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Current bank interests are so risible that even money held in interest paying deposit accounts is losing value. The rate paid is not keeping pace with inflation so in real terms, people saving in these accounts are actually losing money.
Every year, the students at Phnom Penh's Northbridge International School complete a 24-hour challenge to raise money for charity. Over the past few years, the students' excellent efforts have led to thousands of dollars being raised for charities in Cambodia and Africa. At the same time, the event encourages the children to think about others less fortunate than themselves as well as engaging them to work together in a fun and healthy collaborative challenge.
People talk about it at the water cooler, or over drinks after work. They talk about tossing it all in and buying a one-way ticket to someplace else. Maybe somewhere overseas, to some rustic third-world capital where the living is cheap and the weather is always perfect.
Luxury travel isn't just about travelling by private jet/limo or staying in 5* hotels, though that is of course part of it. What's equally important is enjoying unique, authentic experiences and really getting under the skin of a destination, and seeing things that most tourists miss. That's why many of our clients like to give expensive upscale restaurants a miss every now & then, and enjoy Asian food the way the locals do – on the street.
In the film Gladiator, Russell Crowe, playing a Roman General, is told, "Death smiles at us all … all we can do is smile back." Truer words were never spoken in relation to Torajaland, a unique outpost amid the thousands of islands comprising Indonesia. Several elements make Torajaland stand out for those interested in overseas adventure. There's the unique Torajan architecture. The inhabitants were former headhunters. The Dutch tried to conquer this area and only did so through the spread of Christianity. It is also famous for being a region where outstanding coffee is produced.
British cuisine may have a reputation (undeserved) for blandness, but we Brits are addicted to spicy food. Indian restaurants now outnumber fish & chip shops, and whilst they may owe their original popularity to being the only places you could get a drink back in the dark days when the pubs closed at 10.30pm, they are now loved for their spicy cuisine as much as for their exploitation of loopholes in the licensing laws.
You don't need truck-loads of cash and shadowy third party associates to open offshore bank accounts, but the process does have to be planned carefully to ensure you get the best financial results. Offshore banking is now a legitimate and reputable business and most financial centres offering this facility are tightly regulated to ensure maximum security for investors. Even so, nothing is guaranteed in the world of investment so this is not an undertaking to rush into without researching it first.


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'Pen gets Osoria back from ankle injury
Pirates also recall Cuban defector Herrera from Double-A
By Todd Krise / MLB.com
Pittsburgh also received help from a new face in right-handed starter Yoslan Herrera, a Cuban defector the Pirates signed to a Major League contract in 2006.
Osoria is coming back from a five-day stint with the Indians, where he went 1-0 with three scoreless innings of work and three strikeouts. The Pirates placed Osoria on the disabled list on June 28 because a right ankle injury affected his delivery and hampered the control of his sinker.
"The ball wasn't sinking as much," manager John Russell said. "It's basically his bread and butter. Things like that happen. You start to try to throw a little different. I think his arm got tired. He didn't have life on the ball like he used to. Certain things started to happen as far as with the foot and things. It can very much affect the pitching mechanics."
The Pirates' skipper said he'll use Osoria without hesitation on Saturday night against the Cardinals. Osoria was 3-2 with a 6.02 ERA in 36 appearances before his injury.
"I think this a great opportunity for him, not only to get healthy, but to get his arm strength back," Russell said.
As for Herrera, this is the 27-year-old's biggest opportunity since coming to the United States from Cuba in July 2005. Herrera has pitched for Double-A Altoona for parts of the last two seasons.
He posted a 6-9 record and 4.69 ERA in 2007 and has improved to 5-8 with a 3.11 ERA this season.
"We haven't seen much of him," Russell said. "He's throwing the ball very well from what I understand. He's a strike thrower, but has some different pitches. He's not necessarily a power pitcher, but a guy who knows how to pitch a little bit.
"We're looking for somebody to come up and throw strikes, keep the ball down and give us a chance to win. From all the indications that we've heard, Yoslan is the kind of guy will give that start to us."
The Pirates don't know if Herrera has the physical or mental capabilities to become an everyday Major League starter. Saturday night will be the first indication.
"This is not a one-night find-out either," Russell said. "We like him. One outing is not going to make or break. It would be nice to see a nice outing."
Todd Krise is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

subset: commoncrawl


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* Prices may differ from that shown
The Nerf Deploy features a unique mechanism that transforms it from a "torch" into a blaster.
In stealth mode, it is carried like a briefcase and has an in-built torch light that is powered by 3 x AAA batteries (sold separately). Blaster deployment is done by the press of a button on the top of the unit.
During deployment, the front ammo clip section rotates to the left, the shoulder stock extends backwards and the trigger grip flips out. This deployment mechanism is powered by in-built spring systems.
In deployed blaster mode, it is a pump-action single-shot blaster with a clip-fed ammo system. The Deploy uses a spring powered reverse-plunger mechanism (similar to the Nerf Recon and Raider).
As part of the N-Strike range, its components and parts are interchangeable with compatible N-Strike blasters (ie. Longshot, Longstrike, Recon or Raider) and it can also use most N-Strike tactical rail accessories too.
However, it does not have slam fire, which can be bad in some situations where enemies are swarming you and you to fire quickly.


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Very good condition Talas 36's with RC2. Steerer is 194mm. Some slight scuffs down one lowere, uppers are fine. These have been serviced at TFTuned in Feb (reciept provided) at a cost of £110 so there in better working order than when they came from Fox
Looking for £480 posted. paypal - cheque - bank transfer


text: (The following statement was released by the rating agency) Feb 6 - Fitch Ratings has affirmed Venezuela-based Mercantil, C.A. Banco Universal's (MB) Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at 'B+' with a Negative Rating Outlook. Additionally, Fitch affirmed the National Ratings of MB and its holding company Mercantil Servicios Financieros (MERCANTIL). A full list of rating actions follows at the end of this press release. RATING ACTION RATIONALE MB's IDR is driven by its financial strength reflected in its Viability Rating (VR). MB's IDR ratings are at the same level as the Sovereign (foreign and local currency IDRs 'B+'; Outlook Negative). Fitch affirmed MB's VR and IDR ratings as the bank remains well positioned to deliver strong financial results, despite the high degree of government intervention in the banking business. In Fitch's opinion, the bank's senior management experience in dealing with Venezuela's inherent economic and operational volatility has also benefited MB's resilience to deterioration in its credit profile. Fitch believes that the shareholders' willingness to provide support should it be required is possible, though it cannot be relied upon due to the governments interference with the banking system, underpinning MB's Support rating of '5'. Despite MB's systemic importance, its support rating of 'No Floor' (NF) reflects Venezuela's speculative grade rating, and the government's limited willingness and capacity to provide support. SENSITIVITIES/RATING DRIVERS - IDRS, VR, AND NATIONAL RATINGS MB's ratings reflect its strong franchise, strong financial performance in a challenging environment, healthy asset quality sustained by an above-average risk control culture, comparably higher profitability (even when accounting for inflation), adequate capitalization, and low liquidity risk relative to other similarly rated peers. The bank's ratings are constrained by the sovereign's ratings and the negative effects of government intervention over the banking business and overall private sector activities. MB's VR and IDR will be negative affected if the sovereign rating is downgraded. MB's VR is strongly linked to the creditworthiness of the sovereign, given its exposure to sovereign bonds, as well as economic and operational ties. A significant deterioration in the bank's asset quality which hinders its equity loss absorption capacity could also result in downward pressure on the bank's ratings, although not Fitch's base case scenario. In the event of a sovereign ratings downgrade, MB's national ratings are not expected to be negatively affected. In Fitch's opinion, MB's credit risk profile will remain among the strongest relative to its local peers. SENSITIVITIES/RATING DRIVERS - SUPPORT RATING AND SUPPORT RATING FLOOR There is limited upside to the bank's support rating and support rating floor over the medium term given the sovereign's current ratings and Outlooks and the government's propensity to intervene in the banking business and overall private sector activities. MERCANTIL's SENSITIVITIES/RATING DRIVERS Geographic business diversification, financial performance improvements, solid loan portfolio quality, as well as adequate unconsolidated liquidity and capitalization ratios underpin MERCANTIL's national ratings. The holding company's ratings are constrained by a challenging operational environment in Venezuela and the USA. There is limited upside potential for MERCANTIL's ratings considering the expected challenging environment of its subsidiaries and the existence of regulatory limits to upstream dividends from MB. Although not Fitch's base case scenario, significant leverage at the holding company level and / or reductions of the main subsidiaries' income-generating capacity could be negative for MERCANTIL's national ratings. MB was the fourth largest bank in Venezuela at Sept. 30, 2012, with almost 11.56% of market share in terms of assets. MB is 99.9% owned by MERCANTIL, a holding company with major investments in Venezuela and the USA, among others. Fitch has affirmed the following ratings: MB --Long-term foreign and local currency IDRs at 'B+'; Outlook Negative; --Short-term foreign and local currency ratings at 'B'; --Viability rating at 'b+'; --Support at '5'; --Support floor at 'NF'; --Long-term national-scale rating at 'AA+(ven)'; --Short-term national-scale rating at 'F1+(ven)'. MERCANTIL --Long-term national-scale rating at 'AA(ven)'; --Short-term national-scale rating at 'F1+(ven)'; --National Rating Senior Unsecured debt at 'A2' (local regulatory rating scale), equivalent to 'AA(ven)'; --National Rating Commercial Papers debt at 'A1' (local regulatory rating scale), equivalent to 'F1+(ven)'. (Caryn Trokie, New York Ratings Unit)


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Save the Date- Saturday 7th October 2017 at the Beenleigh Events Centre, Logan
This year we have a stellar line up of presenters including the announcement and appearance of the NHWQ Goodwill Ambassador, so every NHWQ Volunteer is invited to mark their calendar and be quick at getting their completed registration form to NHWQ State Office to reserve one of the limited spaces!
Interested NHW Volunteers are invited to complete the attached 2017 NHWQ Conference Registration Form as soon as possible. For official receipt, fully completed Registrations Forms must be received at State Office no later than Friday 8th September 2017. Please email the completed registration form to [email protected]
The 2017 NHWQ Conference Registration Form can be found HERE


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Young Survival Coalition Opens Registration For 2013 YSC Tour de Pink® Bike Rides
National Events Generate Awareness and Benefit Young Women with Breast Cancer
Apr 29, 2013, 11:46 ET from Young Survival Coalition
NEW YORK, April 29, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Kicking off the largest national outdoor cycling effort in the country to meet the unique needs of young breast cancer survivors, Young Survival Coalition (YSC) has opened registration for its three annual YSC Tour de Pink® outdoor events. Participants who sign up for the rides help ensure that no woman diagnosed under 40 faces breast cancer alone.
The 10th annual 200-mile East Coast ride will take place September 27–29. The event begins in Philadelphia, Pa., and ends in Washington D.C., featuring several historic sites and rolling hills. On the West Coast, participants riding in the 4th annual Tour de Pink in Southern California will travel the scenic Pacific Coast Highway October 18–20, inspired by breathtaking ocean views. The route starts in Thousand Oaks and ends in Huntington Beach. On September 28, a one-day event will take place in Atlanta, Ga., attracting nearby residents. Atlanta participants can register to bike from one mile to 100 miles through the city's northern suburbs or run/walk a 5k. Short family rides, a survivor loop and long-distance routes for more experienced cyclists offer additional options.
The three-day rides, limited to 200 participants, feature full rider support, including hotel accommodations, catered meals, rest stops, ride marshals, support and gear (SAG) vehicles and mechanics. One-day options also are available for the East and West Coast events.
"Tour de Pink helps YSC raise awareness that young women can and do get breast cancer. By riding through our local communities, we can spread the word that a young woman diagnosed with breast cancer does not have to face her journey alone," commented Lisa J. Frank, board president, YSC founding member, four-time breast cancer survivor and co-founder of Tour de Pink. "Through the amazing fundraising efforts of its participants, this 'rolling community' enables YSC to offer a wide variety of programming and support to the 250,000 women living in the U.S. today who were diagnosed before their 41st birthday."
Inaugurated in 2004, YSC Tour de Pink® was created to empower young women diagnosed with breast cancer. Tour de Pink generates over $1 million each year for YSC, the oldest and largest national nonprofit organization to focus exclusively on the unique needs of young women affected by breast cancer.
In addition to attracting amateur enthusiasts and breast cancer survivors who train for the rides as a means of taking their body back from cancer, Tour de Pink also draws professional cyclists. In recent years, these have included: Tony Cruz (West Coast - 2012); John Eustice (East Coast - 2012); Brian Walton (East Coast - 2011); Mari Holden (East Coast - 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and West Coast - 2010); Kimberly Baldwin (East Coast - 2009, 2010); Jeff Lenosky (East Coast - 2010); Dave Lettieri (West Coast - 2010); Kelli Emmett (West Coast -2010, 2011, 2012); Frankie Andreu (East Coast - 2008, 2009) and Dede Demet Barry (East Coast - 2006).
YSC would like to thank 2013 national event sponsors Celgene, Emergen-C® and Mentor Worldwide LLC. Celgene is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative therapies for the treatment of cancer and inflammatory diseases. Benefitting breast cancer charities since 2007, Emergen-C Pink® flavored fizzy vitamin drink mixes, has raised more than $600,000 for the cause and is a proud supporter of YSC. Founded in 1969, Mentor, a world leader in breast aesthetics, is committed to providing women with the information they need to make an informed decision about their breast restoration options.
A video web series of the 2012 East and West Coast rides, along with participant "Why I Ride" interview vignettes are available on YSC's YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/YSCYoungSurvival. To learn more or register for any of YSC's Tour de Pink rides visit www.ysctourdepink.org.
About YSC Tour de Pink®
Co-founded in 2004 by Lisa J. Frank and Matt Purdue, YSC Tour de Pink was created to raise awareness and funds for Young Survival Coalition (YSC), the first national organization to focus exclusively on the unique needs of young women affected by breast cancer. Growing from six participants in 2004, YSC Tour de Pink® has generated more than $6 million and now consists of three outdoor bike rides, with indoor events around the country. YSC anticipates over 1,200 riders will participate in this year's three national events.
About Young Survival Coalition (YSC)
Established in 1998, Young Survival Coalition (YSC) was the first nonprofit organization to focus exclusively on the unique needs of young women affected by breast cancer. Founded by young survivors for young survivors, YSC began as a grassroots organization to advocate on behalf of all young women diagnosed with breast cancer to increase their length and quality of life. Based in New York City, with networks nationwide, YSC today provides free comprehensive resources, support and educational materials such as the ResourceLink program, Newly Diagnosed Resource Kit (NDRK), Post-Treatment Navigator, Metastatic Navigator and is well known for its three national YSC Tour de Pink bike rides. It also co-hosts C4YW (Annual Conference for Young Women Affected by Breast Cancer). For more information please visit: www.youngsurvival.org.
SOURCE Young Survival Coalition


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Many software companies believe in giving away limited versions of their products, expecting some to turn into devoted paying customers. Doting on existing customers and ensuring they renew their subscriptions can yield payoffs too, but executives don't always pay as much attention to that method of business development.
Maybe they ought to. Today Totango, a company that analyzes user and customer behavior for SaaS vendors — and winner of an Innovation Showdown prize at VentureBeat's CloudBeat 2013 conference released the results of its third annual Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) Metrics Survey, after checking with 257 executives at SaaS companies. The results show that the companies reporting revenue growth over 75 percent keep their churn rates low and get many customers to buy more expensive services.
That's not a causal relationship, but it's an interesting factoid, especially when you look at the report's findings on what executives prioritize. For 87 percent of respondents, acquiring new customers is a high executive priority, while customer renewals are a high priority for just 58 percent of respondents. Upselling or add-on sales came in as a high priority for 51 percent of respondents.
More SaaS companies appear to be tracking metrics on picking up new customers more than metrics on existing customers' activities. While tracking the number of unique visitors to a website is quite popular, at 88 percent, measuring add-on or expansion sales lags at 53 percent.
Measuring churn looks to be relatively common, at 70 percent. But while many companies do appear to count customers as a way to keep an eye on churn, they do not always try to spot churn in terms of revenue, the number of users per license, or product downgrades.
Free trials still drive lots of business for SaaS companies. For 27 percent of respondents, more than half of all new business results from free trials and a freemium model. But there's still room for money to come from existing customers.
The survey seems a bit slanted, in that it points out problems that Totango's software can solve and asks about metrics that Totango can look out for. Then again, 31 percent of respondents said they're not satisfied with existing SaaS metrics tools and are investing to improve the situation. So maybe Totango's approach would be useful for some SaaS companies.


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By Chris Olds | Beckett Baseball Editor
When Panini America's latest baseball card set arrives in late August, it will include many — if not all — of the residents of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.
Hence the product's name, Cooperstown.
So, while that means we'll have more cards of the pitchers and catchers of the Hall of Fame world, we'll also have cards — and autographs — for a few others.
Who? Sportswriters. Broadcasters. Umpires. Managers. General Managers.
While there may not be as much demand for the autographs of umpire Doug Harvey or Astros broadcaster Milo Hamilton — they certainly have fewer signatures out there than the Carlton Fisks and Andre Dawsons most commonly found in baseball card sets of this style.
A checklist for the product has not yet been released, but the Hall of Famers found away from the field of play, based on autograph previews, will include sportswriter Murray Chass, Royals broadcaster Denny Matthews, New York broadcaster Bob Wolff (honored by both the baseball and basketball Halls), Padres broadcaster Jerry Coleman and Hamilton to name a few.
They were winners of either the J. G. Taylor Spink (writers) or the Ford C. Frick (broadcasters) Awards, groups that include some legendary names that are a part of the game. Unfortunately, many of the most-memorable names are not around to sign autographs, but they may be included in the product. Some of the past winners include Grantland Rice, Damon Runyon, Red Smith, Jerome Holtzman, Peter Gammons, Tracy Ringolsby, Bill Madden (who selected many Rated Rookies in Donruss' earlier years), Mel Allen, Red Barber, Harry Caray, Ernie Harwell, Jack Buck, Curt Gowdy, Vin Scully, Marty Brennaman, Harry Kalas and Bob Uecker.
How many of them will make the set? We'll find out when it arrives. Look for more on Cooperstown right here on Beckett.com closer to its arrival. Look for a gallery of autographs from this one in the next issue of Beckett Baseball coming next month.
Update: A preliminary checklist since released by Panini shows the base set including just players, executives and managers. The autograph set is where the non-athlete honorees will be found. Among the signers on the initial checklist? Scully, Joe Garagiola, Brennaman, Uecker, Gene Elston, Jon Miller, Dave Van Horne, Tim McCarver and Gammons.
Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball magazine. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an email to him at email@example.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.


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O2 Academy TV recently conducted an interview with keyboardist Janne Wirman of Finnish metallers CHILDREN OF BODOM. You can now watch the chat below.CHILDREN OF BODOM will make its triumphant return to North America this February. The band has announced a six-week major market headlining tour that will kick off on February 14 in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada and hit 32 markets across the U.S. and Canada before wrapping with a two-night stand at New York City's Irving Plaza on March 28 and March 29. The tour will feature support from folk metal heroes TÝR and represents CHILDREN OF BODOM's first Stateside headlining run since the release of the band's new LP, "Halo Of Blood". Premium ticketing packages are now available through ShowStubs.com. Packages include tickets along with hats, jewelry and other exclusive items available in some markets for a very limited time (less than two weeks). New York fans will have the opportunity to see two unique CHILDREN OF BODOM shows, a different set each night. In addition, 100 two-night packages are available for New York City which include one ticket for each evening, early entry to the venue both nights, an exclusive show poster and access to the VIP Balcony section. Packages will become available to the public on November 8 at 10 a.m. local time. CHILDREN OF BODOM's eighth album, "Halo Of Blood", sold 8,400 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD was made available on June 11 in North America via Nuclear Blast Records. The cover art was created by Sami Saramäki, who was responsible for the artwork on previous CHILDREN OF BODOM albums "Follow The Reaper", "Are You Dead Yet?" and "Hate Crew Deathroll". CHILDREN OF BODOM's new album was recorded at Danger Johnny Studios in Helsinki. For the recording of the LP, CHILDREN OF BODOM has teamed up with recording engineer Mikko Karmila, who worked with the band on their fan-favorite albums "Hatebreeder", "Follow The Reaper" and "Hate Crew Deathroll", as well as Swedish producer Peter Tägtgren (MARDUK, AMON AMARTH), who oversaw production of both vocals and keyboards on the record. The album was mixed at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki.
CHILDREN OF BODOM Keyboardist Loves PRINCE And BRITNEY SPEARS
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After studying the debate over religion in the classroom for more than two weeks, University of Georgia President Michael Adams has finally spoken out. His verdict: UGA professors have the freedom to discuss their religious beliefs and invite students to a voluntary discussion about religion, as long as their methods aren't considered coercive.
On Friday, Adams sent a letter to Charles Keith, a professor and chairman of the University Council, outlining his position on whether or not religion should be off-limits to professors in their classroom. This issue was thrust into the spotlight recently when two UGA professors were criticized by a colleague for giving their chemistry and biochemistry students invitations to voluntary discussions of science and religion.
Professor Barry Palevitz told university administrators that he believed the invitations were a violation of the U.S. Constitution's provisions for separation of church and state.
The two professors are Russell Carlson, a distinguished biochemist with the university's Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, and Henry Schaefer, an acclaimed theoretical chemist. Carlson handed out a flier earlier this fall inviting ''interested students'' to a dinner and discussion on faith and science. Schaefer issued a flier for an annual lecture about his conversion to Christianity at Berkeley.
In our Dec. 1 editorial, we criticized Adams for remaining silent on this matter. We argued that, as the university's president, Adams had a responsibility to take a position on this issue, which we believe is at the heart of a healthy learning environment and can have an enormous impact on the quality of education the university provides. In his letter, Adams stated that he waited to take a stance on this issue until he could research legal issues, historical practices and the university policy in the matter.
In his letter to Keith, Adams said UGA instructors should be mindful of how they present religious information and how it will be perceived by their students. For instance, Adams said he would caution instructors against printing any religious position or invitation of an optional discussion on a syllabus or other required class material. He suggested that a bulletin board or separate flyer would be better suited for such information.
In addition to his suggestions for how instructors might avoid future criticism, Adams clearly stated his belief that everyone in the university community must be allowed ''open, free speech on this campus...which includes freedom of religious expression.'' He said, ''Free and open discourse contributes to one's ability to evaluate a wide variety of viewpoints and is fundamental to developing a fully-educated individual.''
While Adams' letter didn't call for specific changes to the university's policy on religious expression, Keith told Athens Newspapers on Friday that policy changes could still be made. Keith said there are many faculty members interested in refining the university's policy to preserve academic freedom while preventing anything that could be seen as coercive.
We applaud President Adams for finally speaking out on this matter. An issue this controversial and significant to the university needed his input. While the University Council has the power to change the campus policy on religious expression, we hope that any change will be pursued with extreme caution. Serious consideration should be given to whether a change could have a chilling effect on the openness and health of the university's learning environment. While we agree that intimidation or coercion cannot be tolerated in a public university, we don't believe that dictating what can and cannot be spoken in a classroom is the solution.
© 2017. All Rights Reserved. | Contact Us


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Arizona Fall League Recap: 10/18
Andrew Lambo got his first day off, but the other three Pirates prospects started, with Aaron Pribanic making a relief appearance, as the Mesa Solar Sox lost 4-2 in extra innings:
-Josh Harrison (.111) started in left field, batting leadoff. Harrison went 0-for-3 with a sacrifice RBI in the sixth inning.
-Tony Sanchez (.313) started at catcher, batting eighth. Sanchez went 1-for-4 with a run scored, scoring on Harrison's sacrifice fly. Sanchez allowed two stolen bases, and caught one runner stealing.
-Jordy Mercer (.333) started at shortstop, batting seventh. Mercer went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts, and committed his third error of the AFL season on a fielding error. Mercer also was part of a 6-3 double play.
-Aaron Pribanic (0.00) pitched two shutout innings, allowing no ...
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Doubtful on both counts. Just because someone is older than…


text: My first light practice load. Stock G-20 165 Rainier plated TC/FP 1.272" COL R-P nickel brass/CCI 300 primers 5.3 grains Titegroup 1,001 fps. Two failures to extract-slow slide velocity I'm sure. Excellent accuracy though, puts my G-21 to shame. My chrono (Shooting Chrony F-1) seems to read consistently about 50-75 fps fast, for example CCI Blazer 200 clocked 1,050, which is faster than most results I've seen from a stock G-20, other calibers are the same way. I'll edit this post as I work this load up, but I couldn't find any Titegroup data for the 165's, so I thought I would post.


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In this one day class you will be exposed to metal working tools and techniques and go home with a unique piece of metal art of your creation!
This class is designed around creating a piece of garden-art, wall art or free standing piece made predominantly from sheet metal. The sheet metal will be cut using a Plasma Cutter and then assembled using a MIG Welder. Other metal working techniques will also come into play including grinding and metal bending all dependent on the design you create.
See the Classes page for more details.


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With Amazon Mobile Analytics, you can measure app usage and app revenue. By tracking key trends such as new vs. returning users, app revenue, user retention, and custom in-app behavior events, you can make data-driven decisions to increase engagement and monetization for your app. You can view key charts in the Mobile Analytics console and automatically export your app event data to Amazon S3 and Amazon Redshift to run custom analysis. Amazon Mobile Analytics is free up to 100 million events per month and just $1 per million events thereafter.
Get Started with AWS for FreeCreate a Free Account
Receive twelve months of access to the AWS Free Usage Tier and enjoy AWS Basic Support features including, 24x7x365 customer service, support forums, and more.
Mobile Analytics is now part of Amazon Pinpoint
All the functionality that was previously part Amazon Mobile Analytics is now included in our Amazon Pinpoint service. Just like Mobile Analytics, Pinpoint lets you measure app usage and revenue. In addition, Pinpoint extends this capability by making it easy to run targeted campaigns to drive user engagement in mobile apps. Amazon Pinpoint helps you understand user behavior, define which users to target, determine which messages to send, schedule the best time to deliver the messages, and then track the results of your campaign. If you are a previous Mobile Analytics customer, we encourage you try Amazon Pinpoint.
Automatically copy your app event data to Amazon S3 and Amazon Redshift, and analyze app usage patterns with SQL queries or other tools.
Amazon Mobile Analytics is Free up to 100 million events per month and just $1 per million events thereafter.
Your app data is safe with us. We don't report on or share your data with third parties.
Amazon Mobile Analytics processes ALL data received to provide accurate analytics on your app use. We never provide reports based on sampled data even if you are in the free tier.


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Product ID: 027-424164SF
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7 Days To Die: Alpha 1 Impressions
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7 Days To Die: Alpha 1 Impressions
August 21st, 2013, 03:02
After playing around with 7D2D for the last few days, I feel ready to give some initial feedback. It is
important to note, however, that this is just an alpha, meaning that several features are subject to change. This doesn't mean I will be "pulling any punches" and will address concerns I have, but it would be a big mistake to write off the game (or even individual elements at this point) this early in development based on incomplete data. The alpha exists as "a proof of concept" rather than a finished product. I will also assume that everyone knows the basic idea of the game: Survive in an open-world, sandbox environment that is overrun with zombies.
With that said, here are my thoughts.
Crafting makes up a large portion of the experience, and even at this stage of development, it is very enjoyable. The system is very intuitive without holding your hand, meaning that trial and error is needed to discover certain recipes, but it's never overwhelming or frustrating. Over time, it becomes second nature in terms of figuring out recipes and keeping track of which supplies you will need for later.
Even without a tutorial, I had no trouble crafting various tools, weapons, and building enhancements. The world is almost fully destructible, with different strength ratings given to the various materials the game world has to offer. Just about any block in the game can be destroyed and harvested for more materials. This portion of the game is very promising.
At this point, exploration is a mixed bag. It is imperative to scavenge around for materials, and different areas of the map will have different materials based on factors such as geography, plant life, climate, etc. For example, the desert portion of the map will not have much in the way of trees, making it difficult to find wood. It will, however, have a decent amount of sand and stone under the surface, which are valuable resources for making sturdy buildings out of concrete. This is a really nice touch and shows promise for making each area of the map feel like it serves a unique purpose, as well as differentiating the experience of playing in the lush forest regions vs. barren desert.
There are unique buildings, but the loot is somewhat randomized and doesn't always make sense. For example, I seem to find weapons in cars and desks more often than any other place, and it would be nice to have buildings that serve more of a "believable" purpose, such as a grocery store for food, hardware store for tools and building materials, etc. In short, I hope that in the future the game world will be fleshed out more to give that all-important sense of place and immersion, making the world feel "alive" and making exploration more meaningful.
There is potential here as well, and some of that is already realized within the different climates and the natural resources found in these different areas. It's a good sign that the developers have already considered diversity in the game world and making regions feel different from one another.
Hordes and day/night cycles.
This is my biggest complaint with the game so far, and also my biggest cause for concern for the future. In a nutshell, zombies aren't much of a threat during the day, but at night they are very dangerous, with the ability to sprint and deal massive damage (not to mention attempting to rip down any structure that stands between you and them – and they are quite effective at this, I might add).
The above is fine, but herein lies the problem: Regardless of where you are on the map or if you've cleared an area of zombies, it is currently guaranteed that a zombie horde will spawn when the sun goes down and hone in your location like heat-seeking missiles.
This is the biggest drawback I have encountered so far, as it has a negative impact on several things, starting with the pacing. Because the days are too short for a methodical player like myself to effectively set-up adequate defenses and explore, I am forced to play at a rather hectic pace; methodical gameplay or taking your time to fully explore a region is not an option here. It also ruins the atmosphere, as it takes you completely out of any sort of immersion that might exist – a horde appearing out of nowhere and homing in on your position feels far too "game-y" and is a lazy method of ensuring difficulty.
The last negative impact of heat-seeking missile zombies (trademark pending) is that it removes any tension from the survival experience. It's kind of hard to fear a zombie horde showing up on your doorstep when you know
when and where this will occur, as it is a guaranteed event. The tension would be much greater if the player was given the choice of exploring the world at night at the risk of
being detected by a dangerous group of zombies. Or, if you've holed up in the safety of a home somewhere, you have no idea if or when a horde would appear. If I've learned anything from Thief: Deadly Shadows' infamous "The Cradle" level, it's that the tension caused by what
happen is more effective at creating fear than what actually
occur. When an event finally does happen, it's the build-up that makes it exciting and satisfying.
Make no mistake, I am all for the idea of being in constant danger, and there
to be an ever-present feeling of danger in a game of this nature to prevent the experience form being boring. But when the danger is so predictable and lacks dynamic implementation, it is a cop-out method of creating difficulty. Hopefully this is addressed by the developers in future builds.
The Good stuff
7D2D is at its best for this initial alpha release when played co-op with a friend. This allows you to multi-task more efficiently and set-up better defenses for when the inevitable angry hordes of zombies appear to tear it all down. It's very rewarding when your defenses manage to hold on throughout the night, and I've seen some very creative defenses being built by the early adopters of the project. There's an addictive cycle of "what else can I build to keep out the hordes at night?" when daybreak gives you a respite from the hordes. Creativity is not hampered very often by the already excellent crafting system, and when I'm not playing the game, I find myself constantly thinking about new designs to build.
The future: open-world survival/exploration game or Left 4 Dead?
So the big question is: which game is 7D2D going to be? Is it going to be a repetitive co-op shoot-em-up with crafting elements, or a more thoughtful survival game meant to be played at a methodical pace? Unfortunately, the answer to that question is completely unknown at this point, as it is unclear what the developer's overall vision is beyond the core mechanics in place at the moment.
As I mentioned in the intro paragraph, this game is far too early in development to cast final judgment. The public alpha is a "proof of concept," and many aspects are place-holders subject to change. With that said, there are some concerns I have in the alpha, and I cannot be certain if these are simply placeholder features meant to be changed and improved as development continues, or conscience design choices. Until I know for certain, I would place 7D2D in the "wait and see" folder for now. If this is going to be indicative of the final product, then I would not recommend it. However, if these concerns are addressed, then it would become a very entertaining, highly addictive open-world survival game.
Keep an eye out for updates as the game continues its development. The above observations might sound a bit negative, but I overwhelmingly feel that 7D2D has a lot of potential to be a very unique sandbox survival experience. Important decisions that have yet to be made will ultimately make or break this project; hopefully the developers have the vision to take this project to the next level and fulfill its vast potential.
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is this right?
1 Attachment(s)
Ok doing a head gasket replacement on a 89 2.5 and having a bit of trouble putting the power steering pump back in. I don't know if I mounted it back in correctly, because the 2 studs on the back of the pump are not bolted to anything and there is 2 empty spots on the rear bracket. But I can't position the pump to mount into those holes. So my question is.did I mount it right?
Nvm I got it figured out. The 2 other holes in the bracket are for the intake manifold to bolt to. Now where the studs go? That one im still working on....lol
|The time now is 11:56 PM.
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This virtual collection invites students into an engaging exploration of the Civil Rights Movement.
Featuring Williams' last full-length television interview, including never-before-seen footage of his comments on life and work. Tuesday, November 21 at 7 pm
On Second Thought is a one-hour, daily news talk show that airs at 9 a.m. ET weekdays.
The second round of the GHSA Prep Playoffs saw some shocks, a few surprises, and a lot of scoring this past weekend.
So, now we're at 144…
Make your secure online donation at GPB.org.
Sun., June 16, 2013 6:00am
MARTA Seeks Input For I-20 Corridor
Atlanta's metro transit authority is inviting the community to learn about proposed transit projects in the I-20 East Transit initiative.
Full Story
Fri., September 21, 2012 9:54am
New Georgia Policy Completes Streets
Georgia roads will be getting more sidewalks and bike lanes. The state's transportation board voted this week to adopt a so-called "Complete Streets" policy. The plan requires bike and pedestrian accomodations on new highways depending on their size, location and traffic flow.
Mon., May 14, 2012 6:20pm
Tax Supporters Start Fundraising
Governor Nathan Deal spoke at a $500 a head fundraiser to support penny sales taxes for transportation. The Savannah reception was the first major fundraising push outside Atlanta for supporters of the T-SPLOST vote in July.
Wed., August 10, 2011 1:01pm
Regions Propose Transportation Wish Lists
Northwest Georgia and Atlanta regional officials are scheduled to propose their wish lists for a possible transportation tax Thursday. And with that, all of Georgia's twelve transportation regions will have wish lists ready to show voters. The lists detail how officials plan to spend a proposed penny sales tax for road and other projects.
Sat., October 16, 2010 8:00pm
Voters to Decide on Transportation Funding
On November 2nd, voters will decide whether to let the state sign contracts on transportation projects before it has all the money for them upfront.
Sun., September 5, 2010 8:00pm
More Port Traffic A Concern For Some
Highway safety advocates are concerned Georgia isn't doing enough to prepare for the thousands of new trucks expected on the roads in the coming years. Harbor expansion at the Port of Savannah alone could double truck traffic on Savannah-area roads.
Thu., February 18, 2010 8:19am
Georgia Denied Transportation Stimulus
It's the second time in recent weeks that the state has been stiffed federa
Tue., February 9, 2010 11:42am
DOT Chief Wants Another "Stimulus" for Transportation Projects
Georgia's transportation chief is calling on Washington to include transpor
Thu., January 28, 2010 2:40pm
Perdue Blasts DOT for Not Changing Accounting Practices
Governor Sonny Perdue is accusing the Department of Transportation for brea
Wed., January 20, 2010 1:57pm
Transportation Chief Open to Regional Penny Sales Tax
The state's transportation chief is open to a penny sales tax to fund regio


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STARmeterSEE RANK
Down 65,288 this week
Lila Garrett
Lila Garrett was born on November 21, 1925 in Brooklyn, New York, USA as Lila Paris. She is a writer and producer, known for The Julie Andrews Hour (1972), The Barefoot Executive (1971) and Bewitched (1964). She has been married to Don Garrett since July 1956. They have one child. She was previously married to David Rayfiel. See full bio »
Born:in Brooklyn, New York, USA


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Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal
Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal
"I could not think of a single thing I would have done differently over the past year, even over the past several years. Each of those things had led me to this moment --- to be walking back into a hospital that, in another life, I would have avoided like a structure fire. Returning to a ward that contained not even a single bar of soap, preparing to spend another night with two young boys whose language I did not speak, about to suggest some fantastically unsanitary food for dinner. This was where I belonged. That realization brought me immense comfort."
~Conor Grennan
Reviewing a book written by an author who has accomplished an extraordinary feat --- in this case, first rescuing dozens of Nepali children from human traffickers and uniting them with their families, then forming an international non-profit organization to carry out his work --- is no simple matter. For unlike authors of fiction, he must be "judged" according to his impact on the world and on how well he relays the story of his experiences. Otherwise, why would we pick up the book in the first place? It's hard not to see immediately that both Grennan's journey and his achievements are inspiring. But it's also a relief to discover that in addition to conveying a fascinating tale of real-life adventure and touting Grennan's passion for a noteworthy cause, LITTLE PRINCES showcases his winning sense of humor, immense humility and downright charm.
Part of what makes LITTLE PRINCES so valuable --- and different from some other do-gooder memoirs or travelogues of its ilk --- is Grennan's willingness to be honest about his motives at every turn. No, he wasn't planning on changing the world when he first conceived of the trip. In fact, his initial three-month stint at the Little Princes Children's Home in Godawari, Nepal, was really just an excuse to quit his job at the East-West Institute in Prague in exchange for a solo year-long tour around the world (not to mention a tactic to impress women he met in bars). "Who would dare begrudge my year of fun after doing something like that?" he recalls. "If I caught any flak for my decision to travel, I would have a devastating comeback ready, like: 'Well, frankly Mom, I didn't peg you for someone who hates orphans."'
See? Honest. Funny.
What's more, when then-29-year-old Grennan arrived in decade-long civil war-torn Nepal in 2004, he wasn't immediately invigorated by suddenly finding himself in a rough-and-tumble situation, nor was he even slightly prepared for what he would find there. A country under siege by Maoist rebels fighting against an oppressive royal Nepalese government. An impoverished population living in unsanitary conditions, without running water, toilets, or electricity. An entrenched child-trafficking scheme basically aided and abetted by both sides. No, in actuality, he was pretty freaked out. "What I wanted was to tell people I had volunteered in an orphanage. Now that I was actually here, the whole idea of my volunteering in this country seemed ludicrous."
But the more you read of LITTLE PRINCES, the easier it is to see that Grennan --- maybe in spite of himself --- is a survivor, a thinker-on-his-feet, a person who knows a learning experience when he sees it and runs with it, and most of all, a realist. Yes, he bonded with the children at the home while he was there. Sure, he adjusted to "Nepali time" and simpler living. But he also recognized an invaluable truth about the situation before leaving Nepal for the first time: "The deeper sadness, the deluge of emotion, came from admitting I was walking out on them… Despite myself, I had become a parent to these kids --- not because I was qualified, but because I had showed up."
Perhaps it was this simple epiphany that changed Grennan's life and the lives of hundreds and (hopefully) soon-to-be thousands of Nepalese children.
Over the next three years, he would return to Nepal many times. After discovering that the children who lived at Little Princes weren't orphans, but rather kids who were either stolen outright or donated to traffickers by parents hoping to protect them from being inducted into the Maoist rebel army, Grennan and Farid --- a friend and fellow volunteer --- vowed to do what they could to help reverse child trafficking in Nepal. Along with trusted guides, he (quite literally) hiked for days through the Himalayas to remote villages in order to track down parents. He formed an international nonprofit called Next Generation Nepal, an organization dedicated to reconnecting these trafficked kids with their communities. He partnered with another international organization, the Umbrella Foundation, to buy a home where newfound "orphans" could live fear-free. He shuttled back and forth between his rented apartment in Nepal and his apartment in New York so he could raise thousands of dollars for his cause. And most of all, he was a parent to these kids when they presumably didn't have any.
All this from a guy who professed never to truly know what he was doing at any point in the game. When describing a particular fundraising party, he writes: "The fundraisers were the first moments I realized I was actually going to do this… We would search the hills and mountains of Nepal, in some of the most remote regions in the world, until we found the families of trafficked children. People clapped. I did not add that I might be completely full of crap."
For all these reasons and more (maps! stunning photos!), LITTLE PRINCES is quite possibly one of the most impassioned yet straightforward true tales you'll have the pleasure of reading. No need for a comparison to Greg Mortenson's THREE CUPS OF TEA --- this one stands well on its own. Plus, if any of the above didn't grab your attention, there's something else to look forward to. Grennan falls in love, too.
For more information on Next Generation Nepal (and no, this plug wasn't prompted by his publisher), check out www.nextgenerationnepal.org. After reading the book, you'll want to find out more, I promise.
Reviewed by Alexis Burling on January 25, 2011
Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal
- Publication Date: January 25, 2011
- Genres: Nonfiction
- Hardcover: 304 pages
- Publisher: William Morrow


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I have just been playing around with a new service called Linkedin which allows you to build an online network of friends and colleagues for job hunting, sharing ideas, investigating investments... It is similar to a service (now defunct) called sixdegrees -- but much more useful. I am certainly happy to see people continuing to try out new ideas -- the Internet revolution isn't over. It has just slowed down a bit.
During the bubble we just got too far away from innovation and too interested in get-rich-quick. Hopefully the innovation is coming back.
Global Leader Digital Consulting Genpact Interests: Social, mobile, analytics and cloud computing, 3D printing and wearable computing, artificial intelligence. Author of Business Models for the Social Mobile Cloud (John Wiley and Sons). Past: Managing Director at PwC. CEO of Open-First. Also - The Conversation Group, The Personal Bee (Technorati), Orb Networks, CallTrex, Borland, The Dr. Spock Company, Neta4, WhoWhere? (acquired by Lycos), CMP Media, and IT Solutions.
Saturday, September 06, 2003
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Do companies hire people with critical thinking skills? I did a search on the job boards and couldn't find a single post that said "Wanted, Critical Thinkers".
It would seem as though that critical thinking skills are strategically important to any company. In a world where change happens at the click of the mouse, where understanding and using data is "critical" to strategic development and most answers to perplexing organizational problems are not on the surface, critical thinking skills ought to be in big demand.
The Art & Science of Critical Thinking
There isn't a college course you can take to learn how to master "critical thinking". Rather it is an art that gets developed over time based on experience and a diverse knowledge inventory. Critical thinking is also a science in that it relies heavily on proper data collection and analysis methods.
Critical thinking clarifies goals, examines assumptions, discerns hidden values, evaluates evidence, accomplishes actions, and assesses conclusions.
Critical thinking calls for the ability to:
- Recognize problems, to find workable means for meeting those problems
- Understand the importance of prioritization and order of precedence in problem solving
- Gather and marshal pertinent (relevant) information
- Recognize unstated assumptions and values
- Comprehend and use language with accuracy, clarity, and discernment
- Interpret data, to appraise evidence and evaluate arguments
- Recognize the existence (or non-existence) of logical relationships between propositions
- Draw warranted conclusions and generalizations
- Put to test the conclusions and generalizations at which one arrives
- Reconstruct one's patterns of beliefs on the basis of wider experience
- Render accurate judgments about specific things and qualities in everyday life
Critical thinking skills are not sought after by the many rather learned by the few. Critical thinking is a valuable skill in times of rapid change and uncertainty. We are living in those times so finding people with the skills of critical thinking will help your organization to think clearly and meaningfully in times of uncertainty.


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BERN, Switzerland, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- A 44-year-old man allegedly kidnapped his two daughters, ages 2 and 5, from their home in northeast Switzerland and then killed them and himself, police said.
The girls' mother, who was estranged from their father, called police Sunday afternoon and reported that the man had kidnapped the girls, The Local.ch reported.
Police said he fled with the girls in his car.
A manhunt for the man was launched before police received a report of a burning car in a forest clearing in the Simmenbodeli area of Saint Gallen, near Grabs.
At the scene of car fire, police found the bodies of the children. The girls' father was found a several hundred feet away suffering from serious burns.
The man was flown to a hospital where he later died.
Police said they have not yet determined how the girls died, but they have ruled out an accident.
"We assume that the man burned the car," police spokesman Peter Krusi told Blick.ch on Monday.


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Magic Valley Paramedic Remembers Heartbreaking Thanksgiving Accident
Subscribe to 98.3 The Snake on
If you're a parent, it's the one thing you fear most when you're driving. The dread of the thought of losing one of your children in an accident. For one Magic Valley family, that fear became reality on Thanksgiving several years ago. Magic Valley paramedic, James Pennington, remembers that terrible day.
"Witnesses stated that he crawled across the interstate and held onto his sister and was asking for help."
"I was working at St. Luke's and we were dispatched to the interstate for a roll-over accident on Thanksgiving Day. When we arrived, you could tell by the bystanders and the EMS responders that there was just something different about this crash."
"When we got to the back of the ambulance, we were told that our patient was a male child. He'd been riding in a van going to another state for Thanksgiving dinner. He and his sister were watching a movie and when it got over, they tried to change the movie out. What they did was they unbuckled their seat belts and just at that time, the tire on the van blew and it rolled."
"His sister was thrown out on one side of the interstate and him on the other. Witnesses stated that he crawled across the interstate and held onto his sister and was asking for help."
This is the one reason why you never ever allow your kids to unbuckle seat belts while your vehicle is moving. No matter if you're traveling over Thanksgiving or any other day, you never want to have to experience what James and this family did.


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In the biggest game of the season the New England Patriots ran over the New York Jets 45-3 and Toucher & Rich talked to Chris Gasper about the future of this Patriots team. Should the fans be excited after this win and start looking toward the Super Bowl?
Mark Sanchez took a big hit early in the game, did that hit have anything to do with his poor performance? They also discussed the differences between Tom Brady and Mark Sanchez.


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No Schumacher statement today
2 January 2014 – Michael Schumacher's spokesperson Sabine Kehm has said there will be no statement issued on Thursday on the state of the German's health.
The seven-time F1 world champion remains in a 'stable' but 'critical' condition after he sustained a serious head injury in a skiing accident in the French Alps on Sunday morning.
Speaking on Wednesday outside the hospital in Grenoble, Kehm said: "Michael's condition has been supervised all the night and remained stable over the night and also now. The good news for today [Wednesday] is that we do not have to hold a press conference because there are no significant changes."
Meanwhile, three-time F1 world champion, Niki Lauda has said he is praying for the 44-year-old, who will turn 45 on Friday.
"I believe there is someone up there trying to help in this situation," Lauda told reporters. "He decides things we cannot understand. I find it completely shocking and unexplainable why this great driver, who won seven championships in over 300 races and stayed alive, could have something like this happen to him.
"I pray to god that it will all end well."


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© 2009 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. All rights reserved.
Rehabbing LaPorta grabbing degree
Tribe first baseman hopes to be ready for Spring Training
By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com
CLEVELAND -- Matt LaPorta, two months removed from surgeries on his left hip and his left big toe, is off crutches. And that's a good thing, because LaPorta has an important walk to make this weekend.
LaPorta has completed his recreation and event planning degree at the University of Florida, and he plans to walk in the commencement ceremony on campus Saturday."It was important, because it was unfinished business," LaPorta said. "I went to school for four years. It was right there for me to take hold of it and graduate. It wasn't something out of reach. Baseball might not always be around for me. I need my education to fall back on." Of course, the 24-year-old LaPorta has no plans to put his degree to use just yet. There is still plenty of baseball to be played. LaPorta projects as the Tribe's regular at first base in 2010. But first, he'll have to fully recover from the pair of surgeries, which will probably have him a bit behind his teammates in Spring Training camp. All told, LaPorta will need somewhere between two and four more months to be completely recovered from the two procedures. He had arthroscopic surgery on his hip, which had bothered him for the last few weeks of the '09 season, and a second surgery to stabilize a joint in his toe, which was injured when he ran into the outfield wall on the last day of the season in Boston. The surgeries were performed by specialists in Vail, Colo., and LaPorta has spent much of the offseason in Goodyear, Ariz., where he has undergone a rehab program. He said he's coming along well. "I'm feeling really good," LaPorta said. "I'm very pleased with where I am right now. I think I should be ready for Spring Training." LaPorta is still wearing a boot on his left foot on occasion, but he's able to walk around. He'll have a recheck with his doctors in Vail in mid-January. After that point, he hopes to initiate baseball activities. "The toe is the longer rehab period," LaPorta said. "It's probably the more serious [surgery] of the two. But I'm confident in the doctors and all the therapy I'm doing that everything will be 100 percent again." Once he's back to 100 percent, LaPorta hopes to build on an '09 season that saw him get his first taste of the Major Leagues. He posted a .299 average and .917 OPS in 93 games at Triple-A Columbus and a .254 average and .750 OPS in 52 games with the Indians, who acquired him in the 2008 trade that sent CC Sabathia to the Brewers. So 2009 will go down as the year LaPorta graduated to the big leagues and graduated college. "I tried to make the most of my time while at Florida," he said. "I just didn't want to waste anything."
Anthony Castrovince is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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I'm a believer in following your instincts. Like when taking the SAT or dating. Don't over think it. No paralysis by analysis. Go with your gut.
And here's what my gut's telling me right now: Mat Latos is going to pitch a gem tonight against the Padres at Petco.
First, Latos is on a roll. He's 2-0 in his past two starts, both complete games. Total runs allowed: 2; hits: 6; strikeouts: 20; walks: 2.
And now he returns to Petco to face his old team. Latos said he deemed his trade to Cincinnati as simply "business." The athlete's cliché is that when facing your old team for the first time "it's just another game."
Rack that one up as one of the Top 10 Biggest Lies In Sport. "It's just another game" is an athlete not wanting to drop the curtain and tell you what's really on his/her mind. Here's what the athlete's really thinking:
"You dumped me. You traded me. You didn't think I was good enough. OK, tonight I'm unleashing my A+ game, shoving those bats up your leister and showing you what you're missing."
No one has ever questioned Latos' "stuff." (In baseball speak, "stuff" means the ability to naturally throw hard, with movement, to command the strike zone with multiple pitches.)
Latos' stuff runneth over. But many questioned his emotional "stuff." He often felt robbed by umpires and reacted demonstrably on the mound, which didn't endear him to umps.
One time last year he tried to ease his way into a start and came out throwing his fastball in the high 80s. After being taken deep for a first-inning home run, his next fastball registered 95 mph on the radar gun, which perplexed Bud Black to no end.
Here's another factor pointing to Latos pitching marvelously tonight. The Padres have been crushing the ball of late. They went 7-3 on their just-completed road trip to hitter friendly Minute Maid Park, plus Coors and Chase Fields. The Pads are 13-9 in their last 22 games, scoring six or more runs eight times.
Seems whenever the Pads bust out the bats on the road, they immediately return home and break out into a Petco malaise.
So expect your typical Petco game tonight. Scoreless after four; 1-0 Reds after six; tied after seven; then Luke Gregerson gives up an eighth-inning two-run bomb and the Reds/Latos win 3-1.
Latos pitches his third straight complete game, striking out 10 and walking one while allowing three hits.
And if that's not how it goes down?
Well, you didn't read it here first.


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Language key to the debate over abortion
Language is all-important in the current debate about abortion. Subtle changes in the use of terms can gradually help to bring about and even justify ways of looking at ethical issues that previously were not acceptable.
A famous example of this comes from an editorial in the September 1970 issue of California Medicine, which referred to changing attitudes to abortion in Western society. It refers to the need for a linguistic strategy if abortion was to gain acceptance.
"Since the old ethic has not yet been fully displaced, it has been necessary to separate the idea of abortion from the idea of killing.
"The result has been a curious avoidance of the scientific fact that human life begins at conception and is continuous until death.
"The semantic gymnastics required to rationalise abortion as anything but taking a human life would be ludicrous if they were not often put forth under socially impeccable auspices."
It is suggested that this schizophrenic sort of subterfuge is necessary, because while a new ethic is being accepted, the old one has not yet been rejected.
This is a stark reminder not to allow slippage in our use of language which transforms our society to facilitate the taking of life in an unjustifiable manner.
We can see how far the US has moved down that road of destruction since that editorial of 1970. We are on the edge of that precipice just now.
By e-mail
To email your letter to the Editor click here


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STARmeterSEE RANK
Down 65,709 this week
Chris Grabher
Chris Grabher was born on November 28, 1980 in Queens, New York, USA. He is known for his work on Alice in Wonderland (2010), Dark Skies (2013) and Water for Elephants (2011). See full bio »
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Insure my travels
20% online discount
This month in
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Travel Insurance for weddings
The date is set, and the destination is overseas. You've planned the outfits, the flowers, the guest list, the reception and even ordered that sunset – but did you remember the Travel Insurance?
With so much at stake it really should be top of the list (or near it at any rate!). American Express Travel Insurance policies are well equipped to provide cover for your wedding abroad and offer you a wide range of options to choose from. Our annual Prestige Travel Insurance will cover the most exotic of locations and budgets, but we have cover to suit most requirements. However, please be aware that our policies will cover only you, your partner, and your children named on the certificate of insurance –additional guests will need to source their own Travel Insurance cover.
Features at a glance
*benefit levels mentioned above are based on the Annual Prestige level of cover.
|We accept the following major credit and debit cards


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Plants Eyed As Possible Home For Electronics
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Researchers at Swedens Linköping University and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences have developed a way to create electronic circuits inside living plants. Noting the similarities in function between the vascular circuitry of plants and the components of discrete and integrated electronic circuits, the team demonstrated how roses can produce both analog and digital electronic circuits, which show potential for future use in regulating the plants physiology. Their findings appear in the journal Science Advances.
After many failed attempts to introduce conductive polymers through rose stems, the team found success with PEDOT-S. When the water-soluble synthetic polymer was absorbed into rose cuttings, it hardened into a thin film along the xylem the channel through which the plant takes in water and nutrients creating a wire that conducts electricity using electrolytes from the plant without interrupting the flow of water and nutrients.
Magnus Berggren, a professor of organic electronics at Linköping University and one of the studys authors, told The New York Times the technology could, in the future, be used to regulate plant physiology, such as controlling the rate at which flowers bloom or timing their blooms to coincide with appropriate weather conditions or water availability. The result could be the ability to produce more resilient plants without exposing them to chemicals or genetic modification.
Other possible applications include harvesting small amounts of electricity from trees or other plants. Today, the most natural way to convert the chemical energy of a tree is to burn it, Berggren told the paper, But maybe we could actually gently tap out some of the energy without killing it.
This story continues on EDN.


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Exercise Programs
Fitness has so many possibilities as to what you can use, do, and how you can apply it to your own goals. It is rare to find somebody that will have a routine just like you, so why not take advantage of that and create a fitness routine that works for you? This article can help you.
A very good tip in reaching a well rounded physically fit body is to do exercises that you tend to dislike. You probably dislike it because you are weak at it and the only way to strengthen that part of your body is to exercise and do the work out associated to it.
Even the most seasoned runner encounters muscle soreness in their calves upon waking in the morning. Try this: sleep on your stomach and allow your feet to hang over the side of your bed. Overnight, the effects of gravity will lightly stretch your muscles, making them noticeably less sore when you wake up the next morning.
Try getting your exercise before you begin your day instead of at the end of the day. In this way, you will have more energy for exercise, and you will gain more energy to devote to your daily activities. You may have a hard time getting up early to exercise at first, but after a few days, your body clock will reset and you will begin to reap the benefits of exercise – including deeper and more satisfying sleep.
When you are doing crunches, push your tongue firmly against the roof of your mouth. Doing so forces you to straighten out your neck, preventing any chances of neck injury. This also helps to decrease neck fatigue, and allows you to increase the amount of crunches you are able to do in one sitting.
By making a few minor modifications to your bench pressing routing, you can target different areas of the body. To focus on your chest muscles, try to squeeze the bar inward. You can switch the focus to your triceps by performing close-grip reps while squeezing the bar away from you or outward.
Switch up your routine. If you have a regular exercise routine or exercise using some sort of circuit at your local gym, try to mix it up a little. You might stop seeing results as fast if your muscles are given time to adapt to a routine once you stick with it long enough.
Instead of only doing seated calf raises or only doing standing calf raises, mix it up! Calves are actually made up of two separate muscles. By doing both straight-leg reps and bent-leg reps, you are ensuring that both muscles in your calves are getting a proper workout. This will allow you to see noticeable results much sooner.
When working out, it is important to keep in mind that shorter workouts are better than lengthier ones. Increase your workout slowly over time and remember that quality training is better than longer training sessions. This will prevent muscle strain and instead will build your muscle strength in a safe and healthy way.
Finding an excuse to not continue your fitness plan is much easier than staying motivated in fitness. To stop yourself from making excuses, stock your home up with exercise DVD's, great music and any other tools that you use to workout. If you can't make it to the gym for one reason or another, you'll still have the capability to work out at home, reducing the excuses you will have to not stick to your fitness plan.
Add some incline to your walking or running workout. Turning up the incline will help firm up your glutes and also help you to burn up to 60 percent more calories. If you don't have a treadmill to workout on, go outside and find some hills to walk up.
When stretching, you should spend twice as much time on stretching tight muscles as you would for flexible muscles. Focus your stretching on muscles that are tight, not so much on the ones that are flexible. Men typically have a few problem areas, such as lower back, hamstrings, and shoulders.
Ask around if you feel that you're performing an exercise wrong. Working out is all about experiencing new things, but sometimes when you perform an exercise without correct form it can lead to less-than-ideal gains or even injury. Asking your fellow gym-goer can be helpful, but an experienced trainer who helps people work out generally has more expertise in those areas than your average Joe.
A great fitness tip is to always make sure you drink enough while working out. New studies have shown that beginners who drank a supplement immediately after training to failure gained over five pounds of muscle in eight weeks. You do not need any fancy drinks. A pint of chocolate milk provides all the nutrients you need.
Walk for about half an hour a few times a week. This will increase your bone density, which makes bearing weight easier. That's helpful for anyone who has to lift things on a regular basis, as well as anyone who has started training with weights. Older people can benefit from greater bone density as well.
If you are going shopping at the mall, you can add exercise to this fun activity by walking around the mall before you start shopping. If you have a smaller mall, increase the amount of times that you walk through the mall before shopping. You can also try walking up the escalator to add a little more exercise.
A great fitness tip is to make sure you're breathing properly while lifting weights. A lot of people who are new to lifting weights don't breathe properly. This makes them tired and clumsy. Always be sure to inhale and exhale properly whenever you decide to lift weights.
Exercise Programs
A great way to get physically fit is by choosing an exercise programs that firms and tones the muscles in your body, and you gives you lots of flexibility. Look for classes located in the area you live in.
One of the main reasons people fail to continue exercise programs is boredom. There is nothing as boring as walking or jogging on the same treadmill, day after day. The key for many people is variety of exercise. For example, a few weeks of cycling could be followed by a week of running, followed by a week of playing tennis.
One of the exercise programs usually offered is the aerobic class. This means performing long lasting, medium intensity exercises. Choose this program whenever available as this type of exercise strengthens the respiratory and the heart muscles and improves the blood circulation. As a general effect, it reduces the body's stress level, burns fat and promotes general wellbeing.
Isn't creating your own personal fitness routine exciting? As you have seen in this article, there are a lot of ways this can be done and no two routines will yield the same results. There are also lots of customizable options that can work with your body, health, and budget. Exercise Programs.


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Williams Route 66 Marathon wins third place in national medal competition.
The Williams Route 66 Marathon, in its sixth year, finished third in a competition recognizing the best 25 marathon medals in North America in 2010. Marathon & Beyond, a 15-year-old, international bimonthly magazine tailored for marathoners and ultramarathoners, conducted the competition with a panel of 22 judges and announced the results in its May/June 2011 […]Read More
St. Louis Couple Gets Fooled
Mike Boettge, a half marathon veteran from the St. Louis area, ran his first marathon in Tulsa in 2009. The My First Marathon medal enticed him to Tulsa, and he loved the race. He was so impressed with the Williams Route 66 Marathon that he talked his fiancé, Becky Maresca, into running her first half […]Read More
April social media contest: your funny running story
The Williams Route 66 Marathon is reintroducing our social media contest for the 2011 family of events. Each month we will give away one free entry to the 2011 Williams Route 66 family of races to one lucky participant. For the month of April, we want to hear your funny running story. Simply post your […]Read More
Visit Route 66 Marathon's photo booth in Oklahoma City
If you're attending the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon Health and Fitness Expo, Williams Route 66 Marathon invites you to visit our booth and say "cheese." In addition to displaying our award-winning medals and information on this year's race, the Williams Route 66 Marathon exhibit will feature a free photo booth. We invite all attendees to […]Read More
Featured artist: Dante & the Hawks
Dante & the Hawks will be featured as one of the main stage act at the 2011 Williams Route 66 Marathon. Finishers of the marathon, half marathon and relay will cross the finish line into a world of celebration, hydration and music, thanks to the Hawks. The Hawks have been performing at live music venues […]Read More
April 1 v. April Fools
The official, sanctioned April 1 Williams Route 66 Marathon newsletter arrived in runners' inboxes in the late afternoon hours of Friday, April 1. This is in place of the April Fools' Day newsletter that each person received earlier on April 1. We hope you enjoyed reading the faux stories, and had as much fun reading the newsletter […]Read More
Website redesign includes language translation, easier navigation
The two websites of the Williams Route 66 Marathon family, including www.route66marathon.com and www.quartermarathon.com, recently underwent a major redesign to provide easier navigation and use by all participants. The site also includes a translation button to allow international users to read the website in their native language. "Each year, the Williams Route 66 Marathon and […]Read More
April Fools!
April Fools from the Route 66 Marathon! We hope you enjoyed our April Fools newsletter as much as we enjoyed creating it. We are happy to report that the Cash for Minutes program is a complete hoax. The finisher medals will have standard length ribbons. Charlie Sheen is not scheduled to run the 2011 Route […]Read More
Information for Members of the Marathon Maniacs and 50-States Marathon Club
Maniac Corner features the following free race day benefits for members of the Marathon Maniacs and 50-States Marathon Club. Private VIP Tent and fenced in outdoor area with volunteers to make sure you have a great experience. The location of Maniac Corner is on the course, near the finish line. It is a great place […]Read More
Williams Route 66 Marathon Continues to Introduce Green Initiatives
Since inception, the Williams Route 66 Marathon and associated races have implemented initiatives to reduce the races' impact on the environment. This year, race participants have the option to personally become involved in this project. Registrants in all races have the option to opt-out of the Williams Route 66 Marathon participant shirt. If a registrant […]Read More


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Australia's Healthy Weight Week (AHWW) is coming up from 16-22 February 2015. Run by the Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA), this important week is all about getting the right advice and support for those looking to be a healthy weight – and who isn't? Carrying too much weight, especially around your waist, puts you at a higher risk of lifestyle-related conditions, such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. But the good news is that losing just 5-10 per cent of your starting weight, or dropping a few centimetres from your waist, will benefit your health and wellbeing. Being a healthy weight helps you to feel your best – and it's never too late to start!
Australia's Healthy Weight Week is in February each year, an ideal time with many Australians aspiring to eat better in the New Year. In 2015, DAA wants to get more people cooking at home. Award-winning celebrity cook, Callum Hann, and Accredited Practising Dietitian, Themis Chryssidis (both from Sprout), are supporting the 2015 campaign and will be appearing at a AHWW event in the Queen Victoria Markets on Friday 20 February 2015. Callum and Themis will be doing a live cooking demonstration and will be joined by lots of other dietitians from across Melbourne to answer questions on healthy eating and healthy cooking.
For more information, including the AHWW pledge campaign and home cooking challenge, plus nutrition tips, recipes and event details, visit www.healthyweightweek.com.au.


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Officials have identified a man whose body was found under the Rainbow Bridge Monday night.
The victim is identified as Christopher Reich of Vidor. Reich was identified through evidence collected during an autopsy Tuesday.
Monday night, Deputy Rod Carroll told 12News the Sheriff's Office responded around 5 p.m. Monday after the Coast Guard notified them they had found a body.
"A United States Coast Guard patrol located a body by the Rainbow Bridge. They contacted the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office and we dispatch our Marine division to recover the body. The body appears to be a white male, unknown age at this time, heavily tattooed with a mustache and beard," said Deputy Carroll.
Deputy Carroll said there were no obvious signs of foul play.


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Learn about this topic in these articles:
characteristics of
...(20 species). The genus Jollydora, with six species distributed in West Africa, produces flowers and fruits directly on the wood of the trunk and larger branches, a condition called cauliflory.
...variable, but the panicle seems especially frequent. In some members of Myrtaceae and Melastomataceae, flowers and fruits are borne directly on the old wood of the trunk; this is known as a cauliflory. The flowers of most species of Myrtales are bisexual (i.e., they have both male and female parts in the same flower), but those of some species of Myrtales, such as Eucalyptus...
significance in
...bat flowers also provide succulent petals or special food bodies to their visitors. Another striking adaptation is that the flowers are often placed on the main trunk or the big limbs of a tree ( cauliflory); or, borne on thin, ropelike branches, they dangle beneath the crown (flagelliflory). The pagoda shape of the kapok tree serves the same purpose: facilitation of the bat's approach....
seed dispersal
...to disperse seeds. In many cases this has favoured the positioning of flowers and fruits beneath the canopy on the trunks of trees accessible to animals unable to climb or fly, an adaptation called cauliflory. In some cases fruits are grown in the canopy but drop as they ripen, opening only after they fall to attract ground-dwelling animals that will carry them away from the parent tree. The...


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If there's one company that has a pathological need for speed, it has to be Hennessey. Bugatti might get all the attention for its utterly rapid Veyron, but you just know that Hennessey is beavering away in the background trying to best Bugatti with some 300 million horsepower (approx) creation.
While the normal Veyron chalks up a substantial 987bhp and the Veyron SS nigh on 1,200 ponies, Hennessey plans to squeeze 1,400bhp from its next model, the Lotus Exige-based Venom F5. The previous version of this twin-turbo Texan already chalked up 270.49mph in February, but the speed-hungry engineers at Hennessey have their sights set on getting much closer to the 300mph mark.
Talking to Top Gear about the new Venom F5, John Hennessey said: "I think something in the 290mph range will be possible". Unlike Bugatti's engineers who stuffed the Veyron with power-taming four-wheel drive and an automatic gearbox to make the Veyron slightly less terrifying to drive, Hennessey is ditching this heavy kit left, right and centre.
Helping Hennessey in its quest for speed the Venom F5 is rear-wheel-drive only with a six-speed robotised manual gearbox. Power from the 7.0-litre twin-turbo V8 also swells from a meagre 1,244bhp to over 1,400bhp. With weight predicted to stay below 1,300kg this machine will boast more than 1,000bhp per tonne. Thanks to optimised aerodynamics the Venom F5 definitely has the grunt to destroy some records – provided it doesn't destroy its rear tyres before that point.
The F5 should be unveiled in 2015, with deliveries to power-crazed customers starting in 2016. Hennessey plans to build at least 30 cars – each costing at least $1.2 million before taxes.
Mr Hennessey, we salute you.


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Well, it's done. Somehow, last year happened. It's over and it's never coming back.
Now, we say "Hello, 2013!"
I always dread the last day of the year, but from midnight on, I am happily and anxiously awaiting what's in store for the coming year. It's my very own clean slate, my fresh start, automatically built into the calendar.
So, How can I be useful this year?
Well, just like a good breakfast, you have to start your year taking good care of yourself. You can't help anyone else if you don't help yourself. It IS a selfless thing to put others ahead of yourself, yes, but what message are we sending those we're helping?
I believe in spreading self-love and it starts with ourselves. Everyone has a power inside them, it just needs an outlet. Think about a criminals self-worth. Everyone deserves to feel loved and though I wish I could get to them all, i can't. That's too much for any man.
What I plan to do is sprinkle a little love all around the city. It will spread, I'm sure of it.
This has been wise words from Willow.