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The only guys we can outright dump are Strawberry, Alexander, Mbenga, and Pops. Anything else would have to involve another team, even if it is a salary dump. While that may happen, if the guys we want to dump are that bad, why would anyone take them on without adding a piece, at least this early on. Perhaps there has been some injury that has created a need? Any data on this? We will have at least 12 players unless another team gets involved due to the number of guaranteed contracts we hold . We will have a maximum of 15 players due to NBA rules. Therefore, without the involvement of another team, we will retain the services of at most 3 of Strawberry (combo guard), Pops (power forward, center?), Joe Alexander (power forward, small forward), and Mbenga (center). Do we need 12 due to the inactive rules? Mbenga plays one of the positions of greatest need with potentially smallest supply, so he's least likely to get sacked. He also has the rare attribute of being 7'0 tall. Gray would have to reallyreallyreally out perform him, outright Connor McCloud (of the clan McCloud) him, for him to not make roster due to on-court issues. Strawberry's main threat to the roster is the fact that we are pretty stacked at guard with Chris, Marco, Marcus, Willie, and now Curtis. A 6th guard may be useful, especially if one goes buhbye in a trade. Though he can play 2 positions, we are pretty well covered at at least 1 since we have 5 guards if the take the standard depth chart approach here. The opposite is true for Pops as he can play two positions of some need, however well, so I see that as his edge to make the team (I still would like to hear other opinions on the matter). Now, center is pretty well covered from a guaranteed contract point of view, but Pops could play a small center with his energy if we ever do the 3 guard thing. Still, I'm really just going to count him as a player at power forward since he's nothing to me if he can't do that. Strawberry plays two positions (as do they all) that are well-covered, but he could be kept as insurance since we have ALL of our non-Paul guards have expiring contacts, ignoring that Quincy and Ariza can play the 2; that's not where they are slotted for primary usage as far as I can tell. Mbenga will be an expiring, cheap 7-footer. Pops plays two positions of need, and the one he's best suited for is the one where we have had the biggest void in the past. Joe has essentially showed mental lapses. If Peja has the physical tools to play power forward, then Alexander does even if he gives up 2 inches to Peja. The difference is brains. Anyone will get manhandled if they aren't positioned right, in the right stance. He chose to play soft when laying those balls in with Dwight looming somewhere in the area code. Getting mauled by Dwight doesn't make you a casualty; not even putting up a fight does. I don't know if he doesn't know if he's not in a game or what, but that aloof air he has about him has likely sealed his fate here. Additionally, he's playing the position where we have the most depth, shooting forward. Yeah, I just typed that. Let me type it again. Additionally, he's playing the position where we have the most depth, shooting forward. Yeah, I just typed that. That's how I see it, with all these guys treading water, Joe having gone under twice. I wouldn't break my heart to see us going forward with 13 guys.
absolutely alexander's biggest problem is between his ears...he lacks bball smarts due to being a late bloomer and still being really inexperienced...after the league's best shot-blocker swatted away his first lay-up, he should have gotten the message, but he tried it two more times w/ the same result another example from the same game...in the second half, although the game was out of reach, joe had the ball on the left side and instead of driving the ball and making something happen, he just thought about it for a second and then fired up a 2 point jumper...it was stupid and he immediately got pulled he's got ability and athleicism, though, and the hornets need both...2 weeks ago he looked like a lock for the top 12...i still think he'll make the 15 man squad
My initial thought was that Pops had a better shot. I overlooked Alexander partially through a decision to say more about fewer people but partially due to him not really standing out to me. Pops looked like he had some nice upside. My confidence that he'd make the team has cooled from my initial enthusiasm, but I still think he stands a better shot the Alexander. Pops just seems more into it and plays more naturally. He is by no means a lock in my mind, but he seems more likely than Alexander. It may just be that Alexander has his good karate exactly where we already have better karate, at the 3, which is weird. He was billed initially as a PF, however, so I'm guessing this idea that he can be a good SF has an element of charitable speculation to it. I've liked Alexander's good point and would not be upset if they found a way to keep a hook in him, give him some non-guaranteed deal, etc., but I pretty sure such things are not realities in the regular season.


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60 years ago
Transient asks for jail, gets in the hard way: B. Henry, transient, has reason this week to test Brentwood hospitality and found it wanting. He arrived in town Tuesday from Stockton in a somewhat unsteady condition and telling that he had been robbed of his wages. He asked to be locked up the local caboose, but was informed that haven was for wrongdoers, not a lodging house. Whereupon, be wandered into the Brentwood Pharmacy and helped himself to six watches. His arrest followed soon after, the watches were recovered, and Henry gained access to the jail house the hard way. Wednesday he come before Judge Joe Silva on charges of petty theft and vagrancy and was given 180 days sanctuary in the county jail.
25 years ago
High school site open for comment: The public will get a chance Wednesday to comment on a proposal to purchase 60 acres off Lone Tree Way for a new high school.
The Antioch Unified School District board of trustees will hold the public hearing as part of their regular meeting. The meeting will begin at 8 p.m. in the board room of the school district's administration officers, 510 G St., Antioch.
The proposed high school site is in a major growth area of southeast Antioch, according a preliminary environmental report on the project.
Funds for the new school would be raised through an assessment district that is now under consideration by the city, school district and landowners. The assessment district, also referred to as a Mello-Roos district, will be voted on by landowners Nov. 7.
If approved, a tax would be assessed on each new home built in the district. The money generated would pay for 10 new schools and a 100-acre city park. The new high school would initially accommodate about 2,000 students. It would later be expanded to serve an additional 2,000 pupils.
In other business, the trustees are scheduled to: Consider a request to allow the Pacific Gas & Electric Company to use a strip of land near Putnam Street for underground wiring.; accept $14,250 in donations from the Education Boosters for Antioch High School, Athletic Boosters for Antioch High School, and Mrs. Fern Ripley. The funds will be used for education materials, athletic equipment and leather crafting for Live Oak High School.
— Brentwood News and Daily Ledger news files

subset: commoncrawl


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Brenda Jackson would have been preparing to celebrate her first Christmas with her husband, but instead she's searching for his killer.
"I don't know what closure would be, but knowing (the killer) is off the street would be good," she said Wednesday. Police canvassed neighborhoods off the 2700 block of Willis Foreman Road on Wednesday afternoon searching for information in the shooting of 56-year-old Hester Jackson.
"We've always been successful doing this," Lt. Calvin Chew said. "Hopefully, we can get some information in this case."
Investigators said it appeared Jackson was shot in his home the evening of Dec. 8 when he surprised at least one burglar.
Brenda Jackson recalled the day as the worst day of her life.
She and Hester had wed just six months earlier after being close for more than 20 years. She was in Charlotte, N.C., packing to move to his Hephzibah home this week.
On Dec. 8, she called him, but there was no answer. She said it was the first of many sleepless nights. The next morning she called his job at Wackenhut Services at Savannah River Site and learned he hadn't shown up for work – something unheard of for him. Later that morning, police discovered his body.
Authorities have not released the details of the burglary, but Jackson said her husband never felt unsafe in the neighborhood and had discussed adding on to the home.
"I don't think I'll ever get over this," Jackson said. "Even though Hester's not here, I'm still talking to him."
According to his obituary, Jackson was an Air Force veteran and had been employed at Wackenhut for 29 years. He was described as an "avid racquetball player" who played across the country and was a "dynamic" saxophone player.
On Wednesday, Hester Jackson's friends and family supported his widow as she pleaded for answers.
"Please turn yourself in," she said to the unknown killer. "You've done the crime, now pay for it. What you've done to our family is senseless."
The Richmond County Sheriff's Office, in conjunction with WSI-SRS and the United Professional Pro-Force of Savannah River Local 125, is offering a reward of $9,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction. Augusta Crime Stoppers has added $1,000 for information; conviction is not required for the $1,000 reward.
The sheriff's office is asking that anyone with information call (706) 821-1020 or (706) 821-1080.


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I love the rich, robust taste of a grilled, fully-cooked steak (I find the bloody taste of medium or less to be unpleasantly similar to the smell of picking a scab on a hot day.) My "perfect" steak is rich brown outside with just a bit of charring, and lighter brown/gray inside except for a thin pinkish-gray line in the center.
I understand that the more done a steak gets, the less tender it will be. However, I've grilled some steaks to my perfect doneness that turned out deliciously tender. Unfortunately, it is more often a bit on the tough side - not usually *too* bad, but more chewy than I prefer.
Obviously the cut, the cooking temperature, searing time, and the cooking times are all factors, as well as the starting temperature of the meat, dryness, resting time, etc. My problem is that I can't afford steak often enough to figure out the combination of factors that accidentally come together sometimes to make the steak turn out so tender and good.
So with the understanding that a medium-well steak will never be quite as tender as medium or rare, what is my best bet for making that medium-well steak turn out as tender as possible, while still getting those delicious grill marks from proper searing?
I have a gas grill but have been tossing around getting a charcoal one too.
Thanks for any ideas,


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No services are planned for Alice Mergel, 95, of Passaic, N.J., who died Friday, Aug. 3, 2001, in Lubbock.
Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Chapel of Angels Funeral Home of Lubbock.
She was born Sept. 5, 1905, in Hoboken, N.J., where she attended school. She had worked for the Hudson County Welfare Board in New Jersey. She was a member of Trinity Episcopal Church in New York City and Eclipse Eastern Star 226 in Lyndhurst, N.J.
Survivors include one nephew, Harry Mergel of Lubbock.
© 2017. All Rights Reserved. | Contact Us


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The most hated woman in Savannah, Georgia, is about to be set free. Twenty years ago, Blondell O'Henry was convicted of murdering her daughter and wounding two other children.
Now Blondell's son, Niall, has recanted his testimony and demolished the case in the process. Reporter Nikki Gillette is determined to get the true story, and not just for professional reasons. Blondell's murdered daughter, Amity, was Nikki's childhood friend.
Nikki's fiance, Detective Pierce Reed, is concerned she may be compromising the case. As she digs for answers during one of the most sweltering summers in Savannah's history, he also worries for her safety. Everyone involved seems to have secrets, and somehow, the events of that tragic night connect to Nikki's own fractured family. But now the killing has begun again. Is Amity's murderer still at large, or is this a new, darker danger?


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Banquet ban bites
New leader Xi Jinping's December clampdown on exuberant entertaining by the mainland's seven million government officials seems to have worked. Shanghai's gourmet restaurants and posh hotels have seen business slump 20 per cent since officials were limited to four courses plus soup, with no more claret and expensive spirits.
So reported The Shanghai Daily, with the austerity drive so far costing city eateries 60 million yuan (HK$74 million). The end of the gravy train means hotels and restaurants must recoup lost revenue with creative cost-cutting. "They have to explore more avenues for making profit but the tactics vary, case by case," says one top Shanghai hotel. Beijing has been hit harder, with revenues down by half since early January. Hotels such as the Hilton Wangfujing, 15 minutes' walk from the government district and Tiananmen Square have really felt the pinch, according to executive chef Randolph Ng. Lunar New Year would typically be peak season, but this year he's scrambling to compensate with more external catering, according to seafoodsource.com. This mine of fishy information reveals that fish is pivotal to lavish banquets, when officials like to reflect their status by scoffing expensive fish, like grouper.
But times are now tough for the eateries. Food inflation jumped 20 per cent in the run-up to Chinese New Year, due to supply shortages and opportunism by distributors. Ng, who allots 40 per cent of his food budget to seafood, relies heavily on high-value species like grouper and salmon. Even though wild stocks are under threat, the Hilton serves both wild and farmed grouper. It charges 200 yuan per 50-gram serving of wild, line-caught grouper, says Ng.
The Singaporean chef has seen his cosmopolitan clients' tastes change in seven years in the mainland. Sashimi is the thing now for banquet starters. "Four years ago, no one offered sashimi. Now it's in banquets and a la carte in many restaurants." Ng puts such new trends down to mainlanders travelling, and then wanting the same food at home. Or they take photos of seafood establishments when travelling and then open an identical restaurant when they come back home.
But diners are picky. It must be Tasmanian oysters and New Zealand mussels – locally farmed shellfish just won't do, due to the dredging harvest methods which means shells are too sandy. Austerity be damned – expect to pay a lot more in the mainland's top city restaurants .
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text:
This product is no longer available.
You can try these similar gifts instead.
Hand Carved Jade Turtle
3" long and hand carved in green jade, his head, tail and feet move when the turtle is touched. Realistic looking and a great "pet". The turtle is said to bring good health, longevity, and protection from evil.


text:
Research Topics
Dax Hoffman
Affiliation: National Institutes of Health
Country: USA
Detail Information
- Biphasic somatic A-type K channel downregulation mediates intrinsic plasticity in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neuronsSung Cherl Jung
Molecular Neurophysiology and Biophysics Unit, Laboratory of Cellular and Synaptic Neurophysiology, NICHD, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
PLoS ONE 4:e6549. 2009..Finally we show that intrinsic plasticity resulted in a global enhancement of EPSP-spike coupling...
- DPP6 regulation of dendritic morphogenesis impacts hippocampal synaptic developmentLin Lin
Molecular Neurophysiology and Biophysics Section, Program in Developmental Neuroscience, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
Nat Commun 4:2270. 2013..dipeptidyl-peptidase 6 therefore has an unexpected but important role in cell adhesion and motility, impacting the hippocampal synaptic development and function. ..
- Firing first: compensatory changes in K+ channel knockout mice preserve excitability but not synaptic scalingDax Hoffman
NIH, Laboratory of Cellular and Synaptic Neurophysiology, Rockville Pike 9000A, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
J Physiol 586:3731-2. 2008
- K+ channel regulation of multicompartmental signal integrationDax A Hoffman
Molecular Neurophysiology and Biophysics Section, Program in Developmental Neuroscience, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
Neuron 79:403-5. 2013..In this issue of Neuron, Harnett et al. (2013) show that voltage-gated K+ channels control multiple layers of dendritic integration in layer 5 pyramidal neurons...
- Effects of genetic deletion of the Kv4.2 voltage-gated potassium channel on murine anxiety-, fear- and stress-related behaviorsCarly Kiselycznyk
Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
Biol Mood Anxiety Disord 2:5. 2012..abstract:..
- Neuregulins and neuronal plasticity: possible relevance in schizophreniaAndres Buonanno
Section on Molecular Neurobiology, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
Novartis Found Symp 289:165-77; discussion 177-9, 193-5. 2008..The importance of the NRG/ ErbB signalling pathway in regulating homeostasis at glutamatergic synapses, and its possible implications for schizophrenia, will be discussed...


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WEST VALLEY CITY — The story of Oliver Twist is, as they say, a Dickens of a tale.
The second work of the great novelist, "Oliver Twist" is a protest against the Victorian belief that criminals were born wicked. Instead, Charles Dickens argued that a corrupt environment is the source of vice.
"As a lifelong proponent for social change and an advocate for the multitudes of discarded and forgotten poor, Dickens used biting satirical narrative intended to bring the public's focus to various contemporary evils," says Dave Tinney.
Yet when British pop music writer Lionel Bart adapted the tome for the musical stage, he had no plans to be reverential to the source material with "Oliver!"
Tinney, who directs "Oliver!" at the Hale Centre Theatre, says Dickens' story is "radiant with hope, humanity, sacrifice, triumph and redemption. 'Oliver!' is a reminder that we are all indeed 'our brother's keeper.' "
Bart recognized that the larger-than-life characters, comic settings and twist-filled plots of "Oliver Twist" would make for good musical theater, and he glossed over graphic passages to present a light entertainment. Oliver's plight is one of those stories most people know, even if they've never actually read the novel. Who hasn't at one time or another recited "Please, sir, I want some more"?
The backstory of "Oliver!" is nearly as twisted and Dickensian as the novel, replete with firsts in musical theater history.
Although it wasn't the first musical with an exclamation mark in its title (the Gershwins' "Oh, Kay!" holds that record), "Oliver!" was the first musical adaptation of a famous Dickens work to become a stage hit, and Bart became the first English composer to win a Tony Award for best musical. And the musical was also the first to have songs — "Consider Yourself" and "As Long as He Needs Me" — released as singles before the show's opening to became hits.
When "Oliver!" opened in 1960 on the West End, there were a record-setting 23 curtain calls, and the show ran for a remarkable 2,618 performances in London.
Bart was also an unlikely composer to enjoy the success of "Oliver!" Though he had authored a handful of English pop ditties, he could not read, write or play music. He famously said he couldn't tell the difference between A flat and "a council flat" (a British rental unit owned by a council, or local government). Instead, he sang his tunes and lyrics into his constant companion, a tape recorder.Comment on this story
Though he wrote the lyric, "In this world, one thing counts / in the bank, large amounts," Bart lived lavishly only to die penniless. He invested his fortune from "Oliver!" in the failed "Twang!!" (with two exclamation marks). His other works — "Blitz!" and the unproduced " Quasimodo!" — were also stunning failures. (Surely, misplaced enthusiasm prompted Bart's overused punctuation.)
Yet just as musical theater enthusiasts cannot enjoy Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew" without longing to hear the Cole Porter score for "Kiss Me, Kate," many cannot consider "Oliver Twist" without hearing the workhouse boys singing "Food, Glorious Food."
If you go
What: "Oliver!"
Where: Hale Centre Theatre
When: Oct. 10-Dec. 1; Monday-Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday matinees at 12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.
How much: $24-$15
Tickets: 801-984-9000 or halecentretheatre.org


text:
Legal Question in Criminal Law in New York
are deals offered by the DA indicative of what the outcome will be? For example if the DA offers felony probation, and the deal is rejected, could it be dropped to misdemeanor?
Asked on 8/19/10, 7:21 am
2 Answers from Attorneys
Joel Salinger Law Office of Joel R. Salinger
Most times, the offer given is the offer that will stand unless your attorney can negotiate a better offer. Many times it is a starting point. Your attorney can tell you what the circumstances are better than a long distance consultation like me. If your attorney does not give you the information you need or get you the offer you want, you can look for a local lawyer to help.
Answered on 8/24/10, 9:20 am
peter bark bark & karpf
Sometimes the offer is an indication that the DA thinks he has a bad case but you can never be sure. If you turn down felony probation, you still may be offered a misdemeanor.
Answered on 8/24/10, 12:51 pm
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Every week, staff writer Kyle Stackpole will take a look at the careers of a number of former Terrapins athletes embarking on professional careers in a variety of leagues. Every Monday, it's former baseball players. The stats are from games through July 26.
Brett Cecil, LHP, Toronto Blue Jays
2014 stats: 0-3, 3.66 ERA, 4 saves, 31 hits, 40 strikeouts, 19 walks in 32.0 IP
Skinny: In his past three appearances, Cecil has thrived on the mound. The Dunkirk native has retired nine consecutive batters and struck out two in 2.1 innings. When the Blue Jays played the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday, Cecil relieved Casey Janssen with two outs in the ninth. Unlike Janssen, who allowed two runs in the inning, Cecil got the final out of a 7-3 victory and earned his fourth save of the season.
Justin Maxwell, OF, Omaha Storm Chasers (Kansas City Royals Triple-A affiliate)
2014 stats (with the Omaha Storm Chasers): .326 average, .391 on-base percentage, 7 HR, 25 RBIs, 26 runs, 2 stolen bases, 48 strikeouts, 15 walks
Skinny: Though Maxwell has performed poorly in limited opportunities with the Royals, he continues to show his Major-League potential with the Storm Chasers. In the series finale against the New Orleans Zephyrs on June 20, Maxwell went 4-for-4 and scored three runs in the Storm Chasers' 9-2 win. He added two more hits and an RBI Saturday against the Zephyrs in an 8-7 loss.
Adam Kolarek, LHP, Binghamton Mets (New York Mets Double-A affiliate)
2014 stats: 1-1, 4.07 ERA, 2 saves, 51 hits, 30 strikeouts, 15 walks in 42.0 IP
Skinny: With the Mets trailing 6-5 on Thursday against the Trenton Thunder, Kolarek entered the game in the eighth inning. After allowing at least one hit in his past six appearances, Kolarek retired the side in order to keep his team within striking distance. The Mets outhit the Thunder 10 to seven, but they failed to score in the ninth inning and suffered a narrow defeat.
Alfredo Rodriguez, 2B, Brevard County Manatees (Milwaukee Brewers Class-A affiliate)
2014 stats: .243 average, .335 on-base percentage, 1 HR, 14 RBIs, 22 runs, 10 stolen bases, 20 strikeouts, 22 walks.
Skinny: Since he went 0-for-3 on July 20, Rodriguez has compiled a four-game hitting streak that includes two multi-hit games. His recent success at the plate has not helped the overall performance of the Manatees, though, who have lost six of their past seven games.
Jimmy Reed, LHP, Palm Beach Cardinals (St. Louis Cardinals high Class-A affiliate)
2014 stats: 4-0, 2.57 ERA, 5 GP, 5 GS, 38 hits, 21 strikeouts, 1 walk in 35.0 IP
Skinny: Since the St. Louis Cardinals promoted Reed to Palm Beach, he has been an inning-eater on the mound. In five starts, Reed has pitched at least 6.2 innings in each outing, limiting the workload for the bullpen. The Gaithersburg native went seven innings and allowed two runs in his most recent start against the Daytona Cubs on Tuesday. The Cardinals' offense provided Reed with plenty of run support after scoring just three runs in his start on July 16, when he earned a no decision. They scored four runs in the first three innings to give Reed a comfortable lead he wouldn't relinquish.
Charlie White, OF, Boise Hawks (Chicago Cubs Short-Season Class-A affiliate)
2014 stats: .214 average, .323 on-base percentage, 0 HR, 6 RBIs, 8 runs, 2 stolen bases, 13 strikeouts, 7 walks.
Skinny: White is starting to find success against professional pitching. Well, at least the pitching of the Everett AquaSox. White had a hit in each of his past three contests, all against the AquaSox. Still, the recent Terp graduate is hitting just above the Mendoza Line.
Blake Schmit, IF, Elizabethtown Twins (Minnesota Twins Rookie Affiliate)
2014 stats: .172 batting average, .306 on-base percentage, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 4 runs, 1 stolen bases, 4 strikeouts, 5 walks
Skinny: Schmit had his fifth career hit Thursday, and his first hit since July 8.
Ben Brewster, LHP, Kannapolis Intimidators (Chicago White Sox Class-A affiliate)
2014 stats: 2-0, 2.02 ERA, 1 save, 9 hits, 14 strikeouts, 4 walks in 13.1 IP.
Skinny: Brewster has settled in to more of the long-reliever role. When the Intimidators played the Hagerstown Suns on Thursday, Brewster pitched three shutout innings while surrendering one hit. His near-flawless performance allowed the Intimidators to tie the game in the eighth and send the game to extra innings. In the 13th, however, a walk-off single doomed the Intimidators as they fell, 5-4.


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Not brushing teeth 'is a heart attack risk'
People who fail to brush their teeth regularly put themselves at greater risk of heart attack, scientists revealed yesterday.
Bad dental hygiene leads to bleeding gums, which let in around 700 types of bacteria.
These go straight to the bloodstream and are now known to be "independent factors" in causing heart disease -- no matter how fit and healthy the person is.
Professor Howard Jenkinson from the University of Bristol, working with the Royal College of Surgeons, made the discovery after examining how harmful bacteria interact with blood cells.
He explained the findings in detail yesterday to members of the Society for General Microbiology, in Trinity College, Dublin.
Professor Jenkinson said: "Cardiovascular disease is currently the biggest killer in the western world. Oral bacteria . . . are common infecting agents, and we now recognise that bacterial infections are an independent risk factor for heart diseases.
"In other words, it doesn't matter how fit, slim or healthy you are, you're adding to your chances of getting heart disease by having bad teeth."
Belfast Telegraph


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Washington lifts Borbon for 'teachable moment'
Washington lifts Borbon for 'teachable moment'
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Rangers manager Ron Washington said it was a "teachable moment." That's all he said. After the game, outfielder Julio Borbon referred all questions to the manager, and then jogged to the visiting clubhouse after sitting on the bench for the final seven innings of the Rangers' 10-3 loss to the Rockies. There was no explanation as to why Borbon was pulled after just two innings. He was replaced by David Murphy, who admitted he was not expecting to go into the game that early. But it was clear that there was more to Borbon's benching than misplaying a first-inning line-drive single.
"Manager's decision," Washington said. "I don't have anything more to say about it. He'll be in the lineup tomorrow." Washington was asked if the incident could jeopardize Borbon's chances of making the team. "No," the manager said. "It was just time to make it a teachable moment." Borbon, who has five errors on the spring, had trouble with the twilight in the first inning. With a runner on third and two out, Troy Tulowitzki hit a liner to center field right at Borbon. He hesitated and the ball dropped in front of him for a hit, allowing a run to score.
2010 Spring Training - null
Sights & Sounds
Spring Training Info
Washington did not indicate he had an issue with Borbon on that particular play."He said it was knuckling and he misjudged it," Washington said. "I'm glad he didn't let it get by him." Added Washington, "It wasn't an issue." That gave the Rockies a 1-0 lead against Rangers starter Derek Holland. They added two more runs later in the inning when left fielder Josh Hamilton lost Jose Lopez's high fly ball. The ball dropped on the warning track for a triple, bringing home two runs. Hamilton said it is difficult to track fly balls in the main stadium at the Rockies' new complex. Colorado outfielder Carlos Gonzalez has had trouble here during the day, misplaying three fly balls in left. "Oh my, was it bad, especially where the lights are placed," Hamilton said. "That first inning, I went back to the wall, where I thought it would be, and tried to block out the lights. By the time the ball came down, I couldn't get to it. It was tough. It was really tough. I guess if you play here, you get used to it, but this was the first time I played here." Both Hamilton and Borbon went back to outfield for the bottom of the second inning. But when Borbon came up to bat in the third inning, Murphy hit for him. So, something other than the defensive play in the first inning irked the manager, but he declined to explain it. Borbon remained on the bench for the remainder of the game, including after the other starters came out in the seventh inning and headed for the clubhouse.
T.R. Sullivan is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Postcards from Elysian Fields, and follow him on Twitter @Sullivan_Ranger. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text: RJN Group, Inc.'s CASS WORKS software received NASSCO's pipeline Assessment Certification (PACP). NASSCO's Pipeline Assessment and Certification Program provides a standardization and consistency in evaluating sewer pipe conditions and TV inspection results. NASSCO PACP is a comprehensive and consistent set of TV inspection codes that describes sewer pipe conditions used in prioritization, planning and renovation of wastewater collection systems. The RJN Group, Inc. provides the CASS WORKS family of software products for tracking of assets inventories, maintenance activity, physical inspection and histories and related management systems.


text:
With prices falling on everything from some food to plenty of real estate, your clients may have little interest in talking about ways to inflation-proof their portfolios. What's more, their desire for asset protection in the wake of the recession may also be pushing them toward portfolio moves that would be especially risky if inflation increases suddenly.
For example, James W. Coleman, founder of Coleman Financial Advisory Group in Waterbury, Conn., is encouraging clients to resist the urge to flee from equities. "Equity valuations will reflect an expanding economy more quickly than any other investment, and it won't take much to move the market up when the enormous amount of cash is teased off the sidelines," he says. "With potential returns taking place over very short time frames, investors can't afford to be totally out of stocks."
Coleman uses an ocean metaphor to illustrate the opportunity for clients. "Just as when the tide is receding, waves still hit the shore, we will see cyclical bull cycles in the secular bear market," he says.
Pitch Stocks
How can you convince clients to remain invested in equities to capitalize on those waves of opportunity? Point out that while rising inflation, like the recent spike in gas prices, can hurt profits in the short-term, because companies eventually can increase costs for consumers, inflation often has a neutral effect on stocks. So says Jeff Spitzmiller, CFA, chief investment officer of Iron Point Capital Management, a third-party money management firm based in Folsom, Calif. "Historically corporate profits have outpaced inflation," he explains. "Currently we think U.S. companies with sizeable overseas earnings or foreign companies are in the best position to succeed if inflation takes off."
Utility companies provide another alternative for equity-shy, cash-heavy investors, says Jeffrey A. Carbone, CFP, of Cornerstone Financial Partners, in Cornelius, N.C. "Utility companies are offering 6 percent to 8 percent on their dividends, a significant improvement over the banks' 1 percent to 2 percent in interest," he explains. "Clients are wary of equities, but because they are still turning on their lights and brewing the morning coffee, they appreciate that utility companies aren't going away."
To encourage clients to buy utilities now when prices are low, Carbone stresses the industry's traditional reliability and focuses on companies in his own backyard, thereby appealing to investors' psychological bias toward companies they are familiar with.
Be Cautious on Bonds
For clients still gravitating to bonds, Spitzmiller advises staying on the shorter duration end of Treasury securities, particularly as the deficit and supply of Treasury bonds increase. "In 2007, net issues of Treasury securities were $237.5 billion. In 2008, this figure was $1.239 trillion, and likely to continue moving higher going forward. This along with the potential drop in demand for these securities as foreign investors repatriate assets hurt the potential returns of Treasuries," he says. "Today, their low yields relative to historical levels also provide more downside than upside."
Of course, inflation worries can be addressed most directly with Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS). While conventional Treasury bonds offer fixed semi-annual interest payments and a fixed principal payment at maturity, TIPS' principal values are linked to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and adjusted every six months to reflect the effects of inflation. If the CPI inches up 2.5 percent over the course of the year, the principal value of a TIPS bond is adjusted upward by 2.5 percent and the fixed rate of interest is applied to the inflation-adjusted principal. You can invest clients in funds that specialize in TIPS or buy directly from the Treasury at www.treasurydirect.gov.
However, Carbone finds TIPS' current yield unattractive when compared to corporate bonds. "In addition to corporate bonds, we also hold a pretty good amount of international bonds, both as a hedge to inflation and a play on the U.S. dollar," he adds.
U.S. Treasury-issued I-Bonds also can offer inflation protection. With I-Bonds, the interest rate, not underlying principal, fluctuates along with prices. Interest from I-Bonds comes from two components, a fixed interest rate and a variable one. While the fixed rate is set at the time of purchase, the variable rate moves with the CPI. Notably, I-Bonds have some tax advantages over TIPS for investors in taxable accounts.
New Commodity Role
Conventional wisdom holds that gold and other commodities provide a useful hedge for inflation -- and there's plenty of current interest in gold- and silver-focused exchange-traded funds. After all, when inflation rears its head, the price of gold usually goes up. In the five highest-inflation years since World War II -- 1946, 1974, 1975, 1979 and 1980 -- the average real return on stocks, measured by the Dow, was minus 12.33 percent, compared to 130.4 percent for gold, according to metals dealer Blanchard & Co. But there are problems with relying on gold alone as a hedge to inflation. Specifically, from 1980 to 2001, prices in general doubled, but gold's price fell from $850 to $257.
Accordingly, many advisors take Carbone's position and view gold primarily as a portfolio diversifier that does not move in lockstep with stocks and bonds. To further diversify and hedge inflation, Carbone is beginning to take positions in real estate investment trusts (REITs), especially those in their infancy. "REITs in the capital-raising stage can take advantage of buying opportunities in the down market," he explains. "We're interested primarily in residential REITs that invest in student and senior housing as well as diversified REITs that combine industrial, residential, and office properties."
While clients' current REIT allocation ranges from 5 percent to 10 percent, Carbone says the percentage could get as high as 15 percent or 20 percent if inflation kicks in.
Says Spitzmiller: "While commodities in general are well off their highs from 2008, if inflationary pressures reemerge, commodities and other real assets could do well. A global uptick in spending will most assuredly bring about higher consumable commodity prices."
Adapt Your Philosophy
In another break from business as usual, some advisors are reevaluating their buy-and-hold philosophy, or at least rebalancing more often. Returning to the tide metaphor, Coleman says: "When you think about the tide receding in a secular bear market, you cannot afford to just plop your boat down on the beach and hope that the tide is going to come in and pick it up; chances are you're going to be stuck there. Just as managers need to be more active in today's market, looking for mutual funds that aren't too bloated and are nimble enough to trade and take gains as they present themselves makes sense."
With inflation on the horizon, Coleman also stresses the need to keep an eye on fund expenses and "evaluate real returns, not nominal returns -- after inflation and after taxes." With consumers hanging onto their wallets, inflation seems a distant worry. Yet, when investors on the sidelines regain their confidence, the market could recover quickly and deliver a swift blow to consumers' purchasing power for goods and services, as well as stocks. Accordingly, ensuring your clients participate fully in the market's eventual rise requires building in some inflation protection before they think they need it.
Marie Swift is the president of Impact Communications, a marketing and communications firm for independent advisors; see www.impactcommunications.org.


text:
Big Red's Green Bay Packer heads to Wisconsin May 9
By Mary Catt |
All-America offensive lineman JC Tretter '13 will play big-time football come this fall. He was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the fourth round of the NFL draft April 27.
While it is unclear what position Tretter will play, Packers' offensive line coach James Campen did reveal a few thoughts about his new player in a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel report. "Tretter's a very versatile player, a very smart player," Campen said. "He has very good strength … A very mature kid that understands the game of football and has a lot of upside."
"Smart" is a word the sports world seems to be using a lot when referencing Tretter. Not every NFL player posts a 3.4 GPA at an Ivy League school.
Academics dropped to the backfield during the April 26 draft drama.
Tretter was at home in western New York watching the draft on TV with his parents, sister, uncles and grandfather when his cell phone rang shortly after 1 p.m. Saturday.
Green Bay was on the line.
Tretter listened, smiling at the news that benchmarked a long, tough journey of grueling workouts, five broken noses and demands for endless endurance. His career as a professional football player had begun.
His mother, in an interview, said, "I cried as soon as I saw the smile."
"He dreamed big, went for it, worked hard for it, made it and it's awesome," said Cindy Tretter.
Named after his father, Joe Tretter, and 81-year-old grandfather, Carl Tretter, of Batavia, N.Y., the ILR senior heads to Wisconsin May 9 for the Packers' Rookie Mini Camp.
Tretter's roommate since freshman year, communication major and senior wide receiver Luke Tasker, signed a free agent contract with the San Diego Chargers. He becomes the fourth former Big Red player on active NFL rosters.
Veteran offensive lineman Kevin Boothe '05 will enter his eighth season in the NFL and his seventh with the New York Giants, where he has won two Super Bowls. Former receiver Bryan Walters '10 will enter camp with his hometown Seattle Seahawks, his third NFL spot in his fourth season.
Mary Catt is assistant director of communications for the ILR School.


text:
Normally, the annual Canada Day fireworks on July 1 coincide with those in the National Hockey League, namely the bidding for high-priced free agents.
There is no shortage of sought-after unrestricted free agents, from sure-fire Hall of Fame goaltender Martin Brodeur, 42, and Ryan Miller to blue-line veterans Dan Boyle and Brooks Orpik to scoring forwards Jarome Iginla and Matt Moulson.
Compliance buyouts have also made once-expensive forward Brad Richards and defenceman Christian Ehrhoff available on the free market.
Richards and Ehrhoff are featured in the photo gallery above, listing the notable unrestricted free agents at forward, defence and in goal.
Others include Mike Cammalleri, Jonas Hiller, Matt Niskanen, Paul Stastny and Thomas Vanek.
Let us know in the comment section below what teams should target which UFAs.
To encourage thoughtful and respectful conversations, first and last names will appear with each submission to CBC/Radio-Canada's online communities (except in children and youth-oriented communities). Pseudonyms will no longer be permitted.
By submitting a comment, you accept that CBC has the right to reproduce and publish that comment in whole or in part, in any manner CBC chooses. Please note that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments. Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Comments are welcome while open. We reserve the right to close comments at any time.
Note: The CBC does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comments, you acknowledge that CBC has the right to reproduce, broadcast and publicize those comments or any part thereof in any manner whatsoever. Please note that comments are moderated and published according to our submission guidelines.


text:
Rational expectations and commodity price forecasts
The main purpose of this paper is to take a new look at the commodity market (CM) price forecasts in light of recent investigations. The CM forecasts are similar in nature to the survey expectations in that both solicit market experts'opinions about future price developments. However, there are important differences: CM forecasts are more of the consensus-type forecasts than survey data and deal with physical goods that are subject to different risks and constraints. The characteristics of the CM forecasts are reviewed in relation to the futures prices of the same commodities. This paper also estimates the alternative expectational models and tests the rationality of the expectational behavior.
If you experience problems downloading a file, check if you have the proper application to view it first. In case of further problems read the IDEAS help page. Note that these files are not on the IDEAS site. Please be patient as the files may be large.
|Date of creation:
|30 Jun 1990
|Contact details of provider:
| Postal: 1818 H Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20433
Phone: (202) 477-1234
Web page: http://www.worldbank.org/
More information through EDIRC
References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
- Warr, Peter G., 1990.
"Predictive performance of the World Bank's commodity price projections,"
Agricultural Economics of Agricultural Economists,
International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 4(3-4), December.
- Warr, Peter G., 1990. "Predictive performance of the World Bank's commodity price projections," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 4(3-4), pages 365-379, December.
- Hansen, Lars Peter & Hodrick, Robert J, 1980. "Forward Exchange Rates as Optimal Predictors of Future Spot Rates: An Econometric Analysis," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 88(5), pages 829-853, October.
- Kenneth A. Froot & Jeffrey A. Frankel, 1989. "Forward Discount Bias: Is it an Exchange Risk Premium?," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 104(1), pages 139-161.
- Kenneth A. Froot and Jeffrey A. Frankel., 1988. "Forward Discount Bias: Is It an Exchange Risk Premium?," Economics Working Papers 8874, University of California at Berkeley.
- Froot, Kenneth A. & Frankel, Jeffrey A., 1988. "Forward Discount Bias: Is It an Exchange Risk Premium?," Department of Economics, Working Paper Series qt5w65g4zg, Department of Economics, Institute for Business and Economic Research, UC Berkeley.
- Figlewski, Stephen & Wachtel, Paul, 1981. "The Formation of Inflationary Expectations," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 63(1), pages 1-10, February.
- Dominguez, Kathryn M., 1986. "Are foreign exchange forecasts rational? : New evidence from survey data," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 21(3), pages 277-281.
- Kathryn Dominguez, 1986. "Are foreign exchange forecasts rational? New evidence from survey data," International Finance Discussion Papers 281, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
- Lewis, Karen K, 1989. "Changing Beliefs and Systematic Rational Forecast Errors with Evidence from Foreign Exchange," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 79(4), pages 621-636, September.
- Dokko, Yoon & Edelstein, Robert H, 1989. "How Well Do Economists Forecast Stock Market Prices? A Study of the Livingston Surveys," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 79(4), pages 865-871, September.
- Gregory Mankiw, N. & Shapiro, Matthew D., 1986. "Do we reject too often? : Small sample properties of tests of rational expectations models," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 20(2), pages 139-145.
- N. Gregory Mankiw & Matthew D. Shapiro, 1985. "Do We Reject Too Often? Small Sample Properties of Tests of Rational Expectations Models," NBER Technical Working Papers 0051, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
- Leonard, Jonathan S, 1982. "Wage Expectations in the Labor Market: Survey Evidence on Rationality," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 64(1), pages 157-161, February.
- Jonathan S. Leonard, 1980. "Wage Expectations in the Labor Market: Survey Evidence on Rationality," NBER Working Papers 0440, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
- Benjamin M. Friedman, 1980. "Survey Evidence on The Rationality of Interest Rate Expectations," NBER Working Papers 0261, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)This information is provided to you by IDEAS at the Research Division of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis using RePEc data.


text:
Grand Theft Auto IV: Behind Enemy Lines
Posted 20 April 2012 - 02:45 AM
Mission Giver - Joseph Medina
Joseph will call Mark and inform him that he wants him to meet someone important. Drive to Joseph's mansion, and a cutscene will roll in.
Joseph: Man, these are definitely better than the other ones..
Packie: - Yea, I know!
(Mark walks in)
Joseph: Oh look, there's Mark. Hey Mark, come-come in...
Mark: What's wrong? Hit your head too hard.
Packie: - Yeah!
Joseph: F*ck you! Packie, I want you to meet Mark, Mark this is Packie.
Mark: Hey..
Packie: - Sup'
Mark: Seriously Joseph, what are you on?
Packie: Meds... Illegal Meds..
Mark: Meds? Ain't that what housemoms take?
Joseph: I don't know, and I don't care. But if they do... they sure are lucky b*tches.
Mark: How did you get these?
Packie: Well, some Serb and I went and stole them from those Chings from Algonquin. And things worked out. Joseph here contacted my brother, Gerald, and told him he wants in on the action. So we hook him up with these and-
Joseph: Alright, alright, alright... Mark, you and Packie are doing some deal with some Gambetti men.
Mark: No sh*t? We're doing big time now?
Joseph: Oh yeah, imagine how the men back in Colombia are right now. Anyways, you and Packie go do this deal, While I take a few more of these... "painkillers".
Mark: Alright, have fun.
Once you've regained control of Mark, drive to the meeting location. Mark will start a convo.
Mark: So, you're Irish?
Packie: No, I'm French. Maybe you can already tell by the way you must think I'm a bitch.
Mark: Ha! C'mon, don't make this a predicament talk. Since we're going to be working together, we might as well work together, of course.
Packie: Isn't working too strong of a word for new partners. How about concealing?
Mark: Let's just keep it low for now..
When you've arrived, a cutscene will start.
(Packie and Mark walk towards the Gambetti men)
Packie: (whispering) Alright, let's do this good.
Roy: Hey! Packie McReary and Mark Moreno working together... atlast?
Packie: Look Zito, we're doing this quickly, no harms done, no harms needed.
Roy: Alright. Where's the meds?
Packie: Here... I don't know why you just don't get this from the Pegs themselves.
Roy: Because we don't trust those weak pieces of-
(A car comes in, with Russians shooting out from the windows, while Roy and the Gambettis make a run.)
Once you've regained control of Mark, shoot the Russians. There are 15 in total. 11 are originally there, 3 arrive in cars, and 2 chase Mark and Packie as they leave. Once you've lost the Russians, take Packie home and you complete the mission.
Mission Complete
Packie will text you and tell you that he was impressed. He writes to come over at his home and do some more work.
Posted 23 April 2012 - 02:05 AM
Mission Giver - Packie McReary
Once you arrive at Packie's home, a cutscene will start.
(Mark knocks on Packie's door, Maureen answers it)
Maureen: Hello, how may I help you?
Mark: Hi, I'm looking for Packie.
Maureen: Alright, I'll go get him, mister.
Mark: Thanks.
(Maureen closes the door. After awhile, Packie opens it)
Packie: Hey, Mark, come in. Come in..
(Mark walks in)
Mark: So, what kind of business are we doing?
Packie: Drugs.. You Colombians are known for having the best sh*t. The best sh*t. You know, our gang used to mean something in Liberty City. Mainly Algonquin. We were like f*cking King Tut. Just like your Cartel in Colombia. But we're also forgotten like your Cartel also.
Mark: Alright, so what's that supposed to mean?
Packie: It means that we've gone too soft. Us men. I mean, look at the business that we're doing. Us, working with Puerto Rican chochas. And you, drugging pop-tween stars. We need to step up. That's why you and I are working together.
Mark: So what are we doing?
Packie: We're going to pick up my brother first. Derrick, sweet, ol' Derrick. He just came back from Ireland, he's been there for a long time. Hell, I think he forgot how to hold a gun. But I doubt that. He was in the IRA, giving it to crooked toothed bastards from the UK.
Mark: So, you're telling me that we should step up? Meanwhile, you want me to pick your brother up? I don't f*cking get it...
Packie: C'mon lad. Let's do this. He knows alot of chings that can help us.
Mark: Fine, let's go then.
(Both Packie and Mark exit the living room as Kate stop them)
Kate: Woah, Packie, aren't you going to help ma?
Packie: You help her Kate. We have enough hard jobs in our hands.. We're picking Derrick up.
Kate: Well, okay. Bye you guys.
Packie: Yup..
Mark: -See ya.
When the cutscene ends, and you've regained control Mark, get in a car and drive to Francis International Airport. A conversation will begin.
Mark: So you're brother Derrick? Is he a great connections with the Chinese.
Packie: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Filipino. You name it, he connects it.
Mark: No seriously. What connections does he have?
Packie: Mostly drugs, and meds.
Mark: What kinds of drugs?
Packie: What are we doing, 20 questions? The Chinese deals with Needles. Steroids, Ecstacy. Not too long ago, the Chinese brought in Heroin or something like that in the city.
Mark: What connections does your Mob have.
Packie: Mainly Italian mobs from Alderney. The Pegorino is our main colleague. Although, they are probably the weakest, which sets a con for us.
Mark: Was that man, Roy Zito, connected with the Pegorinos?
Packie: No, he works with the Gambetti's. The strongest of all Commissions. If you get an opportunity to work with them, you'll definetly go untop.
When you arrive the airport, honk the horn to alert Derrick. Once he get's in, a brief cutscene shows an Irish man. He's named Conor Daugherty, an old friend Derrick left behind during a cop chase. Conor was put behind bars for 12 years. Derrick will immediatly recognize him and tell Mark to step on it. Try to shake Conor off your tail. Once you've done it, drive Packie and Derrick to there home.
Mission Complete
After a while, a man will call you informing you about a deal that just happened recently. He'll later reveal that he's Roy Zito. He'll tell Mark to come and meet him at his house in Dukes. His missions will now become available.
Posted 23 April 2012 - 04:50 AM
Posted 24 April 2012 - 12:59 AM
Mission 10 - Closing In
Mission Giver - Packie McReary
After the last mission, a PM will appear on the radar. Once you've arrived to Packie's home, the mission will trigger.
(Mark walks in without knocking, Gerry comes out and attacks Mark)
Gerry: Who the f*ck are you? You're dead, asshole!
Mark: -What! Leave me alone!
Packie: Woah, woah, woah.. What's going on here?
Gerry: Patrick, who the f*ck is this?!
Packie: It's my friend, let him go, bimbo.
(Gerry lets Mark go, as he gasps for air)
Mark: You crazy motherf*cker! Who the f*ck do you think you are!?
Packie: Calm down, Mark. He's my brother, Gerald. He runs this whole family. Ain't that right Gerry?
Gerry: Whatever the hell you say..
Packie: Look, he's a little nervous. He's real paranoid. Anyone he sees, he'll think they're cops or FIB, or something.
Gerry: Come on, Packie. You know I ain't afraid of no FIB.
Packie: Yeah, whatever. Anyways, he wants to make sure no one will find him.
Mark: Alright, good for the both of you. I'm leaving now. Hey Gerry, thanks for the welcome. See ya'.
Packie: Wait, you're not going anywhere. There's business we got to take care of.
Mark: Like what?
Packie: There's a deal going down between the Ancelotti's and Lupisella's.
Mark: Alright, what are they dealing?
Packie: Oh, a couple of the Lupisella's are smuggling cigarettes from Sicily.
Mark: Cigarettes? I don't think that's something worth stealing.
Packie: But these cigarettes are stuffed with Weed. Straight from New Zealand. You can make a profit from this. Some can go to you, and the rest can go to us and the Pegs.
Mark: Fine, let's go.
When you regain control of Mark, get in the car, and drive to the meeting location. As you drive there, Packie will explain about a Waste Management business that belongs to the Ancelotti's, and how they're gonna hit it. Mark will ask Packie if that's too extreme. Packie will respond saying that it's impossible to call it extreme, as the Ancelotti's are by-gone's. Once you've arrived, Packie will instruct you to follow him into the abandoned building next to the deal site. When you're there, the Ancelotti's will come followed by the Lupisella's. After awhile, Packie will instruct you to shoot the main dealer. Killing or shooting him will trigger the rest of the gang to shoot at you and Packie. When you've killed them all, pick up the cigars and drive to Packie's home and drop him off.
Mission Complete
Joseph will call Mark and explain to him about Freda almost being killed by some Mexican errand boy. He'll then tell Mark about Freda making run for it, and flee to Europe. A "J" will appear on the radar.
Packie will call Mark and tell him that Ray Boccino was impressed with the last job. A "PM" will appear on the radar.
Posted 26 April 2012 - 04:11 AM Edited by GTAboyWonder, 26 April 2012 - 04:16 AM.
Mission Giver - Joseph Medina
After receiving Joseph's call, a J will appear on the radar. Drive to Joseph's mansion, and a cutscene will roll in.
(Joseph heads outside)
Joseph: Mark! C'mon, hurry up. We don't have much time.
You regain control of Mark, get in a car, and a conversation will begin.
Mark: Why are we in such a rush?
Joseph: Because Freda is said to be fleeing to Europe. We can't let him get away with my drugs, cash, and everything else he's done.
Mark: Where is he right now?
Joseph: In his apartment on Little Bay, in Bohan. We got to get there fast.
Mark: Alright..
Once you've arrived to the apartment building, Joseph will walk to the front door. An Albanian will notice Mark and Joseph and say something in their language. Numerous Albanians will exit the building shooting at Mark and Joseph. Take cover and kill all of the Albanians. A brief cutscene shows Freda hopping on a NRG-900. Another will appear next to him, get on it and chase him. The chase will go on from Little Bay, to the Northwood Heights Bridge. From Northwood, to Star Junction. After immediately passing Star Junction, the screen will fade black, showing a brief cutscene. Still in the cutscene, it shows Freda stopping infront of a bank being surrounded by police. Freda will creep out and escape the site. You regain control again, infront of the site. There are two choices...
1. Going through - Drive through the scene, and risk a Three-Star wanted level, but it's faster to catch up to Freda.
2. Go to the arch - Next to you, there's an arch with a ramp. Going through there will not give you attention. Although, it will be a risk of losing Freda and failing the mission.
Which ever choice you pick, the mission will go on. The remaining parts of the chase are scripted, meaning that Freda will cause mayhem. After awhile, a brief cutscene shows Freda looking back, shooting at Mark and Joseph. Without looking, a Phantom comes out from the road and crushes Freda. Joseph will get off the bike and take a look at Freda's body. Implying that the Colombian-Albanian war is over.
Mission Complete
*Loan Sharking Missions
* = Unlocked by mission giver/activities/side missions
Posted 26 April 2012 - 06:44 AM
Posted 26 April 2012 - 11:40 AM
Posted 28 April 2012 - 01:29 AM Edited by GTAboyWonder, 28 April 2012 - 07:47 PM.
Mission Giver - Packie McReary
Drive to Packie's home, and walk into the marker. The mission will begin.
(Mark walks in to see Packie with a but load of cash on the coffee table)
Mark: Woah, How'd you get all this cash?
Packie: Oh, we robbed a bank.
Mark: A bank? It looks like you robbed the f*cking Pyrmaids from Egypt. What are you going to with the cash.
Packie: Here, that's not much, but it's something.
Mark: Wow, thanks.
Packie: So, what I'm going to do with the cash is to buy, I dont know? I could start with Coke, or maybe guns. But, nah. I'll just buy a car.
Mark: Alright, want me to come with?
Packie: I'm not buying it today. The car is coming in from Germany. It's special, in some kind of way. The car is being shipped as we speak. The thing is that an Australian mob, that goes by the name of Five Jacks, wants to mess it all up. Make sure those Aussie bastards don't steal my car.
Mark: Okay, I'll do it.
Once you've regained control of Mark, drive to the docks in Dukes, and get in a boat. Drive the boat to the ship carrying the Infernus. The Germans will introduce themselves. As they do, the Australians arrive and start shooting at the boat. The car is found in the front deck. Make sure the Jacks do not destroy it, or the mission will fail. Once you've killed them all. The driver will dock the ship, and thank you. As Mark welcomes them to America.
Mission Complete
Posted 28 April 2012 - 08:02 AM
|QUOTE (GTAboyWonder)
|The car is found in the front deck. Make sure the Jacks do not destroy it, or the mission will fail. Once you've killed them all, the driver will dock the ship, and thank you, as Mark welcomes them to America.
The things I added are in bold.
Posted 28 April 2012 - 12:18 PM
Posted 28 April 2012 - 07:46 PM
|QUOTE (SatournFan @ Saturday, Apr 28 2012, 02:02)
| There's a little mess you made in the final sentences. I corrected it, here's the better variant:
The things I added are in bold.
Oh, I didn't notice that. Thanks.
@MarijuanaMonkey - I'll get to that later!
Posted 28 April 2012 - 10:55 PM
Posted 28 April 2012 - 11:00 PM
|QUOTE (Dr-Mayhem111 @ Saturday, Apr 28 2012, 16:55)
|I have read all missions and they are phenomenal. I am also making a DLC (The Black Cat), maybe both the Behind Enemy Lines and The Black Cat can cross over? Tell me what you think.
That would sound great, but MarijaunaMonkey and I are already crossing our concepts together. Well one of my characters is a Detective, as you can see. Maybe your protagonist can somehow know him.
Posted 29 April 2012 - 05:32 AM Edited by MarijuanaMonkey, 29 April 2012 - 05:37 AM.
|QUOTE (GTAboyWonder @ Saturday, Apr 28 2012, 19:46)
Oh, I didn't notice that. Thanks.
@MarijuanaMonkey - I'll get to that later!
Okay, man. After I get it, let's see, are our concept suitable to each others?
@DrMayhem111 Does your concept run pararell to GTA IV? My (A Mexican DLC Concept, work in progress) and GTAboyWonder's Behind Enemy Lines run pararell to IV. Also I didn't understand, why did you give those imaginary characters to character pics (such as Jimmy Pegorino, Francis McReary), if it's a GTA IV DLC, it's a fragile point. GTAboyWonder has Kyle Sherman (a polic detective) in his story, which will act like Stubbs and help the protagonist. Unlike Sherman, I will contain a bent, nasty cop in my story. Also looks like Detective Ochua Bailey seems like meets our death along the events of Final Interview, but your story has passed out this time, got after the events of Three Leaf Clover. How can Mark joint a failed assassination to him? Or do we have to play with this?
Also, man. I'm planning to make a crossover to Joseph's stolen coke, Freda sells the coke to the Juvenez Cartel members that are new partners of Albanians.
Also GTAboyWonder, is Albo plot completely end in your story? Freda's bosses (such as Yili Valdron) would get angry about his worker's death.
Posted 29 April 2012 - 01:42 PM
|QUOTE (MarijuanaMonkey @ Saturday, Apr 28 2012, 23:32)
Okay, man. After I get it, let's see, are our concept suitable to each others?
@DrMayhem111 Does your concept run pararell to GTA IV? My (A Mexican DLC Concept, work in progress) and GTAboyWonder's Behind Enemy Lines run pararell to IV. Also I didn't understand, why did you give those imaginary characters to character pics (such as Jimmy Pegorino, Francis McReary), if it's a GTA IV DLC, it's a fragile point. GTAboyWonder has Kyle Sherman (a polic detective) in his story, which will act like Stubbs and help the protagonist. Unlike Sherman, I will contain a bent, nasty cop in my story. Also looks like Detective Ochua Bailey seems like meets our death along the events of Final Interview, but your story has passed out this time, got after the events of Three Leaf Clover. How can Mark joint a failed assassination to him? Or do we have to play with this?
Also, man. I'm planning to make a crossover to Joseph's stolen coke, Freda sells the coke to the Juvenez Cartel members that are new partners of Albanians.
Also GTAboyWonder, is Albo plot completely end in your story? Freda's bosses (such as Yili Valdron) would get angry about his worker's death.
Oh, just wait til' you see what the Albanians will do.
Posted 29 April 2012 - 06:18 PM
|QUOTE (GTAboyWonder @ Sunday, Apr 29 2012, 13:42)
Oh, just wait til' you see what the Albanians will do.
I got the message, man. Can't wait to see.
Also I want BEL timeline on GTA IV - EFLC Timeline for seeing can our stories get along each other. I'll explain the events in AMAI on the timeline, too.
Posted 30 April 2012 - 03:47 AM
Mission Giver - Roy Zito
Once you decide to work for Zito, go to his mansion and the mission will trigger.
(Mark knocks on the door, and a Mobster answers it seconds later)
Mobster: Woah, you don't look like you belong here. Maybe the Taco Shack seems more suitable.
Mark: F*ck you, guido f*ck. I can't tell, is your hair made out of metal, or are you wearing too much gel.
Mobster: You think you're funny? Yeah? Oh really?
Mark: -Yeah, I'm a comedian.
Roy: Can you two please shush? Sammy, let him in.
(Sammy moves out of the way as Mark enters)
Roy: Jesus, this guy. Ever since he came back from Vice, everything's really gone to sh*t.
Sammy: -F*ck you!
Roy: So Mark. Remember the deal? Sit down...
(Mark takes a seat on the sofa across from Roy, as he pours some Tequila on a glass)
Mark: Well yeah. Too bad those Ruskys just had to ruin it.
Roy: Yeah, too bad. And it's also too bad that my boss, Jon Gravelli, thinks your Cartel set us up.
Mark: C'mon, we'll never do that.
Roy: Yeah, well it's either you guys, or Packie's boys. But in order for Don Gravelli to actually have assurance of who did it, and who did, you need to prove it to him.
Mark: And how do I do that? Give him a massage, scrub him up?
Roy: Kill for him.
Mark: Killing for someone who is thinking about killing me because they thought I was going to kill his boys. Your boss sure has a funny way of proving someone wrong.
Roy: We all work in different ways, don't we? So anyhow, let's cut to the chase. The don wants to know about these fake hundred bills. He says that a Korean man smuggled them in from South Korea. But the thing is, no one knows if this is a fact or a lie. So that's when you come in. The man has a deal going down with the Algonquin Triads. A drug deal, and they're paying with those bills. Man, I wonder what the Triad will do to them. Anyways, go and ruin the deal, just like the Russians did to ours. You may need reinforcements, those Shins do have alot of tissue on their muscle.
Mark: Okay.
Roy: On second thought- Sammy!
(Sammy walks in)
Sammy: What?
Roy: Keep Mark here some company. Help him, man.
Mark: Great, let's go, Samantha.
When you've regained control of Mark, drive over to the meeting location where the Koreans and Triads are doing there deal. The whole conversation will be silent, but Sammy will mumble things concerning Roy Zito and Mark. When you arrive, Mark will call up the men (Colombian Cartel). When they arrive, a cutscene will roll in showing Mark and the rest of the guys walking slowly to the deal. A Triad will be talking to the head dealer for the Koreans. But he'll then see Mark and the rest of the guys and alarm the rest of the guys. Kill all the Triads and Koreans and steal the money.
Mission Complete
Kenny Petrovic will call Mark and will explain about hearing the Russians ruining the deal between them and the Gambetti's. He'll tell Mark to visit his Mansion in Firefly.
Posted 30 April 2012 - 01:21 PM
Posted 30 April 2012 - 08:52 PM Edited by GTAboyWonder, 06 May 2012 - 03:13 PM.
|QUOTE (MarijuanaMonkey @ Monday, Apr 30 2012, 07:21)
|Good mission, man. Is Sammy the Sammy Bottino? If he's SB, it's silly that a former underboss acts like a leg worker of an acting underboss. Also does this mission occur after Babysitting (according to fake bills conversations)?
Sammy is the Sammy Bottino. He's USED to be the undeboss. As GTA IV doesn't actually declare he is in the present time. So Roy is replaces his place as Acting underboss. But for now, Sammy is under indictment. And yes, the mission does take place after Babysitting.
Posted 01 May 2012 - 07:59 AM
|QUOTE (GTAboyWonder @ Monday, Apr 30 2012, 20:52)
Sammy is the Sammy Boccino. He's USED to be the undeboss. As GTA IV doesn't actually declare he is in the present time. So Roy is replaces his place as Acting underboss. But for now, Sammy is under indictment. And yes, the mission does take place after Babysitting.
Bottino or Boccino? You write as Boccino. Whatever, this is your fiction. Also I would connect Rijuana Cartel to Koreans in AMAI. Because Rijuanas interest in counterfeiting bills. This would be cool. Maybe we would put some crossovers about it, the fake bills situation.
Posted 01 May 2012 - 03:57 PM
Posted 01 May 2012 - 06:20 PM
|QUOTE (Gay Tony Ciprani @ Tuesday, May 1 2012, 15:57)
|ya man, just one problem: this guy dies during the diamond deal and he does not look like the Colombian Cartel sort of guy. Good though
GTAboyWonder explained that what will he gonna do at that plot. Look at this message: http://www.gtaforums...st&p=1061157360
Posted 01 May 2012 - 09:46 PM
|QUOTE (MarijuanaMonkey @ Tuesday, May 1 2012, 18:20)
GTAboyWonder explained that what will he gonna do at that plot. Look at this message: http://www.gtaforums...st&p=1061157360
Yeah I don't think it's possible to wake up from being dead
Posted 01 May 2012 - 10:36 PM
|QUOTE (Gay Tony Ciprani @ Tuesday, May 1 2012, 15:46)
Yeah I don't think it's possible to wake up from being dead
I never said he was dead. He was just unconscious. And when you think about it, Luis can be killed in Three Leaf Clover. And "Mark" looked pretty detailed in that cutscene. And when you look at his body, his model changes.
Posted 01 May 2012 - 10:46 PM
|QUOTE (GTAboyWonder @ Tuesday, May 1 2012, 23:36)
I never said he was dead. He was just unconscious. And when you think about it, Luis can be killed in Three Leaf Clover. And "Mark" looked pretty detailed in that cutscene. And when you look at his body, his model changes.
He only takes one shot to the torso.. he'd have a good choice of surviving that. A possible scenario for the crossover mission could be that he has to get Isaac to safety but as he does so he's progressively bleeding out so his health is going down ever so slightly by the second - putting a time constraint on the mission. When they exit the museum Isaac could then have Mark take him to one of his associates who happens to be a doctor and he patches him up.
Posted 02 May 2012 - 02:02 AM
|QUOTE (MarijuanaMonkey @ Tuesday, May 1 2012, 01:59)
Bottino or Boccino? You write as Boccino. Whatever, this is your fiction. Also I would connect Rijuana Cartel to Koreans in AMAI. Because Rijuanas interest in counterfeiting bills. This would be cool. Maybe we would put some crossovers about it, the fake bills situation.
Oh, I didn't notice that! Man, I'm really feeling derp this week. Oh and the fake bills as a crossover will be great! Is the Triad leader going to appear in your story?
Posted 02 May 2012 - 02:32 PM
|QUOTE (GTAboyWonder @ Wednesday, May 2 2012, 02:02)
Oh, I didn't notice that! Man, I'm really feeling derp this week. Oh and the fake bills as a crossover will be great! Is the Triad leader going to appear in your story?
For fake bills plot; Jose (for people who doesn't know, he's the protagonist of my Mexican Cartel DLC) will be introduced to the fake bills first while he works for Rijuana Cartel during the last times of previous month of GTA IV and GTA IV's beginning. Rijuanas counterfeiting bills, so I would connect them with Koreans money counterfeiters. A mission in these times will include help Kim Young-Guk bringing his first payload of fake bills. Also his father Park Young-Guk will be seen during the meetings between Koreans and Rijuanas. Maybe after a long while (very closely to Babysitting) the new heads of Rijuana Cartel, Esteban Brothers would require help from Jose about the second money laundering operation. So a mission would include greet Kim and his fake bills after Niko and Derrick gets him and his fake bills safely to the coast.
Triad Leader will make a minor appearance during the game. After Jose's failed raid to the AoD clubhouse (for stealing heroin, as a crossover to Action/Reaction), on the suspicion that Triad Leader and AoD deadbeats make a raid to Jose and Gonzalezs (maybe raid would take place in Cisco's mansion), but according to this raid, they'll understand that their heroin is not at Mexicans.
Also a mission of Ray Boccino will touch on his connections with Gambettis. Ray gives a huge payload of meth to Gambos for selling for him. However Gambettis sell it and gives Ray not his cut. So Ray wants to teach these clevers a lesson. So Jose and Frankie Gallo make a raid to Alazone's Italian Food whose basement is used as a drug lab by Gambettis.
Posted 02 May 2012 - 09:55 PM
The situation with the fake bills will occur in my DLC. It takes place during Kim Young-Guks arrival to Liberty, Murdoch has to reach Kim and stop him before he makes it to land. When he realizes that it's too late, he has to attend to two more problems in the city, the stolen Heroin and the diamonds.
It's going to be alot of work and I am working on cross overs with Monkeys DLC as well.
Great work BoyWonder, this DLC is looking really good.
Posted 10 May 2012 - 06:15 PM
Mission Giver - Roy Zito
After the last mission, a RZ will appear on the radar. Get to the marker, and a cutscene will trigger.
(Mark walks in the mansion, and it appears to be a party with lots of Made men, and other goons)
Roy: *whispering* Mark, psstt. Get over here.
(Mark will walk towards Roy, as he leads him to stairs that lead to the basement, as they enter there will be other men)
Mark: So, what's going on here?
Roy: A meeting, but if you mean that upstairs, it's just there meeting.
Mark: Alright..
Roy: Mark, I'd like you to meet Frankie, some thug...
Frankie: -Ahh, f*ck you!
Roy: Frankie is a little worker for his uncle, Phil Bell, who happens to be a high-ranking member for the Pegs. He's going to help us get in good line with them.
Frankie: Yeah, and maybe it'll help me become a made men.
Roy: Yeah, maybe.. Anyways.. Oh wait, hold up. SAMMY!
(Sammy comes down the stairs)
Sammy: What?
Roy: Get over here, underboss.
Sammy: Yeah, you're real f*cking funny.
Roy: Calm down, tough guy. Jon doesn't need you, alright. Why don't you go back to Vice City, eh. And while you're there, how about sending over some Cocoa Nuts.
Sammy: You know what, Roy? F*ck you, just, f*ck you! Piece of sh*t. You can say whatever the f*ck you wanna say, but you're gonna regret it.
Roy: -Come on, yeah?
(Sammy then climbs the stairs)
Roy: Come on, Sammy. Man, seriously, to be an underboss you gotta be Smart, full of Courage, and Bravery.
Mark: Then why are you one?
Roy: Ha! Very funny, smart guy. Anyways, you and Frankie here are going to watch a deal between some Haitians and the Chings. But this time, it's on water. They smuggled these from Vice. Make sure you steal these drugs, alright you guys go..
Once you've regained control of Mark, get in a car and drive to the boatyard and get in a boat. Get in to the marker and look over the deal, don't do anything until it's setup. You'll then have to chase the Haitians and steal the coke. You then discover that the coke was left with the Chinese. Without success, Frankie will tell his Uncle about the incident.
Mission Complete
P.S. Sorry for not posting any missions up for awhile, I've been too busy with school work. This isn't my best mission so sorry.
Posted 11 May 2012 - 06:14 AM
Alright, this was off-topic. About a mission. It's good, as always. It's kinda funny how the dialogue explaining the mission is bigger than the mission itself.
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im assuming the kernel doesnt allow the system to be modified from what ive found on similar threads so i need to flash a security disabled one, the problem is this tablet is obscure so theres literally no custom roms or custom kernels id be extremely grateful if anyone could help with modifying the kernel (if its not something extremely hard and time consuming - i have no idea im not a dev) would any similar tablet kernel work on it?
normally id just leave it and disable the apps but the problem is the tablet is running a phone os with both system telephone apps constantly draining the battery quickly on cell standby when its a wifi tablet (able to use a 3g dongle though), using airplane mode with those apps frozen still drains the battery really fast but the 30mins or so the apps are deleted with titanium backup the tablet only loses 1-2% instead of 10-20% in 30mins which is dreadful as its has a 6000mah battery
would anyone be able to suggest a similar kernel with security disabled?
kernel version 3.4.39+
inet_paco@superFAE #3
android version 4.2.2
firmware version: 2.1_20130903


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By CASEY MURPHY, firstname.lastname@example.com
Tyler's oldest downtown department store is closing.
Store closing signs can be seen plastered on the store's windows.
The decision to close Levines on Spring Avenue was made by its parent company, PLDT Partnership, which has struggled financially for the last two years, Norman Prothro, co-owner of Levines, said.
"The closing date is unknown at this time," he said, adding that all of the inventory will be sold before the doors are closed for good.
The local store has seven employees, he said.
Levines was started by brothers Morris and William Levine in 1920 in Iowa Park and quickly began expanding throughout North Texas. In the 1950s, Levines continued expanding into Oklahoma, Louisiana and New Mexico and moved its headquarters to Dallas. At its peak, there were 152 Levines stores in 11 states, Prothro said during a 2011 interview.
In 1966, the business was acquired with several others by Zale Corp. until it was sold for liquidation in 1977. The first Levines in Tyler opened in the early 1970s on Troup Highway and was located there for four years until the stores were liquidated, Prothro said.
Prothro became involved with Levines in 1960 and along with other employees, bought a few of the stores after the liquidation and kept the name. They also acquired some of the K. Wolens department stores, including the one located in downtown Tyler, in 1985 and turned it into Levines.
Prothro, who owns Levines with Don Dismore, said in 2011 there were 13 Levines stores in Texas now, including in Lubbock, Amarillo and the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Today, he said the company is down to Tyler's Levines and two additional stores.
"We have enjoyed a long-term success with loyal customers," he said in 2011.


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Nooka and LTD magazine have teamed up to produce a very exclusive collaborative watch. Featuring a custom black and gray LTD camouflage design. The camo is part of an on-going collaborative project LTD is fronting with a few select brands the magazine features, including Etnies Plus shoes.
The watch is limited to 144 pieces, will retail for 300 USD and will be released to selected retailers next month.
More detailed images of the Nooka x LTD Magazine watch follow after the jump.


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Alternative Titles: recursive function theory, theory of algorithms
Learn about this topic in these articles:
major reference
In addition to proof theory and model theory, a third main area of contemporary logic is the theory of recursive functions and computability. Much of the specialized work belongs as much to computer science as to logic. The origins of recursion theory nevertheless lie squarely in logic.
Kleene's contributions
...functions ( i.e., functions defined in a finite sequence of combinatorial steps). Kleene, together with Alonzo Church, Kurt Gödel, Alan Turing, and others, developed the field of recursion theory, which made it possible to prove whether certain classes of mathematical problems are solvable or unsolvable. Recursion theory in turn led to the theory of computable functions,...
..."computable," "recursive," and "formal" that explicate the intuitive concept of what a mechanical computing procedure is. As a result of the development of recursion theory, it is now possible to prove not only that certain classes of problems are mechanically solvable (which could be done without the theory) but also that certain others are...
modern logic
...by constructing what are commonly called logical systems. A logical system is essentially a way of mechanically listing all the logical truths of some part of logic by means of the application of recursive rules—i.e., rules that can be repeatedly applied to their own output. This is done by identifying by purely formal criteria certain axioms and certain purely formal rules of inference...


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Seagate Director of Marketing and Product Management David Burks said that "We are going to stop building our notebook 7200rpm hard disk drives at the end of 2013." Another Seagate spokesperson told PCWorld that, "High performance in the notebook segment in the future will come from solid-state hybrid drives (SSHDs) rather than drives with higher spin speeds."
Currently Seagate has not started the production of SSDs but they have signed an agreement with DensBits in 2012 co-develop both consumer- and enterprise-focused solid state drives. SSD drives are far more superior to the conventional hard drives in terms of speed and performance however there are some limitations.
First it's the pricing. SSD drives are very expensive as compared to their hard drive counterparts. Secondly when it comes to ensuring that a drive is about to give away, HDDs have an upper hand because of the moving parts inside it because of which they will start sounding funny. But in case of SSDs, the lack of moving parts makes it all the more difficult to identify whether it's a drive issue or some other component has malfunctioned.
[Source: X-bit Labs, AnandTech]


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MKs Take Advantage of Coalition Troubles to Push Social Programs
Knesset members are taking advantage of the lack of a permanent finance minister since Abraham Hirchson took a leave of absence, while Prime Minister and Acting Finance Minster Ehud Olmert is too busy trying to survive after the Winograd report. In addition, the weakness of the ruling coalition has led MKs to propose a very long list of private bills that together could cost the treasury NIS 25-30 billion a year, according to TheMarker's calculations.
With the opening of the Knesset's summer session two weeks ago, MKs from both the coalition and opposition have been working to legislate bills that would cost a pretty penny - all in opposition to the treasury's position. The murky future of the present government, the lack of any real leadership at the Finance Ministry, as well as the lack of a permanent coalition whip after MK Avigdor Yitzhaki resigned more than two weeks ago - all these developments have encouraged MKs to advance their own legislative agenda.
In practice there is no longer any coalition discipline, as it is expected that the coalition will change after the Labor Party primaries on May 28, and it is also likely that the government may fall anyway within a few months - after the final report of the Winograd Committee is released. Therefore, MKs are hurrying to take advantage of the situation while they can and paint themselves as representing social-welfare interests before any cabinet changes or possibly even new elections.
Treasury officials are having a very difficult time stopping the flood of spending proposals, even though every private bill costing more than NIS 5 million a year must be passed by 51 MKs at least - on every reading.
The most important of these bills include one limiting the number of high school students in a class to 32, instead of 40 today, and to 28 students per class in elementary schools, at a cost of NIS 4-5 billion initially and another NIS 2 billion a year. This bill was submitted by Ronit Tirosh of Kadima.
Another proposed law submitted by six different MKs would grant additional tax exemptions for children under five to parents who both work full-time, or to single parents, at an annual cost of NIS 6 billion. The Committee on the Status of Women has already approved the bills.
Another proposal, put forth by Moshe Sharoni of the Pensioners Party, would raise old-age pensions from 16 percent to 20 percent of the average wage, at an annual cost of NIS 4 billion to the state.
Other proposals include improving benefits to disabled victims of Nazi persecution and to reduce the price for present tenants who want to buy their public housing apartments. Another bill would equate the conditions granted to all widows and survivors of IDF soldiers to those granted to the widows of pilots, at an annual cost of about NIS 1 billion.
Other bills would reduce tuition for university students, change the accounting basis for paying VAT, reduce purchase taxes on apartments, provide additional benefits for reserve soldiers, propose boarding schools for children at risk, lower costs for medicines for chronically ill patients, and many others.
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text:
Airbags being stolen
8:30am Friday 30th May 2014
8:30am Friday 30th May 2014
Eight airbags have been stolen from cars in the county over the past five years.
The Thames Valley Police figures show six airbags were taken in the Cherwell police area in July 2011, one in the South and Vale patch in January 2010, and another in Cherwell last June.
© Copyright 2001-2017 Newsquest Media Group


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Crazy Cherry
Crazy Cherry slots have 3-reels and 1-payline with a wild symbol, up to five coins to choose from and a 5000 coin jackpot!
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I always do well on this type of game and Crazy Cherry slot was no exception. It's definitely a winner!


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This article was a collaboration between Ryan C. and Mike D.
For years, Nintendo has found itself in twin extremes. They are simultaneously industry titans of influence, as well as gaming iconoclasts. For every staple of 2D level design or innovation of modern 3D gaming — Z-targeting, analog movement, etc. — copied by others, they find themselves hardheadedly opposed to what has become the new gaming orthodoxy. Look no further than the very recent past: while the rest of the industry firmly grabbed onto new technology and online gaming, Nintendo stubbornly stuck to their own path.
However, once in a while, the mad scientists in Kyoto peek their heads out to see what the rest of the industry is up to. If they like what they see, they put their own spin on templates established by other great minds. This is how Mario Kart flourished in the age of Formula One Gran Prix and Virtua Racing, and how Super Smash Bros. became a phenomenon alongside Tekken, Street Fighter, and Soul Caliber. In both cases, Nintendo brought something its competitors lacked: whimsy.
Now, it seems like they\'ve decided the shooter genre needs a similar injection of playful humor.
Splatoon may do for third-person shooters what Mario Kart did for racing or what Super Smash Bros. did for 2D fighting. Namely, it could bring something the TPS genre has long needed: effervescent, exuberant, tongue-in-cheek fun. Playing like a mix of corridor shooter and tower defense, there was nothing else at E3 2014 quite like it. It takes away the hurly-burly Gears of War-like pretensions of the dudebro shooter set, but keeps a deeply strategic brand of \"core\" gameplay. Splatoon looks like an innocent game of paintball, but beneath that exterior is a turf war that can be played from quite a few angles.
And that\'s before you turn into a squid.
It\'s a mechanic in which your character becomes a semi-translucent cephalopod, allowing you to quickly slide through the ink of your squad. This is a tactic that has a passing resemblance to the slide mechanic of Shinji Mikami\'s Vanquish — just taken to a surreal, absurd bent. That is to say, it\'s a gameplay mechanic that has gone to the Mushroom Kingdom and come back all sugared up.
Our hands-on preview determined that, while the controls were solid and mechanics were neat, what will ultimately end up proving Splatoon as a shooter with longevity is the gameplay modes itself. The E3 demo only had one such mode on display: Turf War. Players endlessly spray the ground and walls with their team\'s colour and whoever ends up with the highest percentage is declared the victor. While a neat idea, Splatoon needs some more offerings if it wants to be the next best thing from Nintendo.
That\'s where we come in. Looking at multiplayer modes from other popular shooters, we came up with ways that this paint-and-ink mechanic could inject some life into them, making for a truly unique experience. Likewise, we also came up with a few novel ideas that hasn\'t been done that would put emphasis on this particular gameplay element.
King of the Hill: That is a multiplayer mode that\'s been around for ages. Essentially, players fight for control of a specific area on the map. The team who has players in it will get points until the area randomly moves to another location or the opposing team takes over. It\'s not hard to imagine how this could be done in Splatoon: one team would have to spray ink in a zone to get control and the area would either change locations or be taken over by the other team\'s ink colour.
Domination: Similar in nature to King of the Hill, but instead of one randomly moving zone, two or three would exist. If one team has one zone, they would get, for example, ten points every twenty seconds. If two zones, twenty, and three areas would equal thirty. First team to say, 200 points, would win. Of course, claiming all three points would be difficult, as the enemy team would be fighting to gain control while defending their own.
Search and Destroy: Call of Duty has a lot of variants on this particular game type, but Search and Destroy in practice is a simple game of "attack and defend." For Splatoon, it could be done in a way that one team already has an area in control, so the red team would already have their base covered in red. The opposing team would have a set time limit to take over the red team\'s base. After they succeed by taking control or lose by the time limit expiring, the roles will reverse. The reversing of attacking or defending will go on until one team gets so many victories, such as best three out of five.
Multi-Team Turf War: This would play out almost identical to that of the E3 demo; teams would splatter paint on the ground to cover as much of the playing field as possible. The change up here is instead of 4 vs 4, it would be 2 vs 2 vs 2 vs 2. With only one partner to play with, teamwork becomes much more essential. Splatoon offers players the choice of selecting a teammate and being able to transport to them immediately and with only one partner, it would make for a much more tense and intimate match, especially if both of you die and you have to start over from square one together.
Race: This would be a little fun distraction, but we can see this becoming a neat mode. Nintendo made sure the audience knew about the squid mechanic and what better way to show off your skills than racing to a goal. Players would have to know when to shoot ink and when to race away by becoming a squid. Another thing that could make this so interesting is the promise of maps that emphasize vertical space.
Capture the Flag: Admittedly, this doesn\'t need to be all that different from the classic game mode. Each team has a base that they need to return a flag to. There isn\'t much you can do with the core of it, but Splatoon can offer a unique little twist. For starters, perhaps the person carrying the flag can\'t turn into a squid, so it\'s up to the other team members to protect them and spray ink around them to avoid the opposing forces to pop up. Other than that, Capture the Flag has mostly remained unchanged since its inception, but is nevertheless a fun mode that every shooter should have.
Team Deathmatch: What? Yes, you read that correctly. We concede that this is the least likely mode to appear in Splatoon — and honestly, we\'d love to play a shooter that isn\'t focused on kill-death ratio — but the game\'s mechanics offer some truly tantalizing possibilities. Whereas Turf War is about painting the scene, TDM could come with pre-painted sections — 50-50 for each team that are broken up around the map. This would allow for squid-morphing in small doses and creates a risk/reward system: every time you try to traverse across the map, you\'ll have to expose yourself here and there. \"But this will encourage camping,\" you say. Easily solved with a squid timer (more than 10 seconds as a squid = automatic respawn).
None of this is to say that Turf War itself isn\'t going to have a good deal of potential. While it may seem a touch facile at first, the same could be said of TDM and yet somehow, year after year, many Call of Duty gamers spend hundreds of hours in that particular mode. Once we have a good chunk of time to spend on Turf War, perhaps it will turn out to be just as durable as ye olde frag fests. There\'s only one way to find out and frankly, we can\'t wait to do so. It\'s been a long time since Nintendo decided to redefine a genre for itself. Hopefully, Splatoon will be worth the wait.


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|incl. VAT
|excl. VAT
Large bag to a maximum of 10 pieces floorball hockey whom there are also additional storage pockets for other equipment, floorball players.
This practical training bag floorball stick holds up to 10 pieces of stick. In addition to it you will also find other pockets for other sports equipment. The total volume of the bag is 80 liters. You can either stream it over the shoulder using the shoulder strap with padding, or in his hand. The bag is made of durable material that is easy to maintain and closes with zipper positioned along the entire length of the bag. All training facilities for your charges so you can take and transmit everything together.
45 l
Specifications can be changed without notice. Images are for illustrative purposes only. Retail Price (MSRP) means the manufacturer's/supplier's suggested retail price.
Link to Manufacturer's Website: Enter link to the external review