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Public concern over airborne metals and chemicals has been recertified as a hot-button health issue.
The Dallas Morning News ran a 1,200-word story in January on how close to an Exide Technologies lead recycling smelter the state may locate its monitoring equipment for air toxics, a tug-of-war that highlights the mundane headaches required to collect actual data.
But what if there were a secret technique to avoid all of that messy stuff?
Voila! Click on to USA Today's Web site and you will find a fascinating database accompanying a series titled "The Smokestack Effect: Toxic Air and America's Schools." The database provides information on the five worst air pollutants estimated at each of 128,000 schools and the five polluters most responsible for those toxics, along with a good-to-bad nationwide ranking.
According to a first-place award citation in February from the National Institute for Computer-Assisted Reporting, the USA Today reporters "gathered tens of millions of air quality and industrial pollution records" and "then used the Environmental Protection Agency's own pollution model to identify thousands of schools where the air was far more toxic than in nearby neighborhoods."
Unknown is whether there was any discussion at the institute over whether the citation should be lengthened slightly to include inserting the words "likely to be" just ahead of "far more toxic."
As a reality check, the newspaper also sponsored actual air sampling at nearly 100 schools, although there was no systematic way to use those samples to modify the 128,000-school model. The direct measurements showed that the Tennessee school modeled as the worst in the nation received much less contamination than had been projected.
The on-site data showed "levels of manganese thousands of times lower than what the model estimated would be in the air." The nearby manufacturing plant that uses manganese explained that the waste metal ends up embedded in shards of steel that are swept up from the shop floor and discarded. If that information is correct, the material shouldn't have been coded as manganese emitted into the air. Whether it should have been reported to the EPA as manufacturer waste at all is a separate question.
It would be poetic justice for someone to create a scorecard evaluating the newspaper's smokestack project. That's unlikely to happen. The reason is cost.
After the newspaper ran its series, the EPA launched a school air toxics project of its own, taking actual measurements. For a limited period, readings are being taken at 63 sites at a cost of $2.5 million, or about $39,680 per site.
Assuming the unit cost could be halved with greater scope and that a 5-percent sample of schools nationwide would suffice, the cost of evaluating "The Smokestack Effect" would be $127 million. And that's without reimbursing state environmental agencies for the staff time needed to retrieve and replace filters and administer the programs. The EPA's current $2.5-million payout only covers equipment and laboratory analyses.
USA Today's effort is impressive for intellectual elegance in its mingling of sources. The question is how close does the methodology it embraces square with actual measurements and real-world conditions?
Essentially, "the Smokestack Effect" constructs a virtual world from the limited facts available plus an intricate structure of modeled assumptions. "For each square kilometer, the model produces an estimate of which chemicals were in the air, where those chemicals came from and how harmful they might be," said USA Today reporters Blake Morrison and Brad Heath. USA Today's final ingredient was a roster of exact school locations, cobbled together from two dozen or so sources.
A limited reality check for USA Today's modeling will become available within the next year. As it turns out, four of USA Today's 10 worst sites are covered by the EPA measurement program still taking place. One score is already in: the Tennessee school that ought to have had a manganese problem but didn't.
The EPA does an annual Toxics Release Inventory that puts plant-level data into the public domain. The agency also sponsors a software product called Risk-Screening Environmental Indicators, which pulls together risk ratings for each toxic with geographic modeling of air emissions.
Whatever its shortcoming may be, the Risk-Screening software has been evolving since 1991. That allows the developers to respond to feedback, to make changes when users spot shortcomings. The alternative of doing real measurements, aside from being expensive, is subject to Murphy's Law.
The EPA acknowledged recently that an equipment problem messed up readings at 24 of the 63 schools in its current project. It seems the timer that triggers the "off," after 24 hours of "on," was leaking its own chemicals into the filter chamber.
The orthodox solution would be to send the device back to the EPA for repair. However, some state and local agencies, doing the grunt work, chose a low-tech fix: they removed the timer. On two successive days, at the same hour, a staffer went to the problem site. First visit: Turn the gadget on. Second visit: Turn the gadget off and remove the canister.
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The Korean producers 'seem to think they have a good case, but personally I wouldn't get overly confident.'
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MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 28, 2013--
Graco Inc. (NYSE: GGG) today announced results for the quarter
and year ended December 28, 2012.
Summary$ in millions except per share amounts
Diluted Net Earnings per Common Share
"Fourth quarter performance for Graco was strong, despite ongoing
weakness in Europe and Asia," said Patrick J. McHale, President and
Chief Executive Officer. "Growth in the Americas was broad based, led by
our Contractor segment, reflecting a construction market that is on the
path to recovery. European sales were flat in the quarter, when compared
to the prior year on a constant currency basis and excluding
acquisitions, with growth in the emerging markets of Eastern Europe
offset by continued strains in Southern Europe. Activity levels in Asia
Pacific also remain soft, with particular weakness in the mining sector
served by our Lubrication segment. Outstanding factory-level execution
and the acquisition of the Gema Powder Finishing business contributed
significantly to our increased earnings in the fourth quarter. I would
like to thank all of our employees worldwide for their dedication to
Graco and for constantly striving to improve our operations."
Consolidated Results
For the quarter, sales were up 18 percent, including increases of 20
percent in the Americas and 39 percent in Europe, and a decrease of 5
percent in Asia Pacific. Translation rates did not have a significant
impact on sales growth for the quarter. For the year, sales increased 13
percent (15 percent at consistent translation rates), including
increases of 13 percent in the Americas, 22 percent in Europe (28
percent at consistent translation rates) and 5 percent in Asia Pacific.
Changes in currency translation rates decreased sales for the year by
approximately $15 million.
Sales for the quarter included $32 million from Powder Finishing
operations acquired at the beginning of April, including $6 million in
the Americas, $20 million in Europe and $6 million in Asia Pacific.
Sales for the year included $93 million from Powder Finishing, including
$19 million in the Americas, $52 million in Europe and $22 million in
Asia Pacific. For the quarter, sales at consistent translation rates and
before acquisitions were up 14 percent in the Americas, flat in Europe
and down 17 percent in Asia Pacific. On the same basis, sales for the
year were up 9 percent in the Americas, up 2 percent in Europe and down
5 percent in Asia Pacific.
Gross profit margin, expressed as a percentage of sales, was 55 percent
for the quarter, up slightly from last year, and 54 percent for the
year, 1½ percentage points lower than last year. For the quarter and
year, the effects of strong operational performance in legacy businesses
offset the unfavorable effect of lower margin rates on acquired Powder
Finishing operations. Non-recurring purchase accounting effects totaling
$7 million related to acquired inventory were recognized in the second
quarter, reducing gross margin percentage for the year by approximately
1 percentage point.
Total operating expenses for the quarter increased $11 million,
including $9 million from Powder Finishing operations. Operating
expenses for the year increased $45 million, including $25 million from
Powder Finishing and an $8 million increase in acquisition and
divestiture expenses.
The April purchase of Powder Finishing and Liquid Finishing equipment
operations had significant impacts on interest expense (increased $10
million for the year) and other expense (income), which included
dividend income of $12 million ($4 million for the quarter) received
from the Liquid Finishing businesses held as a cost-method investment.
The effective income tax rate was 28 percent for the quarter and 31
percent for the year, compared to 30 percent and 32 percent for the
comparable periods last year. This year's effective rates were reduced
by the effects of the investment income from the Liquid Finishing
businesses held separate and a tax rate reduction resulting from a tax
holiday in a foreign jurisdiction.
Segment Results
Certain measurements of segment operations are summarized below:
Net sales percentage change from last year
Operating earnings as a percentage of net sales
Industrial segment sales increased 25 percent for the quarter, all from
the addition of Powder Finishing operations. Without Powder Finishing,
sales for the quarter increased 10 percent in the Americas, decreased 4
percent in Europe and decreased 15 percent in Asia Pacific. On the same
basis, sales for the year increased 10 percent in the Americas,
decreased 2 percent in Europe (3 percent increase at consistent
translation rates) and decreased 7 percent in Asia Pacific. Powder
Finishing operations contributed to segment operating earnings in the
third and fourth quarters, but at a lower rate on sales, which drove the
decrease in the operating margin rate for the Industrial segment.
Contractor segment sales increased 13 percent for the quarter and 3
percent for the year. Sales for the quarter increased 25 percent in the
Americas, but decreased 4 percent in Europe and 6 percent in Asia
Pacific. For the year, sales increased 5 percent in the Americas,
decreased 5 percent in Europe (flat at consistent translation rates) and
increased 4 percent in Asia Pacific. Higher sales and the leveraging of
expenses led to improvement in operating earnings as a percentage of
Lubrication segment sales decreased 3 percent for the quarter and
increased 7 percent for the year. Sales for the quarter increased 8
percent in the Americas and 16 percent in Europe, and decreased 39
percent in Asia Pacific. For the year, sales increased 13 percent in the
Americas, 2 percent in Europe (7 percent at consistent translation
rates) and decreased 10 percent in Asia Pacific. For both the quarter
and the year, improved gross margin rate and leveraging of expenses led
to improvement in operating earnings as a percentage of sales.
On April 2, 2012, the Company completed the purchase of the finishing
businesses of Illinois Tool Works Inc., first announced in April 2011.
The acquisition includes Powder Finishing and Liquid Finishing equipment
operations, technologies and brands. Results of the Powder Finishing
business have been included in the Industrial segment since the date of
In December 2011, the United States Federal Trade Commission ("FTC")
filed a formal complaint to challenge the proposed acquisition on the
grounds that the addition of the Liquid Finishing businesses to Graco
would be anti-competitive, a position which Graco denied. In March 2012,
the FTC issued an order (the "Hold Separate Order") that allowed the
acquisition to proceed to closing on April 2, 2012, subject to certain
conditions while it evaluated a settlement proposal from Graco. Pursuant
to the Hold Separate Order, the Liquid Finishing businesses were to be
held separate from the rest of Graco's businesses until the FTC
determined which portions, if any, of the Liquid Finishing businesses
Graco must divest.
In May 2012, the FTC issued a proposed decision and order (the "Decision
and Order") which requires Graco to sell the Liquid Finishing business
assets, no later than 180 days from the date the order becomes final.
The FTC has not yet issued its final Decision and Order. The Company has
retained the services of an investment bank to help it market the Liquid
Finishing businesses and identify potential buyers. The sale process is
expected to be completed within the 180 days allowed by the Decision and
While it seeks a buyer, Graco must continue to hold the Liquid Finishing
businesses separate from its other businesses and maintain them as
viable and competitive. In accordance with the Hold Separate Order, the
Liquid Finishing businesses are managed independently by experienced
Liquid Finishing business managers, under the supervision of a trustee
appointed by the FTC, who reports directly to the FTC.
Under terms of the Hold Separate Order, the Company does not control the
Liquid Finishing businesses, nor is it able to exert influence over the
Liquid Finishing operations. Consequently, the Company's investment in
the Liquid Finishing businesses has been reflected as a cost-method
investment, and its financial results have not been consolidated with
those of the Company. Income is recognized based on dividends received
from current earnings and is included in other income.
The Liquid Finishing businesses generated sales of $63 million and
EBITDA of $12 million in the fourth quarter, both of which were
increases compared to the prior year. Sales and EBITDA for the
nine-month period since completion of the purchase were $199 million and
$39 million, respectively.
"We expect growth in every region of the world in 2013," said Mr.
McHale. "In the Americas, the continued recovery in the construction
market should provide a tailwind for both our Contractor and Industrial
segments. Further, we expect the general economic environment for
industrial manufacturing to remain stable in the United States through
2013. Although the economies of Western Europe are still struggling to
find their footing, we expect growth from the emerging markets of
Eastern Europe to drive moderate growth in the EMEA region in 2013.
While our Asia Pacific region will continue to face weak economic
conditions and difficult comparables into the first half of 2013, we are
hopeful that the business will gain momentum as the year progresses.
With a modest increase in volumes, we expect factory performance in 2013
to remain solid and continue to drive profitability. The Graco team is
focused on executing our strategies for growth in 2013."
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
A forward-looking statement is any statement made in this earnings
release and other reports that the Company files periodically with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as in press releases,
analyst briefings, conference calls and the Company's Overview report to
shareholders, which reflects the Company's current thinking on market
trends and the Company's future financial performance at the time they
are made. All forecasts and projections are forward-looking statements.
The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements in light
of new information or future events.
The Company desires to take advantage of the "safe harbor" provisions of
the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 by making
cautionary statements concerning any forward-looking statements made by
or on behalf of the Company. The Company cannot give any assurance that
the results forecasted in any forward-looking statement will actually be
achieved. Future results could differ materially from those expressed,
due to the impact of changes in various factors. These risk factors
include, but are not limited to: economic conditions in the United
States and other major world economies, currency fluctuations, political
instability, changes in laws and regulations, results of litigation,
administrative proceedings and regulatory reviews incident to our
business, and changes in product demand. In addition, risk factors
related to the Company's acquisition of the finishing businesses from
ITW and proposed divestiture of the Liquid Finishing equipment
operations include: whether and when the required regulatory approvals
will be obtained, whether and when the Company will be able to realize
the expected financial results and accretive effect of the transaction,
how customers, competitors, suppliers and employees react to the
transaction, economic changes in global markets, the extent of the
acquired businesses required to be divested, whether the Company will be
able to find a suitable purchaser(s) and structure the divestiture on
acceptable terms, and whether the Company will be able to complete a
divestiture in a time frame that is satisfactory to the Federal Trade
Commission. Please refer to Item 1A of, and Exhibit 99 to, the Company's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal year 2011 (and most recent Form
10-Q) for a more comprehensive discussion of these and other risk
factors. These reports are available on the Company's website at www.graco.com/ir
and the Securities and Exchange Commission's website at www.sec.gov.
Conference Call
Graco management will hold a conference call, including slides via
webcast, with analysts and institutional investors on Tuesday, January
29, 2013, at 11:00 a.m. ET, to discuss Graco's fourth quarter and
year-end results.
A real-time Webcast of the conference call will be broadcast live over
the Internet. Individuals wanting to listen and view slides can access
the call at the Company's website at www.graco.com/ir.
Listeners should go to the website at least 15 minutes prior to the live
conference call to install any necessary audio software.
For those unable to listen to the live event, a replay will be available
soon after the conference call at Graco's website, or by telephone
beginning at approximately 2:00 p.m. ET on January 29, 2013, by dialing
800-406-7325, Conference ID #4587286, if calling within the U.S. or
Canada. The dial-in number for international participants is
303-590-3030, with the same Conference ID #. The replay by telephone
will be available through February 1, 2013.
Graco Inc. supplies technology and expertise for the management of
fluids and coatings in both industrial and commercial applications. It
designs, manufactures and markets systems and equipment to move,
measure, control, dispense and spray fluid and coating materials. A
recognized leader in its specialties, Minneapolis-based Graco serves
customers around the world in the manufacturing, processing,
construction and maintenance industries. For additional information
about Graco Inc., please visit us at www.graco.com/ir.
Current Assets
Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash provided by
operating activities
Source: Graco Inc.
Graco Inc.James A. Graner, 612-623-6635orMedia
Contact: Bryce Hallowell, 612-623-6679

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Decorating Your Online Community for the HolidaysCommunity General Guides Ning's Tips and Tricks
If you run an online community, what are you doing to mark the season? The last candle of the Menorah will be lit on Saturday, and many are eagerly awaiting a visit from St. Nick. Historically, there is a sharp downturn in web traffic for non-ecommerce websites around Christmas time.
A jolly atmosphere that reflects shifts in your real-world environment creates new potential to bridge this lull and may even boost engagement in your community. Give members a reason to spread the joy with you.Brick and mortar establishments don't have a monopoly on holiday decorations. You can break out the twinkly lights, poinsettias and dreidels and set your online community ablaze with winter warmth and merriment.
Consider your community, however—you'll want to update the look of your network in a way that adds holiday spirit but doesn't overshadow your members' main reason for visiting. Adding animated auto-play carolers to the main page could scare some people off, but including a festive banner, virtual mistletoe or twinkly lights can be charming and memorable.
Twinkly lights with CSS
Ning Superstar soaringeagle shared the following CSS code that you can use to make twinkly lights brighten up your community.
#xn_bar,.xg_theme .xg_module_head {background-image:url("http://webdeveloper.com/animations/holiday/christmas/gifs/xmas_light.gif");background-repeat:repeat-x;}
See the festive holiday decoration live here.
Snowstorm with JavaScript
Scott Schillman has been "bringing snow to the web since 2003." Even if you're in Australia this December, you can enjoy a light snowfall with Schillman's JavaScript hack. To add the snow effect to your network, you'll need to upload the original file, grab the new URL for the snowstorm, paste it into the code (see below), and then add that code to the Custom Code section on the dashboard of your network. If this sounds complicated, head to our Creators community for some extra guidance.
<script type="text/javascript" src="Replace-this-text-with-the-snowstorm-URL"></script>
Seasonal header or banner images
Don't want to introduce a cold front or controlled blizzard into your community? You've got options! You can pack quite a holiday punch into a banner or redesigned header image.
If you're not already using the Instant Ad Boxes on your network, you can repurpose them for just about anything—holiday banners included. The Instant Ad Boxes are as versatile as a text box and up to three times as wide. To open up space above and below the header on your network, head to Dashboard > Settings > Features Layout. The, check the box(es) next to Instant Ad Boxes (at the bottom of the page) and click "Save."
Next, you'll need to find your holly jolly imagery. Creative Commons has a great search tool that will help you find images licensed for commercial reuse and modification. Christmas Stock Images is another helpful resource this time of year. If you want these graphics to stretch across the width of the page, resize them to 960px.
You can thread season's greetings throughout your community by adding similarly themed images to text boxes elsewhere on the main page. Or, maybe try this: Update the default member profile image to a snowman.
Holiday-themed discussions
Invite your members to share tidbits of their own. Most embarrassing holiday moments? Most magnificent holiday moments? Favorite holiday cookie recipes? Point visitors to these timely discussions by linking directly to them from a text box on the main page. If you've already got a tight-knit group, you can use the Forum or a Message Broadcast to start a gift exchange or mobilize a charitable event.
When you're taking down the decorations this year, leave a little something behind. The new year is a great opportunity to thank all your members for making the community what it is today. You can hang a 'Best Wishes' note to express your gratitude and issue one more gesture of good will before it's back to business as usual.
Custom NingBot holiday cards
Head to holiday.ning.com to assemble your own NingBot holiday card. Choose a backdrop and dress up your NingBot with a rosy nose, elf shoes, a corncob pipe, nerdy glasses, angel wings, bunny slippers…the list goes on. Include a personal note and send season's greetings to friends and loved ones who make your spirit bright.
Happy holidays!
Images courtesy of sammydavisdog and Christmas Stock Images


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This week's Grand Valley Power Student of the Week plans to carry a tune into her future, as music plays into every aspect of Central High School Senior, Hillary Gore's life.
Hillary is a violinist in her high school orchestra and she also teaches music lessons as an intern at Bookcliff Middle School and as a private instructor out of her home.
Her teachers say they are confident that she will be very successful in her pursuit to become a music teacher. Amber Campbell, Central High School Music Teacher says, "She's going to be a great teacher, one of the best students she has a real ability to work with young kids and students. They all really love her."
Next fall Hillary plans to attend college either in Wyoming or at the University of Northern Colorado to study music.


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Mark Millar and John Romita Jr.'s "Kick-Ass" comic continues with the saga of high school geek Dave Lizewski and his transformation into the violent vigilante in the current seven-issue miniseries "Kick-Ass 2," the second portion of the trilogy. The comic is nearly halfway through its run (No. 3 came out Aug. 24) and is still as popular as ever with five reprintings of issue No. 1 of the series alone. Hero Complex contributor Jevon Phillips caught up with writer Millar to find out what's going on with the title and to get some answers about a movie sequel.
JP: OK, first let's get two things out of the way before we get to "Kick-Ass 2" and "Kick-Ass 3." What did you think about "Super"? It came after "Kick-Ass" and was pretty similar in tone…
MM: "Super" was an amazing movie. One of the best things I've seen this year. Because it was released a year after "Kick-Ass" and dealt with similar themes, a lot of people thought we'd been ripped off, but I can say without a shred of doubt that the story was being worked on at the same time I was writing "Kick-Ass" and we weren't ripped off in any way. The writer and director, James Gunn, is an email mate of mine, and it was genuinely just a coincidence. This happens all the time, and the movies are so different in execution I actually think they really complement each other. James is a brilliant writer, by the way. He wrote Zack Snyder's best movie so far, "Dawn of the Dead," and in my view actually managed to improve upon the classic. He also directed a brilliant flick called "Slither," which I would urge people to see.
JP: And the second thing that's on people's minds: How do you feel about the DC relaunch?
MM: I'm delighted to see DC getting back in the game with their reboot. Making characters who are as old as Donald Duck relevant to a modern audience isn't easy. I joked about how they were Botoxing these old dudes and squeezing them back into their tights, but in all seriousness it's been good for retailers and after a long time of soft sales on the bulk of their characters they've really got people's attention again. I love a lot of the guys over there and grew up with these characters. Creatively, it's not where my head's at, because I think we need to do what Stan Lee and Jack Kirby did in the '60s and move forward, creating a new generation of characters and concepts for a 21st century readership. But I like the fact they've done something ballsy like this and it's put money in the pockets of retailers. I don't know how long it's going to last in the medium term, but a nice little boost in the meantime.
JP: So now, the "Kick-Ass 2" miniseries is on shelves. Can you give us an overview?
MM: Sure. "Kick-Ass 2" picks up immediately after the credits of the first movie, and we see that Red Mist has turned his back on being an amateur superhero and wants to become the world's first supervillain. At the same time, we take the "Kick-Ass" idea to the next level to where all the amateur superheroes out there in New York start to form a gang and, essentially, a real-life version of the Justice League or the Avengers. It's a very ground-level view of what a super-team would be like, their headquarters below a pub and these guys all having collections every week to pay for coffee and biscuits at their meetings, but it builds up quickly into something not unlike the classic "The Warriors" movie from the '70s. You basically have a gang of good guys and a gang of villains out there trying to take out the other and Red Mist becomes the leader of the bad guys, finding out the heroes' secret identities and pulling their lives apart. The cops are caught in the middle of all this and Hit-Girl, of course, is a major player. She basically retired in the first book and is now living with her stepfather, being a good girl and going to girl guides and so on. She's like Clint Eastwood in "Unforgiven," except instead of tending a farm when she hangs up her gun she's hanging out with 12-year-olds and watching "Glee," desperate to pick up a knife and a machine gun again but promising her stepfather she won't.
JP: With supervillains (can they be called super?) gathering and Red Mist's evil transition, the series, though always kind of dark and brutal, seems to have taken an even more violent turn. Is this just a product of the times?
MM: The idea of "Kick-Ass" is what would happen if a kid put on a costume and tried to fight crime. As I realized on Page 15, this was going to get very violent because very quickly, if he was effective, he'd start making enemies. He's running into bad people and this escalates in the sequel because something Darwinian has happened. The emergence of the superhero has created, in essence, a supervillain fashion and to make themselves stand out from regular criminals these guys need to go to the next level. It's got nods to everything from Kubrick's "A Clockwork Orange" to modern-day shootings where alienated teenagers, spoiled and disassociated from normal life, turn their frustrations upon innocent people. "Kick-Ass" was about a boy trying to be Batman or Spider-Man. "Kick-Ass 2" is about his enemies trying to be Heath Ledger's Joker.
JP: Hit-Girl was obviously a breakout fave for comic book and movie fans. With her struggling to be "normal," what can fans expect from her in this series and beyond?
MM: The funny thing about "Kick-Ass" is that we'd only had eight issues out there by the time the movie came up. Superman, by the 1978 movie, had appeared in around 1,500 comics and countless toys, games and cartoons. But "Kick-Ass" had appeared in eight separate little books and Hit-Girl had only appeared in six of them. And yet last Halloween I literally saw three different people dressed as Hit-Girl in the street going to parties. She's just one of those characters you luck into. I've been very fortunate with the comics I've created getting picked up by the mainstream very quickly, but "Kick-Ass" and Hit-Girl's success has been astounding. We're going to release a special Hit-Girl series in April 2012 and she obviously plays a big part in "Kick-Ass 2." But like Han Solo in "Star Wars," the trick with her is not to show too much. It's cool because she's used sparingly. She's not in costume for half of "Kick-Ass 2," for example, trying to live a normal life, but that only makes it all the more spectacular when she does finally pick up a gun again and join the fight.
JP: Speaking of movie fans … how is the sequel going? Screenwriter Jane Goldman was quoted as saying she didn't think it would happen, but we can be hopeful, right?
MM: The thing about the first movie is that it kind of exploded all our careers. People forget, but this was a $28-million indie movie made in the UK. It grossed $100 million at theaters and made the same again and more on DVD and Blu-ray and got amazing reviews. So everybody involved suddenly got hired for a million different things, and re-forming the band again would be impossible. Hopefully, we can use the same actors if and when we do a sequel, but getting Matthew [Vaughn] to direct or Jane to write a movie at this budget would be very difficult because they're superstars now and they have projects of their own. I'd imagine, if this happens any time soon, that Matthew will produce and possibly co-write, like George Lucas did with "The Empire Strikes Back," and hire a new director. But there's a window because the actors are all supposed to be in high school and if this came out after 2013, for example, that window would have closed. I obviously know more than I can say, but I think people will be pretty happy with the conversations we've been having.
JP: It's been said that you envisioned the "Kick-Ass" story as a trilogy of series. Is this still the plan and, depending on how "Kick-Ass 2" ends, how far can the vigilante hero go?
MM: Yes, "Kick-Ass" is a trilogy of books and there's going to be two volumes of Hit-Girl too. And then that's it. The whole, very complete, story has been in my head since the beginning. "Kick-Ass 2" ends on a bit of a cliffhanger and this all gets resolved in "Kick-Ass 3." I've known the last page of "Kick-Ass 3" since I wrote Page 1 of the first series. Part of me loves the idea of this running and running like Spider-Man, but I also love the idea of it being finite and never being written or drawn by anyone other than me and Johnny. We can collect it into a nice box set, and hopefully it'll just become a little classic that people discover in the future like the "Godfather" movies or "Lord of the Rings." It would be easy to spin it off into lots of different books and hire other people to write them. It would be fast money because it outsells pretty much anything else out there right now. The first hardback, internationally, has sold almost a million copies everywhere from the USA to Israel to Japan and Italy and we've done five printings on the first issue of "Kick-Ass 2" alone, beating almost everything at Marvel and DC. But you have to stick to your guns and let a story have a natural length. You can't get greedy. Just because something sells doesn't mean you should milk it to death. "Kick-Ass 3" will absolutely be the last book and it's a good ending. Plus, I'm lazy. If I have a choice between writing "Kick-Ass 4" or nipping off down at the pub I'm always going to choose the pub.
— Jevon Phillips
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text:
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It was a nail biter. In the end the tension-packed Carroll County fan base erupted in frenzied joy as the Lady Panthers battled from behind to defeat Williamstown with a blink of an eyelash left on the clock.
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Is there a way to mirror databases in MySQL? In SQL Server, you have the ability to link 2 databases in a master to master relationship. One DB will accept transactions and the transactions will be committed on both DBs at the same time. Is there a a similar concept in MySQL?
its called MySQL Replication:
Replication enables data from one MySQL database server (the master) to be replicated to one or more MySQL database servers (the slaves). Replication is asynchronous by default - slaves need not to connected permanently to receive updates from the master. This means that updates can occur over long-distance connections and even over temporary or intermittent connections such as a dial-up service. Depending on the configuration, you can replicate all databases, selected databases, or even selected tables within a database.
I think the other answer missed the point of the question; which is that in SQL Server mirroring, a transaction that commits to both servers A and B are committed at the same time (in atomicity). If the transaction fails on one server, it fails on both. It doesn't seem like there is a similar feature on MySQL
If you want to setup a DB Cluster using MySQL that commits DB Changes on a Master and a Slave at the same time, your best setup would have to involve PXC (Percona XtraDB Cluster).
PXC uses the WriteSet Replication package from Galera (made by CoderShip)
It works on the premise that a transaction committed on a Master is then committed on the Slave. If the Galera code detects that the Slave could not commit and rolls back, then the Master rolls back. This process repeated if there are more than two DB Servers using PXC.
Upon installation, Percona Server has Galera integrated. Don't worry about interoperability. Percona's server binaries are a complete drop-in replacement for MySQL's server binaries.
Read documentation because there are some limitations.Such limitations include
IMHO you can reasonably live with those limitations.
If you are looking for simple mirroring, PXC would be just fine because all DB writes would go to just one server and synchronous replication would take place at COMMIT time.
I have evaluated this product and it seems very sound so far...


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Choosing the Right Law School / Re: Has anyone heard from Wash U?« on: April 02, 2009, 12:25:25 PM »
Thanks for your help, and congrats. Do you mind if I ask, in what format did your acceptance arrive? I received no email or mail this week and am hesitant to call for fear of being obnoxious (I calle da little over a week ago). Any other insight would be very helpful, especially on how decisions are rendered. I'd hate to check my email inbox constantly (which I'm doing) if it's only going to come in the mail. Thanks!


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Policy Inexperience
Still, White, who has served on the board of the Nasdaq Stock Market Inc., could face questions over her lack of policy experience as the SEC grapples with a packed rule-making agenda, including reform of regulations for money-market mutual funds and the Volcker rule ban on banks' trading with their own funds.
White didn't immediately respond to an e-mail seeking comment.
Her work as a defense attorney for some of Wall Street's biggest names could also raise concerns among lawmakers. She represented Lewis during an SEC probe of claims that Charlotte, North Carolina-based Bank of America didn't disclose bonuses that Merrill Lynch & Co. paid to executives before buying the brokerage. The bank settled the claims for $150 million; Lewis wasn't accused of wrongdoing.
In 2011, White was hired by News Corp. to defend its independent directors against claims related to the company's role in phone hacking by News of the World, its former U.K.- based tabloid.
Public Anger
In recent years, the SEC has been faulted by lawmakers, judges and investors for failing to bring more cases related to the financial market turmoil that peaked in 2008. White said last year that prosecutors shouldn't allow public anger to influence investigations.
"You should be aggressive where there is a crime," she said at a New York University School of Law event in February 2012. Prosecutors must not "fail to distinguish what is actually criminal and what is just mistaken behavior, what is even reckless risk-taking, and not bow to the frenzy," she said.
White also surfaced in an SEC controversy when she worked on behalf of Morgan Stanley to vet John Mack before he was named CEO of the investment bank. She sought information in 2005 from then-SEC enforcement director Linda Thomsen about what an insider-trading probe of hedge-fund manager Pequot Capital Management Inc. revealed about Mack's involvement.
An SEC inspector general's report issued in 2008 questioned whether Thomsen should have shared information about a potential target with White. The agency later informed Mack and Pequot that it had closed the investigation and wouldn't pursue any action against them.
Copyright 2014 Bloomberg. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


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At the Lathe: Turn a Natural-edge Bowl
Get clean cuts and a nice finish from a challenging piece of material.
By Judy Ditmer
Pages: 90-94
From the February 2007 issue #160
Buy this issue now
A natural-edge bowl is one of the iconic forms of modern woodturning, and it is still a great way to show off a beautiful piece of wood. It's also a good test of your developing turning skills. Good tool control is crucial for getting a clean cut and a smooth curve, especially on the wings of the bowl, where it will be difficult or impossible to adequately sand out any major defects.
From the February 2007 issue #160
Buy this issue now
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May 10. 2013 9:10PM
CONCORD — A woman woke up early Friday morning to discover a man in her 11-year-old daughter's bedroom, police said.
David Mandigo, 42, of Concord, was arrested Friday afternoon on charges of burglary and felony sexual assault.
Police said the incident happened in a North State Street home about 3:45 a.m. Investigators said the daughter was sleeping and there is no indication she was injured as a result of the incident, but they were looking into a possible assault.
Mandigo was arrested at his home in Concord Friday afternoon after the New Hampshire State Police Laboratory "was able to examine a critical piece of evidence recovered at the scene," police said.


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Matthew McConaughey a dad again: Report
Matthew McConaughey is a dad again, according to U.S. reports.
The movie star's wife Camila Alves gave birth on Friday morning at a hospital in Austin, Texas, reports TMZ.com.
McConaughey first announced the news his partner was pregnant in a tweet back in July – a month after he and Alves wed.
The couple has been dating since 2006. McConaughey and Alves already have two kids, Levi, four, and two-year-old Vida.
Details of the newborn's sex and name were not available when WENN went to press.


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Does anyone use Oregano Essential Oil in this way?
"4-5 drops under your tongue every morning and wash it down with fresh squeezed juice with super green food added to it.
Also used it for infections - dilute it with olive oil before using it. You can rub it into your fingernails for fungal infections.".
"You can also mix a drop in with coconut oil and baking soda to make a healthy, natural toothpaste.
Leaves your mouth really clean and kills bacteria."
[Comments above taken from Facebook]


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Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories
New MyDMV options increase customer service and help lessen visits to DMV offices
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has announced the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles has expanded its online services, making it easier for New York motorists to quickly and easily view the current status of a driver license and renew or replace a driver license, permit or non-driver ID online through the DMV website.
"Instead of waiting on line at the DMV, New Yorkers will now be able renew or replace their driver licenses, check the number of points on their license, and much more with the click of a button," Cuomo said. "This expansion of the DMV's online services is part of my administration's efforts to make all of state government more accessible and convenient for New Yorkers. I encourage all New Yorkers to consider going online for their next interaction with the DMV."
In addition to the services listed above, customers are also able to check the address they have on file, any driving endorsements or restrictions, the number of points on their license, and information about suspensions or revocations and the steps they can take to clear them. The new service is available to those who establish a free MyDMV account on the DMV website and is part of the agency's customer service initiative.
Commissioner of Motor Vehicles Barbara J. Fiala said, "The goal of our customer service initiative is to make our entire operation fast, easy and convenient. This new online service is a win not only for the customers who go online, but also for those who need to visit an office since wait times at DMV offices will also be decreased."
While accessing driver license information and transactions, MyDMV online customers can also sign up to receive email registration renewal and inspection reminders, purchase a copy of their driver record, register to vote and enroll as an organ donor, along with more than 35 additional transactions that can be completed on the DMV website.
Customers with a driver license can sign up for their free MyDMV account at the DMV website (www.dmv.ny.gov). Signing up requires the customer to provide information that is printed on a license document and the last four digits of a Social Security number. Customers also select a username and password when establishing an account that will allow them to conduct additional transactions in the future.


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President To Pardon Turkeys
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama throws his support behind Liberty...
< Obama Asia Tour Ending
Nov 20, 2012 07:21
Category: General News
Category: General News
Rain and Wind have pounded Washington and Oregon
SEATTLE (AP) — Rain and wind have pounded Washington and Oregon, flooding streets, toppling large trucks, cutting power to more than 20,000 people, and causing at least one death. Flood warnings have been issued for a handful of western Washington rivers, with moderate flooding expected today along the Chehalis River in the Centralia, Wash., area. Nearly 2 inches of rain fell in six hours yesterday in one Seattle neighborhood — a total that Seattle Public Utilities meteorologist James Rufo-Hill called "extraordinary."


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The Best Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe
How to make the best pumpkin spice latte at home with pumpkin puree, coffee, milk, and fall spices. Better than Starbucks! Jump to the Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe or watch our quick video showing you how to make it.
The moment Fall hits, we rush to our local coffee shop and order a pumpkin spice latte. We love them so much, we took it upon ourselves to try making it at home. This recipe is easy and I bet you have most, if not everything, you need to make it at home right now.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: These Homemade, Spiced Pumpkin Scones are incredible and have lots of 5-star reviews to prove it. Try them soon!
How to Make the Best Pumpkin Spice Latte at Home
This recipe comes together in under 10 minutes.
Start by heating milk, pumpkin puree, and sugar on the stove. You can use whole, 2 %, skim, or dairy-free milk. Coconut or almond milk would be delicious.
How to make homemade pumpkin puree from scratch to be used in your favorite pumpkin recipes. See the Easy Pumpkin Puree Recipe
Then we add vanilla, pumpkin pie spices, and strong coffee. The mixture gets divided between two mugs and it's time for whipped cream.
Simple, quick, and no coffee shop lines.
Use this homemade pumpkin puree for things like our Easy Pumpkin Mac and Cheese, Homemade Pumpkin Pancakes, Seriously Good Pumpkin Cupcakes and Pumpkin Pie.
Recipe updated, originally posted November 2011. Since posting this in 2011, we have added a recipe video and tweaked the recipe to be more clear. – Adam and Joanne
The Best Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe
Make the popular coffee house pumpkin latte at home. Canned or homemade pumpkin puree both work well in this recipe.
You Will Need
2 cups milk (dairy or non-dairy)
2 tablespoons pumpkin puree, see our homemade pumpkin puree recipe
1 to 3 tablespoons sugar, depending on how sweet you like it
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, plus more for serving
1/2 cup strong hot coffee
Whipped cream, for serving
Add milk, pumpkin puree, and sugar to a saucepan over medium heat. Heat until hot, but do not boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and the coffee.
Divide the mixture between two mugs. Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Milk: This tastes best with 2% or whole milk, but you can substitute with skim milk. Non-dairy milk like soy, almond, or coconut milk will also work.
- Sugar: This recipe calls for 1 to 3 tablespoons of sugar. How much you use is up to you. We tend to prefer less sugar in our drinks. You can also use a sugar substitute. Add this to taste.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend: Find pumpkin pie spice at the store or make it at home. You likely have everything you need to make it already. Mix the following spices in a spice jar: 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon + 2 teaspoons ground ginger + 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg + a pinch of ground cloves.
- Nutrition Facts: The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have used the USDA Supertracker recipe calculator to calculate approximate values. We assumed 2% milk and 1 tablespoon of sugar.
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #inspiredtaste — We love to see your creations on Instagram and Facebook! Find us: @inspiredtaste
Food Travel: Our Lives Outside the Kitchen
5 Days Exploring the San Juan Islands, Washington
We spent 5 days exploring the San Juan Islands in Washington State. See what we did and where we ate while we were there. Read More…
September 9, 2018, 8:49 pm
Perfect treat! Better than Starbucks. I could control the calories by changing milk and sugar substitute. Thank you for the recipe!


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Dave D'Donofrio's Sox Beat: Redemption SoxDAVE D'ONOFRIO
November 02. 2013 8:18PM
BOSTON --- After more than a decade or work in baseball operations made him the hand-picked, hands-down choice to succeed Theo Epstein - and having grown up a Red Sox fan in the Plainfield, N.H., village of Meriden - Ben Cherington understood the disappointment when his first season as the team's general manager was, record-wise, its worst season in 47 years.
"We knew we let a lot of people down. I let people down. We as a group let people down," he said. "We weren't near who we wanted to be, on the field, off the field, so we were committed to trying to get back toward what we wanted to be as quickly as we could."
"We didn't know exactly what speed that would happen - and sure enough, it happened this year."
Indeed it did.
Cherington's words of reflection were spoken amid the champagne-soaked celebration of the Red Sox' World Series-clinching victory over the Cardinals Wednesday night. And on Saturday he road on a duck boat through the streets of Boston as the region came by the hundreds of thousands to cheer one of the more remarkable turnarounds in New England sports history.
Just a year after plummeting to last place in the American League East, Cherington and the Red Sox plunged into the Charles River as World Series champions.
These Sox are a team to be celebrated for so many reasons, a testament to the value of high character, of true chemistry, of tireless commitment. But if there is any single lesson to be drawn from this club and applied elsewhere, either in sports or in life, it may be the value of taking each day as it comes and making the most of it.
When the Sox convened in Fort Myers back in February, they understood the challenge ahead of them. They had seven weeks to get ready for a season they hoped would last seven months. But on the insistence of John Farrell, their new manager, they didn't look at the process in broad, big-picture terms like weeks, months, seasons or years.
"He said he was going to make the focus on the field and make the game that night the most important thing," Cherington said. "It's one thing to say in February and March, and a lot harder to pull off."
That difficulty had been painfully evident for about 18 months prior, when the focus seemed to be on everything except the field, and the distractions and dysfunction ultimately got in the way of the players stepping between the foul lines and doing their jobs.
But, from the start, Farrell and his coaches effectively laid the framework for the culture they were trying to establish, and from there the players Cherington had so brilliantly brought in to complement the talented core that remained helped set the tone of the clubhouse.
Part of that was adding players who liked each other, liked the pressure of playing in Boston, and liked the idea of building something from the bottom up.
More important, though, was the way those players all bought in to the idea that there was no sense in looking ahead, because today came first.
"The ultimate goal for everybody should be to win the World Series, but really what we focused on was the day to day," catcher David Ross said. "That's the character of this team. The guys laid it on the line every night. That's what made this team."
That's what made this team so resilient and so relentless. They never gave up on a game, whether in April or October, because every one mattered to them so much. They never fell into any prolonged collective slumps - never lost more than three games in a row - because yesterday was forgotten as soon as it was over and today became the priority. They never let the moment get too big because, to them, every moment was big.
That attitude set them up to succeed no matter the circumstances. From a late rally to win the home opener in Yankee Stadium, to a dramatic victory in the first game at Fenway Park after bombs exploded in Boston, to erasing a six-run ninth-inning deficit, to 11 other walk-offs, to matching the best in the game pitch for pitch at playoff time and coming up with so many clutch hits in the postseason, over the course of the season they won 108 games in nearly as many ways, with dozens of different guys each enjoying his moment.
"We go out with the attitude that, hey, we're coming," said right fielder Shane Victorino. "We're going to play every single out, every single inning - and if you're not ready we're going to go out and try to beat you."
"You never knew who was going to do it that night," added first baseman Mike Napoli. "We got better as the season went on. We'd just go out that day and try to win. We never got ahead of ourselves. We just kept rolling.
"And now we're world champs."
As soon as that became official with last Wednesday's 6-1 win over the Cardinals, and for the first time in 95 years the Sox celebrated a championship inside their "cathedral of baseball," as Victorino called Fenway Park, many of the players were asked when they believed this ending would be possible.
Almost unanimously they professed that they'd believed it was possible from the beginning, noting the new manager, the veteran nature of the players who were brought in and the proven abilities of the players who were here already.
They reiterated those sentiments again Saturday when they gathered at Fenway to board the duck boats. Pitcher Ryan Dempster, in fact, related the story that on the first day pitchers and catchers were joined by position players at spring training, he went up to Jonny Gomes and asked how he was doing.
"One day closer to the parade," the outfielder answered.
And day by day they went. Until it finally arrived.
Dave D'Onofrio covers the Red Sox for the New Hampshire Union Leader and Sunday News. His e-mail address is firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Feeling Tired
Matthew 11:25-30
Richard E. Zajac
Life Injections II
Further Connections Of Scripture To The Human Experience
"Come to me, all you who are weary ..."
A reflection on what may be the source of our tiredness.
During the last 24 hours each of our hearts has beat 104,000 times, our blood has traveled 168,000 miles, we breathed 24,000 breaths, and we have inhaled 438 cubic feet of air. We perspired a pint of fluid, we exercised 7,000 brain cells, and we moved 750 muscles. We spoke 4,800 words and generated 450 tons of energy. If you wonder why you are feeling tired, that's the reason. And to make matters worse, you have to do it all over again tomorrow.
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Better than what?
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Few things are more illustrative than a juicy, tightly phrased nugget of hyperbole or literary exaggeration. From Monty Python to Cicero, literature is filled with these leg-pulling and eye rolling tidbits. To wit:
You were lucky.
We lived for three months in a brown paper bag in a septic tank. We used to have to get up at six o'clock in the morning, clean the bag, eat a crust of stale bread, go to work down at the mill for 14 hours a day and when we got home, our Dad would thrash us to sleep with his belt!" (Monty Python).
"Busier than a pig on ice."
Hoisted On Their Own Petard
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Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22
Sprinkle, Sparkle
Arley K. Fadness
"Salt is good;
(v. 50a)
Good morning boys and girls,
How are you this morning? Are you feeling sunny or cloudy? Stormy or balmy? Using weather talk how would you describe yourself. For me, I'm feeling _____________.
I have a question.
And I have some surprising good news. Are you ready?
(children respond)
The question is: have you ever eaten food without salt? Did you ever eat french fries without salt? Have you ever eaten potato chips without salt? Without salt food can be tasteless and unappetizing.
Emphasis Preaching Journal
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 (2018)
Bonnie Bates
Bob Ove
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Ron Love
Mark Ellingsen
Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22
The 14th Day of Adar, the feast of Purim, commemorates a time when the Jewish people were saved during the Persian Empire. Tribal genocide was proposed by Haman; his desire was to annihilate the whole nation of Israel. Esther, you will remember, was encouraged by Mordecai to stand up for her people with the king of Persia. Risking her life, Esther goes before the king and advocates for justice.
It's More Than You Think
Frank Ramirez
Esther is not just the winner of a beauty contest. She, like us, has the potential to rise to the unexpected occasion! She turns out to be greater than we, and she, thought she was.
According to the most practical book of the New Testament, the letter of James, prayer is more than simply the channel for our hopes. Prayer is the practical avenue for getting things done with God, and should be treated seriously. Prayer is more than you think.
The Village Shepherd
Prayer And Anointing With Oil
Janice B. Scott
The chairman of our local district council has just been ordained. For the first year he will be a deacon, then in a year's time should be ordained priest in accordance with Church of England tradition. In an article in the local paper he said, "One woman told me that she got a lot from my sermons and prayers because she felt like she was leaning on a garden gate talking to God."
That seems to me to be such a good description of prayer, to be leaning on a garden gate talking to God. It conjures up a feeling
Take Up Your Ministry
Steven E. Albertin
Several years ago at my previous congregation I remember a discussion I had with the church council. It was very revealing of the kind of distorted vision of ministry that is very much afoot in the church these days.
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IT overload: Bureaucracy on bureaucracyEDITORIAL
April 16. 2014 10:45PM
New Hampshire has a Department of Information Technology (really), and that department has a commissioner. This week the state is on the verge of passing a law ordering the commissioner to be advised by the Information Technology Council in an eighth specific subject area. The first seven are also mandated by law. And you thought information technology was supposed to make state government more efficient.
Legislators in 2008 moved the information technology office out of the Department of Safety, of all places, and turned it into a real boy; well, they gave it department status anyway. But they did not really trust it with full departmental power. Like other department heads, the IT commissioner is appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Executive Council. Unlike other department heads, he must submit regularly to the advice and counsel of his peers — other department heads — as well as legislators.
The 2008 law that created the IT Department also created the Information Technology Council. It sounds like "Star Wars" meets "Star Trek" meets the movie "Office Space": A Jedi Council full of Vulcans who issue volumes of technical reports. But the Information Technology Council does not have Jedi or Vulcans. It does not even have IT guys. It is made up of seven state department heads, two legislators, one local government official, one county government official and "one person appointed by the governor…." If the law said "person or other sentient being," maybe we could get a Vulcan.
The IT Council is charged by law with advising the IT commissioner on "statewide strategic technology plans," "information technology policies and standards," "information technology budgeting and resource allocation" and four other specific items. House Bill 1327, up for a vote in the Senate today, would add data security to the list.
In case you were wondering, the IT Commissioner does not just implement the IT Council's agenda. He has 15 specific duties prescribed by law, including providing "information technology consultation" and "technical advice" to every state department and agency. So the commissioner is charged by law with advising his advisers on the topics on which they advise him. Ladies and gentlemen, this is your government at work.
The IT commissioner is a busy guy. He is in charge of the state government's computer systems and improving efficiency in every state department. He should receive input from other departments, but it is bureaucratic overkill to have him sit before a council of bureaucrats and elected officials so they can tell him how to do his job. Instead of loading the IT commissioner with more directives, legislators should be looking for ways to let him do his job more efficiently.
Although it might not matter anyway. According to the IT Department website, the IT Council last met on Aug. 17 — 2012. One of its listed members, Sen. Jim Forsyth, did not run for re-election in 2012. Either the IT Council is defunct, or the IT Department has been too busy to update its own website since May of 2013. Maybe we should let the IT Department catch up with its work before we pile more directives on the commissioner.


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University of Vermont
2012-2013 Catalogue
Special Education (Post-Master's Certificate)
The Program in Special Education offers the Certificate of Advanced Study to students with the appropriate master's degree in one of the following areas: consulting teacher/learning specialist, early childhood special education, and intensive special education. A minimum of thirty credits of course work is required.
- Colleges and Schools: College of Education and Social Services.
- Departments and Programs: Education Department. Leadership and Developmental Sciences Department.


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FAYETTEVILLE Alex Collins signed with Arkansas on Thursday, ending a 24-hour whirlwind for one of the nation's top high school running backs.
Collins, a Miami-area standout, didn't show up at his scheduled Signing Day ceremony at South Plantation High School on Wednesday. According to reports, Collins' mother confiscated his national letter of intent — a binding document between a student-athlete and university — at the school and drove away.
The mother, identified by the Miami Herald as Andrea McDonald, hired an attorney Thursday to "protect the family's interests" and to clear up "any false or inaccurate statements in the press," according to a news release. Collins' older brother, Johnny, told the Miami Herald on Wednesday that the family wants the high school senior to attend the University of Miami.
Alex Collins orally committed to Arkansas on Monday on a Fox Sports South telecast. He had other notable scholarship offers from Miami, Florida, Florida State and Wisconsin.
Razorbacks head coach Bret Bielema couldn't comment on Collins during a previously scheduled news conference Wednesday per NCAA rules, but offered his assessment on the 5-foot-11, 207-pound back quickly following his signing Thursday.
"Alex is a great addition to this class," Bielema said. "He is an upstanding young man who has impressed us throughout our time getting to know him, and he focused on making a decision that was the best for him athletically, academically and socially. He has high character and is a student-athlete we are thrilled to bring into our family.
"He made it clear to us that he truly wanted to be a Razorback, which is what we want from everyone we sign. Our goal was to add two running backs in this class to help us with numbers at the position, and Alex was a priority for his on-field impact and the person he is off the field. We have coaches on our staff with tremendous relationships in south Florida that have been crucial for us in this class, and we will continue to establish Arkansas as a choice for top student-athletes from that area. I am looking forward to having this class become part of our family and watching them grow over the next several years."
Collins, the program's 23rd signee this recruiting season, is considered the top prospect in Arkansas' 2013 signing class. He is one of four players who signed with Arkansas from the Miami area, where Razorbacks assistant coaches Randy Shannon and Charlie Partridge are considered to have strong recruiting ties.
Arkansas had only one player from Florida on its roster last season.
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Apple Campus Helps Hometown Shine
Commercial Rents and Building Activity Have Popped in Cupertino Since the Tech Giant Unveiled Plans for Futuristic Building
First the personal-computer industry, then the smartphone and then the tablet. The latest area touched by Apple Inc.'s innovation: its hometown of Cupertino.
As Apple moves closer to breaking ground on its new campus, Cupertino is experiencing a flurry of economic activity, with commercial rental rates surging and construction projects ramping up.


text: CANON FODDER - Index IndexAlien RacesStarshipsScience & TechnologyHistory & CartographySociety & CultureBiographiesManualGuestbook ArchiveSitemapPrint VersionMailformDiscuss at SCN Login Last update:30.01.2017 20:30:16 Index IndexWelcome to Canon Fodder!Star Trek, with its five live-action series and eleven movies, is an extremely complex piece of fiction. As such, it can't be free of continuity issues. Whether it's the changing make-up of alien species, the contradictory size of Federation space or the design of Enterprise NX-01, there is no satisfactory canonical solution to many inconsistencies. But what would Star Trek be without caring fans who conceive ingenious theories to fix continuity issues, fans who attempt to tie up loose ends that exist in canon Trek?Canon Fodder started off as a repository for the near-legendary posts of Bond, James Bond, at the SCN. In the future the site is supposed to present fan theories on a variety of topics which include, but are not limited to: Alien Races, Starships, Science & Technology, History, Cartography, Society & Culture, Biographies.The site is organized as a simple content management system (CMS) with restricted write access. Canon Fodder is not Wikipedia! Due to its nature we have to carefully select who is allowed to post. Please contact us if you are interested in posting, and include a list with some ideas or some samples.Contributors should read the complete manual. Powered by CMSimple Top of page Next >


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Rochester man injured following crash in Gonic WednesdayBy JOHN QUINN
Union Leader Correspondent
April 11. 2013 9:55PM
ROCHESTER – A local man was sent to the hospital for minor injuries following a two-vehicle accident along Route 125 Wednesday afternoon.
Police, firefighters and emergency personnel responded around 4:57 p.m. after a 1990 Toyota Camry, driven by a Robert Irving, 52, of Rochester, struck a 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt, driven Samantha McLaughlin, 20, of Seabrook.
Investigators believe the Camry was attempting to leave the Advance Auto Parts along Route 125 (Gonic Road) when the accident occurred.
While McLaughlin declined assistance, paramedics transported Irving to Frisbie Memorial Hospital, according to police.
Gonic Road was briefly closed to one lane of travel during the investigation. It was reopened after the Toyota and Chevrolet, which both sustained moderate damage, were towed from the scene.
Irving was issued a summons for allegedly failing to yield.


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Real Housewives of New Jersey newbie Melissa Gorga is now having to experience the not so fun part of her new found fame.
In the latest issue of the National Enquirer, out of the woodworks is a woman named Jamie Bauer alleging she had a lesbian relationship with Melissa and dated her for 18-months while she was still a teenager. In fact Jamie even ponies up photos to the tabloid magazine to prove her claim, some of which are below.
"Melissa had one of the most insatiable sexual appetites I'd ever found in a woman," declared her alleged former girlfriend Jamie, adding that Melissa once led a hell-raising life that is nothing like her now squeaky-clean motherly image. "This domesticated family woman that fans see on 'Bravo' is definitely not the same wild child I used to share a bed with when we were younger."
Jamie reveals she met Melissa when she was a 16-year-old sophomore at South Florida's Boca Raton High School back in 1995. Jamie was also 16 at the time. "We met one night at a house party and it was love at first sight," says Jamie. "As a couple, we couldn't have been a more unlikely pair. Melissa was from a affluent family and hung out with all the popular kids. She was a cheerleader, never got into trouble and made good grades. I was just the opposite. I was a high school dropout and already living on my own." says Jamie.
"After we started dating, Melissa told me I was the first girl she'd ever been with. We managed to keep our relationship a secret from her mom for several months, even though I spent the night at their house several times a week and we'd sleep in the same bed."
Jamie adds that Melissa's mom eventually caught on to the relationship and banned them from seeing each other, though they still did secretly. "I'd sneak into Melissa's bedroom window several times a week for sex," claims Jamie. Eventually things cooled off between the two when Jamie was sent to jail for a probation violation.
Jamie adds that Melissa still wrote her "steamy letters" almost every day while she was in jail. However things ended after 18 months of dating when Jamie discovered Melissa had cheated on her. "When I got out, I found out she had cheated on me with another girl while I was away," states Jamie.
Fast forward to today and it appears Melissa's alleged lesbianism didn't take as she has been married to Joe Gorga for almost 7 years with three children together, something Jamie is not too fond of. Jamie reveals watching Melissa's new life on the RHONJ makes her "nauseous." Wowzers. As for Melissa, she has yet to publicly comment on this story. You can read more about the story in the current issue of the National Enquirer.
Photos of Melissa and Jamie together are below.
In other NJ news, the Enquirer is also reporting that Melissa's sister-in-law Teresa Giudice is seriously considering getting $40,000 worth of plastic surgery after recent photos of her in a bathing suit caused her "severe anxiety." A source reveals Teresa, 39, is dealing with "a lot of insecurities."
On Teresa's reported to do list? A $12,000-$15,000 tummy tuck and thigh liposuction, a $7,500 "touch-up" on her boob job, a $5,000-$7,000 butt-lift, a $9,500 face- and brow-lift and $1,000-$2,000 on lip plumping. "She's suddenly found herself famous around the world and feels entitled to this makeover because now she's a star," said the insider. Teresa's publicist however denies she's planning any cosmetic work.
And finally, no new episode of the RHONJ will air tonight. The show returns next week with an all new episode.
UPDATE – Melissa denied the story during her recent appearance on Watch What Happens Live. According to Melissa, her relationship with Jamie was only a friendship.
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text: Home » News » Steam and Source Engine being ported to Linux Steam and Source Engine being ported to Linux MIG-31 April 26, 2012 News It seems like Valve is committed to bringing its prized digital distribution service Steam to Linux users at some point in the relatively near future. Recent news indicates that Valve has not only hired Linux developers to help port Steam and the Source engine to the OS, but Valve's Gabe Newell is now overseeing the port. Phronoix.com's Michael Larabel recently spoke with Newell about the porting process, and claims that Steam will become available for Linux in the next few months. "Gabe's vision to support, embrace, and promote Linux are amazing, assuming they execute, which looks to be very high probability at this point," Larabel said. He goes on to state that although Linux development has been going on at Valve for some time, Newell's personal involvement in the project (including relocating his desk to the Valve Linux Development camp), bodes well for the project reaching critical mass more quickly. As far as the Source Engine port goes, Left 4 Dead 2 is being used as the test case, largely due to the solid nature of the game's code. Despite a few snags, Larabel asserts that the project is moving along at a good clip, and notes that the developer's flat management structure is at least partly responsible for contributing to delays in the port's development. Larabel also claims that Newell isn't a big fan of the nearly ubiquitous operating systems like Windows or OSX, or the upcoming Windows 8, in particular. "His level of Linux interest and commitment was incredible while his negativity for Windows 8 and the future of Microsoft was stunning," Larabel said of his meeting with Newell. While it's reasonable to assume that a number of folks will be excited about finally getting some Steam in their Linux, the port of the OS could have larger implications. For example, one needs only look as far as the news that Valve has been exploring the possibility of creating some new gaming hardware and wearable computers. Source: Shacknews Share On


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Super skinny candles in alternating stripes of bright assorted colors and white. 2-1/2" tall each, pack of 24
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Earn MYER one points when you shop online with Myer.
More information
Product InfoThe new Calvin Klein Pure Seamless Illusions hipster has a modern edge on the classic fit. Smooth and seamless, it features a low rise waist, fresh stripe detailing and a logo waistband.
Our No Regrets Returns Policy is all about making it easier for you to experiment and try something new, so we've made the process of returning purchases that are 'not quite right' as easy as possible.
You can return and exchange items at one of our 60+ store locations, or return items to us by mail.


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Burton High School visit
Around 45 high school physics students are coming to visit Noisebridge with their teacher Ms. Zertuche (Amber).
Time and date: Tuesday April 2, 2013 from 9:00 to 12:30.
They would like to learn soldering and anything about electronics and wiring. But anything interesting you have to teach would be welcome.
Context: students will be starting to learn about electromagnetism and will be putting their finishing touches on their solar homes and be building speakers or wiring their solar home in the weeks following the field trip. Anybody willing to teach a class about speakers, circuit bending, or anyway that you have applied EM knowledge to your current projects or past projects please sign up below!
We should organize this page into time slots and stations for teaching, with notes on the capacity for each station.
- Martin (circuit bending, creative theory)
- Liz (beginning soldering, free/open source software and culture, contribute to Firefox)
- Dru (science, tech, egalitarian decision-making, Neuroscience, C++ & Java)
- Mitch (teach how to solder, electronics, show fun and simple projects -- but only after 11am)
- Yan
- John E.
- Chandra (?)
- Seth (tours)
- Alex (video game development)
- Lukas (just here to help in between work meetings)
- tours
- laser cutter
- vinyl cutter
- sewing
- electronics
- library
- Turing classroom
- Church classroom
- 3D printers
- kitchen
- electronics lab
- ?? (add stuff you want to teach here)
Proposed Schedule:
- 8:30am: NEED HELP TO SET UP 20 SOLDERING STATIONS IN HACKETORIUM
- 9:00: arrive, introduce Noisebridge, and tours
- 9:30: station teaching segment 1
- 10:00: station teaching segment 2
- 10:30: station teaching segment 3
- 11:00: station teaching segment 4
- 11:30: station teaching segment 5
- 12:00: free time to explore Noisebridge/get food from market
- 12:30: gives thanks and leave Noisebridge (help us clean up, too!)
- Station 1: Main room: Soldering with John, Yan, and Liz
- Station 2: Laser and vinyl cutting with Jarrod
- Station 3: Church: Video Game Development with Alex
- Station 4: Turing: Circuit bending with Martin
- Station 5: Kitchen: Quantum Electrodynamics with Dru
- (the dirty shop?)
- (the library?)
Students will rotate to each station every half hour.
Safety notes[edit]
- Do not eat while soldering. Wash your hands afterwards! (Solder contains lead.)
- Do not use the laser cutter or wood shop tools without supervision/training.


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Regions Financial Corporation (NYSE: RF) is a bank holding company that operates throughout the South and Midwest. Regions competes against other Southern-based banks like SunTrust Banks (STI) and BB&T (BBT), as well as larger, national banks such as Bank of America (BAC). Although its competitors have rebounded, RF is still suffering from the Financial Crisis.
Like its competitors, RF was hit hard by the Credit Crunch and the Financial Crisis, as the bank lost $1 billion in 2009. Regions received a capital injection from the US government via the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP). The TARP funding did cause RF to partake in the stress tests, which results showed that the bank could lose $9.2 billion in loans in the next two years. Unlike its non-regional, larger competitors, being a regional bank has handicapped RF to raise capital organically -- without the help of outside investors. RF has even considered divesting its Morgan Keegan investment business, which has been the top brokerage in the past five years. On top of RF's struggling portfolio, the bank has also had legal troubles made public on July 21st, 2009. Regions was sued by the SEC for not disclosing information to their clients and has a class action suit for charging hidden fees at their ATMs.
As a bank holding company, Regions makes money using corporate banking products such as investment banking as well as retail banking products such as ATM fees. Regions has more than 1,900 banking offices and 2,400 ATM locations. Regions is classified as a regional bank -- a bank that is prevalent in one geographic area, but lacks market share in other geographic locations. Regions is mainly located in the South; 51% of its branches are located in Alabama, Florida, and Tennessee.[1] Regions Financial is the 12th largest bank in the U.S. by assets.[2] Being a regional bank, RF competes with larger, national banks as well as other regional banks in the Southeast for clients.
The General Banking segment provides commercial, retail, and mortgage banking products. RF's banking subsidiary, Regions Bank, is centered in Alabama and has other locations in the South and Midwest United States. The breakdown of locations is:[1]
The Investment Banking segment provides brokerage and trust products, including asset management and fixed income and equity capital markets.[3] MSN Money considers Regions Financial's Morgan Keegan brand as one of the top equity research firms in the past seven years.[4] According to The Financial Times, four of Morgan Keegan's analysts are ranked #1 in their respective industries.[4] In addition, Morgan Keegan analysts have been featured in the Wall Street Journal's Best on the Street survey in 13 of the past 15 years.[5]
The Insurance segment provides health, casualty, property, life, and accident insurance. The segment offers other insurance products such as credit life, environmental,crop, and mortgage insurance.
To repair losses from the 2008 Financial Crisis, RF was given $3.5 billion in TARP funding to help cover its $5.6 billion loss in 2008.[7] After receiving the TARP funding, RF was one of 10 banks required to raise capital from the stress tests.[8] Results from the stress test showed that RF might incur $9.2 billion in loan losses in the next two years,[7] and that the bank would have to raise $2.5 billion to avoid becoming nationalized.[9] This disadvantage was apparent during the stress tests, as RF was not big enough to raise capital without selling shares or assets.[8] In comparison, larger Money Center Banks can raise capital from outside investors due to having a stronger network and investor report. Being a smaller, regional bank is one reason RF is still struggling after the crisis.
After the stress test results, Regions is also trying to remove risky assets from its portfolio. RF was not able to hedge it's Mortgage-Backed Securities (MBS) risk, such as residential homebuilder loans, Florida home equity loans and condominium loans.[8]
In July 2009, RF has been under public scrutiny for unlawfully holding information from its clients. When risk in auction rate securities surged in early 2008, Regions failed to make their clients aware that markets would become illiquid in the future,and the bank told brokers to accelerate selling until the ARS market froze in February 2008. As a result of their actions, the bank's clients lost a combined $1.2 billion.[10] The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is suing RF to pay back its clients and pay an additional fine. Since the lawsuit, RF has repurchased $56 million of the ARS from customers.[10] In addition to the SEC case, RF is under investigation for charging a $3 hidden fee to non-clients at ATMs.[11] The lawsuits has come at a bad time for Regions, who is still struggling to clean its Mortgage-Backed Securities (MBS) portfolio.
In the Banking sector, Regions Financial will have to continue playing catch-up from it's billion-dollar losses in 2008. RF's competitors, including large investment banks and retail banks, were not hit as hard as RF and have generally recovered from the crisis. The bank concentrates its efforts in the Southeast, where it has 20.7% market share in that region.[12]


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Beaumont/Port Arthur
Because of widespread interest, Lamar University's presentation of "An Evening with Thomas Jefferson on the American Presidency" will move to the University Theatre on Tuesday, Oct. 16. The program will feature historical scholar Bill Barker, acclaimed as the nation's best Jefferson interpreter.
While we harbor no disrespect for the Wall Street Journal who called us "that scrappy little paper from Southeast Texas," we prefer to think of ourselves as simple seekers of the truth. We're of the opinion that headlines and sound bites never tell the whole story. Our readers demand all the facts, facets and flavors of every story or event. And, they expect to be informed, educated and stirred to action.
For this week's New York Times crossword puzzle, pick up a copy of this week's The Examiner on newsstands now.


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Speakout.com / OnTheIssues.org
House Contact Information
Contacting Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart
Congressional District: FL - 21
Party: Republican
Hometown: Miami
Phone: 202-225-4211
Fax: 202-225-8576
Mailing address:
Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R, FL-21)
House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515-0921
Contact and Committee page:
Rep. Diaz-Balart has decided to restrict contact by not publishing an email address. Instead, contact is only allowed via a web form at
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Jake Pavelka narrowed down his bachelorettes to his final 2 last night on The Bachelor and there is a major contrast between the two remaining women.
His final pick will be either the always sweet and happy 25 year old Tenley Molzahn, or the controversial 23 year old Vienna Girardi. In a new interview with E! News, the host Chris Harrison is now promising us Jake's final pick will be a shocker. "I know for a fact Jake is happy with his decision," says Chris.
You Can Read More About Tenley & Her Ex-Husband Here!
"As far as everyone's opinion," Chris says when asked about the winner, "I will steal a line from Jake. He has said, 'I will shock people, I will disappoint people,' but he did what he feels was right, and I totally support him. Good for him."
You Can Read More About Vienna Here! and Photos of Vienna Here!
Chris also defends Vienna, who has gotten a bad rep both on and off the show. "I think Vienna has a bit of a bad rep," he explains. "I think she was put behind the 8 ball in the beginning, because when you are one on the front-runners early on, there is a target put on your back. So, there is competitiveness, there is jealousy from the other girls. But in the other girls' defense, I don't think Vienna went out of her way to fix that problem. She even stoked the flame a couple times. And so by the time she tried to apologize and make things better, that ship had sailed and it was just too late."
SPOILER – Do not highlight the sentence below if you do not want to know who wins the show.
The winner of the show is indeed Vienna Girardi. RealitySteve.com revealed this spoiler weeks ago, and so far has been accurate in all his spoilers for this season. So there you have it, Vienna is Jake's final pick. No word on if they are still together.
SO TELL US, WHO DO YOU WANT AS JAKE'S FINAL PICK? er.
[poll id="16″]


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Yesterday, Grantland.com released their Designated Player: 2012 MLS Awards. In the category of Fans of the Year, they awarded the fans and supporters of the Black-and-Red.
PHOTOS - D.C. United fans at Red Bull Arena
United fans are recognized for their display of loyalty amidst a tough playoff series against New York. A series which saw buses full of D.C. United fans travel not one night, but two nights in a row up to Red Bull Arena in the blistering cold. Since their 1996 inaugural campaign, United has been proud to boast some of the most passionate and supportive fans in all of MLS.
The same article also mentions D.C. United Head Coach Ben Olsen as a runner-up for Coach of the Year. Olsen lead D.C. to the best home record in the league, and took the team to the playoffs for the first time in five year.
READ: The Designated Player: 2012 MLS Awards