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I've recently spent a bit of time helping a client initialize snapshots for a number of production databases. Only, unlike previous engagements where this was pretty easy due to the fact that the databases being replicated were either fairly new or continuously managed, these databases are years old and have seen numerous iterations of developers without a full-time DBA on hand to help keep things nice and tidy.
Consequently, when it comes to setting these databases up for Merge Replication, I've been bumping into gobs of the dreaded 'script such and such' could not be propagated to the subscriber errors – as shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1: The last thing you want to see after SQL Server has begun applying a 30GB snapshot at the subscriber.
The schema script 'SprocOrViewNameHere_157.sch' could not be propagated to the subscriber
Commonly when you run into these kinds of errors, they're typically due to some sort of permissions or configuration problem – especially if you start seeing them immediately on the subscriber once the snapshot begins to be propagated.
On the other hand, if 'parts' of the snapshot end up getting deployed BEFORE you run into this error, it could be that it's still crashing or erroring-out because the sprocs or views you're scripting to the subscriber include GRANT statements that can't be replicated because the users (or, more importantly: logins BACKING your defined users) you're trying to grant permissions to haven't been added to the target system.
But, if you've ruled out those kinds of problems, and you're dealing with lots of older views, sprocs, and udfs that may no longer be in use or which might be suffering from other scripting errors or problems, then trying to track down root causes can be painful.
And the reason that this can be painful is that you'll only find these problems after you've waited for the time it takes to generate a snapshot, push it over the wire, and start up the propagation process from scratch, over and over as you'll need to restart each time you find a sproc of view that has some sort of syntax error or problem that prevents it from being replicated to your target. Meaning that once you find it, address whatever problems its causing, and figure out what kinds of work-arounds you'll need, you'll have to START the whole process over again.
Which, in turn, means that if you're not careful, you can quickly waste a lot of time.
Some Simple, Practical Techniques to Cut Down on Wait Times
One obvious technique you can use in cases where you're trying to replicate gobs and gobs of older code is to simply script all of the older code from SSMS, copy/paste it (either as a file or via your clipboard) from the target and destination and attempt to execute scripts on the target server. Of course, the problem with this approach is that you'll also need to replicate the schema that this code depends upon, and getting all of your ducks in a row to perfectly 'replicate' schema and code at the target can frequently be a bit of a pain. Even worse, however, is that while SQL Server replication does, in theory, simply mimic the process of scripting objects at the subscriber, the way in which it does so is typically a bit more complex and different than merely scripting out schema and objects and running scripts that the subscriber – meaning that even IF you take this approach it's NOT going to be foolproof and you can easily find yourself pushing say, a 30GB snapshot over the wire only to find that after 'churning along' for a few minutes it will still crap-out on a particularly nasty sproc or view that managed to sneak its way onboard your snapshot – even AFTER you did due diligence to try and weed it out via 'pre-emptive scripting'. (For example, maybe you've got an 'auditing' sproc that used to do something like INSERT INTO SomethingAudits SELECT *,GETDATE(), @@USERNAME FROM SomethingTable WHERE blah = 'yada'. Only, ONCE a database has been modified for Merge Replication, a new RowGuid will have been 'plunked' to the end of tables making the worst-practice of SELECT * problematic for certain types of INSERT statements and other operations).
Baby-Stepping Your Snapshots
Consequently, if you're bumping into numerous problems, one quick and simple way to make your life a bit easier is something that's quite simple – but which will save you a bunch of time. The trick, simple: stop including tables with your snapshot.
Once you've identified that you're bumping into the kind of scenario where you'll try and fail, try and fail, and try and fail due to various scripting problems in your sprocs or views, switch to a 'baby-step' approach that'll make things easier for you to tackle. Start by just replicating your tables – and nothing else. On larger databases this will generate a large snapshot, but one that should go through without any problems. And once it does, you'll have all the schema (and data) in your target database needed to let SQL Server start making sense of your sprocs, views, and udfs.
Then, once your 'data snapshot' has been delivered, simply tear down your existing publication, and recreate it with ONLY sprocs, views, and UDFs (or you can further 'baby-step' your way along with just one of those options). Doing so will mean that instead of taking long amounts of time to script, package, and transmit data, you'll only be spending a tiny amount of time as SQL Server bundles up some code, attempts to deliver it, and then crashes into another scripting problem.
Yes, you'll STILL have to deal with hideous 'schema script could not be propagated' errors and their root causes – but at least you now won't be waiting forever for them to crop up.
Likewise, if you're at a loss to figure out why a script is failing (i.e., you want to get at the root cause), don't forget that you can go grab the script from the snapshot (even if it's compressed into a cab – though you might need a third-party tool on some versions of windows) and execute it on the target server to get a feel for exactly what kind of error SQL Server is running into when it raises those dreaded 'could not be propagated' errors.


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Summer of Content 2007
From OLPC
About · FAQ · Calendar · Contact Projects · Organizations · Mentors · Interns · Volunteers
News and project updates
- July 18, 2007 - We've launched!
- Thanks to a flurry of behind-the-scenes efforts by many volunteers, we're up, running, and ready for applications just three weeks after the original idea was hatched in a tiny room in Vancouver. Help us brainstorm project ideas, find out how you can be an intern or a mentor, or catch our sessions at Wikimania!
This is the schedule for the Summer of Content 2007 program. If you'd like to hold an event (for instance, a local gathering of all Summer of Content interns in your city) list yours here.
- Matchmaking: August 1 - September 14
- Project work: August 17 - October 26 (each intern, with the approval of their mentor, picks the 6-week period that works best for them within that timeframe)
- 1 week into project: Interns (with the help of mentors) send project plans to SoCon
- 3 weeks into project: Mentors send interns midterm feedback reports
- 6 weeks into project: Mentors send interns end-of-session feedback reports
- October 26: Last day work on projects can be completed; all end-of-session feedback reports must be turned in by the end of this day
- October 29: End celebration

subset: commoncrawl


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History says Bridges and Nats are talking hot air
18 Jun 18 - By publisher ADELIA HALLETT | Is Opposition Leader Simon Bridges offer to work with the Government on climate change policy worth any more than a dodgy hot-air carbon credit?
Let's be clear - the future excludes fossil fuels
28 May 18 - By publisher ADELIA HALLETT | Debate about the future of oil prospecting in New Zealand is ignoring one very important point - the world is facing an emissions crisis, and the future does not include fossil fuels.
One way or another, oil industry got the message
4 May 18 - By publisher ADELIA HALLETT | Did the Government consult the oil industry before announcing there would be no new licences granted for oil and gas exploration?
One debate that's now over
27 Apr 18 - By publisher ADELIA HALLETT | Debate about whether New Zealand can decarbonise without going bankrupt should now be over.
Ten years on, we're back where we began
19 Mar 18 - By publisher ADELIA HALLETT | When it comes to action on climate change, were pretty much back to where we were 10 years ago, when Carbon News started publishing.
Climate change passion rides a bike
2 Mar 18 - By publisher ADELIA HALLETT | Yesterday, a young woman told an audience that included two Cabinet ministers that she was suffering from depression because of climate change.
It's about more than politics
29 Sep 17 - The next three years are more than an electoral cycle; they make up the period that could determine quite literally what sort of world we live in. And thats what should be on the minds of politicians jockeying to form the next government.
EDITORIAL: Honestly, it just doesn't make sense
25 Aug 17 - By publisher ADELIA HALLETT | A plan to lift the speed limit on some roads to 110 kilometres an hour is the latest example of New Zealands lack of joined-up thinking on climate change.
EDITORIAL: Media missing the message
18 Aug 17 - By publisher ADELIA HALLETT | Climate change is the biggest story on any editors news-list right now, claims a story in the Spinoff this week.
EDITORIAL: What this $14 billion figure is all about
25 May 17 - The $14.2 billion being bandied about this week as the cost of New Zealand's Paris Agreement pledge is not solely attributable to the purchase of international carbon credits.
EDITORIAL: What are we without our special things?
31 Mar 17 - By publisher ADELIA HALLETT | Thirty years ago today, New Zealand was on the verge of a breakthrough in environmental management.
EDITORIAL COMMENT: We cannot continue on this path
21 Mar 17 - Two reports out today signal a sea-change for New Zealand. One says the New Zealands economy is reaching its environmental limits. The other says New Zealand cannot meet its Paris Agreement...
EDITORIAL: Numbers show the game is up
13 Feb 17 - By editor ADELIA HALLETT | Try these numbers: Humans are causing the climate to change at 170 times the natural rate. Our carbon budget to keep warming below 1.5deg will be used up in five years....
EDITORIAL: Welcome to the real world that's Paris
4 Nov 16 - It's Paris Day the day the Paris Agreement comes into force.
EDITORIAL: The times they are a-changin' ... quickly
27 Oct 15 - By editor ADELIA HALLETT.- Theres been a sea change in climate change. While some far-sighted New Zealand businesses have been planning for a carbon-constrained economy for some time, the rest of...
EDITORIAL: Forget the pretence and let's make a real start with our water quality
20 Dec 13 - It's been an interesting year, with new carbon markets opening in some of the largest economies in the world, including North America and China.
EDITORIAL: The message is clear ... we have a government of climate deniers
15 Nov 13 - By editor ADELIA HALLETT. The reason for the Governments failure to take decisive action on the biggest issue facing us became clear this week; it still doubts the science behind anthropogenic...
EDITORIAL: Gluckman has arrived
2 Aug 13 - The Prime Ministers chief science adviser has stepped into the leadership void on climate change.
EDITORIAL: Is the water accord greenwash ... or hogwash?
19 Jul 13 - Controversy this week over an independent milk co-ops refusal to sign up to the Fonterra-led Sustainable Water Dairy Accord highlights the problems of self-regulation.
More in the Editorial comment Archive
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What to love (and do) about plant fibers
By Leslie Petrovski
During research trips to the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains in 2007 and 2008, archeologists discovered fragments of what appear to be the oldest textiles ever found: wild flax fibers dating back 30,000 or more years that had been twisted and dyed, most likely for cords or basket making.
That processed flax outlasted the millennia in a Georgian cave is hardly surprising if you know something about fiber. Plants are tough. Even soft-as-a-bunny's-bum cotton is stronger than wool. And flax and hemp? Stronger still.
Plant fibers have their place in a knitter's armamentarium. With summer approaching in the Northern Hemisphere, flora tend to be cooler to work with than fauna. They're also absorbent, comfortable and machine washable. And you will never accidently full a cotton sweater.
Plant fibers also help to make the craft more inclusive. Whereas wool comes from sheep and mohair from goats, cotton, linen, and hemp derive from plants and offer stitchers a plant-based alternative to animal fibers, which not everyone can wear and some animal activists object to.
If you've yet to explore vegetarian yarns, they can be something of an acquired taste. Try not to compare them to their animal-derived counterparts, rather think of them like artichokes and Brussels sprouts: intriguing, useful, and full of possibilities.
Considered the humble T-shirt of fibers, cotton also has the chameleon-like capacity to gussy up for the catwalk. The fibers that spin up into this summer knitting favorite come from the cotton plant, a bushy, flowering member of the genus Gossypium. After blooming the plant produces pods (better known as bolls) that burst open to reveal clouds of soft seed hairs. Prior to harvest, a cotton field looks like millions of popcorn balls exploded in every direction.
Photo by D. Wayne Reeves, courtesy USDA Agricultural Research Service.
Cotton fields at Auburn University. Photo by D. Wayne Reeves, courtesy USDA Agricultural Research Service.
All that white fluffy goodness serves as a delivery system for dispersing cottonseeds, it's also the foundation for your favorite skein of cotton yarn. But in order to process fiber into something spinnable, the seeds must be removed. "The seeds are loaded with oil," says Stephenie Gaustad, star of the DVD Spinning Cotton (Interweave) and the author of an upcoming book, The Practical Spinner's Guide to Spinning Cotton, Flax, and Hemp (also by Interweave). "That's a problem because the oil causes contamination and fire problems. It also doesn't make for very nice yarn."
Enter the cotton gin. Its invention by Eli Whitney, late in the eighteenth century made it possible to produce cotton textiles more efficiently without having to extract seeds by hand. (Different types of gins had been used for centuries previously in China and India.) Once ginned, the cotton lint is baled and shipped to spinning mills where it's cleaned, carded and spun into yarn. Mercerized cotton is bathed in an alkali solution and tensioned, which straightens and strengthens the fibers while also increasing their shine and ability to take dye.
Cotton fibers before and after ginning. Photo courtesy USDA Agricultural Research Service.
The resulting yarns are somewhat of a wonder fiber. Cotton is soft, durable, resists pilling, and is incredibly absorbent. According to the National Cotton Council of America, cotton can absorb 27 times its weight in water, making it conducive to warm-weather wear, plus it gets even stronger when wet.
While wool feels warm, cotton has a cool hand, which lends itself to summer knitting. It also tends to be soft (lacking the tiny surface scales that can irritate wool wearers) and feels comfortable on the body like your favorite sweatshirt. Because of the absorbency, it takes dye beautifully. Another plus: you can easily machine wash and lightly fluff it in the dryer. As a knitter, you'll find that cotton shows texture and lace well, so it's wonderfully suited to summer tops, baby things (natural and washable!), springtime wraps, chemo caps, dishcloths and light sweaters.
Boll weevil on a cotton bud. Photo by Jack Dykinga, courtesy USDA Agricultural Research Service.
Cotton has its downsides, however. Because it lacks the elasticity of wool, it can feel unyielding and stringy to knit with. It's also heavy. For projects like shawls or sweaters where you want your fabric to hang in certain ways, cotton's drape will serve you well. Knit a heavy garter-stitch jacket in cotton and it's likely to drag the floor.
And socks? They'll slide down your ankles unless your cotton is augmented with elastic, wool or acrylic. Happily, cotton plays well with other fibers. Blend it with acrylic, wool or viscose and suddenly you have a yarn that can be greater than the sum of its parts. For easier knitting, use wood or bamboo needles with sharp points.
Linen, which derives from the flax plant, is arguably the world's oldest textile. Archaeologists have discovered spun and dyed flax fibers that are more than 34,000 years old. Flax is a bit temperamental to grow, requiring cooler temps and loamy soil, but requires few fertilizers or pesticides.
Flax in bloom. Photo courtesy of Biolin Research Incorporated, Saskatchewan,Canada.
Flax is a bast fiber, which means it comes from the stringy section underneath the skin or bark of the stem. The fibers are accessed by retting, a process which literally rots (rets) away the outer tissues and sticky pectins surrounding the bast bundles. Once harvested, stems are either left in the fields—a process called dew retting—or submerged in ponds, streams or commercial vats, which is known as water retting.
After retting, the stalks are dried and then dressed. Dressing is a pretty word for the mechanical abuse process perpetrated on these plants prior to spinning. The stems are crushed to separate the useful fibers (a process known as scutching). This separates the shorter fibers (called tow) from the more desirable long or line fibers. The fibers are then straightened and combed through a mechanism called a hackler, which makes them soft enough for spinning.
Retting flax. Photo courtesy of Biolin Research Incorporated in Saskatchewan,Canada.
Tougher and more absorbent than cotton, linen is also highly inflexible and wrinkles easily. On the needles it's truculent, stiff and given to split. Ribbing? Forget about it. With linen, you'll get no stretch. Even so it's worth it. Linen acquires more luster and grace with each passing year. Think of your grandmother's linen napkins, white and soft as meringue after decades of use. Knit something fabulous in it like a top for evening, lace gloves, or table linens that will last a lifetime. For edgings try stitch patterns or put in a proper hem. (Word to the wise: Do wash and dry your gauge swatch to ensure a good match.)
Emboldened by the passage of a new state law that allows industrial hemp farming—and more famously recreational marijuana use—this spring some brave Colorado farmers will plant their first crops of the industrial plant—a move that's still illegal, according to the Feds. So for now, China is the leading producer of the fiber.
Unlike its psychoactive cousin, industrial hemp doesn't pack a THC wallop. Though closely related to marijuana (they're different varieties of the species Cannabis sativa), industrial hemp is cultivated for its health-promoting seeds and for its fiber and contains only a tiny fraction of the THC found in marijuana. To put it another way, you'd need to smoke a lot of hemp yarn to get high.
There are many reasons U.S. farmers are anxious to grow industrial hemp. "It's vegan and it's such a rare thing for people to be allergic to," explains Lana Hames of Lanaknits Designs, who began selling hemp yarn in the early 2000s. "It got a really bad rap, but it's such a fabulous plant and it grows everywhere." Hemp seeds and oil have become super trendy among health-conscious types, which has increased demand. It's also an extremely adaptable plant. While flax needs cooler climes to thrive, hemp can be grown in many conditions. It requires less water and land than cotton, needs few or no agrichemicals to be productive, and grows, yes, like a weed.
It also produces some of the strongest textiles on earth. Knitting with hemp is a bit like knitting with a skinny rodeo rope, but the yarn gets softer and more lustrous with repeated washings (some hemp yarns come pre-softened). Purportedly antibacterial, it can be machine washed and dried, delivers great stitch definition and comes in gorgeous colors. Hemp makes a great summer tee, mildew-resistant dishcloths and sturdy market bags, but it can also go upmarket, showing off lace in a shawl, skirt or scarf.
Hemp yarns. Photo by Leslie Petrovski.
Like linen, hemp is a bast fiber and its processed in the same labor-intensive and surprisingly low-tech way. The plants are retted, scotched and hackled using processing methods that remain largely the same as those used nearly 100 years ago. In part, this is because of cotton's hegemony in the market. American policy has helped make cotton—an important U.S. cash crop—into one of the most popular fibers in the world. It's been hard for hemp, with its shady reputation, and linen, notorious for wrinkling , to compete.
Comparing linen and hemp is difficult, because so much depends on the quality of the processing. Generally speaking, linen is the finer of the two fibers, while hemp is considered to be the stronger. Both are stretch resistant (and inelastic on the needles), drape well and cool to the touch. They can also be wonderfully lustrous.
Once you get the hang of knitting with a yarn with no give whatsoever, you might find you like it. Stitches tend to take on an architectural quality and hold their shape, so textures pop. These yarns can also look incredibly fresh and modern when you bump up the needle size, say using a U.S. size 6 needle (8mm)and lace-weight yarn.
When bast fibers are blended with wool, cotton, silk or synthetics, they accrue the softer characteristics of the other fibers while imparting a vegetal strength and beauty that make them worth a spin.


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Description:Proliant DL380 G3 2.4GHz Xeon 1GBPart Number(s)Hewlett-Packard Part# 349200-001
Overview:HP ProLiant DL380 G3 is the industry's most versatile 2-way rack-sever offering integrated Lights-Out management the latest performance technologies and high-availability features optimized for large data center deployments.??The ProLiant DL380 G3 is the next generation of the award-winning dense 2-way server line and combines integrated Lights-Out (iLO) with the next generation of performance technologies to give customers more control and performance in the same space-saving form factor.??Features like the standard simplex/duplex backplane six drive bays three expansion slots (two of which are hot-pluggable) optional redundant power and cooling available DC power supplies and internal tape drive and the most robust software support in the industry make this a server that will meet a wide range of deployment needs.


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Crew Union
Around in various forms since 2000, the Crew Supporters Union was officially organized and named in 2006. Though the group is based in Columbus, the Crew Supporters Union has membership outside of the Central Ohio metropolitan area with local chapters that regularly carpool to matches from Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Detroit, and Louisville. When Crew SC is on the road, you can find members at their headquarters 4th Street Bar & Grill located just one block from MAFRE Stadium. CSU is a volunteer controlled 501(c)(7) organization that is not only dedicated to supporting Crew SC and soccer in Central Ohio but actively engages in charitable causes. It is also proud member of The Columbus Idea Foundry, and they are widely recognized for their shirts released through their partnership with HOMAGE.
Hudson Street Hooligans
The Hudson Street Hooligans began in early 2006 when a small group of friends that were looking to start a new uprising in the dwindling supporters scene for Columbus Crew SC banded together. Since that time, the Hudson Street Hooligans have grown to be the largest of the three Crew SC supporter groups totaling 780 members in 2011.
La Turbina Amarilla
La Turbina Amarilla was organized by a group of Hispanic/Latino members that love soccer and wanted to bring the same passion to Columbus Crew SC. Organized in 2006, LTA brought their bass drums, snare drums and played along with all of the other supporter groups chants and songs. As Columbus grows to be more of an International city, LTA is here to welcome anyone that loves the sport of soccer and is here to support OUR COLUMBUS CREW SC.
Murderers' Row
Murderers' Row came into existence on February 22, 2011 during the frozen CONCACAF Champions League match at MAPFRE Stadium. A group of lifelong fans banded together in the hope of leaving their mark on the Crew SC supporter culture and helping others get mental for Columbus. Over the years the group has expanded our ranks with members from all walks of life and continued to support our club, city and country.
Yellow Nation Army
Yellow Nation Army (YNA) started in 2010 when two long-time supporters decided to try to bring something different to the corner. Since these humble beginnings of two guys in yellow spandex, YNA has shown to be one of the emerging Supporter Groups in the Nordecke. They live to support their beloved Crew SC, as well as their community, all while having a raging good time along the way. YNA members can be found on the west side of the parking lot before nearly every home match at one of the groups notorious themed tailgates. The tailgates are open to all so feel free to stop by and check them out. Join the YNA and you're guaranteed to be making some bad decisions with some good people in no time at all.


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Portsmouth neighbors' lawsuit seeks to put Strawbery Banke rink on iceBy JAMES A. KIMBLE
Union Leader Correspondent
September 24. 2013 9:42PM
BRENTWOOD — A group of neighbors is asking a judge to overturn Portsmouth's decision to allow Strawbery Banke Museum to operate an outdoor skating rink on its 8-acre property this winter, claiming it will add "noise, music, lights" and traffic to their otherwise quiet South End neighborhood.
Jonathan Springer, a lawyer who represents 16 neighbors, filed a petition in Rockingham County Superior Court, claiming that the non-profit museum is carrying out a commercial operation that will inevitably disrupt his clients day and night.
The residents want a judge to deem illegal a June 18 decision by the Portsmouth Zoning Board of Adjustment.
Over the objections of residents at a public hearing, the ZBA granted variances for the skating rink to operate during the winter months, court papers say.
The rink was proposed as an 85-by-120-foot oval with a 60-foot diameter circular skating area.
Supporting machinery includes a "rink chiller," a transformer, skate-sharpening machine and a concessions pavilion, according to court papers.
The museum plans to charge a fee for public skating, skating lessons, "pond hockey" and selling food and alcohol at a cafe, Springer said in court papers.
Strawbery Banke describes itself as a "living history museum" that recreates everyday life in Portsmouth from the 1600s to the 1950s.
Springer claims that property values will decrease because of the noise and traffic caused by those who use the rink.
The zoning board first took up Stawbery Banke's application on May 1.
"The application was silent regarding factors such as noise from the transformer, the 'rink chiller,' the PA system or outdoor music system and the Zamboni and lighting," Springer said in the petition.
The neighbors contend that Strawbery Banke is generally closed during the winter months, but the skating rink will transform the area "from a seasonal museum to a year-round recreation and activity center," that will be allowed to operate from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Springer told a judge that Strawbery Banke is forbidden by the city's ordinance to engage in "business or commercial uses," and is only allowed to host events.
"The proposed skating rink is not an 'event' but rather a business or commercial use," Springer said in the petition.
The city has until Dec. 5 to respond to the petition in court. A hearing on the merits of the case will be heard by a judge on Jan. 10.
Politics Courts History Tourism Winter Fun Portsmouth Top Section Stories


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CTS to Implement New Helpdesk Software
Campus Technology Services (CTS) is pleased to announce its adoption of ServiceNow, a cloud-based helpdesk ticketing system that will replace the current HEAT system on Friday, May 3.
ServiceNow is an industry-leading product with many notable clients, such as Emory University, Loyola Marymount University, Staples, SONY Pictures, and Yale University. It will allow CTS to track and service the campus community's tech support issues more efficiently.
As part of the new system's functionality, you will receive email updates whenever your tickets are modified (or if a staff member needs to communicate with you about them). These messages will originate from oswego.service-now.com, not oswego.edu. In most cases, any reply you make to these emails will be automatically appended to your open ticket(s).
CTS plans on extending capabilities of ServiceNow in the near future, including a self-service web page that will allow our users to log their own tickets and check the status of those tickets online. We look forward to serving you better with these new tools and welcome your feedback as we make additional enhancements.


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People are all about puppy love, so Jessica Alba just can't understand why parents would shy away from smooches with their children.
The mom-of-two admits she sees nothing wrong with kissing her daughters, Honor Marie, 5½, and Haven Garner, 2½, on the mouth — and can't believe others might find it unusual.
"Really?! Why?! It's your baby. People allow dogs to lick at their mouths," Alba, 32, says in the April issue of Redbook.
Despite her success in the spotlight, the actress admits many of her "closest girlfriends" hail from outside of Hollywood — straight from her Mommy and Me class.
James White
James White/Redbook
But even running in a circle of non-famous friends isn't enough to keep the photographers at bay.
"It's weird when we're doing normal mom things and there's paparazzi around," she explains. "That's the only thing that makes everyone uncomfortable."
And when she's not hanging with her gal pals, Alba is busy balancing out husband Cash Warren's love of fantasy football with her own obsessions: Instagram and bargain shopping.
"I bought my hot pink desk off Craigslist. I have a problem. I love vintage furniture and refurbishing is one of the most eco things you can do," The Honest Company co-founder says.
"I also got a couple of cool chairs and Danish mid-century credenzas off of Craigslist."
James White
— Anya Leon


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Prayers and Meditations by Bahaullah
Prayers and Meditations by Bahaullah is a sacred text of the Baha'i faith. This is the english translation in Mobipocket Reader PRC format. Mobipocket Reader is available for free download at mobipocket.com. Steps for installing: »Download Mobipocket reader. »Install Mobipocket reader on your device...Read more


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ONE OF THE BEST CONSULTING FIRM IN THE INDUSTRY / Contact Now!
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VIENNA (AP) — Leading nations of the U.N. atomic agency on Friday unanimously endorsed the agency's role as the organization monitoring Iran's compliance with a landmark nuclear deal, and its head said he was encouraged by their readiness to fund the operation.
Iran is to curb its nuclear activities under the terms of a Nov. 24 deal agreed with six world powers, and both sides agreed then that the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency should ensure that Tehran is abiding by its commitments.
Speaking to reporters, IAEA chief Yukiya Amano said that the agency's 35-nation board "expressed its full support and gave its endorsement."
Amano opened the session by urging board members to come up with the approximately 5.5 million euros ($7.5 million) the agency will need in outside funding for the mission. He said afterward that 10 nations had pledged financial backing, with some naming concrete amounts he did not specify.
He said he was confident that the agency will meet its funding goal.
Among the countries coming forward was the United States. U.S. chief IAEA delegate Joseph Macmanus said Washington intended to make "an appropriate financial contribution."
The interim deal took effect Monday, when IAEA inspectors verified that Iran unplugged banks of centrifuges involved in its most sensitive uranium enrichment work on Monday as part of its commitment to limit activities that could be used to make nuclear weapons. In response, the United States and the European Union partially lifted economic sanctions.
Both sides aim to use the six-month timeframe of the Nov. 24 pact to work on a final agreement. Iran says all of its atomic activities are peaceful but the United States and other skeptical nations seek permanent curbs on Tehran's atomic programs. Iran in turn wants a total lifting of international sanctions enacted since 2006 that have progressively crippled its economy.


text: i am setuping a ssh ftp and webserver locally on cable connection, i have my linksys router setup for port fowarding, the ssh and ftp are on one box, and the apache server on the other, both are freebsd 4.9 . how do i get them to listen on diff ports and foward them and so on cause my isp blocks incoming on all of them. and any ideas on securing any of them or links would be helpful. any help would be awesome.


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Have you considered crowd funding?
Are you wondering how it can help your business grow?
To learn about how Kickstarter has transformed the process of funding projects, I interview Richard Bliss for this episode of the Social Media Marketing podcast.
More About This Show
The Social Media Marketing podcast is a show from Social Media Examiner.
It's designed to help busy marketers and business owners discover what works with social media marketing.
The show format is on-demand talk radio (also known as podcasting).
In this episode, I interview Richard Bliss, host of the podcast Funding the Dream on Kickstarter. He's also a coach and consultant for crowd funding.
Richard shares the do's and don'ts when it comes to creating a Kickstarter project.
You'll learn the process in detail of how Kickstarter works for both the campaigner and the supporter.
Share your feedback, read the show notes and get the links mentioned in this episode below!
Listen Now
Listen now: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | TuneIn | RSSYou can also subscribe via iTunes, RSS, or Stitcher.


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Jerry Springer may have abandoned Chicago three years ago, but the impresario of camera-ready interpersonal conflict will be pleased to know that his influence remains.
It's certainly there in the two Chicago-based "reality" shows airing this summer, "Chicagolicious," a sort of hair-salon confidential, and "Mob Wives Chicago," which plays out like a middle school social scene, but in heavier eye makeup and without middle school's promise of eventual wisdom and maturity.
Like "Springer" guests, the people in these shows are ready to mix it up at the drop of an insult, or a perceived confrontational remark, or even something that couldn't possibly be taken as a slight yet somehow, miraculously, is. Why, it's almost as if the producers encourage their characters to mix it up whenever possible.
Apparently, "client comes in and gets a decent haircut" is not good TV. But "aging stylist vocationally threatened to a comical degree by any and everyone else" is.
The good news is that Chicago, to the extent that the city is pictured, looks spiffy in these shows, a place that — per ex-Mayor Richard Daley's vision of a clean, crisp, world-class urban playground — can at least provide sophisticated settings for sophomoric behavior. (And we presume, of course, that people recognize it's unfair to judge a geographical region by its reality TV participants. This is why, for instance, New Jersey continues to be held in esteem.)
The other good news is that a third reality show, "Secret Millionaire," sets its Sunday episode in Chicago, and it is almost powerful enough to act as an anti-venom to the other two. Seeing suburban rich guy Steve Kaplan give away money on the South Side takes at least some of the sting out of having to endure probably seven or eight repeats of the hair-pulling fight the "Mob Wives" got into at a downtown bar.
It's a little hard to fathom how "Secret Millionaire," with its determination to depict the pressing human need that most of television ignores, actually made it onto a network TV schedule,ABC's. But there it is, showing the other face of Chicago, where kids fight to resist gangs, homeless people bathe with hotel-soap castoffs and group homes battle to give seniors community and an alternative to the nursing home.
The other two series, though, are just standard-issue, reality-in-quotes fare, following on the high heels of assorted real housewives and celebrity families from other places.
You know the formula: Cast of characters is introduced, each with a trait that will define them for the run of the series: ingenue, stripper, what have you. An objective for the particular episode is announced — usually something very small, yet treated as if achieving it will change worlds. And then, with varying degrees of plausibility, the characters proceed to get in their own and one another's way.
These shows remind, constantly, of the old joke about academia: The fights are so vicious because the stakes are so low.
"Chicagolicious" is a bookend to an established Style Network show, "Jerseylicious," which takes those willing to view it backstage at a New Jersey beauty parlor. The local edition is set at AJ's of Chicago, the West Randolph Street home of veteran stylist AJ Johnson, and it has a handful of likable people to display, most notably the owner.
But likable does not translate to interesting, and so senior stylist Valincia — last name, Saulsberry — acts a little tipsy, seems threatened by her younger peers, boasts about her model good looks.
She constantly tells her colleagues and the cameras that "I've been with AJ for 20 years." She gets in glaring matches with younger, prettier makeup artist Katrell (Mendenhall). She has a hissy fit over a fellow stylist helping out with a photo shoot and shows up late.
To underscore all of this — ahem — drama, everybody spends a whole lot of time making soap-opera faces, exaggerated tableaux of emotion that they hold for the camera as if auditioning for Agnes Nixon herself.
There's no way to know how much of Saulsberry's behavior is put on. But if this has been the real her for the past two decades, then somebody needs to buy Johnson a "World's Most Tolerant Boss" mug, immediately.
The goals of the "Chicagolicious" crew are almost minuscule: to get mentioned in a society blog in one episode; to win the local alderman's certification as a "green" business in another; to successfully shoot a salon ad for an airline magazine.
To achieve these minor successes, they seem to spend a lot of time having meetings at budget-busting restaurants such as MK, drinking what appears to be champagne.
"Mob Wives Chicago" spins off from VH1's "Mob Wives," which originates from Staten Island. In the Chicago version — which, like "Chicagolicious," began this month — there are no wives, only daughters and nieces of men with ties to organized crime.
It's better made than "Chicagolicious," and watching VH1 shoehorn song credits into the show, a nod to ancient roots as a music channel, is unintentionally amusing.
But it's a version of the same show: Each one even has a character still living with an ex. Here, viewers are asked to peer in as a group of women acquainted with one another to varying degrees try and often fail to get along in front of the cameras.
Some of the women are strong characters, tough-talking, brassy and un-self-conscious. Nora Schweihs, the daughter of the late alleged mob enforcer Frank Schweihs, delivers one of the funniest lines heard on television this year.
After the big bar fight, she said she was feeling "Humiliation! With capital letters all the way through how it's spelt!"
You could see her wanting to express the big emotion, but at the same time realizing that she wasn't going to be able to spell the word.
Such moments do, in fact, feel real. But the reasons the women give for doing what they do are often incomprehensible: The fight happened because one character kept bringing up a conflict between two others that had been settled.
And the situations they are in are so contrived that the whole enterprise seems as unnatural as a surgically enhanced chest. (No idea why that comparison came to mind.)
The "mob," the ostensible reason for their relationship, is merely a bit player, mentioned here and there as a "lifestyle" the women have been born into but seemingly having little influence in their lives at the moment.
"Secret Millionaire," meanwhile, starts with a gigantic contrivance. A rich person is stripped of his or her identity and put into an impoverished situation to try to find heroes. Those people or organizations will then receive some kind of largesse, when the person, who has been pretending to be part of a documentary, reveals his wealth.
The reveal itself isn't all that satisfying. "I am fortunate enough to be a millionaire" recalls "Austin Powers" and Dr. Evil's failure to realize that $1 million isn't what it used to be.
But the quest for good deeds, and the way it affects the wealthy donors, is genuinely engaging stuff. "My Chicago got bigger," says Kaplan, a 52-year-old from Buffalo Grove who made his money through marketing companies and writing business books. "I now mean the North Side all the way down to 120th Street."
This is a reality show in the best sense. It shows a different reality than the one people think they know. And it changes the reality for some of its participants. When Kaplan calls his ability to help out "one of the best moments of my life," the sincerity is palpable.
The same emotional connection is present when he works on a memorial for scores of people who died before reaching adulthood.
"Why are we not outraged that this is happening?" Kaplan asks of the broader society. One possible answer lies in our willingness to be distracted by stage-managed bickering among groups of people we don't personally know.
Twitter @StevenKJohnson
'Secret Millionaire'
7 p.m. Sundays, ABC. Kaplan is hosting a viewing party Sunday at Moe's Cantina, 155 W. Kinzie St., with all proceeds going to the organizations he helps in the show.
'Chicagolicious': 8 p.m. Mondays, Style Network.
'Mob Wives Chicago': 7 p.m. Sundays, VH1.


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INDIANAPOLIS – Both houses of the Indiana Legislature have now approved bills that would restrict access to abortions.
The Indiana House voted 72-23 on Wednesday to require that women seeking an abortion be told that human life begins at conception and ban the procedure after 20 weeks unless the woman's life is in danger.
The bill also requires those seeking abortions to be told in writing that they faced a greater risk of infertility and breast cancer.
Republican Rep. Eric Turner of Cicero says it's the responsibility of lawmakers to protect the unborn and that he hoped the additional requirements would lead to fewer abortions.
The bill now goes to the Senate, which last month approved a bill with many of the same provisions.


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Climate Research
The ongoing research into climate change's effect on storm tracks continues. This study takes a look at the dynamics of the poleward shift of storm tracks under climate change.
This Week in Climate News
2013 Poised for Record Lows to Outpace Record Highs
Science Made Simple: Take the Dog for a Walk
Climate Change Will Pose Rising Burden on U.S. Taxpayer
From NASA
NASA scientists examine the Earth's climate and how it is changing. In these videos, NASA climate scientists answer questions about climate.
From NOAA
Warming and extreme dust could advance the spring thaw in the Colorado Basin by six weeks. Click here to read more.
Tweetable Fact
Take a look at how winter temperatures have been changing in the Central U.S. http://bit.ly/IBsueM
Climate Matters is on Facebook
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Mike Halpert, the Deputy Director of NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, will be joining us to talk winter weather for the upcoming season and the climate patterns that can influence it.
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Winter may not officially start until December 21, when Earth's northern hemisphere is tilted farthest away from the Sun. But meteorological winter arrived December 1 so we thought it would be a great time to discuss winter temperature trends.
Over the past 40 years or so, winters have gotten gradually warmer. From 1970-2012, winters in the continental United States have warmed up by 0.61° per decade on average.
That's just an average, though. California and Nevada have only warmed at a rate of 0.17° per decade over that time (slowest winter warming region in the country), and the Southeast has gone up just 0.29° per decade. A couple of places—northeastern Nevada and south-central Wyoming—have actually cooled down during that time.
However, the winter warming trends for both the Upper Midwest and the Northeast have been higher than the national average. The Upper Midwest is warming the fastest of any region at 1.12° per decade and the Northeast comes in second at .78° per decade. The Ohio Valley rounds out the top three, warming at .66° per decade.
But that's no surprise. Even in a world that's warming overall, there will be regional variations. The upward temperature trend is consistent with what you'd expect to happen as heat-trapping greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide continue to build up in the atmosphere.
-----------------Hurricane Season Wrap Up
The Atlantic hurricane season ended on November 30. This season was the least active since 1982 and the sixth-quietest since 1950. We've included a graphic in this alert showing the number of storms in 2013 compared to the long-term average and the NOAA's forecast at the start of the season.If you want even more information, take a look at our coverage.
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Autosegmental Phonology
This is an advance summary of a forthcoming article in the Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Linguistics. Please check back later for the full article.
Autosegments were introduced by John Goldsmith in his 1976 MIT dissertation to represent tone and other suprasegmental phenomena. Goldsmith's intuition, embodied in the term he created, was that autosegments constituted an independent, conceptually equal tier of phonological representation, with both tiers realized simultaneously like the separate voices in a musical score.
The analysis of suprasegmentals came late to generative phonology, even though it had been tackled in American structuralism with the long components of Harris 1944 and despite being a particular focus of Firthian prosodic analysis. The standard version of generative phonology of the era (Chomsky & Halle's The Sound Pattern of English) made no special provision for phenomena that had been labeled suprasegmental or prosodic by earlier traditions.
An early sign that tones required a separate tier of representation was the phenomenon of tonal stability. In many tone languages, when vowels are lost historically or synchronically, their tones remain. The behavior of contour tones in many languages also falls into place when the contours are broken down into sequences of level tones on an independent level or representation. The autosegmental framework captured this naturally, since a sequence of elements on one tier can be connected to a single element on another. But the single most compelling aspect of the early autosegmental model was a natural account of tone spreading, a very common process that was only awkwardly captured by rules of whatever sort. Goldsmith's autosegmental solution was the well-formedness condition, requiring, among other things, that every tone on the tonal tier be associated with some segment on the segmental tier, and vice-versa. Tones thus spread more or less automatically to segments lacking them. The condition of well-formedness, at the very core of the autosegmental framework, was a rare constraint, posited nearly two decades before optimality theory.
One-to-many associations and spreading onto adjacent elements are characteristic of tone but not confined to it. Similar behaviors are widespread in long-distance phenomena including intonation, vowel harmony, and nasal prosodies, as well as more locally with partial or full assimilation across adjacent segments. A major discovery, in Mark Liberman's 1975 MIT dissertation, was that autosegmental tiers have hierarchical structure, with Goldsmith's autosegments as the terminal elements of those structures.
The early autosegmental notion of tiers of representation that were distinct but conceptually equal soon gave way to a model with one basic tier—called the skeleton or CV tier—connected to tiers for particular kinds of articulation, including tone and intonation, nasality, vowel features, and others. This has led to hierarchical representations of phonological features in current models of feature geometry, replacing the unordered distinctive feature matrices of early generative phonology.
Autosegmental representations and processes also provide a means of representing nonconcatenative morphology, notably the complex interweaving of roots and patterns in Semitic languages.


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Please note: prices do not include 10% GST for Australian customers. This will be applied when you check out your order.
Elson Volley supplies the best place to buy Referee Whistle, Flipper Scoreboard, Cards, Pump Speed, Linesman Flags with best price all over Australia
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The Mikasa digital gauge is the best around. Compact, neat, extremely accurate. Includes a bleed valve. Pressure read in psi, bar,kgf.cm2 or kpa. Used by some of the best referees in the country.
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Elson Volley supplies the best volleyball equipment, at the best prices, anywhere in Australia and the Pacific region. We do not sell anything we wouldn't use ourselves, because that is our job. We will not waste your time with inferior goods.
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[Constitution, Jefferson's Manual, and the Rules of the House of Representatives, 114th Congress] [114th Congress] [House Document 113-181] [Jeffersons Manual of ParliamentaryPractice] [Pages 260-264] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov] sec. xl--bills, third reading
|Sec. 492. Obsolete requirements as to reading and passage of bills.
|To prevent bills from being passed by surprise, the House, by a standing order, directs that they shall not be put on their passage before a fixed hour, naming one at which the house is commonly full. Hakew., 153.
|Sec. 493. Obsolete parliamentary law as to third reading.
|At the third reading the Clerk reads the bill and delivers it to the Speaker, who states the title, that it is the third time of reading the bill, and that the question will be whether it shall pass. Formerly the Speaker, or those who prepared a bill, prepared also a breviate or summary statement of its contents, which the Speaker read when he declared the state of the bill, at the several readings. Sometimes, however, he read the bill itself, especially on its passage. Hakew., 136, 137, 153; Coke, 22, 115. Latterly, instead of this, he, at the third reading, states the whole contents of the bill verbatim, only, instead of reading the formal parts, ``Be it enacted,'' &c., he states that ``preamble recites so and so--the 1st section enacts that, &c.; the 2d section enacts,'' &c.
|Sec. 494. Committal of a bill on third reading.
|A bill on the third reading is not to be committed for the matter or body thereof, but to receive some particular clause or proviso, it hath been sometimes suffered, but as a thing very unusual. Hakew., 156. Thus, 27 El., 1584, a bill was committed on the third reading, having been formerly committed on the second, but is declared not usual. D'Ewes, 337, col. 2; 414, col. 2.
|Sec. 495. Obsolete parliamentary practice as to riders.
|When an essential provision has been omitted, rather than erase the bill and render it suspicious, they add a clause on a separate paper, engrossed and called a rider, which is read and put to the question three times. Elsynge's Memo., 59; 6 Grey, 335; 1 Blackst., 183. For examples of riders, see 3 Hats., 121, 122, 124, 156. Every one is at liberty to bring in a rider without asking leave. 10 Grey, 52.
|Sec. 496. Obsolete requirements as to reading of amendments.
|It is laid down, as a general rule, that amendments proposed at the second reading shall be twice read, and those proposed at the third reading thrice read; as also all amendments from the other House. Town., col. 19, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28.
|Sec. 497. Amendments before the third reading.
|It is with great and almost invincible reluctance that amendments are admitted at this reading, which occasion erasures or interlineations. Sometimes a proviso has been cut off from a bill; sometimes erased. 9 Grey, 513.
|Sec. 498. Debate in relation to the third reading.
|At this reading the bill is debated afresh, and for the most part is more spoken to at this time than on any of the former readings. Hakew., 153.
|Sec. 499. Putting the question on the passage of a bill.
|When the debate is ended, the Speaker, holding the bill in his hand, puts the question for its passage, by saying, ``Gentlemen, all you who are of opinion that this bill shall pass, say aye;'' and after the answer of the ayes, ``All those of the contrary opinion, say no.'' Hakew., 154.


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Life Span:10-13 years although, some have lived to be 15.
Litter Size:4-7 puppies are found in a typical litter with an average litter of about 5 pups.
Group:The American Foxhound is a member of the hound group, also known as scent hounds in the UK.
Recognized By:CKC, FCI, AKC, ANKC, NKC, NZKC, APRI, ACR
Color:Any colour is acceptable in this breed, but most are pie-balled with a splotch of black on the back and white legs accented with tan on the trunk.
Hair Length:Medium
Shedding:Moderate Shed
Male Height:22-25 inches (56-64cm)
Male Weight:70-75 pounds (30-34kg)
Female Height:21-24 inches (53-61cm)
Female Weight:65-70 pounds (29-32kg)
Living Area:Foxhounds require regular access to the outdoors. They don't do well at all when they're kept indoors all the time and can really use a back yard or somewhere to run free. Best of all is a place where they can be allowed access to interesting terrain they can run through. Well-exercised foxhounds are far easier to discipline and train.
Energy Level:
Exercise Needs:
Other Dogs:
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The American Foxhound is very similar to its British cousin which dates back to the 13th century. Both look a great deal like a big and tall beagle though, the American foxhound is a bit taller and thinner. Of course, all the fox hounds are very closely related and share many common traits. In fact, other than size, they are very similar in appearance and temperent to the somewhat more familiar black, white and tan beagle.Bred to accompny their masters on the hunt, the American Foxhound is known for its stamina and shrewd nose. They were once used to chase and flush game while their masters remained on horseback ready to dispatch the fleeing beasts. Should they catch it, they very rarely maul their quarry in the course of a hunt, preferring the chase itself.Their demeanor is cheerfull and, as such, they make wonderful family dogs provided they have enough room to run around and expend some of their excess energy. They are also very pack oriented, and will readily call a human family its own and demanding daily affection.The breed standards describe a dog that conveys easy and graceful movement with every step. The head tends to be long and somewhat domed on top. Their large, floppy ears are carried to the side and tend to frame the face unless angry. A foxhound's tail should be held high and slightly curved upward without actually curling over the top of his or her backside.The coat is well formed and close but also, thick and corase, for deep woods action. American Foxhounds with espeically soft coats vary from the accepted breed standard and are susceptible to getting bits and bobs stuck in their coat while running through the under story.Foxhounds have very tall legs - taller than any other member of the foxhound sub-group - and they are able to run through thick woods for hours before tiring. Their stamina is one trait that separates them from their English cousins. Today, they are widely distributed throughout the Southeatern United States and very often used for several different types of hunting.
We have American Foxhound Puppies For Sale, please support our American Foxhound breeders!
The coat is close but a bit wiry. Excessive softness is considered a liability for show dogs, though. The only bit of fluffiness allowed on show ring foxhounds is a slight poofing out at the tip of the tail.
The fox hounds were brought to the United States as part of some of the earliest collections hunting dogs in the New World. Robert Brooke brought the first ones across as early as 1650 - making them among the first domesticated dogs in the Americas. The family line of people and dogs remained unbroken for over 300 years, with the Brooke dogs being a distinctly separate line from others, as recognized in the common studbookThe American breed of the foxhound owes it's unique head shape and height to the inclusion of some traits from the taller French Hounds that were given to George Washington by the Marquis de Lafayette nearly a century after the first Foxhound arrived.Foxhounds have been in Virginia for so long, the American Foxhound has actually been named the official state animal.
Also like a beagle, these dogs are a bit high strung and are known for their howls and yips. It is difficult or impossible task to convince these dogs that some people are not to be barked at. When they do set up a howl, it is quite loud, though music to the ears of many who love hounds.However, they usually don't just sit there and bark (like some hounds), preferring instead to actively seek the affection of others. They crave attention and are very affectionate in the home. They are actually quite good with children and can be trusted with even the smallest young ones. In fact, American Foxhounds are very social dogs that will fiercely defend their pack, human or not. As such, it can be difficult to retrain a dog to live with a human family if they've spent a lot of time in the company of a dog pack, such as is very commonly found in the case of hunting packs. Sometimes, foxounds are a bit nervous around loud noises and situations where they're overwhelmed by scents and sounds. This can actually send a foxhound into a frenzy of sorts, often resulting in some destructive behvaviour. As such, these hounds have a very highly developed sense of smell (even for a hound), and will follow a scent to the exclusion of all else, including your commands and pleas, espeically if it's something good. Even a well-trained foxhound is not easily called off a scent. It's not that they don't know what you want, it's just that they don't care right now.When hunting, they are essentially fearless and will do some stupidly brave things if you give them the chance. It is genearly not advised to let a fox hound off the leash unless you're sure there are no roads anywhere nearby and are in a position to get your hound out of trouble if they decide to take on a bear or something equally suicidal.Owners in town and the country need to be very careful that American Foxhounds don't run off. They're notoriously stupid about traffic, but clever enough to figure out how gates latch and, tall enough to do something about it.
The American Foxhound is an unusually healthy dog. Generally, the breed doesn't Show any sign of congenital defect or inherited conditions. It is also usually free of debilitating hip and bone disorders that plague many other large breeds. However, as American Foxhounds are being bred larger and larger, some hip problems are emerging in the breed. If your hound is very tall, you might want to take extra care to make sure he or she doesn't run too hard.
The grooming regimen for American Foxhounds is very simple compared to most other breeds. The coat is coarse and smooth with very little extra hair to tangle up or catch things in the woods. So, unless the hound's coat is especially soft, you won't have to worry about picking seeds and leaves out of your companion's fur. However, a nice, regular brushing is not only good for the skin, but it may also alert you to the presence of fleas before they get out of control. In areas that are prone to wood and deer ticks, regular brushings after a trip to the woods may help prevent the transmission of some serious diseases. Brushing may be done with either a large dog comb that more closely resembles horse tack or, the more traditional fine-toothed comb. The latter is preferable when looking for external parasites such as fleas or ticks. It is a very worthwhile goal to get your dog to really enjoy the attention of regular brushings. This will help you get the job done with a minimum of fuss at least once per week - twice a week or more is even better. Since they are large enough to give you a very hard time if they don't like a regular brushing, associating grooming with pleasant activities is a must.While most American Foxhounds get a great deal of exercise in an effort to keep them sane, a careful grooming regimen should include regular checks on their toenails. Most foxhounds have white claws, making trimming a lot easier. If your dog has black nails, you'll have to be especially careful not to cut below the quick that is visible on white nails.Pay very close attention to the dewclaws. While the other nails may have a chance to get worn down during exercise (especially if walked on concrete or asphalt), these can grow around and right into the skin if you're not careful.Another important part of grooming is periodic dental care. Real beef knucklebones make a very good toothbrush for the foxhound (as well as just about any other sort of dog) and should be given at least once a month. There are finger-fitted toothbrushes that are sold with special meat-floured toothpaste that some people have success with when used once a week.
Just about any type of exercise is suitable for this very active dog, though they are definitely at their best when running through the woods. The American Foxhound's long legs and natural agility allow it to cut through undergrowth faster than you might think possible.For hounds that don't have regular access to their preferred terrain, regular exercise in a yard or even frequent walks are an absolute must for a hound kept in the relative confinement of living in a house.Apartment dwellers would do better with another breed of dog, since the foxhound is prone to very serious bouts of misbehaviour when bored. Though not typically a destructive breed, they are sure to wreck havoc on a typical household when left alone too long without exercise. Many people give them free access to an outdoor pen, but be forewarned: they are well known as escape artists. Their agile minds, "soft mouths" and tall cartridge allow them to pick even rather complicated locks.
The American foxhound is a very intelligent breed, though not always responsive, even to the best of training. They are spirited and often described as jovial or happy dogs. Though not typically the sort of dog that just sets up to barking for hours non-stop, the American Foxhound is known for "giving voice" when conditions warrant it. It can be very difficult to train this very fundamental behaviour of hounds out of their usual repitorire. Some owners, especially those that live in heavily urbanized areas, are able to achieve a certain amount of success with citronella (or any other scent they find offensive) spray collars that give them a little quirt every time they start up with their very distinctive howl and yip. Their social nature allows you to be in as much of a position of authority as any foxhound is willing to accept by always making sure you retain your position of dominance in your own family or "little pack." Many owners find their foxhounds are very receptive to positive reinforcement. Generally they respond to punishment with what could best be called complete and utter confusion. Very often, people find training a foxhound to be a bit like digging a hole in the sand. You keep thinking you're making progress and then they just ignore months or years of training upon a whim. Indeed, they are a bit difficult to house train. Owners who have even moderate success in this can congratulate themselves on a job well done, since the breed is so resistant to potty-training. Even hounds that appear to have this down pat can loose it if sufficiently excited.
Baying And Barking - How To Manage These Behaviors
Off- Leash Training
Weight Management For American Foxhounds And How To Exercise
Agility Training And The American Foxhound
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Editor's note: Art of Movement is CNN's monthly show exploring the latest innovations in art, culture, science and technology.
Los Angeles (CNN) -- Fourteen meters. It's the same height as a four-story building. Or three London double-decker buses. Or, if your imagination will stretch that far, two Tyrannosaurus Rexes standing on each other's shoulders.
For Brazilian big wave hunter Maya Gabeira, it's also the size of a very different beast -- and one which she conquered with record-breaking skill and bravery in 2009.
Four years ago, the fearless surfer rode a monster 14-meter wave in Cape Town, South Africa -- the biggest swell ever surfed by a woman.
It's a feat that would make even the most experienced surfer quake in their boots.
But in the notoriously male-dominated world of big wave surfing, this ballsy 26-year-old isn't just keeping up with the men -- she's giving them a run for their money.
"The adrenalin is a huge part of it," said Gabeira. "It's the ocean at its strongest."
"It's really unique to be able to be in harmony with that, to be part of that crazy moment out there riding the waves, when most harbors shut down and everyone goes to shore."
A wild ride
As the name suggests, big wave surfing isn't your average family-friendly pastime.
Instead, it is a dangerous extreme sport, requiring hefty equipment, specialized training in underwater breathing, and nerves of steel.
Riders are towed out to sea on jet skis, coming face-to-face with waves ranging from six-meters to 30-meters, with the possibility of plunging up to 15-meters below the surface if they come off their board.
As 11-time world champion surfer Kelly Slater recently admitted, big wave surfing "is a whole different ball game" to normal surfing, which had claimed the lives of many of his friends.
Read: Kelley Slater: Surfing is my religion
But for daring Gabeira, it's an obsession worth taking the risk for: "It's such a rare process to get really big waves, for them to hit perfectly," she said.
"It's such a special moment that you live for. Whereas small waves you can surf everyday, they're always out there."
Young gun
Gabeira grew up in Rio de Janeiro, the daughter of radical Green Party politician Fernando Gabeira, who took part in the kidnap of U.S. ambassador Charles Burke Elbrick in the 1960s.
She started surfing at 14, before moving to Australia and Hawaii in her late teens.
At 18 Gabeira rode her first big wave in Hawaii, and admits that from that moment she was hooked.
"It was pretty nerve wracking," she said. "I knew already that I wanted to do that, but when I actually did it for the first time, and felt like I had gotten in that level of big waves, I felt really addicted."
Read: Urban surfing -- daredevils ride inner-city waves
With her famous father, striking looks, and record-breaking rides, Gabeira has since become one of the best known female surfers in the world, winning the prestigious ESPY Award for Female Sports Athlete of the Year in 2009.
Science of surf
For Gabiera, finding big waves has nothing to do with luck. It's a fine science, involving reading complex weather maps -- and being prepared to fly across the world with just a day's notice.
"Twenty years ago you had to be in Hawaii and spend six months of the year there, and when the swell came, the swell came, and you rode it," said Gabiera.
"Nowadays we have the internet and the forecasting and you get to choose where to go, when to go, and you get more opportunities to be in the right place at the right time."
As the technology behind predicting waves advances, so too does the equipment used to conquer them.
Read: Aussie 'happy' Gilmore defies surfing cliches
Gabiera wears life jackets filled with oxygen cartridges, in case of emergencies.
"In case something happens, I can pull a cord which breaks open the tube of O2," explained Gabeira. "It inflates on my back and I get lifted up -- hopefully."
Deep breaths
One of the biggest dangers Gabiera faces is being held under water for two or more consecutive waves.
The gutsy surfer must be prepared to hold her breath for minutes at a time, doing free diving training exercises in preparation.
"I have a few great trainers who have taught me a lot about my breathing and how to exchange the CO2 and not blackout," said Gabeira.
But ultimately for Gabeira, surfing is more than a sport -- it's art.
"It's self expression, everyone surfs differently, no wave is the same," she said. "It takes me out of the real world and gives me a different perspective. It's just special."


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Everyone struggles with how to write an ending, regardless of whether it's a novel or a short story. Sometimes our perfect endings come to us in a dream-like vision, and other times we are left staring at the taunting, flashing cursor on our Word document, daring us to type. But your ending doesn't have to be perfect. You might just need to let the story naturally end, and it will definitely tell you when it's over. In an excerpt from the Novelist's Essential Guide to Creating Plot by J. Madison Davis, the author shows ways that you should not end your story. If you hit any moments like these, it might be time to call it quits, or even just make a few tweaks, as suggested below. Either way, you have to be careful to live up to your readers' expectations for a satisfying ending.
As the beginning of a plot is the point at which the struggle commences; the end, of course, is the point at which the chain of causal events reaches a resolution. When the anger of Achilles is finally assuaged and he takes pity on the old king Priam begging for his son's body, the plotline has ended. When the murderer confesses his crime or the lovers fall into each other's arms or the hero dies of his wounds, the struggle has resolved. Failing to end their novels when the struggles are over is another mistake beginning novelists often make.
How many novels have you read that didn't seem to know when to quit? The writer seemed to feel obligated to explain what happened to every character after the big event that brought everything to a close. When thinking of this problem I am always reminded of a routine Andy Griffith recorded when he was a stand-up comedian. He was pretending to be a hillbilly who had seen Romeo and Juliet. At the end of his recounting he said, "And seeing as how they was all dead, they brung down the curtain." A lot of authors just don't know when to bring down the curtain.
It is sometimes necessary to provide an anticlimax or dénouement to tie up loose ends. Commonly in a mystery story there was a short scene in which the sleuth explained how he arrived at the solution. "Elementary, my dear Watson!" On the old Perry Mason television series, the guilty party usually broke down in court and admitted committing the murder. That was the climax, to be promptly followed by a commercial. After the commercial, Perry usually explained to Paul Drake or Della Street how he knew the guilty party was guilty. In romance stories there might be an anticlimax showing the couple living happily ever after. In war or historical stories, frequently we are transported to many years later, when the survivor gives us a brief summing up.
The anticlimax, however, should be brief. Although the information in it comes from the plot, it has little to do with the single thing that makes the plot engaging: the struggle. Anticlimaxes are afterthoughts, which may or may not add to the stories. You can usually end more abruptly than you know, simply because the ending (the climax) is usually sufficient. Many beginning novelists indulge the temptation to put prologues at the front of their novels and epilogues at the ends, thereby beginning before the beginnings and continuing after the endings. Having a prologue and an epilogue won't make you a "real writer." Usually they show you don't know how to start or when to quit.
Ambiguous Endings
Another common mistake of the beginning novelist is not resolving the conflict presented to the characters. The book starts fast, problems become huge, but at the point at which the ending should occur, things just taper off. Amateurs like to excuse this fundamental flaw by saying they are "leaving it up to the reader." Well, know what? The reader isn't there to write your novel. The reader is there to read your novel.
The reader expects your ending to end the primary conflict, not waffle about. Yes, life's stories are often inconclusive. A suspect is caught and charged with a horrible crime. The evidence against him is rarely totally damning. Some hair and fiber, some circumstantial behavior, some partial DNA and a myopic witness might get him the electric chair. He may get a jury of "select morons" as Raymond Chandler writes, or scrupulously honest people. His lawyer might be more interested in the publicity she's getting than working the case. Because of procedural errors the guilty verdict is appealed and a jailhouse witness comes forward who claims a now-dead inmate confessed to the crime. Is he believable or not?
The God Out of the Machine
On the other hand, some stories are so tidy we reject them. It's rather like the cliché in mysteries in which the detective says, "I don't like it. It's just too neat." She then goes on to discover it's all a frame-up. The trouble with too-neat endings is that they appear contrived. All plots are contrived to some extent, but endings that are a bit too contrived appear unrealistic and lose their believability. In certain situations it seems impossible that everyone could live happily ever after as a conclusion to a plot. Could Elaine Robinson really run away with Benjamin after he had an affair with Elaine's mother? These characters from Charles Webb's The Graduate don't seem the Jerry Springer type. However, The Graduate is satirical and funny, with many exaggerated situations, so we accept this ending. In another story it wouldn't seem likely that a woman could forgive such a thing, and the ending would seem contrived.
A particular form of contrived resolution that even Aristotle criticizes in playwrights of his own time is called the deus ex machina, or "the god out of a machine." It seems that the actors who played gods in ancient drama were lowered from a crane or some kind of scaffold when they "came to earth." This was the machine. It was quite a bit more primitive than making Peter Pan fly in the musical but was basically the same thing.
The objection to the god out of the machine, however, was that it was often used as a plot device. The plot began with a problem. It became more and more intense and complicated, as it should, but then the writer couldn't sort it all out. A resolution eluded him. So, the god or gods intervened like concerned parents. "You go to your room right now!" "Kiss your sister and make up!" "Shake hands and stop fighting or I'll give you such a walloping!"
Divinity need not intervene for what we call the deus ex machina. Anything introduced at the end to resolve the central conflict that does not logically follow from the substance of the plot qualifies. If the surrounded wagon train in our story is down to its last box of bullets and a cavalry regiment accidentally stumbles upon the impending massacre, that's a deus ex machina. But if the cavalry has been notified earlier in the plot and has been desperately riding to the rescue, it is not. If the wagon master of the train suddenly recognizes that the enemy chief is his brother-in-law (the woman now lives on the reservation) and that ends the attack, that plot twist would be a deus ex machina. But if we've known about the woman all along and she shoots her husband to stop the attack, that would be a logical progression of events.
Expectations for the Ending
What then are readers' expectations of the ending? First of all, they expect the ending to derive logically (causally, if you prefer) from the events that came before. Aristotle says that the events in a plot must have a necessary and probable relationship to one another. The ending must be a necessary and probable outcome of the chain of events that has gone before. When the readers look back over the plot, it should seem as if it could have ended in only one way. If readers refuse to accept your resolution as being either necessary or probable, they will be disappointed. They will feel you have let them down, as if you'd gone through a long joke and the punch line wasn't funny. Or, as if you'd worked out a beautiful puzzle that had no solution, a maze without an exit.
The second thing that delights readers is the unexpected. Curiously, surprises might seem to contradict the principle that the ending should derive from the plotline, but this is another of the terrible tightrope walks that all writers face. A misstep and down goes your plot. When the ending appears, it must seem like it had to happen, but before it appears, the readers shouldn't already know what it is going to be. When the reader can see what's coming, the story turns dull very rapidly.
When authors allow details to give away where their plots are going to end, they become magicians who pull hatbands out of hats instead of rabbits. Where's the magic in that? Sometimes we have a pretty good idea that the couple who despise each other at the beginning of a story will end up in love at the end, so the question of how this love is going to come about becomes more important than the fact they'll be in love. Nonetheless, if we seem to anticipate each move toward the inevitable conclusion, the story will be nothing but a yawner.
If your plot has begun well and risen in intensity, you have created a lot of anticipation for your ending. To let it seem too easy, too obvious or too outlandish may disappoint your readers in a way that will destroy their positive feelings for the entire novel.
For more insights into creating plot, check out the Novelist's Essential Guide to Creating Plot by J. Madison Davis.


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The researchers admitted 42% of those they interviewed with fibromyalgia into the study. Then, half of the subject began taking Rhus toxicodendron 6c, while the other half took a placebo. Halfway through the trial the treatment was switched: the group who were unknowingly taking the placebo began taking the active treatment, and the group who were unknowingly taking the active treatment began taking the placebo.
The study showed that patients did better in all variables being tested (the number of tender spots, 10 cm visual analogue scales of pain and sleep, and overall assessment) when they took the active treatment rather than placebo. The number of tender spots was reduced by about a quarter (p<0.005). The number of patients with improved pain or sleep were 53 while taking active treatment and only 27 while taking placebo (p<0.0052).
Not all studies have shown the efficacy of homeopathic medicines in the treatment of arthritis conditions, though the following study had a major flaw in it which seriously threw into doubt its value. This study, published in The Lancet (January 15, 1983, pp. 97-98), was a controlled trial on the homeopathic treatment of osteoarthritis. The researchers compared the use of a single homeopathic medicine (Rhus toxicodendron) with fenoprofen (a standard anti-inflammatory analgesic) and a placebo.
In order for patients to be admitted to the study, they had to be diagnosed with osteoarthritis, and they had to have two key symptoms of Rhus toxicodendron (pain in the affected joints which was made worse by immobility and exacerbated on movement or by initial weight bearing and pain in the affected joints had to be aggravated by cold and damp and ameliorated by warmth).
Although these inclusionary features were important, they were inadequate. There are numerous other symptoms which suggest the appropriate prescription of Rhus toxicodendron. A perhaps even more significant problem in the study design is the fact that Rhus toxicodendron is often prescribed to patients with rheumatoid arthritis who have its unique symptoms, but it is rarely prescribed for patients with osteoarthritis.
The study predictably showed that the homeopathic medicine acted no better than the placebo, though numerous letters to the editor followed its publication (February 26, 1983).
Self-Treatment vs. Professional Care
Self-treatment of arthritis with homeopathic medicine is possible, including the use of homeopathic formula products for arthritis, though such care is generally only effective for treating acute exacerbations of the ailment, not the underlying disease. Although most arthritis sufferers would certainly welcome temporary relief, professional homeopathic care of people with arthritis offers the potential of deeper, more longlasting relief, possibly even a cure. Such treatment is provided through highly individualized constitutional treatment, usually a single remedy, though usually with a series of single remedies over time.


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Pedestrian hit, killed by SUV in Terrebonne Parish
Pedestrian hit, killed by SUV in Terrebonne Parish
HOUMA, La. —
A pedestrian was hit and killed by an SUV in Terrebonne Parish on Saturday afternoon, police said.
Investigators said a 2002 GMC Sierra was driving north on LA 315 near Porche Lane when it hit 52-year-old Wayne Lark, who was standing in the road about 5:30 p.m. Saturday.
Lark was wearing dark clothing at the time of the crash, police said.
Toxicology tests on Lark were pending. The driver passed a breath test and was cleared of any alcohol involvement.
The driver was not injured in the crash.


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One of our own — Toa o Samoa need not walk alone
In a seminal address at Riverside Church in New York City, entitled "Beyond Vietnam" the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King stated boldly, "The war in Vietnam is but a symptom of a far deeper malady within the American spirit, and if we ignore this sobering reality, we will find ourselves attending rallies without end, unless there is a significant and profound change in American life and policy. Such thoughts take us beyond Vietnam, but not beyond our calling as sons of the living God."
The year was 1967, and King understood, better than most, that it was time to break the silence and protest the profoundly immoral war which America was waging in Southeast Asia.
In that highly controversial speech, King noted, "this business of burning human beings with napalm, of filling our nation's homes with orphans and widows … of sending men home from dark and bloody battlefields physically handicapped and psychologically deranged, cannot be reconciled with wisdom, justice, and love.
A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death."
Fast forward to Iraq or Afghanistan, for any in the last ten years. The country names change, but the admonition is as valid today as it ever was.
Sometime around September of last year, a young man, 27 years old, a son of American Samoa of Samoan and European heritage, made a serious attempt at taking his own life.
He is a veteran of the ongoing wars in the Middle East.
Since that time, he has tried at least two other times to end the sadness, isolation, paranoia, and terror that keeps him awake at night and shreds any hope of a happy and productive life.
Last week, Samoa News received an email from a concerned citizen, Aaron Forsgren about this young man, with a plea for help sent out to the wider community. Forsgren takes seriously the admonition to be his brother's keeper.
It was about two weeks ago that Aaron Forsgren had been alerted to the young man's story. As it goes, the veteran soldier now lives among us, and was employed in the private sector. His story is tragically not unique, but is told over and over again in the journals of those who have been to war and returned with the invisible wounds which do not heal easily, if ever.
With respect for his privacy, and until a time when he wishes his name to be known, we will call this Toa o Samoa simply "Jay."
In his email to the community, Forsgren stated, "Yesterday I was approached by an Army Veteran here in American Samoa. He told me about a young man, 28 years old, who served in Afghanistan in 2005 and 2006 and went through a traumatic IED experience.
(Unfortunately, this war has gone on so long, that most people already know that an IED is an Improvised Explosive Device.)
In 2010, after more than four years of issues he could not understand, Jay was diagnosed with the bane of this, and all wars: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder- PTSD.
Said Forsgren in his plea to help the young soldier, a married man who is the father of four young children, "I'm not going to butter this up and make it sound fancy. Since Afghanistan, Jay has come back a different person than the man that left. He constantly has nightmares, suicidal actions and violent episodes where he doesn't feel in control.
There was an episode where a very violent altercation occurred between he and a family member that landed him in jail for almost two years.
The military released him and he subsequently lost his benefits which covered his medication.
"For some reason beyond me, he has not received proper treatment for the severe PTSD he has, and has slipped through the cracks of bureaucracy," said Forsgren.
Several months ago was the first time Jay tried to take his life. Mid January of this year he slit his wrist in several places and only a few days ago he slit his chest, a violent act which landed him in LBJ for three days, under medication. He was released, as there is no long term care for patients with these issues.
Forsgren described the returned soldier as " a ticking time bomb"… who has lost all hope that any real help will come to him.
Attached to Forsgren's email is a video, telling the details of this story, and shot only a few days before the young man cut his chest, and one week before he made another attempt on his own life, saying that "nothing is going to help, no one cares".
One man who was working with the Tripler TBI clinic at the VA, Patrick Doar, has tried to help him as much as possible outside of the VA system, as Jay is no longer covered. Doar is trying to get him to a psychiatric hospital in Hawaii so he can get proper treatment and medication.
Said Forsgren, pleading for help for this soldier, "All I'm asking is — if you can help in anyway possible whether it be financial or through connections you may have."
According to several reports in both mainstream and online media, the United States is now losing more soldiers in Afghanistan to suicide than to actual combat. Jay's story — that of a tortured soul — is told and retold all across America, to her shame and the shame of those who sent American troops into the quagmire of Iraq and Afghanistan under false pretenses in the first place, without legitimacy and beyond reason.
It is Samoa News understanding that Jay had served first in Afghanistan and had been honorably discharged. Following his time in Afghanistan, he became a recruiter in Hawaii. But he knew something was amiss, and according to Jay, he went continually to the doctor in Hawaii, with various problems which would now routinely be seen as PTSD -related.
It was reported to Samoa News that the Hawaii doctor, a military man, told Jay he "couldn't possibly have PTSD" because he hadn't shot anyone.
He was prescribed various medication, sent home, and within months there was a violent incident which involved a stabbing, and the Army eventually incarcerated Jay for nearly two years.
According to Doar, who is familiar with the details of the case, Jay has stated he had "not one minute of counseling while in jail, and Jay's wife repeatedly told the authorities, "this is not him, this is not the man I know."
Upon his release from jail, the family moved back to Tutuila. Jay came to the VA clinic in American Samoa where he was seen by a nurse practitioner.
One official at the local VA, believing that Jay was going to get a "dishonorable discharge" made it known to Jay that "he was no longer eligible for VA benefits." An eyewitness who heard the exchange, said that the VA official literally pushed Jay out the door of the building, while Jay pleaded with the official to reconsider.
(As it turned out, Jay had not yet received a "bad conduct" discharge, and should have still been eligible for care until that discharge was given.)
For nearly a year, he and his wife were seeing a psychiatrist through the Tripler Program which is available for Vets. The program is housed in the VA building, retirees are eligible, and anyone with Tri-Care is eligible for the Tripler based program.
With some help from the Tripler program, Jay found a way to "be around people again." He was hired eventually by Bluesky, and "seemed to enjoy his job there, and was an excellent employee, according to Doar, who spoke to Jay's supervisor.
The third time he tried to commit suicide, he went to his employers and tried to resign. It was told to Samoa News that when Bluesky finally heard the whole story, they wanted to help the young man, who they valued as an employee.
BlueSky has kindly offered to pay his airfare to Hawaii.
Aaron Forsgren, who owns KoKo Bean cafe was subsequently told about Jay's story, and following hundreds of postings to Facebook, Twitter and numerous emails with the YouTube video, is helping the community to rally behind this young man.
The Congressman's office is now involved, trying to get his military discharge status changed. Dr. Michael Russo, a retired military colonel and neurologist, who lives in Hawaii heard of the situation, and offered to do one of the most important psychological tests (one of the most expensive) for free.
However, mental care is costly in Hawaii. It can be upwards of $1,000 a day without insurance. The facility he hopes to go for treatment is not with the military, so he can get some immediate treatment, until he can hopefully get his Veterans benefits restored. This will be the fastest way to get him the care he so desperately needs right now. Jay has little trust in the military system at this point, and a civilian facility will work well for him at this time.
In order to help Jay get the treatment he needs, a Paypal account has been set up where donations may be sent. Enter: email@example.com. The money will go to the hospital in Hawaii.
Doar, who has been actively working to get this man help, has also said to please call him at 731-4666 if you have any questions, or email him at firstname.lastname@example.com for further information.