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Cameron Boyce's Cause Of Death Revealed
The world woke up to the sad news of the demise of 20-year-old Disney Star Cameron Boyce, over the weekend.
A new report has revealed how the star died, revealing Boyce had seizures in his sleep which was triggered by his epilepsy.
The "Descendents" star was found unresponsive by his roommate. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
A family spokesperson who confirmed his death said;
"It is with a profoundly heavy heart that we report that this morning we lost Cameron. He passed away in his sleep due to a seizure which was a result of an ongoing medical condition for which he was being treated.
"The world is now undoubtedly without one of its brightest lights, but his spirit will live on through the kindness and compassion of all who knew and loved him. We are utterly heartbroken and ask for privacy during this immensely difficult time as we grieve the loss of our precious son and brother."
Boyce hit the limelight after featuring in Disney Channel's TV show Jessie at the age of 11.
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Actress Lota Chukwu Celebrates Birthday With New Photos
Popular Nigerian actress, Lota Chukwu, has celebrated her birthday on Sunday, November 29, 2020 with beautiful new photos.
The film star, who rose to prominence for her role as 'Kiki' in Funke Akindele's hit TV series, 'Jenifa's Diary', took to her Twitter account on Sunday to grace the timeline with sultry photos of herself.
She captioned her first post thus:
"Happy birthday, Queen Lota. Happy birthday to me."
A few hours to her big day, the actress shared on Twitter that she had a simple wish for her birthday this year, which is a bouquet.
Read Also: 'Happiness Is So Fragile' – Actress Lota Chukwu
In her words:
"My wishlist was so short this year. I wanted just one thing: a bouquet. Wishlists do get shorter as you grow older. Lol. Also, when God keeps answering even the prayers you haven't thought to pray for, There's barely anything to wish for."
See her post below:
See photos below:
BBNaija's Khafi Issues Stern Warning To 'Womb Watchers'
Popular reality TV star, Khafi Kareem has issued a stern warning to her eagle-eyed womb watchers on social media.
The reality TV star is fed up of people leaving pregnancy comments on her post and she has decided to give them a piece of her mind.
Taking to Instagram on Sunday, Khafi shared a photo of herself along with the words;
"The way I'm looking at the next person who drops a pregnancy comment on my post. Continue reading if you don't want to get BLOCKED. (I'm not joking).
I've ignored them for the longest now but according to the womb watchers on social media I have been pregnant for over a YEAR. So let me get this off my heart. Some people have flat stomachs naturally and some people have big stomachs naturally. The latter is ME. And when I'm on my period it is even BIGGER. I don't owe anyone a flat stomach but still I try to suck in my belly in every single picture and sometimes I do it better than others. The worst is that even when I'm proud of my 'sucking in skills' on a particular picture there is always SOMEONE who still comments something about pregnancy. This is a habit that HAS TO STOP.
First of all, women are more than baby making machines. A woman's fertility or decision to start a family is for her to decide, not for you to comment on in every single picture… Must our stomachs always be the first thing you look at??
Secondly, I'm not just speaking up for myself but for women in general. You may mean well when making pregnancy remarks but it is not always a compliment. For women who have had miscarriages, have been trying unsuccessfully for a baby, or simply conscious about their weight it can be very distressing, triggering and also puts a lot of undue pressure on them. So unless someone has announced a pregnancy or told you then please be nice and DONT COMMENT OR CONGRATULATE them on one.
Trust me when the time is right I welcome pregnancy (twins please Lord!) and starting a family at God's time. But until I've said I'm expecting please stop with the pregnancy comments. I'll have no patience for them anymore and any one who writes such comments will get BLOCKED.
To those who mean well, thank you so much, I do love you all But to the amebos please be amebos elsewhere It's pressure enough being a woman, so let's not add to it. Happy Sunday."
Read Also: BBNaija's Khafi, Gedoni Serve Relationship Goals In New Video
See her post below:
Actress Eniola Badmus Shows Off Her Trimmer Figure In New Bikini Photo
Popular Yoruba actress, Eniola Badmus took to her Instagram page on Sunday to put her trim figure on display.
The actress, who embarked on a weight loss journey earlier this year, shocked her fans after she posted a photo of herself rocking a leopard-print bikini.
In the photo, the 43-year-old film star looked noticeably trimmer as she struck a sexy pose beside a swimming pool.
The actress showed off her progress and she noted that nobody should come for her except they are Uber drivers.
In her words;
"Sunday Afternoon at the pool….Happy Sunday guys
Read Also: Actress Eniola Badmus Debunks Reports That She Was Shot During Lekki Tollgate Massacre
See her full post below:
- Entertainment22 hours ago
'I Don't Believe In Sleeping Around To Make Money' – Actress Destiny Etiko
- Entertainment16 hours ago
Actress Lota Chukwu Celebrates Birthday With New Photos
- Entertainment16 hours ago
BBNaija's Khafi Issues Stern Warning To 'Womb Watchers'
- Entertainment16 hours ago
Actress Eniola Badmus Shows Off Her Trimmer Figure In New Bikini Photo
- Entertainment22 hours ago
Yemi Alade Advises Nigerian Entertainers To Save, Invest
- Entertainment16 hours ago
Singer Kcee Reacts As Toke Makinwa Picks Bone Straight Hair Over True Love
- Entertainment16 hours ago
'My Chef Of 5 Years Just Built His House' – Toke Makinwa
- Entertainment20 hours ago
Kiddwaya Replies Fan Who Passed Comment On His Relationship With Erica


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PORTSMOUTH — Friends Forever will be honoring Maxine Morse, of Portsmouth, with the Eileen Foley Award at its annual St. Patrick's Day dinner and roast. The event is being held on Thursday March 14, at Portsmouth Harbor Events at 100 Deer St. in downtown Portsmouth.
A VIP cocktail reception with Morse and the roasters will begin at 5:30 p.m., and doors will open to the public at 6:15 p.m.
Each year the Eileen Foley Away is presented to a New Hampshire citizen who continues to take a personal responsibility to make the world a better place. Maxine has been a force in the Granite State for more than 60 years, dedicating her energy to ensuring a higher quality of life for those less fortunate.
A graduate of Cornell University, Maxine served as the director of the Greater Manchester Child Care Center, New Hampshire's first nonprofit child care center, from 1969-1974. Her work went on to include the chairmanship of the 1975 Commission on Laws Affecting Mental Health. Funded in part by the New Hampshire Charitable Fund (currently known as the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation) the project identified and developed 22 proposals for legislative action updating N.H's mental health laws — 15 of which were passed.
Maxine has served on numerous boards and held leadership roles in many agencies including: Greater Manchester Mental Health Center, Odyssey House, New Horizons, the NH Social Welfare Council, the Lakes Region Mental Health Center, the Children's Alliance of NH, the NH Music Festival, the Portsmouth Music Hall, and the Canterbury Shaker Village.
Having worked with then Sen. Eileen Foley on some of the 1975 progressive mental health legislation, Maxine is honored to be recognized by Friends Forever by receiving the award in Eileen's name. Maxine became involved with Friends Forever this past summer after meeting a group of youth from Israel. Impressed with the group's efforts to create a shared and peaceful world, Maxine became an instant supporter of Friends Forever and its mission.
Based in Portsmouth, NH, Friends Forever is an independent 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization that utilizes a grass roots approach to help those from sectarian and conflict-prone regions of the world build lasting friendship across cultural, religious, and political divides. Serving as a liaison between U.S and international communities, Friends Forever allows people of all backgrounds to participate first hand in the international peace process.
The mission of Friends Forever is to create trust, empathy, and friendships among cultures in conflict by working with international and local youth leaders. Since its founding in 1986 by Bob Raiche, Friends Forever has worked with over 1,000 youth leaders in Northern Ireland and Israel. As part of a yearlong Life Raft program, Friends Forever brings groups to U.S communities in New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Louisiana and Illinois for an intensive two week period focused around community service, self-exploration and team building activities.
For more information regarding this event: Visit www.friendsforeverusa.org/maxine or contact Chelsea Fitton at 603.433.7607.

subset: commoncrawl


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|Don't ask to ask, just ask
Re^2: Avoiding silly programming mistakesby moritz (Cardinal)
|on Aug 20, 2008 at 10:12 UTC ( #705466=note: print w/replies, xml )
|Need Help??
I keep forgetting to put Exporter in @ISA
I don't really like to inherit from another module just to use one or two subs. Instead I write use Exporter qw(import);.
And when (interactively) querying a database, the client has to remind me over and over again that 'cd' and 'ls' aren't valid commands.
This happens to me all the time as well. When I use the mysql prompt and enter ls<return> I see my mistake, and then press Ctrl+C to abort the command. But of course Ctrl+C actually exists the client...
In Section Seekers of Perl Wisdom


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Our Libero ensuite sets are the perfect way to spruce up your bathroom, at a great price. Each set includes a basin mixer and a complete shower set. This set includes a Libero basin mixer with pop-up waste, landscape triple handle 2-way thermostitic shower valve, a slim square 300mm rainshower head, 450mm square wall shower arm and a complete handshower kit. The kit includes a square pencil handshower, 1500mm hose, square wall bracket, square wall outlet.Details
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« NSF Fuels Project to Connect Science and Literacy Education | Main | Educators to Explore Teaching Bioethics in High School »
Framework for Social Studies Standards To Be Released
A draft framework for common social studies standards is set to be released on Nov. 17.
As we reported to you more than a year ago, social studies specialists have been working with state department of education officials and others to create standards in that subject. The document they've produced—which they're referring to alternately as a "draft framework" and "draft standards"—is scheduled to be released for public review at the National Council for the Social Studies' annual meeting in Seattle. It's being promoted as a "can't miss" event.
According to an NCSS press release, leaders of the effort will introduce the document and discuss the development of instructional and assessment materials. Kathy Swan of the University of Kentucky and Susan Griffin, the NCSS' executive director, who have been co-leading the project, will introduce members of the writing team and describe how they worked with professional organizations, teachers, and the social-studies collaborative of the Council of Chief State School Officers. They'll detail the process for receiving public comment.
Other channels of input are taking shape as well. Some states are soliciting feedback on the framework, as you can see in this announcement from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Some are scheduling their own reviews and discussions through meetings of state social studies councils, like Maine is doing.
Still more reviews are going on here in Washington. One invitational session, to be hosted next week by the American Enterprise Institute, was cancelled because the framework was deemed not ready for review, according to the CCSSO, which has served as a forum for state discussions on the standards. Another review is scheduled at the CCSSO next week.
So what is this document? Early signs suggest that you shouldn't expect something that prescribes the specific issues, trends, or events that students should study, but rather describes the structure, tools, and habits of mind they need in order to undertake an exploration of the discipline, and offers states a frame for the content they choose.


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"The Cell 2" hits DVD and Blu-Ray June 16th, and the artwork's at the link. You know, in case you thought there were unanswered questions from the original.
There's a new "Uncle Coffins" commercial up at the "H2" Myspace, and still nothing from Danielle Harris. The wait continues...
Hot chick Erica Leerhsen is in "The Message", which has a trailer at the link. Leerhsen's prevous credits include "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (2003) and "Blair Witch 2: Book of Shadows".
I'm not really sure that I'm anticipating Park Chan Wook's "Thirst" as much as everyone else is, but Twitch calls this trailer "brilliant", so I guess I'm just going to roll with it. Check it at the link.
Liam Neeson and Ralph Feinnes will star in the "Clash of the Titans" remake currently in development over at Warner Bro's. That may be more fancy Britishness than one set is capable of handling.


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On-line resource illustrates success of ban in saving lives of hundreds of thousands of whales
With less than two weeks to go before representatives from more than 80 governments meet in Agadir, Morocco, to decide on a proposal to lift the 24-year ban on commercial whaling, conservation groups have released a range of simple on-line, independent statistics that clearly demonstrate not only how the current International Whaling Commission's (IWC) ban has saved the lives of hundreds of thousands of whales, but also the inconsistencies behind claims that the new proposal will actually save the lives of whales.
The on-line animated graphs published today by the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), Humane Society International (HSI), and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS), use figures from whaling nations and the IWC to provide the user with a clear overview of the numbers of whales killed from when the International Convention on the Regulation of Whaling was signed in 1946 to the present day. The real facts and figures illustrate how effective the current ban has been and sweep away claims by those who advocate lifting the current ban on the grounds that it has not been successful.
"This set of animated graphics is a simple reminder that it is important to stick to the real facts before calling for an end to what has proved to be one of the biggest successes in conservation history," says Sue Fisher, Policy Director, WDCS North America.
Fisher adds: "Many governments are either being misled or are trying to mislead others by referring to 'catch quotas' when talking about actual whales being killed - the two are not the same. These graphs display not just the actual numbers of whales killed within the various categories - commercial, scientific and aboriginal subsistence whaling – but also clearly document the difference between the catch quotas self-allocated by the whaling nations and the actual numbers of whales killed."
Susan Millward, Executive Director of the Animal Welfare Institute, explains: "By increasing the self-allocated catch quotas, whaling nations have been playing mind games with the figures and pressuring the rest of the international community into legalizing commercial whaling so that it does not get out of control. In fact, in some countries like Norway the actual number of whales killed decreased in the past years due to lack of demand for whale meat."
According to Humane Society International Vice President, Kitty Block, "What we should be concentrating on is not lifting the successful ban that we currently have, but working harder on ways to force the three remaining industrial whaling nations to stop this cruel and unnecessary practice once and for all."
Animated Whaling Graphs
The user-friendly tool provides information and animated graphs about:
- Whaling Today and Yesterday
- Total Catches (1946 – 2009)
- Catches 1982 to 2009 within the following categories and by countries:
- Commercial Whaling, Special Permit ("Scientific") Whaling, Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling
- Additional information on the IWC moratorium, the integrity of data used and commentary on the implications of the package proposed by the Chair of the IWC.
Media Contacts:
Susan Millward, AWI, T. +1-202-640-9606, E-Mail. firstname.lastname@example.com
Kristen Eastman, HSI, T. +1-301-721-6440, E-Mail. firstname.lastname@example.com
Nicolas Entrup, WDCS, T. +49-171-1423-117, E-Mail. firstname.lastname@example.com


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Are you a loud and proud member of our community. Show it off with this pawsome premium t-shirt with a circle logo design on the left chest.
With a fashionable slim fit, this premium women's t-shirt is perfect for everything from playing sports to wearing to the office. . Slim fit . Solid colours: 100% cotton . Heather colours: 52% cotton, 48% polyester
Your order will be printed exclusively for you within a few days. If you are in the US, Canada or Europe, you will receive your order within 3-7 business days after printing is complete. For all other countries, please allow between 10-14 business days.


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Season Share Launches At SXSW Pitch Accelerator Event
Season Share is launching at the ninth annual South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conference and Festivals Startup Village® Accelerator® Pitch Event at Hilton Austin Downtown on March 21 with a beta version of the world's first mobile ticket sharing app. The sports tech startup found a niche in the ticketing industry and has grand plans to redefine the market of splitting and sharing season tickets to your favorite sports events. The shared economy has blown up with ride-sharing and home-sharing making this new concept a possible winner...Read More


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RoadsideAmerica.comYour Online Guide to Offbeat Tourist Attractions
The editors at RoadsideAmerica.com assign a rating to each attraction. Users can filter places based on ratings. Ratings,
categorized from "Mildly Interesting" to "The Best," were determined using a variety of factors and criteria. Ratings are subject to the mood swings of the editors and may change.
More about RoadsideAmerica.com's Ratings
Low online rates for motels, hotels, inns:
Virginia Beach, Arlington, Williamsburg, Alexandria, Fredericksburg, Norfolk, Charlottesville, Blacksburg, Christiansburg, Woodbridge, Richmond, Roanoke
... reserve a room now!


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Women's Cottage Escape Flannel
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Product Features
Classic plaid flannel design
Twin chest pockets
Custom Legendary® buttons
Chambray lined collar and cuffs
Mid-weight Comfort
Once you try on our soft brushed, mid-weight cotton flannel, you won't settle for anything else. When we say soft and comfortable, we mean the kind of balance you crave in a flannel all year long -- inside, outside, lakeside, or anywhere else you want to be.
Chambray lined collar & cuffs
Chambray trim adds a pop of color. But it's comfortable, too...the kind of legendary value, and detail, you've come to expect.
Product Description & Details
Let loose in our timeless flannel, featuring a classic design with chambray lined collar and cuffs. Made of soft brushed mid-weight cotton flannel, this yarn-dyed shirt is just right and very comfortable. Wear it alone or layer up during those brisk fall days. Pairs perfectly with our Womens Quilted Vest.
- Classic flannel design
- Chambray lined collar and cuffs
- Custom Legendary® buttons
- Full front button closure, button closure cuffs
- Twin chest pockets
- Mid-weight and very comfortable
- Imported
Material100% Cotton
WashMachine wash cold separately. Do not bleach. Tumble dry low. Remove promptly. Low iron.
Bridget Fabel | Flannel Review
Legendary ambassador, fly fishing guide, and avid bowhunter @Bridget_Fabel talks about her favorite flannel and why she loves wearing it for pretty much any occasion.
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The chest pockets look very small, too small to hold even a smaller cell phone. Are there any interior pockets?
Where was product made?
What are the sleeve lengths on these shirts? I have a very hard time finding flannels that fit my arm length.
On the WOOD VIOLET PLAID, what is the color of the darker stripes? Is it like a sage/forest green?
do these run true to size or should I size up.
Is this women's flannel shirt fitted through the body? It looks like it might be. Thank you
Is the shirt a fitted shirt or relaxed fit?
Can you tell me the length of this shirt from neck to bottom hem? I have a long torso, and need to make sure it will be long enough for good coverage! Thanks :-)
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Beignets with Lavender Sugar and Apricot Sauce Recipe
There is nothing like a homemade donut. When I was a little girl, my grandmother would make beignets, French donuts, and cover them in warm honey. Donuts are traditional on Hanukkah, and are classically filled with jelly. In the winter I like to be reminded of the summer warmth, and so I flavored my jelly donuts this year with the flavors of Provence: lavender and apricot. These bite size beignets are made from the same pastry used to make profiteroles and éclairs, a pastry that naturally puffs. So, once fried, these beignets are light, airy, crisp, and golden. I roll them in sugar spiked with lavender blossoms, and serve them with warm apricot jam on the side--it is easier than piercing and stuffing every little beignet with jelly, and is just as delicious. I served these Monday night and I was inconsolable to find that there were none left at the end of the night to keep me company as I washed the dishes.
- Pâte à Choux
- 1 stick of butter
- 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup flour
- 3 eggs
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Lavender Sugar
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon dried edible lavender blossoms (optional)
- Apricot Sauce
- 1 cup good apricot jam
- 1 tablespoon water
Make the pâte à choux by melting the butter in a saucepan. Add the sugar, salt, and water, and bring to a simmer to melt the sugar and salt.
Take the heat off the pan, and whisk in the flour. Once it is incorporated, bring the pan back to the heat, and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the pot.
Spoon the dough into a bowl, and using an electric hand mixer, beat the dough for a few seconds on medium speed to cool it down. Incorporate the eggs, one at a time, working quickly to incorporate them into the hot dough so they do not scramble. Set the dough aside.
Make the lavender sugar by putting the sugar and the lavender in a food processor, and blitzing it until the lavender is broken up throughout the sugar.
Make the apricot sauce by blending the apricot jam in a food processor to even out the fruity lumps of the preserves. Pour the jam into a pan and heat on low heat with the added tablespoon of water.
To fry the beignets, fill a pot halfway with vegetable oil, and heat over medium low heat. To test the oil, drop a little crumb of choux pastry into the pot. It should sink, and then start to rise, surrounded by little fizzing bubbles. You do not want to fry the beignets too hot; they will become brown on the outside, and will remain raw on the inside. Instead, you want them to gently simmer in the oil, surrounded by bubbles, but not browning intensely. Drop a teaspoon of dough into the oil. It will puff; then appear to crack, and will be cooked to a very light gold in about 8 minutes. The crack that occurs in the dough signifies that the interior dough has cooked and created an air pocket; it is the sign you are looking for. Once the dough has "cracked," cook for a couple more minutes to ensure the light golden color and crisp exterior. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan with raw beignets.
Drain the beignets on paper towels, and immediately toss them hot into the lavender sugar, and roll them around to coat. Serve with the warm apricot sauce on the side.
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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Brewers release 35-game Spring Training slate
The 2013 spring opener is Saturday, Feb. 23, against the Oakland A's at Maryvale Baseball Park. It's the first of 17 Brewers home games at their west Phoenix facility before the team returns to Milwaukee for two more exhibitions against the White Sox.
Those Miller Park games are Friday, March 29, at 7 p.m. CT and Saturday, March 30, at 1:10 p.m. CT.
Down in Arizona, the Brewers will host the National League Central rival Reds on Saturday, March 16, and Cubs on Friday, March 22. Other highlights include a matchup vs. Team Canada's World Baseball Classic entry on Tuesday, March 5, at Maryvale, and a St. Patrick's Day game against the Dodgers in Glendale, Ariz., on Sunday, March 17.
The final home game at Maryvale Baseball Park for the Brewers is set for Wednesday, March 27, against Kansas City.
All Brewers games played in the Cactus League are scheduled to begin at 1:05 p.m. Arizona time, except for Wednesday, March 13, at the D-backs, a game that begins at 7:10 p.m. local/9:10 p.m. CT.
For the first time, the Brewers have staggered their Spring Training reporting dates. Pitchers and catchers with zero to three years of Major League service time are scheduled to report on Tuesday, Feb. 12. Pitchers and catchers with three-plus years of Major League service, plus all position players, have a report date of Friday, Feb. 15.
Tickets for all of the Brewers' exhibitions at Maryvale Baseball Park will go on sale at 10 a.m. CT on Monday, Dec. 3, via brewers.com. Tickets are available in four seating areas: Field Box ($22), Infield Reserved ($16), Outfield Reserved ($13) and Lawn Seating ($8). Tickets for the two Miller Park exhibitions against the White Sox will go on sale at a later date.
Information on Spring Training Season Tickets can be obtained by calling the Brewers ticket office at (414) 902-4000.


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As reported by the Star Tribune's Michael Russo, the Minnesota Wild have pulled off quite the NHL free agency coup. The team has agreed to terms on a 13-year contracts with defensman Ryan Suter and forward Zach Parise
Such a tandem should do a great deal to help the Wild, which has missed the playoffs each of the last four seasons, reach a higher state of relevance in the NHL. Parise tallied 31 goals and 38 assists with the Devils last season, and Suter scored a career high 46 points as one of the league's best defenseman. Both Parise and Suter are also veteran's of the U.S. Olympic team, helping the U.S. to a silver medal in 2010.
Both players will receive $98 million dollars over the course of their contracts, and it looks like the two were a package deal.
Suddenly, hockey in Minnesota just got a lot more interesting.
Wild Fireworks on the Fourth of July [Star Tribune]


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New Life Ministries
Your wife can be your 'comrade in arms' if she understands the battle for sexual purity and the road you have chosen for sexual integrity. Because male sexual impurity can be unsettling, even shocking, to women, we've included this section of interviews with women regarding Every Man's Battle to give you awareness of how to relate better to your wife and communicate with her in your struggle to be and stay free. Be aware there's a natural tug-of-war in the hearts of women between pity and disgust, between mercy and judgment.
Cathy: 'I did not know the depth that men would go and the risk they would take to satisfy their desires. I was unaware of how intense these temptations are and how much defense a man must muster to avoid stepping over God's boundaries.'
Fawn: 'I was surprised to learn that Christian men have this problem even after they're married. I found the intensity of the problem to be shocking.'
Andrea: (From talking with her father and different guys she dated, she knew men were easily attracted visually. But she never realized the major extent of their struggle until she met her future husband.) 'At the time, he was my closest friend in the youth group, but we were not romantically inclined. He did feel safe enough with me to share his problem with pornography. It was quite a battle for him, as he had first been exposed to it in third grade. I was a little amazed by it all because, although I was attracted to guys by their looks during my dating years, the physical attraction I felt was nothing compared to what a man feels when looking at a woman.'
Brenda: "It affects my trust in men, knowing that pastors and deacons could have this problem. I don't like it that men lustfully take advantage of women in their thoughts, although I realize that women can be largely to blame because of what they wear. It's at least some comfort to know that many men have this problem.'
How much mercy can be found in a woman's heart when she looks upon this problem? Not surprisingly, it depends upon her husband's situation.
Ellen: After hearing about this, I was surprised that married men would have so much trouble. I feel very sorry for them. When I asked my own husband about it, he was honest with me that he had some struggles, and at first I was hurt. Then I just felt thankful that he would share with me. He hasn't had a major problem in this area, for which I'm thankful.'
Cathy: 'My husband is regularly bombarded with sexy images, and I was pleased with his honesty regarding that. I want to know the temptation he faces. It will only help me be more sympathetic to his plight. I didn't feel betrayed because he's proven faithful in this battle. Other women are not so lucky.'
What about women whose husbands have been losing big in the battle?
Deena: 'When my husband and I talked about this, he was honest and I was very angry with him. I was hurt. I felt deeply betrayed because I'd been dieting and working out to keep my weight down so that I would always look nice to him. I couldn't figure out why he still needed to look at other women.'
Women told us that they struggle between pity and anger. Their feelings may ebb and flow with the tide of their husband's battle. Encourage your wife to pray for you.
For more help on this subject see, Every Man's Battle.
If you have attended Every Man's Battle we encourage you to attend our New Life Weekend with your spouse.


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Today I drafted behind Dana for a fun bike ride. The sun was shining. It was great. At one point I dropped off and he carried on for some more mileage. I think I hit 20mph behind him. He was a semi pro bike racer in NY during the late 70and dreamed of going further. He won the New York State Apple Sprint Championship in 1979, but was smart enough to know that if he didnt make it he would be a bike mechanic the rest of his life. So he chose to go to college then further with his studies. Anyway we like to bike, but as always the sea beckoned me. I was pulled to see what the Gulf was doing.
Last we during the East coast storm there were definitely some surfing ways out there. Today it was a calm beautiful day and the sugar sand just glowed. I hadnt planned to swim and didnt have my goggle or I would have dashed in. Having some shoulder trouble, not from swimming but falling off my desk chair on to the terrazzo floor. Dont put a slippery pillow on a chair and eagerly jump on it to get to your computer. Ugh!
We are preparing fo a four day adventure at sea. We will sail up to Fort Myers on Friday (a day trip) then race Saturday and Sunday in The Sunset Regatta and return the long journey home on Monday. We have a Rocket 22 which is not a cruising boat, but a racing boat. It is a blast. I am so glad we are doing nonspinnaker though, only because it is just the two of us and it is brutal for me to change sails especially if it is a rough ,windy day. We really need more crew to do the spinnaker task. Maybe I wii get to skipper and get a break from running to adjust everything to sail the best we can in the races. Dont get me wrong it is hard work, but so exciting at the same time.
Will post the result of the race and experience whether we do well or not. See you blogworld in a few days.
I went to some obscure website and found Sporti Goggles with 2.5 positive lens and I can now see the timer clock and even paper with print like say
Coach Workout Sheets! This has been a major obstacle for me to join group workouts. I have felt extremely handicapped on top of the drills being new for me in the beginning. Contacts always burned in my eyes and no stores or sites carry higher than 2 positive. They were less than $30.00. If interested I will try to find the website again.
Work out
500 Warm up
500 Kick
500 Arms
10 50s @ 1:15 I usually touched in around 48 sec. and rested the rest of the allotted time. I finally am getting a knowledge of where I am speed wise. Still, a lot more to learn though. I really like these goggles! It a new world!
500 underwater with flippers
500 Freestyle with flippers
500 Cool down any stroke I want
3500 yds.
I need to work on other strokes, as I like IM and all the others. I may not be good, especially the Fly but, would like to be a contender someday, in all strokes. Well, the Butterfly only because I have to do it in the IM. As far as I m concerned its torture. I am always thinking Just get me to the wall!
Finally the pool was just perfect this morning. The sun was on the other side of the building, the water temp. was not too hot, not too cold and only a few swimmers. A great day to be in the water.
I have been biking and some small swims in the Gulf, but the heat has been tough to work out in.
When I did the postal my husband said I looked like I was, kicking more than the other swimmers. Not good. The legs are the biggest muscles and suck up way too much oxygen. Must be the biking, plus my kicking is too large instead of fluttering under the surface. My arms have to catch up to the rest of me. They are slow. That is what I worked on today and will continue to work on my arms and plus my core is weak too. A long way from where I want to be. Ugh! Hope I am not just dreamin. This swimming takes dedication like anything else in life in order to be good at it. That is tough for me
consistency. I admire those here who persevere.
500 warm up
300 kick
200 arms
10 25s on 35-45 it varied but I was strong on the last ones
500 any thing
250 free
500 flippers under water (my favorite)
250 free with flippers (couldnt resist)
250 cool down
10 push up on the pool end (next aim for 20)
Total 2750
with Aquatics T2 members. I think the lanes were all full some sharing a lane so, about 10 people? Two people did the 10k.
I had my husband agree to do my splits, which was his first time with the watch. He did a good job.
I cant find my split sheet ugh, but my time was 1:49.5 something. My last race and training was around 2010. The good news is that the last 100 meters leg of the race my split was a few second faster than my very first 100 meter lap. I still had umph!!!! I tend to like short course, but swimming in the Gulf has made me consider other length races.
Today I was on the water, not in the water. We put the mast up on out Rocket 22 boat. It is a very touchy sailboat boat. We are still getting to know it. Today was just a motor- 8 miles from the boat ramp to the cove where we will keep the boat.Looking forward to sailing and racing her!
I got some some more hypoxic training on my 20 mile bike ride down to the inlet and back. Every time I passed road work or building constructions or guys blowing cut grass into the street I held my breath.
Then I went down to the Gulf. It was flat as a pancake. I swam from one high rise and back to another equaling a mile. Saw thousands of minnows and one striped fish about 2 feet long. I kept my eyes out on the horizon for triangles, after all it was shark week recently and there might be a few straggler still celebrating. Not even a jib and a main sail triangle in sight. No motor boats, either
I am nervous about the postal swim on Sunday. Its been a few years since I swam a 5k, but I also look forward to the camaraderie. It should be fun.
I was wide awake at 4AM and all I could think was Go to the 5:30 AM Aquatic T2 Masters Workout.
So I did:
600 Swim
1x150 Kick
4x50 Drill Swim r;20Reverse IM order
500 pull 4x25 Drill r:15 1 of each stroke
Rest 20
3x50 Drill Swim @ 1:15
12x25 @:50 Kick- Build,Blast,Easy,Fast x 3
6x50 Pull @ 1:00
3 x 100 Pull @ 2:00 with flippers, yes my favorite!
3 x 100 Free descending
75 mix stroke
50 mix
25 mix
4x75 underwater 25/50 easy
Approximately 3500
Blogging gets me doing. Dont know how or why it just does. Thank you Blogworld!
The people at 2T are extremely friendly, patient, and encouraging.
I hope I keep going....
I so enjoyed watching the Worlds swimming and reading the discussions of the Mastered Masterers threads of the events on USMS.
But did anyone see the replay the 2013 Worlds Freestyle Kayaking. Check it out at www.FreestyleKayaking2013.com . If it werent for swim team training from the age of 5 to 20ish mixed in with summers bodysurfing six foot wave in the Atlantic Ocean I might not have become a kayaker. It was my love of water that made me fearless in my 30s to stick with learning how to kayak. I wasnt afraid to come out of my boat and the boats were big, long boats in the early 90s. I finally got a bomb proof roll that would allow me to kayak rivers from Canada to Ecuador and Maine to Utah. This is basically how I spent every week-end in my 30s, 40s and even now I would go. But my favorite thing to do is to ride a stationary wave in the river. What they do on the water today in short boats is amazing.
I remember seeing a man with his 7 year old son paddling down the New River, West Virginia. They werelike a momma duck with her baby chick waddling behind her. The big duck was EJ Jackson, builder of Jackson kayaks and the little boy was his son Dane. Now as a young man Dane Jackson took home the Gold in 2013 for Freestyle kayaking!
I truly believe it was my early swimming experience that allows me to enjoy such a wonderful outdoor sport even today. Gosh so many great times on the river. So go try it if you love water and looking for some excitement and adventure no matter what your age!
Oh yes, back to this weeks training. Two days I rode 15-20 miles and swam approximately a mile in the Gulf. Today was perfect day weather wise. Cooler days are comin to Florida! Im still trying figure out if I can do the postal 3 miles challenge. If I do, it wont be for speed but for distance. Thats just were I am right now. I gotta accept that.
but I had to get out there. So, I started out on my bike and rode 20 miles. It was brutal because of the temp. I cant wait for cooler weather. I almost through in the towel as for swimming in the Gulf, but the idea of any form of water lured me in. The sea was warm on top and cool about 3 feet below. Perfect for doing some hypoxic swims, but without flippers. (I know
fins is the terminology. I just like saying flippers.) That cool water kept me going as I would dive beneath the ocean whenever the blazing sun became too much on my skin. What a great gift from the sea gods to be able to dive across the line between the hot and cold intermittently for some relief, while also getting in some oxygen deprivation training.
Speed was not happening, so I focused mostly on my strokes. In the free I would breathe every third stroke, also being aware of my catch (USMS Article). Plus I did some kicking drills, backstroke drills and breastroke. Trying to swim smarter and for distance. Well the distance was not so good
just a hair under a mile, so the sun won. Oh well tomorrow is another day. Better start out early to get ahead of that sun.
There werent a lot of cars on the road, but it was like dodging bullets with the ones that were. One guy crossed right in front my bike in the bike lane lane to turn into a parking lot. Then he just stopped in front of me! I pulled on the reins, Whoa Nellie. Now for me it may as well be a body slam to put on the brakes, and drop my hard bottom cleats traveling at 15 MPh. Ugh! I didnt fall, but I was fumin. ( And it takes a lot for me to show Im fumin.) I scolded the guy and he actually apologized.
Next, it was hot and then for the finale, just when I thought it was safe to go into the water, the last 10 miles before jumping in the Gulf, the ultimate destination
a squaw passed over sending 10MPH winds and hail.
Did you ever try to ride into a strong wind? It feels like your riding in sand. I caved. No swim. I am still achy, but chopin at the bit to get in the water.
It runs parallel to the Gulf of Mexico right along the beach in some sections of Florida. When I first moved here I measured the distance on my bike speedometer from one of the scatterings of high rises to another high rise equaling a bit more than half a mile. Therefore swimming up and back from one building to another is a hair more than 1 mile.
Well, today I planned on swimming at the pool, but once again it was closed for cleaning. So I said to myself Lets check out the beach.It is a very, dark gloomy day which is great because no sun, no hot! The water was very glassy and it felt like velvet. I didnt think there was a current. Usually I like to get the difficult half (current against me) over first. But there was no battle. In fact I felt like I was just cruising along. It was great. The way back however was not tedious but, a little bit tough.
I had planned to do a stick to it workout in the pool, but ended up mostly free swimming different stroke I felt like at any time. Sometimes there was no rush, so I rushed. Other times there was no rests, so I didnt rest. If felt exactly like the opposite of a workout yet I still got in a good paced one mile swim. No worries!
I have a lot of swimming to do to get ready for the 5K Aug 23. Oops I did it again. Blogging makes me stick to my swimming. How does that work?
I broke through the forces of sloth and traveled through the portal of the pool! Yes!
1000 free
500 kick
500 kick with fins, various strokes
12 x 25 with 10 second rests
100 breast
100 im
300 drills
200 cool down
3000 yards,no not leagues...
under the pool, no not the sea,
but the challenge and the rewards may as well be...
Updated September 3rd, 2009 at 02:11 PM by flippergirl
but that is just an excuse for not swimming a hard work out. There are other place I could go. I really can't say what the problem is except like a pouty child I am stubbornly crossing my arms and saying "I don't want to!" "So there!". The only thing I know left to do that might break the spell is to set a goal and tell me, myself and you that "I pomise to go to the pool on Monday when it reopens." I hope this breaks the spell. I do know that in the past when I wrote it down in this here blog/journal...it made it happen... Hope it works...
What I have been doing is
whitewater kayaking at the whitewater center. I gotta get ready for the Gualey River that runs with a big festival in West Virginia the months of Sept. and Oct. It is a beauty of a place up there, but if I don't prepare it could swallow me up.
I have been studying and training to become an Advanced Open Water Diver. Even though I have now recieved this certificate I still have mucho to learn.
Been diving off wrecks in the North Carolina Coast. This was awesome... and diving oysters in the Quarry! The Oyster Dive is an event where about two hundred divers showed up and we went treasure hunting for orange painted oyster that were worth nice prizes like dive trips, regulators, BCD's and other neat stuff.
This weekend if the weather allows we are off to the coast to see another wreck on the botton of the sea.
But my biggest regret is my swimming seems to be slipping so...
So with a hand shake I say to you...
"I flippergirl promise to swim a good work out on Monday."
They swim around till their all pooped out!
Working on technique and drills that my coach gave me. I am excited about improving all the strokes as I am considering the IM as a favorite of mine.
I swam about 2200 this morning, a little of this, a little of that. I tried to focus on keeping my entire body in correct positioning, learning to push the water towards my toes with my forarms in backstroke and worked on keeping lower body higher in the water for breaststroke. This made the glide fun and feel a bit like the ungulating of the butterfly.
Cramed for an enriched nitrox course for scuba and couldn't believe I got an 88%! Charts and tables aren't my thing, but I actually enjoyed it. So with some intrepidation I must say that instead of focusing on my swimming lately it has been diving in a quarry and preparing for this weekends deep wreck dives off the North Carolina coast...two tankers and two Civil war boats!
Diving can benefit my swimming as I must learn to move effortlessly as to save oxygen. A sense of this could possibly help me to think about swimming more efficiently instead of like a wild animal trying to get out of an elephant...
which is a bit of my nature
Updated August 13th, 2009 at 01:51 PM by flippergirl
I have been dealing with alot of distractions that keep me from staying true to my WOs. Traveling, celebrations, family accidents, business matters, etc.
I went to the Ed Gaw Amelia Island 5k swim at the tip of Fla. and it was awsome. It is so far away from this writing however, that I feel its memory slipping away. Ah yes, I just got a flash of being in the perfect temp. ocean water on a clear day and charging with a hop. skip and a jump toward the first bouy. It seemed like forever, but I kept my stroke long, relaxed and steady.
I kept invisioning things like my coach at the side of the pool with her arms stretch out like a monkey reminding me to climb the water long and tall.
I thought about my Dad if he were alive... on the side lines saying, "Com'on you can do it!
I had planned on pulling out my surfer racecar driver friend Peter for help when I just thought I couldn't go any farther and I did.
At one point I smelled cigarette smoke...it was a kayaker...drove me nuts.
"Where's that dam bouy!" I remember screaming out loud to nobody on several occasions.
Sometimes in the distance I saw two other bright green caps. I used them as competion I was determined to catch but never did.
I am very thankful to the kaykers for keeping us all coraled. I would have other wise been all over the place.
I used houses on the sidelines like people I was passing in a parade...my hands waving over and over again.
Finally, I saw the finish bouy! I rounded it and headed to shore. When I stood up I felt my whole body shift and not in a good way. My legs ached as I crossed the finish line with all my might.
I won my age group!!!! But most of all my time makes me very, very proud of the hard work I did leading up to that very moment of 1:35:24 for my first 5k.
Now time to get back to the drawing pool.
P.S. Good Luck to everyone at the Nationals!
Updated August 29th, 2009 at 10:07 AM by flippergirl
I told Heather I was doing a 5k ocean swim on Saturday so we focused on getting ready for that. We worked on elongating my stroke, relaxing my feet and hands and breathing on both sides. She showed me some drills for maximizing my stroke...to swim more efficiently with less effort.
Drills to remember and do:
Lie on back, arms at side roll full circle leading with the hips while kicking.
Lie on stomach, put a kickboard between thighs and tap it at the back of your stroke in freestyle.
Sculling with fingers apart slightly.
Counting my strokes down pool. She said no more than 17. I stayed under that fairly easy.
I asked her to time me on the 25 and 50 after our class of focusing on longer stroke.
25yds- 15.6 and 50 yds - 34.8.
If this is accurate these are awesome times for me. I am not going to post them as I want to check with a stopwatch for accuracy.
I will be away from my regular workouts as I am traveling to Fla and SF until August 1. When I get back I will meet with her again. I hope to find pools to swim in when I am away.
but they had an emergency. The plan is to meet monday. I hope to have them look at my stroke and see where to go from there.
I sent in my form to do the Amelia Island race 5k on July 18 on my way to pick up my Mom in Fla and fly with her to my brother's wedding in SF.
Maybe I will find a pool in Marin County to swim.
Anybody out there have any ideas?
500 IM drills
500 dophin kicks
8 x 50 on 50
12 x 10 on 25
400 swim. Focusing on free stroke.
Timed my 50 and 25
25- 16.08
Nothin to write home about, but I am very happy with the 50 time. In a race with a dive maybe I would break under 34.
remembered my sneakers and shorts and went to the wieght room. Did stomach crunches, leg press 10 time 110lbs. Leg curls and extension. About 7 times 35 lbs.
Oh ...last night we did our first night dive in the quarry!
Updated July 10th, 2009 at 04:14 PM by flippergirl
I will do the ED Gaw Amelia Island, Fla openwater swim July 18th. I planned that today was the day, but if I was to achieve my goal I would have to pace myself, period.
I decided to set swim at 9:25 AM...just make the k's and not care too much about time. I did notice however that my first few 100 meters were under 2:00 minutes and I was only warming up. I glanced at the clock ocassionally, but the metrnome in my mind was on the laps.
I swam elongated strokes, short strokes, breaths to one side or the other, but always freestyle... hand over hand. Sometimes my legs became the driving force as if I were doing a kick drill. At other times it was a pull drill. I used a of variety of tools I have learned over the past half a year to engage different muscles groups and give others a break.
My pace always felt similiar. It was important for me to see I could do the distance and feel what 5k is like so I know at least some of what I am getting into before I hit the ocean.
I looked up at the clock. It was 11:10 AM even.
I did the 5k in about 1:45. I am sure it will be different in the sea.
This is amazing to me. I never thought I could do it. When I started blogging six months ago I had no idea I would go from doing 1725 yards to 5000 meters. What is this powerful attachment between swimming and connecting with others through writing. Whatever it is, I hope to have the good graces to keep it up.
But the truth be known, I am a bit afraid of the Amelia Island swim.
Updated July 7th, 2009 at 06:39 PM by flippergirl
Wednesday Work out
1000 Free was really enjoyable and relaxing
500 dolphin kicks with fin sprinting
4 x 100 Free on 1:45 interval
100 free easy
5 x 50 Free on fifty
200 Free drills
400 Back/Fly
200 playful cool down with underwater tricks.
I felt strong the whole way. Guess we have good days and not so good. That is the toughest part of life sometimes. Always expecting to feel great.
Raced the 30' Cat Capri non spin with hubbly alone and we came in third. Dana looked at me very seriously last night after the race and said. "I couldn't have had a 19 year old guy on the boat tack as well you did tonight." That put a big on my face.
Updated July 3rd, 2009 at 03:08 PM by flippergirl
200 Warm up
400 drill
500 kick with fins; 45 sec on each 50 yards
200 breastroke
14 x 25 9 on 25 sec, 2 easy, one fast under 18, one cool down. I bought a stopwatch, but still have to find someone to time me. I need a coach, but feel like that is such a big commitment. What if they aren't the right coach for me?
5 x 50's on 50
400 esay
2400 yards
Saw my big sister this week end and she said a coach would help me to understand how realistic and in what amount of time could I drop first, two seconds off my 50 free. Right now it is 34.50ish Then dreamin about another two.
I know 2400 yards isn't gonna cut it.
Updated June 30th, 2009 at 06:43 PM by flippergirl
I heard the voicemail, was worried and tried to call Susan back twice. Finally the phone rang.
"Paige…Peter drowned."
Peter was a surfer and one of the Jersey shore gang I hung out with in my teen's and 20's. We dated one summer. At the time he was on top of the world. He was racing Formula Ford race cars so I went up to Lime Rock Ct with him and his parents one week end. My stomach still remembers the way he took those curves on the drive up to the track. Paul Newman was there and so was Warner Earnhardt. No relations to the Dale's (I don't think)…but some hip psychological guru from California. Anyway….I can't seem to remember exactly what trouble Peter had with the car. Had he flipped?
I do remember after we stopped seeing each other my mother heard that he was in Cosmopolitian Magazine as Most available bachelor of the month.
Peter loved to surf with Michael, Sue's twin brother. As adults they traveled around the world in search of you know what. Now in their 50's they had been together in the ocean last Thursday bodysurfing off New Jersey shore. Dear, sweet, careful Michael did everything he could to revive his long time buddy, but he could not win the battle against another's destiny.
As far as anyone knows there was no trauma to his body. The sea had been strong…but not something they had not encountered before. I write this in my blog because it is about swimming in open water. I feel the loss of a friend, fear and confusion about the ocean right now.
Updated August 7th, 2009 at 01:29 PM by flippergirl


text:
Future Islands released their new album, On The Water, through Thrill Jockey earlier this year, carrying on the good work in their previous albums. Read Neil Ashman's review of it here. They aren't slowing down just yet, and although Future Islands UK shows have been relatively scarce in recent years, that is about to change.
The trio have an absolute load of shows in mainland Europe before the UK leg of their tour kicks off, including in France, Spain, Germany, Italy and Luxembourg. But you probably won't be interested in those (if you are, go here) so here are the British and Irish shows.
6 - London, Tufnell Park Dome
7 - Glasgow, Captain's Rest
8 - Manchester, TBA
9 - Brighton, The Hunt
10 - Dublin, Whelan's
There's also a stream of a remix of a "bonus" track which didn't appear on the band's latest album if you bought if physically. i.e it was a bonus track for iTunes purchases. Oh, it's 'Crish' and the remix (or remixxx) is by Javelin. Stream it below in the swanky new HTML5 SoundCloud player.
There's also a new-ish video for 'Give Us The Wind', which can be seen below:


text:
Anatomy Of The LTTE Military Debacle At Aananthapuram
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
This article was first written on April 10, 2009 under the heading "Top Tiger Leaders killed in a major debacle for LTTE". Subsequently it was updated, revised and posted under the current heading. "It is being posted here again to commemorate the third anniversary of the decisive battle of Aananthapuram that concluded on April 5th 2009. As I wrote then the Aananthapuram battle was indeed the defining moment of the on going war from an LTTE perspective.
"Then out spake brave Horatius, The Captain of the gate: "To every man upon this earth Death cometh soon or late. And how can man die better Than facing fearful odds, For the ashes of his fathers, And the temples of his Gods, – Thomas Babington Macaulay
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) organization has experienced many major setbacks during the course of its 33 year old history.
Despite misgivings expressed on these occasions by prophets of doom, the movement has always managed to withstand these blows and continue on its politico-military journey. Nevertheless the debacle it suffered in the Aananthapuram area of Puthukkudiyiruppu AGA division, during the first week of April seems to be different both qualitatively and quantitatively.
In what may very well be the defining moment of the on going war the Tigers have lost a vast array of illustrious fighting commanders as well as large numbers of cadres in a single battle. More than 625 bodies of dead LTTE fighters have been recovered and a special military intelligence squad was busy identifying those killed. Some details are being revealed in stages. The LTTE keeps "official silence" over the debacle and its propaganda networks keep "mum" but the bad news is spreading slowly yet surely.
LTTE stalwarts are contacting close relatives of the Tiger leaders who died at Aananthapuram and informing them of what had happened. The relatives are told to conduct religious rites and funeral ceremonies on a low-key level. Likewise different Tiger officials are informing close family members of the other Tiger cadres also about what had happened to their departed relatives.
Among the fallen Tigers "Col" Theepan (presumably promoted posthumously as Brigadier) is perhaps the single biggest loss to the movement. This LTTE veteran with 25 years of experience hails from Kandawalai in Kilinochchi district and served as overall commander of the LTTE northern front fighting formations. Velayuthapillai Baheerathakumar alias Theepan was also the de-facto deputy military commander of the LTTE after the demise of Kandiah Balasegaran alias Balraj. Theepan's communications codename was "Tango Papa". He is married to an ex-Tiger woman fighter. They have no children.
Along with Theepan, the top four women fighter commanders have also been killed.
Vidhusha, special commander of the Maalathy regiment, her deputy and Maalathy regimental commander Kamalini, Durga, special commander of Sothia regiment and her deputy cum Commander Mohanaa have all been killed.
An unconfirmed report states that women's wing political commissar Thamilini has also been killed. Among other senior Tigers killed were the special commander and commander of the Jeyanthan infantry brigade, Keerthi and Nagesh. The Jeyanthan brigade is raised from Eastern province cadres.
Manickapodi Maheswaran alias Keerthi is a native of Arasaditheevu in Batticaloa district and served as intelligence chief for the east earlier. Selvaratnam Sundaram alias Nagesh is a native of Periyaporatheevu and has served as district military commander earlier. Both remained loyal to Tiger supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran and despite being eastern sons of the soil opted to fight against Vinayagamoorthy Muraleetharan alias Karuna after he revolted against the leadership citing northern hegemony.
Another huge loss is that of Gaddafi also known as Viduthalai and Amuthan. This Native of Kotraavathai in Vathiri, Vadamaratchy was at one-time a bodyguard of LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran. When Prabhakaran delivered his famous speech at Suthumalai after the Indo-Lanka accord was signed, Gaddafi was one of the two bodyguards standing behind the leader. Gaddafi was later a commander of the Imran-Pandian regiment. He was in charge of an RPG unit at one time. Gaddafi was one of a ten-member squad trained by the Indian government in firing anti – aircraft missiles. Later when the LTTE acquired some SAM-7 missiles in the nineties of the last century, Gaddafi became the specialist in firing them. Gaddafi has brought down several aircraft of the Sri Lankan air force through his shoulder-fired missiles. He was also a weapons expert and spent some months in Europe undergoing special training. Currently he was in charge of the Tiger training academy for special forces. The LTTE's elite special forces division is named after former Tiger leader Harichandran alias Radha. This special force was led by Silambarasan. He was killed.
The deputy-commander of the Radha regiment was Anbu. He was seriously injured and captured alive. Likewise Asmi the leader of the "Ponnamman" mining unit was also seriously injured and captured alive. The fate of these two is unknown. The leader of the "Kittu" artillery unit, Manivannan and chief of "Kutty Sri" mortar unit Gopal were also killed. An unconfirmed report states that S. Thangan , the deputy-political commissar and administrative officer under SP Thamilselvan is also no more. Seralaathan who was in charge of the Tiger TV "Nitharsanam" was also killed.
Among other senior Tigers killed who have been identified are Ruban, Panjan, Nehru, Anton, Maankuyil, Amudha, Iniyawan, Aadithyan and Chitrangan. A senior sea Tiger Mahindan has also been killed.
All these top tigers were killed in the first week of April. But the military hostilities leading to their deaths commenced on March 30th.
Another two senior Tiger leaders were killed on March 31st. They were Gopith of the Charles Anthony infantry brigade, special commander and Amuthaab, the commander of the Charles Anthony brigade. There is much bewilderment about how so many top Tigers could get killed in a single battle and why so many top commanders got caught up in a single location. To understand what had happened a brief re-run of preceding events is necessary. The LTTE has been suffering a series of military setbacks in the recent past. It has been a case of the Army advancing and Tigers retreating because the security forces enjoy an overwhelming superiority over the LTTE in terms of manpower, firepower, airpower and armor power.
The military juggernaut has rolled forward relentlessly and the Tigers are currently confined to a small littoral strip of territory located between the A-35 highway (Paranthan-Mullaitheevu road) Nanthikadal and Chalai lagoons on one side and the Indian ocean on the other.
Soldiers numbering more than 50,000 from five divisions and three task forces have besieged the LTTE. The Tigers have been trying desperately to break out of this encirclement and drive the forces back. The LTTE registered minor success in late March when it launched a counter-strike led by senior commanders Sornam and Lawrence. The LTTE pushed the soldiers back by about 600 -700 metres from their forward defence line positions and then proceeded to the north for about 8 km. The soldiers however rallied and fought back. They managed to beat the Tigers back and regained original positions. Both Sornam and Lawrence sustained injuries. Also, Prabhakaran's eldest son Charles Anthony also received minor injuries on his back and shoulder. Against this backdrop the LTTE planned to launch a massive counter-offensive against the armed forces. The idea was to conduct a meticulously planned operation that would deliver a crippling blow to the security forces.
Apparently the Tiger leaders were holed up in Aananthapuram along the Puthukkudiyiruppu-Iranappaalai-Puthumaathalan road busily planning a major counter-attack on the armed forces. The road to Iranappaalai proceeds eastwards from the Puthukkudiyiruppu junction on the A-35 highway. Another road starts out from Iranappaalai east to Puthu (new)maathalan along the coast. There is another minor junction on this road at Pachaipullumottai from where a small road goes to Palam (old) maathalan.
Aananthapuram and Iranappaalai are part of the Puthukkudiyiruppu AGA division. Other areas belong to the Karaithuraipatru AGA division. More than a thousand Tiger cadres converged at Aananthapuram to prepare and launch a well-planned counter attack. The defences in and around the Puthukkudiyiruppu – Iranappaalai – Puthumaathalan road was in the hands of the Charles Anthony infantry brigade. What happened however was that the 58 division commanded by Brig. Shavendra Silva, 53 division led by Gen. Kamal Gunaratne and task force 8 led by Col. G. V. Ravipriya mounted a successful military operation on March 30th that yielded quick results. The 58 proceeding south by south-east from northern Puthukkudiyiruppu and the 53 and TF 8 proceeding north by north-east from Southern Puthukkudiyiruppu advanced rapidly and linked up at Pachaipullumottai junction along the Puthukkudiyiruppu road behind LTTE positions. There was very heavy fighting at Pachaipullumottai where Tiger resistance was spearheaded by the special commander Gopith and commander Amuthaab of the Charles Anthony infantry. On March 31st both Gopith and Amuthaab were reported killed. The Aananthapuram debacle was preceded by this incident which proved to be a major loss to the LTTE. The loss of these brave fighters Gopith and Amuthab had a demoralising effect on cadres. This loss of morale is attributed to be the cause of weakened Tiger defences which in turn led to rapid breaching, linking and encircling by the armed forces.
The LTTE cadres in Aananthapuram who were engaged in preparing for the major assault were suddenly and unexpectedly "marooned" on land. Realising that top Tigers were stranded in Aananthapuram and suspecting that Prabhakaran himself may be there the army moved swiftly and encircled Tiger positions. A siege was in progress. Prabhakaran was not there as he had left the place on March 26th. But the other important Tigers were ensnared.
The 4th, 6th, 8th, 12th, 14th and 20th Gajabahu battalions, 5th Vijayabahu, 9th Gemunu Watch, 11th and 20th SL Light Infantry along with 1 special forces and 2 commando got into action. Meanwhile a footpath from Ambalavanpokkanai to Pachaipullumottai used as an emergency supply route by the LTTE was also interdicted. Thus more than a thousand Tiger cadres and leaders were trapped and encircled in a two sq. km. area consisting mainly of coconut plantations and palmyrah groves. In a desperate bid to break the siege Sea Tiger special commander Soosai sent a contingent by sea to aid his beleaguered comrades at arms. These boats began sailing from Valainjarmadam and hoped to beach near Pattiaddy and fight their way through. This did not materialise as the Navy maintaining strict vigil engaged the flotilla and beat back the Sea Tigers, thus preventing the boats from landing. The Tigers also sent 120 cadres as reinforcements under Lawrence who was already injured. The army using lethal devices, scorched and destroyed two buses and a truck. Most occupants in the three vehicles were killed and the vehicles virtually reduced to cinders. A few survivors escaped along with the other cadres in the two remaining vehicles in the convoy. Lawrence also returned to safety.
Eventually on April 3rd a sizable number of cadres led by "Col." Bhanu succeeded in penetrating the cordon and escaping to safety. Bhanu himself was injured in the process. Theepan , the de-facto deputy military commander of the LTTE had an opportunity to escape along with Bhanu. Apparently Theepan was injured twice on both April 1st and 2nd.
Bhanu who goes a long way back with Theepan wanted to carry Theepan along with him. But Theepan the courageous fighter known for leading from the front refused. He said that he won't desert or abandon his fighter cadres and seek safety. "If I come out I'll come with the cadres. Otherwise I'll die with them," he told Bhanu and later informed Pottu Amman.
The military intercepting this were amazed at Theepan's sense of loyalty to his cadres and his readiness to die willingly. Theepan's conduct came in for praise among several officers from the Army's upper echelons. Another intercept was an exchange between Intelligence chief Pottu Amman and woman Tiger leader Vidusha. She was heard pleading for reinforcements and supplies urgently. A thoroughly upset Pottu was virtually choked up saying all his efforts had failed and that they could not penetrate the blockade.
The writing was on the wall for the besieged Tigers. Despite his commitment to cadres, the rest of the Tigers under the overall command of Theepan were not lucky as those who escaped with Bhanu. Despite the dangerous situation, the Tigers led by Theepan continued to withstand the three day siege . The Tigers were deprived of food , water and medical supplies. Nevertheless the beleaguered Tigers did not wilt.
Appeals were made in Tamil through amplifiers to the Tigers to surrender but the majority of the Tigers refused to heed the call to surrender. 116 Tigers surrendered to the army in small groups at various times. But the others in the courageous tradition of the LTTE fought on against overwhelming odds preferring to "die on their feet" rather than to "live on their knees". From midnight on April 3rd the nature of combat changed. Massive aerial bombardment through planes and helicopters was done. Continuous artillery shelling was also done. It appears that more than 30,000 shells were fired throughout April 4th.
It was all over on Sunday April 5th and the soldiers began gradually recovering LTTE bodies and identifying them. By Monday around 525 bodies had been recovered and around 60 identified. Many Tigers had died by biting the cyanide capsule and swallowing its contents.
By Tuesday a further 100 bodies were found. About 60 of these were recovered in a bloated condition lying in a field. Another 40 bodies were in charred condition inside two small buildings where the cadres had sought cover. At least 18 to 20 injured cadres were captured alive. Some of these are top rung Tigers. Three girls were discovered hiding in a makeshift pit, covered by leaves.
The army released some pictures of the dead Tigers including Theepan and Vidusha. Some pictures of dead Tigers laid out in rows were also released. The state of the bodies shown in the pictures were in abysmal condition. This led to much suspicion. Allegations have been made by pro-Tiger elements in the Diaspora that incendiary bombs and chemical weapons including poison gas were used to overcome the LTTE.
Some Indian Military analysts however were skeptical of such allegations as the debacle seemed to be a classic example of a successful outflanking manoeuvre. Other informed sources ruled out poison gas but suggested that "white phosphorus bombs" may have been used. These bombs are not banned from usage on the military front but are strictly prohibited from use against civilians. They are used in "siege conditions" to overcome tenacious fighters who resolutely dig in. The US in Falluja, Iraq, Russians in Grozny, Chechenya, Israelis in Beirut, Lebanon have all been accused of using these incendiary devices. The US has used them in Korea and Vietnam while Saddam Hussein had done so against the Kurds. These are not classified as chemical weapons. The pictures displayed of killed Tigers indicate that these "White Phosphorus" bombs referred to as "Will Pete" may have been used. The hasty manner in which the recovered bodies were cremated has also fuelled suspicion. The defence establishment has flatly denied these charges. The reason for hasty cremation was the deteriorating condition of the corpses it is said. Apart from this development, senior commander Sornam has sustained serious injuries while another leader Lawrence has received minor injuries in earlier skirmishes. The Aananthapuram debacle also resulted in the LTTE losing many weapons including three 130 mm artillery, one 85 mm pounder, five 81 mm mortars, four 12.7 mm anti-aircraft guns and a multi-30 mm Pedal gun.
This piece of equipment has proved very lethal in previous rounds of fighting as it can be used both as artillery and anti-aircraft gun. Four 30 mm barrels were fixed on this and they could be fired simultaneously like a multi-barrel rocket launcher. It can be fired by stepping on a pedal. According to military analysts the Aananthapuram debacle appears to be the major turning point in the defiant last stand being put up by the LTTE. The armed forces had been expecting a major counter-offensive from the LTTE for quite a while now. Had the envisaged counter-offensive occurred as planned the army would have received a tremendous jolt. Ironically, the tables were turned and the expected offensive was thwarted by the army in a military move amounting to a pre-emptive strike. In the process the LTTE has been dealt a massive setback from which it may never recover.


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Feb 9, 2016


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Wildlife Conservation Society releases list of Asian species at the conservation crossroads
Will the tiger go the way of the passenger pigeon or be saved from extinction like the American bison?
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) today released a list of Asian species that are at a conservation crossroads calling for governments to take immediate action with The Three R's Approach: Recognition, Responsibility, Recovery.
The list includes: the tiger, orangutans, Mekong giant catfish, Asian rhinos, Asian giant river turtles, and Asian vultures. The announcement was made at the IUCN's World Conservation Congress convening in Jeju, South Korea through Sept. 13.
WCS says that each species can follow the path of the passenger pigeon, which went extinct in the early 20th century, or the bison, which was saved using the 'three R's' approach. In the case of the bison, which was decimated by overhunting, its plight was recognized, responsibility was taken, and recovery resulted with more than 30,000 wild individuals in existence today. WCS was directly involved in saving the bison by breeding animals in the Bronx Zoo and working with partners to reintroduce them into protected areas in the early 1900s.
"As in the United States, it will not be the species themselves deciding which fork to take, but actions of humans using the three R's: recognition, responsibility and recovery – recognizing the problem, taking responsibility for solving it, and putting species back on the path to recovery," said WCS President and CEO Dr. Cristián Samper.
Though each Asian species on the list faces daunting challenges from a variety of factors including habitat loss, and illegal hunting and trade, WCS believes that Asian governments have the ability – and financial means – to turn the tide on extinction.
The tiger is an example of a species that could be going the way of the bison, at least in some locations, according to WCS. India took responsibility for the tiger when it announced Project Tiger in 1972. By doing so it sent a clear message that the fate of the wild tiger was in its hands and India alone would be held accountable for their future. This almost unprecedented commitment led to one of the few examples of a major Asian species undertaking a sustained recovery. Today, while problems and challenges remain, India remains committed to ensuring that tigers are conserved effectively within its boundaries. Similarly, in the Western Forest Complex in Thailand, the Thai Government is taking responsibility for protecting its tigers by taking bold steps to overcome the poaching pressures.
Other species, such as the orangutan, face a bleaker future with widespread conversion of its habitat into palm oil plantations that have decimated wild populations. Asian rhinos and giant river turtles face relentless poaching pressure for the illegal wildlife trade, while Asian vultures have been nearly wiped out due to poisoning. Mekong giant catfish numbers have plummeted due to overfishing
WCS warns that time is running out for Asia's wildlife, noting that two large mammal species – the kouprey, a type of wild cattle once found in Southeast Asia, and a Chinese freshwater dolphin species called a baiji – have gone extinct.
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Shopping online for products has clear advantages over shopping at your local shop, below I have covered a few of the advantages shopping this way.
Product Reviews
When shopping on the High Street, you miss out on the opportunity to learn what other people thought about a product, the sales assistant in the shop is certainly not going to tell you what faults the product has and how many returns they have had to deal with. Their key role is to make the sale, by browsing and spending twenty minutes or so online researching a product, you can make a real difference and more importantly make the correct buying decision.
Shopping online offers you the chance to research and read reviews about the product you are interested in, not only will this boost your confidence in purchasing after you have read many positive remarks about it, but it will highlight any issues for you if there are negatives to be wary off. Always do your research before purchasing a product online, if you can't find any reviews but still have questions, ask the retailer what questions you may have and see if they can help you out, not only will this give you confidence in the retailer if they answer your query correctly and in a timely manner, but it will also give you warning signs if the retailer fails to reply, replies late or replies without really answering your question.
Save Money on Discount Codes
After reviewing the product you want and 100% knowing this is the one for you, before reaching for your debit card to make the sale, you should look around and see if there are any current discount codes to be used at the retailers checkout page.
Discount codes usually offer some sort of percentage of the sale price, or even free shipping. So always be on the look out for discount offers, they can put that extra money in your pocket to treat yourself to something else. They may not always seem like you are saving much, but any saving is a good saving, and if you regularly shopped online over the year, you will be surprised at just how you would be saving yourself long term. Always make sure you fill in the correct discount code at the checkout so it will be correctly used for you, and always be wary of expiring dates for any codes, or any set criteria that must be met before the code is valid, several companies promoting these codes may fail to provide the correct information so exercise some caution when using.
Another way you can save money is through shopping at sites whom offer you a percentage of the sale paid back directly to you. You should never have to pay to join a site which offers this, and mostly all of them will offer you a cash incentive just for signing up.
Combining all these methods throughout the whole year, you would be saving a considerable amount of money, and the fun part is, they are simple to do and all free to do.
Mostly everyone these days is short on time, we work, we come home, we want to relax. Online shopping can be done in the comfort of your own home, so you can spend that time wisely on making all the correct decisions, not an easy thing to do when tired and frustrated in a shop on the High Street, being harassed by a young man eager on making a sale. You control the time, never rush buy from home, make sure you are relaxed, pour your favourite hot drink and then go about your business, afterall it is your money you are spending, you want it to go to the right retailer, for the right product, at the best price.


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Since many people have a hard time deciding what tattoo they want to get, they tend to look at pictures of tattoos. For this, they will either go online or read through some books which can give them an idea of the tattoo style they want to get inked with. And because the number of people that have tattoos nowadays is not going any lower, more and more books are being produced for the sole reason of providing tattoo design inspirations.
Picking out the tattoo design you want can be a big challenge. While there are some people who already have a clear idea of what they would want, there are others who do not know and even have any idea of what it is they would like. But they know one sure thing: they want a tattoo. For this reason, many people take a look at tattoo pictures which they can find on the internet, books, and even some magazines. Also, they can look at the tattoos of some people they see and remember what they look like so that they could have them done on their own body as well.
Once people have found the tattoo they like, they normally schedule an initial consultation with the tattoo artist so that they can determine if their dream tattoo is possible. When they are going to the artist, they normally take along a picture with them or some sketches they have made. In order to get the best opinion, it is advised to visit several tattoo parlours. When choosing which tattoo artist to get, the decision must not always depend on who is the cheapest. This is because the cheapest tattoo artists might lack a good quality from their work. At least by selecting a more expensive artist, you can be guaranteed the quality and design of your tattoo is worth it.
The same principle is true when you are choosing a tattoo. If you want a high quality design, you have to make a good choice. Otherwise, you will end up getting a tattoo that you don't like that much. You will need to make a lot of research in order to do this. But you should avoid the free forums and websites since they can make designs look too generic. It will be very hard to find a design that is truly unique. For this reason, pictures of tattoos can be seen from several tattoo subscription websites.
Source : http://ezinearticles.com/?Where-to-Get-Creative-and-Unique-Pictures-of-Tattoos&id=3498385


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We found this on a Dutch blog with very little explanation, but an underlit trailer park with a caravan, an Impala and a Gallardo is already exciting enough. Potentially NSFW.
Use the arrows and the plus signs to click around the image at various hot objects—LucasArts style—and discover people doing, well, things. Many of the people are well-endowed women. Make sure you click with the sound on as the creators have made an excellent effort at depicting audio depth.
Warning: While nothing explicit happens in the pictures, there is enough implied seediness to make this potentially NSFW.
Source: Qinetiq


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What should this article be renamed? In doing the slightest research at wikipedia, there are separate articles on w:Deuterocanonical books, w:Biblical apocrypha, and w:Apocrypha. Currently we have extra-canonical writings in the Category:Apocrypha. Perhaps a disambiguation page is in order? I am unsure how to best organize (and label) these books from an Orthodox viewpoint. What are your thoughts? —magda (talk) 07:16, August 31, 2007 (PDT)
- Hi Magda, I think I prefer the Catholic term over the Protestant one, but I'm not sure there is a special designation for them in Orthodoxy -- they're just part fo the Bible (maybe someone can correct me on this). I do think it's useful to distinguish them in some way, so "Deuterocanonical books" may be as good as it gets. I think the category should be renamed too. — FrJohn (talk)
The Russians seem to consider these books as Apocrypha. Philaret's Catechism appears to use the Protestant canon. Can anyone with more knowledge add some info on the official Russian view? --Nate (talk)


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The Value of Advice: Evidence from Mobile-Phone Based Agricultural Extension
This paper evaluates the role of mobile phone-based advice in improving managerial practices of small-scale cotton farmers in Gujarat, India. Demand for the service, "Avaaj Otalo," is strong, even among farmers with very low levels of education. The service dramatically alters farmers information acquisition behavior, with connected farmers relying less on other farmers and agricultural input dealers. Management practices improve: we observe an increase in the adoption of more effective and less toxic pesticides, and farmers plant cumin, a profitable but risky crop, earlier in the season. Farmers appear willing to follow advice without understanding why the advice is correct: the average respondent does not demonstrate improved agricultural knowledge


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Monday, June 25, 2012
Montego Bay
Recently I was fortunate enough to spend some time in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
Can you say heavenly?
Now that I'm back home, running around with a to-do list a mile long, I need to remind myself that there in Mo Bay there was no hustle. No bustle. No scurrying about. And you know what? Life was good, 'mon.
So the takeaway? Relax. I'm going to give it my best shot.
Relax. Relax. Relax...
Posted by Sarita at 7:25 AM
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Despite a broad movement pushing for something to be done to curb lawsuits by "patent trolls," and a strong bipartisan vote in the House, the main patent reform bill died in the Senate last week.
It's a big disappointment for industries and groups that were working for the anti-troll legislation, which is not likely to come back in 2014. However, two smaller efforts to at least take a shot at solving some part of the patent troll problem are still active.
A bill (PDF) introduced today would attempt to kick patent trolls out of a place where they're especially disliked: the US International Trade Commission, or the ITC. While it hears far fewer patent cases than federal courts, the ITC has become an increasingly popular patent forum in recent years. The ITC can't award damages but it can offer an "exclusion order" that's similar to a product-killing court injunction if an item is made outside the US, which most tech gadgets are.
To the surprise of many, the ITC has also turned out to be fairly troll-friendly. Until 2006, trolls generally didn't file complaints at the ITC. Unlike district courts, the ITC has a specific requirement that anyone looking to enforce a patent must have a "domestic industry" they're seeking to protect.
In recent years, it became clear that the ITC had set the bar for what constitutes a "domestic industry" quite low. ITC judges ruled that patent licensing activity alone could fulfill the requirement for a domestic industry. The easy road into the ITC ticked off a lot of the companies that found themselves dragged into costly disputes in this forum, where litigating a case often costs more than the $2-4 million cost of seeing through a patent trial in federal court.
By 2012, patent assertion entities or PAEs, as the government has taken to calling "trolls," brought 39 percent of ITC patent investigations.
The bill, called the "Trade Protection Not Troll Protection" Act, was introduced by Reps. Tony Cárdenas (D-CA) and Blake Farenthold (R-TX). The two lawmakers believe that even with patent reform dead, Congress could sever off a chunk of high-end patent troll activity by getting Congress to modernize the ITC's domestic industry requirement.
"The law we're fixing with this legislation was created to protect American businesses," said Cárdenas in a statement describing the proposed law. "Instead, thanks to these patent trolls, American businesses are being crippled by the bureaucracy it takes to fight these claims."
"This problem impacts businesses and industries of all types, and it affects the jobs of the employees who work for them," added Farenthold.
Whatever one thinks of PAEs, they weren't an issue Congress was thinking about when they last updated the ITC statute in 1988, the two lawmakers note.
Their proposal would limit patent assertions at the ITC to entities that "have a vested interest in the patent, including development of the product described." The ITC is also allowed to consider the public interest when it decides on exclusion orders, and the Cardenas-Farenthold bill would allow the "public interest determination" to take place at the beginning of the review process.
The proposal has already won support from several large companies that are unhappy with the amount of troll activity at the ITC, including Apple, Broadcom, Ford, Google, HP, Intel, Avaya, and Cisco.
ITC cases are high-stakes but make up just a small fragment of overall patent disputes. The ITC instituted 41 patent investigations in 2013, compared to 5,418 patent lawsuits that were filed in federal district courts.
The change to ITC law isn't the only "smaller scale" anti-troll reform still on the table. Politico reported earlier this week that Rep. Lee Terry (R-NE) and Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) are both still working on bills that would crack down on patent trolls that send out misleading demand letters, like the thousands of widely criticized letters claiming that MPHJ Technology owns patent rights on basic "scan-to-email" technology. McCaskill's committee held a hearing on troll demand letters last year, calling the entities that send them "bottom feeders."
Even though patents are issued and regulated by the federal government, demand letters is one area where state legislatures have stepped up to take action on their own, with ten states passing bills regulating such letters. State lawmakers and attorneys general believe that some letters are so misleading that they should be prosecuted under state consumer protection laws.


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Renovations to VA living center in Queens unveiled
Major League Baseball, Mets, Bank of America contributed to project
NEW YORK -- A lot of people give lip service to the notion of paying more attention to the needs of American veterans, our veterans.
Major League Baseball and the New York Mets are among those who have done something specific with this concept. The results were unveiled on Monday at St. Albans Community Living Center, a part of the Veterans Administration Harbor Healthcare System.
MLB and the Mets donated more than $200,000 for a project that was designed to upgrade and transform an outdoor green space and recreation area at the Queens facility. The project included accessibility modifications and the addition of an enclosed patio, providing residents independent year-round access to a shared community space.
Bank of America, the official bank of Major League Baseball, has also supported this project through a $75,000 donation. More than 75 bank employees pitched in on a sweltering Monday morning to assist with the project. Scotts Miracle-Gro provided product for the project's landscaping and grounds maintenance.
A greatly improved green space is not going to change the world for American veterans. But this will be a project that will touch the lives of veterans at St. Albans. And that is how these things are built, one place at a time, one space at a time.
Anthony Soto, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served in Vietnam, and who is a St. Albans resident, said of the altered space: "We've waited for this to happen for a long time. Compared to the space we had where nothing was, it's truly elegant. It's been a beautiful job that they did."
St. Albans Community Living Center offers health care and support services to area veterans, and serves as a home and rehabilitation facility for veterans.
The center is built upon what once was a golf course. Many individuals present at Monday's ceremonies were pleased to note that Babe Ruth had golfed there. After World War II, a U.S. Navy hospital was built on the site. The facility was turned over to the VA in 1974.
So the place has, as many similar facilities do, some years on it. Improvements are both welcome and necessary.
What most of these projects don't have is the kind of public-person star power that accompanied this new green space/recreation area into being. Among the featured speakers were Commissioner of Baseball Bud Selig, Mets chairman and chief executive officer Fred Wilpon, and the mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg.
Selig said of America's veterans: "These veterans deserve the best. They're heroes, many of whom were harmed while defending our country."
Selig noted that since 2008, Major League Baseball had committed more than $23 million to Welcome Back Veterans. This organization, to which Wilpon and the Mets have given significant support, aims to raise public awareness for veterans' issues, and has particularly stressed improving mental health programs for veterans.
The formal program on Monday was held in St. Albans Pratt Auditorium before an audience of several hundred, with Mets radio broadcaster Josh Lewin as master of ceremonies.
All of the speakers received enthusiastic applause, but the applause at Mayor Bloomberg's introduction was more like thunderous. The mayor noted those who had fought for America were responsible for the nation's continued and democratic way of life.
"We owe them a tremendous debt," Bloomberg said of veterans. "All the freedoms that we take for granted are not free. They were fought for. They were paid for with sweat and blood. ...This is still the place, when people vote with their feet, they come to the United State of America."
For Major League Baseball and the Mets, this project was part of the "Legacy" project though which MLB and the Mets will contribute more than $5 million to various community betterment projects in New York. Selig noted that since 1997, MLB has donated more than $57 million in All-Star Game-related revenues to community projects in cities that have hosted All-Star Games.


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What a bummer of a birthday — First you find out your present is deeply offensive, then your mom takes it away.
A California mother bought her son a Playmobil pirate ship play set as a fifth birthday present. What she didn't expect to find inside was a slave figurine, complete with a chain collar and a dungeon.
According to the Washington Post:
Ida Lockett of Sacramento, Calif., said her 5-year-old son received the toy as a birthday present, and when she was helping him assemble it, she noticed the instructions — telling her to put a play shackle around the figure's neck.
"This right here was found on his neck," she told CBS Sacramento about the piece.
"You cannot have this specific accessory and call it anything else. The fact that you can Google it, look it up, say what it is — it's a slave collar."
The toy's instruction manual shows a dark-skinned doll wearing no shoes, ripped pants and a tattered yellow shirt and directs the assembler to pop the silver piece around its neck. The ship appears to include a dungeon.
Playmobil told The Washington Post that the figure was supposed to be an escaped slave.
Well then why are there instructions to collar another human being?
It's indisputable that this is historical, but there is a whole shi*tload of historical atrocities that we don't make toys out of. So let's leave the unwilling enslavement, torture and death of millions of people for centuries out of play time, huh?
It is sad that this boy can't have his present, though. We're sure he got something better.
No!! Not yet I just told him I'm talking it back!!Posted by Ida Ida on Sunday, October 4, 2015
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The aim of the roundtable is to raise awareness of the good law enforcement practices, identified in the Guidebook, among practitioners of the criminal justice system, policy-makers and decision-making structures of the relevant ministries and to identify recommendations for the implementation of these good practices into daily work.
The purpose of the regional workshop is to facilitate capacity building of the national criminal justice systems in Central Asia, to improve national and international legal co-operation and information exchange between the investigative agencies and central authorities, and to enhance the co-operation between the authorities from Central Asian countries and other source and destination countries involved in money laundering and the financial manipulation of proceeds from crime.
This workshop aims to promote and improve co-operation and information exchange between investigative agencies, police, customs and central authorities.
This regional workshop aimed to explore and discuss ways to identify and improve co-operation among the national stakeholders in the Central Asia region, not only in the prevention and investigation of terrorism, but also on how to better co-ordinate efforts in case an attack has been perpetrated.
The aim of this workshop, jointly organised by the SPMU and the UNODC, was to examine the difficulties in co-operation and to identify remedial action against them. The workshop will also address the need for effective co-ordination of national criminal justice systems with a particular emphasis on the operational links between prosecutors and the police and issues connected to corruption.


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