Georgia with 17.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks.
"A lot of it is just becoming comfortable with our scheme and understanding his position totally," VanGorder said. "He was in a battle with that from the beginning. He's very bright, picked things up really well, and you combine that with his athleticism and you've got a high production player."
VanGorder is schooling Thurman, and this teacher does not hand out easy A's.
Thurman's career highlight - a 99-yard interception return for a touchdown against Auburn - was downgraded by VanGorder because of his techniques and failure to follow his assignment before he picked off the tipped pass.
"I was out of position," Thurman said. "I might have the greatest game in the nation on TV, but I get back in the meeting room with Coach VanGorder and 'it's look at this, look at this."
On the first day of Georgia's bowl practices, VanGorder needled Thurman about his postseason honor saying "All-SEC, whatcha going to do today? Are you going to practice hard?"
Thurman has reason to continue to progress. He wants to be able to provide for his 18-month old son, Odalyus, who lives in Monticello with his mother, Orthea Stone. He wants to make those back in Frog Town proud by becoming what he says would be only the second player from Monticello to reach the NFL after former Georgia tight end Ulysses Norris, a 1979 Detroit Lions draft pick.
"I have high standards for him because he's got so much ability," VanGorder said. "He's got a chance to be one of the top linebackers in the country if he keeps focusing on improving and doesn't worry about all of those other things. He has a great chance to do that."
Georgia vs. Purdue
1 p.m., Thursday
Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Monday, December 29, 2003.
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SILVIS, Ill. --- His putting was miserable, he was missing cuts and every round was turning into a struggle.
Kris Blanks knew he was better than that so he made a change, focusing on the part of his game that was causing the most grief. He had to do something about his putting.
"I always equate a golfer to NASCAR. We're always making tweaks," Blanks said. "I just needed to do something to change it up and that's what we did."
Sometimes the tweaks don't work.
This time, they did.
Blanks birdied his final five holes Thursday to finish with an 8-under-par 63 and grab the first-round lead at the John Deere Classic.
Blanks, who played the back nine first, rolled in a 25-foot putt on No. 5 to start his late run and capped it with an 11-footer to leave him alone at the top after Canadian rookie Matt McQuillan and veteran Davis Love III had held that spot much of the day with 64s.
"I hope I can keep it going," said Blanks, who is a former winner of the annual NGA/Hooters Tour event in McCormick, S.C. "I've never made a cut here. I think this week I will -- hopefully."
Blanks, 38, is in his third year on the tour and came in tied for 175th in putting. But after tinkering with his approach the previous night, he found what he needed and put himself in good position to reach the weekend.
"It was good to finally see some putts fall, which I've been struggling with all year," said Blanks, who has missed the cut in 11 of 20 tournaments. "So that was definitely a positive. It's just fun to make some putts."
Though no one approached the eye-popping numbers of last year's first round, when Paul Goydos shot 59 and Stricker had 60, there were plenty in the mid-60s. Goydos matched Stricker with 66, as did Augusta native Charles Howell, Josh Teater, Lee Janzen, D.A. Points, Cameron Percy, Brendon de Jonge, Zach Johnson, Cameron Beckman, Chez Reavie and Jim Herman.
David Toms (hip) and Robert Garrigus (back) withdrew from the tournament halfway through their rounds.
Toms said his injury will keep him out of next week's British Open.


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Written on: 01/08/2011
I'm the silly one who after reading a few bad reviews still went ahead and purchased the very smart looking Freeway II.
My first and defiantly last Powerkaddy purchased.
Had all the same probs as others with misting screen, hate the speed controls, either too slow or too fast, and now has just given up the ghost, speed indicator just flashes 0 and wont go. So off to PowerKaddy to try & get a resolution.... and by reading the other reviews will be a painful process.
Also had problems with the bag, had two zips go including the main front ball pocket, so need to get a new bag !!!


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Shiney Chief a.k.a 'Lil Red' after 60 days of riding away from the track. Really rolling back off of hind quarters and using pivot foot. Very peppy but calm and uses his head. Lil Red is a consignment horse and is not owned by WCF. Winner on the track w plenty of go. Futurity eligible. Disclaimer: I do not own the music or the rights to the songs used in this video. Entertainment purposes only.Lil Red 60 Dayshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5TcyZTrgugMore Information about Shiney Chief
We breed, raise, sell, train, and compete on QUALITY barrel horses.


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Borderlands - Interview @ RPS
Simon Hurley interview on RPS, talks about exploration, story, loot, co-op and non-linearity. Words by Jim Rossignol.
From what we've seen so far, however, the story is one of the least interesting aspects of the game. What's rather more enticing is the fact that Borderlands seems to be a remarkably open ended shooter with vehicles, bandit-dudes, wide-open environments, dungeons, and gigantic, roaming monsters. It's ripe for that kind of wandering and poking about in virtuality that we love so dearly. So are we actually looking at it being a large, explorable game like Stalker or Oblivion? What kind of story should we expect? Something wide open and sandbox, or fairly linear? "The game can be played both ways", says Hurley. "There is a main mission storyline that advances the story and the game, and there are large, open environments in Borderlands that are ripe for exploration." Ah, sweet exploration, how we savour it in our games. It is too rare a commodity in these modern times.
Hurley continued: "You will come across all sorts of enemies, loot, and gameplay experiences along the way. We also have several vehicles to help you get around (in addition to doing crazy vehicle combat with) so you won't be slogging along on foot all the time. Because of both the dynamic nature of the game, the size of the world, the randomization of certain aspects of gameplay, and game adjusting itself based on the number and experience level of the players, it's a different gameplay experience every time you go through it. If you just want to go exploring, there is always new stuff to find and new enemies to fight."
Information aboutBorderlands
SP/MP: Single + MP
Setting: Post-Apoc
Genre: Shooter-RPG
Platform: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
Release: Released


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Download GESS apk 2.0 free for Android smartphone
Posted by Ministry of Education, UAE in Education | Feb. 12, 2015 | 1 Comments
Apk file size: 17.0 MB
GESS 2015 is free to visit and is designed for all educational professionals. Whether you are a head teacher, head of procurement, head of department, dean, professor, lecturer, teacher or just involved in education, you will have the opportunity to view demonstrations of some of the most innovative exhibits from the leading suppliers to the global education market. In conjunction with the exhibition, GEF is renowned as an industry leader in terms of providing ongoing education, debates and insight.
App Features:
- Show schedule and location of GESS Event in an interactive map
- Shows a list of programme with their schedule and room designation
- Shows a list of speakers and which programme they will be attending
- Search programmes or speakers
- UI language in both English and Arabic
- A way to contact the event management staff
- and more...
Ministry of Education, UAE part of our Education and have average installs from 100 to 500. Last Update Feb. 12, 2015. Google play rating is 100.0. Current verison is 2.0. Actual size 17.0 MB.
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1 Comments
nilesh misal
Best guide line Educate and educate others. Like to visit and observe and. study education system of verious countries.


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It's been referred to as the "fifth major," and while most PGA TOUR pros balk at that title, The Players serves a major purpose on the schedule each year. It wasn't this way a few years back as its spot in mid-March was merely a prelude to the Masters, which followed a few weeks later. But in its new spot in mid-May, The Players fills a major void, both figuratively and literally. The gap between the Masters and the U.S. Open is by far the longest between majors all season. Luckily for us, we've got the "fifth major" to help fill that void. Sure, The Players isn't an actual major, but it has a major feel, if for nothing else, the golfers in the field really want to win this event. Maybe it's the prestige of winning the "next best thing" to a major or perhaps it's the enormous check that awaits the winner. Whatever the case, there won't be any players on the course going through the motions this week; no sir, this week it's all about winning a major, err ... winning the event that bridges the gap between the Masters and the U.S. Open that everybody cares about, but not enough to consider it the "fifth major."
What the Wells Fargo Championship means:
Lucas Glover: Remember this guy? He's the one who won the U.S. Open a couple years back and looked like the best golfer on the planet over a three-month span in 2009. It's been a while since we've seen that player, but after his win last week, we might get another glimpse the next couple months.
Jonathan Byrd: Don't look now, but the player known for his inconsistency suddenly resembles a consistent player. Byrd has made a habit of showing up every couple months over his career, but this year appears to be different. He's found some consistency in his game.
Zach Johnson: It's been a while since we've seen Johnson in the top-10, specifically it was last season, but with his finish last week perhaps he's ready to contend on a weekly basis again.
This week: The Players Championship
Last Year: Tim Clark shot a final-round 67 on his way to a one-stroke victory over Robert Allenby.
Players to Consider:
1. Luke Donald
Nobody has played better the last few months than Donald. He enters this week on a streak of six consecutive top-10s, including one win and one runner-up finish. His track record at Sawgrass is not spectacular, but it's good enough to warrant his spot on this list.
2. Lucas Glover
Glover broke a string of four consecutive missed cuts here last year when he finished tied for third. Considering his track record, this might be the perfect time to hop aboard.
3. Ben Crane
Crane is the only golfer in the field this week to finish in the top-10 the last three years at this event. He's also having a fairly decent year with seven of eight starts resulting in a top-25.
4. J.B. Holmes
Holmes is primed to take the next step in his PGA TOUR career, and a victory this week could be the catalyst. Holmes has finished in the top 16 in three of his last four starts here.
5. Bill Haas
Remember the last time Haas went on a little run? It was only a couple months ago, and if last week is an indication that he's about to start another run, you might as well get in right away.
Players to Avoid:
1. Henrik Stenson
Stenson has a very nice track record here, including a win in 2009, but he's nowhere near that form now, and he's not close enough to find it this week.
2. Padraig Harrington
Harrington showed some game last week, but he's yet to show any consistency this year. To expect a good showing again this week might be asking too much. Harrington has a good track record here, but he hasn't accomplished much at Sawgrass since 2004.
3. Trevor Immelman
Immelman is getting close to finding his form of old, but even his best was no match for Sawgrass. Immelman has yet to make a cut here in five tries at this event.
4. J.J. Henry
Henry is playing well this season, but he's never had any luck on this course. In nine tries, Henry has never cracked the top 40 here.
5. Charles Howell III
Nine tries here and five missed cuts. Of the four times he played the weekend, he cracked the top 50 once, and that was a T32 in 2003.
Yahoo! Fantasy Golf:
This week: The Players Championship
Group A
1. Luke Donald
2. Matt Kuchar
Judging by track record, this duo is a little risky considering there is only one top-10 between them. That said, there might not be a more reliable duo on the course.
Group B
1. Bubba Watson
2. Ben Crane
3. Charl Schwartzel
4. Bill Haas
In years past, Watson would have no place on my roster this week. His track record here is awful. But he's managed to overcome poor track records all season, so why not here? Crane, on the other hand, has been outstanding on this course the last three years. Neither Schwartzel nor Haas has a long history on this course, but both have played well for the majority of the 2011 season. Haas specifically went on a crazy run earlier this year, and I'm hoping that last week's finish was the start of another run.
Group C
1. Adam Scott
2. J.B. Holmes
Holmes is primed for a breakthrough win, and although this isn't a major, it certainly qualifies as a breakthrough. Scott had his breakthrough win here in 2004. The problem is it didn't lead to bigger and better things. Hopefully, his strong showing at the Masters is a sign that he's ready for the next step.
Starters Round One
1. Luke Donald
2. Ben Crane
3. Bill Haas
4. J.B. Holmes
The best golfer in the world, right now, gets the opening-round start in Group A this week. Donald has been more reliable than any golfer on the PGA TOUR this season, and there's no reason to think that will change this week. Crane gets a start in Group B based solely on his track record. He's found a groove at Sawgrass, and he'll be in the mix all week. Haas gets the other start in Group B, mostly by default. As mentioned, the track records of Watson and Schwartzel are not strong here, so I'll give them a round to get acclimated. Holmes is the pick in Group C based on his play coming in and his overall reliability this season.
Round Two and Going Forward:
Donald has a strong hold on the starting spot in Group A this week, if for no other reason than I didn't really see another player that I liked from that group. I am not sure I've ever said that about Group A during a big event, but that seems to be the case this week. Crane has a pretty strong hold on one starting spot in Group B this week, but the other spot is up for grabs starting Friday. Watson will be the first one in if he shows the ability to get around this course, something he's yet to do by the way. Schwartzel is the second option if he shows his Masters form. Haas can hold the spot if he continues his play from last week. Group C is up in the air starting Friday. I expect Holmes to play well all week, but I am not sure what to expect from Scott. If he shows his Masters form, then I'll try to get him a start Friday. If not, it's Holmes all the way, and I am OK with that.


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Why Pop Century is the Only Value Resort For Me
When planning a Walt Disney World Vacation there are a number of decisions to make ranging from which FastPass+ reservations to book, what ticket option is best for you and your group, and even how to get there. But one of the most important, if you're staying on property, is which Walt Disney World Resort to choose as your home away from home during your stay! Now as you may have guessed, the size of your budget will play a considerable role in the decision-making process. This is why Disney has conveniently grouped the Disney World Resorts into three different categories based on price with Deluxe Resorts being the most expensive, Value Resorts being the least, and Moderate Resorts falling somewhere in the middle. I've already covered my Why Port Orleans Riverside is the Only Moderate Resort for Me and Why Wilderness Lodge is the Only Deluxe For Me; but for today's post, I'm focusing on one of Walt Disney World's budget-friendly resort options in Why Pop Century is the Only Value Resort for Me!
But first, a little more info about the Disney World Value Resorts!
The Disney World Value Resorts have bright and colorful theming and are geared towards families whose vacation budget isn't quite as flexible. Disney World's Value Resorts consist of the Pop Century Resort, All-Star Music Resort, All-Star Movies Resort, All-Star Sports Resort, and the Art of Animation Resort.
Now when I want a Disney World fix with the least damage on my bank account, I have to say that Pop Century is the only Value Resort for me.
Generational Appeal
Walt Disney's motivation for Disneyland was a place where he could have fun with his daughters, and the Pop Century Resort stays true to that original vision in that it offers a theme geared towards both kids and adults. Each section of the Pop Century Resort is themed after a particular decade ranging from the 1950s to the 1990s. Each section, or wing, is decorated with huge, colorful icons and catchphrases from their respective decades, such as giant 8-track tapes, Big Wheels, bowling pins, and foosball. The lobby is also filled with shadowboxes of memorabilia from days gone by. I always stop and check out the boxes from the '80s and '90s to revisit some favorite old toys and mementos from my childhood, and I love hearing music from the different decades when waiting for the buses. Naturally, all this nostalgia is fun for adults; but for kids, Disney wisely included some larger than life Disney Characters alongside the pop culture icons based on what decade their films debuted. In this way, everyone in the family is familiar with and relates to the fun resort décor!
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SATURDAY SIX: Six MORE Extreme Eats at Walt Disney World
This week's SATURDAY SIX takes a look at Six MORE Extreme Eats at Walt Disney World. For some people, the thing they like most about their theme park vacations is the great attractions like Haunted Mansion. Others love the world class shows like Festival of the Lion King. Here at the SATURDAY SIX we say Nay Nay, because what we love are the EXTRME EATS. Candy apples the size of a newborn's head? An ice cream sundae using, among other things, 8 scoops of ice cream and a whole can of whipped cream? A cupcake topped with peanut butter icing, candied bacon, and chocolate drizzle? YES PLEASE, we'll take one of each. In fact, make that two. Today we are back for more of the most outrageous, the most insane, and definitely the most Extreme Eats on Disney property. So sit back, have a bottle of Pepto-Bismol handy, and let's begin our countdown starting with…
# 6 – Pop-Tart Sandwich (Pop Century Resort)
No, you are not seeing things. What you are looking at actually exists. Over at the Everything Pop food court at Disney's Pop Century Resort is what was once thought of as an urban legend. The Pop-Tart Breakfast Sandwich features egg, bacon, and cheese on a strawberry Pop-Tart. The egg is more of a hockey puck in (possibly) edible form. The cheese and bacon melt together in a scene straight out of the classic horror film The Fly. We'd like to tell you how this tastes, but we did not dare eat it as the Pop-Tart sandwich
probably should be thrown directly into the fiery pits of Mordor.
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SATURDAY SIX: Inaugural Walt Disney World "Turkeys" of the Year
This week's SATURDAY SIX is a special one as we have the Inaugural Walt Disey World "Turkeys" of the Year. For Thanksgiving this week we took a look back at things both Disney and Universal fans should be thankful for, but today we are going to go the other way. Gather round, as we are starting a new tradition and award six WDW "Turkeys" to the craziest, most outrageous, or just downright weird stories of the year, concluding with the coveted Golden Turkey award. Let's kick off the ceremony with a relatively recent one….
# 6 – FastPass + Testing at Toy Story Midway Mania
Kim Kardashian may have broke the Internet in November, but WDW itself set the precedent in October when it broke Hollywood Studios doing a controversial test using the park's most popular attraction, Toy Story Midway Mania. For reasons still unknown, the attraction became FastPass+ ONLY for four days, giving guests no opportunity to wait in a standby line. The normally long standby line for TSMM was essentially switched over to Guest Services, where many guests queued up to voice their opinions on this test. The end result of the test? Scores of unhappy guests. One of the only family friendly rides in the park running at less than 100% capacity. And perhaps further evidence of a large percentage of WDW guests that just plain don't want to participate in MyDisneyExperience or MyMagic+, something which could present a challenge for WDW in the coming years.
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SATURDAY SIX: Six Reasons We Love Disney's Pop Century Resort
This week's SATURDAY SIX takes a look at Six Reasons We Love Disney's Pop Century Resort. One of Disney's Value Resorts, Pop Century has a level of theming that makes it stand out compared to the other lower priced hotel offerings at the All Star resorts while also having dedicated bus transportation to the parks and Downtown Disney.
The entire resort is themed around pop culture icons from the latter half of the twentieth century, with the wings of the hotel dedicated to the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. Each wing has elements from their particular decade throughout the area. If it sounds cheesy, that's because it is cheesy, but it's a good kind of cheesy way and one that can bring back a lot of memories for every family. At the very least Pop Century is great for an afternoon of "resort hopping" to see some of the things they offer that you can't find at any other Disney resort, starting with…
# 6 – The Lobby is a Wonderful Trip Back Through Time
While the check-in desks inside Classic Hall are the same that you will see in many theme park hotels, the walls opposite check in are filled with shadow boxes containing items from the 1950s through the 1990s. This is a wall that will have various generations of every family seeing an item and instantly remembering where they were in life when that was popular. Elvis, the Moon landing, Dobie Gillis (with Maynard G Krebs), the Beach Boys, Star Wars, Mork & Mindy, Jane Fonda's workout book, Trivial Pursuit, He-Man, Go-Bots, Smurfs, and so much more are in this area.
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SATURDAY SIX: Six Extreme Eats at Walt Disney World
This week's SATURDAY SIX covers Six Extreme Eats at Walt Disney World. Regular readers of this column know that we like our theme park food, and the more outrageous it is, the better. While Disney has its fair share of fine dining (Victoria & Albert's, California Grill, and Jiko among others), it also has many food items that would make your cholesterol and blood sugar rise just by looking at them. Today we are going to look at six of our favorites…
# 6 – The Doh-Bar (Cookes of Dublin)
(EDITOR'S NOTE: As of summer 2015 the Doh-Bar has been taken off the menu at Cookes.) Downtown Disney is our first stop, and while Raglan Road is the critics' darling, Cookes of Dublin next door has one of our favorite snacks on property, the 'Doh bar.' Picture this: a Snickers bar is dipped into donut batter, deep fried, and then sprinkled with powdered sugar. Basically, a work of art that ranks somewhere in between Da Vinci's Mona Lisa and Michaelangelo's David.
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Disney's Pop Century Resort video now online
Video of Disney's Pop Century Resort, affectionately known as "Scopa Towers" to WDWToday.com podcast fans, is now online.
Value Resort Preferred Room Category Change
Effective May 1st, 2006, the "Preferred" room category at both Disney's Pop Century Resort and All Star Movies Resort will be expanded to include more rooms.
At Disney's Pop Century Resort, preferred rooms will now included all rooms in the 60's buildings, and select rooms in the 50's buildings and 70's buildings.
At Disney's All Star Movies Resort, preferred rooms will now included all rooms in the Fantasia, Toy Story, and 101 Dalmatians buildings.
Preferred Rooms at Disney Value Resorts typically are closest to the front desk, food court, gift shop, arcade, transportation, and playground.


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BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho insurance exchange leaders may have to increase a fee tied to sales of individual policies by about 75 percent within two years, emails show.
The $70 million Your Health Idaho exchange's board of directors in June set a 1.5 percent assessment on each policy.
The assessment is supposed to help the exchange raise enough money to stockpile exchange operational reserves.
The assessment is also supposed to be less than the 3.5 percent fee the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is charging in the 34 states in which it's running exchanges.
Being cheaper than Washington was a key selling point for Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter during the 2013 Legislature, when he convinced a sharply divided state House and Senate to support the idea of setting up a state-based exchange.
In early September, however, exchange finance chief Pat Kelly planned to tell board members the fee would likely have to be hiked to 2.6 percent by 2016, according to emails obtained by The Associated Press in a public records request.
While such a hike would leave fees at less than those charged by federal exchanges, it would add millions of dollars to costs of policies sold via Idaho's exchange.
"Your Health Idaho's assessment fee of 1.5 may not be sustainable," according to a Sept. 5 email.
A combination of factors makes a fee hike likely, Kelly suggested, including the costs of operations, the average cost of an insurance plan and the number of people participating.
However, Kelly's presentation — slated for members of the exchange's finance committee on Sept. 6 — was canceled just hours before the meeting, other emails show.
Interviewed Thursday, Your Health Idaho executive director Amy Dowd recalled halting Kelly's presentation on grounds his estimate was based on preliminary calculations not yet ready for public consumption.
"The reason we weren't comfortable publishing 2.6 percent is, we have no clue what the number is going to be," Dowd told the AP. "We've done some modeling, we've got some data, but as far as our comfort level, putting a number out today is not a wise decision."
With Kelly's presentation now on ice, the exchange in September also scrubbed public relations efforts seeking to blunt the news of a prospective hike.
"Let's hold this statement in a reserve for a different time," wrote Jody Olson, the exchange's spokeswoman, in a Sept. 6 email. "I am breathing a sigh of relief on this statement."
The fees are built into premiums charged on policies offered by insurance carriers. For a policy that costs $300 monthly, for instance, it amounts to $54 annually at 1.5 percent, and $94 at 2.6 percent.
On tens of thousands of policies likely to be sold in Idaho, however, that adds up to millions of dollars. The federal government expects state exchanges to be self-sustaining by 2016.
Exchange treasurer Jeff Agenbroad, a Boise banker who heads the board's finance committee, said Thursday he wasn't aware that Kelly in September considered announcing a prospective hike to 2.6 percent, saying the concept has only been discussed informally and without specific numbers.
Like Dowd, Agenbroad remains optimistic Idaho will run its exchange more cheaply than the federal government, even if a fee hike turns out to be necessary.
Missing that goal would likely prompt Idaho lawmakers to again demand weighing in on a state exchange's merits.
"I hope we never have to ask that question," Agenbroad said.
See also:
- Idaho exchanges loses only for-profit carrier
- Idaho exchange releases rate information
- Idaho PPACA exchange to hire Dowd as director