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The Cinderella run of the Minnesota Thunder faces its most difficult test yet, when they face the Los Angeles Galaxy on Victoria Street. The Galaxy felt the sting of going down to the Thunder a year ago - just as three MLS clubs have experienced this year - when they lost 1-0 in Minnesota in the fourth round. But this is rare atmosphere for the Thunder of the USL First Division, whose quarterfinal performance a year ago was their best-ever. The Galaxy have reached at least the semifinals in five of the seven times they've entered the competition, playing in the Final on two occasions (and winning one, in 2001).
QUARTERFINAL: The Galaxy dumped the San Jose Earthquakes out of the U.S. Open Cup for the fourth time ever, getting two goals from Herculez Gomez then surviving going a man down midway through the second half to hold on for a 2-1 victory. ... Gomez put the Galaxy ahead after just five minutes when a clearance out of the Quakes' defense was headed by Jovan Kirovski straight into the path of Gomez, who evaded a challenge from San Jose defender Danny Califf, and scored low to Jon Conway's right. ... Then in the 31st minute he scored a second goal that was a near carbon copy of the first. Kirovski was again the provider, as his through ball found Gomez in stride and he duly buried his shot past a diving Conway. ... The Quakes were thrown a lifeline in the 63rd minute when Todd Dunivant received a second caution, and in the 76th minute Ronald Cerritos nodded home Brian Mullan's cross to halve the deficit, but the Galaxy held on. ... Here's Sampson's team: Kevin Hartman, Troy Roberts, Tyrone Marshall, Pablo Chinchilla, Todd Dunivant, Ned Grabavoy (Cobi Jones 70), Peter Vagenas, Paulo Nagamura, Guillermo Ramirez, Jovan Kirovski (Ugo Ihemelu 67), Herculez Gomez (Ednaldo da Conceicao 83). ... The Galaxy have now eliminated the Quakes four times in the U.S. Open Cup (2000, 2001, 2002, 2005) including on penalties in 2001 and in extra time in 2002.
2005 U.S. OPEN CUP RUN: In their fourth-round match, the Galaxy dumped stadium-mates Chivas USA out of the U.S. Open Cup with a 5-2 triumph at The Home Depot Center's Track & Field Stadium. ... Douglas Sequeira gave Chivas a lead after just four minutes when he headed home a corner kick, but Cobi Jones pulled the Galaxy level eight minutes later when pumped a poor clearance home. Then Chivas again took the lead when Ramon Ramirez curled home a free kick on 20 minutes, but Joseph Ngwenya finished off a semi-breakaway to again draw the Galaxy even (36). Just before the break, Herculez Gomez again scored, picking off a pass before firing a long-range effort to give the Galaxy the lead. After squandering numerous chances throughout the second half, the Galaxy killed off the match with two late goals, Landon Donovan punishing a poor back pass (89) then Chris Albright finishing off the contest with a stoppage time strike.
IN THE OPEN CUP: For the first time in club history, the Galaxy were dumped out of the U.S. Open Cup in their opening match a year ago, losing 1-0 to the Minnesota Thunder (A-League) in the fourth round. It snapped a run of five consecutive appearances where they reached at least the semifinals, winning the 2001 Final against the New England Revolution but losing to the Columbus Crew the following year. ... The Galaxy have lost just five times in 20 Open Cup matches - two of those coming against Columbus Crew, once in the quarterfinals in 1999, and once in the 2002 final. The other two losses both came to the Fire, in the semifinals in both 2000 and 2003. Until last year, they of course had never lost to a lower-division side. ... Before '04, the Galaxy's shortest run in the Open Cup came in 1999, when a quarterfinal loss to the Columbus Crew followed a win against the San Diego Flash (A-League).
QUARTERFINAL: The Cinderella run of the USL First Division Thunder continued in the quarterfinals when they ended the bid of defending Open Cup champion Kansas City Wizards to be the first repeat winner in more than two decades ended with a 3-1 victory at Park University. ... Johnny Menyongar scored a pair of goals, one in each half, to send the Thunder through to their farthest ever advance in the Open Cup. In the 33rd minute he blasted a 16-yard drive to the left of a flailing K.C. 'keeper Will Hesmer, then four minutes after Shavar Thomas deflected a Menyongar shot into his own goal, the Minnesota striker was given space down the heart of the Kansas City defense and obliged with his second goal of the night. ... The Wizards pulled a goal back in the 71st minute through Ryan Pore, as Chris Klein played a looping ball to send Pore in alone on Minnesota' 'keeper Joe Warren and he trickled a shot home. ... Here's Buzz Lagos's team (3-5-2): Joe Warren; Chris Brunt, Chad Dombrowski, Nathan Knox; Freddy Juarez, Jay Alberts (Kiki Lara 93+), Matt Schmidt, Godfrey Tenoff (Tighe Dombrowski 77), Jeff Matteo; Johnny Menyonger (Aaron Paye 80), Melvin Tarley (Kevin Friedland 88).
2005 OPEN CUP RUN: In the fourth round, the Thunder continued their giant-killing ways in the U.S. Open Cup, dumping the Colorado Rapids out of the competition with a 4-1 victory at James E. Griffin Stadium in St. Paul, Minn. ... Melvin Tarley scored all four goals for the Thunder, giving him six goals against MLS clubs in the competition. Tarley gave the Thunder the lead in the 38th minute when he beat Joe Cannon from the top of the penalty area, then doubled the lead two minutes after the break when he knocked him his own rebound of a saved shot. Alain Nkong halved the Minnesota lead when buried a shot off a pass from Eric Denton in the 69th minute, but Tarley capped off his spectacular night with two goals in five minutes in quick response to the Colorado goal (72, 76). ... The Thunder played the giant-killing role for the second year running, knocking off Real Salt Lake in extra time in a wild third-round match. Real took a 3-2 lead early in the second half and led 4-3 with 20 minutes left, but Aaron Paye hit for the equalizer two minutes from full time, then Matt Schmidt and Paye scored in extra time (Tarley 15, 66; Menyongar 17, Paye 88, 108; Schmidt 98 - Kreis 9 pen, 50, 70; Watson 38). ... The Thunder entered the competition in the second round, and defeated the PDL Chicago Fire Premier 2-1 on June 29 in St. Paul, an own goal in the 89th minute sealing the victory (Johnny Menyongar 62; own goal 89 - Brandon Moss 90). ... By virtue of their 2004 record, the Thunder entered the competition at the second round along with three other teams; the other four eligible USL First Division sides enter the Open Cup at the third round.
IN THE U.S. OPEN CUP: This is the sixth time in Thunder club history - and fourth year running - they've reached the competition proper in the Open Cup. Last year was by far their best performance, knocking off the Los Angeles Galaxy 1-0 in the fourth round before losing on penalty kicks to the San Jose Earthquakes after a 2-2 draw in the quarterfinals. They've played MLS teams five times in Open Cup competition, winning two, first losing to the Dallas Burn in 2000 in the third round, and also losing to the Galaxy in 2002 in the fourth round. The Thunder and K.C. Wizards have never met in the U.S. Open Cup.
FORM GUIDE: The Thunder completed the regular season in 10th place in the 12-team USL First Division with 31 points from their 28 matches, with seven victories, 11 losses and 10 ties, finishing out of the playoffs. ... Johnny Menyongar led the Thunder with eight goals (tied for ninth in the USL First Division), and five assists from 27 matches while Aaron Paye had seven goals and two assists and Melvin Tarley had seven league goals (and one assist) before his transfer to Real Salt Lake. However, as terms of his deal, he will be allowed to return to play for the Thunder in their remaining Open Cup matches, bringing along his six goals in the competition (leading the 2005 Open Cup). ... Long-time coach Buzz Lagos has announced his retirement after the completion of the season.


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Jackie Judd
Ms. Judd is a journalist and independent communications consultant focusing on health care issues. She is currently a Special Correspondent for the "PBS NewsHour." Ms. Judd's career as a nationally recognized reporter and anchor began at National Public Radio, followed by CBS Radio and then ABC Television News where, for more than 15 years, she reported for "World News Tonight," "Nightline," "Primetime Live" and "Good Morning America." At ABC, on the domestic front, Ms. Judd covered health care policy, social welfare issues, Congress and the Supreme Court. Internationally, she reported on the democracy movement in China, Eastern Europe after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the buildup to Desert Storm in Saudi Arabia. Ms. Judd received numerous awards in her journalism career including an Edward R. Murrow award, National Emmys, a DuPont, the first-ever David Bloom award, a citation from the Overseas Press Club, and others.
After leaving ABC News, Ms. Judd joined the Kaiser Family Foundation in 2003 to continue her involvement in health care issues and policy. There she contributed to the Foundation's pioneering efforts to train journalists in the coverage of HIV/AIDS in countries and regions with emerging epidemics. She edited and contributed to a reporting guide for international journalists covering AIDS. During her tenure at Kaiser, Ms. Judd's activities included the production of numerous documentaries, including several on Medicare and Medicaid; leading panel discussions and webcasts for the Kaiser Family Foundation as well as for the independent news service it funds, Kaiser Health News. Ms. Judd was awarded a CINE Golden Eagle for her documentary covering the impact of Hurricane Katrina on health care for disadvantaged residents of New Orleans.
Ms. Judd serves on the Board of Trustees of the ABIM Foundation and on the Advisory Board of the Community Foundation of Montgomery County, Maryland.
She graduated from American University in Washington, D.C., with a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism and government.

subset: commoncrawl


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FREDERICK, Md. (AP) — BP Solar says it plans to close its Frederick operation early next year and many of the site's 80 employees could lose their jobs.
Company spokesman Pete Resler said Tuesday that BP Solar will end operations at the Ballenger Creek Pike building by early 2012.
According to The Frederick News-Post, Resler says the move is part of a major restructuring of BP America and its alternative energy operations.
Some employees at the Frederick facility, mostly in marketing and research, will be offered jobs at the company's headquarters in Houston. Resler did not say exactly how many positions would be available in Houston.
In March, BP Solar cut 320 jobs in Frederick when it moved its manufacturing operations to other countries.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)


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Narrowbanding project upgrade expected by May
AMY MILLER/TIMES NEWS Gary Williams, 911 manager, explains the timeline for the upcoming narrowband project changeover. All municipalities and counties are required to upgrade their equipment to comply with the Federal Communications Commission's mandate. The mandate lowers radio frequencies to 12.5 kHz bandwidth. This is because there are not enough radio frequencies to handle all of the emergency traffic anymore.
Carbon County is expected to begin moving forward with upgrading emergency radios this May, officials are reporting.
During a special meeting of the Carbon County commissioners Tuesday evening, representatives from some of the 19 municipalities partnering with the county listened as the commissioners; Gary Williams, 911 manager; and Daniel Miscavige, county solicitor, outlined what the next steps will be with the narrowbanding project.
The project will upgrade all emergency service, police and fire company radios, pagers and mobiles in the 19 municipalities, as well as the county, in order to comply with a Federal Communications Commission's mandate for more radio frequencies. Every municipality and county in the country has until Jan. 1, 2013 to comply with the mandate or they could face a $10,000 a day fine.
Commissioner Wayne Nothstein, chairman, welcomed everyone to the meeting.
He noted that the next step of the project is going to be a challenge because it means figuring out exact numbers of radios to purchase and making sure they are available for everyone.
Nothstein then introduced Williams, who talked about the narrowband mandate, which is reducing the radio frequency to 12.5 kHz bandwidth to allow for more radio channels for emergencies.
He noted that if fire companies, police or emergency services have newer models of radios, they may be able to be reprogrammed to the lower frequencies. Otherwise, new radios are required under the mandate.
Williams said that the estimated timeline for the changeover has been set based on the number of radios needed.
Emergency service groups will be the first to change over, starting in May or June. Police departments will then change over between July and August and fire companies, which require the most radios, will change over in September or October.
Commissioner William O'Gurek explained that each municipality will receive an inventory sheet of the number of radios they initially said they would need. Each municipality is required to review the inventory and make any changes. They must then sign and certify an agreement and inventory list and return it to the county before Feb. 29.
Nothstein stressed the importance of each municipality signing this agreement and double checking the inventory list because the municipality will be responsible for paying for the cost that is not covered by the $907,453 Local Share grant the county received for the upgrades.
Miscavige outlined the agreement, highlighting that the county is acting as the purchasing agent for the equipment, but after the municipalities receive the radios, it will be their responsibility to pay for the installation, maintenance, accessories, warranties and upkeep of the units.
If a municipality decided that they do not want the equipment after the order has already been placed, they will be required to pay for the full amount, not just the percentage not covered by the grant, Miscavige also pointed out.
Some officials questioned the amount that each municipality will be responsible for.
O'Gurek explained that the percentage that each municipality will have to pay has not been determined yet because total cost for the equipment has not been finalized.
He said that the county will determine the percentage by taking the overall cost of the equipment, subtract the $907,000 grant and the county's Community Development Block Grant commitment to the project. The remaining balance will then be used to determine how much every municipality will be required to pay for their share in the project.
For example, O'Gurek said, if it is determined that each municipality owes 10 percent, one group that purchased $20,000 worth of equipment will be required to pay $2,000; while another group that purchased $200,000 in equipment will be required to pay $20,000.
He noted that the commissioners are confident that the expense for each municipality will be "only a fraction" of the total cost for the equipment.
Nothstein and Williams again stressed the importance of returning the updated inventory sheets because the final percentage cannot be calculated without that total.
"This has to be a quick turnaround," Williams said of the project.
Nothstein added that the county must act quickly because the availability of each unit is questionable due to the fact that everyone in the country is trying to upgrade at the same time.
Following a brief discussion about types of radios, installation costs, and possible future countywide projects, the commissioners thanked everyone for their cooperation and adjourned the meeting.
Carbon County has been working on the narrowbanding project with area municipalities since early last year when the county commissioners decided to help ease the burden of emergency personnel by applying for a countywide grant.
The county then hired Delta Development Group Inc. of Mechanicsburg at a cost of $10,000 to handle the $1.4 million Local Share grant application.
Last Wednesday, county officials received word that they will be receiving $907,453 of local share funds to complete the project.


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For years, Gonzaga struggled to lure elite-conference programs to travel to its campus for games. Today a men's team from the vaunted Atlantic...
SPOKANE — For years, Gonzaga struggled to lure elite-conference programs to travel to its campus for games.
Today a men's team from the vaunted Atlantic Coast Conference plays at Gonzaga for the first time. On the other hand, the opponent isn't powerhouse Duke. It is Virginia, a team struggling with injuries and losses under first-year coach Dave Leitao.
The Cavaliers (3-3) have absorbed back-to-back losses to Georgia Tech and Fordham, earning the ire of former DePaul coach Leitao.
"I don't like losing," Leitao said recently. "I think you should be [mad]. Your players should be. Your program should be upset."
Despite not having a home advantage, Gonzaga is 6-1 against ACC teams.
Virginia point guard Sean Singletary, who leads the team with 17 points per game, missed the Fordham game as he recovers from a hip injury. Leitao said Singletary has not fully recovered, but will play against the Zags.
That puts Virginia in a similar situation to Gonzaga, which has not had point guard Derek Raivio for the past 2 ½ games because of a back injury. Raivio is expected to play today.
Gonzaga (6-2) got a one-week break between games because of finals week, and the Zags needed the rest. They have been playing short handed because Erroll Knight and Josh Heytvelt are out with injuries.
"We've been kind of running on fumes," Gonzaga coach Mark Few said.
Adam Morrison of the Zags leads the nation in scoring at 28.5 points per game.
The Zags have won 40 of their past 41 nonconference home games.
Brown carries
Michigan State
EAST LANSING, Mich. — Shannon Brown scored a career-high 27 points and 12th-ranked Michigan State rallied to beat Cleveland State 83-75 Friday night.
Paul Davis added 24 points, and Maurice Ager had 22 for the Spartans (8-2).
Michigan State trailed 46-35 late in the first half. The balanced Vikings (2-5) made a school-record 14 three-pointers, including 10 in the first half.
Raheem Moss and Patrick Tatham each had 12 points to lead Cleveland State in a near-triumphant return for Vikings coach Mike Garland, who was a Michigan State assistant from 1996 to 2003.
The Spartans were a different team in the last minute of the first half and the first eight minutes after the break, outscoring Cleveland State 28-4 to take a 63-50 lead.
Michigan State outscored the Vikings 40-16 inside the paint and had a 42-29 rebounding edge.
Davis grabbed 11 rebounds and had his sixth double-double of the season.
Pac-10 men
At USC 77, W. Michigan 62
Lodrick Stewart, a graduate of Rainier Beach High School in Seattle, scored 16 points to help the Trojans (6-2) defeat the Broncos (2-4).
USC's Nick Young collected 19 points and eight rebounds.
Gabe Pruitt had 14 points and six assists for the Trojans, who extended their longest winning streak in four seasons to six games. The Trojans won nine consecutive games in 2001-02.
Pac-10 women
At USC 94,
Cal State Fullerton 54
Chloe Kerr scored the first eight points for the Women of Troy (6-3) as they overcame a slow start to overwhelm the Titans (1-8).
Kerr finished with a career-high 18 points.
USC's Eshaya Murphy matched her career best with a game-high 22 points, and Meghan Gnekow had a double-double with 19 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. Jamie Funn added 12 points.
Charlee Underwood and Sandra Woloschuk led Cal State Fullerton with 10 points apiece.


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Sprint Looks To Be Adding WiFi Calling To Its Feature Lineup; Will Introduce The Feature On Samsung Devices
T-Mobile has been catching a lot of publicity lately, from the news about their fourth phase of the Uncarrier strategy, right down to the CEO John Legere getting thrown out of an At&t sponsored event last week during CES where he states that "he just wanted to see Macklemore perform". While they say any publicity is good publicity, T-Mobile might get some good recognition for a change as it seems Sprint will begin to offer a Wifi calling feature of its own, much like the one that T-Mobile has been offering for years. As reported by Androidcentral, Sprint will be introducing the feature on two currently offered Samsung phones, which will be the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini, and the Samsung Galaxy Mega.
The feature will be added through updates that Sprint will be sending out to users of those two devices, so if you currently use one of them on Sprint's network you'll soon be getting a nice new capability. Although the Wifi calling feature will be debuting on the S4 Mini and Galaxy Mega, it looks like Sprint will be rolling it out to other devices as well down the line as long as they're already Android 4.2+. To take advantage of this feature when it's launched you'll need a few things. You'll have to of course have a compatible device as mentioned above, and it will have to be running Android 4.2+. Besides that you'll need to spend some time turning the feature on by going to Sprint's website and logging into your account at mysprint.sprint.com. While Wifi calling won't be usable virtually every time you need to make a call, the great thing about it is that when you make a call over Wifi, just like T-Mobile's feature it won't eat up your package minutes. This only matters of course if you're someone who doesn't already have unlimited minutes anyway, but the feature can still come in handy when there is no coverage available.
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As expected, Sprint isn't going to be charging for this feature, once again just like T-Mobile, and all you have to do is have the feature turned on. Perhaps this will help Sprint gain back some subscribers. Some other things worth noting about the new Wifi calling feature to come is that it will only be usable within the US, US virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico, so if you reside outside those regions, you won't be able to partake. Lastly, it seems that calls made over a Wifi network won't be able to switch over to Sprint's CDMA network. This isn't so much a drawback, but considering T-Mobile's Wifi calls can be handed off between Wifi and their GSM network regardless of where they originated, to compete you would think that Sprint would want their feature to act the same way. What do you think about Sprint adding Wifi calling to their list of features? If you subscribe to Sprint would you be using this feature and if so how often? Let us know in the comments.


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DRINKERS are being warned that "extremely dangerous" bogus booze could be on sale across the county.
It comes as an off-licence owner was fined a record amount in Oxfordshire for selling counterfeit alcohol.
Oxfordshire County Council's Trading Standards Team has seized 227 bottles of fake wine and eight bottles of vodka since June last year.
And last night it warned they could be contaminated with chemicals.
About £2,000 worth of counterfeit alcohol was seized from Ansh Food and Wine in Chinnor in April. The haul included 147 bottles of fake Blossom Hill wine, 28 bottles of counterfeit Jacob's Creek wine, and one bottle of fake vodka.
Store owner Paramjit Singh Khiali was fined £9,250 and £1,941 costs at Oxford Magistrates' Court last week after he admitted eight charges under the food safety and trade mark laws.
He admitted buying alcohol on three occasions without doing proper checks.
The 47-year-old was caught after a customer alerted Trading Standards after buying some fake wine.
Mr Khiali told the Oxford Mail that he did not know the alcohol was counterfeit and he was sorry for his mistake.
Shop assistant Kultar Singh said the fine would hurt the business. He said: "It was a mistake. We did not realise. I know if I sell bad stuff we will lose customers."
Trading Standards can now call for the shop's licence to be reviewed.
Its head Richard Webb said fake booze was becoming more widespread.
"It's a problem across the whole country, but we are starting to see more cases of counterfeit alcohol being distributed across Oxfordshire."
Of Mr Khaili's fine, he added: "We are pleased with the result, and it shows that the court takes matters of counterfeit alcohol very seriously.
"The high fine reflects the importance of being able to trace the supply chain for products so that any unsafe goods can be quickly removed from the market.
"Businesses should only buy their stock from legitimate source; otherwise there are potential serious consequences for any retailer."
Trading Standards is now analysing the seized bottles to determine if they contained any dangerous chemicals.
Judith Heathcoat, council cabinet member for safer and stronger communities, said: "Counterfeit alcohol can be extremely dangerous as it is usually mixed with chemicals that aren't fit for consumption."
Three bottles of illegal vodka were seized from the 7 to 9 store in Oxford Road, Cowley, in October last year and the shop was given a warning.
Trading Standards said it was not known where the alcohol was coming from, but said some cold callers turn up at off-licences claiming their businesses have closed and they are selling stock.
Abingdon GP Dr Prit Buttar said counterfeit booze could be contaminated with a range of dangerous chemicals.
He said: "Methanol can blind permanently. Some of the other contaminants can cause irreparable damage and if it was somebody with a history of heavy alcohol consumption then that would make the toxic effect greater."
If you think a product is counterfeit, call Trading Standards via Citizens Advice Consumer helpline on 08454 040506.


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NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - A wildfire that has consumed dozens of square miles along South Carolina's heavily populated coast was 98 percent contained and caused at least $25 million damage, officials said Monday.
The fire which started Wednesday east of Conway and was one of the state's largest in years consumed almost 30 square miles and destroyed 70 homes, most of them in a resort development in North Myrtle Beach. No injuries were reported.
Firefighters were finally getting a break from the weather Monday, with 45 percent humidity and winds shifting to the southeast.
"We're getting southeast winds and not a lot of it today. That's good and it's bringing some moisture," said Russell Hubright of the South Carolina Forestry Commission.
Last week, dry westerly winds of up to 30 mph pushed the blaze across highways and into the resort area.
About 80 firefighters were mopping up at midday Monday, and 11 of them would be allowed to go home by day's end, Hubright said. There were 100 firefighters on scene during the weekend.
Hubright expected complete containment of the fire sometime Tuesday.
But the commission warned there was a chance for the fire to rekindle in some areas as trees dropping brown leaves can provide fresh fuel on the forest floor.
A section of South Carolina 31, the Carolina Bays Parkway, had been closed to traffic because of heavy smoke since late Wednesday. It reopened Monday morning.
Several other roads were closed for a time early Monday, and some schools delayed opening because of a combination of smoke from the fire and thick morning fog, The Sun News of Myrtle Beach reported.
The relative humidity Monday was higher than at any time since the fire started. There's even a chance of rain by week's end.
"I'll believe that when I see it," Hubright said.
Allison Dean Love of the South Carolina Insurance News Service said Monday that damages are estimated at $25 million and expected to climb as people continue to file claims and adjusters assess the damage.
She said it "quite likely will increase substantially," noting that more than 100 claims have been filed for everything from destroyed homes to burned plants and trees used for landscaping.
Love said many checks written Friday provided temporary living expenses and helped start the recovery, with larger amounts expected later.


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Janesville chicken coop destroyed in blaze
Gazette staff
Friday, July 1, 2011
The fire completely destroyed the chicken coop at 413 N. Tarrant Road and caused $7,000 in damages to the property, Janesville Fire Department Captain Jody Stowers said. The heat from the chicken coop blaze damaged the siding to several other buildings on the property.
Stowers said the fire was started when wind blew heat from a controlled burn of building materials onto the coop. The fire took around 20 minutes to extinguish.
No chickens were hurt in the fire because the coop was being used for storage.
Last updated: 5:59 pm Thursday, December 13, 2012


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Abt Card
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As the leading manufacturer of high-performance, commercial style ranges for the home, Blue Star has recently introduced a commercial quality Salamander Broiler for the home. With a Salamander Broiler in your kitchen, you will be able to broil meats like the finest steak houses. Our 4-position adjustable grilling rack system effortlessly produces ideal cooking results on all of your favorite meats. From "Pittsburgh Rare" steaks to crispy chicken to broiled crab cakes, cooking time is virtually cut in half. The Blue Star Salamander broiler is the cooking appliance of choice for finishing or browning your culinary dishes, and a must for any high-performance kitchen. The salamander can be mounted above your Blue Star range or used as a countertop unit. Because of its popularity in the commercial restaurant industry, a direct-fired ceramic infrared broiler is standard on all of our salamander broilers. This large burner produces 1850º F of intense searing heat that can be adjusted for gentler broiling of more delicate foods.
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Fill out the form below to request Better Price for this product.
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MILTON, Ga. — The Home Depot is looking for a lost van.
Police were called Sept. 20 by employees who said a customer had rented one of their vans for a four-hour stint Sept. 7 and had yet to return it.
After numerous attempts, the suspect could not be reached beyond the first time, when he said he would keep the van for one more week.
The truck has a Low Jack system installed.


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Hey Simply Inisders!
We've got a new article from the seasoned youth minister, Katie Sutton, on controlling the chaos in your youth ministry. Remember, you have some authority in your students' lives!
By KATIE SUTTON
Are there days when you feel like you could walk out of the room and none of your students would even notice?
Or maybe you have that one kid in your group who is constantly sucking all of the attention to himself?
This isn't school. They don't have to be at church. No one is forcing them. Or, maybe they are being forced and that makes their behavior in your group even worse. You could threaten to strangle them (I MAY have recently said that to a student), or you can make a few small changes that bring the chaos under control. After all, the students who create the most chaos are usually the ones that need Jesus the most.
What can we do to ensure that they come back without sacrificing the students who want to learn without distractions?
1) Ergonomics matter. Get rid of all extra chairs that sit in the corner of the room. It's too tempting for teenagers to climb the stacks and claim them as their thrones. Keep the chair count in the room very close to the amount of your regular attendance. It helps keep students from isolating themselves from the group in the one uninhabited part of the room. And as for the room, make choices like Goldilocks: not too big and not too small. There has to be room enough to add a couple of chairs, but not so much room that you have the sense that you're sitting in a newly discovered cavern! Many behavior issues can be solved simply by adjusting the size of your room, cleaning up, and rearranging the chairs so that no one can isolate themselves from the group.
2) Keep them guessing. It's easy to be a distraction when you know what's going to happen next. Avoid routine. If that student who asks a hundred irrelevant questions knows that after the scripture reading you will be giving him that opportunity each week, he will come prepared! But what if next week you give everyone a card and have them write down a response to every question you ask, then mix up the cards and have other students read them. Gotcha! Set up your room in different configurations each week—rows, u-shaped, circles—it's hard to create chaos when you don't know what is going to happen next.
3) Engage them creatively. Think about those students that you have the most difficult time with in your group. What are their interests? What do they value? What has caused them to pause or respond in the past? Occasionally, choose topics and design activities that play to their personal preferences. Keep the room kinetic. Too much lecture will drive anyone to distraction! Discussion, activities, art projects, games—use anything that will keep the room focused and moving during your time together. Plan your schedule from start to finish so there's no time for goofing around.
And, by the way, it IS okay to call out a student on their behavior. We discipline those we love. Students respect that and, I think, expect it. Church shouldn't be the one place they can get away with disruptive behaviors. They know how to act in public. Raise your expectation and they will rise to it. Give them opportunities to channel their opinions and expressions into your group time together and even the kid you threatened to strangle will engage with you!
How do you use your authority to control the chaos? Post what works for you.
Thanks for loving students,
*You can get Katie's perspective, as well as other women in youth ministry, every Thursday when you sign up for the SYM Today Newsletter!*


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Thursday, March 5, 2009
Rory Cooper Featured on Cheerios Box
28th National Veterans Wheelchair Games
As part of a national campaign organized by the Veterans Administration, VA Canteen Service and General Mills, Cheerios is releasing a cereal box featuring several veteran athletes from the 28th National Veterans Wheelchair Games. Quality of Life Technology Center Co-Director, Dr. Rory Cooper will be one of the veteran athletes featured. The Cheerios Boxes will be available through VA Canteen Services and Bases Exchanges on Thursday March 5, 2009 to coincide with a major fundraising announcement for VA affiliated Fisher Houses. The VA has also organizing a "Box Signing event" where Dr. Cooper will appear at one of the Pittsburgh VA Medical Centers to autograph cereal boxes as well as "sports hero cards" that are also being released as part of the campaign.
The Pittsburgh Tribune Review also featured a story on Rory. [Click to View Story]
[Click on images below to enlarge]
|General Mills promotional poster for the Cheerios campaign
|Sports hero card
|Cheerios box spread


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Operational Due Diligence
For alternative investment firms such as private equity and hedge fund managers, operational risk and/or investment risk can lead to an investor's assets dramatically diminishing in value. Operational due diligence (ODD) considers non alpha generating activities and includes the review of a wide range of operational risks across the firm, including regulatory compliance, the fund(s), information technology, operations and accounting, administrator, valuation and service providers.
Identification and analysis of operational weakness is always easier with hindsight; however, this is a luxury that investors cannot afford.
What does Duff & Phelps' ODD practice offer?
- Assist investors by performing tailored ODD reviews on hedge funds, private equity funds, venture capital funds, fund of hedge funds, CTAs and manager service providers/managed account platforms
- Support fund managers by preparing them for investor ODD reviews
- With resources in key financial centers – including New York, London, Hong Kong and the Channel Islands – we can provide ODD on both a regional or global scale
Investor clients recognize that they have a fiduciary duty to effectively assess and evaluate the business risks associated with managers to whom they allocate. We serve as a co-sourced partner with our clients in helping them perform this task on both an initial and ongoing basis. The majority of fund failures occur because of operational deficiencies as opposed to poor investment performance, and we play a key role in helping our clients avoid these issues.
Managers who utilize our services and follow our recommendations are able to demonstrate to their clients. as well as to prospective investors, that they run an operationally sound organisation. It is no longer good enough to show strong returns to an institutional investor. Sophisticated investors need to be confident that the proper infrastructure and controls are in place prior to making an allocation.
Recent work we have undertaken
- Engaged by a large public pension plan to perform initial and ongoing due diligence of an outsourced CIO that the plan was considering for management of a discretionary pool of assets in multiple quantitative investment strategies. Based on our findings, the plan made changes to the investment management agreement to implement certain controls that we deemed necessary.
- Retained to perform initial, ongoing and annual due diligence review assistance with managers looking to enter this firm's managed account platform. We have been working with this client since 2010 and has performed over 100 reviews on its behalf.
- Hired by a manager focused on the commodities sector with multiple products including a hedge fund, managed accounts and serving as a sub adviser for mutual fund products. For this fund manager, we performed a due diligence review and a mock regulatory review.
- Regulatory and operational risk due diligence on two global trust companies as part of an acquisition by a large UK-based private equity firm. This required detailed analysis of the trust sector and the company's operations in a number of locations including Asia, the Caribbean and Europe.
- Operational and business due diligence on behalf of a private equity manager looking to acquire an investment management firm and roll up several hedge funds into that firm.


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My Nonprofit Reviews
Review for Giant Steps Therapeutic Equestrian Center, Inc., Petaluma, CA, USA
The Giant Steps Therapeutic Equestrian Center is dedicated to helping heal emotionally and physically disabled children and adults through caring for and riding horses. I have known about this fabulous group of dedicated staff and volunteers, and about the magic they perform since 2004. I have seen them greatly enrich many lives. The quality therapy they provide allows each rider, as well as his/her family, to live a richer, fuller life than they ever imagined. I proudly support Giant Steps Equestrian Therapeutic Center.
More Feedback
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
The proud and contented students and their delighted family members.
What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
The warm sincerity of staff & volunteers
If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...
...enrich the lives of so many more people! Giant Steps accepts students of all income levels. Because most families struggle with other costly medical bills associated with the students' disabilities, many families cannot afford this therapy. Giant Steps believes that disabled people of every income bracket deserve a good life, and in many cases will supplement the cost of the classes. This puts a big strain on their budget.
Ways to make it better...
I honestly cannot think of what could be better. The dedication staff and volunteers is ceaseless.
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?


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Extreme Windows, Extreme Eyefinity, 11,520 x 2160 Gaming
Subject: General Tech, Graphics Cards, Displays | July 25, 2013 - 07:32 PM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: eyefinity, crossfire, 4k
Sharp recently sampled a few of their 32" 4K monitors to Microsoft's Extreme Windows. The blog, known for editorializing what enthusiasts can do with Microsoft products, combined three 3840 x 2160 monitors into a 3x1 Eyefinity configuration at 60 Hz; the screen, itself, measures about 7 feet diagonally. This configuration, unlike the already-supported three-display 30 Hz and single-display 60Hz 4K modes, required AMD to develop a customized driver before Sharp's repo-team reclaimed their $15,000 worth of monitors.
They had a day until their door was to be knocked.
The system, three Radeon HD 7970s in Crossfire, successfully drove... they were playing Dirt 3, by the way... the three monitors at 60 Hz with between 62 and 70, of software recorded, FPS. 11,520 x 2160, at 60 Hz, requires 1.5 billion colors to be calculated within a second of animation; that is 1.5 gigapixels. Ignore, for a moment, stutter caused by including Crossfire with an Eyefinity setup. Every calculation, whether properly drawn to the monitor or not is, and must be, performed; 1.5 gigapixels is impressive and an accomplishment for Radeon hardware.
Lastly, I need to call out drama as I see it: power supplies. It is not hard to find a PSU which can support a three-GPU system and no reason for it to be hanging outside the case. It might give off the bleeding-edge appearance, but this is not arc welding. If they really were concerned, they could have picked up a higher capacity device from the shelf of a local component reseller.
The article explains why they have the power supply outside of the case. It has nothing to do with the inability of finding a power supply that could power the system.
"This would be challenging as our case/motherboard was only setup to accommodate two cards, and we would need to install three cards (two double width, and one triple width). We both took a good look at the two gaming PCs we had on hand and decided that one of them may fit all three cards if we unbolted the power supply and pulled it out to make room for the 3rd card. "
Yep, thanks for the correction.
Haha actually the power supply did fail after 5 minutes. But the statement in your article is still inaccurate.
Yeah, if you look closely you can see that the lower card doesn't have the second screw installed as it's hanging into the space the PSU should be.
Just a flash in the pan- arc welding indeed!
wonder what the specs were on the PS- i am calculating a minimum of 625 needed at idle,
so a 750 is not really enough- get the cards all going and the power supply is going to shut down
It is probably also not very smart to keep the PSU in side of the case, in terms of cooling as well.
"This would be challenging as our case/motherboard was only setup to accommodate two cards, and we would need to install three cards (two double width, and one triple width). We both took a good look at the two gaming PCs we had on hand and decided that one of them may fit all three cards if we unbolted the power supply and pulled it out to make room for the 3rd card. "
This is a drool-worthy setup! I just got a 760 and 2 more 22" monitors for a 3 screen setup and now it seems... anemic... small... weak, compared to that setup!
The only thing that sucks is that they chose Dirt3 which uses a lot of blur post effects and the screenshots don't look sharp, they look smudged and blurry.
Gavin Gear, the blogger who tested it, actually mentions that he was running the Eyefinity display at 30Hz because of the limitations imposed thanks to how Catalyst groups the monitors in tiled mode. The single monitor test was done at the full 60Hz with two HD7970s.
awesome optimize windows 7
My dream is to have my computer do high specifications to run it Games
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Combining cutting edge hydroforming technology with input from team riders Dan Kruk and Jordan Godwin, the Battleship is the perfect match for the progressive street rider. Boasting an incredibly short 12.7" chainstay, thicker CNC machined dropouts (designed to work flawlessly with hub-guards and pegs), and a fully brakeless design; the Battleship is a super tough, no-nonsense street weapon with an incredibly responsive geometry.
|Butted, seamless 4130 chromoly tubing Japanese
|Taller 127mm height, cnc machined and heat-treated, integ. headset
|Bottom Bracket
|Mid-BB width: 74mm, height: 11.7", CNC machined and heat-treated
|Accessories & Extras
|Slim profile, integrated seat clamp
* Subject to change without notice.Back to top


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MBA or Masters of Business Administration is a Post Graduate degree that is amongst the choicest career options in India. Youngsters, be it from any stream or branch or location, dream of holding an MBA degree to pursue a rewarding career. It is believed in India that only an MBA can make life fulfilling and meet every wish we have from our career and life. So how to get hold of this degree and what you would require to start one?
Marketing is the most necessary field in any industry as without marketing no business can start. Marketing is the only department which is seen in almost all companies, and also one without which no business can survive.
Requirements in MBA in marketing:
If you are planning to get a degree in regular MBA, first and foremost you should be a graduate in any discipline with minimum 50% to 60% percent (varies from institution to institution) of marks in it in Indian colleges and universities. There are many colleges and universities in India that take direct admission based on the graduation subject and your mark you achieved in your graduation. There are many that conduct their own entrance test, group discussion followed by an interview and then admission. But the most reputed colleges and universities in India enrol MBA candidates through the scores in CAT, XAT, MAT, NMAT and GMAT entrance tests. The tests are tough and candidates have to go through many levels before getting an invitation from the colleges for admission. It is the marks you received in entrance test and interest areas that can help you get into MBA in marketing.
What skills you must have?
Though skills are tough in the MBA programs, still candidate with well-rounded broad skillsets and a potential to become excellent marketing professionals do very well. Skills in mathematics, impressive communication, analytics, convincing power and leadership skills are a must.
Courses Covered
Common courses found within MBA in marketing include:
· MBA in Marketing management
· Operations management
· Marketing channels strategies
· Consumer and brand management
· Internet, technology, retail, digital, sports, and other specialized marketing fields
· Forecasting, modelling, and marketing strategy
· New product strategy, branding, and marketing
· International and multi-national marketing
· Sales force management
If you are seeking an admission in top MBA colleges in Mathura or best MBA University in Delhi NCR, do a research of colleges and their programs and courses. Know about the faculty members in the campus and also the placements offered in the previous years. It is important that you know about the place beforehand before getting enrol in any program. There are many colleges offering world class MBA programs which can build your career and fulfil your career dreams


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Evidence abounds that beer is more popular with adolescents than marijuana. Yet while the government is spending $195 million this year on its national media campaign to dissuade adolescents from using illicit drugs, not a penny of the appropriated tax dollars goes to warn about the dangers of drinking.
So this month, Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-Calif.) introduced an amendment allowing underage drinking to be included among the advertising campaign's targets. Her effort has not pleased beer wholesalers, some other members of Congress or even the White House's Office of National Drug Control Policy.


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Under-appreciated Books Spotlight
Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2012, 9:50 a.m.Chevy Chase Library
Under-appreciated Books Spotlight
"The Friendly Shakespeare"
The Friendly Shakespeare by Norrie Epstein is an often overlooked gem that introduces readers to the works of William Shakespeare. Epstein has a light and funny voice and clearly has a passion for the material. This book is essential for teachers, students and anyone looking for cocktail party tidbits. (Freebie: the translated Japanese title of Romeo and Juliet is Lust and Dreams of the Transitory World.) Reserve your copy here! You won't regret it.


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Tassal Tasmanian Salmon, an Australian salmon farming company, backed away from plans to dump treated wastewater from salmon pens into...
Companies will provide water & energy management services to India's food and beverage industry
GE and Sealed Air's Diversey business are bringing their global water alliance to the food and beverage markets in India. GE and Diversey will provide advanced water and energy management services in the region, a first for the one-year-old alliance.
Specifically within the food and beverage industry, the alliance's water offerings will support wastewater reuse projects and the reduction of freshwater consumption in the brewery, dairy, beverage and snack markets. In India, Sealed Air's Diversey business will sell and service GE's water treatment chemicals, water and process equipment, membrane and cartridge filtration products, analytical instruments and energy management solutions.
"The alliance brings together two organizations with complementary strengths and shared values, thereby enabling both GE and Sealed Air Diversey to serve our existing Indian customer base even better, while affording us the opportunity to reach more customers," said Hoshang Subawalla, business leader, India—water and process technologies for GE Power & Water.
The companies established a pilot program in 2010 to demonstrate the link between water treatment and cleaning and sanitation processes. The result was strong customer response following demonstrable improvements in water use and conservation as well as the overall efficiency of customer operations.
In October 2011, GE and Diversey formed an alliance to deliver water and energy management services to Diversey's cleaning and sanitation customers around the world. The alliance aims to manage water more efficiently while also providing clean and safe food and drink supplies.


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NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- Human Rights Watch said Thursday it suspected Christian militias in the Central African Republic have committed grave human rights abuses.
"The brutal killings in the Central African Republic are creating a cycle of murder and reprisal that threatens to spin out of control," Peter Bouckaert, emergencies director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement Thursday.
Bouckaert published a 34-page report based on field work conducted in northern CAR. It found the anti-balaka, a Christian militia, have killed "several hundred" Muslims since September.
The Seleka rebel coalition, a predominately Muslim group, toppled the CAR government in March. Reprisals from their Christian rivals prompted the U.N. Security Council to authorize a French military intervention to support an African Union peacekeeping effort in the country.
Human Rights Watch said the Christian militia describes itself as a self-defense force but its actions suggest it's waging a deliberate campaign against Muslim communities.
Bouckaert said he was frustrated the U.N. Security Council hasn't done more to address the crisis.
"Urgent support for peacekeeping in the Central African Republic is crucial to bring stability to a tense situation, protect the population from abuses, and ensure that humanitarian aid reaches those at grave risk," he said in a statement from Nairobi. "The potential for further mass violence is shockingly high."


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Mayor Rahm Emanuel and his schools chief on Tuesday clarified the strategy behind Safe Passage and touted the importance of the program, hours after a spray of bullets along one such route in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood left five people injured.
It was the second shooting along a Safe Passage route, which are designed to give students a protected path to and from school, in a little more than a week.
"Safe Passage is just not the geographic passage where children walk. It's a comprehensive strategy involving multiple resources of the sister agencies," Chicago Public Schools CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett told reporters at a press event at Jones College Prep.
But she added that Monday evening's shooting at North Sheridan Road and West Wilson Avenue happened just before 6 p.m., a time when students would normally not be walking to or from school. A fatal shooting along another Safe Passage route on the 2900 block of South State Street a week earlier happened on a Saturday.
"That doesn't minimize my sympathy for any child or any person who is hurt on a particular street, but Safe Passage is slightly different," she said.
Emanuel said his ultimate goal is that designated Safe Passage routes won't be necessary.
"Every child is a Safe Haven child, and my goal is that every street is a Safe Passage street for the city of Chicago and its children and its families," he said. "When kids go to school and come out of school I want them to be thinking of their studies, not their safety."
Ald. James Cappleman (46th), whose ward includes the intersection where Monday's shooting took place, said going forward that three squad cars would be stationed in three of Uptown's crime "hot spots" 24 hours a day, seven days a week. He did not specify if the intersection of Sheridan and Wilson was considered one such hot spot.


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© 2002-2017
Encyclopaedia Metallum
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This album was my introduction to Virgin Steele, after having heard several people who's musical taste is not too far from mine highly recommending the band. I downloaded it, listened to it and thought, "Hey, this is pretty good indeed". Not all that amazing I thought at first, but very enjoyable.
Fast forward three weeks or so. I'm listening to this album in the evening. I listen to it the next morning as well. And the next evening. For the first time in ages, I listen to an album several times on the same day, and can't get enough. It really needed a little while to sink in, but it has gotten better and better with every listen. In fact, it's getting better yet right now. And while I've extended my Virgin Steele collection a fair bit (all the 4 albums that came after this one), I still consider this one their best, for various reasons and at times for reasons I don't know myself. It's not a concept album like the 3 latest releases, and does not strictly demand all-at-once listening to carry you through the storyline and continuous music - yet I always listen to it in one run, simply because it is so goddamn awesome throughout. Everything here has its place, from the pure metal onslaughts over little ballad passages in the first two tracks, over the piano/orchestra track Warrior's Lament, the purely beautiful ballads Forever Will I Roam and House of Dust to the final song of the album, the Marriage of Heaven and Hell. And all over it is what I see as the best vocal performance ever delivered on any metal album, coming from Metal's top vocalist David Defeis. He does it all, from lower-pitched notes all the way to soprano tones that would make Halford envious, from soft ballad singing to amazing power vocals in the heavier tracks, and manages to sound like several different people in a way that other than him, I've only heard Geoff Tate do it. And thankfully, unlike on the later albums, he is never trying to sound like Eric Adams, but is himself all the time, absolutely unique and not sounding like any other singer out there.
Basically, every song on this album is good at least, and in most cases totally fucking awesome. The best - all the first four tracks are totally mindblowing, same with the last six tracks. In the middle, the quality drops to "just" good. Most notable is the godly opener "I Will Come for you", which starts this album totally straightforward with metal - something I missed in the next three albums, which all had rather long intros before they really got going. As all songs, it's complex in structure - the chorus is repeated very few times, there are various alternating verses, a soft ballad passage and the first appearance of the Marriage theme in the middle, at the end the chorus leads into a final new powerful passage.
"Weeping of the Spirits" has the ballad parts at the beginning and the end, while the middle is totally all-out mid-paced metal, a good bit heavier than the opener. "Blood And Gasoline" is a very different track from almost everything else Virgin Steele has ever done, and most likely features the best riffing on this album, as well as absolutely great pianos throguhout. "Self Crucifiction"'s chorus is mind-blowing and only "Life Among the Ruins" rivals it in this respect.
Now, the weaker middle part. With the next three tracks, the pace drops down a bit, especially on "Last Supper", probably the weakest song on the album (and mind you, it's still good). "Warrior's Lament" may not be your taste - a piano solo with some mild orchestration along (mostly trumpets I'd believe). I happen to love this song, but it's a clear case of classical influence alert. "Trail of Tears" is a solid epic, but fails to bring up the pace enough after the slowdown of the previous two tracks - the heavy riffing at the beginning is nice, but something faster would've been better here. It does not pick up any pace until after two minutes with a brief half minute of instrumental Speed Metal - then the pace drops to medium, until ending in a last minute of acoustic balladry with Defeis chanting some soft high-pitched notes. The next track would have been better situated before rather than after Trail of Tears - "The Raven's Song" is one of the fastest on this album, borderline speed metal. Again good, but something seems to be missing here that I cannot identify. Somehow, it seems like there's not quite enough power in the chorus.
From this point on, it all explodes to fucking orgasmic pwnage again. Two perfectly done all-out ballads and two genius heavier, faster tracks with excellent riff-onslaughts are intertwined, the second-last song is a brillaint semi-epic with,as noted before, a godly chorus, and finally, the instrumental closer, the Marriage of Heaven and Hell theme. The greatest, deserving special mention, are "Life Among the Ruins" ( probably the absolute culmination of all the awesomeness on this album), and the ballad "Forever Will I Roam".
So overall summarizing this album as a whole, we have some incredbile Epic Power Metal, mostly mid-paced with the occasional Speed Metal moment; riffing that is very good overall, mostly solid while at times incredible; wise use of keyboards that perfectly blends with the rest of the music (unlike a lot of keyboards-for-the-sake-of-keyboards bands do it these days...), in the form of piano in most cases and at times mild orchestration; ballad-passages in various songs as well as all-out complete ballads that are plain beautiful; solos that, while short of outstanding and mostly not showing impressive talent, manage to fit into the music very well - overall song structure is surely put over technicality here; impressive drumming that is responsible for various speed metal moments and very far from monotonous, and thankfully low in the field of double-bass (another thing often overdone in Power Metal these days); complex song structures that never heard the word "repetitive"; not a single bad song out of fourteen tracks that come together to an overlong album of over 70 minutes; and, most of all, most likely the best singer in metal and in fact one of the greatest in all of music delivering a performance beyond perfect.
Forever will this be my personal favorite out of Virgin Steele's discography. It's not as epic as the follow-ups, nor a concept album with an ongoing story like the last three works, nor as strongly orchestrated - but song-wise, it's a masterpiece beyond all the others, all the tracks add up near-perfectly to the album as a whole - and, most of all, the vocals are 100% perfect and the best Defeis would ever deliver. Here, he's not trying to be someone he's not, he's just being himself, and boy this is the key to perfection for him.
If you've not heard this album yet then, first of all, be fucking ashamed of yourself, and secondly, get it. Now.


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Stand-Up Pouches
400 Series | 425 Series | 430 Series
The name, Stand-Up Pouch, aptly describes the package format. It is, in fact, a pouch that will stand up. You will often see Stand-Up Pouch abbreviated to the industry term—SUP.
The stand-up pouch provides consumers with market-friendly features like zipper reclosure, tear notches, the versatility of hang hole features, strong shelf presence and an attractive billboard for label and graphics. Stand-up pouches are sold into a wide variety of markets and come in a wide array of colors and structures. The stand-up pouch is one of the most popular formats in the market place today.
Features and Options
Located below the tear notch, the zipper is a "must have" feature in certain markets because it's convenient and user friendly.
Tear Notch
Consumers use the tear notch to rip open the top of the pouch.
Bottom Gusset: Pouches are made with one of the two gusset styles:
Plough Bottom
The plough bottom is made from one piece of material that has been folded and sealed into the bag shape. Because this style is made from one piece, it can hold more product weight. The plough bottom is common for products weighing more than 2 lbs.
Inserted Bottom
The inserted bottom has a "lip," which makes the pouch stand up by serving as the center of gravity. With the inserted bottom, this style is great for products that weigh less than 1-2 lbs. If the product is too heavy, the pouch may lean or fall over.
Constructed of high barrier foil and/or clear laminates, the PBi 400 Series stand-up pouches protect your product from oxygen and moisture. We recommend the PBi 400 Series Stand-Up Pouch for products such as coffee, nuts, flavored teas, and other products that need higher protection against oxygen and moisture.
Order from the 400 series here.
New! Stand-Up Pouches with Aplix Zipper
Introducing an addition to our 400 Stand-Up Series, our Stand-Up Pouches with Aplix Zipper. They are a medium barrier pouch that work great for specialty or niche markets. The Aplix Zipper closure is an innovative hook-to-hook re-closable system designed for flexible packaging. This unique closure is comprised of self-mating micro hooks that engage with light pressure, making it easy for consumer use. These come in our 14-16oz XL and 2 lb sizes.
PBi 425 Metallized Series
Pouches are produced from a multi-layer laminate that includes metallized polyester. They are a medium barrier pouch that work great for specialty or niche markets. They are not intended for products that need high barrier protection (i.e. coffee). All 425 series stand-up pouches come with zippers.
Order from the 425 series here.
PBi 425 Natural Kraft Series
Combining Natural Kraft Paper with the consumer convenience of a Stand-Up Pouch, the PBi Natural Kraft SUP is one of our most popular pouches. Available in six sizes with a tear notch and zipper. Our 8oz. and 14-16oz. size is also available with a one-way degassing valve. Also available with a window.
PBi 430 Rice Paper Series
Rice paper stand-up pouches are made from plastic fibers. The term, rice paper, is widely used in the industry for this non-woven plastic fiber structure.Also available with a window.
Order from the 430 Rice Paper series here.
NEW! Made to Order Pouches: Clear Stand-Up and Flat Pouches
PBi is excited to announce we are now offering special order clear Stand-Up Pouches and Flat Pouches. This is an expansion of our product line with a variety of unique sizes that aren't included in our catalog. Learn more here.
- Lead time: 2-3 weeks
- Minimum Order Quantity: 5,000 bags
- Recommended for products packaged in quantities less than 2 lb.


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How do you go from being a self-declared "fat kid" with a 48-inch-waist to an up-and-coming fitness model — not to mention one of the most-watched teen bodybuilders on Youtube?
For teen bodybuilder Nate, it's taken five years of determination, diet and dedication. The results are truly impressive, as you'll see in this exclusive MALE MODEL VIDEO — part of Nate's first-ever professional photoshoot, and an exclusive for modelJOCK.com.
Watching this video, you'll hear some of Nate's own personal fitness secrets, including how he's built and maintained his massive chest and bulging biceps and triceps. Whether he's flexing his muscles during an on-camera workout or talking about his journey toward physical perfection, Nate has plenty to offer as both a bodybuilder and a male model.
Be sure to subscribe to modelJOCK.com so you won't miss the additional videos from Nate's first shoot!


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Planet Asia - Reflections (Apollo Brown Remix)
In 2013, Fresno underground mainstay Planet Asia hooked up with beatsmith Gensu Dean to drop the critically-acclaimed Abrasions LP. On the emcee's latest release of the new year, Motown's Apollo Brown jumps behind the boards to put his own spin on a handful of tracks off the aforementioned project. On this freshly-minted revamp of Reflections, Brown takes Dean's place behind the boards, replacing the latter's funky instrumental backdrop with something a little more soulful. His chopped keys, vocals and guitar riffs form a pleasingly mellow backdrop for the headliner's introspective, yet bruising bars. As P.A. puts it on verse two, "F**k all the corny renditions 'cause this is real official." I'll let y'all decide whether this take on the cut tops the original. Released January 14, via Mello Music Group, Abrasions: Stitched Up is available now for digital purchase.


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Clarkstown Announces Update on
of Noise and Dust at Tilcon, West Nyack
Supervisor Alex Gromack has announced
that the third round of tests for the Tilcon-West Nyack Quarry is
complete. The Town has an agreement with
an independent engineering group to monitor dust and noise, collect daily
weather data and provide a summary of findings associated with mining
operations at Tilcon. Tilcon had
previously agreed to reimburse the town for the costs of these field
tests. The first field monitoring program
was administered in October 2006 and the second in September 2007.
During the week of December 17,
2007, noise and dust monitoring was conducted again at various locations in
proximity to the Tilcon West Nyack site.
The most recent report concludes that the maximum noise levels were
reduced at all five residential locations.
The frequency of noise levels above the county decibel standard went
down from 88% to 50% at the Crusher
Road location, from 88% to 75% at the Casper Hill Road
location and from 63% to 25% at the Tamar
Drive and Storms Road location. Therefore the average of the noise levels
above the county decibel standard was reduced for all 5 homes. In addition, a comparison to the previous
dust study conducted in October 2006 and September 2007 indicates significantly
lower dust levels for the more recent monitoring period.
Supervisor Gromack said, "We are pleased to see
improvements in noise levels in the residential areas and a decrease in dust
levels; however, there is still more progress to be made. The town will meet with our independent
engineering firm and Tilcon to review testing procedures and possible
Under an agreement with the town the following
improvements have been made by Tilcon: the dust control system was upgraded,
all conveyors on the finish side of the plant have been covered, a new larger
water truck is in service for dust control, all screens have been changed from
wire to rubber, crusher plates have been changed from steel to ceramic, one of the
buildings was completely insulated with noise reduction panels, and one of the
crushers was enclosed with a noise mitigation structure. Tilcon also obtained a building permit from
the town for the renovation of the Storms
Road house and has started work on the interior
and exterior of the home.
Tilcon is finalizing plans to relocate the plant below
ground level. In December 2007, they
submitted a formal application to the Planning Board for the new entrance road,
which will reduce traffic, and further construction of a berm, which will
mitigate noise and improve the appearance surrounding the plant. Their application is going through the Technical
Advisory Committee (TAC) and Planning Board process.
Supervisor Gromack said, "We feel it is important for
Tilcon to continue to address any residential concerns resulting from their
mining operation. The agreement we
reached with Tilcon specifies a timeline with goals and we will continue to
monitor that."
Another round of monitoring dust
and noise at the quarry will be conducted later this year.
# # #


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About Me
I currently live in Lille France, doing my Ph.D in robotics. Trying to explore the world and make new friends as much as I can :)
I would described myself as a passionate person. I really enjoy discovering and trying new things.
I might also be described as a little ambivalent as I like nature activities as well as watching movies comfortably seated in a couch, I like traveling in cities as much as I love going in the countryside discovering beautiful landscapes...
I think I am an easy going person who like almost everyone and usually get along with very different kind of persons.
My friend usually say I am always smiling and I like humor
I consider myself as an open-minded person.
I hate spending my days sleeping and always need to have plans for the future (I consider owning a plane ticket is already a plan).
I have a quite active life and if I had to die soon I would like to be able to say that it couldn't have been better.
"Take any experience you can" could be a good motto for this philosophy section
Why I'm on Couchsurfing
I mostly travel using couchsurfing simply because it is the best way to travel. Really, being on couchsurfing have made me so much more interested in travelling. Going somewhere and seeing beautiful lanscapes and monuments is great. Discovering it through the experience of a local is way different and better.
I also enjoy going to bars a lot and CS is often a wonderful way to find the best small places where locals go.
CS is just amazing.
When I am not traveling, I am also always happy to welcome anyone who wants at my home. It makes me want to go back to traveling even more and it is always a good experience. It is always a good way to rediscover your city through the eyes of your guests.
North east America, Canada, South of the US are mostly the places where I have surfed. So far, I never had to face any bad experience neither hosting nor being a guest.
Sports : Track&field \\ Ski & snowboard \\ Sand Volleyball \\ Tennis \\ ...
Deep house music
Research (Artificial intelligence and robotics)
- dining
- cooking
- movies
- traveling
- music
- electronic music
- camping
- skiing
- snowboarding
- sports
- tennis
- track and field
- volleyball
- engineering
- mathematics
- mountains
Music, Movies, and Books
Movies :
A beautiful mind, Kick-ass, Sin city, Yes man, French comedies (OSS, mission cléopâtre, ...), Django, Western spaghetti, ...
Music :
Parov Stelar, Gramatik, Kygo, C2C, D.O.C.S., Cee-Roo, Samuraii, Dimmi, La Roux, Daft Punk, Kavinsky, Poom, Tinush, Hocus Pocus, Hilltop hoods, Christine & the queens, Stromae, Georges Brassens, ...
One Amazing Thing I've Done
I could say the Raid ECP, which was a race in switzerland mountains during 5 days doing around 50 km every day. This was an amazing experience. And camping in the snow is awesome.
Teach, Learn, Share
I can cook, I am french so I know at least some basic things about cooking.
I can teach skiing (and snowboarding and many other sports).
I can also teach a lot of scientific topics if you are interested.
I can share some soft electro music.
What I Can Share with Hosts
I think it is quite redundant field but I would say I can share my stories, food, and any kind of good times.
Countries I've Visited
Belgium, Cambodia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Thailand, Tunisia, United Kingdom, United States
Countries I've Lived In
Canada, France, United States


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Best of the best?
TIMES NEWS FILE PHOTOS Broadway in Jim Thorpe is picturesque, with tiny shops and restaurants that marry culture and charm.
Jim Thorpe is one step closer to being named one of the best small towns in the United States by USA Today and Rand McNally.
During the Carbon County commissioners' meeting on Thursday, Jake Arner, who was representing the Jim Thorpe Chamber of Commerce and Carbon County Chamber of Commerce, approached the board to ask for the county's support in clean up efforts of the roadways that lead into Jim Thorpe because the borough was named a finalist in the Most Beautiful category.
Arner said that Route 209 is in great need of sprucing up by picking up the trash and debris that lines the "gateway to our beautiful town."
He said with the efforts of volunteers, county employees, or inmates; as well as police support, the clean up could take place safely before McNally and its crew visits the town later this month.
County officials said they would discuss the matter but some avenues, like using work release inmates to clean up the roadways, don't seem possible because the program is being utilized by other communities at this time.
Arner said that both Jim Thorpe Borough Council, as well as the chambers are in favor of the efforts.
"Anything we can do to promote Jim Thorpe is good," he said.
The Best of the Road contest came about after, according to McNally's blog, "McNally and USA Today teamed up to create a community of road travelers reviewing the best stops on America's highways and byways, from small towns to the points of interest in and between them. ... Every year, Rand McNally and USA Today collect votes for the small towns you think we should visit."
Over 650 towns across the country were nominated and America had the chance to vote in five categories Most Beautiful, Friendliest, Most Fun, Best for Food, and Most Patriotic during the first round of competition. Jim Thorpe received 442 votes in the Most Beautiful category; and 510 votes overall in the five categories combined. This was enough to secure the fourth finalist spot in the category.
Now, McNally and USA Today will visit each of the finalists before naming the 2012 Best Small Towns in the United States.
For more information on the competition or to learn about places to visit, visit http://www.bestoftheroad.com.


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After her night at the Chicago Cubs game (as you may have seen her on Comcast Sports Net during the game), Show Dog recording artist Jessie James stopped by the US99.5 Studios to perform for us.
She performed her latest single, "When You Say My Name", as well as other tracks off her forthcoming album, and another song that you might recall from a certain television commercial.
Check out video and photos from her performance now.
Jessie James Performs "Military Man"
"I Make My Own Sunshine" with Jessie James and Alyssa Bonagura
Steve Koscik/US99.5


text: This is a Tamron 19-35mm F3.5-4.5 auto focus lens for Nikon. In superb condition with original front cap and Tokina-made rear cap. This lens should work on just about Nikon body made, digital or film, auto focus or manual (metering and focus procedures will vary). A wonderful sharp lens! Price: $80 plus insured shipping. I ship to most countries and take PayPal.


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France looks to clinch Group D
When the draw was made for Euro 2012, Tuesday's tussle between France and Sweden in Kiev figured to take on great importance. France continued to make strides under Laurent Blanc, and Sweden's transformation under Erik Hamren was going smoothly: Would it be a potential battle for first in Group D?
Uh, no.
Although France hasn't stumbled, Sweden has, eliminated early after losing both its matches. The Swedes already have one eye on World Cup qualifying.
What's on the line?
Only an unlikely scenario would see France not reach the quarterfinals: Les Bleus would have to lose to Sweden, and Ukraine would have to beat England in Group D's other match. Even then, it would come down to goal difference between England and France. And keep in mind that France is unbeaten in 23 games. However, France wants to finish first and thereby likely avoid Spain in the quarterfinals.
You know what it's all about for Sweden: pride. Sweden so easily could have won both its games. "We'll go for it," captain and talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic told reporters. "We're playing for honor. We are going to bring some points home with us."
Style and tactics:
The Swedes largely relied on defense and organization to win games under former manager Lars Lagerback. Hamren prefers a more attacking approach in a 4-4-1-1 (with Ibrahimovic in a deeper role), which led to an overflow of goals in qualifying. However, the defense now isn't so reliable. Sweden has conceded a combined five goals in the two losses to Ukraine and England -- and was unable to protect leads.
France has more steel in its squad with the likes of Alou Diarra, Yohan Cabaye and Yann M'Vila, the sought-after 21-year-old who shook off an ankle injury to play 20 minutes against Ukraine; Cabaye went off with a slight thigh problem. Blanc has mostly adopted a 4-2-3-1 during his time as manager, but it seems he's now settled on a 4-3-3 in Ukraine. Karim Benzema, Franck Ribery and Samir Nasri form a dangerous trio.
Players to watch:
For France: Karim Benzema, Jeremy Menez, Philippe Mexes
The French are winning, and Benzema played a part against Ukraine, testing keeper Andriy Pyatov in the opening stages and setting up both goals. However, he would like to get on the score sheet himself. Menez, who started in place of Florent Malouda, did. "Menez is a player who needs confidence," Blanc said. "He is a quick player, and it was a very encouraging game from him." The French media poked fun at Mexes before the tournament, but he barely put a foot wrong against Ukraine. He'll go up against his Milan teammate, Ibrahimovic.
For Sweden: Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Olof Mellberg, Kim Kallstrom
Ibrahimovic said after the loss to England that he had no intention of ending his international career, and that came as a relief to the Blagult faithful. He shone against Ukraine and, in flashes, made England's defense look silly. Has Mellberg suddenly become a goal scorer? He netted one and created another. Too bad he wasn't as solid in the back four, as Sweden was breached yet again from an aerial ball. Kallstrom and Sebastian Larsson have provided assists with crosses this tournament, and Kallstrom will savor a matchup against several players he sees week in, week out in Ligue 1.
What we can expect:
Even though the Swedes are under little pressure, they don't want to emulate the Netherlands and go 0-3. It's an embarrassing record and something Hamren wants to avoid. Thus, maybe Sweden won't be as reckless offensively. France won't change its approach despite a draw guaranteeing progress. The top spot is the objective, and France will have a considerable edge in midfield.
Nearly 20,000 Swedish fans largely contributed to a wonderful atmosphere in Kiev on Friday, and if nothing else, they'll have a chance to give Mellberg and midfielder Anders Svensson a proper send-off. The duo are expected to retire from international football after Euro 2012. Svensson's 129 caps put him second on Sweden's all-time list, while Mellberg would claim his 117th -- enough for sole possession of third -- if he plays.
Who'll win?
France will keep on rolling, winning 2-1.
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Heeding TVC15's advice, I decided to avoid riding Alderfer today and to go for something with a little more exposure instead. It doesn't appear that Bergen is going to be in good riding shape for a bit, but the sheet ice did make things exciting. For those of you running, or contemplating running HighRoller semi-slicks, they gave me better traction on the sheet ice than I would ever have thought possible - and were both fast and grippy on the dry stuff. I took some pics with the ghetto camera phone:
Pics 1,2,&3 - trail conditions
Pics 4&5 - my "action shots", picture five makes it look like my leg belongs to an 800 lb guy who hasn't worn shorts in 20 years - kinda cool
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'Wo ghareeb dil ko sabaq miley ki khushi ke naam se dar gaya; Kabhi tum ne hans ke jo baat ki to hamara chehra utar gaya.' (The trauma of your betrayals, inflicted year upon year; Turned your promise of togetherness into a lurking fear.)
The Urdu couplet rather nicely applies to the essential Afghan conundrum though it may have been written in an entirely different context.
I was looking for some background material on Afghanistan given Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's possible visit to Pakistan and perhaps even to Kabul some time soon. As often happens in the labyrinth of the internet I found myself scouring the absorbing US military website CALL — Centre for Army Lessons Learnt.
Many of the lessons learnt or not learnt involved Afghanistan. There were analytical features, experiences and expert opinions assembled on the pages by military and civilian professionals.
One such article began with a thesis on the predominantly Shia concept of taqqiyah or dissimulation, which the author described as "plain, right-out lying". The author tried to apply it to other, non-Shia, sects of Afghans.
The thesis began with a quotation from Abu al Darda, who was among the first converts to Islam. "We smile for some people, while our hearts curse," Darda is quoted as having said. The ancient words set the backdrop to palpable contemporary mistrust that foreign forces apparently harbour towards the Afghans and vice versa.
What the author didn't observe though was that Darda's own preachings focused on the insignificance of worldly wealth and the minor details of life.
According to him, this life was comparable to a loan. How were military forces representing a compulsive consumerist ideology going to marshal the destiny of a people who may own and embrace Darda's mystical worldview bereft of market-sponsored greed?
An article by a US air force colonel exuded frustration at not being able to win over the Pakhtun populations against the Taliban. The people's reluctance to join the battle was given the label of the 'battered spouse syndrome'. A conversation between an American army captain and a village elder was used to stress the point.
"We cannot come closer to you. We have no security. The Afghan forces and International Security Assistance Force come occasionally and only stay for a little time. When they leave, the Taliban come in and hurt us because they think we are cooperating with you," the village elder explained.
"What if we arm your men and pay you to protect yourselves?" the young American captain asked.
"Ridiculous. They would kill us."
"How many Taliban come in at a time?"
"10 to 20."
"How many men could we arm, who could fight and protect you?" "250."
"So, why do you say we can't arm you to protect yourselves? 250 is a lot more than 10 or 20."
"Because the Taliban will kill us."
Regardless of whether the dialogue depicts a battered spouse syndrome or not, there is a marked cluelessness it betrays on how some foreign forces intend to tame or subdue an alien culture militarily.
Village elders in Zabul had convinced themselves, according to the author, that despite facts to the contrary, the insurgents possessed almost superhuman capabilities.
The American officer's response was one of frustration laced with rage. "While the elders' words and actions signified broad, passive support for the insurgents, the shame and humiliation they felt at the hands of insurgent treatment was also evident. We were not seeing the fiercely independent and aggressive Afghan. Could this really be the 'Graveyard of Empires'?
"We were not seeing great men of honour. Could this really be the land of Pashtunwali — the unwritten code of conduct that places such an emphasis on honour? Clearly, significant gaps existed between Afghan behaviours described in books and in our training and how Afghans actually behaved."
As they prepare to wind down their controversial combat operations in Afghanistan, American troops, it becomes evident from a cursory reading of CALL strategies, have been leaning on desperate survival kits, including failed colonial prescriptions from British adventures in Kandahar.
A 1933 British view of the Afghan character was quoted in a CALL article thus: "The Afghan character is a strange blend of virtue and vice. Hardy, brave, proud, simple in their mode of living, frank, prepared to die in accordance with their code of honour yet faithless and treacherous; generous to a degree yet devoured by greed for money; capable of great endurance and of feats of great energy but constitutionally lazy; merry, cheerful, humorous and fond of music yet inclined to be austere.
"Cupidity, instability, a suspicious nature, intense jealousy, bitter vindictiveness, excitability, impatience, want of self-control and a complete disregard for truth form the chief characteristics of the Afghan nature. They are capable of strong personal attachments but never forget a wrong."
I am not sure if Machiavelli, Sun Tzu or Chanakya would have prescribed a different military strategy to the one practised by Afghan fighters, first against the Soviet Union and later on the US. Deception seems to be a key factor in war, whether it's a guerrilla campaign or a conventional military assault.
Historical lenses focus on the British, Soviet, and other military failures inside Afghanistan, and would spawn a view of Afghans rebelling against centralised government or foreign influence, unwilling to be marshalled or tamed.
One lesson that the America's military and the civilian establishments may have failed to learn is that they need not travel to a remote Golgotha to probe the mystery of a deceptive smile. Just look at Bradley Manning and Edward Snowden to rediscover the anger and turmoil within.
The writer is Dawn's correspondent in Delhi


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How Do Status Symbols From The 80's Compare To Today?
When I think about being old and how times have changed - I don't think I fully grasp how much has really changed in 30 years! If you look at the cool kids from the 80's with their fancy CD players and T-Top Trans Ams and compare them to the cool kids today - there are huge differences and your cool 80's kids become more like regular kids.