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It's nearly September call-up time as the 2014 MLB season enters the stretch run. Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson tops the list of obvious targets in redraft leagues. Pederson could become the first 30/30 player in the Pacific Coast League in 80 years. Meanwhile, it remains to be seen if the Cubbies will give third baseman Kris Bryant a shot at the bigs. Ditto for Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco, who started off the season terribly but has looked much better in the second half of the season. Look for Twins hurler Alex Meyer to make his major league debut sometime in September as well, while the White Sox have even hinted about giving this year's No. 3 overall pick Carlos Rodon a shot at the MLB rotation. The Red Sox could also be auditioning a bevy of young arms for the future, including Henry Owens, Anthony Ranaudo, Matt Barnes and even Brian Johnson.
Here are a few more quick-hitters in this week's edition of "Three Strikes:"
1. Dalton Pompey has been one of the fastest risers this season for the Jays. Between High-A and Double-A, the 21-year-old outfielder has slashed .312/.391/.472 with nine home runs, 46 RBI and 37 steals. Pompey was recently promoted to Triple-A due to his efforts, and with Colby Rasmus a free agent, he could figure into Toronto's plans as early as 2015.
2. Vincent Velasquez has battled back from injury to dominate in a hitter-friendly environment for the Astros. Over his last 10 starts for High-A Lancaster, the 22-year-old has a 3.21 ERA and 53:11 K:BB ratio. That's a span of just 33.2 innings.
3. Jacoby Jones has quietly had a power-packed season for the Bucs at Low-A. The 22-year-old LSU product has slugged 22 home runs and knocked in 69 runs in 114 games from the shortstop position. He has also swiped 17 bags while hitting .292. He hit .395 with five home runs and 12 RBI in the 10 games before going on the DL with a minor illness.
Let's look at the rest of the prospect landscape in the Minor League Barometer.
Dilson Herrera, 2B, NYM - The Mets look like they picked up an absolute steal in Herrera. The middle infielder came over from the Pirates last season in the Marlon Byrd deal, and he has done nothing but rake in his first full season with the Mets. In 52 games since being promoted to Double-A Binghamton, the 20-year-old is batting .329/.399/.546 with eight home runs, 41 RBI and eight steals. Herrera may end up playing shortstop for the Mets, as they have All-Star Daniel Murphy at second. However, shortstop has been a black hole for the Metropolitans since the departure of Jose Reyes, and if Herrera continues to hit, the Mets will be forced to give him a try.
Pierce Johnson, P, CHC - Johnson finally appears to have found his groove for the Cubbies. He battled a leg injury earlier in the season, but has been lights-out lately. In fact, Johnson has not allowed an earned run in five of his last six starts for the Double-A Tennessee. He has fanned at least six batters in each of his last five outings. Stretching the numbers even further, Johnson has a 1.43 ERA and 62:23 K:BB ratio over his last 10 appearances for the Smokies. Johnson has been able to keep the ball down this season to the tune of a 1.30 GO:AO ratio, which has sparked his success. With opposing batters hitting a putrid .181 against him overall, the 23-year-old has looked the part of a dominant starter for perhaps the first time in his professional career.
Jake Thompson, P, TEX - The Rangers should be positively giddy that they got Thompson from the Tigers for Joakim Soria. Texas wasn't going anywhere this year anyway, and Soria is now hurt for the Tigers as well. Meanwhile, Thompson has been superb since coming over to the Rangers. In 19.2 innings for Double-A Frisco, the 20-year-old righty has a 2.29 ERA and 26:8 K:BB ratio. He has been inducing an above-average number of grounders as well, notching a 1.30 GO:AO ratio. Opposing batters flail against him with a .188 BAA. Thompson has moved himself up most prospect lists entering 2015.
Rio Ruiz, 3B, HOU - The 20-year-old Ruiz hasn't looked overmatched at High-A in 2014. In fact, he has been able to take full advantage of the hitter-friendly confines of the California League. Ruiz is hitting .304/.395/.456 with 11 home runs and 73 RBI in 120 games for the JetHawks. Ruiz has shown plate discipline well beyond his years, tallying almost as many walks (74) as strikeouts (82). The Astros also believe his power stroke will develop even more as he matures. A future infield featuring Ruiz, Carlos Correa at shortstop, Jose Altuve at second and Jonathan Singleton at first has Houston feeling very confident about its future.
Joshua Bell, P, PIT - Bell put himself back on the prospect map with a stellar start to the season for High-A Bradenton. The 22-year-old hit .335/.384/.502 with nine home runs, 53 RBI and five steals in 84 games. However, since his ascension to Double-A, Bell has experienced a complete power outage. In 24 games since being promoted to Double-A Altoona, Bell has failed to slug a single home run. He is slashing .287/.343/.309 with seven RBI over that span. Bell was also recently placed on the disabled list with a knee contusion. While not considered serious, it is also worth noting that Bell had surgery on a torn meniscus in his knee during the 2012 season. Bell remains a prospect to watch, but he's still not quite at that elite level due to a variety of factors.
Tyler Austin, OF, NYY - Will the real Tyler Austin please stand up? Once considered one of the top prospects in the entire Yankees system, Austin sputtered in 2013, hitting just .257 with six home runs and 40 RBI in 83 games for Double-A Trenton. He started off his 2014 campaign with much of the same, and it looked as though the 22-year-old could even be headed to the dreaded prospect abyss. He has rebounded in the second half of the season, though. Since the All-Star Break, Austin is batting .348/.402/.574 with five home runs and 20 RBI, a span of 31 games. Austin is still just 22 years, and the Yankees have some aging, gimpy right fielders in Ichiro Suzuki and Carlos Beltran. That's not to say Austin will get his chance to play this season, but more that he could be figuring back into the Bronx Bombers future plans after all.
Amir Garrett, P, CIN - A former basketball player, Garrett recently decided to give up the hardwood for the baseball diamond, and the Reds may have found a hidden gem. His development has been slow, but the 22-year-old has had a largely successful first year of full-season ball. In 122.1 innings for Low-A Dayton, the 6-foot-6 southpaw has a 3.60 ERA and 116:48 K:BB ratio. Garrett flashed his upside on Aug. 13 when he fanned 12 batters in seven shutout innings for the Dragons. It was Garrett's second double-digit strikeout game in five outings. However, Garrett came out in his next start and was absolutely pummeled for six runs in just two innings, walking five batters in the process. Clearly, Garrett is a work in progress, but his potential is undeniable.
Jarlin Garcia, P, MIA - Rotation mate Domingo German was profiled a couple weeks ago and has had a slightly better season than Garcia. Still, the latter is a bit younger and has shown similar pinpoint control for Low-A Greensboro. Garcia has allowed far too many hits (.290 BAA) en route to a 4.69 ERA. However, the 21-year-old lefty has walked just 19 hitters in 124.2 innings. He has also punched out 101 hitters as well, showing that he does have some strikeout stuff. Sometimes Garcia catches too much of the plate, though, as he has shown a penchant for serving up the long ball. Garcia has surrendered 13 home runs in his first full professional year. Still, there are plenty of positives to take away from Garcia's year, as he's only still learning how to pitch.
Dylan Bundy, P, BAL - Fantasy owners who held onto Bundy in the hopes of a second-half comeback this season must be sorely disappointed. Bundy was initially pegged to return from Tommy John surgery following the All-Star break, giving the O's a huge boost to their rotation. However, Baltimore surged to a big lead in the AL East, so perhaps the O's subconsciously put the brakes on Bundy's rapid return. Bundy's statistics weren't great, either, posting a 4.78 ERA and 15:13 K:BB ratio in 26.1 innings for High-A Frederick. None of that ended up mattering, though, as Bundy strained his shoulder running in the outfield and is on the shelf. With the minor league season almost finished, and the O's doing just fine without him, there will be no need to rush Bundy back at the risk of his future. As a result, he won't make an impact in the Inner Harbor until 2015.
Micah Johnson, 2B, CHW - Any expectation of seeing Johnson in the big leagues this September was dashed when he was shut down for the year with a hamstring ailment. Johnson battled similar issues earlier this season, so the injury is significant enough that the White Sox don't feel the need to push him any further. Perhaps the injury lingered all season; after swiping 84 bags in 131 games in 2013, Johnson managed just 22 thefts in 102 games this year. Still, Johnson has a bit of a pop, a ton of speed when healthy, and he hit .294 combined between Double-A and Triple-A, all while playing the very shallow position of second base. As a result, he will still enter 2015 as a sought-after middle infield prospect. He may even get a chance to make the big-league squad out of spring training.
Kohl Stewart, P, MIN - Call me a pessimist, but I'm concerned with Stewart's shoulder. While it's not an elbow injury, shoulder injuries can often be more troublesome and more difficult to come back from. Tommy John surgery has evolved so much over the years, that most pitchers are back to new - or even throwing harder - about 12-18 months following the surgery. Meanwhile, shoulder injuries can take much longer to come back from (see Michael Pineda) and even then, there is less of a guarantee of a return to form. The Twins have been assured that the injury that caused him to leave Tuesday's game is not serious, and that he could even pitch again this season. However, he was already on the DL earlier this summer with shoulder impingement, and his velocity was noticeably down this past start. Stewart was the No. 4 overall draft pick for the Twins in 2013, and it would be a shame to see him rushed back too soon. The best bet would be to shut him down for the remainder of the year. The 19-year-old righty has a 2.59 ERA and 62:24 K:BB ratio in 87 innings at Low-A Cedar Rapids.
Max Fried, P, SD - Now, the above paragraph is not trying to make light of Tommy John surgery. For example, a lost season for Fried just got a whole lot worse when he underwent Tommy John surgery Wednesday. That means Fried will miss all 2015, and his rehab could spill into 2016 as well. Fried pitched in just five games in July after missing the first three months of the year due to a forearm injury. However, he had experienced elbow soreness in spring training, and perhaps lingering soreness combined with overcompensation for the forearm issue caused further damage to the UCL. One of the top prospects for the Padres, Fried was the No. 7 overall selection in the MLB Draft in 2012. He posted a 3.49 ERA and 100:56 K:BB ratio in 118.1 innings for Low-A Fort Wayne in 2013. Fried's growth will certainly be stunted by this development, and Joe Ross and Matt Wisler will pass him in the organizational ranks heading into 2015.


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The folks over at SamMobile have recently posted some details about Jelly Bean. More specifically, about which of the Samsung handsets would be getting an update to Android 4.1 and roughly when that update could be expected to arrive. But that being said, included with these details was the specific mentioned that they have yet to be confirmed by Samsung. Needless to say, it looks like Samsung will be updating the Galaxy S II and Galaxy S III along with the Galaxy Note and (once announced) Galaxy Note II. A further breakdown of the timeline for update places the Galaxy S III towards the end of Q3 with the remaining devices getting updated sometime in the fourth quarter of the year. Needless to say, we still need a confirmation from Samsung before we get super excited.
Via [SamMobile]

subset: commoncrawl


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Sat 5th Oct 2013 9:00amZuma Jay's Bude - Crooklets Surf Report
A tad more swell around than yesterday with a light NW wind on it. It could just be a bit of fun on a bigger board. http://www.zumajay.co.uk/surf-check-widemouth-bude-webcam/
View the Bude - Crooklets Surf Report and Forecast. Zuma Jay's Reports have received a total of 1299465 views.
This report has received 359 views since 5/10/13.


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Lorraine "Lori" A. Stana, 60, of Elyria, passed away after a brief illness Monday December 10, 2012. She was born September 10, 1952, to the late Leonard and Mildred Stana.
She was a 1971 graduate of Avon Lake High School. Lori was employed at Mark Cummings-Nationwide Insurance in Grafton. She bred and raised birds, enjoyed gardening and was an avid NFL sports fan.
Lori is survived by her husband of 34 years, Jerry Curtin; daughter, Denise Stana; stepmother, Dorothy Stana; brothers, Jeff (Cheryl) Stana, Dan (Kimie) Stana, Dave Stana; sister, Amy (Tom) Surface; stepsisters, Lynn Couroux, Laurie (Gilles) Gravelle; grandchildren, Jacob and Zachary; many nieces and nephews; and her dogue de Bordeaux, Isabelle. The family will have a private Memorial Service.
The family suggests memorial donations, in Lori's name, to the Kidney Foundation of Ohio, 2831 Prospect Ave. Cleveland, OH 44115-2606.
Arrangements by the Misencik Funeral Home, Avon.


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Separate names with a comma.
Discussion in 'MacRumors News Discussion (archive)' started by MacRumors, Feb 2, 2004.
Apple released Java 1.4.2 today:
I'll Wait for everyone else to install before I commit to the leap
No problems for me... yet
Thank god for backups though
So far so good for me. I'm testing S1.2 on a forms page right now...
Seems smoother for me. Java applications seem to start quite a bit more quickly. I'm interested in some of the JVM performance after it's been running quite a while.
Nice to see Apple get up-to-date with Java again. Hopefully when Sun release Java 1.5 it won't take Apple as long to catch up as it did for 1.4. I'm really looking forward to some of the new language features in 1.5.
ThinkFree Office is broken on one of my machines. Maybe this helps.
Smooth as a baby's bum...
Internet Banking here we come!
My ThinkFree Write hasn't worked since Panther but everything else is still working and started more quickly.
Update messed up documentation
This update hammered the Java documentation. Now 1.4.1 J2SE documents are missing entirely and there is no 1.4.2 to replace them.
EDIT: found the "developer" version on ADC which includes all the documentation. <rant>It would have been nice if software update could have figured out that I had the documentation installed, so it should install again, instead of randomly overwriting the old docs. Or at least pop up a dialog so I could have selected.</rant>
Breaks acqlite, which when you start up asks for Java 1.4.1 and doesn't realize you have a later version installed.
Looks like a good update.
Torque now generates code when there are > 40 tables in your schema without throwing exceptions.
torque wouldn't work with Java 1.3 and 1.4.x until now! :->
JBoss 1.0.1 also appeared when I ran it on Server 10.3.2. It updates JBoss to function with Java 1.4.2. So far, it's running with no problems...
For those of us who installed JBoss via the Developer CD , you can fix it to work with Java 1.4.2 by editing:
Alter the JAVA environment variable to:
Does anyone know if Eclipse v3.0 M5/M6 still works with this update? I've updated the JavaVM to v1.4.2 on my Windows box (I know, I know , and Eclipse hasn't worked properly since. Bit hesitant to update and break my development environment at the moment. Any feedback will be most welcome!
I've noticed a lot of internet applets working MUCH better (and MUCH faster ) after this update. Good job Apple!
yahoo games
I tried playing the java hearts game at games.yahoo.com but the text is illegible. anyone else with this problem?
There are a variety of assorted bugs that made it into the update unfortunately. Maybe there will be a service release that will fix them up. This puppy was not 100% ready for prime time.
Re: yahoo games
Just tried it, same problem.
Just attempted to play a game on Yahoo called "Rocket Mania". A notice states that the game cannot be played on UN*X or Macintosh computers. However...doesn't seem to be a problem playing it except for the fact that I don't have sound.
Also, no problems with text when running "Hearts". Everything looks and plays well, including sound -- aside from the fact that I'm lousy at the game.
Anybody Try Yahoo Chess yet?
I know last time there was a jav update I couldn't read anything on the game. People whould chat with me and all I saw were boxes with "X"'s in them!
I'm a chess geek, and I won't install this update if I can't pay it anymore!
I don't even bother with Yahoo! games since they don't usually work right on non-Windows systems. Try http://www.gamehouse.com/ The games always seem fine.
Yeah, but there's no chess at gamehouse!
xslt processor strange in java1.4.2??
after installing, 1.4.2
my java site generator started having problems.
I generate site in the terminal using that java site builder thing.
I am guessing that now I have different version of xslt processor installed?
It seems that this version does not like the attribute names that starts with numbers,, in xsl,
so I can't parse
<xsl:template name="3d_Anim">
but i can do
<xsl:template name="THREE_D_Anim">
am I right???
or is there other way to fix this???
Gamehouse is cool. but I'm looking to fix yahoo so I can play Go from home.


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Fiona Barr
Beauty Therapist
Ulster Cancer Foundation
How did you get into your position?
The post to head up the Ulster Cancer Foundation's new service, Beauty for Life, was advertised on a job website. It was the first I'd seen for a long time that I thought would be ideal for me. I applied and was called back for a second interview which included a make-up demonstration in front of a group of six or eight women. I was absolutely delighted when I was offered the job.
Did you always want to work in this sector?
I'd never worked in the charity sector before. After my mother became ill I gave up my job as a beauty therapist and became her main carer. When I painted her nails or put some tan on her face it made the difference between her staying in bed all day and getting up. After she passed away, the idea of working for a charity really struck a chord. This job seemed perfect for me. My sister actually said it was my calling.
What training do you have that has helped you in your current role?
I've been in the beauty industry for about 10 years and owned my own salon in Belfast for seven years. After A-levels I did a HND in Beauty Therapy at what is now the Belfast Metropolitan College. I got my first job in a salon at 19 and have gained various qualifications including my Assessor's Award, which is a teaching qualification. I have trained a lot of employees and young college students in different areas of beauty to the standards that I would want.
What kind of treatments do you offer?
I'm trained in the full range of beauty treatments - manicures, pedicures, nail extensions, electrical facials, massage, waxing and electrolysis. However, at UCF I concentrate on facials, make-up and mini-manicures.
We have a tailored 30 minute facial specifically for cancer patients, using the sensitive range from Clarins, who support us. It gives patients time-out for pampering and relaxation.
Then I do a make-up application and give one-to-one advice. It's great for people who have perhaps had hair and eyebrow loss. I give them tips on how to apply their make-up and eyebrows in a natural way.
Each patient gets one treatment. So far patients have been mainly women, but the service is for men too.
How do patients feel after the make-over?
Great, really uplifted. It's a boost to their confidence and improves their sense of well-being. It's all about enhancing their self-esteem and simply bringing a little bit of glamour back into their lives.
What is your organisation's role in the local community?
UCF is a Northern Ireland charity which raises funds for research into new and better treatments for cancer and for education programmes to help people reduce their risk of developing cancer. For example we run stop smoking clinics with businesses and in the community, have healthy lifestyle programmes for schools, and our Man Van mobile unit visits clubs, groups and events bringing health checks to men in rural areas.
We also provide free services for thousands of local cancer patients and their families such as Beauty for Life, bra-fitting, counselling, helpline, transport for hospital appointments, walking groups, yoga, Zest for Life, art and creative writing therapy, and a family support programme. And we have 11 shops.
Do you work outside the building?
I hold one-to-one sessions at UCF's Belfast Service Centre. I also attend group support sessions or events all over Northern Ireland and I recently attended a UCF residential weekend at Corrymeela for families affected by cancer, which was a great success.
What sort of personality and qualities do you need for your job?
Always have a smile! You need to be friendly; patient, empathetic and sensitive. You also need to be confident in what you are doing, especially for make-up demonstrations.
I must have a gentle, soothing touch - I often get compliments about my hands being warm and soft. It is also very important to know when someone wants to talk and when they need some quiet time.
What are the biggest rewards of the job?
Making people feel good and making a difference when they are going through such a stressful time. It's a joy to come in everyday when you know you are going to make someone feel a little bit better about themselves.
Everyone so far has seemed genuinely pleased after their makeover and I love to see the bounce in their step as they leave.
I really enjoy my job. When you run a beauty salon there is the stress of meeting targets and producing sales, which you don't have with this job. You are just trying to do something good for people.
And the biggest challenge?
It can be difficult coping with sad stories, particularly when you know the people you are treating have terminal cancer. But their courage and determination to make the best of life is inspiring too.
What's the best piece of advice you've ever been given?
A priest once said that a smile costs nothing, always smile and greet people no matter if they are strangers or friends - we don't know what is happening in others' lives. We might be the only person who speaks to them all day and that can easily make their day.
What do you enjoy doing outside work?
I love to go camping with my family - I have two girls aged two and five who keep me busy. I'm also a huge Harry Potter fan and have read all the books. I haven't seen the new movie yet, I'm putting it off because I know it's the end of the series.
My main interest is beauty. When I am shopping I go straight to the make-up counters to try new products. I like socialising too, but even when I see my friends it's often to do their nails or tan.


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Minor injuries in three-car accident
One man suffered minor injures in a three-vehicle crash Wednesday morning in Bemidji.
According to a Bemidji Police Department report:
All three vehicles were headed south at about 10 a.m. on Paul Bunyan Drive South near the intersection with First Street East.
A 1999 Mercury Cougar driven by Dale Amolin rear-ended a 1991 Buick Park Avenue driven by Jeffrey Wisdom, which them was pushed into the rear of a 2000 Chevrolet Lumina driven by Susan Stark.
Stark said she had been stopped at a red signal light at the time of the crash.
Wisdom was taken to North Country Regional Hospital, where he was treated and released.
The Cougar sustained severe front-end damage; the Park Avenue sustained severe damage to the rear end and light damage to the front end; and the Lumina sustained minor damage to the rear end.
Ages and addresses for those involved were not included in the report.


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Experienced software QA professionals agree on one thing: "They don't know how to hire us"-"They" being technical managers, especially ones from small firms, who don't manage software test or QA. Technical recruiters often do not know how to hire QA or test team people. And the problem can be compounded by job descriptions like the following:
Wanted for Large System
One QA person who will just come in and test it.
Management skills not required.
Test planning not allowed.
This ad assumes that one person can test a large system, if only a tester will come in and get to work. It's a fantasy. If you have six to twelve people developing a system, one person won't be able to test it-though there are always workaholics who are willing to give it a try. When eventually it becomes obvious that you need to hire more people, your come-in-and-test person might not know how to hire them-or write a system test plan showing what to test and who you need to test it. Your person got some testing done, but nobody knows what they mean by "some."
Perhaps you've told yourself, as some managers do, that you can do without extra QA, since the developers can test the software as soon as they're finished writing it. But a developers' development is never done: they'll be fixing bugs at the end, and can't be relied upon to find them. Despite the need, QA management is viewed as a luxury they can't afford. I've known shops that did without QA management for a year. They had three test engineers, but each was a law unto himself. The company didn't know what it was paying for, and neither did the customers.
- Wanted
Twenty-five people off the street to sit in a room
Load-Test a wireless device from the UI.
No other testing required.
Yes, a company actually tried this. And the release was an unhappy one. Twenty-five is too few connections for a server-and it's too many collisions for a room. Handheld devices do need some naïve-user UI testing, but twenty-five is multiplying naiveté beyond necessity. What you save on warm bodies will buy real testing expertise where you need it: on the development platform, and on the server (if they're not the same.)
- Wanted
Junior programmers (Java and SQL)
To test an e-business application while
waiting to move into development.
Previous QA experience not required.
I've met several teams like this. They turn up a lot in small, isolated companies whose managers think test engineers are nothing but wannabe (or failed) programmers. Test engineers may actually be screened out as technically unqualified, and everyone hired wants to prove they can program and move into development. One person invents a neat routine that can be adapted to test a whole slew of different functions, runs a bunch of changes, but doesn't save any of them to run again.
Someone else writes table-compares without creating any test data for the tables. And the nominal manager never thinks the business logic can only be tested by the PhDs who write them-as if computer math in a database app is an arcane mystery. Every neophyte works alone, and if any of them discover something useful about test, the others don't hear it. Oh, they meet every couple of weeks, but only so they can argue about automation tools. But automation tools can't solve the problems of a test team that doesn't know how to think test.
I don't mean to say that developers-in-training should never be hired to do test. I've hired many, and most have made contributions well worth the trouble of having to replace them when they moved on. But a test team with nothing in it but proto-developers is lame, and ineffective, like a wheel-reinvention taskforce where nobody has information that the wheel should be round.
- Wanted
Hands-on QA manager with proven track record in
Writing automation harnesses and FDA documentation.
Must know ISO9002 and Six Sigma
With development experience in C++ and Java.
MBA with legal and brokerage experience, and double-byte localization.
Foosball strongly preferred (EOE, but prefer members of the race of X-men)
Well, maybe I'm exaggerating, but you've all seen QA ads like this, asking for a person who doesn't exist. Does the company know they're in search of the impossible? Do they think their QA is too hard for anyone without multiple careers-not to mention multiple personalities?
This kind of ad makes a negative impression on knowledgeable candidates, but it's usually meant as a fishing expedition. The company doesn't know what it wants, but figures it will know it when it sees it over the interview table. Wishful thinking, of course. Most managers who run ads like this have never hired for QA, and irrelevant qualifications only add to the confusion. Anyone remotely like this would be overqualified for their shop, and they still don't know which part of the qualifications they really need.
Pretty soon they just give up and hire "somebody who can just come in and test" (q.v.), or somebody who "fits in," i.e. a twenty-something male with limited experience and the word "test" on their resume. What they ask for is way too much, and what they settle for isn't enough: someone who bails, overwhelmed, after a few days, or fit in nicely but must be asked to leave after making hash of one or two releases. It's a folie a deux in any case. All you ever really needed was someone with decent QA experience. Don't write want-ads like these if effective QA is what you want. But what should you ask for in your ads?
Here's a start:
- Hiring skills (Expect your manager to hire test engineers with different skills, not all naïve, not all senior, not all the same. And not all junior/proto-developers)
Companies who write bad ads are actually signaling their inexperience. Luckily, high tech people are smart, and enjoy learning. Ignorance only becomes a problem when people pretend it isn't there. If you don't know QA, hire a manager with solid experience who does know it. And once you've hired that person, don't second-guess her about how to do the job, or about how to hire additional team members. You may assume that choosing domain knowledge over QA knowledge will get your testing done soonest, but this choice is based on a fallacy of which learning curve is the steepest.
Experienced QA professionals can be trusted to become productive on a new technology in months or even weeks, but it takes years for an isolated group to reinvent the techniques of software test. If your software is suffering from test isolation, get someone to help your group set the already-invented wheel rolling smoothly.


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金色の闇 ~ Konjiki no Yami ~ GSC
Posted by meronpan on April 14, 2009
Now for the second figure that arrived last week!
Wish I had more background choices… but in the meantime I guess it simplifies things when I'm trying to decide how to shoot ^^; Woulda been really hard to see anything on black, so white was a no brainer (well, barring any sort of stylistic shoot ^^;)
For once there's actually something intersting about the packaging pics.
Can you spot it?
Or rather… what's missing? orz
No blade arm! Gaaaaaaaaack. Currently awaiting Hobby Search to get a hold of their contact or what not to figure out what can be done. Alas, I had fully intended to display her with that blade, but guess I have to wait ;_;
At least everything else seemed intact.
Though… though I haven't even gotten far enough into ToLoveる (neither anime nor manga) to see her… she was just one of those characters that demanded a purchase ^^;
Great pantsu pose :P
Just love how graceful she looks.
otto, pantsu shot again ^^;
And a nice cold expression to top things off.
Key points of the figure for me…
Speaking of pantsu…
You can see the results of bad white balance in my now blue background ^^;; Ah well, sorry but I don't put too much effort to perfect the low angle shots ^^;
White pantsu. Futsuu. :P
Figure manufacturers sure are loving on the one legged poses… or maybe it's just the figures I"m buying ^^; I'm scared of the fast approaching summer…
Speaking of figures on one leg… discovered my lala had a broken peg in her foot ;_; Decided to just super glue her to the base rather than risk her being unbalanced and be prone to leaning.
The alpha omega release was gonna be my only yami until my ordered was canceled on me. Unable to find a store to order from, got this one out of desperation.
In the end I was able to get an order secured… couldn't bring myself to cancel this one ^^;;
Mmm… everything is kind of simple… yet elegant and well executed.
Really wish I had that extra hand orz
Also absolutely love the way her hair flows around her.
Nicely adds to the dynamism of her pose ^^
Took a group shot… and totally forgot to add in sairenji ^^;;;;
I guess that shows where she ranks in my ToLoveる figure lineup ^^; Too bad since I liked her a lot in the first couple volumes of manga I read… But compared to other releases, she just doesn't have as much oomph.
Great release, very solid in many aspects. And with the blade arm she even gets that bonus appeal to peeps unfamiliar with her character by just looking badass :P (now if only I had mine orz)
Before closing out, thought I'd post a pic of my super ghetto review setup.
It's amazing what you can do with the boxes figures are shipped in ^^;
Made up of…
1. Homemade diffuser from cardboard box and tracing paper
2. Reading lamp for overhead light
3. Halogen desk lamp for main light
4. Tons of boxes that my figures were shipped in to serve as a makeshift work surface and get my lamps to the right height, etc.
5. Some poster board for a background and reflector. (Alternately some black satin for the bg. The satin is approximately 1mx2m and really expands the working area. )
Now you know why my pics look as good/bad as they do ^^; Shooting with a Canon Powershot S2 IS and a cheap $30 tripod. I was hoping to get some full spectrum flourescent lights, but if I did I'd probably have to replace both lights else deal with white balance issues? You may have noticed in lotsa my pics that the bg isn't quite white… I believe I need better light to fix that… or a gray bg that looks that way to begin with ^^;
Most of this is inspired by super rats lighting tutorial.
Always glad to hear any tips/suggestions anyone may have! Also been wondering for awhile now where/how foobarbaz gets the bgs he uses… so much more interesting than just plain colors, yet not too over the top so as to distract you from the figure.
Well, that's it! As usual, to aid those left unsatiated by my review, here you are:
- foobarbaz – like gekisou haruhi, another rare 5 star rating!
- Exelica Meteor – can't go wrong with James' reviews ^^
- Animatic Figmation – haha looks like we're on the same reviewing schedule ^^;
- Vision of Vixion – hot off the press!
54 Responses to "金色の闇 ~ Konjiki no Yami ~ GSC"
April 14, 2009 at 2:23 am
Haha I knew this is comming ^^ You had same package (Haruhi + Yami)as me from hobby search ^^ now ya scared me oO I must check the blade as well. Both Haruhi and Yami are in their boxes for now till I find some display space -_- I think I saw blade in there … but realy nervous now ~_~ Hope you get your blade *cheers*
The only thing i hate about those two is release date -_____- I had them in order with Itoshiki Nozomu nendo… well he was released in March while those 2 moved to April + Early April (were Early April both in the end)… and since HS holds items max to end of month watch this…
originaly one oreder supposed to be released in March
02.04. Itoshiki Shipped
02.04. Haruhi EX in stock !!!
06.04. Yami in stock !
08.04. Haruhi+Yami shipped -__- ;
April 14, 2009 at 2:42 am
I saw this a while back. I am so jealous you got this one! I can't wait to get mine. Her hair is beautiful. I love that photo from the top of her head. Hope you get the sword soon.
April 14, 2009 at 5:52 am
AH ! I hate you all (You, James, Persocomholic, Foobarbaz..)! You already receive the figure, while Nihonju didn't send her >_< *jealous* I want my Yami!
You realized a very beautiful shooting with this nicely Yami. Congratulation Meron' for this purchase !
(I received Nendoroid Exelica this morning. I shall make picture today or tomorrow to make a review. But, she is really cute! The wait pays… YAMI-CHAN I WANT YOU!)
April 14, 2009 at 6:59 am
Wow, she's cute and cool. I like her hair. Seems i have to wait for a longer time… i've ordered her in my local store and it means Looooong shipping time (but cheap).
Anyway, nice photos! I think you should get a stronger light for hair lamp, because with a stronger light, you can eliminate shadow generated from side lighting. Or just photoshop it if you aren't lazy enough to clean the shadow.
Talk about WB (white balance), if you have DPP (Digital Photo Professional) software bundled with your Canon PowerShot, you should use it. I think most Canon should have this software. Try taking those pictures in RAW, and using DPP, you can edit the WB EVEN after taking the photos. With this help, you can experiment with WB, and even tune your WB with "click White Balance" tool. Try it!
April 14, 2009 at 10:05 am
I hope they get the missing blade arm to you soon! Two reviews by us on the same day for the same figure lol, nice. I really like the Yami, she's plain and simple but looks very nice. I want that AlphaOmega Yami too eventually, but I haven't been able to find her. I'm also scared of the fast approaching summer, actually I'm just scared of pre-orders in general. I used to only get a figma or two here and there, now it's so hard to not buy figures I want the only thing that stops me is if I go broke suddenly, or get close to it. I got 2 figmas and another PVC coming late this month, a 4 shirts and some other stuff, and a PVC that just left customs. Then next month… The summer isn't too filled up YET, but it's getting there slowly.
April 14, 2009 at 3:24 pm
Long hair is over sexiness?? Well, I cant argue with that, because sometimes I have the same feeling.. Lol^^
Nice pictures. I think I will try your setup for figure photo taking.
April 14, 2009 at 11:59 pm
Blade arm gone missing? Hope you'll get the part soon :o
GSC got it really nice just like the picture used for the figure. I think the character is supposed to be highly resemblence of Eve from Black Cat. Great pose with dynamic hair. Definitely a nice get there~
And haha I feel for your "ghetto" set up. I've only done one photoshoot like that once then I'm already too lazy for it (A4 paper only fits for my Candy Bikini Shana, which is even smaller than figmas):
April 15, 2009 at 1:55 pm
What the Arms missing?No!
I missed Alpha X Omegas Yami and when I saw Yami with her Blade i knew i had to order this one.She simply HAS to be displayed like this.
Im still stuck with Volume One of the Manga.Hope Yami will be as fun as in the Anime :D
Your Ghetto Setup isnt very different from mine.The only difference is that im using my Desk.
Id recommend trying Ron~s True White BG Tutorial.I havent tried it myself but the pictures always look awesome: http://www.otadesho.com/tutorial-how-to-make-low-cost-true-white-background/
April 15, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Wow, that's never happened to me. I hope it never does, obviously. I think I'd be really upset.
Also, thanks for the link!
April 15, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Fortunately over here it hardly gets overly hot for a longer time during summer. At least my Fauna didn't lean so far and I sure hope Yami won't either.
I got mine yesterday. Being a huge fanboy there was simply no way around it. It also was the first time trying out EMS shipping. EMS sure is a lot faster than SAL and it was nice to see that one of my figure packages was actually handled with care for once. A few of my earlier packages looked like someone mistook them for a soccer ball. (The contents were fine though. ^^")
I think the figure was based on this illustration and meant to be posed together with the Lala figure GSC released last year. Didn't buy Lala and I'm not planning to since Yami still looks great without her.
I hope you will get the missing part soon. :)
April 16, 2009 at 11:33 am
Now I'm so debating on should I get her…
I want her but the price is a bit much…
Get her in Japan or get her now…hmmmm….tough choice…
Love the photos!!!!!!
April 17, 2009 at 1:11 am
She was in my wantlist and at that time, I didn't know who she is. But when I came to know about her origin, I prevented myself watching ToLoveRu… because I didn't want to get poisoned LOL!
April 22, 2009 at 12:25 am
My Yami should arrive in a few days time ^^; I haven't even started on To LoveRu but this figure demanded I order her :s
May 4, 2009 at 11:26 pm
[…] May 4, 2009 Decided to finally do a review for Alpha Omega's Lala, spurred on by the recent yami release and having plowed through 5 volumes of the ToLoveる manga in the last week or so […]
May 20, 2009 at 3:36 pm
i also got her and just review her yesterday, she is indeed a great one
[if you interested]
wow, you didn't get the blade!!!??? i quess you'll get another Yami chan :( that's not fair coz u can display them one with sword and one with hand [i enby you , chiii]
it's easier to them to sen a new figure than just a blade ii quess :D
i myself like it without blade [even though the main reason i bought her is the blade ^^;]
June 24, 2009 at 2:33 pm
[…] son arme, mais bon, de toute manière, vous pourrez trouver d'autres présentations sur : Wawawa wasuremono, Exelica Meteor, Foo Bar […]


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A severe car fire on the M23 this afternoon was likely to have been caused by debris in the road.
Three fire engines from Crawley and Horley attended a burning car on the northbound carriageway of the M23 between junction 10 and 11 at around 2.30pm today (May 15).
A spokesperson for West Sussex Fire and Rescue said it was thought the fire was caused by the car hitting debris in the road.
No one was hurt and lanes were closed in both direction and reopened after about 30 minutes.


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Speed, transparency key in responding to avian influenza outbreak in Turkey says WHO Director-General
Erase the borders between human and animal health information sharing
2 February 2006 | ANKARA, TURKEY - The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr LEE Jong-wook, is visiting Turkey for two days to encourage broad coordination across sectors and to review how lessons learnt from the Turkey avian influenza outbreak can be applied globally.
"Turkey moved quickly to control the outbreak in people as soon as it appeared," Dr Lee said to media in Ankara on Thursday. "Turkey reported cases quickly, worked fast on laboratory diagnosis, and informed the public about the risks. As a result, the outbreak in humans was limited. Important lessons must now be applied from the Turkish experience."
Dr Lee also stressed the importance of sharing animal and human health information early. "There must be no borders between information on animal and human health. Sectors must work together to a common purpose. Our response must be broad-ranging and international."
During the visit, Dr Lee is meeting with Professor Recep Akdag, Minister of Health and will visit the National Influenza Centre where all the preliminary laboratory tests were undertaken. At the peak of the outbreak and because of active surveillance which detected many suspected cases, the centre carried out between 70 to 100 tests a day to determine whether these were caused by H5.
Dr Lee is also visiting Baypazari, where many birds were culled. He will discuss avian influenza with agriculture officials and farmers, to stress that the response to H5N1 must include active surveillance in animals for rapid detection of cases, solid diagnosis, fair compensation of farmers who have to cull birds, and public information and education programmes.
To help respond to the outbreak in Turkey, WHO coordinated an international team of experts from the European Centre for Disease Control, the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control in the United States and other partners from Israel, France and Sweden through the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network along with the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Organization for Animal Health and Unicef. The team worked in two main locations: at the centre of the outbreak in Van, and in the capital Ankara to ensure liaison with the Turkish authorities and other United Nations organizations.
Dr Lee stressed the need to remain vigilant in Turkey and in neighbouring countries. "The movement of people and goods through these lands along the Silk Roads goes back centuries. Turkey is connected both to Europe and to Asia. Europe is at risk of infection. Surveillance is critical. "
WHO teams are now working with the governments of a further seven neighboring at-risk countries to assess the situation. A WHO team is also traveling to Iraq to investigate reports that a 15-year old girl in an area neighboring Turkey may have died from H5N1.
For more information contact:
Fadéla Chaib
Mobile phone: +41 79 475 55 56
Mobile phone: +90 533 303 27 29
E-mail: email@example.com


text:
Ready to stand guard, adorably.
Sadie is straight from the pages of David Petersen's acclaimed "Mouse Guard," published by Archaia Entertainment. This officially licensed plush toy measures approx. 9-inches long.
Sadie is toting her trusty sling, ready to take foes down, dressed in a super soft purple cloak.
Each limited edition mouse comes with a hand-numbered tag, one of just 200.
Mouse Guard plush are collectibles, not intended for children. For ages 15 and up. They're shown with books and blocks for scale only.
Made in the China
Not guaranteed to play well with your Mr. Krabs or Cobra Commander action figures.


text:
With streak over, Reyes gets to rest sore hand
With streak over, Reyes gets to rest sore hand
Reyes was out of Miami's lineup Friday against the Dodgers in order to rest his sore right hand. Reyes has dealt with the soreness since Aug. 3, when he jammed the hand -- between his index finger and his thumb -- during an at-bat against Washington lefty Gio Gonzalez in the second game of the teams' doubleheader.
Reyes, who hadn't missed a game since April 27 against Arizona, said the swelling in the hand was down Friday, and he expects to be back in the lineup Saturday. Nick Green got the start at shortstop for the Marlins on Friday.
"He's fine," Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen said of his star shortstop. "This is just prevention. It's fine to play. I just don't want him to get worse and miss that many days."
With Dodgers lefty Clayton Kershaw on the mound for the series opener, Guillen wanted to avoid having the switch-hitting Reyes hit right-handed. However, Guillen said Reyes would be available to pinch-hit from the opposite side of the plate if necessary.
"The guy pitching [Friday] is pretty good, and we can't lose Reyes," Guillen said. "If Reyes got jammed again or something bad, we can't lose him for a couple days."


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One-Tank Trip: Canandaigua
Canandaigua – the name means "chosen place" – located on the shores of Canandaigua Lake, about 90 minutes east of Buffalo, offers a variety of fun things to see and do, especially during the summer months. I like coming here on a perfect summer day to enjoy Canandaigua's main attraction, the beautiful waterfront. Take a sightseeing cruise on the Canandaigua Lady (www.steamboatlandingresort.com), the only replica 19th century paddlewheel steamboat in the Finger Lakes Region and then be sure to take a stroll along the Canandaigua City Pier. The picturesque boathouses (circa 1903), located near the end of the pier, are often the subject of photos and paintings by local artists.
My favorite place to eat along the waterfront is the Muar House Café, known as the "sweetest spot in town," because of its homemade ice cream and gelato. It has expanded its menu to include wraps, paninis, sandwiches and salads. You can eat inside or outdoors on the deck, which overlooks the lake (www.themuarhousecafe.com). Another waterfront restaurant, Nolan's on Canandaigua Lake (www.nolansonthelake.com), located near the city pier, specializes in steak, seafood and pasta.
If you have kids in tow, be sure to visit Roseland Waterpark (www.roselandwaterpark.com), a 58-acre family-oriented waterpark, located a short distance from the waterfront, that has a giant wave pool, tube rides, water slides and more.
A bit of history
Canandaigua, which is the Ontario County seat, played a major role in Western New York history. It was the site of the signing of the 1794 Canandaigua Treaty between the United States government and the six Iroquois nations. Learn more about Canandaigua history at the Ontario County Historical Society (www.ochs.org), which has a number of permanent and changing displays on area history. The nearby Ontario County Courthouse was the site of Susan B. Anthony's famous 1872 trial for voting, something that women were not permitted to do at the time.
Visitors also can learn about local history in the Granger Homestead and Carriage Museum (www.grangerhomestead.org), a restored 1816 Federal-style mansion built by Gideon Granger, the first U.S. postmaster general. Of special interest are the more than 70 19th century horse-drawn vehicles that are on display in the barns behind the home. Horse-drawn carriage rides are offered during the summer months.
Pick up a self-guided walking tour brochure from the historical society or chamber of commerce and explore some of downtown Canandaigua's historic buildings and 19th century architecture at your own pace.
Shopping along Main Street
One of my favorite pastimes in Canandaigua is shopping along Main Street, which is the widest Main Street in the country. You can easily spend several hours perusing the shops. Some of the stores include Unique Toy Shop (www.uniquetoyshop.com), which has a large reasonably priced selection of educational toys, games and books. Renaissance: The Goodie II Shoppe is a Canandaigua landmark that carries unique gift items, jewelry, books, cards, home décor and more. Liberty Cottage (www.libertycottage.com) has primitive country décor items, along with quilting and stitchery supplies. The American Made Store only sells products made in the USA, including accessories, home décor, food items and more. Sweet Expressions (www.sweetexpressionsonline.com) specializes in fine chocolates, candies, gourmet foods and gift baskets, while the Old Homestead Country Store (www.oldehomesteadcountrystore.com) carries antiques, collectibles, primitives and country décor items. There are also several other antique stores located along Main Street.
Manicured gardens
Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion State Historic Park (www.sonnenberg.org), just a short drive from Main Street, features 50 acres of themed gardens, along with a turn-of-the-20th-century glass conservatory and a 40-room, three-story 1897 Queen Anne mansion. Some of the gardens include a huge rose garden and an Italian garden, which has 15,000 annuals planted in it each year. There is also an old-fashioned garden, reminiscent of gardens in Colonial Williamsburg and a rock garden. This estate was once the summer home of Frederick and Mary Clark Thompson. Frederick was one of the founders of Citibank and Mary was the daughter of the governor of New York.
The Finger Lakes Wine Center at Sonnenberg houses a gift shop and a wine tasting room, where you can sample and purchase wine from dozens of Finger Lakes wineries.
Wine and Culinary Center
The New York Wine and Culinary Center (www.nywcc.com), located on the waterfront, features wine tasting, special events, exhibits on New York State grapes and agriculture, along with a gift boutique. The restaurant, the Upstairs Bistro, which is open for lunch and dinner, features seasonal dishes that use ingredients from around the state. It also offers more than 400 cooking classes every year in the Hands-On Kitchen.
Places to stay
You might want to turn your visit to Canandaigua into a weekend getaway. There are a number of places to stay, from bed-and-breakfast inns to hotels, including the historic Bed & Breakfast at Oliver Phelps (www.oliverphelps.com) and also the 1840 Inn on the Main (www.innonthemain.com), which are within walking distance to downtown shops and restaurants. Waterfront accommodations include the Inn on the Lake Resort and Conference Center (www.theinnonthelake.com), which overlooks the lake and is located adjacent to the Wine and Culinary Center and Nolan's on Canandaigua Lake.
Summer events
Ontario County Fair, July 22-26, 2820 County Road 10, Canandaigua, (585) 394-4987, www.ontariocountyfair.org. This fair, in its 171st year, offers typical fair diversions, including games, rides, farm animals, food and more.
Waterfront Art Festival, July 26-27, Kershaw Park, Canandaigua, www.waterfrontartfestival.com. This open-air art festival, held in Kershaw Park on Canandaigua Lake's north shore, features more than 160 artists selling hand-made items.
Pageant of Steam, Aug. 6-9, www.pageantofsteam.org.This event, in its 54th year, features 100 acres of antique steam-powered vehicles, tractors and farm machinery. It is sponsored by the New York Steam Engine Association.
Canandaigua Farmers' Market, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturdays, June-October, www.canandaiguafarmersmarket.com About 30 local farmers and vendors sell vegetables, fruits, flowers, meats, baked goods and more.
Story topics: one tank trips


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Comdex 2003 Summary
Gigabyte, MSI, Conclusion
This content was originally featured on Amdmb.com and has been converted to PC Perspective's website. Some color changes and flaws may appear.Gigabyte
Gigabyte was also located at the Venetian in larger ballroom. They didn't have anything exceptionally new (none of the manufacturers we saw did really) but they had their entire current line up on display.
Click to Enlarge
Here we see the new flagship for the Gigabyte line of Radeon graphics cards, the 9800XT. And, good news for potential buyers, all ATI partner cards in the 9600 and 9800 line, including Gigabyte, will qualify for the free copy of Half Life 2 – whenever it is released…
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Gigabyte is a dual-chipset vendor, so they also have a full line of NVIDIA graphics cards including the 5950 and 5700 Ultra chipsets.
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For the Athlon 64 line up Gigabyte was showing off both their nForce3 150 and the VIA K8T800 motherboards.
MSI had a quite at the Venetian at this year's Comdex to show off their products. First up, we took a look at their video cards.
Click to Enlarge
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Shown above are MSI's implementations of the new NVIDIA chipsets, the GeForce FX 5950 and 5700/5700 Ultra. As of this meeting, MSI had still not decided on whether they were going to implement a line of ATI graphics cards as we have seen Asus and Gigabyte do recently. As MSI is the biggest producer of NVIDIA graphics cards, I am sure that NVIDIA is doing all it can to keep MSI a single chipset manufacturer.
Of course, MSI had their entire line of motherboards on display as well. The most interesting one was the MSI nForce3 250 chipset based motherboard.
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This board itself is not a retail board by any means; it was designed as a proof-of-concept for the NVIDIA nForce3 chipset that supports SerialATA features. It seems that several motherboard manufacturers were waiting for the same thing from NVIDIA.
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Finally, here is a look at the MSI Mega series of SFF systems – notice the new model on the top of the display – though you can't tell in the picture; the display is colorful, and no longer monochrome.
That concludes our look at this year's Comdex show. It is unfortunate for Comdex that Computex was so late this year as there was really little that was new to see at the show and there were very few vendors and attendees.
For us, its now time to head home until our next trip out to Vegas for the CES show in January.
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text:
1408 - Two Disc Collector's Edition
Who really controls the content of a film – the director or the audience? To hear most professionals tell it, the endless stream of input from focus groups, test screenings, and the MPAA does more to influence a final cut than artistic vision or cinematic scope. Sure, a filmmaker starts with the movie modeling clay (actors, script, location, effects) but he or she is required to pass through a gauntlet of editorial considerations before their effort ever sees the light of a projector. It's one of the main reasons why the DVD format has been so popular. It has legitimized the so-called "director's cut" of a film while providing access to deleted scenes, extended sequences, and supplemental explanations of the entire post-production process. While insightful, it can also be frustrating. On rare occasions, indulging the creator only confirms the need for broader motion picture perspective.
Proof of this dilemma arrives in the new two disc collector's edition release (from Genius Products and the Weinstein Group) of the summer sleeper 1408. Adapted from a Stephen King short story and helmed by Swedish newcomer Mikael Håfström, this old fashioned thriller connected with audiences unwilling to deal with the post-millennial ideal of splatter shock horror. Instead, this psychological creep out reminded viewers of the days when ideas, not atrocities, made the average fright fan's skin crawl. A serviceable hit, the brand new digital release is giving those interested a chance to see something rare – a slightly different interpretation of the film, including additional scenes, a tad more blood, and an ending in keeping with the original script's intent.
For those unfamiliar with the storyline, John Cusack plays Mike Enslin. An accomplished novelist at one time, our scribe now spends his days visiting supposedly haunted locations and writing critical assessments of the places for traveler's guidebooks. When he receives a postcard from New York's Dolphin Hotel containing a cryptic message ("Don't Enter 1408"), he's immediately intrigued. But when he tries to stay in the noted room, manager Gerald Olin (Samuel L. Jackson) refuses access. There have been 56 deaths in 1408 over the last century, most of them unexplained and quite nasty. Undaunted, Enslin demands entrance. What he finds in the smartly furnished accommodations is a horrible history of evil. He also comes face to face with past tragedies and his own simmering psychological issues.
One earns a greater appreciation for Håfström's talent when the extended "director's cut" is screened, however. The inclusion of more backstory, a clearer definition of what haunts 1408, and why Mike Enslin was "called" to the location in the first place, fleshes out a film that, on occasion, felt like a mere exercise in eerie vs. a wholly realized narrative. As not to spoil the surprises, the new version makes Enslin more of a participant and less of a victim. He stands for something now instead of simply being the casualty of a spooky space gone goofy. In the informative commentary track that accompanies the revamp (there is no such discussion on the theatrical release), Håfström, Alexander, and Karaszewski make it very clear that their ideas for the film flew directly in the path that preview participants wanted events to take. While they're not unhappy with the finished product, this longer look at 1408 is closer to what they had in mind.
In either case, the film remains a tour de force – of acting, of atmosphere, and of movie macabre archeology. Like The Legend of Hell House moved uptown, 1408 focuses on tone and mood more than actual haunted happenings. Certainly we see paintings come to life and walls weep and bleed, but this is not some slice and dice death dream populated by decapitated ghouls and entrail-eating demons. Instead, all the terror comes directly from John Cusack's amazing performance, and he takes on the role with verve and gusto. Unlike previous films where the actor seems to be channeling his still simmering post-adolescent smarm, Mike Enslin is very much an adult – a man ridden hard by life's inexplicable lessons and left to suffer through the resulting setbacks.
When you add in the mysterious menace of Samuel L. Jackson (proving he can make the most meaningless role thrive) and the comforting calm of Mary McCormack as Enslin's estranged wife, you've got a collection of performances that really payoff – and thanks to the new redux of the film, their presence is even more important. Olin is just as much a catalyst as a character here, while Lily's shattered security seems to help her husband make his final determinations. The additional deleted and/or extended scenes further expand the interactive dynamic between the trio, including moments of imminent danger for all and the siren's allure of 1408. In fact, Håfström was clearly out to make a personal story. The fear factors are just added ambience.
When taken together, everything accomplished as part of 1408 places the film firmly on a level with other inferential entertainments – movies with names like The Haunting and Stanley Kubrick's interpretation of King's The Shining. In fact, this movie frequently feels more successful then either of those pictures since Håfström was able to realize his loftier ambitions with the help of clever F/X and modern technological advances. The featurettes found on the second disc illustrate how helpful such cinematic science can be, while the director himself argues for his own clever choices (filming on a closed set, emphasizing the 'banality of evil' theme). We wind up with a greater appreciation for this taut little thriller, as well as all the decisions that made it a reality.
In the end, though, it's hard to argue with either presentation of this fine film. The theatrical version literally leaps off the screen with kinetic frighteners, bringing the hair rising, spine tingling terror directly into your subconscious. Håfström's update is like other successful King translations (Misery, The Dead Zone) in that it finds the scares as well as the sentiment behind them. In either case, we get classic movie macabre at its most capable and considered. While the rest of the genre bathes in blood and freefalls through a chasm of cruelty, smart supernatural thrillers like this argue for the future of the format. And thanks to DVD, director's hindered by stagnant audience ideas get a chance to express themselves properly. Like 1408, it's win/win for all involved.


text:
Nuance Skin Clinic owner, Cindy German-Day, recently attended a two-day cosmeceutical product training conference at the Institute' DERMed College of Advanced Aesthetics in Atlanta.
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While in Atlanta, she received education regarding the clinical skin care treatment protocols and appropriate product prescriptions designed to go beyond basic skin care. She received certification in proper usage and expectations of active clinical ingredients, developing proper DERMed treatment plans, DERMed Rx Infusion instruction and creating individual home care prescription for clients.
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SACRAMENTO — Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a bill authorizing construction of a Ronald Reagan statue inside the California Capitol.
Brown cited Reagan's courage and leadership during signing of Assembly Bill 2358, and he pointed out the Republican icon oversaw needed tax hikes just like he wants to do with the help of voters in November.
The Sacramento Bee (bit.ly/STZQDt) says the bill authored by Assemblyman Curt Hagman, R-Chino Hills, authorizes planning for a statue honoring the former governor and president. It will be built with private funds.
The bill found no opposition in the Legislature.
Information from: The Sacramento Bee, http://www.sacbee.com


text: I'm new to using a smoker and I'm using a MES 30". my first smoke started at 4am SS Sunday with a 8 lb. pork butt. I used tips and tricks I read on this site. It turned excellent. I had to turn the heat up a little to push through the stall so it would be done in time. I stopped tonight picked up 2 whole chickens and now have them soaking in the saltwater brine recipie I found on this site. Can't wait to get them in tomorrow.


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Arteria digitalis plantaris communis
Revision as of 21:16, 3 October 2005 by WikiConvertor (Talk)
Arteria digitalis plantaris communis --> common plantar digital artery
(Science: anatomy, artery) One of four arteries arising from a superficial plantar arch, when present as a variation. They unite with the plantar metatarsal arteries.
Synonym: arteria digitalis plantaris communis.
Please contribute to this project, if you have more information about this term feel free to edit this page.


text:
Hi guys im looking for members for my guild on Tichondrius if anyone's interested
1 reply
Forum Topic
Hi guys im looking for members for my guild on Tichondrius if anyone's interested
1 reply
5 years agoChAoSDeMoNs
Next month my Girlfriend is buying me a game (as a late Christmas present) and i am unsure what to get at the moment. i am really into sports so i am considering Madden 12 NCAA 12 and UFC 3. The thing i have against that is i already have Madden 10 so i am not sure if it is worth getting Madden 12. i am also into shooting games so Battlefield 3 is definitely a consideration but i already have MW3 so i'm unsure to get that or not. i am a huge star wars fan so Old Republic seems like an awesome game for me personally i can see myself getting into that like most ppl get into WOW one problem is i cannot be guaranteed that ill be able to afford the monthly fee every month so i do not know if i should get it. Last but not least i am a Dragon Age fan and i heard skyrim is a really good game that is basically like dragon age i have never played an oblivion game so i am really skeptical on getting it sense i have never played any of the series so i am unsure on even considering the game
2017 years agoChAoSDeMoNs


text:
See and Touch
With Windows 8, the dumb display doesn't cut it anymore. HP's EliteDisplay S230tm combines 1,920 by 1,080 HD resolution with a special anti-glare surface with a 5-point multi-touch display. It measures 23-inches and comes with a stand that can be adjusted to a variety of angles for the best viewing and finger work. It costs $359 with a three year warranty.


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"People are interested in bridges. I guess I've always been more interested in what goes on underneath bridges."
-- Bono
Column: off the record..., vol. 13-565
May 05, 2013
The latest U2-related rumor has a soccer/football twist. As U2 Brazil reported, a Brazilian journalist writer named Lauro Jardim recently wrote that organizers of the 2014 World Cup are in negotiations with U2 to either perform at the opening or closing of next year's tournament.
Nothing else was mentioned in the report, although U2 Brazil also pointed out that Bono has promised ex-Brazilian president Lula da Silva to attend the opening ceremony with him.
The only other rumor that I've heard lately was actually the news that Steve Averill shared at the U2 Conference last weekend, when he said that he's about to meet with the band to talk about the new album and discuss design ideas. That meeting should be happening any day now, presumably in Dublin.
It's not a guarantee that U2 will actually put out an album this year, but it's certainly a step in the right direction for all of us hoping they do.
I apologize up front if you're tired of hearing about the U2 Conference already ... because you're probably gonna hear a lot more about it in the coming days and in future OTR columns.
Bottom line for me is that something special happened last weekend in Cleveland. It was different (better) than the first U2 Conference. It was something different than what's happened over the years at the various @U2 parties we've done. I don't really have words for it. It was different. And very, very special.
For me, on a personal level, the conference re-energized me and helped me re-commit to everything we do on this website. Because you know ... when you've done something for going on 18 years, it's probably normal to wonder "What if this ended? What else could I do with that free time?" ... and I'll be the first to admit that thoughts like that have come up several times over the years.
But the conference weekend wiped away any questions or doubt that may have been lurking deep inside my heart and mind about that. I heard a story from one forum user that really moved me, proving that what we're doing here can really mean something in the bigger picture. And I heard a lot of kind things about what we're doing from @U2 readers. "Words of affirmation" has never been my love language, but it was last weekend, that's for sure. :-)
Thank you to all for those stories and words. It added tremendously to a very special weekend.
And it wasn't just me who felt something special happening. Read some of the attendee feedback that's already being posted on U2Conference.com and you'll start to get a sense of what it meant to others, too.
I don't know when or where the next conference will be, but when it happens, give serious thought to doing whatever it takes to be there. This thing has a ton of momentum now and will only get better. You'll want to be part of it.
One more thing about the U2 Conference: a special thank you to the guys in Unforgettable Fire, the tribute band that did our "U2's Sound" session on Saturday morning and played the official post-conference party on Saturday night.
Not only are they excellent musicians (they really are), but they're also very solid, down-to-earth guys. I was more impressed with them as people than anything. They loaded up all their gear and drove from Connecticut and New York all the way to Cleveland, did the first session on a Saturday morning, then played for 3+ hours on Saturday night and into Sunday morning -- all the while knocking off conference attendees' socks -- and, when it was all over, they were thanking Scott and me for inviting them to be part of it all. We were thanking them profusely, and they were giving it right back to us. How cool is that? Great guys.
Do you remember that music festival in Mali that Bono participated in early last year -- Festival Au Desert? There's a live CD that just came out with performances from the event but ... alas ... Bono's appearance with Tinariwen didn't make the cut. :-(
And finally ... an interesting find on YouTube. This appears to be the original Brian Eno video of a sign language performance of "Ultraviolet" that was used on the screens during the Zoo TV tour.
Until next time....
(c) @U2, 2013.


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Our Mission: To Achieve Excellence for Our Schools, Our Students, Our Future
A Letter from Our Superintendent
To the Parents, Students, Staff and Community Members of Valley View Local Schools:
I am pleased to be the new Superintendent of Valley View Local Schools. This district has a history of high student achievement in both academics and extracurricular activities over the years earning high regards in the region. Such demonstrated success is the result of focused dedication and hard work of the staff, students, parents and the support of the community.
Over the course of my career thus far, I have been deliberate in my search for educational best practices to maximize student achievement. I began my preparation for educational leadership as a student at Eastern Kentucky University and achieved a Bachelor of Science degree in History in 1982. I also obtained a Master's Degree from the United States Sports Academy in Sports Management in 1990. I added to my graduate work at the University of Dayton with a degree in Educational Leadership which later led to me obtaining my superintendent certification.
Whether in the classroom, on an athletic field, in the main office of a school building or from a central office, I have been an educational leader for 32 years. My educational journey began at Powhatan School, a private day school in Virginia where I taught history in grades 6-8 and coached soccer, basketball, and baseball as well as serving as a bus driver. Afterward, I transitioned to Hillsboro City Schools and would remain there for the next 30 years of my career. There, I began as a teacher of history and political science for grades 7-12. During those years in the classroom I also coached football, basketball, track, baseball, and soccer. Sparked by my knowledge of the benefits of a sound and formative athletic program for students, I then served as the Athletic Director for 8 years. In collaboration with many others, I led the process of improving the football/soccer complex with new bleachers, fencing, and a concession stand. My experiences in athletic leadership were very rewarding and I transitioned into an even more impactful position focused on academic achievement for students. I accepted the roles of high school assistant principal for 3 years, the middle school principal for 1 year and the high school principal for 3 years. During that period of time, we added honors courses in all core subject areas, expanded our AP program, initiated and solidified dual enrollment agreements with Southern State Community College and expanded our vocational program offerings within the high school. Our average ACT scores when from a 21 to 23 over this time. I finished my career in Hillsboro from the role of the superintendent. In my 3 ½ years in this position, Hillsboro City Schools received its first Excellent Rating from the Ohio Department of Education. All the while, I worked in close collaboration with the Treasurer to improve and maintain responsible and efficient fiscal practices.
Ultimately, my experiences in education have affirmed my belief that we have an obligation to ensure we are meeting the educational needs of all students in an effort to maximize their personal successes and potential contributions to the community and greater world. This includes thinking outside of the box to expand on the traditional means of educating children. Each student is unique and the educational practices utilized to improve their academic successes should mirror that reality. My leadership hinges on this deliberate focus of uniting all staff members in the pursuit and achievement of this important goal.
I am honored to lead Valley View Local Schools and look forward to working with all stakeholders to achieve the high expectations we all share for our students and their continued successes in the coming years.
Richard Earley


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The Thing #7
Dis Man, Dis Monster, Disarmed
Written by Dan Slott
Illustrated by Kieron Dwyer
Published by Marvel Comics
To celebrate Alicia's birthday, Ben takes her back in time to Ancient Greece via the time machine that the Fantastic Four procured from Dr. Doom all those many years ago. The plan was to "show" her the Venus de Milo immediately upon completion, but when Hercules—who hadn't yet met Ben at this point in the timeline—mistakes him for a monster sent by the gods above as a means to alleviate his boredom, a vicious fight breaks out between them. Amidst the rubble left in the wake of their melee, we find the Venus that we know today, her arms broken and laying in pieces next to her body.
So, not only was Ben responsible for the legend of Blackbeard, but he also gave the Venus de Milo her signature amputee status, and who knows what else. What a different world this would be if old Ben stayed out of the timestream.
This done-in-one story was one of the fastest reading comics in memory—and I'm not saying that as a good thing. It was absolutely brainless, all flash and no substance, a pointless little tale that could have been interesting if drawn out beyond the traditional "meet-and-misunderstand" battle between Hercules and the Thing, spanning the course of a few issues: Ben and Hercules embark on some great mythical quest together, for instance, while Alicia stays behind and is treated to the benefits granted to both oracles and gifted artists alike. Instead, it closes with saccharine, leaving that sweet and yet vaguely bitter taste in your mouth.
And its too bad that Dwyer is still the artist on board here—his figures are too stiff and uninspired for my tastes. I know he has his fans, but I get the sense that he was just phoning it in.
Required reading for Fantastic fanatics only.
Signing off,
--The Ever Lovin' Blue Eyed J/Metro


text:
Download page:
PowerMops Mach-O 64Bit, Mach-O 32bit, CFM 32bit,
QuickEdit 6.3a
All source code of PowerMops
Few demos
How to Install:
Double click "PowerMops61.dmg" to mount the disk image.
Drag the folder "PowerMops 6.1" in the image and drop it into any folder to install PowerMops in.
If you are new to PowerMops, double click "Open Me First" to open it with QuickEdit.
The file contains release notes, too.
Four PowerMops applicaiton bundles, CFM 64-Bit, Mach-O 64-Bit, CFM 32-Bit, and Mach-O 32-Bit.
QuickEdit v. 6.0.
All source code files.
Few demos.
Expand the ZIP archive by BOMArchiveHelper.
If you are new to PowerMops, first of all, double click 'Open Me First' file to open.
Two new mailing lists are now online and available to everyone to use: PowerMops-BETA and PowerMops-USERS.
The former is a replacement for the list that was hosted on the old website. The latter is an entirely new list intended for more general discussion.


text: Paul Natkin, Getty Images [ 'It Was Like a Riot': The History of Disco Demolition Night By Frank Mastropolo July 12, 2015 | Ultimate Classic Rock An anti-disco promotion at Chicago's Comiskey Park turned insane on July 12, 1979. Read More Category: Concerts, History, Music News, News, Rock Tags: disco Send to a friend! Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Pin it! Reddit This! Share on Tumblr!


text:
|Laura Ingalls
Former President Hoover lived in Suite 31-A of New York's elegant Waldorf Towers. His recreated living room is part of the Herbert Hoover Library-Museum.
Life in the White House
"Democracy is a harsh employer," said Herbert Hoover in recalling his 1932 defeat. Rejected by his countrymen, Hoover departed Washington in March, 1933, his once bright reputation in shambles and his career in public service apparently at an end. Yet he refused to fade away. Prior to leaving office Hoover told his White House secretary:
In October, 1936 the former president found a new cause, one that would engage him for the rest of his life. The same night Hoover joined the board of the Boys' Clubs of America he was elected its chairman. For Hoover this was only the latest chapter in a story of an Iowa orphan who had gone on to feed children throughout Europe and organize the American Child Health Association.
Beginning in December, 1940, Hoover spent most of each year in New York City. Home was Suite 31-A of the Waldorf Towers, a Park Avenue landmark he shared with such celebrated figures as the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Cole Porter, the Shah of Iran and that monarch of cafe society, Elsa Maxwell. The Waldorf was a self-contained community, serviced by 155 telephone operators, two hundred cooks, and a small army of security men. The hotel even supplied Hoover with a personal waiter, named Daniel Rodriguez.
In May, 1945 Harry Truman invited America's only living former president to visit him at the White House. "I would be most happy to talk over the European food situation with you," wrote Truman. "Also it would be a pleasure for me to become acquainted with you." It was the start of an unlikely, yet historic, friendship between two men who would form perhaps the oddest couple in American politics.
In 1947 Hoover undertook a massive reorganization of the executive branch of a federal government bloated by war. Not only did Uncle Sam defend the nation and shape basic economic policy--he also manufactured ice cream, helium and retreaded tires, operated a railroad in Panama and a distillery in the Virgin Islands, owned one-quarter of the continental United States and $27 billion in personal property.
Do more with less: that was the theme of the Commission's reports, each written by Hoover and designed to fit on a single page of the "New York Times." Not all his ideas were approved; for example, few agreed with Hoover's proposal for an administrative vice president entrusted with oversight of the federal budgetary process. But Harry Truman, reelected against all odds in 1948, supported enough to see that more than 70% of Hoover's recommendations were enacted into law.</p>
In July 1949 Ambassador Joseph P. Kennedy wrote his friend in a tone suggesting that Hoover's long passage through political purgatory was at last coming to an end. "You have had the acclaim of the American people; you have had the criticism of the American people," said Kennedy, "and now, in the twilight of your life, the American people have come to realize that Herbert Hoover is one of our few...outstanding men in the public life of this generation."
A true citizen of the world, Herbert Hoover was happiest in the woods--tramping a forest path, baiting a hook, savoring the icy scent of a winter's morning in the Blue Ridge or Sierra Nevadas. He found God in a trout stream as well as a church pew. He pursued Japanese tuna and Canadian salmon - and he laughed at Calvin Coolidge for preferring earthworms to fly fishing.
In the summer of 1963, an attack of internal bleeding nearly proved fatal to the eighty-eight-year-old Hoover. The old man was undeterred, telling his son, "I am going to pull through. I still have a great deal of work to do." The next morning, Herbert, Junior received startling confirmation of his father's resolve when the patient sat up in bed, called for his pipe and announced, "We're back in business."
For five days the Waldorf became a virtual hospital annex as doctors administered two hundred blood transfusions. The vigil ended a few minutes before noon on October 20. Following ceremonies in New York and Washington, a C-30 Hercules aircraft bearing the body of Iowa's only president touched down in Cedar Rapids on Sunday, October 25. Thousands of people lined the thirty-three-mile route to West Branch, where a crowd estimated at 75,000 stood silently on a warm Indian Summer afternoon. Shielded from the prairie wind by a billowing stand of cedar trees, the mourners listened as Dr. Elton Trueblood, a Quaker theologian and family friend, declared that Herbert Hoover would be remembered for as long as the American Dream was cherished. "He has worked hard; he has been very brave; he has endured," concluded Trueblood.
Herbert Hoover Presidential Library-Museum


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|08 Oct 2010
Downloads with wireless router
I currently have a Belkin N150 Wireless Router For speeds up to 150Mbps. When I try to download a HD video that is about 2GB it takes about 5-7 hours. Do you think getting a new router would help with download speeds?
|My System Specs
|08 Oct 2010
W10 Pro desktop, W10 laptop, W10 laptop, W10 Pro tablet (all 64-bit)
No. Downloading from the internet relies mostly on the speed of your internet connection through your ISP and that speed is generally only a fraction of the router's capability. When copying files from one computer to another on your local network then the router's capabilities are often the gating factor.
|My System Specs
|08 Oct 2010
Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
I suggest you make an internet speed test ( Speedtest.net - The Global Broadband Speed Test ) and post the result. Then we see a bit more what might be the problem.
|My System Specs
|Thread Tools
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But the study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, doesn't discourage getting the vaccine.
Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is rare; flu is common. And flu vaccines are the single best way to prevent flu, according to the CDC.
"We suggest that the decision to recommend vaccination against influenza should primarily be guided by evidence of its benefit," write the researchers, who include Kumanan Wilson, MD, MSc, of Canada's Toronto General Hospital.
Wilson's team says people who get flu vaccines "should be advised of the possible risk" of getting Guillain-Barre syndrome, "particularly in light of the serious consequences of the illness."
The possible link between Guillain-Barre syndrome and flu vaccination isn't new. The CDC recommends that people not get vaccinated if they've ever developed Guillain-Barre syndrome within six weeks of getting a flu vaccine.
About Guillain-Barre Syndrome
Guillain-Barre syndrome symptoms tend to appear quickly and worsen rapidly, sometimes leading to paralysis.
In the disease, the body damages its own nerve cells (outside of the brain and spinal cord), resulting in muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis.
Most people recover.
Early symptoms include weakness, tingling, and loss of sensation in the legs that eventually spreads to the arms. Blood pressure problems, heart rhythm problems, and breathing difficulties may occur in critical cases.
"Most people eventually recover completely or nearly completely, but some people have permanent nerve damage, and between 5% and 6% of people who develop GBS die," states the CDC's web site.
Guillain-Barre Study
Wilson's team tracked Guillain-Barre syndrome hospitalizations in more than 12 million adults in Ontario, Canada, who got flu vaccines between 1992 and 2004.
The vast majority who received flu vaccinations weren't hospitalized for Guillain-Barre syndrome during the study, but 1,601 people were.
In 269 of those cases, Guillain-Barre syndrome struck within 43 weeks (almost 11 months) of flu vaccination.
The study doesn't prove flu vaccines caused any of the Guillain-Barre syndrome cases. The findings "must be interpreted carefully," the researchers note.
Vaccination Time
October and November are the best months to get vaccinated against flu, but you can still get vaccinated in December or later, according to the CDC.
The CDC recommends annual flu vaccines for the following groups:
- Children aged 6 months to 5 years
- Pregnant women
- People 50 and older
- People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions
- People living in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
- Health care workers
- People who live with those at high risk for flu complications
- Household contacts and caregivers of babies less than 6 months old.
The CDC says the following groups shouldn't get flu vaccines without first consulting a doctor:
- People who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs
- People who have had a severe reaction to a past flu vaccine
- People who developed Guillain-Barre syndrome within six weeks of getting a past flu vaccine
- Babies younger than 6 months
- People who have a moderate or severe illness with a fever should wait to get vaccinated until their symptoms ease.
source - WebMD
Amazing. There's a risk of getting several diseases after being vaccinated agains influenza, but still this shot is recommended for children between 6 months and 5 years.


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VATICAN CITY, Oct. 22 (UPI) -- Karl Marx, known for his hostility to religion, had relevant theories on "social alienation," a Catholic scholar said in the Vatican newspaper.
Georg Sans, a professor of contemporary philosophy at Gregorian University, the pontifical university in Rome, said Marxian thought may help guide people at a time of search for a "new harmony" between human needs and the natural world, The Times of London reported. He said Marx described the "social alienation" felt by those who have been excluded.
"We have to ask ourselves, with Marx, whether the forms of alienation of which he spoke have their origin in the capitalist system," Sans wrote in L'Osservatore Romano. "If money as such does not multiply on its own, how are we to explain the accumulation of wealth in the hands of the few?"
Pope Benedict XVI gave a more traditional appraisal of Marx's legacy two years ago, saying Marxism "left a sad heritage of economic and ecological destruction, but also a painful destruction of the human spirit." But the pope has also been critical of capitalism.


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I liked this much more than I thought I would when I first saw the results of my first steeping. It's a very pale yellow, almost colorless, and pouchongs are known to be on the greener side of oolong. I haven't cared for the green teas I've tried, and found the Tung Ting Oolong I tried too reminiscent of the vegetal taste I dislike in greens. This had a floral note that wasn't perfumey, a buttery taste, that mitigated the hint of a vegetal taste into a delicate sweetness I really enjoyed. The second steeping had a more mineral taste I associate with oolong, but not in a bad way.
195 °F / 90 °C 2 min, 0 sec


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While making my daily phone call to my parents last night, my father was unusually perky. His first words was, "Tim, you won't believe this!" I believe a lot of things, so that exclamation really said something to me. He went on to tell me that our Baptist state paper, The Alabama Baptist, published not one, but seven (7) articles on "Dortian Calvinism." Six of the articles were written by Dr. James Leo Garrett, and the seventh was an editorial introduction by Bob Terry.
Those of you in The Heart of Dixie know that our state has not been too kind to Calvinism in the past, so this has the potential to be the start of something good. Furthermore, contrary to previous state papers (such as Lonnie Wilkey from the Tennessee Baptist and Reflector and Nelson Price/Bill Harrell from Georgia's Christian Index), these articles could be the start of some helpful and constructive conversation in state papers. You see, the thrust of the antagonism against Calvinism is not coming from the younger generation of Southern Baptists (who by and large do not read state papers) but the elder generation who are quite committed to reading their Baptist state paper. While the younger generation know most of the SBC bloggers, they haven't a clue who Bob Terry, Lonnie Wilkey, James Smith, or Gerald Harris are, but the elder generation (who probably don't know what a blog is) are quite familiar with these men.
So with that said, I look forward to reading these articles and perhaps interacting with them in the future. I also am needing to update my compilation which I hope to revise and make available (again) in the near future. In the meantime, consider reading these articles which could make for good future discussion (note: you may want to print these articles out and save a hard copy as Baptist papers do not have an expansive archive of past articles).
Understanding Calvinism: A Resource (editorial) – Bob Terry
Articles by Dr. James Leo Garrett:
A question facing Baptist churches
Does Dortian Calvinism have weight of Scripture in its favor?
Have Baptists always been Dortian Calvinists in their confessions of faith?
How prominent Baptists stack up


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50 Cent gets flirty with female statue
50 Cent couldn't keep his hands off a stone statue of a woman in a series of funny Instagram shots.
50 Cent has shocked fans by hitting on a naked female statue in a series of risque photos.
The rapper indulged in his artistic side recently when he visited what appeared to be a museum or gallery, and shared snaps of himself resting his hands on the body of a female sculpture on Instagram. Attempting to be romantic, 50 – real name Curtis Jackson – captioned the humorous shots with flirtatious lines.
"I told her all I needed was time to talk to her. I was trying to figure out why she was so cold.( Detroit playa s**t)," he wrote alongside the first photo of his hand on her breast, before he moved his hand down to her stomach in a second picture.
"As I continued to speak, I could see she was intrigued by the things I said to her."
In the final bizarre photo, 50's fingers are seen resting above the statue's crotch, by which point the musician seemingly gave up with his mock attempts to woo the stone woman.
"Then I said you know you want to give me some,stop playing so much girl DAMN we grown. LMAO she a cold freak. SHE SUCK ME OUT THE FRIEND ZONE," he wrote alongside the photo.
It's not clear what triggered the 41-year-old's strange photographs, but his fans were clearly amused by the feedback they left on the uploads.
"The eyes says she loves you like a fat kid loves cake," one user joked, while another commented on his subtle hand movements: "Lol (laugh out loud) it's funny to see the hands move in different places stupid lol."
The In Da Club hitmaker showed off his funny side at the weekend (3-4Sep16) too when he dressed up for his son Sire's fourth birthday. Posing with the tot in his arms, who looked cute in a white jacket and pale jeans, 50 revealed the theme of the party to his Instagram followers.
"Lol the kid said he want a cyborg I said ok, then he said I want daddy to be cyborg. what !!! Ok it ya (sic) birthday I'm a Cyborg," he wrote.
© Cover Media
Belfast Telegraph Digital


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Little Pyramid Peak
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Little Pyramid Peak as seen from Horn Toad Peak.
Redstone Area of Lake Mead, Nevada. March 2008.
Enjoy the whole slideshow from this day: Horn Toad Peak and Little Pyramid
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Fort Hays State University > About FHSU > Academic Divisions > Graduate School > Political Management
Please consult with Dr. Chapman Rackaway regarding course availability in specific semesters and delivery methods in order to assemble a program of study. The program has established these deadlines for priority application consideration:
Fall - March 31Spring - October 31 Additional Admissions Requirements: Applicants must earn a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher on the last 60 undergraduate credit hours.
CORE (9 Credit Hours)
MAJOR (9 Credit Hours)
COGNATE/ELECTIVES (9 Credit Hours) Choose 3 courses from this list
INTERNSHIP (3 Credit Hours)


text:
Imagineering Contest
Have Fun and Put Your Brain to Work at the Same Time
Calling anyone who as ever wanted to dream up his or her own creation! I would like to create a contest where we will be able to dream up our own creations and then show them off to other people. Right now the contest is in the blue-sky phase so any suggestion would be appreciated we can come up with a prize we will come up with the rules we will create the contest and then we will all be able to put our minds to work.
NO LIMITS!!! NO BUDGET!!! NOTHING TO STOP THE IMAGINATION!!! Each team can create drawings and descriptions of their park they can also use any other means of showing their ideas to everyone that they can find. These will need to be posted by a specific date. When that date gets closer we will select judges or we can have all of mice chat decide on the final outcome. Please feel free to post any ideas you have. Like I said this is blue sky so we get to make up everything nothing is yet set in stone.
Please Post ALL Ideas