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The Man That AIDS Forgot: Safe Sex Architect Richard Berkowitz
The New York City of 1979 shown during the opening minutes of "Sex Positive," the documentary now available on DVD, is awash in gay sexual liberation. Male couples strut their stuff arm in arm, sporting biker jackets and cocky mustaches and bulges in their denim that strain credulity (no fashion era has ever screamed "gay porn" like this one). It's an almost quaint snapshot, in retrospect, taken just before the arrival of a major buzzkill in the form of a murderous pandemic.
Cruising amid the happy sleaze was gay S/M escort Richard Berkowitz (pictured, right), the man who would quickly and unwittingly become known as the "self hating enemy of gay people." And all because, the documentary contends, he tried to save their lives.
Today, Berkowitz remains in the apartment where he once entertained masochistic clients (the hardware they once dangled from is still in evidence in the doorways), and during our recent interview his emotions ranged from joyful gratitude to angry resentment, all displayed with an engaging but steely force of will. Here is a man still trying desperately to be heard and understood.
"I've been smeared, censored and attacked over the years, as evidenced in the film, by gay men who either don't like me or don't like sex workers, or people into S/M, or anyone who questions AIDS orthodoxy," he said.
And here is why. In the early 1980's, as AIDS deaths mounted but before the HIV virus had been identified, there was no known cause for the mortality. Was there a single, possibly viral culprit, as gay activist Larry Kramer and others believed, or was there a collection of factors having to do with the promiscuous gay lifestyle, as Berkowitz suspected?
Berkowitz based his views on talks with his physician, Dr. Joseph Sonnabend, and another Sonnabend patient, singer Michael Callen, all of whom were ready to vocalize something heretical: the promiscuous lifestyle of gay men was contributing to the emerging epidemic.
"Everything Michael and I said and did in regard to AIDS came from Sonnabend," Berkowitz tells me. "Callen and I knew nothing about science or sexually transmitted diseases when AIDS began. Sonnabend taught us how to educate ourselves, and Michael and I tried to teach that to gay men."
Dr. Sonnabend had a medical practice in the heart of the ultra gay Chelsea neighborhood, and he had made a connection between some of his gay patients' propensity for the fast lane and their risk for developing AIDS symptoms. This seemingly basic fact wasn't easy for the trio to disseminate.
In 1982, Berkowitz and Callen wrote an article in the _New York Nativ_e entitled "We Know Who We Are: Two Gay Men Declare War on Promiscuity." In it they claimed the New York gay scene -- bars, baths, drugs, poppers and all -- had birthed the growing epidemic, and only through behavioral change could it be contained.
This infuriated gay intelligentsia like Larry Kramer, who believed that both freshly minted gay pride and mainstream assimilation were threatened by Berkowitz's talk of queers as bath house sluts. "He felt promiscuity was too dangerous to talk about in front of straight people," Berkowitz says today. "But Callen and I said 'fuck straight people, gay men are dying and AIDS is preventable.'"
The film's tag line, "What if you knew a deadly epidemic was coming, and no one would believe you?" is a stretch, considering Berkowitz wasn't the only one worried about the gathering storm. Most every gay bar patron at the time shared his sense of dread, and it was clear to Kramer and others that a public health crisis was at hand. The question was how to address it.
Berkowitz and Callen addressed it by writing, under the supervision of Sonnabend, the 1983 pamphlet "How to Have Sex in an Epidemic: One Approach." It is widely considered the invention of safe sex as we know it today, and uncanny in its detailed instructions of avoiding transmission through bodily fluids.
And it turned out that Berkowitz and Kramer were both right: the HIV virus was identified later that year and is now considered the single cause of AIDS, while the guidelines Berkowitz outlined to prevent transmission remain valid. "I was wrong to dismiss there being a new virus that was central to AIDS," he now says. "There are still people who won't forgive that."
Such inescapable sadness hangs over "Sex Positive" -- all those dying men, all that existential confusion -- that the arguments between the opposing schools of thought seem secondary. After the film revisits the third or so public television debate between Kramer and Berkowitz/Callen, one wishes they'd just shut up and do something.
And of course, they did. Kramer not only wrote searing, groundbreaking theater such as "The Normal Heart," he was also among the founders of ACT UP and The Gay Men's Health Crisis. His status in gay history is iconic. Callen became the gay face of AIDS, singing at events, writing for The Village Voice and appearing in the film Philadelphia before his death in 1993.
The intervening years for Berkowitz have been less kind. The film outlines his descent into drug abuse, and even his old ally Sonnabend describes Berkowitz as becoming "useless" for a time. Berkowitz resents the portrayal and has no interest in contrasting his life with that of Callen, who now has a New York City health center bearing his name.
"Do people dismiss the Beatles' music or Robert Downey's acting because they were using (drugs)?" he asks. "The only thing I ever wanted? was not to die before I had lived a full life and finished what I felt the universe had put me here to do. With 'Sex Positive,' I feel I've crossed the finish line. I got my happy ending."
Perhaps not entirely. The safe sex guidelines he created were co-opted by public health officials and quickly sanitized to make them palatable to a general audience, and Berkowitz regrets his "skewed portrait" in the documentary. "The movie shows me in relation to the safe sex debate and my battle with addiction. But my 54 years add up to much more than that? I just regret being pushed out of safe sex discourse, because I had something to contribute."
He hopes to contribute again. His 2003 book, "Staying Alive: The Invention of Safe Sex" is back in print, and he wants to keep speaking and developing his web site and blog. It may help alleviate the fact Berkowitz struggles financially, living on disability and handouts from former clients.
"It would be nice to have money, but I'll take being alive over cash," he says. "Riches come from having a purpose in life." Moments later, he betrays his complicated thoughts on the topic. "I'm dismayed by comments in 'Sex Positive' that I didn't do enough. I did a lot, and it's not like anyone ever paid me!"
Thanks. Credit. Payment. After days of being haunted with sadness by "Sex Positive," the reason for its melancholy spell struck me. There could never be enough thanks, for Berkowitz or unknowable others. No one can quantify the payment due. How could the efforts of so many ever be calculated? How might proper credit be dispensed?
Whether it was Berkowitz outlining safer sex guidelines or countless men and women caring for dying lovers, valor was impossible to measure during what felt like the end of the world. Few may ever know the bravery of Berkowitz, or Callen, or Kramer.
Or me. Or you.
And with HIV rates rising among gay men again, "Sex Positive" underscores how much work, how terribly, frighteningly much, there is left to do.


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Syracuse, NY - The last of 14 Bricktown gang members charged in connection with several murders, drug trafficking operations and robberies in Syracuse admitted to their crimes today in federal court.
Saquan Evans, 23, admitted to shooting four rival gang members on Nov. 7, 2010, and killing a 20-month-old baby while attempting to kill a rival on Nov. 28 of the same year.
Evans was convicted in 2012 in Onondaga County Court for the drive-by shooting of baby Rashaad Walker and is currently serving a state prison sentence for the murder.
Read more about the Rashaad Walker Jr. killing.
Evans also admitted to being involved in a shooting around 1300 South State St. on Nov. 7, 2006. Part of his plea involved admitting to possessing gang paraphernalia including a detailed gang roster, writings, drawings, photos, rap lyrics and clothing, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.
Ernest Hester, 24, admitted to shooting at three people in the 500 block of West Colvin Street on April 2, 2005; possessing ten bags of crack cocaine after being shot in the 100 block of Beard Avenue on Oct. 19, 2006; and actively participating in the stabbing of four people inside a Denny's restaurant on Erie Blvd. East on Jan. 30, 2011.
Both defendants also conceded to possessing guns.
An additional plea requirement involved Evans and Hester admitting in U.S. District Court to Bricktown gang activities such as:
The Bricktown Gang territory was defined in the indictment as extending from Burt Street on the north to East Colvin Street on the south, and from South State Street on the west to Interstate 81 on the east.
This prosecution resulted from a long-term investigation conducted by the Syracuse Gang Violence Task Force, which is comprised of agents and detectives from the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (Syracuse Office), the Syracuse Police Department, the Onondaga County Sheriff's Department, the New York State Police, and the U.S. Marshals Service. The Onondaga County District Attorney's Office also assisted.
Evans and Hester are scheduled to be sentenced in December. Each faces up to life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release following any period of incarceration.
New York Gang Investigators Association 2019 NYGIA, P.O. Box 794, Yonkers, NY 10703

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Please welcome Helen Sedwick to the virtual offices today. Helen's novel, Coyote Winds, is set during one of the most devastating environmental calamities to befall the Midwest. I find the Dust Bowl, and all of the heartbreaking challenges it presented, fascinating, so I am thrilled to have Helen here for a chat. After the interview, please enter for a chance to win a copy of Coyote Winds!
[Manga Maniac Cafe] Describe yourself in 140 characters or less.
[Helen Sedwick] An intense redhead who's spent her life balancing restlessness and responsibility.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you tell us a little about Coyote Winds?
[Helen Sedwick] COYOTE WINDS follows the adventures of a boy and his coyote living on the prairie in the years leading up to the Dust Bowl. It explores the American spirit that drew families to the wind-swept frontier and the consequences of that spirit, both good and bad. And it asks whether that spirit can survive the over-supervised life of a modern boy.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?
[Helen Sedwick] I was inspired to write COYOTE WINDS by my father's stories of growing up during the Dust Bowl. While there was plenty of blowing dust in his stories, he also talked about freedom and adventure. With the schools closed, he spent his days hunting rattlesnakes and rabbits. And driving at the age of 9. I wanted to contrast my father's unfenced boyhood with the over-supervised life of a modern, suburban boy who "couldn't ride a bike without a helmet, play soccer without pads, or ride in a car with a driver under thirty."
As I researched the Dust Bowl, I discovered that it is a classic story about American optimism. Our can-do attitude drew families to the prairie with dreams of owning their own land. They plowed up millions of acres of native grassland. Then the wind did what it always did–blow. What followed was one of the worst man-made environmental disasters in history, the Dust Bowl. COYOTE WINDS is about good families doing what they believed to be the right thing, only to have the results turn out so terribly wrong. I wanted to tell that story.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three words best describe Myles?
[Helen Sedwick] Fun-loving, school-skipping punster.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] If Andy had a theme song, what would it be?
[Helen Sedwick] NO SUCH THING by John Mayer
"They love to tell you
Stay inside the lines
But something's better
On the other side."
[Manga Maniac Cafe] Name one thing Myles is never without.
[Helen Sedwick] His Remington .22 rifle.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things will you never find in Andy's pockets?
[Helen Sedwick] Andy is a 21st century suburban boy trapped in a life of rules.
At the beginning of the novel, he wouldn't have a pen knife (too dangerous), an arrowhead (politically incorrect), or car keys (not until he has a B average, which means no time soon).
By the end of the novel, he has all three in his pockets.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is Myles's greatest regret?
[Helen Sedwick] Trying to chop off the head of a live rattlesnake.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are your greatest creative influences?
[Helen Sedwick] I love the power of a story to make us laugh, cry, learn, believe, and connect with others over distance and time. Whenever I experience a new story, whether it be in a book, a film, or a play, I am inspired to write more.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things do you need in order to write?
[Helen Sedwick] Characters I love.
A vague yearning to express.
Time alone.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is the last book that you read that knocked your socks off?
[Helen Sedwick] Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson
[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, which would it be?
[Helen Sedwick] Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. If this 19th Century novel could move a 20th Century Manhattan girl, that says something.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What do you like to do when you aren't writing?
[Helen Sedwick] Hike the granite outcroppings of the Sierras.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] How can readers connect with you?
[Helen Sedwick] My website: www.helensedwick.com
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/helensedwickauthor
I also welcome emails at email@example.com.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] Thank you!
Here's the trailer for the book:
Ready for your chance to win a copy of Coyote Winds? Just will out the widget below. Earn extra entries for following. US addresses only, please.
About the book:
When thirteen-year old Myles brings home a coyote pup half-blinded by a dust storm, his father warns him a coyote can't be trusted. His neighbor loads his rifle and takes aim. Yet Myles is determined to tame the pup just as his father is taming the land. The time is 1930. Tractors and fertilizers are transforming the prairie into the world's breadbasket. The American dream is within every man's reach. But when drought turns these dreams into paint-stripping, crop-killing dust, Myles wonders if they have made a mistake trying to tame the untamable. Seventy years later, when Andy remembers his Grandpa Myles's tales about growing up on the prairie, he wonders what stories he will tell when he has grandchildren. Algebra, soccer practice, computer games, the mall? Determined to keep his grandfather's memories alive and have some adventures of his own, Andy heads out to discover what's left of the wild prairie. Inspired by her father's tales of growing up during the Dust Bowl, Sedwick weaves insight, humor, historical details and unforgettable characters into a coming-of-age story that reminds us that chasing a dream, even if it brings heartache, is far better than not dreaming at all.
About the Author:
Helen Sedwick is the author of COYOTE WINDS. A finalist in the 2011 Mainstream Fiction Writer's Digest Competition and the Lorian Hemmingway Short Story Contest, Helen Sedwick recently won second place in the Redwood Writers Flash Fiction Contest for a piece adapted from COYOTE WINDS. She is a lawyer and lives in the Sonoma wine country with Howard Klepper, a builder of handcrafted guitars, and an exuberant hound dog named Farlow. For more info, http://www.helensedwick.com.


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Zenit St Petersburg striker Hulk has revealed he has no relationship with fans of the club as a result of the language barrier that has hampered his stay in Russia to date.
The 26-year-old moved to Zenit in a €55 million switch from Porto back in September, but has endured a mixed first season at the club, with rumours of a strained relationship with coach Luciano Spalletti following his premature withdrawal from a Champions League fixture.
Reports also claimed several of the Brazilian's team-mates were unhappy with his wages in comparison with the rest of the side, and he has now moved to set the record straight on several of those issues.
"I admit that at that time I did not accept [Luciano Spalletti's] decision [to substitute me]," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport
"With Spalletti, I still have good relations. Even though he does not talk much with the players, he is like me in that he's very prepared.
"When I play, I do not think [about my €55m price-tag]. I win, have fun and give my all. With my team-mates I had no problem, we talked over and clarified certain things.
"Neither did I have any problems with the fans, I have no relationship with them and I don't understand their chants in Russian, nor do I read the newspapers.
"Russian football is more tactical and defensive [than Portuguese], but the biggest difficulty is the cold. I live in the middle of St Petersburg. It's a beautiful city and I like to visit all the attractions with the whole family."
Hulk, who has been named in the Brazil squad to face Italy later this week, then revealed his admiration for Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, as well as two of Europe's top divisions.
"I love the Premier League and La Liga, I follow them on TV when I can. In England, there are some great teams, the style of play is great and so is the competition."
"Then there is Spain which has impressive quality. I'm passionate about the ability of [Andres] Iniesta and obviously [Lionel] Messi and [Cristiano] Ronaldo, both of whom are phenomenal.
"AC Milan and Inter also have great players, tradition and history. I happen to see them every now and then.
"Serie A is a beautiful league in which my friends and former team-mates [Fredy] Guarin and Alvaro Pereira play."


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Nearly 100 parents turned out to the third and final school redistricting forum Thursday night at North Oldham High School.
The trio of forums is the first of three rounds of public meetings Oldham County Schools will hold to discuss a redistricting plan, which will take effect for the 2014-15 school year.
District officials said decreased enrollment projections and a decision to close Liberty Elementary next year have created a need to redraw student assignment boundaries.
The changes will primarily affect elementary school students, but middle and high school zones will be evaluated as well.
A first round of forums was held this week with a total of 178 people attending all three meetings.
Superintendent Will Wells and Director of Pupil Personnel Michael Williams briefed parents on the school system's reasons for redistricting and how the process will work.
Parents then broke off into small groups to discuss a series of questions and ask some of their own.
Williams said he will sort through and evaulate each question and try to offer responses by the next round of forums.
During forums in May and August, zoning alternatives will be presented for parents to evaluate, again in small-group settings. They will provide feedback on various aspects of each scenario.
The schedule for the second round of forums is:
• 6 p.m. May 13 at Oldham County High School;
• 6 p.m. May 15 at North Oldham High School; and
• 6 p.m. May 16 at South Oldham High School.
The schedule for the third round of forums is:
• 6 p.m Aug. 19 at North Oldham High School;
• 6 p.m. Aug. 21 at South Oldham High School; and
• 6 p.m. Aug. 22 at Oldham County High School.
The Oldham County Board of Education will get its first look at the redistricting recommendations at its Sept. 23 meeting.
The final plan will come before the board for a vote Nov. 25.
For more information, visit www.oldham.kyschools.us/redistricting or email firstname.lastname@example.com.
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Sarah Elisabeth Webb – with the cutest double chin in the world!
She started out with a cute room, of course, almost 19 years ago. It was pink, with pink and white ticking and a fabulous (then) cabbage rose chintz by Waverly (remember Waverly?) that I had bought at Joanne's. There was an iron day bed (for the baby nurse that I never hired, much to the dismay of my mother who still, to this day, blames Elisabeth's erratic sleeping patterns on the fact that I didn't have that said baby nurse) and there was a child sized table with chairs that I had painted to match the chintz, along with a tiny quilt hand sewn by my mother-in-law out of all the fabrics in her nursery. There was an adorable dhurrie that mimicked a Portuguese needlepoint rug (in my dreams!) and faux Roman window shades. When we built our current house, we kept the same furniture for the Princess, sans the crib, and added a white wallpaper with a tiny pink fleur de lis all-over pattern ala Jane Churchill (again, in my dreams.) She lived in this room for years until slowly, as she got older – and more toys and junk accumulated – she totally trashed it out. One day, probably when she was around ten, she decided to start all over with a move to the guest room – a much smaller room that shares a bath with my office. It was a move she now regrets – her old room had lovely windows, including a cushy window seat that overlooked our once majestic water oak, a large walk in closet – and a private bathroom. When she took over her new room, we went together to IKEA for furniture and bedding, mostly yellow and orange plaid and checked fabrics. She lived with it during her pre-teen years until she discovered West Elm.
Her former bedroom. You can see the dhurrie rug with the rose pattern on it. The child sized table lasted a long time, as did the iron day bed with its ticking bedspread. The quilt my mother-in-law hand sewed out of all her Waverly fabrics is layered over the bed. You can just barely see the pink and white fleur de lis wallpaper in this faded photograph. What a dump! No wonder she wanted to switch rooms and start over!
At 15 – she stated she wanted to redesign her room herself and I decided to let her. Not that I really had a choice – she's a willful, independent child who knows her own mind and arguing with her is hopeless. From West Elm she chose the popular cut-out headboard and nightstands, along with the matching cut-out shelf unit. The large mirror she bought at IKEA. The paint colors were also her choice - the ceiling was deep purple and the walls were a silvery lilac. I helped her pick out the fabrics – silks and crushed velvets. She has always fashioned herself a glamour girl. My mother took one look and proclaimed it "The Bordello." This vision lasted three years. Recently she started hinting around that she either wanted to move back into her old room, which is now my guest room – an idea I quickly rejected - or she wanted to get rid of the dark walls and contemporary furniture. I was beyond thrilled. She's leaving for college in September and though there were certain things she requested – like white walls and French styled furniture – whenever I would ask her opinion she would say "do whatever you want Mom, I'm leaving soon and this won't be my room anymore." Sob.
The Anthropologie campaign style canopy bed – here in the famous domino magazine Marie Antoinette story - was the inspiration.
And then what always happens when an interior designer decides to redo their own house happened – each decision became a major, drawn out process of back and forth second guessing. To furnish a client's bedroom – I might take a week of planning. Elisabeth's small room took me months to finalize each detail, each time I chose something, I changed my mind the next day. The jumping off point was the Anthropologie canopy bed – there was no question about that. The only discussion was its size. I was paralyzed in choosing between the twin or the queen (double is not available). After weeks of deliberation (and endless emails with a blogger who also owned the bed) it was decided that her room was not big enough for the queen, and in a compromise we ordered the chaise longue from Wisteria for when a friend might sleep over. The first disaster was the new twin mattress that was so high she literally needed a step ladder to climb onto it. That had to be returned.
The Anthropologie bed arrives, along with the Princess and a Pea mattress. Notice the step ladder she needed to climb into bed. Needless to say, the mattress was returned for a more manageable one.
The next major issue was choosing a fabric. The beautiful Bennison Roses fabric in blue that I bought from EBay measured out at 10 yrds instead of the supposed 18, rendering the curtains I wanted an impossibility. Then, I considered all different shades of large checks from Chelsea Editions for the curtains, then it was damasks. Next, I decided to copy Rachel Ashwell's newest bedroom with the slightest of lilac taffeta for the curtains. In the end, the decor didn't fall into place until Becky Vizard from BViz waltzed into town. I picked out two antique blue and white Fortuny pillows and another smaller one in a blue velvet with gold embroidery from her gorgeous collection of textiles. So – with the walls freshly painted white, seagrass ordered, the canopy bed in place, and the Wisteria chaise longue off to have a white linen slipcover made for it, I ordered yards and yards of a tiny silk check in soft blue and white from Robert Allen. The chandelier and sconces were finally hung yesterday. Here is how Elisabeth's room looks today, though she is quick to tell me it won't be "hers" for long:
I placed the canopy bed against the long back wall – and angled the slipcovered chaise longue in front of the window where her West Elm bed used to be.
The Bella Notte whisper linen bedding came from Olivine, the white curtains on the canopy came from Indulge. The zinc topped scrolled iron table came from the sale at The Fab Flea that I went to HERE.
The velvet pillow is from BViz who specializes in antique textiles. I added the Hunter Douglas bamboo shade so that Elisabeth wouldn't have to worry about closing her curtains all the time.
On the wall where you walk in I placed a painted French desk from Artesia and hung the antique reproduction mirror from Tara Shaw Maison. I haven't had a chance to style the desk – and not sure if I will until she leaves for college.
The chandelier came from Amazon. I know, I know. I found it HERE while writing about good bargains. For the price, it's a lot of look. One thing that Elisabeth specifically requested was a crystal chandelier.
I found the sconces on the day of the Fab Flea and Found For the Home sale HERE. This was the same day I bought the zinc topped round table – both were half priced. The sconces were painted green when I bought them, so I redid them in gray and switched out the green crystals for lilac colored rock crystal.
The white tab panels are a cotton and linen blend from Amalfi – available through Indulge HERE.
The duvet is made of whisper thin, see through handkerchief linen from Bella Notte, via Olivine. The twin bedding takes months to special order, so I had Monica from Custom Creations by Monica cut down the full size duvet to fit the bed.
The wooden Santos came from Olivine and I think it really sets the tone in her room – her blue dress blends perfectly. I actually bought that piece for Elisabeth before I even knew what colors her room would be. The lamp came from Aidan Gray and the faux blue book boxes came from Wisteria, as did the chaise longue.
And in front of the scrolled iron table – is an Oriental antique box table where Elisabeth can store things. This used to be in my living room – but was recently replaced by another table.
The gilt chair with linen is one of a pair and comes from French Eloquence, a fabulous wholesale company that services most of the smaller catalogue driven web stores. The other chair is now in my powder room.
Here is how the room looks at night. The chandelier and sconces are both on dimmers which makes it much nicer than blazing full guns – although that is how Elisabeth likes it. The chandelier looks black, but it is really a dark bronze. I originally tried a wooden Italian styled chandelier from Aidan Gray in here first – but it was too wide and I like touch of sparkle in here.
And here you can see the what the Wisteria chaise looks like. The slipcover cost me more than the piece did because we had to first reupholster it in white muslin. The seagrass is custom cut just a few inches from the wall. I found the vintage mannequin at Memorial Antiques and Interiors.
The small mirror on the back wall inside the canopy is a faux antique – I repainted its brown wood gray. Here's a close up of the two Fortuny pillows from BViz which drove the blue and white scheme. Also – the two larger pillows are the tiny check silk from Robert Allen.
I didn't have time to style the desk, but I did remove her laptop. Underneath her desk are the last remnants of her West Elm/IKEA room, contemporary boxes that hold her desk accessories – books, papers, etc. I've ordered two large wicker baskets to sit at the side of the desk (I got that idea from Brooke at Velvet and Linen!) – but they haven't come in yet. The cords, which I still have to fix are from the TV, as are the cable boxes on her desk which will be hidden in the baskets. What I really like is the way the mirror reflects the Santos and the chandelier and during the day, all the sunlight that pours into the room.
Here is how her TV looks in the corner – it's on a swivel arm, so it comes out and faces the bed or the desk. Short of hiding it in an armoire – this was the best arrangement I could think of for it, given the small size of her room.
And here is Elisabeth – thrilled with her new room. Actually she says "love it" when I repeatedly ask if she is happy with it! Of course Georgie has to be in the mix, but she is so scared of having her picture taken!!
I hope you've enjoyed the tour of Elisabeth's room !!!! I think I have given out all the sources except the paint – it's Pratt and Lambert - Hedron, 2301. White, with just a hint of gray. The seagrass comes from MARC ANTHONY RUGS @ 713-861-3000, the curtains and bedding were fabricated by Custom Creations BY MONICA: #832-443-1931; and the slipcover was made by Hien Lam Upholsterers (713) 523-3416 and HERE.
Coming soon - I'll have pictures of my annual family Hanukkah party and then pictures from the Webb Family Christmas at Chappell Hill, Texas will follow. Don't forget – there is the final Skirted Roundtable of the Year HERE. Our first show in January will feature Stephen Drucker, the fabulous editor of House Beautiful magazine. Winners of my giveaway will be announced in the comment section of that story AND the winners of The Skirted Roundtable giveaway will be announced on that blog – www.skirtedroundtable.blogspot.com.


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The Cambridge Stormwater Management Plan is a program of stormwater mitigation actions for the City of Cambridge based on the guidelines established under the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) stormwater management program by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Stormwater Phase II Rule. The Stormwater Management Plan will be updated by June 30, 2019 in accordance with the requirements of the 2016 MS4 Permit and Notice of Intent submitted to EPA on September 28, 2018.
The EPA MS4 Stormwater Phase II Program was created with the intention of improving the quality of the nation's waterways by reducing the quantity of pollutants that stormwater picks up and carries into stormwater systems and discharges to surface water bodies. EPA requires that MS4 Phase II owners/operators reduce pollutants in stormwater to the maximum extent practicable (MEP) to protect water quality. The regulations specify that compliance with the MEP requirement can be attained by developing a stormwater management plan that addresses the following six minimum control measures:
Cambridge citizen requests, now online & on the go! Report issues here.
Have a question?Find the answer in our extensiveFrequently Asked Questions
147 Hampshire StCambridge
02139Phone:617.349.4800TDD:617.499.9924Email Us
Monday: 8:30am-8pm
Tuesday-Thursday: 8:30am-5pm
Friday: 8:30am-12pm
Learn more


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(AP) — The race is on in Illinois for $28 million in grants to help consumers learn how to shop for health insurance.
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn's office announced Monday a competitive grant process to distribute the federal money to community groups that want to help educate consumers about the new online insurance marketplace.
The state will take applications through May 30. Organizations eligible to apply — according to grant information on a state website — include nonprofit groups, farming organizations, fishing industry organizations, chambers of commerce and unions.
"We've got a big job to do making sure that people across Illinois are aware of the affordable and high-quality health care coverage options that will soon be available through the Affordable Care Act," Quinn said in a statement. "That's why we are partnering with trusted organizations that have proven records of success and roots in communities across Illinois to ensure that no one is left out."
The national health overhaul law — President Barack Obama's signature domestic achievement — requires that nearly all Americans have health insurance beginning in 2014 or pay a penalty. New insurance marketplaces are scheduled to be operating in every state by Oct. 1. People who are uninsured will be able to comparison-shop for affordable health plans on these websites and many will qualify for tax credits to help them pay for coverage.
But Illinois officials estimate that more than half the consumers who seek coverage in the marketplace will need help.
They'll get that help from trained guides who, ideally, will offer unbiased and accurate information. The guides will be hired and supervised by community organizations that, starting now, are competing for grant money.
John Peller of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago said his group is likely to apply for one of the grants. Several thousand Chicago-area people with HIV will be newly eligible for insurance under the health law, Peller said, and many will need help choosing a health plan and enrolling. Better access to health care for people with HIV will reduce the spread of the disease, he said.
"The new substance abuse and mental health coverage available under the law will be tremendously important for people with HIV, who often have depression and substance abuse challenges at higher rates than the general population," Peller said.
Insurance agents and brokers still will have a role in helping people choose health insurance, said Phil Lackman, a lobbyist for a coalition of Illinois industry groups.
The Illinois Senate passed a bill last month clarifying that the new state guides cannot recommend or endorse a particular health plan. The bill still needs approval in the House.
"A lot of people want to compare this to Travelocity (the online site for buying airline tickets)," Lackman said. "Health insurance is a more complicated decision and a more personal choice. Many people will still seek out the advice of an agent or broker."
Nearly 1.8 million Illinois residents are uninsured. An estimated 486,000 state residents will get coverage from commercial insurers through the Illinois marketplace in 2014. That figure is expected to reach 1 million customers by 2016.
Grant applications will be competitively scored. State officials intend to distribute the grants with consideration to serving various populations, regions and cultures. The University of Illinois at Chicago's School of Public Health will run a training program this summer for organizations selected for the grants.


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ESPN's Adam Schefter is reporting free agent tight end Anthony Becht is visiting the Raiders today.
It's the first reported visit since free agency began Friday.
Profootballtalk.com is reporting the visit will take place "this week."
Tight end is one of the positions where the Raiders could stand pat. Starter Zach Miller has 166 receptions in three seasons, backup Tony Stewart is a core special teams player Brandon Myers, a sixth-round draft pick, showed promise.
Becht, 32, is 6-foot-6, 270 pounds and had 10 starts for the Arizona Cardinals last season. He has 185 receptions for 1,511 yards and 21 touchdowns in a career which began in 2000 with the Jets. He also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2005 through 2007 and the St. Louis Rams in 2008. He is a former first-round draft pick, No. 27 overall and regarded as a good blocker.
Were Becht to sign, his likely competition would be Stewart, given Miller's status as the starter and Myers' promise as a rookie.
According to BuffaloBills.com, free agent offensive tackle Cornell Green is visiting the Bills today.


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Hactivist group Anonymous has hacked the website of the U.S. Sentencing Commission in the name of Aaron Swartz, threatening to leak sensitive government documents if the feds don't reform the justice system, CNET reports.
The collective posted a manifesto regarding "Operation Last Resort," along with a set of encrypted files that it claims have "enough fissile material for multiple warheads."
Anonymous won't specify the contents of the files at issue but said it would start leaking the documents, with heavy redactions, to one media outlet "at a regular interval commencing today," according to CNET.
Anonymous says it's avenging the death of Aaron Swartz, a 26-year-old Internet activist with a history of depression who killed himself on January 11. Many of Swartz's friends and colleagues have blamed his suicide on the U.S. Attorney's office in Massachusetts and its efforts to punish Swartz for illegally downloading millions of academic articles from a subscription database.
The charges against Swartz could have theoretically put him behind bars for 35 years, but prosecutors have said they offered him a four- to six-month prison sentence in exchange for a guilty plea.
Anonymous still says Swartz was "killed" because he faced an "impossible choice."
Swartz died "because he was forced into playing a game he could not win - a twisted and distorted perversion of justice - a game where the only winning move was not to play," the group said.
Anonymous wants the feds to rethink sentencing guidelines and overhaul the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, the mid-1980s law that's being used to prosecute modern-day hackers.
The encrypted files, which were named after each of the nine Supreme Court justices, can only be opened with an encryption key that Anonymous said it does not necessarily want to provide to its followers. It hopes to never have to "detonate" its "warhead."
The Sentencing Commission's site was down as of Monday around noon. On Sunday night, Anonymous compromised the site a second time, releasing a code that allowed users to turn the site into a game of Asteroids, ZDNet reports.
The USSC sets the sentencing guidelines for crimes tried in federal courts, and Anonymous said it chose the site for symbolic reasons.


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tech pack for baby clothes
Budget $30-250 AUD
My business partner and I are excited to be starting up our own baby clothes label. We are looking for a freelancer to help translate our ideas into a detailed tech pack for overseas manufacturers.
The project will involve baby onesies (short and long sleeved), blankets and beanies.
We are working to a February/March 2017 deadline so would love to commission someone in the next month or two.
14 Freelancer bieten im Durchschnitt $220 für diesen Job
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With the update of the version of World of Warcraft, the equipments are updated, As long as you have the time to play ,the purple equipment is not very precious now, but at that time, the blue equipments are different to get, let us to see the following equipments.
The long spear
Many people may be know it's properties, but forgot where it's source place, this spear not only is a weapon but memory for Okuyama the first victory. There is another same spear in the WLK version, add yellow letters.
The most beautiful bow, the magic wand, the shield
Match stick, sword, Ax
These equipments were classic at that time, a lot of players play WOW day and night in order to get these, Let's add more equipment pictures to recall them.


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Topic: Dead or Alive
I have my own ideas about this, but I'm wondering what everyone else thinks.
If there was a bounty, and it was required that the bounty be brought back alive in order for it Boba Fett to be rewarded, but this bounty went against everything that Boba Fett stood for, was a coward, wouldn't stand up for himself and was willing to sacrifice his family for his safety, what do you think Boba Fett would do? Do you think he would capture the man alive, or would he think the man deserved death and so therefore would just kill him.


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You see the following error message when you try to download your profile to your Xbox 360 console:
Sorry, something's wrong with your Microsoft Account. Go to https://account.live.com for help.
Error code: 80151012
This may mean that your Microsoft account is locked or that there's a problem with it.
To resolve this problem, try the following solutions:
Solution 1: Remove your profile from all Xbox 360 consoles where it's been saved. There are two ways you can accomplish. Both use your "trusted PC". (To learn about trusted PCs, see "Making your computer a trusted PC" at Why you're unexpectedly prompted for your Microsoft email account and password.)
Solution 2: Reset the password for your Microsoft account. Here's how:
If you keep experiencing the problem, contact Xbox Support.
Repair or warranty questions? See Xbox 360 warranty, registration and repair: Frequently asked questions.
Thanks for your feedback!
Provide feedback for this topic
Would you like to contact Support regarding the "Error 80151012 occurs when you try to use your Microsoft account on Xbox Live" issue you were reading about or a different issue?


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Behind the scenes of The Cancer Genome Atlas: part 2
Yesterday on the blog, we introduced you to some of the Broad researchers who built tools, teams, and resources to generate and analyze a massive flood of data and analytical code for The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Today we give you a look at the system they built to manage data analysis for the project: Firehose.
In addition to analyzing data generated here, the Broad serves as a Genome Data Analysis Center, led by Gaddy Getz, director of Cancer Genome Computational Analysis, and Broad senior associate member Lynda Chin, which coordinates data generated by other research centers in the TCGA. Even during the TCGA's first pilot project on glioblastoma, the Broad team recognized the need for a robust analysis management system to handle the flood of data and algorithms. The phrase "drinking from the firehose" aptly describes the scale of the challenge, so the researchers named their solution "Firehose."
"There are 20 centers in the TCGA, each with its own role and perspective," says software engineering manager Mike Noble of the Cancer Program, who oversees Firehose, built during the ovarian cancer project by a team led by primary software developer Douglas Voet. "This leads to a pretty significant challenge for coordination and data standards. So we wrestle with this on a daily basis."
Firehose addresses several issues, one of which Mike calls "the Babel problem." On a massive, multi-institute effort like the TCGA, scientists often have trouble coordinating. "Everyone's not really speaking the same language with respect to data," he says. Firehose "versions" the analytical code and the data, keeping snapshots of each as they evolve so that researchers can efficiently collaborate and reproduce experiments. "We need to be able to say on Thursday, we ran version X of the code on version Y of the data, and this is the result. Because that's the hallmark of all science: reproducibility."
Firehose incorporates another Broad-built software package, GenePattern, which shuttles data through analytical modules. Firehose tells GenePattern which analytical codes to run on which set of data, serving as a bookkeeping system for the data. As Mike explains, "Firehose drives GenePattern." But it's more complex than that. "Really, the Firehose pipeline is a metapipeline of pipelines." Some of the modules within the system, such as GISTIC, which looks for driver mutations in cancer, are themselves pipelines that have taken years to develop, and sometimes continue to be developed. "You can imagine this is a really complicated problem to solve," Mike says. "The codes themselves are evolving underneath your feet as you're trying to run it." Software engineers on Mike's team work to keep the pipeline stable while computational biologists tinker with analysis codes.
Firehose has been operational for less than a year, and went live near the end of the ovarian project. Before then, TCGA scientists analyzed their data in a more ad hoc manner, storing it in local files and relying upon their note-taking skills to keep track of data and code versions. Scientific results that took two to three years to discover and iteratively refine for the ovarian work can now be replicated within two to three days through Firehose, greatly accelerating the pace of research for the TCGA's full phase targeting more than a dozen cancer types. "Firehose has really evolved its role in the TCGA," Mike says. "It's become something people are starting to really rely on, because it does this stuff reasonably well."
For Mike and others on the TCGA team, the monumental effort serves a noble goal: to better understand cancer and pave the way for new treatments. "Hopefully the point of all this is you take raw data and turn it into discovery," he says.
Other members of the Broad community contributing to the work include Lauren Ambrogio, Julie Ann, Kristin Ardlie, Will Armstead, Jennifer Baldwin, Toby Bloom, Peter Carr, Scott Carter, Sara Chauvin, Andrew Cherniack, Kristian Cibulskis, Cassandra Crawford, Andrew Crenshaw, Daniel DiCara, Sheli Dookran, Tim Fennell, Sheila Fisher, Nils Gehlenborg, Stephanie Grandbois, Supriya Gupta, D. Hubbard, Marcin Imielinski, Rui Jing, Sharon Kim, Mike Lawrence, Zach Leber, Semin Lee, Pei Lin, Spring Liu, Yingchun Liu, Susan McDonough, Aaron McKenna, Craig Mermel, Jill Mesirov, Paula Morais, Marc-Danie Nazaire, Huy Nguyen, Nathaniel Novod, Rob Onofrio, Peter Park, Richard Park, Mark Puppo, Alexis Ramos, Michael Reich, Jim Robinson, Keenan Ross, Gordon Saksena, Erica Shefler, Sachet Shukla, Raktim Sinha, Peter Stojanov, Andrey Sivachenko, Carrie Sougnez, Alvin Tam, Kristin Thompson, Helga Thorvaldsdottir, Roel Verhaak, Cherelle Walls, John Walsh, Jane Wilkinson, Wendy Winckler, CJ Wu, Terrance Wu, YongHong Xiao, Hailei Zhang, Jianhua Zhang, Juinhua Zhang, Lihua Zhou, Andrew Zimmer, and Robert Zupko. In addition to the Cancer Program, members of the Biological Samples Platform, Genome Sequencing Platform, and Genetic Analysis Platform contributed greatly to the success of this work.
Read more about the team behind the Broad's TCGA effort in part 1 of this series.
Read more about the discoveries made in the TCGA's pilot project on ovarian cancer.


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The time between the end of the college regular season and bowl games is crucial for agents. As members of the 2014 NFL Draft class close in on securing representation, an ex-agent revisits the cutthroat—and often shady—process
We have now reached "go time" for agents in their pursuit of 2014 NFL Draft prospects. Once the college football regular season ends and teams have down time prior to their bowl games, the focus of the top players and their coaches, parents and advisors turns to the agent selection process. Football's other recruiting season officially has commenced.
As I write this, I am returning from College Station, Texas, having spoken to Texas A&M's draft-eligible players about their decisions ahead, selecting an agent and preparing for professional football and beyond. Several schools—although still not enough—provide similar services for their players. Too many players are left to fend for themselves in a complex landscape of decisions ahead.
Players cannot actually sign with an agent prior to the expiration of their eligibility, which usually is following their bowl game. However, player decisions often are made this week or next, with the formal signing of the SRA (Standard Representation Agreement) often within hours of the end of their bowl game. By the time the college all-star game schedule begins in mid-January, virtually every draft-eligible player has signed with an agent.
There are approximately 800 agents currently certified by the NFL Players Association to represent 1,800 NFL players, with more being added every year. And with so many agents and relatively few top players, the players can dictate not only the fee paid to an agent, but also create an environment for abuse and enticements: money, trips, cars, women, club visits, game tickets, etc. I often hear agents lamenting the cutthroat nature of the industry, saying how dirty it has become. I usually then ask them why they don't get out of it, to which they often respond, I still love it!
Let's take a look inside the agent game.
The sell
Recruiting is the lifeblood of the agent business. In simplest terms, recruiting involves sitting with a young man, often a very large young man, and convincing him he should sign with you instead of the many others trying to sign him.
NFL agents have been working on the class of 2014 since the spring, if not earlier. Although many players (and their coaches and parents) advise agents to wait until after the season to contact them, too many experienced agents have been burned following those instructions, finding out they have lost the player to an agent who has ignored those rules.
Agents will look for any possible angle into a player during the recruiting process; cold calls do not work, the business is too competitive for that. The usual ways into a student-athlete's selection process include: (1) relationships with (or representation of) a school's coach or coaches, (2) representation of players that the student-athlete knows and/or trusts, (3) representation of players from the student-athlete's school, (4) representation of players from the student-athlete's hometown, or (5) being well-known names in the industry.
I remember taking an offensive lineman out to dinner and watching him order "the left side of the menu." I laughed; he didn't.
Agents are recruiting in all they do. Drew Rosenhaus is a conspicuous example of this, constantly putting himself in public view in order to be top of mind when players decide on an agent (or leave their prior one). Rosenhaus, much to the dismay of rival agents, is always adding clients; when I was with the Packers, he would sometimes come to Green Bay to visit one client and leave with one or two more.
I have many recruiting stories from my days as an agent; here are a couple that stand out. I remember going to a player's off-campus apartment and opening the door to find eight guys sitting around a bong. (I did not partake.) I remember taking an offensive lineman out to dinner and watching him order "the left side of the menu." I laughed; he didn't. (I did not sign him). I remember coming out of a home in a rough section of Cleveland one time to find my rental car on cinder blocks. (I never found the wheels.) And I remember finishing certain meetings with both players and family members who lingered at the door, waiting for me to make an offer to secure their signature, something they had become used to receiving them from other agents. (I never had one.)
The marketing guarantee
While some of the top agencies in the business will not make such illicit offers, they will offer something more innocuous but powerful in securing top players.
Marketing guarantees are essentially advances on future marketing income, with the agent or agency accountable for the difference if they do not secure the full amount. For instance, an agent or agency will offer a player a player a $500,000 marketing guarantee, payable against all future marketing income brought to the client. In the event the agency only secures, say, $350,000 of future marketing income for the player, it assumes the $150,000 difference as a cost of doing business. While not illegal, this is a measure that large agencies with ample resources use to separate themselves from the smaller firms.
Speaking of necessary costs of doing business…
The training
Back in the olden days when I was an agent, preparation of NFL prospects for the scouting combine consisted of hiring a speed coach to improve a player's 40 time and asking some mock interview questions the day before arriving in Indianapolis. That was then, this is now.
Pre-combine training is now big business, with full-service training centers such as Athletes Performance Institute (API) in Arizona and International Management Group (IMG) in Florida charging as much as $25,000 per opening (usually pre-booked by the agency months in advance). From the time the players sign with their agency until the combine (and sometimes beyond), players are under the full-time care of these centers in comprehensive preparation for the Combine, with all costs borne by the agent.
Providing this service makes good business sense for eventual first-round picks set to secure $15-20 million contracts with hundreds of thousands of eventual fees. However, due to the intense competition in the industry, these services are now provided to players that end up being drafted far lower, or even not at all, becoming loss leaders for the agent. For instance, say a player that received this training is eventually drafted in the fifth round, with a signing bonus of $200,000. The maximum agent fee (3 percent) on the bonus of $6,000 is far less than the $15,000-$20,000 invested in training on the player. And that is just one player. One can see the perils in the business of representing rookie players.
Yes, there are players who choose to forego training at one of these specialized centers, opting to remain at his college to use other available means. But players have come to expect this service, and agents who are deficient in this area often are removed from consideration.
What to ask
The following are some of the questions I advise players and their families to be clear with the agent during the interview process:
- What types of services are offered, and for what fee?
- Are the fees the same for every client? Why are some different?
- Are financial services offered and if so, what strategies are used?
- How is the agent's time divided amongst their various clients?
- What is the strategy for injury treatment and rehabilitation?
- If there is more than one agent in the group, who will be the "point person?"
- Has the agent been fired before? What would the player that fired the agent say about it (ask to talk to him)?
- What is their "damage control" plan if there were a crisis?
In evaluating and selecting agents, many players and their families are faced with the dilemma of big vs. small. The bigger agents or agencies tout influence and clout provided by their name and reputation. The smaller agents sell personal attention and care, warning players of the dangers of getting lost with an agent with dozens of clients. Ultimately, it is a matter of personal preference, although it is important for a player to honestly assess where he will fit in the pecking order of the agent's client roster.
I tell players and their families that hiring a sports agent is like bringing another family member into the fold. The two phrases I hear most often when asking why a player chooses a certain agent over others are gut feel and comfort level. It is an important decision based primarily on trust, which is difficult to measure in a couple of meetings and conversations. That is why references and research are so important.
The fee
The recent collective bargaining agreement took a machete to the previous rookie contract compensation system. Now, not only is the four-year length of drafted player contracts mandatory, but also the amount of money for each pick is largely predetermined, which is leading to some uncomfortable conversations about fees.
I receive an increasing number of questions from players, their families and advisors asking, If rookie contracts are pre-determined, why am I paying a fee? It is a question that agents have to answer with greater frequency, especially noting the hundreds of thousands of dollars in savings garnered by Matt Elam, the first-round pick of the Ravens that negotiated his contract without an agent. More and more players and their families are noting the "Elam model" when discussing fees with prospective agents.
To be fair, agents do offer several other services beyond the negotiation of the contract's final contract numbers, including:
- Negotiation of offseason injury protection
- Negotiation of signing bonus payment terms
- Negotiation resisting offset language
- Arranging training and interview preparation for the combine
- Coordinating Pro Day workouts and interviews
- Managing the player's family and friends
- Providing a credit line for income prior to signing a contract
- Reviewing lease and other documents presented to the player
- Being a trusted adviser, friend and counselor
However, many of these services are outside of the standard fee model and provided disproportionately in the first year of players' careers, as opposed to continuing through the length of their contracts.
Agents guard their fees with extreme secrecy and are particularly sensitive to having clients know about other clients' fee arrangements. My sense, though, is that few agents are receiving the maximum 3 percent for rookies at the top of the draft due to the competitive nature of the marketplace. And after seeing what Elam did, there will be even greater downward pressure on these fees.
Coming Friday on The MMQB ... Part 2, which will be a look inside the author's time recruiting Ricky Williams (who ultimately chose Master P for representation) and the entry of Jay-Z into the agent industry.


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How to Calibrate Stride Sensor with RS800CX
The optional calibration of Polar s3 stride sensor W.I.N.D / Polar s3+ stirde sensor improves the accuracy of speed, pace and distance measurements. We recommend that you calibrate the sensor:
b) if there are significant changes in your running style, or
c) if the position of the sensor on the shoe is dramatically changed (e.g. if you have new running shoes or if you switch the sensor from your right shoe to your left one).
Sensor calibration can be done by running a known distance or by setting the calibration factor manually.
You can calibrate one stride sensor for each shoe setting (Shoes1/2/3) and have a separate calibration factor for each set of shoes in RS800CX. The training computer will automatically use the calibration factor according to the shoes selected at the beginning of the exercise.
Calibrating stride sensor by running a distance (on-the-fly calibration)
You can calibrate the sensor at any stage of your exercise by using the lap distance correction. Run a known distance of preferably more than 1000 meters (approx.1094 yards / 0.62 miles).
Before calibrating make sure that the sensor function is enabled on the training computer. Select Settings → Features → Shoes/bikes → Shoes 1/2/3 → S sensor → On → OK.
If the stride sensor is not taught to the training computer, you will need to do it at this stage.
If you are using distance-based targets, you cannot do on-the-fly calibration.
To calibrate on the fly
1. In time mode press OK once.
2. Select Settings → Shoes/bikes → Shoes 1/2/3, depending on which one you want to calibrate.
3. Select Start. Begin your run.
4. When you are at a starting point of a known lap distance, press OK to take a lap. Once you have run the whole lap distance, press OK again.
Then calibrate the sensor by choosing either alternative:
a) Press and hold LIGHT to go to Settings → Calibrate → Correct lap → Set true lap distance.
b) Press STOP once. Select Settings → Calibrate → Correct lap → Set true lap distance.
5. Fix the displayed lap distance with the distance you just ran, and press OK.
Calibration completeand the Factor x.xxare displayed. The sensor is now calibrated and ready for action.
Setting calibration factor manually
The calibration factor is calculated as a ratio of the actual distance to the uncalibrated distance. For example, if you run 1200m but the training computer shows a distance of 1180m, the calibration factor is 1.000.
The new calibration factor is calculated as follows: 1.000*1200/1180 = 1.017.
The measuring range for the factor is 0.500-1.500.
You can set the calibration factor in three different ways.
1. Before exercise
a) Select Settings → Features → Shoes/bikes → Shoe 1/2/3 → Calibrate
b) Set the Calibration factor and press OK. The sensor is now calibrated.
2. During exercise with exercise recording paused
a) Start exercising by pressing OK twice in the time display. Press STOP once and the exercise recording is paused.
b) Go to Settings → Calibrate → Set factor.
c) Set the Calibration factor and press OK.
The sensor is now calibrated.
d) Press OK to continue exercise recording.
3. During exercise without pausing exercise recording
a) Start exercising by pressing OK twice in the time display. Press and hold LIGHT button to go to Settings.
b) Select Calibrate → Set factor.
c) Set the Calibration factor and press OK.
The sensor is now calibrated and you can continue running.
If S sensor calibration failedis displayed, the sensor calibration was not successful. Please try again.
Calibration factor for each of the shoes can also be set in ProTrainer 5 through Tools → Edit Polar Product Settings.
The calibration is done in metric units. This is because the most universal calibration location is a 400m track, even in countries where imperial units are used.
For best results Polar recommends that you do the calibration run on the type of terrain and with the speed you normally use for running.


text: Toy storage bins are great for quickly picking up and putting away toys. Place toy bins in the main rooms of the house to easily drop toys in as you go - once it's full, take the toys to the kids' rooms or playroom. A toy storage bin for each different kind of toy can help organize & sort. Use toy bin storage for arts & crafts supplies. Find the right toy bins for kids for your home or classroom. Make pick up time easier with an organized toy storage system made up with toy storage bins. Also be sure to check out kids toy boxes and storage shelves for other toy organizer options as well as kids storage bins.


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Welcome to obscurity
The best place to be, if you don't mind the noise, chaos, and residual crumbs. It's just like my real house. Come on in. Here, find everything that occupies and distracts this Canadian fiction writer. Your comments are welcome.
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My name is Carrie Snyder. I'm mother of four, writer of fiction and non-, dreamer, planner, mid-life runner, soccer coach, teacher, taking time for a cup of coffee in front of this computer screen. My days are full, yet I keep asking: how can I fill them just a little bit more, with depth, with care, with light.
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LAS VEGAS — Utah State quarterback Chuckie Keeton got his junior season off to a superb start, only to have it derailed by a knee injury in Game 6.
Back healthy as a senior, he's generating plenty of hype as the Mountain West's preseason offensive player of the year and, potentially, a dark horse Heisman Trophy candidate.
The Utah State sports information department has gotten an early start on a potential Heisman campaign, distributing reporter's notebooks with his picture on the front with the slogan: "Chuckie 4 Heisman." The top of his individual pages in the team media guide also have 2014 Heisman Trophy candidate is across the top.
Not that any of that concerns Keeton.
"There's no such thing as rollover stats; if anything I kind of want to bring new light to our offense," he said Tuesday at the first day of the Mountain West media day.
Keeton threw for 1,385 yards and 18 touchdowns with two interceptions through the first five games before having his season cut short.
He was looking to gain an extra yard against BYU on Oct. 4 and ended up tearing his left anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments. Keeton missed the rest of the season, but the Aggies played well without him, winning the Mountain Division — they lost the conference title game to Fresno State — and beating Northern Illinois in the Poinsettia Bowl.
Though the 6-foot-2, 200-pound focal point of Utah State's offense won't know how his knee really is until he takes his first hit, he's looking forward to leading his team again.
"I can't really say my style is going to change or anything like that," said Keeton, who has thrown for 5,961 career yards and rushed for another 1,153. "I've just got to be able to make plays when the time presents itself in order to get my team to the best position."
Keeton spent much of his down time on schoolwork, rehabilitation and lifting weights. Now that he's back, he's shying away from all the preseason hype and Heisman chatter, something that doesn't surprise his coach.
"Respect and care for your teammates is one of our core values we use in our program, he does it as good as anybody," Utah State coach Matt Wells said.
The Aggies open their season at Tennessee, on Aug. 31.
Here are more things to know from the Mountain West media days:
LIFE WITHOUT CARR: Defending conference champion Fresno State was again picked by the media as the favorite to win the West Division. They'll have to do it without record-breaking quarterback Derek Carr, who was drafted by the Oakland Raiders. The good news for the Bulldogs is they return 2013 Defensive Player of the Year Derron Smith, who earned the preseason nod on Tuesday.
NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN: Wyoming ushers in a new era with coach Craig Bohl, who led North Dakota State to three straight FCS National Championships and an 11-year record of 104-32. He inherits a team that returns 17 starters and 44 lettermen from last season, when the Cowboys opened the season 4-2, but finished 1-5. The Cowboys have had just two winning season the last nine years, the last in 2011, when they finished 8-5 and lost to Temple in the New Mexico Bowl.
HAWAI'I HOT SEAT? With more than 40 years' experience, Hawaii coach Norm Chow enters his third season as a head coach with a 4-20 record. The Rainbow Warriors haven't had a winning season since 2010, when Greg McMackin was in charge. Hawaii, which appeared in eight bowls during a 12-year span (1999-2010), hasn't looked anything like the offensive powerhouse it once.
TWO THE HARD WAY: UNLV reached several goals last season, finally winning more than two games under coach Bobby Hauck, snapping a 23-game road losing skid and advancing to a bowl game for the first time since 2000. With the most offensive players on the preseason all-conference team, the Rebels are looking to up the ante: Winning their division, then the conference championship and, eventually, a bowl game.
HEADS UP: When camp opens next month and hitting begins, Nevada will implement Guardian Caps, a one-size-fits-all helmet cover that can be worn on any current football helmet. According to the product's website, more than 23,000 caps are currently being used by high schools and colleges, including Clemson and South Carolina. "If they do lessen some of the impacts that the line of scrimmage players take throughout training camp and the course of a practice week, then I'm all for it," Nevada coach Brian Polian said. "I'm willing to look hard at anything that is for player safety."


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Does a family qualify as homeless? What services should the school district provide? Which school is it in the best interest of the child to attend? Is it feasible for the school to provide transportation? Does the child need extra support services? Does he or she have school supplies? Do the child receive free or reduced priced benefits?
Many questions can come up as families and McKinney-Vento Liaisons work together. While some only require simple yes or no answers, others can be very complicated. If a family and the school district disagree about the answers to some of the questions, a dispute resolution process needs to be followed. School districts may design their own dispute resolution process; however, it does need to follow some guidelines. First, students must remain enrolled, be allowed to attend school as normal, and continue to receive all services a homeless student would be eligible for while the dispute is being settled. Second, students may not be expelled without due process of the law. Third, students and their families must be provided with a written explanation of any decisions. That notice must also include information on how to appeal the decision, the contact information of the school district's McKinney-Vento Liaison, and the contact information of the state coordinator. The following links outline the processes designed to address any issues that are appealed to the Indiana Department of Education.


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In yet another instance of an Internet-driven social phenomenon, a growing number of women in the U.S. are joining on-line breast-milk-sharing communities. Their aim is to provide human milk to new mothers who can't breastfeed their babies. While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued warnings about the potential health risks of this practice, advocates sing the praises of both breast milk and their online community.
Lindsey Ward, 23, has two children. Because she isn't able to produce enough breast milk, she fed her first child formula. But when her second baby, Joshua, arrived nine months ago, she decided to give him the best of all baby foods: human breast milk.
"When he is ready to eat I take one of these out and put it in cold water so I can thaw it out," said Ward. "Right now, I have milk from three different women in this freezer."
For the past 9 months Ward has used breast milk from 15 women. She met them through a variety of Internet-based social networks, and online breast-milk sharing groups such as Eats on Feets, and MilkShare.
"What I would do is I post on the [Facebook] 'wall' something like 'I need milk for my 9-month-old son,'" Ward explained.
And within a few hours, women respond. They chat online; they agree to meet to pick up the bags of frozen milk. No money changes hands. Ward says her baby has been healthy and gained weight normally on his breast-milk diet. She says she's also made great friends, like Amanda Brewer.
Amanda has four children and has breastfed them all. She became a member of Eats on Feets when she had to stop feeding her two month-old baby temporarily because the dairy milk she was drinking was passing through her own milk and triggering an allergic reaction in her baby.
"So we found two donor moms who didn't drink dairy either and so they donated to him for two weeks," Brewer called.
After two weeks off dairy, she was able to feed her baby again. But in the meantime, because her breasts were still producing milk, she pumped and stored it for donation.
Since then she has been both a donor and recipient.
There are many reasons to give or receive breast milk. Heidi Briguglio, the Washington DC regional coordinator for Eats on Feets, had a personal reason for founding the chapter: "I was adopted when I was a baby, I was three days old and my parents adopted me. My mother would have done this for me," she explained.
Briguglio has always breast fed her 19-month-old baby Azure and has not donated milk yet. She says the number of lactating women joining breast milk-sharing communities online is growing worldwide.
As these groups proliferate, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning against feeding babies with breast milk obtained from donors not screened for infectious diseases.
Dr. Stephen Wall, an adviser for the international organization Save the Children, supports breast milk-sharing, but he echoes the FDA warning:
"The benefits of breast milk, over formula have been demonstrated for pre-term babies, so there is a benefit in having breast milk, but only in the setting where that baby can be provided that safely without risk of infection and without risk of contamination," noted Wall.
Some of those risks include the Hepatitis B or C viruses, and HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. But milk-sharing groups like Eats on Feets believe the safety issue is an individual responsibility.
"The responsibility for safety and knowing their source, getting information about how they want to handle the milk is up to the mothers themselves," Briguglio explained.
For Lindsey Ward and Amanda Brewer, as for many other women meeting through the Internet and sharing their breast milk with many babies, it's a matter of trust and mother's instinct.


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Home » Electroacoustic/Contemporary » FORBIDDEN PLANETS: Volume 2 (double CD)
FORBIDDEN PLANETS: Volume 2 (double CD)
An indispensable collection of classic and pioneering electronic works. Of all such collections to date this one, taken with its earlier companion Vol.1, has to be, I think, the best introduction to the field - because it takes a broad view and isn�t partisan; because it covers the ground effortlessly and is good to listen to; because it throws in works vital to the picture though technically outside the concept (none of the works included here, for instance, by Babbitt, Antheil or Russolo use electronics at all - though it still makes perfect sense for them to be featured alongside concrete, electroacoustic, electronic and tape-music works). Otherwise featured are Olivier Messiaen, Otto Luening, Milton Babbitt, John Cage (Williams Mix), Karlheinz Stockhausen, Karel Goeyvaerts, Oscar Sala, Hugh Le Caine (Dripsody), Gottfried M Koenig (Klangfiguren 1), Giselher Klebe, Vladimir Ussachevsky (Wireless Fantasy), Bengt Hambreaus, Kid Baltan/Dick Raiijmakers, Franco Evangelisti, Daphne Oram, Herbert Brun, Bebe & Louis Baron, Phil Young, Richard Maxfied (A swarm of Butterflies), Henry Jacobs (usually left out of the story) Iannis Xenakis (his extraordinary Orient Occident) and Joe Meek (a rare, abstract, piece made as a promotional aid to help audio dealers demonstrate hi-fi players). So, it�s an efficient and selective sampling of the territory. In a Slipcase with a breezy and well illustrated booklet (written by Alan Clayson) that draws some of the temporal and geographical threads together but doesn�t spell much out. An engaging trip for the ear, then, relatively unconcerned with documentation, thoroughness, academic rigour or covering every base, but excellently planned and widely sourced, that holds the ear by way of wise selection and intelligent sequencing. And it�s well priced.
Code: CDCD5067
Price: £15.00


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Event Manager HD
- Publisher: Permeative Technologies Pvt Ltd
- Genre: Business
- Released: 16 Oct, 2012
- Size: 15.9 MB
- Price: $4.99
- App Store Info
DescriptionDid you forget somebody's birthday or an important football match? This is one of the major worries we all are facing daily. "Event Manager" is here to put an end to all your qualms. This app will never let you forget any important event again!
Event Manager is the new easy way to plan your day. Planned around regular chores, the app allows anyone to create new events with just a few taps!
This application will remind you about important meeting, birthday events or an appointment with the doctor, movie plans, friend's wedding date or any upcoming event for that matter. Event Manager will provide you exact information like how much time is left. All the information comes in nicely-wrapped pack that you create by yourself!
Event Manager notifies you in advance of all the upcoming events so you'll never miss an important date ever again.
Eventful Features:
•Countdown timer for your convenience
•Timer provides how much time is left for the subsequent event
•The events stored for the day in iCal will also be displayed
•Saved events will be stored in the database
•Events saved in Database can be edited
•Options like event icon, title, location, event date, reminder, repeat, sound and details can be provided
•Icons can be added via camera, photo gallery or icon database within the app
Now manage all your tasks and events with ease with Event Manager!!!


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The Atlanta Braves survived Craig Kimbrel's two-out blown save in the ninth inning by scoring twice in the 13th, topping the Washington Nationals 6-4 Friday night to flip-flop the standings atop the National League East.
WASHINGTON — The Atlanta Braves survived Craig Kimbrel's two-out blown save in the ninth inning by scoring twice in the 13th, topping the Washington Nationals 6-4 Friday night to flip-flop the standings atop the National League East.
Evan Gattis, who earlier extended his hitting streak to 19 games, singled in the go-ahead run off Jerry Blevins (2-3). Andrelton Simmons followed with an RBI groundout that might have been an inning-ending double play had second baseman Danny Espinosa not bobbled the ball.
The win moved the Braves back into first place by one-half game and maintained their mastery over their division rivals. Atlanta was struggling before arriving in D.C. this week, but the club is 20-7 vs. Washington since the start of last season, including the first two of this four-game set.
Ryan Buchter (1-0) pitched the 12th to get the win in his major league debut, and Jordan Walden worked the 13th for his second save.
Anthony Rendon tied the game with a two-run shot when the Nationals were down to their last out. He got every bit of a 98 mph fastball from Kimbrel, the first homer allowed by the Braves closer this season.
The umpires initially ruled Rendon's hit a double, but a replay review clearly showed the ball striking the top of the barrier next to the visitor's bullpen beyond the outfield fence.
Until then, the Braves were poised to celebrate another nine-inning edition of continued dominance of the Nationals, this time by two-striking Stephen Strasburg into submission while riding Mike Minor's 11 strikeouts.
The Braves got nine hits against Strasburg, and six came with a pair of strikes, including every run-producing play: Freddie Freeman's first-inning home run, Simmons' fourth-inning RBI single and Jason Heyward's two-run double in the fifth.
That was plenty of support as long as Minor was in the game. He allowed two runs and seven hits over seven innings, and his 11 strikeouts were one short of a career high. Minor had given up 11 runs and 22 hits over nine innings in his previous two starts.
The Braves fouled pitches and worked the count so successfully that Strasburg had thrown 107 pitches by the time he was pulled after six innings, even though he didn't walk a batter. He allowed nine hits — tying a career high — and struck out eight.
Minor, by contrast, was able to finish off the Nationals' batters. He gave up Ian Desmond's mammoth homer in the second inning — the ball landed only a row or two from the cherry trees behind the left-field bleachers — and Denard Span's RBI triple in the seventh.