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DENVER (CBS4) – The FBI is hoping the release of a list of 13 bank robberies on the Front Range last year by a man dubbed the "Clearinghouse Bandit" combined with clear surveillance images will lead to an arrest.
The FBI says the robberies took place in Denver, Aurora and Colorado Springs. They first one is believed to have happened in August and the most recent one took place on Dec. 10.
Authorities gave the suspect that nickname because he often carried what appeared to be a magazine during the crimes with robbery notes hidden inside. The FBI explained further: "Publishers Clearing House is an American multi-channel direct-marketing company that offers discounted magazine subscriptions."
In most of the crimes the man "entered the bank, presented a demand note, and fled." Denver police said last month that he told bank employees he had a weapon, and that in some of the robberies he may have been working with an accomplice.
Below lies the list provided by the FBI of the robberies he is believed to be responsible for:
– Wednesday, Aug. 1, 12:35 p.m. TCF Bank, 640 16th Street, Denver
– Monday, Aug. 20, 2:45 p.m. Public Service Credit Union, 815 N Colorado Blvd., Denver
– Wednesday, Sept. 19, 12 p.m., Public Service Credit Union, 1113 N Abilene Street, Aurora
– Tuesday, Sept. 25, 12:34 p.m., Space Age Federal Credit Union, 2495 S Havana Street, Aurora
– Tuesday, Sept. 25, 12:48 p.m., Public Service Credit Union, 815 N Colorado Blvd, Denver
– Wednesday, Oct. 3, 11:19 a.m., Chase Bank, 2986 N Speer Blvd, Denver
– Friday, Oct. 10, 10:25 a.m., Compass Bank, 4988 N Federal Blvd. Denver
– Wednesday Oct. 24, 10:55 a.m., Chase Bank, 747 S Colorado Blvd., Denver
– Wednesday, Oct. 31, 4:20 p.m., Security Services Federal Credit Union, 1901 N Academy Blvd., Colorado Springs
– Thursday, Nov. 1, 11:07 a.m., Credit Union of Colorado, 13732 E. Quincy Ave., Aurora
– Thursday, Nov. 1, 12:37 p.m., Wells Fargo Bank, 1777 W. 38th Ave., Denver
– Friday, Nov. 23, Friday, 12:25 p.m., TFC Bank, 640 16th St. Denver, Colorado
– Monday, Dec. 10, 12 p.m., Wells Fargo Bank, 1777 W. 38th Ave. Denver
The suspect was described as being 25 to 40 with a heavy build, black, between 6 feet and 6-foot-5 and weighing between 220 and 260 pounds.
Authorities have not said how much money was taken in the robberies.
Anyone with more information about the crimes or the suspect is asked to call police.
FBI spokesman Dave Joly said in a prepared statement about the case that the "FBI continues to provide financial institutions with the best practices for security to make them less vulnerable to robberies."
Additional Resources
The following contact/award information was released by the FBI:
If anyone has any information on the bank robbery please call the FBI Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force at 303-629-7171; or, you can remain anonymous and earn up to two thousand dollars ($2,000) by calling CRIMESTOPPERS at 720-913-STOP (7867).


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We are a network of physicians, scientists, and support staff dedicated to studying stem cell therapy for treating heart disease. The goals of the Network are to complete research studies that will potentially lead to more effective treatments for patients with cardiovascular disease, and to share knowledge quickly with the healthcare community.
If you would like more information about participating in CCTRN studies, please click on the clinic location that is closest to you in order to get contact information.
©2016 - Present The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth)

subset: commoncrawl


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Photo Gallery - Dave Koz & Larry Graham
August 12, 2017
Photo: © 2003-2020 Fraze Pavilion
2020 Season Closing Announcement ... Learn More
We appreciate everyone's patience during the past several weeks as we have worked to ensure the health and safety of our guests and team. Please note that the City of Kettering has canceled the 2020 season at Fraze Pavilion due to the continued impact of COVID-19.
Guests who purchased tickets for our upcoming season directly from the Fraze FanFare box office, Etix online or over the phone will automatically receive a full refund within 14 days.
Photo: © 2003-2020 Fraze Pavilion


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Ankyra Hotel
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Ankyra Hotel
Ankara Ankyra Hotel is a nice 3 star place of accommodation where guests can enjoy the relaxing atmosphere they are looking for. It will impress you with its modern outlook and excellent quality of services. All rooms are well appointed and supplied with the amenities a contemporary traveler may need for their pleasant stay. On request guests can benefit from a wide range of additional services and facilities of their choice such as BBQ facilities. Ankyra Hotel features a nice restaurant where some of the best specialties are served. If you want to have a memorable stay while being in Ankara, then this is the ideal place for you!
The rooms in Ankara Ankyra Hotel are modern and spacious. They are designed in a way to meet the needs even of the most sophisticated clients. Each room is fully furnished and supplied with the amenities a contemporary traveler may need for their pleasant stay such as an AC, a satellite TV and a minibar. All rooms feature a balcony with a nice view over the area. On request guests can benefit from a wide range of additional services of their choice.
Ankyra Hotel Ankara features a nice a la carte restaurant where some of the best traditional and international specialties are served. Guests can also have a cup of fresh drink in the bar while relaxing or watching the beauty of the surrounding area. The restaurant will be at your disposal from early in the morning till late at night.
Ankyra Hotel is a modern 3 star place of accommodation nestled close to the notable Ankara Opera House. It will meet your expectations in terms of modern facilities and excellent quality of services. All rooms are well appointed and supplied with the amenities a contemporary traveler may need for their pleasant stay. On request guests can benefit from a wide range of additional services and facilities of their choice. Ankyra Hotel boasts of a nice restaurant where some of the best specialties are served. Staying in Ankyra Hotel will be more than an experience for you!
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Address of Ankyra Hotel AnkaraOpera Meydanı Kosova Sokak No:1 Ulus/Ankara
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Ankyra Hotel is nestled just at a short distance from the Ankara Opera House. There are many entertainment opportunities in the area. Regular transportation links provide an easy access to the other key areas in Ankara.
Facilities in Ankyra Hotel Ankara
|Free! There is a free Wi Fi access in the entire hotel.
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|Free! There is a free parking place in the surrounding area as there is no need to request it in advance.
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|Free! Children at the age of 12 (or smaller) stay free in the hotel. Please note that there is no additional bed for them. An infant also stays free in the hotel as a special baby cot will be placed in the room. A child who is older than 12 years or an adult should pay 15 E extra per night as an additional bed will be placed in the room. Only one additional bed/baby cot can be placed in each room.
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Letters to the Editor for April 10, 2013
Connecting the dots againWinsted's town budget hearing on Thursday, April 5 was educational. The Town Manager, with the new Finance Director at his side, skillfully reviewed the budget situation. They clearly described the issues such as unauthorized transfers to support the Water and Sewer Commission and accounting irregularities (that we will not know about until the criminal investigation is released). They proposed reasonable solutions such as using the budget over the next few years to get out of the crisis. A one mil increase will start to shore up the decimated fund balance.
Even with a 1 mil increase, many people will pay less in property taxes due to the revaluation. To determine the impact of the 1 mil increase on your taxes, contact the Town Manager, who has compiled a chart of the actual amount of increase or decrease each taxpayer can expect.
After a well run, informative meeting, with much public comment, it came time for the selectmen to speak. The Democrats endorsed the budget proposal explaining that it would begin to address the losses sustained over the past 14 years due to issues with the Water & Sewer Commission finances and other problems in the Finance Department.
As expected, the two Republican selectmen played politics. Selectman Fracasso suggested that the proposed budget "bordered on criminality" because it did not adequately address the shortfall. When asked what he would recommend, he spouted vague generalities of "reduce and restructure". When pressed, he suggested eliminating town employees and privatizing public works. Selectman Perez responded with facts and details. She said that during the budget sub-committee meetings Mr. Fracasso failed to offer one idea or mention any specifics to solve the budget crisis.
Ms. Perez described the reasons that firing employees will not help the crisis. For every salary eliminated there is unemployment compensation and other accrued liabilities to pay. Also, there are the costs of contracting out for the services not performed by town employees.
Ms. Perez said she contacted the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities and discovered that not one other Connecticut town has privatized public works.
Privatization of traditional government services requires analysis to determine whether it makes sense both short and long term. It is irresponsible and melodramatic to throw it around as an "idea" without any knowledge of the impact and consequences. As Governing Magazine says, "Outsourcing may seem like a perfect solution for deficit-plagued governments, but the morning after can bring some unpleasant surprises."
Mr. Albanesius voted to send the proposed budget to the public. But first he offered a motion to increase the budget by two mils that failed to even get a second and that he acknowledged would have no chance of adoption.
More evidence that the Republicans are not serious about resolving the crisis that they help create.
-- Charlene LaVoie, Community Lawyer, Winsted
Meat and heart diseaseThe new link between meat consumption and heart disease, discovered by Dr. Stanley Hazen of the Cleveland Clinic, is just the latest evidence linking meat consumption to killer diseases that cripple, then kill, 1.3 million Americans annually. Hazen's study showed that carnitine, an amino acid contained in all meat products, is a major factor in heart failure.
Similarly, an Oxford University study of nearly 45,000 adults in last January's American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that vegetarians were 32 percent less likely to be suffer from heart disease than people who ate meat and fish. A Harvard University study of 37,698 men and
83,644 women, in last April's Archives of Internal Medicine, concluded that meat consumption raises the risk of total, heart, and cancer mortality.
We have sacrificed the lives of 10,000 American personnel and trillions of dollars in waging two wars to avenge the deaths of 2,600 Americans in the 9/11 attacks. When will we wage a bloodless, low-cost war on the killer meat-based diet, potentially responsible for as many as 1.3 million American deaths annually?
In the meantime, we have the power to raise our own life expectancy by adopting a meat-free diet. An internet search provides ample resources.
-- Wade Swift, Waterbury


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RBC's Kim Mason named one of Canada's Top 25 Women of Influence Français
Sep 12, 2013, 10:55 ET
TORONTO, Sept. 12, 2013 /CNW/ - RBC today congratulated Kim Mason, the bank's Regional President for Atlantic Canada, on being named one of the Top 25 Women of Influence™ by Canada's Women of Influence Inc. She is one of five women recognized for exceptional achievement in the business category of the program.
"At RBC, we've built a culture that is deeply committed to the advancement of women," said Wayne Bossert, executive vice-president of Sales, Canadian Banking. "Gifted leaders like Kim have helped to make us a more relevant, competitive organization and a better corporate citizen through her tireless dedication to the Atlantic communities we serve. Kim is an outstanding role model, mentor and force for social good. We couldn't be more proud to see her recognized in this way."
The Top 25 Women of Influence™ program is designed to honour and celebrate women who have demonstrated, over the last year, strong and unyielding leadership in one of five distinct sectors spanning business, health care, non-governmental organizations, professional services and the public sector.
Candidates are selected based solely on quantitative and measurable criteria, including the number of notable positions held, the number of board directorships, recent awards, the person's contribution to their organization's growth and the number of deals led and/or closed this year.
"I feel very privileged and humbled by this honour, and am grateful to all of those who have played a role in helping me achieve it," said Ms. Mason. "Special thanks to my extremely dedicated team in Atlantic Canada, my mentors, champions, peers and family, who have supported me and my career aspirations every step of the way. Having Canada's most valuable brand behind me has been a major factor in my success as well. I feel privileged to work for a company like RBC that is dedicated to helping all employees discover their true potential. My hope is that this award will inspire other women in business to pursue their goals without inhibition and show them that having true passion for what you do does translate into personal fulfillment and professional success."
Ms. Mason is responsible for setting the direction, developing strategy and managing the performance and delivery of RBC's products and services to more than 800,000 clients in the four Atlantic Provinces.
Other accolades Ms. Mason has been honoured with include Top 50 Atlantic CEO (2012 & 2013) and the Progress Women of Excellence Award (2013). In 2012, she was also one of only 30 women from across the country to attend The Judy Project, a leading executive program for women in Canada.
Ms. Mason's commitment to business leadership and the advancement of women extends beyond her role at the bank into the community. She devotes significant time to a number of not for profit boards, with a specific emphasis on health care, education and social services. She is also a much sought-after speaker at community, academic and business events and panels.
Ms. Mason will receive her award at the Deloitte Women of Influence Top 25 Luncheon in Toronto on December 3, 2013.
Royal Bank of Canada (RY on TSX and NYSE) and its subsidiaries operate under the master brand name RBC. We are Canada's largest bank as measured by assets and market capitalization, and are among the largest banks in the world, based on market capitalization. We are one of North America's leading diversified financial services companies, and provide personal and commercial banking, wealth management services, insurance, and investor services and wholesale banking on a global basis. We employ approximately 80,000 full- and part-time employees who serve more than 15 million personal, business, public sector and institutional clients through offices in Canada, the U.S. and 44 other countries. For more information, please visit rbc.com.
RBC supports a broad range of community initiatives through donations, sponsorships and employee volunteer activities. In 2012, we contributed more than $95 million to causes worldwide, including donations and community investments of more than $64 million and $31 million in sponsorships.
About Women of Influence
Women of Influence Inc. is North America's leading organization dedicated to the professional advancement of women. It offers solutions to women through corporate consulting on Gender Intelligence, professional coaching, events, and media. It produces and hosts the renowned Deloitte Women of Influence Luncheon Series, RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards and the Top 25 Women of Influence, in addition to the publishing the Women of Influence quarterly magazine. Women of Influence has a community and reach of 120,000 in nine cities across North American including Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Waterloo, Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax, New York City, and Washington, DC. For more information, please visit www.womenofinfluence.ca.
For further information:
Lori Smith, Manager of Public Affairs, RBC Atlantic Region, 902 421-8121
Georgia Maxwell, Director, RBC Communications, 416 974-0833


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Greetings, all! You know I'm writing to you guys from the future, right? I don't know how it works, since I'm a fake mailman and not a quantum physicist. Doesn't matter. What matters is could one of you maybe bury a big box of booze, guns, and porn by the oak tree three miles north of Portland? I'm, uh, asking for a friend.
Sailor Lantern art by Maelstromknight.
Not Easy Bein' Green
Danny F.:
Good Apocalyptic Morning to you!!!
How's the toxic smog this morning? Semi-transluscent? Awesome.
I just read your response as to who would make a good Green Lantern and I gotta say, Snake Eyes Green Lantern would be the Shizz!!!! As would an Optimus Prime GL.
Now, in your opinion, who WOULDN'T make a good Green Lantern or who wouldn't be accepted? I'm thinking Arm Fall Off Lad would be one right off the bat who gets declined membership. Ronan the Accuser and all of his Accusers... those dudes basically laid down when the isn was hitting the fan during the Infinity storyline.
So, who else would you suggest not be granted permission to the ring slinger club? Thanks!
If you assume that the emotion of Willpower is the main requirement for being a Green Lantern, there are so many heroes who don't have the goods. Luke Skywalker spends most of the original trilogy whining and not following orders, so I'm pretty sure he's out. Iron Man's faltered on more than a few occasions in his semi-illustrious career, especially because he occasionally doesn't have the willpower to stay off the booze. I think someone suggested Captain Mal Reynolds from Firefly would be a good GL, but I disagree — he's much too practical to be indomitable. Young characters with any self-doubt like Sailor Moon shouldn't have the wherewithal to receive a ring. Ash from Army of Darkness is definitely not getting one. Basically, any hero who's willing to cut and run when necessary technically doesn't have the willpower to be a Green Lantern. This doesn't necessarily indicate cowardice, as much as practicality — willpower requires single-mindedness, which isn't always a desirable quality.
Now, I'm sure someone can give me a dozen examples of Lanterns retreating when necessary, but I say that's more examples of them not having willpower than willpower including the ability to give up when tactically necessary. I'd also point out that the Green Lanterns were founded by short blue psychopaths who think that willpower is an emotion and give rings of immense power to squirrels, so I'd say the Green Lanterns were more or less messed up from the get-go.
Beyond Expectations
Peter Aitken:
So I've been working on this theory for a few weeks now, mainly since WB announced they were delaying the reveal of the new batsuit.
Now, it got me thinking...why is the batsuit so important that they would, effectively, be delaying the reveal to make it a better reveal? Granted, they think it's a complete rework of Batman we've "never seen in a movie before" (Matt Damon's words).
Taking Damon's description in mind, that leaves only 2 versions of the suit really: Blue and Grey, or....Red and Black. I think most people expect the former, but the latter is starting to make more sense.
DC is about to canonize Batman Beyond as THE future of the DCU, and the alternate versions of batman (earth 2, flashpoint, JL3000) are wearing a black/red combo. Since Ben is playing an old, grizzled batman that means his batman movies would star an old, grizzled batman, but no one wants geriatric batman, unless...well, that got me thinking...maybe the rumor from a couple years back that Batman Beyond would be the next film series has some truth to it.
My question is, am I crazy? or wouldn't Batman Beyond be the best option for the Batman films? They're a fresh take, lets you play around hard with the mythology without screwing things up, and again, it means we won't get a 3rd origin for Bruce Wayne.
Keep up the good work!
Yeah, sorry, you're totally crazy. Remember, Warner Bros. does not give a shit about the DC comics. At all. They almost never bother to use comic stories even as inspirations for their films, so even if DC does make Batman Beyond official, Warner Bros could not care less. And since WB doesn't care about the comics, they don't really care about the mythology, either. They're going to make their own movies, independent of whatever the hell DC is doing.
Maybe one day WB will have the balls (or the desperation) to make a movie with a twist on Batman as opposed regular Batman, but that's not going to be Batman Vs. Superman. And I'd bet you $100 that when WB does make that movie, it'll be its own weird random thing, rather than taking any inspiration from any established part of the DC mythos. WB does not trust the comics; I don't even think they like the comics. They'll use the characters, and everything else can go to hell.
By the way, is anyone else worried about Batfleck's bat-costume being "different"? Everyone kind of assumes it's going to be blue and grey, but again that assumes that WB cares even slightly about the comics or comics fans. All we know is that Jennifer Garner and Kevin Smith like it, and Garner doesn't strike me as much of a comic aficionado, and Kevin Smith thought it was a good idea to make Batman piss his pants. I'll be delighted if I'm wrong, but I think people should probably prepare for disaster.
North & South
Joey H.:
I emailed a question about zombies last time with no response.....:( Oh well, here I go again. If there were a zombie apocalypse, whether they're slow moving or hyperactive they're still rotting, which region would be best to go into? Go up north like Canada or Alaska, or go down south closer to the equator like Central America, or just stay in Mexico. Many factors to considers. Many pros and cons. If you go up North, where the temperature is frigid, the decomposing bodies get stiffer to the point they can't move very well. But I'm no doctor so I have no idea how well preserved or useless a rotting zombie could function in Alaska. But the weather and food resources could be a problem in more colder environments to live off. But I'm not an expert on living in such conditions so maybe it's not so hard living in Alaska or Canada in a zombie apocalypse. But if you go down south where the heat is burning away all the zombies flesh to the point their muscles are gone and the can no longer move, then you just have to worry about the stench. Probably more to worry about in such a hot environment. Maybe easier to find wildlife but then worry more about disease. Plus if a zombie can't sweat I'm assuming their brain gets fried and they naturally go out by heat stroke. Perhaps in the end it's a matter of to each their own. But which way would be the ideal direction to find the right safe haven?
There are benefits in either direction. If you go north, then eventually it'll get so cold that zombies will freeze, rendering them harmless until they thaw out. If you go south — particularly to a warm, moist climate — this should help the putrefaction and decomposition of the zombies (although I promise you, zombies are not worried about sun stroke). As you said, the zombies would stay mobile in the warmer clime, but in the north food may be more scarce and, more importantly, the zombies will eventually thaw out and be a problem again.
So it's kind of a draw in my mind. Since I can't hunt and food's going to be a hassle for me wherever I go, I'm heading north just because I prefer cooler climates. But again, as an overweight nerd with bad vision and asthma, I am going to be among the first to go. I figure I'll make it a couple of miles max before I provide a nerdy buffet for the living dead.
Sign Language
Keith S.:
Hey there World Restarter,
So can we talk about how Maggie used the best weapon EVER in the TWD the week before last and why only Michone has a badass decapitation-o-matic? It's a street sign and it kills like 100,000 zombies while dudes with guns get eaten by like 4.
Maggie did wield her sign with skill and aplomb, and she did destroy many a zombie with it. But something tells me the weight and its lack of a comfortable hand-grip would make it problematic for long term use. Also, I can see the sign getting bent on a zombie's skull, and then you just have a large and unwieldy club, which isn't going to do you much good. It did look cool, though.
Star Power
I have been a Star Trek fan pretty much my whole life. I was 2 when TNG started, but I started watching it with my Dad during it's 3rd season. I've seen all the movies since Undiscovered Country in theaters and I LOVE the new movies. Yes, they are different from the shows that I love, but in my opinion, they got rid of the boring parts and injected some much needed life into the franchise. I walked out of both movies with a huge smile on my face. The negative fan reaction bothers me, mostly because they criticize the plot holes. If you go back and watch the TV shows and older movies, they are drowning in continuity errors and plot holes. The other complaint is that the philosophical aspect is missing. While the philosophy in the old show could be fantastic, they had a tendency to rely on it WAY too much. Sometimes it could be downright boring. As much as hardcore fans say they want the philosophy of the older Trek, they don't. Just look at The Matrix sequels. Sometimes, I'll take character development and Flash Gordon style action over debates about big social issues (I'm looking at you "Final Frontier"). I like me some deep, thought provoking sci-fi movies, but I just need a movie to be good first and foremost. That's all I ask. What are your thoughts? Don't you think that a lot of fans are just too stubborn to give New Trek a fair shot?
I will say that I do agree with you about the first movie, that it needed to jump-start the franchise, and a more traditional scifi action/adventure movie was probably the right way to get people hooked into caring about Trek again. I hardly think the first Star Trek movie was a masterpiece, but I have no problems there.
It may shock you to learn I did not care for Star Trek Into Darkness. But rather than go through my spiel again, let me answer whether I think fans are too stubborn: No. Honestly, I heard some bitching from hardcore trek fans about Abrams and Paramount rebooting the Trek universe, but a lot of them quieted down when we figured out nu-Trek was an alternate universe, thus leaving all the original Trek shows and movies validated. Honestly, I don't think many Trek fans dislike the new cast, the new Enterprise, the better effects, or anything like that, Sure, a few people are going in there determined to hate anything not set in the original canon, but I think most Trek fans are actually going in with an open mind, or even a desire to like these movies. And then it's the movies themselves that give them reasons to hate them.
You mention that you prefer character development and "Flash Gordon-style action." First of all, I'd argue that STID doesn't have Flash Gordon-style action, it has regular ridiculous summer movie action, e.g. Spock's infinitely long MMA match with Khan on top of the flying bus thing. And I don't know where you're getting character development there: STID recycles the first nu-Trek's "character development" — Kirk is brash but eventually learns to be a better leader! — followed by a degraded photocopy of Kirk and Spock's relationship from The Wrath of Khan, just with the roles switched. I saw no other character development.
Here's what I think is your money quote: "I like me some deep, thought provoking sci-fi movies, but I just need a movie to be good first and foremost." I would agree with that whole-heartedly. Now, while I prefer my Trek to be more science fiction-y and philosophical than a loud summer action flick, it really wouldn't matter if it was good. I can excuse any plot hole in the world if the movie is good enough to make me forget them, ignore them, or never see them. For me, at least, STID did not achieve that.
Got the Blues So Bad
Harrison G.:
Dear Postman,
What is the (in universe) deal with Silver/Bronze Age Batman's blue costume? I assume at one point that the blue was merely the industry's shortcut to printing highlights on black, but it almost seems it evolved into something more. There are comics where the black or gray is highlighted with white, but the mask and cape is still blue; Batman: The Brave and the Bold refer to it in universe as "gray and blue"; and for that matter Barbara Gordon's Batgirl outfit still featured a blue cape and cowl long after full colors were available for printing. What color are the people and criminals of Gotham seeing when they look at Batman/Batgirl?!
Batman and Batgirl have worn both colors, so I can't give you a single answer. It's true that in the early days, comic artists used blue to highlight blacks in order to give them depth, texture and make them more visually interesting — this is why Clark Kent/Superman's hair almost always had a touch of blue in it. In the '30s and '40s, I think you can safely assume Batman was wearing black and grey, which you can tell because of the primarily black shading on his cowl and trunks, and because traditionally black things like guns were also generally colored blue. Once the '50s rolled around, the blue shading more or less became genuinely blue by default.
The Insatiable Hulk
Mr. Greenjeans:
Dear Mr. Postman,
Since you're io9's resident superhero genitalia effort, I had a question about the Hulk's genitalia. If you got him angry and sexually excited enough simultaneously, would his penis be the mightiest dick in the universe?
Theoretically? Yes. But trying to measure that particular phenomenon is probably a bit too difficult to actually accomplish. I think the minute you start angering and sexually arousing the Hulk, you'd going to get hate-fucked and explode into a fine red mist in mere seconds.
Lol & Order
Alan B.:
May you always find kindling in the dead of winter. A particular web journalist from my present has mentioned Law and Order: SVU twice now, both times in regard to its extreme portrayals of violence and depredation. That got me thinking, what character from comics would prove to be the worst of the worst for that show? Who would it be to tear apart souls and sensibility like some ambassador of Azathoth?
P.S. Do you get any competition from carrier pigeon aficionados?
Well, L&O:SVU really likes its child abuse and murder, which isn't exactly kosher for most superhero comics (and which I'm totally fine with). But I think a more traditional murderous villain like the Joker would work well on the show — someone who murders the most people in the cruelest ways for no other reason than his own pleasure. That'd be a lot more entertaining to watch than Ice-T interrogating someone like Mr. Freeze. Unless you're talking about Arnold Schwarzenegger's Mr. Freeze from Batman and Robin, in which case I'd pay any amount of money to make that episode happen.
P.S.: I tried to incorporate carrier pigeons into my mail routine — I figure anything that saves me time and effort is worth a try, right? Well, I trained a few pigeons to deliver mail for me and not a single one came back… because they'd all been eaten. It's the post-apocalypse, people. Nowadays sending someone a pigeon is the equivalent of mailing them an Omaha steak.
Do you have questions about anything scifi, fantasy, superhero, or nerd-related? Email the email@example.com! No question too difficult, no question too dumb! Obviously!


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By Chris Wright
Lyon and coach Remi Garde did an absolute number on Gareth Bale last night, playing deep and dense, shutting him down quickly and suffocating the Welsh whippet in open play – yet he still managed to come away with two goals, thanks to a duo of deliciously dipping doppleganger freekicks.
That's some mighty fine trajectory you got there Gareth m'lad!
While we're on the subject, Lyon's goal – an angled rasper from 19-year-old left-back Samuel Umtiti – wasn't half bad either…
Yowser! With contact that clean, we bet he didn't even feel that one leave his foot. Lovely strike.


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Located in London (London City Centre), this apartment is within a 15-minute walk of Buckingham Palace and Victoria Palace Theatre. This 4-star apartment is 1 mi (1.7 km) from Big Ben and 1.8 mi (2.9 km) from Natural History Museum.
Make yourself comfortable in this air-conditioned apartment, featuring a kitchen with a refrigerator and an oven. A flat-screen television with cable programming provides entertainment, while complimentary wireless Internet access keeps you connected. Conveniences include a desk and a separate sitting area, and you can also request a crib/infant bed (complimentary).


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Robin Gibb's Cause of Death Was Not Cancer
Robin Gibb's son, Robin-John Gibb, has spoken out to clarify that his Bee Gee father did not die of cancer, as many media outlets have reported. Instead, he died of kidney failure.
While R-J described his father's passing as "peaceful and dignified" to The Express, he also shared that 14 relatives and friends kept a close vigil on the singer, 62, as he neared death.
"It wasn't the cancer that killed my father; those reports are wrong," the grief-stricken son said, revealing that other complications claimed Gibb's life. "Dad had actually gone into remission and the cancer was completely unrecognizable, it was too small to detect. No scan could see it. He actually died of kidney failure."
He continued, "Basically my father died of kidney and liver failure. It was a really sudden downturn."
R-J shared that his father was watching DVDs when he had a seizure, which ended up contributing to the rapid downturn. "He was then dosed with sedatives to deal with the side effects of his chemotherapy and his liver just couldn't process them," he said.
The official statement regarding Gibb's death did mention his cancer, which is likely why media reports ran with the idea that he passed away from that condition.
He also shared that his father fought for his life, telling his family to try any means necessary, "no matter how futile it may seem," to help him stay alive. (Absolutely no pun intended there.)
A memorial service is set for St. Paul's Cathedral in September.
R.I.P., Robin.
Watch Robin Gibb Perform 'I've Got to Get a Message to You'


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Here is Klaire enjoying one of the toys from Daddy Yoyo and Mommy Yoya (Thank you po!!):
She likes it very much because it is her very own "phone" that's too noisy (LOL!) and at the same time she hears some animal sounds :) We learned to let her play this in the room, otherwise Kei will go crazy with the sounds! LOL! We also noticed that she appreciates animals so we plan to bring her to the zoo one of these days.


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My year had started off really quite manicly with the Spine, quickly followed by the Frostskade 500. Due to the financial and time commitments this demanded the rest of my year was going to be relatively quiet. At the end of June I had the Mont Blanc 80km because it is a local race so no travel or accommodation expenses. At the end of the season I have the Trail des Aiguilles Rouge which is another in valley race, but that was it. I was absoloutely fine with this as I knew that there would need to be some sacrifice for the start of the year. That all changed when I got an email from Richard Felton from Profeet to say that I had won a place (I entered a draw a month earlier) in the Swiss Irontrail in Davos. The race was to be held mid August and included a 21km, 41km, 81km, 141km and the daddy, the 201km. Which race should let the organisers know you'd like to do, asked Richard. There was no question in my mind that it had to be 201km so that is what I said.
Now I had said yes to this thing I thought it was time to check out the stats from the website. A smile crept across my face as I read about it. 11,480 metres of ascent! Certainly not the biggest out there but far from a flat race. It passed through many towns and villages too which would make it a bit of an exploratory adventure. I didn't even know where Davos is. Switzerland is not a large country and I live within a few miles of it, but when I checked it was over the other side. I live near the West, Davos is in the East. It would be around a 6-7hr train journey.
Work were incredibly understanding and gave me three days off for it and with little time to spare, the Irontrail package arrived which included the Swiss Ticket. This is a great part of the entry fee in my opinion. The Swiss Ticket gives you free public transport from your point of entry into Switzerland to Davos, then back again (not flights).
As usual my preparation was minimal, though I felt mountain fit. The race stats didn't scare me and the distance was exciting and new. I felt as though it would be a distance I would be more comfortable with. THe cutoff was a very healthy 66 hours which I felt was very doable and barring incidences, I felt was well within my abilities. I also kept in mind how difficult and how slow I was moving at the UTMB and this was over 30km further with around 2000 metres of extra ascent (and descent) so this was never going to be easy!
The weather in the Alps this Summer has been patchy if I was to be very positive about it. We've had lot's of sunny days, but there have possibly been equal amounts of gray, rainy days. The weeks leading upto race day didn't disapoint either! Plenty of rain in fact. I wonder if the trails I'd be on in Switzerland would drain as well as the trails here in the Chamonix valley. I generally am ok with a bit of foul weather as I believe when others start finding it difficult I excel. Then again, 201 km is a long way and if the weather slows things down it could be a very long day in the mountains!
I got my transfer to Geneva Airport train station early on the Wednesday morning, stamped my ticket and boarded the first of three trains. This was all very Swiss, being very clean, and perfectly on time. On the final train I got talking to Hideo, a chap from the UK who was running the 141km race and Anke, a German lady who was in the 201 and had successfully completed it the previous year too. As we got closer to Davos the landscape was jutting up all around which to me was far more pleasing and beautiful. It had been raining for most of the day and there were huge amounts of water on the ground. A river was very close to bursting it's banks and looked as though it had a litle already. Then we heard an announcement over the tannoy informing us there had been a landslide which had blocked one of the lines. I don't think I would be keeping my feet dry for long!
On arrival I went on a cafe hunt as there was only a short wait before I could register, this is where I bumped into Mark and Fiona. I believe I first bumped into this lovely couple a few years back on the Canary Islands for the Trans Gran Canaria. They (sensibly) don't really use the internet so it's really good to catch up with them as it really feels like you have news! Once through registeration, I walked off to find my accomodation which would be a hostel for the night. The race didn't start till midday the next day so there would be a nice leisurley start to the day which would make a change. I wouldn't even need to set an alarm! I ordered a pizza and had a really nice local beer as I relaxed down stairs in the common area. I was in a six berth room but there was just another couple in there from Finland. When I decided to call it a night, I was surprised to discover that the Finnish couple had already gone to bed!
I woke with no alarm in the morning which always fels a treat and crept out of the room trying not to wake the Finns who were still sleeping. The breakfast buffet was included in the accommodation, so I sat there and ate more than my share of cereal, ham, cheese and bread till I felt a bit bloated. I now had to go and pack my bag and get changed for the race.
With just over an hour before the off, I shouldered my bags and began the 20 minute walk into town to the HQ and start area. The previous night I had got quite wet walking to the hostel, so it was nice that it was dry on the stroll in this morning. For the 201km race we had two bag drop points. I very rarely bother with bag drops, but for some reason I decided to use the second one at the 140km point for a pair of shoes (Salomon Ultra 3 SG) and fresh socks. I doubted I would need them as I very rarely remove my shoes during races, and I think I have never changed shoes.
I met up with Mark and Fionna and then met Carmine de Grandis who I had spoke to a few times online. Always nice to meet people properly! We missed the briefing and then the small field of around 150 were off.
We briefly passed through town and were soon on a gentle incline up which meant I could still run at this early stage in the race. I felt very fresh as I had taken nearly two weeks off of any exercise at all, and I let myself enjoy this moment because not too far in the future things would be very different! I loved the fact that this was a more intimate affair compared to the UTMB. Don't get me wrong I loved the UTMB as I knew what it was and I accepted it's madness and electricity and let it flow over me, but I will always love the smaller races. I love being alone with my thoughts for long periods which I knew that with this size of field and stretched out over a course with a 66hr cut off, I would surely have plenty of 'me time'!
The first 10km or so was either road or very good trail. I was fine with this as it made it easier to try and find that 201km rhythm. Being wide enough also meant it was easy to pass people without accelerating. After a while the gentle incline rounded off and the first descent of the day begun. It was very short, but still I took it as easily as possible. I really was aware that this was a race of balancing speed with preservation. A runner caught me up here and chatted briefly. His name was Mohammed. He and his girlfriend had been over in Europe touring around for a while and this was going to be the end of their holiday. Minutes after the descent started the trail changed angle again as we headed up. I wished Mohammed luch and pushed on.
Although the route had mostly been uphill up to this point, it was now that I would say the hill begun. I happily left the wider trail and was suddenly on some beautiful woodland songletrack. This was a real fun section where I had to stay disciplined and not race off as it was such good. The trail soon got steeper and steeper till my hands were on my knees pushing hard. As I slowly zig-zagged my way upwards the cloud got closer and closer. I could no longer see anyone ahead as they were already deep in the damp murkiness of the cloud. I too was soon deep within the gray cloud. The temperature had dropped plenty but I was still perfectly comfortable as I was working so hard.
I was wearing a brand new pair of La Sportiva Helios shoes which feel just so incredibly comfortable and have the most bizarre tread which I initially thought was a bit gimmicky, but in fact seems very effective on all terrains in all conditions, though this would be a real test. I wore shorts, my super soft La Sportiva Merino top with arm warmers. I was packing plenty of warm kit in my Salomon pack so felt prepared for pretty much anything.
Once on to the top I mistakenly followed some permanent trail markings downwards and after a few minutes I realised that this wasn't right and turned back and was soon back on the course. The drop down to Bergun was long, slightly technical in places and plenty of fun. I felt like the race had just begun mentally now as the first major climb was behind me. I was feeling good and was now back out of the cloud that had enshrined the peaks so I could look around at this beautiful new scenery. Taking in the scenery is a rather dangerous affair as you are running down a mountain so my view admiring was kept to a minimum. That's what the ups are for!
The descent was long but eventually I entered the town of Bergun and here was the first decent cp. I ran into the sports hall and scanned the food and decided on a plate of spag bol. I had decided to eat very well on this event. I was in no particular rush especially in these early stages. Set the foundations for the later stages. I was approached here as my GPS tracker was faulty. They had a play with it but it was not working, so I was told that I would be getting a replacement in 20km. Not ideal as this would mean that I would have had no tracker for the first 56km. Trackers are great for loved ones to follow you, but also can cause huge amounts of worry.
The trail after Bergun was nice but very wet in places due to all the heavy rain over the recent days. My feet were soaked and unlikely to be drying out much over the duration of the event which could make things painful. Before I arrived at Samedan in just over 20km, there was a large climb followed by a smaller (though still pretty large) then a nice little drop down to this first major CP with the first of our two bag drops, though I hadn't taken advantage of it. I felt ok at this stage but there was a soreness in my thighs which seemed a bit too early. This has happened before and I remained calm, but there was a whisper of concern in the darkness of my mind. My 15 months of living in the alps had been great for mountain fitness and the primary benefit was that my quadriceps could take the huge downs that they couldn't when I was in the UK. I was cautious on the descents from now on and was very keen on my diet as I focused on electrolyte intake and simply making sure enough energy was going in. Other than that I just hoped that it was just a passing bad phase.
The two climbs that preceded the major CP where tough though energy levels were consistant which buoyed my hopes of a strong overall race. The descents where still tough on my thighs though and my hopes of this being shortlived sensation were fading a little. I was a little weary and grateful to enter the town and weave my way through the narrow streets following the tape finally leading me to the sports hall which was the location of the CP. I walked in and reported my tracker immediately, handing it to a chap who said that it had been turned off for the entire race so far. I then grabbed a large plate of spag bol and some coke and sat down intending to make sure I ate and drank well but didn't waste time just hanging around. The pasta was gone very fast and I topped up my bottles before collecting a new tracker as apparently my original one was faulty. I took a handful of cheese and a piece of chocolate cake and walked out. As I was leaving I saw the 141km race runners in a seperate room registering. I believe it was around 2030 as I left and they would be starting at midnight so I had a 3.5hr headstart on them.Once I had consumed the food in my hands, I stiffly broke into a trot. Mercifully the first km or two was along a flat section of cycle path that took you out of town straight to the base of the next 1100 metre climb.
It was on this climb where the final overall winner Denise Zimmermann was just a short distance ahead. I was not aware of here calibre, and stupidly assumed that if I kept my pace consistent on this climb I felt I would pass her. It was a rather steep ascent and as I worked hard with my hands pushing on my knees, Denise kept the gap, but then took her phone from her pocket and started a five minute conversation. During this period she actually began to drop me. This continued till she had a second phone conversation where she again was not slowing at all or sounding out of breath, as I was puffing and panting like a steam train behind her. As she disappeared into the gloom of the quickly oncoming night, I switched on my Petzl and prepared myself for the first night alone in the mountains. Rough calculations were being bounced around in my head to try to calculate how long this thing was going to take. What time of day would I be finishing, if I were to finish? It was now a distinct possibility that I would be out for two whole nights. That may mean I would have to grab a little sleep somewhere.
I leaned into the next climb that would slowly and a little too painfully take me to the cable-car station Murtel. Here I entered the building feeling incredibly sore and tired, determined to have a little break before pushing on again. The altitude here was 2700 metres and although the night was beautifully clear, the temperature had dropped dramatically as I gained height. It was below zero and although I was still not wearing too much the exertion on the huge ascents, created plenty enough heat to keep me warm. All except my hands as usual.
On entering the building, I saw the usual table of food, which I was alredy getting a bit tired of, but I forced myself to eat something no matter how unappealing. Then I noticed one other runner was already here. Mattias was having a lie down before continuing. I asked how he was doing and he said he was good but needed a little sleep and his hands were frozen so he was trying to warm them. The temptation was too much then and my hands really needed to have some blood back in them before I set off back out there, so I grabbed a blanket and lied down. I was probably only there for around 15 minutes and I didn't sleep, but the calmness was soothing and felt wonderful.
I think it was possibly around this time that my competition / survival balance became a little weighty on the survival side. I don't like to DNF and if that meant finishing in a time a lot lower than predicted then so be it.
After my brief lie down, I got up and prepared to leave, putting my warm gloves onto my now warm hands. I thanked the crew and said goodbye. The initial section of the descent was very poorly marked but I found my way down with a whole load of soreness in my thighs, which did ease a little but I must stress only a little. My thighs were shot! I was shocked about how quickly my legs had blown, but I really needed to just accept the fact and not dwell on it. The physical aspect was bad enough alone, so I really didn't need to add a negative mental aspect to it.
As I wound my way down the mountain in the dark, I was just over 80km into this race. Around 120km remained! I noticed a torch behind me, and when I looked again, it had closed up the gap considerably. I was guessing it was Mattias who I had left behind at the last station. Soon he was with me, and instead of pushing on without me, he stayed with me. Mattias is Swiss and fortunately his English is excellent so we chatted away about how our races were panning out. The night was almost through as a faint glow appeared on the horizon. Below us we could make out the murky black of a lake surrounded by occasional spots of light. On the far end of the lake was a small town which was Maloja. This would be our next stop. Just before leaving the trail and we lost the markers and ended up wasting some time running through town trying to find the CP. Finally we found it. Another decent stop and I packed my Petzl away as it was just about light enough as Mattias and I left together to begin the next big climb out of town to Lunghinpass at over 2600 metres. It was quite fresh at this early hour but my hands seemed to be ok now.
I noticed a runner moving very fast behind and we guessed that it must be the first of the 141km race runners. He looked incredibly strong as he passed us. What I'd give to feel that fresh! As we neared the top the temperature really dropped and then it begun to snow. By the time we had reached the CP tent on the col the ground was covered. Mattias did a quick photo stop and then we were on our way back down. Next stop – Bivio. I was certainly using the CP's well now making sure I was well watered and fed before I left each one. Mattias was certain we were in 6th and 7th place. I was amazed and wondered whether I could hold on to a top ten position. We were now past the half way point and it was all beginning to seem a little more likely that
I would reach the end.
There was nearly 30 tough km betwen Bivio and Savognin, the location of the second and last major CP with bag drop. This is where I had my shoes and socks. During this section my feet were getting very sore. It felt a little like huge underfoot blisters were forming but I knew it was the early stages of trenchfoot. The descents felt really bad as it would pull the skin back as I braked, and sharp rocks were agony. There was such a long way to go this was not the time to ignore and push through, such is my usual tactic. If these blisters actually formed, it could well be the end. I needed a plan. With 10km to go till the prospect of a dry pair of socks and shoes, I slowed right down even though this was a fast section of the course. After 2 painful hours and one torrential downpour of rain, I hobbled awkwardly into town.
Morale was a little low as I was a little dubious about removing my shoes and socks and looking at my feet. I sat in the first seat I saw as I entered the CP. I was smashed. There were showers here so I removed my shoes and socks and rinsed my feet off before drying them thoroughly. They were badly wrinkled up. There was too far remaining to ignore this. I decided to rest here and let the skin air out before continuing. After messing about with my kit and eating, I found the quiet room and had a sleep for an hour hoping that when I awoke my feet would be in an improved state.Thankfully they were. I sorted myself out and put on my fresh socks and shoes before thanking the crew and walking out into the bright day. The muscle soreness had now faded a little and overall I was feeling more positive than I had for a while. There wasn't too much of the day left so I pushed on taking advantage of it before I would be plunged into darkness again.
The next section was undulating and took me through a few pretty villages which helped the km's pass by a little smoother. I think that even though there was still a sizeable chunk of the course left, I could smell the end which also gave me a boost. I overtook a few runners from some of the smaller races here which also helped. I knew that the next major CP at Lenzerheide Was the start of the final major mountain climb up the Weisshorn.
My Petzl was back on as I arrived at the CP. I spent a little while in here making sure I was ready for the climb ahead, before leaving alone. It was cold again in the early morning, so I was happy to almost immediately get stuck into the climb. I zig-zagged my way up through the trees for quite a tiring while before the trail straightened out and roughly contoured around the side of the mountain for a couple of km's. I broke out of the treeline and was instantly engulfed in thick fog. I struggled to find any markers as my Petzl just lit up the fog directly in front of me. The wind was weak but was enough to keep the fog moving and giving the occasional window of visibility. Half an hour later and the night was crystal clear again as I left the fog behind. I could see lights ahead but nothing behind yet. I stopped and looked around occasionally and was stunned by the beauty of a silent electrical storm, completely encapsulated in a glowing cloud far, far away. It was silent and I felt relatively good. I passed a ghostly cablecar station and continued towards the light ahead which I assumed was the next station with a CP. I passed through the CP fairly quickly, keen to reach the top of the Weisshorn.
After a small descent I lost the trail for 10-20 mins. I could see torches over to my left but was unsure how people had got there. I backtracked and finally saw the marker I missed and took the good trail. It soon was heading up again and after around 10 minutes, the final section that would take me to the summit was in front of me. It was very steep and carried on for longer than I anticipated. There was a small amount of fresh snow on the ground again and the temperature was sub zero again. The very top was completely fogged out again and I really struggled to find my way down as it was so thick. The fog was just capping the top 100-200 metres so soon I could speed up and start to enjoy the descent which was long and steep. I passed a few runners coming down here. I was exhausted but was finding that reserve that is seemingly always there but I can't always find. I was really enjoying this and for the first time my pre race target of a top ten position was feeling possible.
I again stopped briefly at Arosa which was the last decent CP. There was just over 20km remaining and one last blip of a mountain on the profile. It was daylight now and the Petzl was packed away for the last time. It was sunny but there was some showers as I worked my way to the end. Although my feet were ok from the soaking from the earlier stages, there was now a new pain in my metatarsal. It felt skeletal this time and was forcing me to favour running on the edge of the foot to lower the impact on it.
A basic CP was at Jatz which was the low point before the final climb began. I had a coke here and started walking up the road before hitting the trail again. It was here that I started to really feel quite energised and as I pushed the pace up a little to test out this surge, I was surprised to feel that there was more! I was still walking but I felt great. All the stiffness and soreness had faded away and I was now quickly gaining on runners far ahead. I passed 3 runners and ahead I could see runners struggling up the steep final ascent that would take us to the top of Strelapass, the final ascent of the whole course. I couldn't wait to get stuck into it with this new found energy. Once I hit it, my strength held and I quickly passed 4 runners who were going the speed I was guessing I had been ascending for the majority of the race. After around 25 minutes of the steep final climb, I topped out and was then facing the final descent into Davos. I passed a few more runners here and one of them was in my race. My foot was slowing me a little but I was so close to finishing now I cared little about it.
The trail turned to tarmac and now my foot really hurt and my run was a bit of a hobble. I stopped to walk a few times, frustrated that my energy surge which was still flowing could not be tapped due to my foot. I just cared about the runner I just passed catching me back up, but every time I looked behind he wasn't there..
Town was soon in view and soon enough I was running along the streets with the descent behind. I turned onto the main street, turned into the square and crossed the line. I immediately told them my number as I wasn't wearing it due to it tearing off, and was told I was 9th in just over 47hrs. What a fantastic race! I loved the distance, and the mountains are just glorious. My performance was pretty aweful really, what with just feeling pretty crappy for the whole thing except the end, and my time feels pretty soft for what I think I'm capable of. Overall though, to come in the top ten is just brilliant. With 70 finishers and 74 DNF's it's obviously pretty hard too. I would certainly recommend this race even though there were a few issues with marking, lack of variety in the CP food and some problems with my tracker. I have emailed them some feedback as I believe they really want this race to be a huge success and will listen to everything. I may even like to return so I could put in a better performance. We need more mountain 200km races in the world!
It is over two weeks since the race now and my foot is still pretty painful, though the swelling has gone and there has been lots of improvement. Chamonix has been manic over the past week as it has been UTMB week which has been fantastic. It has been really nice to not be a runner and meeting up with friends. What a great sport this is! I have one more race this year which is a local on at the end of September. I will not run it if my foot isn't 100% and to be honest, although it does look to be a fantastic race over an amazing course, it won't matter too much really. It will soon be winter an then it's ski time!
Happy running.


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Christian Hershey Home
(MAP) 1215 Research Blvd Hummelstown, PA 17036
*** 2010 Preservation Award Winner ***
The Christian Hershey Home was selected under the new adaptive re-use category. This category honors the efforts of owners of historic buildings who preserve the character and integrity of the original building, while utilizing them for a different purpose (e.g. residential properties adapted for commercial purposes).
Although prominently situated, the Christian Hershey home, (as it is known historically) has attracted little attention in the 150 years that it has dominated the top of ahill on Bull Frog Valley Road. Thanks to devoted preservationists, the historical home has seen a revitalization and has recently become a beehive of activity
Historical records show that John Thompson received the Warrant for this land on February 20, 1744. The land was passed down to several owners before it passed into the hands of Christian Hershey who is credited with building the attractive brick home.
The brick home is built in the Greek Revival style, with the large elaborate cornice under the eave, the low pitched roof and the simple window lintels. While the porch columns predominantly complement this style, the porch, like many in the area, is more reminiscent of Colonial Revival design.
Christian's son sold the property to Emma Engle who left the property to her son, Benjamin who in turn sold the entire fat-in to the Hershey Trust in 1932 in whose hands it remains today.
On July 14, 1933, the home opened as a farm unit for the Hershey Industrial School boys and was given the name Englewood. It was principally known for producing an abundant crop of strawberries. Englewood closed as a student home in 1964 and the home was renovated for use as a haven for abused women and children, known as the Women In Crisis Center. Today the historic home serves as a popular cafe known as the "Cocoa Beanery" and is managed by the Hershey Entertainment and Resort Company.
History of Christian Hershey Home taken from Historic Homes Series on the Waltonville Brownstone Area written by Anne M. Searer)


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Winter sports aren't cheap. Between travel expenses, lift tickets, and those ridiculously overpriced sandwiches in the lodge, even a day trip can run you a pretty penny. And if you're an aficionado, who'll essentially be taking up residence on your favorite mountain for the foreseeable future, you may want to consider a financial planner.
But the hit that can most severely wipe out your pockets? That would be gear. While it's hard for most to justify spending a couple stacks on something that basically equates to a hobby, those of you that fall into the fanatic category need not be reminded of the importance of reliable equipment. Having a set-up that works for you can make the difference between an unbelievable and an unbelievably shitty day at the mountain — especially here in the Northeast, where we're not graced with blankets of powder for six months of the year.
READ: Ski and Snowboard Guide 2011
Well, since we here at the Phoenix love nothing more than saving you time and money, we took to a couple of our favorite local proprietors of all-things-snow to help break down some trending technologies for the 2010–'11 season. Peter Lieberman from Centre Ski and Bike of Watertown (soon to be of Newton) offers up the newest of new in the world of skis, boots, and bindings. And Brian Fiske of Eastern Boarder's Nashua shop gives us the rundown on what you should be looking for when buying a board — whether you frequent greens, blacks, or half pipes — and also discusses a new, potentially game-changing binding system from Burton. So let's step aside and let the experts take over from here.
K2 SWEET LUV WOMEN'S SKIS WITH BINDINGS | $499.99 One of the new features that is appearing this season is what's called rockering. Instead of the normal ordinary arched camber, the skis will have a little bit of an upturn. The effect of this is to heighten and increase the ease of turning because it gives a different weight distribution on the ski. This is just appearing this year for the first time. That is probably the single most salient difference that applies to both ski and snowboard. A number of manufacturers have introduced it. K2 is one of the leading ones. You can find it in Rossignol as well. It doesn't apply to every ski because it's more relevant to helping skiers at a certain level — the better skiers are going to get less benefits.
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Cranberry Marmalade
(Turna Yemişi Marmeladı)
350 gr cranberry*
1/2 cup water
2 1/2 cup sugar
1 peach (or apple), peeled, removed the seed, cut in bite size
1 tbsp lemon juice
Place the cranberry and 1/2 cup water in a medium sized pot. Cook for about few minutes. Pour the mixture and peach into the blender and blend until smooth.
Place the mixture into the pot and cook for about 10 minutes at medium-low heat. Lower the heat to a little bit more, continue to cook 10 more minutes or until the mixture reaches jam consistency**.
Add the lemon juice, cook for another 1-2 minutes and turn the heat off. Place into a clean jar and close the lid tightly. Store in a dark and cool place.
You can have Cranberry Marmalade poured on top of the Turkish Yogurt or Goat Cheese or Ricotta cheese with fresh Walnuts. You can also serve Cranberry Marmalade as an ice cream topping with almond slices or crumbled walnuts:)
*Fresh cranberries are available between October and December. I usually do it with frozen fruit. They both have the same taste:)
**Take one spoon from jam on a cold plate, if it is not runny and stays, then it's done.
Labels: Jam-Marmalade


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Bungie's latest update features the icon art for all 49 achievements in Halo: Reach, but didn't name or provide the GamerScore payout for all of them. Still, here's what we do know:
Five named achievements, with their conditions:
• A Monument to All Your Sins – Complete each Campaign Mission on Legendary – alone.
• Banshees, Fast and Low – Hijack a Banshee during the Reach Campaign.
• Yes, Sensei – Earn a First Strike Medal in a Matchmaking game.
• A New Challenger – Complete all of the Daily Challenges in a given day.
• Make It Rain – Purchase an item from the Armory that requires the rank of Lt. Colonel.
Then a breakdown: 23 will be earned through the campaign.
"We set out to make sure that each Campaign mission has its own 'special' Achievement," Bungie wrote. "Like: If They Came to Hear Me Beg – Perform an Assassination against an Elite to survive a fall that would've been fatal."
Further broken down: After campaign achievements, seven are earned via firefight, four in multiplayer, six in training and nine in player experience. If there's overlap, it's because some training achievements may be earned in both campaign and firefight.
Bungie Weekly Update: 07.09.10 [Bungie]


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Democratic congressman Jim Matheson has introduced a bill known as "H.R. 287", which is the latest attempt to introduce tighter controls on the way video games are sold in the United States.
Despite the presence of ESRB labels on games sold in the US, and retailer policy to forbid the sale of adult-only games to minors, the bill seeks to..."require ratings label on video games" and "prohibit the sales and rentals of adult-rated video games to minors."
In other words, turn what's currently custom—ESRB ratings aren't legally binding—into law.
H.R.287 - To require ratings label on video games and to prohibit the sales and rentals of adult-rated video games to minors [Congress, via Game Politics]


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I'm kinda worried that I've not 'beaten this game properly'.
I 'cheated' on ultimate weapon.
What did I do? I pressed pause between my moves, to give myself time to decide what move to make next.
Is that even cheating? It's technically within the rules of the game.
But I feel bad, and now feel that I've not 'beaten the game properly'. Or have I?


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These Official Rules ("Rules") govern the operation of the Microsoft SPORT BLUE AND NIGHT OPS Sweepstakes ("Sweepstakes"). Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA, 98052, USA, is the Sweepstakes sponsor ("Sponsor").
In these Rules, "Microsoft", "we", "our", and "us" refer to Sponsor and "you" and "yourself" refers to a Sweepstakes participant, or the parent/legal guardian of any minor Sweepstakes entrant who has not reached the age of majority to contractually obligate themselves in their legal place of residence. By entering you (your parent/legal guardian if you are not the age of majority in your legal place of residence) agree to be bound by these rules.
The Sweepstakes starts at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time (PT) on August 19, 2019, and ends at 11:59 p.m. PT on August 26, 2019 ("Entry Period").
To enter, you must be a 18 years of age or older. If you are 18 years of age or older but have not reached the age of majority in your legal place of residence, then you must have consent of a parent/legal guardian.
Employees and directors of Microsoft Corporation and its subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising agencies, and Sweepstakes Parties are not eligible, nor are persons involved in the execution or administration of this promotion, or the family members of each above (parents, children, siblings, spouse/domestic partners, or individuals residing in the same household). Void in Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, Region of Crimea, and where prohibited.
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The following prizes will be awarded:
One (1) First Prize. A Xbox Wireless Controller – Sport Blue Special Edition. Approximate Retail Value (ARV) $69.99.
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The total Approximate Retail Value (ARV) of all prizes: $139.98
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Vocational Courses from NIELIT
National Institute of Electronics & Information Technology (NIELIT), (erstwhile DOEACC Society), an Autonomous Scientific Society under the administrative control of Department of Electronics & Information Technology (DeitY), Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Government of India, was set up to carry out Human Resource Development and related activities in the area of Information, Electronics & Communications Technology (IECT). NIELIT is engaged both in Formal & Non-Formal Education in the area of IECT besides development of industry oriented quality education and training programmes in the state-of-the-art areas. NIELIT has endeavored to establish standards to be the country's premier institution for Examination and Certification in the field of IECT. It is also one of the National Examination Body, which accredits institutes/organizations for conducting courses in IT in the non-formal sector.
For more information, please visit http://www.nielit.in/
Astric offers various programs in field of Training & Capacity Building for students, people, government officials from all age groups. With help of government bodies like NIESBUD & NIELIT, we have been providing training courses on various subjects in IT - both Software and Hardware. With age group ranking above 18 years and 35 years. Let have a look what we have to offer:
- For youth and Unemployed:
We are associated with National Institute of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD, Noida, UP) under Ministry of Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises, Govt. of India and are conducting several IT related skill development programmes under its aegis. We conduct vocational training for the under privileged students above the age of 18 years who have not been able to secure a job, so as to either secure a job or become self employed. We also conduct training for students in the field of Computer Science and IT in summer and winter where in we partner with Hewlett Packard Education for training in specialised courses like Java both Core and Advanced, Robotics, Multimedia, Animation, Tally, Web Designing, Programming languages, Linux, Server Adminstration etc. We are an Authorized Training Centre for Centre for Development in Advanced Computing (CDAC) to conduct The Diploma in Advanced Software Development Methodologies (DASDM) course which is targeted towards students who wish to venture into the domain of computing. The DASDM course aims to groom the students to enable them to work on current technology scenarios as well as prepare them to keep pace with the changing face of technology and the requirements of the growing IT industry. After the completion of the course, students can work as developer/programmer/System Analyst in IT industry and associated service sectors.
- Capacity Building of Govt Employees:
We are partners to National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT, New Delhi) under the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeITy), Government of India earlier known as DOAECC for conducting the CCAC (Course on Computer Application & Concepts). This Course is specially designed for Bihar State Govt. Employee and Group "C" Employee, Assistants employed as part of the State Government Secretariat. We are partners to the State Government of Bihar to conduct Training and Capacity Building for departments and run multiple courses for employees with BELTRON since 2010 one such initiative took off with Sainik Kalayan Nidheshalaya, under Department of Home – Govt. of Bihar which is to help in resettlement and re-employment of ex servicemen and their dependents. Job is not a problem today but the companies are in search of professional with honesty and Integrity. The huge pool of ex-servicemen in Bihar has a growing need and demand to fulfill their needs post retirement as they retire at their peek when their children or dependents are studying or of the age of getting married hence they require job to fulfil the ambitions for the family. Since they are not IT skilled our job is to train them as per the modules set by Government of Bihar and help them earn a livelihood once again, the state government also helps in recruitment for its internal needs.
Center of Excellence is our education and technology interface initiative which is a Public Private Partnership initiative with Government of Bihar (Bihar State Electronics Development Corporation Ltd.-BELTRON) for the training of semi/unskilled government staff belonging to different departments who would drive the state of Bihar to gain the number 1 spot in the coming years. It is having almost 12,000 square feet space in Khajpura on Baily Road in Patna with a network of additional training centers across all districts of Bihar to cater to the increasing capacity building and skill development.
Our needs are managed by trained ICT professionals under supervision of professionals with over 2 decades of experience to ensure excellence in collaboration with various knowledge and technology partners. These centers are well equipped with set of computers and peripherals backed up by Solar cum Wind energy/ UPS / conventional inverter apart from IP monitoring through video recording and online monitoring on a real-time basis. We can run a batch of 100 participants at one time in Patna and batch of 25 participants in each training center across the state. We also cater to online testing and recruitment solution and have implemented it for Government of India and Government of Bihar in recent past including exams for Banks and upcoming AIEEE, we have also catered to NIELIT (ex-DOEACC) courses and exams for Government of Bihar officials for ennoblement of IT skills in basic operations for day-to-day help in e-governance and m-governance in the state. We are also partners to Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprise through NIESBUD for training the under privileged class of the state.


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AnnaSophia Robb Bobby Pinned Updo
AnnaSophia looked stylish but casual with her hair pulled back into a slightly messy updo.
AnnaSophia Robb Bright Lipstick
AnnaSophia's lovely lips were more than just the typical red color. They had a slight tint of orange to them for an extra pop!
Browse: AnnaSophia Robb | Bobby Pinned Updo | Bright Lipstick
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Last Sunday was Art Day at my house again and it was another fun, fun day! Whenever us girls get together, we always have
Then, as if that wasn't good enough, we also decided to make a recipe card (6x6 size) of our new creation to put in our ever-growing recipe books we've made. Here are the two I made. They are both super-duper-easy recipes to create. Trust me, they were simple-but that just makes them all the better, right?? (and as always, click on the photos to enlarge them)
If you haven't checked out Pinterest yet, I suggest you do...unless you have no time, because it will suck you in and you may not come up for air anytime soon! It is an online board chock-full of ideas for just about anything you can imagine. You just "pin" your favorites and can come back to look at them later. If you are already on Pinterest, just click on my link in the left column to follow me there.
Happy Scrappin'


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Home staging 'a must' for quick sale
A good investment: Cost of upgrades run the gamut
Competition to sell a house can be fierce across Fairfield County, forcing homeowners to go to great lengths to make their properties look as attractive as possible, including getting professional, unbiased advice.
It isn't easy for a real estate agent to tell clients they should sometimes invest several thousand dollars to hire a home stager to upgrade their property to make it more appealing to potential buyers.
But statistics have shown that investing in the appearance of a home can result in a quicker sale and often at a higher price than previously anticipated.
"If you don't fix a house up, it will be on the market for a longer time and you'll get a reduced price," said Debra Kandrak, a veteran real estate agent with the Westport office of Raveis Realty and a professional home stager. The average time a house spends on the market from listing to sale is 90 to 120 days, she said.
The owners of the last three properties she represented received a deposit within a week after they were put up for sale, Kandrak said, and they closed in about a month.
She doesn't put the properties on the Multiple Listing Service until the upgrades are finished and does not charge homeowners a fee if she is representing their property.
Kandrak said that her real estate peers must be honest with their clients when representing their homes because of the time and potential monetary gain involved.
"I'm shocked about how homes are presented. Some Realtors say they are afraid to say something to the homeowner," said Kandrak.
Kandrak, who started Westport Home Renewal, a home-staging business, nearly two years ago, said a 28-year-old home she is representing in Easton required a number of changes, including replacement of Formica countertops with granite, bathroom improvements and new lighting -- at an estimated cost of $30,000.
Her business has a relationship with Durakote Finishing Systems in Shelton, and she often recommends that her clients work with Durakote. Payment is made directly to Durakote, not Kandrak, who does not share in Durakote's compensation.
"Easton was a real big project," said Kandrak, adding that landscaping improvements were made, the master bedroom carpet was replaced and much of the interior was painted white. "I tell people -- don't go with something trendy. Go with something neutral. I wanted a clean palette. It just screamed 1980s. Now it doesn't."
The 3,300-square-foot home with an in-ground pool on three acres is listed for $639,000 -- the market price for Easton -- but it would have been listed for less than $600,000 had the upgrades not been done, said Kandrak, who has a two-year certificate in interior design and has taken interior design courses at Norwalk Community College.
The cost of home staging can be only a few hundred dollars, using some of the furniture or accessories in a house, or it can be thousands of dollars.
But Bob Kuhl, owner of the house at 65 Hunting Ridge Road in Easton, realized that the work was necessary to attract potential buyers.
"The house needed a number of improvements that would bring it up to the current era and give potential buyers the `wow' effect when they came to view the house," said Kuhl, who has lived in it since 1985. "She (Kandrak) also mentioned that these improvements would reduce the time that the house would be on the market, which was an important factor. The house looks great, and potential buyers have made similar comments."
The house has been on the market about two weeks since the improvements were completed.
The fact that home sales across the country rose in August to the highest level since February 2007 should encourage Kuhl that his house, with Kandrak's improvements, will quickly attract a lot of attention.
Home sellers are realizing that they have to make their property as attractive as possible, and increasingly they are hiring stagers like Kandrak and Birgit Anich to make upgrades.
"It's becoming more and more a standard," said Anich, owner of Birgit Anich Staging & Interiors in Norwalk. "Barbara Corcoran (New York City real estate mogul) says staging is no longer an option -- it's a must. It's an investment. It's not an expense."
Good stagers know how to improve the appearance of a house to target the right audience of prospective buyers, said Anich, who has been a stager for four years.
"Staging is a marketing tool, not just making a space look pretty," she said.
Home sellers who spend 1 to 3 percent of the listing price for a house on staging can expect to garner 6 to 10 percent more on the sale price, according to Anich, who gets many of her clients through referrals from real estate agents.
"I think it's critically important to have a house staged. It should be done by someone who understands the sales process," said Cheryl Scott-Daniels, owner of CSD Select Homes in Westport and president of the Mid-Fairfield County Association of Realtors. "There's research that says that homes that are properly staged sell faster and at higher prices."
A 2012 study done by the Real Estate Staging Association revealed that 89 homes that were not staged sat on the market, on average, for 166 days before the homeowners gave up and called in a professional home stager. Those same homes were staged and received their first offer, on average, 32 days after being professionally staged, according to the national organization. Nine of these homes had multiple offers.
Though she is not a stager, Scott-Daniels has used classes she has taken in staging to advise clients based on the money they have available to make changes.
Any small, inexpensive improvements can help in making a house more attractive to potential buyers, she said, like painting, removing wall paper and replacing cabinet hardware.
"I advise them to hire a stager when a house needs a lot of help," she said.
Potential buyers typically want a house that's move-in ready and doesn't need many upgrades, said Betsy Pankulis, broker-owner of Best Realty in Danbury and president of the Northern Fairfield County Association of Realtors.
Many don't have the vision to look beyond the dated appearance of the house, she said, and don't appreciate its potential. Thus, a stager's touch might be required.
When a house shows well, it alleviates potential homebuyers' concerns that there might be hidden problems, Pankulis said.
It is difficult to put an exact number on how many home stagers there are in the United States, but Kathy Nielsen, executive vice president of the Real Estate Staging Association, said her group has about 900 members and it is growing.
Nielsen, owner of Georgia Interior Solutions in Atlanta, said her business is increasing.
"It's my busiest year ever. We're seeing a lot of investors," she said.
The National Association of Realtors has said that rising mortgage interest rates could dampen home sales in 2014 as the number of homes on the market decline.
The average rate on a 30-year mortgage around the nation is hovering around 4.6 percent.
An increase in mortgage interest rates will increase the demand for home staging services because home buyers will have less money to make improvements and will desire move-in ready homes, Anich said.
"It will be necessary for the seller to make upgrades so their homes will stand out," she said.


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COVID Update: The Audiology and Speech Center is now OPEN by appointment only
For other questions, please call our office: (330) 972-6035. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
The Audiology and Speech Center
The Polsky Building, Room 181
Clinical Services
The Audiology and Speech Center provides a full range of clinical speech, language and hearing services for children and adults in the Greater Akron-Canton area, the University community and across NE Ohio.
The Center is the training arm of the School of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. Clinical services are provided by graduate students in training, supervised by Ohio licensed and ASHA Certified speech-language pathologists and audiologists.
|Audiology (Hearing) Services
|Speech and Language Services
Our Mission
The mission of the Audiology and Speech Center is to provide education and training for undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in the clinical training program and to provide diagnostic, management, and treatment services to persons with language, speech, and/or hearing disorders and differences.
Audiology and Speech Center Outcomes
- Improve the lives of consumers in Akron, Summit County and throughout Ohio by providing high quality, comprehensive, state of the art audiologic and speech-language services as measured by patient satisfaction surveys.
- University of Akron student clinicians will obtain clinical experiences and competencies needed for state licensure, certification and employment as measured by exit interviews, exit surveys and employment surveys.
- University of Akron students will obtain evidence based training in assessment and treatment of a variety of communication/hearing/balance disorders, service delivery models, business practices and case management procedures as measured by the Knowledge and Skills Assessment (KASA) competencies.
Policy of nondiscrimination in programs and activities
The University of Akron does not discriminate on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, age, handicap, status as a veteran, or national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loans programs, or other school-administered programs.