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The Top 10 In Action Sports
01How To Be A Slightly Less Sh*t Surfer
02This Is What Happens When You Take A Bike On A Bungee Jump
03The Biggest Underground Bike Park Ever Is Opening Next Month... And It Looks Insane
04What's It Like To Wakeboard Behind A Million Pound Ferrari? This Guy Gave It A Go...
05This Australian Ski Edit Is One Of The Best You'll See All Year...
06GoPro Are Giving Away $20,000 To Whoever Rides The Best Line This Winter…
07This Crazy Theme Park Lets You Swim With Man-Eating Crocodiles
08Win a North Face Thermoball Jacket
09These 10 Things Will Get You Stoked For Winter Mountain Biking...
10How To Not Look Like An Idiot On Your First Ski Trip
Down With People
A Snowboarding video by Mpora - 6,050 views
Mack Dawg Productions' People Crew is back at it again with our new 2008 release, Down With People. Last year's movie We're People Too had major successes, including Austin Smith winning TransWorld SNOWboarding Magazine's "Rookie of the Year" and "Video Part of the Year" from his standout debut. Expect the same quality in Down With People with some major new additions to the crew, including Simon Chamberlain, Louie Fountain, TransWorld SNOWboarding's Reader's Choice nominee Joe Sexton, and rookie grunt Curtis Ciszek.
Documenting new riders as well as your favorite People during this epic 2008 winter, MDP continue to showcase the finest snowboarding, good times, and creativity from riders with some of the best style on the planet. The final product shows just how much fun snowboarding really is - all set to the best soundtrack in snow films today. MDP People's focus has always been to showcase the most progressive snowboarding from individuals with heart and personality.
Austin Smith
Bryan Fox
Curtis Cisze
Fillipo Kratter
Joe Sexton
Jon Kooley
Jordan Mendenhall
Josh Mills
Louie Fountain
Nima Jalali
Pat McCarthy
Ryan Thompson
Simon Chamberlain
Shaun McKay
Stephen Duke
Zac Marben


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Kran has outstanding ability, strong dedication to his clients, a well-deserved reputation as an excellent attorney, and is a leader among Savannah...
36 years since Ralph Krannert Riddle was first licensed to practice law.
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Washington Business Journal
Krispy Kreme set to take a bigger bite out of Greater Washington under new franchise deal
Krispy Kreme's Washington-area presence will expand significantly over the next several years under a franchise agreement that will add almost two-dozen new locations.
The wait is over: Daniel Boulud returns to D.C. three decades after he left
Next up in the list of CityCenterDC milestones, which, let's face it, we've been tracking obsessively: the luxury downtown D.C. development's first restaurant, DBGB Kitchen and Bar from lauded New York chef Daniel Boulud, officially opens Friday.
Mason Dixie, Lulu's among finalists in Mess Hall food incubator challenge
Some familiar names and some new faces are among the finalists in D.C.'s latest culinary incubator challenge.
Thoughts on where the FBI should go? Now's your chance to sound off
Residents and other interested groups will get the chance to sound off on the best spot for a new FBI headquarters as federal officials try to narrow the scope from three potential locations in Maryland and Virginia.
How one Georgetown home sold for $510,000 over its list price in just four days
TTR Sotheby's International Realty agent Alex Venditti feared he was facing an uphill battle when he was picked to market 3043 P St. NW to prospective buyers.
First Truland vehicle auction sells out, nets $200,050
An online auction by Auction Markets LLC raised more than $200,000 during the first sale of Truland Group Inc. trucks.
Sweet as pie: Mom's Apple Pie to take over former Hill High Country Store
Kroger goes shopping â"" for thousands more employees
Supermarket giant Kroger Co., which widened its footprint in the D.C. area with the January acquisition of Harris Teeter for $2.5 billion, says it will be hiring 20,000 workers across its store divisions.
Scenes from D.C.'s first Dîner en Blanc, a massive foodie happening at Yards Park
Commuters on the Metro Thursday night might have been less than enamored with hundreds of white-clad Dîner en Blanc attendees toting tables, chairs and other picnic supplies, but those who participated in the first-ever D.C. event didn't let that spoil their evening.
Dueling Georgetown piano bars? Mr. Smith's vets to open new spot
Georgetown won't be piano bar-less for long.
Where the wireless isn't: Western Loudoun's coverage gaps detailed, and what to do about them
Loudoun County has declared itself a data center hub for the Eastern Seaboard. But that doesn't mean its residents and businesses have access to quality data.
Del Frisco's $10 million CityCenterDC steakhouse is designed to be the opposite of 'stuffy'
Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse may be aiming to be the latest go-to fine dining restaurant in the city but that doesn't mean they have to look like it.
Actor Kevin Spacey has a stint in D.C. and it's not with 'House of Cards'
Two-time Academy Award winner Kevin Spacey will be in the nation's capital soon, but not to film his Netflix series, "House of Cards." He'll show off his vocal talents at the Shakespeare Theatre in Washington for a one-night-only concert Sept. 29.
Coming to Tysons Galleria: a new font
The Tysons Galleria is home to some of the nation's most upscale retailers Hugo Boss, Cartier, Burberry, Chanel, Coach, Gucci, Saks Fifth Avenue. Its signs don't match its ritz.
Crumbs cupcake shops could reopen in the D.C. region
Good news for Crumbs fans: Some of the cupcake company's D.C.-area stores could reopen after a federal bankruptcy judge on Wednesday approved the sale of the company to a new owner.
Study may give Maryland the edge in landing FBI headquarters
The battle to win the new home of the Federal Bureau of Investigation is down to three sites and two states.
With new Pinea restaurant, W Hotel rethinks luxury, aims local
Pinea, the new restaurant, aims to be a destination for local diners as much as it caters to hotel guests.
She paid off $48K in debt in less than three years. Here's how
In 2008, Ja'Net Adams' household income dropped from $90,000 to $25,000 when she was laid off from her job as a pharmaceutical rep.
Exclusive: Who is Robert W. Truland? We take a closer look
The D.C. region's largest electrical contractor abruptly shut down a little more than a month ago, forcing more than 700 employees to find new jobs and dozens of general contractors and sureties to find replacement firms to finish out the company's work.
How VDOT's latest mega project, I-395 at Seminary Road, will affect your commute
A second project now underway, immediately north of where the I-95 Express Lanes end, will bring additional congestion relief to the Washington area's busiest stretch of highway, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation. Interstate 395 at Seminary carries roughly 200,000 vehicles per day.
D.C. streetcars already making money from parking tickets
D.C.'s Department of Public Works has begun writing parking tickets at the attention-grabbing sum of $100 for any vehicle blocking the streetcar's path down H Street from Union Station to the Anacostia River.
Coming soon to Rockville: Stanford Grill, from the Copper Canyon Grill team
Stanford Grill is the latest restaurant headed to Montgomery County, with a new lease signed for a 400-seat restaurant at 2000 Tower Oaks Blvd.
New York tea business relocates to D.C., looks to open tea room
Jennifer Jackson of the Harlem-based company Not Just Tea has decided to take her chances on D.C.
What's in store at the renovated POV lounge
POV rooftop lounge at the W Hotel Washington D.C. has been closed for just more than a month, and we're now getting a better look at what the renovated lounge will offer when it reopens in September.
Will Arlington's sweetened tech tax breaks be enough to keep Opower?
With little fanfare, the Arlington County Board in April unanimously moved to tweak its "technology zone" incentives, expanding the types of businesses eligible to receive a break on their business license (BPOL) tax. Most importantly, the incentives could now be applied to retain growing tech businesses already in the county, not just attract new ones.
Meet the woman who started Fat Tire in her basement
Beer was taking over the house. Bottles lined the living room and New Belgium T-shirts were sprawled across what would be the baby's nursery. They had more square feet in beer than in furniture.
Bacon milkshakes? Why not, says Five Guys
Five Guys Burgers and Fries is test-marketing a customizable milkshake on its menu at a few locations, including stores in Alexandria, Stafford and Lorton. Bacon is among the 10 "mix-ins" you can add.
At True Food Kitchen, it's no to soda, but yes to burgers
True Food Kitchen, the healthy-food focused restaurant from Phoenix-based Fox Restaurant Concepts coming to Mosaic District in Merrifield next month, is all about compromise.
Giant's City Market at O store wins design award
The Giant at O Street Market in D.C.'s Shaw neighborhood opened to "oohs and ahhs" last fall, with its historic two-story architecture, wine and beer bar and huge selection of prepared foods. Now it's been recognized with a national design award.
33 Washington-area companies crack Inc. 500
Inc. Magazine's 2014 list of the country's fastest-growing private companies includes 33 in the Washington area, including one in the top 5, and four in the top 50.
Hi: 56 °F | Lo: 50 °F


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Sony was supposed to offer full-resolution downloadable movies for the PSP, but the service has never come to fruition, citing "DRM problems." On the GDC showfloor, I overheard one Sony employee talking about how there's one giant stumbling block for Sony's potential movie download service: Disney. The giant media corporation doesn't want to make its catalog of movies available to Sony, most likely due to restrictions caused by their deal with Apple's iTunes Store.
But, why not go forth even without Disney's backing? Surely, Sony Pictures' vast library of movies would be more than enough to satiate a PSP-owning movie lover's tastes. However, as Connect proved, a half-assed attempt at digital distribution usually ends up quite fruitless.
Breaking News
Dying Light cancelled on Xbox 360, PS3
Featured Stories
Get a closer look at final retail Amiibos
Posted on Nov 22nd 2014 9:00AM
Barely Related: Star-Lord's dance-off, comet sounds
Posted on Nov 21st 2014 8:30PM
Games we love and hate
Posted on Nov 21st 2014 3:00PM


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Brad & John
Tuesday, August 5, 201408/05/2014
Tuesday's 9:30 Knucklehead 8/5
The guy who attacked his roommate for eating 3 of his "chips ahoy" cookies!
Monday, August 4, 201408/04/2014
Bellingham bay to Mt Baker!
In Podcasts
Daniel Probst ran all the way from Bellingham bay to the top of Mt Baker and back this weekend!
Monday, August 4, 201408/04/2014
Doctor Doctor!
Bizarre stories from the medical world….today we profile a man who has an antenna in his head to help his color blindness!
Monday, August 4, 201408/04/2014
Sprint boat races!
In Podcasts
Dan Morrison is the man behind the Extreme Sports Park in Port Angeles hosting the sprint boat races this weekend!
Monday, August 4, 201408/04/2014
I Can't Believe it's News 8/4 early
In I Can't Believe It's News, Podcasts
The outdoor sex grandma gets sentenced…a guy gets his finger bitten off at a Beyonce concert…and a man gets busted hiding all night in a grocery store
Monday, August 4, 201408/04/2014
I Can't Believe it's News 8/4 late
In I Can't Believe It's News, Podcasts
2 aspiring rappers fight over who is the "star" of their video…a 16 year vet of the police force gets busted at a drive thru…and dysfunction junction
Monday, August 4, 201408/04/2014
The Trash 8/4
"The Dude" throws out the first pitch…golfer Dustin Johnson was suspended for cocaine use…and Jon Bon Jovi responds to Buffalo Bills fans.
Monday, August 4, 201408/04/2014
Monday's 9:30 Knucklehead 8/4
The guy who got his finger bitten off at the JayZ and Beyonce concert
Monday, August 4, 201408/04/2014
The 9:30 Knucklehead of the Week 8/1/14
The guy who was discovered to be the neighborhood thief after a tornado exposed all the stuff he had stolen!
Thursday, July 31, 201407/31/2014
The Washington State ferries
In Podcasts, Rock N Roll Ripoffs
Trouble with the Edmonds ferry got us to thinking about the Edmund Fitzgerald…..


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In association with
and found 83 items
Matches found in Motorcycle News
Andy Downes,
03 February 2012 12:23
KTM's all-new 1290cc V-twin Super Duke has been spotted strapped onto a trailer in Tenerife as the prototype machine undergoes endurance testing before its launch later this year. It is clear from the picture that the Austrian firm is using a modular design concept - the main chassis, engine and fuel tank of the naked Super Duke are identical to ...
26 January 2012 16:29
This is the all-new KTM Adventure with a 1290cc V-twin engine which is expected to produce around 130bhp - 25bhp more than its arch-rival, the BMW R1200GS. The bike was spotted while undergoing road development in the Canary Islands by keen-eyed MCN reader Colin Crewther and appears to be a very early hand-built prototype. These are used to set basic ...
Andy Downes,
03 January 2012 13:34
German tuners Mototech has developed this fairing, suspension and handlebar kit which fits the outgoing KTM Duke 690 to turn it into a trackday weapon with 70bhp and weighing just 125kg. It's basically a lightweight, faired track bike which costs £4000 for the kit and with secondhand examples of the KTM Duke 690 available for a little over £4000 it ...
30 December 2011 15:48
The 2012 Dakar Rally kicks off in South America on January 1. Regarded as the hardest race in the world, 188 riders will embark on the epic and dangerous adventure through Argentina, Chile and Peru. Among the multinational contingent is Irishman Stan Watt, who represents our best chance of home-grown talent not only finishing the event, but getting a result. ...
22 December 2011 17:10
KTM's 2012 690 Duke isn't just an evolution of the hard core Duke - it's a complete revolution: 90% all new, with just 10% of its components shared with its predecessor. Read the first ride impressions here and watch the 2012 KTM 690 Duke in action on its world launch in Gran Canaria, with MCN WSB reporter Michael Guy's thoughts on ...
Michael Guy,
22 December 2011 11:27
KTM's 2012 690 Duke isn't just an evolution of the hard core Duke - it's a complete revolution: an all-new bike - 90% new in fact, with just 10% of its components shared with its predecessor. The biggest surprise is in the looks department. Gone is the hard-edged supermotard appearance and in its place a more regular-looking naked bike albeit ...
13 December 2011 17:26
A delivery of 36 new KTM junior motocross motorcycles has been stolen from a lorry in Kent on the evening of Friday December 9. Thieves took 35 KTM 50 SXs and one 65 SX. The popular junior motocross bikes were still in their individual transportation boxes, still awaiting a small amount of assembly from the dealerships they were intended for. The ...
Michael Guy,
07 December 2011 10:19
MCN's Michael Guy is in Gran Canaria testing KTM's all new 2012 KTM Duke 690. "First impressions of the bike is how different it looks to its predecessor. It's still an aggressive looking bike with seriously sharp styling, but its no where near as radical as it was before – think cool looking naked bike rather than full on Supermoto." ...
Rich Mellor,
23 November 2011 14:16
KTM has cut the prices on three of its 2012 models. The Austrian firm has reduced the price of the new 690 Duke and 2012 versions of its 990 Super Duke R and 990 Supermoto R. The Supermoto R is down by a hefty £950 compared to this year's OTR price and the naked 990 Super Duke R is reduced ...
Michael Neeves,
14 November 2011 10:59
More power, less weight, improved refinement and ABS as standard - the new KTM 690 Duke promises to be more fun, easier to ride and safer. Now making a claimed 70bhp, it's also the most powerful single-cylinder bike ever. The 690 Duke's 654cc engine has been comprehensively reworked, and now has a twin-spark head and an electronic ride-by-wire throttle system. ...
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Trent Reznor to Write New Music For Nine Inch Nails Compilation
|Related Links
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|Related: Trent Reznor, Nine Inch Nails
Trent Reznor, acclaimed film composer and NINE INCH NAILS musician, has officially announced he "intends to contribute" two new songs to the upcoming NAILS collection, The New Yorker originally reported. In addition, Reznor is set to write new, original music for his own forthcoming album. He also confirmed he will be partnering with Dr. Dre for an upcoming music streaming project tentatively entitled 'Daisy.'
'Daisy' is poised, according to Reznor, to be more user-friendly that other streaming radio stations such as Spotify or Pandora.
"Here's 16 million licensed pieces of music,' they've said, but you're not stumbling into anything," Reznor told The New Yorker.. "What's missing is a system that adds a layer of intelligent curation . . . As great as it is to have all this information bombarding you, there's a real value in trusted filters. It's like having your own guy when you go into the record store, who knows what you like but can also point you down some paths you wouldn't necessarily have encountered."
Reznor also told Rolling Stone last summer that he was still currently working on new pieces for NINE INCH NAILS.
Reznor told Rolling Stone in July that he was working on new Nine Inch Nails material. "Yeah, there will be new music," he said. "There are some things in the works."
About Author
- Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan-Led THE LAST FIVE YEARS Movie to Hit Theaters, VOD on Feb 13
- Photo Flash: Key Art for GIRLS Season 4 Released
- 'BREAKING BAD (Original Score From The Television Series) Volume 2' Double LP Out Today
- President Obama Praises Icons Meryl Streep, Alvin Ailey and More at Medal of Freedom Ceremony
- NBCUniversal & Millennial Trains Project Announce New Partnership
- Official: Rachel McAdams, Taylor Kitsch & Kelly Reilly Join Cast of HBO's TRUE DETECTIVE
- Showtime to Air HOMELAND, THE AFFAIR Marathons this Weekend
- David Dobkin to Direct AMC's BADLANDS Pilot
- Cast of FINDING NEVERLAND to Perform on ABC's GOOD MORNING AMERICA on Thanksgiving
- NBC to Air NATIONAL DOG SHOW PRESENTED BY PURINA, 11/27


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Covers band known as having a 'refreshing repetoire' the band is in demand and are booked for the rest of this year. We have decent gear, a full range PA with sub, monitors & lights.
No big egos in the band; just a friendly, helpful bunch requiring a steady drummer who has a passion for playing live.
This is for a permanent position so no deps please.
Check us out on our website: www.thebusinesscoversband.com
- Screen name:
- JDmusician
- Member since:
- Aug 10 2008
- Active within 1 month
- Level of commitment:
- Committed
- Years together:
- 2
- Gigs played:
- Over 100
- Tend to practice:
- 1 time per week
- Available to gig:
- 1 night a week
- Age:
- 39 years
Members Of Band
Current line up:
2 guitarists
PA system: Mackie full range system with monitors, Yamaha sub & 16 track mixing desk
Guitarists: Fender Strat, Fender Tele, Hamer, Marshall amplification
Bass: Fender jazz, Musicman, Markbass amplification
Drums: Premier acoustic, Roland (electronic kit)
Lighting: Stage wash bars, laser


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Review Summary
Bonus Offer Available
Elizabeth Arden Ceramide ULTRA Lift & Firm Day Lotion Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 30
Price $74.00
Shipping your purchase is easy on belk.com. Depending on the destination of your package, you can expect it to arrive within 4-7 business days. Shipping Information
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Firefox 220.127.116.11 Corrects Latest ReleaseNov 02, 2007
The Mozilla Foundation has departed from its normal release cycle to fix several bugs and the remaining security holes in version 18.104.22.168 of the Firefox web browser.more »
Opera 9.5 Beta Test StartsOct 25, 2007
One year after releasing version 9 Norwegian software developers Opera have now officially opened the public test phase for version 9.5 of the Opera browser. The Linux version integrates Qt4.more »
Firefox 184.108.40.206 does not Close all the Gaps and Adds Some New OnesOct 23, 2007
The update for the Mozilla Firefox browser to version 220.127.116.11 does not remove all of the vulnerabilities disclosed in the changelog, and the update introduces some new bugs.more »
Netscape Navigator 9 for LinuxOct 17, 2007
AOL has just released a new version of Netscape Navigator based on the Mozilla Firefox browser just like its predecessor. Besides cross-platform capabilities, and thus Linux support, version 9 adds new features and a new look.more »
Fedora 7 Re-Spin including latest updatesOct 04, 2007
Fedoras Re-Spins are "new installation versions" including a full set of updates since the official release. The project uses the "Jigdo Method" for a quick download.more »
Web Wizardry Intro Techniques for more powerful websitesSep 26, 2007
New tools for the web appear every day. In this issue, we round up some promising technologies, including Apache's Suexec module, the new WS-Addressing standard, the Helma application server, the Perlbal web server, and microformats.more »
Improved Statistics Module for WebminSep 14, 2007
Version 0.11.0 of Webminstats, a statistics module for the Web-based administration tool, has just been released.more »
Eudora Revisited on Mozilla-BasisSep 11, 2007
The commercial version of the Eudora mail client was retired in October 2006. Now, a beta version of the new revitalized Eudora has just been released.more »
Issue 170/2015
Buy this issue as a PDF
TOR Network Isn't So Anonymous
A new study says it is possible to unmask 81% of TOR users.
.NET Goes Open Source
Redmond joins the revolution by turning the .NET Core Runtime into a GitHub project.
Drupal Advisory Unleashes a Torrent of Attacks
Users only had 7 hours to update before the intrusions started.
HTML5 Gets Promoted to a Standard
It's official: The new web arrives
Linus Addresses Criticism for Harsh Language
Kernel king admits his tone has alienated volunteers, but says the demands of the process require directness.
New SSL Attack Lets a Malicious Listener Steal Session Cookies
New flaw in an old encryption scheme leaves the experts scrambling to disable SSL 3
Leading Open Source Coder Rants about Rants
Lennart Poettering wants to change the way Linux developers talk to each other.
HP Splits into Two Companies
Enterprise giant frees itself from ink and home PCs (and visa versa).
Mozilla Labs Shuts Down
Mozilla's product think tank sinks silently into history.
Internet Giants Launch Collaboration to Improve Open Source
TODO group will focus on open source tools in large-scale environments.


text:
(skip this header)
San Antonio kicks off Christmas season
Top Stories in Local
Several protesters taken into custody in Ferguson
Top Stories in US & World
Second act of shopping in full swing
Top Stories in Business
Judson rolls into the regional finals with a 55-20 win over Laredo United
Top Stories in Sports
Sopapilla cheesecake tops list of most Googled in Texas
Top Stories in Food
25 things you need to know about this holiday weekend
Top Stories in Entertainment
S.A. has full holiday calendar
Top Stories in Lifestyle
Technological literacy becomes core subject
Top Stories in Opinion
2015 Dodge Challenger 6.4L Scat Pack — Seventies muscle car redux, especially the color.
Top Stories in Cars
Weak consumer, business demand may slow US growth
Top Stories in Jobs
Real Estate
Giant Wimberley country home going for $2.8 million
Top Stories in Homes
They may live in Texas now, but they weren't born here. Click through our list to see some stars that may be mistaken for Texan, but hail from elsewhere. Sources: IMDb, Wikipedia.
Morry Gash/Associated Press
© Copyright


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Man 'carrying sack of knives' Tasered by police after slash attack on woman in Ilford
A man carrying a bag of blades was Tasered by police as he slashed a woman's head and back in north east London.
A stalker targeted a string of women on Hampstead Heath while on the run from a life sentence for beating a 92-year-old widow senseless.
03 December 2013
A John Constable oil sketch has been discovered by V&A museum experts behind one of his great paintings, where it lay hidden for nearly two centuries.
26 November 2013
Stallholders and shopkeepers at Camden's markets vowed today to unite against the proposed HS2 rail link, amid claims it threatens the future of the world-famous destination.
25 November 2013
Londoners are getting the chance to venture into the bottom of the drained chamber of Camden Lock on the Regent's Canal this weekend.
16 November 2013
09 November 2013
Everyman Cinemas, the London-focused art house chain, today joined the rush of firms floating in London in a deal valuing it at £31 million.
07 November 2013
As Camden council and residents wait for the result of their appeal against the super-railway set to plough through their stucco, Jonathan Prynn reports on a north London outcry
16 October 2013
It could be the closest music fans get to stepping into a time machine to meet their idols.
14 October 2013
Household goods maker McBride saw its revenues slide further today after scaling back its operations.
14 October 2013
05 October 2013


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Forensic perssonnel look for the evidence in the area where a plane... News Photo 158166794Airplane,Airplane Crash,Arts Culture and Entertainment,Crash,Evidence,Forensic Science,Geographical Locations,Horizontal,Jenni Rivera,Look,Mexico,Music,Nuevo Leon,Singer,USAPhotographer AFPCollection: AFP 2012 AFPForensic perssonnel look for the evidence in the area where a plane of Mexican-US singer Jenni Rivera crashed, on December 10, 2012, close to Iturbide, Mexico. The wreckage of a plane carrying Rivera has been found in northern Mexico and there were no survivors, officials said. The Lear Jet was flying from Monterrey to Toluca, and was carrying six other people besides the singer, said Iturbide's Mayor Antonio Gonzalez. AFP PHOTO / Julio Cesar Aguilar (Photo credit should read Julio Cesar Aguilar/AFP/Getty Images)


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He may apologize later tonight, but MSNBC's David Shuster totally thinks Chelsea Clinton is a prostitute. He has a point though — look at those clothes! There are breasts flying everywhere. Still, this is such a big deal that Hillary Clinton may never appear in an MSNBC debate again, ever. [MSNBC]Related
Hola wonkerados.
To improve site performance, we did a thing. It could be up to three minutes before your comment appears. DON'T KEEP RETRYING, OKAY?
Also, if you are a new commenter, your comment may never appear. This is probably because we hate you.


text:
Diary of a Ruddy Aby
(Page 3 of 7: Viewing Diary Entry 21 to 30)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Happy New Year and Wonderfurl News!January 9th 2013 8:16 am
[ View A Comments (23) ]
Hope everyone is doing well and that your new year is off to a good start.
The Best Christmas GiftDecember 22nd 2012 5:47 pm
[ View A Comments (15) ]
Wishing all our wonderful Catster friends a joyous Christmas and the happiest of New Year's wishes.
I Am Completely OFF INSULIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!December 13th 2012 1:35 pm
[ View A Comments (13) ]
Wonderful news at the vet this morning, my blood sugar was low normal on just 1 unit of insulin. Dr. P took me completely off insulin. No shots this next week!!! I'll go back in one week for a check. Please purr that my sugar does not do something extreme and stays in the normal range.
Very Good NewsDecember 5th 2012 9:52 am
[ View A Comments (20) ]
I just had to sit down and tell you'all my good news. My lungs have cleared, and my blood sugar was 80 (No evil Karo today, thank cattness,I hate having a sticky face)
Sad dayDecember 4th 2012 6:41 am
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Thank you all for your kind words, purrs and prayers. Mom is very sad and tearful today, she's going to throw herself into finishing an outdoor painting project on this rare warm day and embrace the beauty on our mountain.
Sad news for Momcatt todayDecember 3rd 2012 5:08 pm
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I've tried to be especially attentive to Momcatt today :( So have Micky and Minerva.
Update on "Sugar Kitty"December 2nd 2012 8:09 am
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I had unexpected news at the vet this week, things are still a bit difficult for me. I'm still going to the vet weekly and we're still trying to regulate my insulin dose. Last week my bloodsugar was too low, not dangerously low, but low enough I had to have Karo. My dose was reduced to 3 units twice daily. Well, again this week it was low and I had to have Karo, ugggggggg. I spit out enough that I had a sticky chest and face, being sticky is not a good feeling :(
178!!!!!November 1st 2012 11:44 am
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Tremendously good news! My blood sugar was within normal range yesterday.
Grumpy GentlemanOctober 25th 2012 3:45 am
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Well....it was another trip to the vet yesterday and quite frankly I was just not in the mood nor was I amused :(
Keep Calm and Carry OnOctober 18th 2012 3:56 am
[ View A Comments (19) ]
This popular phrase seems to fit my situation at this point.
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Family Pets


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Swingers Parties
***We are no longer using the Club Dare name for swingers parties, but membership is still the same. If you filled out a membership application on the Club Dare website, you do not need to apply again here.***
The Hardbodies Entertainment of Arkansas swingers parties provide fun and provocative nights of partying, dancing, and swinging for fun-loving, responsible, and discreet adults. Our swingers parties are hosted mainly in the Central Arkansas area, and they our strictly off-premises events.
Our swingers parties are much more than a place for couples to meet other couples (although they are great for that). Come dance and party the night away with us, getting as mild or as wild as you'd like, and (of course) enjoy performances by the hot and sexy men and women of Hardbodies Entertainment of Arkansas in a completely encouraging and supportive environment.
We know firsthand just how critical and judgmental the public at large (especially in the south) can be towards fun-loving and consenting adults who aren't hurting anyone. The entire motivation behind our swingers parties is to provide all of us who truly know how to party a place to be ourselves without having to worry about any sort of unfounded stigmas following us around in every other area of our lives.
Our swingers parties allow our members to meet others with whom to explore their mutual desires, and our members understand the need to respect the boundaries and the confidentiality of others. Most parties have a specific theme, as well as dancing, drinking, and an incredibly fun time had by all. Guests are admitted via invitation only, so please be sure to fill out and submit the membership application below.
Rules & Regulations
1. The possession, use, sale, or distribution of illicit drugs (including marijuana) is prohibited, as is the possession or use of prescription drugs without a valid prescription, and the sale or distribution of prescription drugs.
2. Our parties are BYOB, and alcoholic beverages will not be provided to members.
3. The possession of weapons, including (but not limited to): firearms, cutlery, blunt objects, explosives, etc… is prohibited.
4. Physical confrontation of any sort is prohibited.
5. Cameras (still and video) and audio recording devices are prohibited.
6. Members are not to speak to the media (even as "anonymous sources") regarding Hardbodies Entertainment of Arkansas, its events, or its members. The discretion of Hardbodies Entertainment of Arkansas management, entertainers, and event organizers is as important to each of them as yours is to you.
7. Members are expected to treat each other with respect at parties, on this website and on Hardbodies Entertainment of Arkansas social media accounts. Harassment of any sort towards other members will not be tolerated.
8. Solicitation and acts of prostitution are prohibited.
9. Members are to respect the physical locations and amenities parties and not vandalize or damage them in any way.
10. These rules and regulations are subject to change with or without notice at the discretion of Hardbodies Entertainment of Arkansas.
Membership Applications


text: This was an attempt for me on working on my own comic. The story was called "The Diver", it is told in pictures only, no text or speaking bubbles. It is about two men exploring the sea for something lost. The narrative is loose and leaves hopefully room for your own imagination. I drew it in black only, in a drawing style, that maybe could be called "digital scratchboard", that I have been experimenting with for some time. I planned it to be approximately 30 pages long and the pictures below are a sample of what has been made so for. I have been working on it mainly in spring 2012, but it is on standby since then, because other things got in the way.


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Mikael Hopkins #3 of the Georgetown Hoyas tries to shoot as Cameron Ridley #55 of the Texas Longhorns knocks the ball away in the first half during the Jimmy V Classic on December 4, 2012 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
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Rope off the winners circle for your race day fans with our colorfull plastic all weather Winners Circle tape which is 3" wide by 20' long. A perfect addition to your race day decorations and victory party. Our Winners Circle plastic tape is sold by the piece. Please order in increments of 1 piece.
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Wherein Fr. Z Makes a Suggestion for the Vice-Presidential Candidates' Debate
Other people are starting to comment about an upcoming vice-presidential candidates' debate.
I have a suggestion.
Perhaps the organizers should have something like the "mercy rule" used in some sports.
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Posted in Lighter fare Tagged debate, mercy rule, November 2012, Paul Ryan, Pres. Obama, Vice President, VP Biden 70 Comments


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Influence Without Authority
Human Aspects of PM,
Categories: Human Aspects of PM, Leadership, Stakeholder
Many project professionals find themselves in a position where they need to influence the decisions or actions of others, but lack the authority to impose an outcome. The ability to influence others is particularly important when managing teams in a matrix organization or when working as a consultant or expert advising line management or project management.
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)—Fifth Editionincludes influencing in its list of key interpersonal skills and provides a brief outline in Appendix X3.5. Here are some practical options for building and using influence to benefit a project.
One of the standard references defining the problem and offering practical solutions is Influence Without Authorityby U.S. professors Dr. Allan Cohen and Dr. David Bradford. This book introduces the Cohen-Bradford Influence Without Authority (IWA) model that describes how to influence others through a give-and-take exchange. The model consists of six steps, starting with "Assume all are potential allies." Then it moves with:
· "Clarify your goals and priorities"
· "Diagnose the world of the other person"
· "Identify relevant currencies, theirs and yours"
· "Dealing with relationships", and
· Finally at the top, "Influence through give-and-take"
The IWA model is based on creating something of value to "trade" and then obtaining the best return from your investment. It is subtly different to the transactional approach of What's in it for Me (WIFM).
WIFM focuses on finding a value proposition that provides a direct benefit to the stakeholders you want help from. It is a simple "trade" — if they help you achieve your project outcomes, they benefit from the success. WIFM is effective in situations where a senior stakeholder (e.g., the sponsor) can directly benefit from helping you succeed.
IWA is more effective when there is no direct benefit for the stakeholder you need help from and is based on "trading favors" or, more simply, the "you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" approach. We can and often do intuitively understand the give-and-take in a transaction for small things, such as sharing the effort to pick up the morning coffee. However, for large complex transactions, we need to be more methodical and think through our processes, goals and interests, those of our allies and those of the stakeholders we need to influence.
For starters, project managers who use IWA effectively know they get work done by working well within their peer network. If someone does something for the project manager, there's a good chance the project manager will do something for him or her in return. It's a two-way trade that benefits everyone. But even so, influencing without authority isn't an easy task. The key to IWA is creating and banking "organizational currency" in advance of the time you need to use it.
Organizational currency comes in many formats:
· The ability to highlight and publicize good performance
· The ability to make useful connections for the person
· Useful or valuable information (for the stakeholder)
· Developing a good relationship that both people value
· Providing help or assistance needed by the other person
· Personal support, coaching or mentoring
Keep in mind you need to invest your time and effort to earn organizational currency with your stakeholders before you can "spend" it. Time isn't a luxury many project managers can afford, but investing in relationship-building will ultimately help you to be more productive and generate quicker consensus with project team members, peers in the organization and senior managers.
The two key takeways for successful IWA? First, recognize that "give" comes before "take" in "give-and-take," and second, make sure what you give is of value to the people you are engaging within their world. You need to understand what is important or useful to them.
What's your number-one tip for influencing without authority?
Selling Your Idea
Best Practices,
Portfolio Management
Categories: Best Practices, Innovation, Leadership, PMOs, Portfolio Management
By Jen L. Skrabak, PMP, PfMP
A portfolio manager's key responsibility is to sell your idea — whether it's to incorporate innovations into the portfolio, to advocate for portfolio management processes or to champion the establishment of a portfolio. And one of the most powerful ways to sell is to have great presentation skills. The next time you have to present your portfolio strategy to executives or conduct a meeting, think about the simple acronym that can ensure SUCCESS:
I always think in terms of the outcome of my presentation or meeting first: what is the one thing you want to people to remember, do, think or feel differently as a result of your presentation.
· Now, work this core message until it's clear and concise. As portfolio managers, we need to be experts at distilling a tremendous amount of information into the "critical few" points — think bullet points rather than paragraphs.
· Be aware that too much detail will cloud the message, cause confusion, and delay buy-in. Strip away the unnecessary elements and leave your audience with the essence.
· Don't add jargon, industry-specific terms (i.e., technology or project management), or try to be too trendy. Spell out acronyms, and try to stay away from anything that requires a dictionary to interpret. I once had a project manager refer to a "wheelhouse," and I had to look it up to see what it meant. For the record, it refers to "an area of expertise." But ultimately, ask yourself: Do you want people to wonder what your message is? Or do you want them to quickly grasp it?
· Instead of just jumping into facts, keep the audience's attention by opening and closing gaps in their knowledge. Put yourself in their shoes, and ask yourself, "What do they know, and what don't they know?" Open with something they don't know to grab their attention.
· Then, try to highlight a few 'a-ha's" and lead them to the desired outcome. Is your audience interested in the process, or just your portfolio inventory of the programs and projects? Highlight a few programs and projects with interesting facts rather than reviewing the entire list of programs and projects.
· Create curiosity, interest or concern in what you are going to tell them before you tell them. For example, you might say that it's commonly thought that there are 100 critical projects within the portfolio, but your analysis show that it's actually 10 critical projects. This way, you are also selling your value as a portfolio manager — anyone can come up with a list of projects, but only you can analyze and bring recommendations.
· Remove abstract language or ideas from your message, and replace them with concrete language or ideas (tied to a tangible/physical item that people can relate to).
· Use sensory language to paint a mental picture. Give an example.
· When selling a new portfolio management process, say "good portfolio management is like having a well-balanced 401k."
Use "good statistics" — ones that aid a decision or shape an opinion and humanize your statistics by bringing them closer to people's day-to-day experience.
Make the statistics or examples relevant by placing them into the frame of everyday life. For example: "I compare the portfolio roadmap to having a detailed guide for a trip from NY to LA so that every major stop can be accounted for."
· Don't rely solely on logic to sell your presentation.
· Create empathy for specific individuals affected by what you are trying to sell. Say things such as: "Given that it currently takes five people two weeks to manually put together the reports needed, my new portfolio management process will now free up three people and reduce the time to five days."
· Show that your ideas are associated with things people already care about. Within a large company, that may be increasing efficiency, increasing shareholder value, meeting compliance and regulatory demands and increasing employee satisfaction.
· Use stories so your message relates to the audience and reflects your core message. Use specific examples, preferably yours, of why it's worked (i.e., "When I worked at our competitor's and implemented this portfolio management process, it resulted in an increased ROI from 50 percent to 85 percent within six months."). Another thing that works well: A brief acknowledgement that your method is a best practice within the industry, based on your extensive research.
· Finally, don't forget that the story should have emotional elements and draw from the other SUCCESS principles.
What are your tips for successfully presenting portfolio management to stakeholders?
End a Business Relationship and Keep Your Cred
As much as we wish these things didn't occur, we sometimes find ourselves having to leave a project early or terminate a business engagement. This is always difficult to do, and how you do it can help you maintain your integrity and credibility throughout the transition.
Recently, I had to terminate a business relationship myself. Here are a few lessons that I learned that you can apply the next time you are in a similar situation.
1. Place the blame on yourself. I know you wouldn't be leaving a project or quitting a business relationship if it were all your fault, but the key thing here is that you need to buck up and take responsibility for the business arrangement ending. There are several ways you can frame it to take the emphasis for the decision away from the other party. For example: "I'm sorry, but I just don't have the ability to deliver the work to you in a manner that you have grown accustomed to" or "I find myself at a point where I don't feel my presence best serves the project, and I think a new set of eyes is going to be helpful to getting things back on track." Or, you can come up with your own. The point is that you take a little of the emphasis off the party that you are ending the relationship with and place it on yourself. This will lessen any bad blood or negativity from the decision. It is important to note that you must cast the decision in terms of your inability to continue to serve the client in a manner that he or she deserves.
2. If possible, present options for replacements.If you find yourself at a point of no return and need out of a business relationship, you can soften the blow even more if you provide alternatives. The question you are probably asking yourself is, "If I can't work with this person or on this project, why would I refer them to someone else?" But the truth is, we are all in different businesses and at different stages of our career — and while your threshold for some clients may be zero, someone just starting out or looking to find a different focus may be more than willing to accept a challenge that you consider unnecessary. This goes back to the first point: If you can't serve the client in the way that he or she deserves, you are doing the client a favor by removing yourself from the project and helping him or her find someone who can do better.
3. Be prepared for blowback.Even when these things go great, there will be some sort of blowback or negative impact. You might have spelled everything out with as much tact as a veteran diplomat, but you are still leaving the business relationship with a jilted partner who may lash out to other members of your organization or other potential business partners. In this instance, you can try to contain any negative feedback or impact on you and your career by preparing a standard statement that you give to everyone that explains your role in the dissolution of the relationship. It should cast a bad situation in the most favorable light for you. One I have used is: "I am sorry the project didn't work out, but I made a series of unwise choices that made my effectiveness impossible, and to best serve the project, I felt it was best for me to step away." That's it — it isn't perfect, but neither is the situation you find yourself in.
How have you found success in ending business relationships?
Join meon December 4, 2014, in my upcoming seminar on leadership in project management.
Leading With Integrity
Categories: Leadership
A few months ago, I wrote about the essential principles of leadership, and one seemed to have really struck a chord with readers. That principle is integrity. And, as I prepared to write some thoughts on the role of integrity in leadership, several examples of why integrity is so important jumped to mind.
Take the case of the United States senator accused of plagiarizing his college thesis paper, or the seemingly lenient penalty that the National Football League commissioner laid down on one of the league's stars over a domestic violence incident, when other comparable infractions have drawn much stronger responses.
What these two situations have in common is a lack of integrity that, on the surface, seems to be driven by taking the easy way out. Integrity is often defined as "doing the right thing when no one is watching." I don't think that is an appropriate enough definition, though. Integrity is the act of doing the right thing, even if it is extremely difficult.
That being said, here are a few tips on how you can lead your project teams with integrity:
1. Lead honestly. The foundation of leadership and integrity is leading with honesty. You can't tell everyone everything they want to hear all the time and still get things done. Business doesn't work like that and life doesn't work like that. So to be a high-integrity leader, you need to be honest in all cases. As Erika Flora, PMP, PgMP, told me recently, being a leader requires you to "be brutally honest and provide feedback that sometimes people just don't want to hear." You can put this to work by setting clear and realistic expectations of your team, sponsors and stakeholders at the beginning, and not allowing yourself to be tied down to unrealistic expectations just to make everyone happy.
2. Take ownership. I've been in a number of organizations that faced a challenge of ownership in their projects. What that means is people are running around with big titles and the expectation is that those who report to them will jump at their slightest utterance. And as long as everything is moving along according to plan, everything is great. But as soon as the project goes off track, the "leader" is looking to point fingers and place blame to help relieve his or her responsibility. Don't do that. Being a leader and having integrity means you have to take responsibility for your performance and your team's, good or bad. As a leader, you should always start the project by telling your team something along the lines of, "Ultimately, I am responsible for the success or failure of this project, but I can't do it without you."
3. Share the spotlight. To be a strong leader of high integrity, you need to allow your team members to receive some of the glow and adulation that comes with goals achieved, projects delivered that exceed expectations and overall high performance. Allowing your team members to receive this share of the attention will make it much easier for you to get buy-in on tough issues or tricky situations in the future because they'll see you as the kind of manager who allows them to receive recognition. By the same token, when it comes to delivering bad news and accepting criticism, allowing yourself to receive the blame and not looking to share that blame with your team will engender a great deal of goodwill. And never, ever look to use one of your team members as a scapegoat for something that is ultimately your responsibility.
How do you see integrity playing out in your current team?
World-Class Lessons from World Cup Coaches
Categories: Leadership
Photo: AC Moraes
People around the globe are tuning in to the FIFA World Cup. Even overloaded project managers will manage to find time to watch some of the global football championship coverage and root for their team.
I can't help but find parallels between what happens on the pitch and some of the challenges we face as project managers. Both successful World Cup coaches and project managers spend a lot of time giving direction to a team to mitigate unexpected events. Here are four lessons to take away from these coaches that could help ensure your project produces winning results in the face of the unforeseen:
1. Set starters and specialists. World Cup coaches know what skills key team members must have to win games. They also have intimate knowledge of their players' skills, capacities, endurance and adaptability to changing conditions. That knowledge allows coaches to pick the players they want to start the game as well as those specialists to enter the field when the key players need support.
Project managers should also know who the key team members are to have at the start of a project and the specialized resources -- such as subject matter experts on the business or work planners -- needed toward project completion to ensure success.
2. Be a coach, not a player. One of the more risky tendencies for a coach is to try to teach his own playing expertise to the team members. Yet the best World Cup coaches focus on making the team perform well as a whole, not on providing detailed instruction on ball technique. Specialized coaches (for physical training or goaltending, for example) and fellow team members should provide this detailed level of instruction, leaving the World Cup coach free to direct the overall flow of the game.
Project managers can do the same by identifying and employing specialized resources that can assist team members with fundamentals, such as writing good requirements and creating work plans. This frees up the project manager to focus on solving risks and issues across the project.
3. Make sure everyone knows the plays. World Cup coaches go to great lengths to employ existing plays that are a good match for their players. In addition, they spend time creating new plays that can be used in unexpected conditions that can come up during a game. The World Cup coach spends a lot of preparation and practice time with the team making sure the plays are executed in a smooth and efficient manner.
Project managers can do the same by identifying the right approaches -- that is, methods, processes and tools -- and spending time with the team to practice the execution of these approaches.
4. Provide feedback on results. At the end of every game, World Cup coaches spend time with the team as well as the media, sharing their thoughts on the outcome of the game. In addition, they will frequently share key decisions and outcomes that resulted in a win or loss for the team. World Cup coaches do this in a manner that reflects the overall effort of the team as opposed to the efforts of a few key players.
Project managers should provide this type of feedback at regular intervals throughout the project, especially during project status meetings. Projects also have the equivalent of media attention in the form of sponsors, so project managers should openly provide the same type of feedback on a regular basis.
What behaviors and practices have you seen that might help project managers create winning projects?


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Stuffing mix and a zesty topping add an extra flavor boost to this no-fuss meatloaf. From Kraft Food and Family magazine.
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Respect for God's Laws
In His Presence: Hebrews 12:1-12
"To Adam [God] said, 'Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, "You shall not eat from it," cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; and you will eat the plants of the field; by the sweat of your face you will eat bread, till you return to the ground, because from it you were taken; for you are dust, and to the dust you shall return' ''(Genesis 3:17-19).
There are definitely consequences to sin. Sometimes we don't connect the problem with the cause. In this case, when Adam sinned, he affected the world of work. Even the ground was cursed. Though Satan denied that there would be death upon eating the fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, a lot of the dying wasn't immediately evident. Economy was affected. Adam and Eve's family felt the results of death in the discord within. Their bodies began to die. Ultimately, they died physically as well.
We can cut a flower from its stem. It dies right away because it is separated from the source of life, but it doesn't appear dead immediately. The longer it is unattached, the more evident death becomes. One thing we must realize about sin and consequences is that we can choose the sin, but we cannot choose the consequences.
One Minute Please
We must respect God's laws.
Watch Online Videos of Dr. Tony Evans and The Urban Alternative at LightSource.com
Listen to Dr. Tony Evans Online Broadcasts at OnePlace.com.
Joseph: Detours to Destiny studies the ups and downs and the twists and turns of Joseph's life as the Lord used him to provide for His people. Dr. Evans explains how our own personal detours often don't make sense to us, but God has an ultimate plan to use them to take us straight to our destiny when we trust Him and rest in His sovereign plan.
Dr. Tony Evans adapts the core themes of his legacy work The Kingdom Agenda: Life Under God into a format to be read daily in this concise 365-day devotional designed to challenge, encourage and inspire readers to live according to God's will in every area of life.
Request your copy of either Joseph: Detours to Destiny CD Series or Life Under God Devotional for your gift of any amount.


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Jeremy Scott and Katy Perry are best friends. So are him and Miley Cyrus. Which is why when they come out to his shows, people pay attention. Fashionistas and music lovers alike. It is when every pop star wears the colorful creations by the designer that the sales take height. And who doesn't wanna dress up like their idols, or at least have what they have. It's the emotional branding that goes along with the choices Moschino makes for its brand, and it's the perfect combo for everyone. All are happy.
Jen Law for Dior, Cara and Eddie for Burberry, And a plethora of celebrities and bloggers for Calvin Klein's #MyCalvins campaign make the common man notice the fashion. Such is the power of the film stars and pop stars that fill up our social media feeds.
While Pakistanis might not have the star power to battle for the spotlight and take over the fashion industry, what we do have are budding superstars who are making their name across the border, in south Asia, and hopefully in the south Asian community globally. We have them to turn to, to get the fashion collabs going.
One of those superstars is Fawad Khan. Yes, the Humsafar guy who won over the hearts of millions of girls all over the world. He is the perfect person to take a brand name forward with his good looks, boyish figure and a fan following that speaks volumes of our obsession with Humsafar. Oh, and don't forget he co-starred with Sonam Kapoor. That makes the perfect sartorial couple, no?
HERE ARE MY 5 REASONS WHY FAWAD KHAN IS THE PERFECT AMBASSADOR FOR REPUBLIC Continue reading 5 Reasons Fawad Khan for REPUBLIC by Omar Farooq is the Perfect Choice


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This is quite a stunning, yet simple ring. Excellent quality. Very hefty in weight and thickness yet is comfortable. The inner band is silky smooth while wearing. This ring is subtle yet makes a statement. Masonic symbols are etched all around band. Any Mason would be proud to wear this ring.
I purchase this ring for my husband and he loved it and im very pleased by the way it looks for the price GREAT RING!!!!
The ring is great. With the black color of the ring and the lighter color for the symbols makes them stand out and can easily be seen and understood.
This ring was for my husband . I don/t think he has taken it off since he recieved it.
I purchased one of these for a new Mason that was headed for San Diego and Marine Boot Camp. I wanted something he could wear every day and it not be in his way. I liked it so much, that I purchased 1 like it and another lighter color one for myself. I quit wearing my gold ones because these are so nice and easy to wear. It also takes care of the question as to which way to wear you Square and Compass as they alternate directions all the way around. The Square and Compass stand out on the black one much better but both are very nice.
This ring is wonderful considering the price. I was surprised of the quality. Great for the active man.
It was a great value for the money and shipped fast
I am fairly well satisfied with the product. I would have been happier if the ring was brighter (more polished). While I would definitely recommend Overstock.com as a source for this type of purchase, I do not believe I would recommend this particular product as a choice. Perhaps the stainless steel ring version would be a better choice.
I've gotten several compliments on this ring. Its design is unique and rather understated. It doesn't scream Mason, but it is noticed by my brothers.
Prior to buying the item, I had purchased one similar with a jeweler connection. It cost me $200.00 and it was not at good or as attractive as the one that I obtained from here.
Items must be returned in new or unused condition and contain all original materials included with the shipment.
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** Most Oversize orders are delivered within 1-4 weeks. Some orders may take 6 weeks to be delivered.


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Once the technical jargon is stripped away, it's no wonder why investors love with Netlist. Simply put, Netlist has created a computer memory module that takes off-the-shelf memory chips and makes them go faster, consume less power, and create higher capacity. That means fewer, better performing computer servers and, in turn, fewer costs for datacenter customers.....HyperCloud and NetVault, another new product the company is working on, are part of Netlist's altered approach to dominating the memory market. While Netlist went public on a business supported by memory board-level design and packaging that addressed thermal issues, the company has been transformed on the two proprietary product line http://www.thestreet.com/story/10664877/2/netlist-transforms-with-high-margin-bet.html
I think traders and investors are waiting to see if Netlist can keep to its schedule of shipping HyperCloud in production levels in the third quarter. A favorable settlement will send volme and price through the roof.
Viglen Selects Netlist's HyperCloud Memory for HPC Applicationshttp://finance.yahoo.com/news/Viglen-Selects-Netlists-prnews-2806446361.html?x=0&.v=1Needham started coveragehttp://blogs.barrons.com/techtraderdaily/2010/05/28/netlist-rallies-as-needham-launches-with-buy-350-target/?mod=yahoobarronsNetlist Settles Lawsuit With Texas Instruments(on good terms?)http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Netlist-Settles-Lawsuit-With-prnews-734844314.html?x=0&.v=1Google lawsuit has not been settled.


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First National Bank of Vandalia, Ramsey and Patoka has decided to follow recommendations from Illinois Historic Preservation Agency architects in making improvements to the exterior of the bank's main branch in downtown Vandalia. Those improvements include the removal of window awnings and painting the upper level of the exterior. Above, Shawn Ritchey (left) and Dwayne Ritchey of Ritchey Painting apply a new coat of paint to the brick exterior and wooden window frames.
Our annual section to showcases Fayette County individuals, organizations and businesses is included in this week's issue of The Leader-Union.
Featured in this year's section are:
Ronnie Stevens, Ramsey police officer and fire chief.
Michel's Feed Store in Vandalia.
Main Street Flowers and Gifts in St. Elmo.
Farmer and Fayette County Farm Bureau director Keith Sanders.
Brownstown native Alex Schwarm, who is making a film about his grandparents, Stanley and Edith Schwarm.
Words, Wicks and Wood in Vandalia.
A committee charged with making recommendations on the distribution of funds generated through Vandalia's Tax Increment Financing program is supporting TIF aid to five applicants.
That committee also tabled two applications, including one for assistance to make needed improvements to the Liberty Theater building on South Fourth Street and one for improvements to Vandalia Community High School.
A Vandalia man has been sentenced to more than 12 years in prison in federal court on methamphetamine charges.
A. Courtney Cox, a U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, said on Monday that Brenton D. Bliss, 38, of rural Vandalia, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in East St. Louis to two terms of 151 months in the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The two prison terms will run concurrently (at the same time).
Brenton D. Bliss of rural Vandalia was sentenced to 151 months in prison in federal court.
Bliss was sentenced for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of meth with the intent to distribute and on a second county of possession of meth with the intent to deliver.
For more, see this week's issue of The Leader-Union.
The Vandalia City Council approved on Monday two documents related to a planned housing development geared toward elder residents of the community.
The council OK'd a preliminary site plan and a preliminary plat for Glen Haven Subdivision, which is being developed by Kevin and Jessica Satterthwaite off of Locust Street, south of Fillmore Street.
The Vandalia Board of Education on Tuesday ratified a three-year contract with the Vandalia Unit Teachers' Association that gives teachers an annual pay increase of 3 percent.
The agreement comes after a salary freeze last year and a 1.5-percent increase the previous year. It brings the base salary to $34,722, including the teacher retirement allocation (or $31,458 without teacher retirement).
With the future loss of more than 100 jobs due to Orgills decision to build a new distribution center in Missouri, Vandalia has to reassess its priorities, Mayor Rick Gottman said at a meeting on Tuesday night.
But, he said, while the city has to refocus its efforts on getting more jobs, it cannot put off a plan to revitalize the downtown business district.
At the conclusion of that Tuesday meeting, the Vandalia City Council decided to move ahead with the project that includes significant improvements along Gallatin Street between Third and Seventh streets.
For the second time in five months, a Fayette County electoral board has ruled that Greenville attorney Dan Goggin cannot appear on the November ballot as a Republican candidate for state's attorney.
But Goggin, whose plan to challenge Democrat incumbent Stephen Friedel has included a short-lived plan to run as incumbent, said he still wants to run for state's attorney – as a write-in candidate.
At the conclusion of a Monday hearing, a Fayette County Electoral Board ruled for a second time that Greenville attorney Dan Goggin cannot appear on the November ballot as a Republican candidate for state's attorney.
In seeking to earn a spot on the ballot as the GOP candidate, Goggin argued that an electoral board illegally met in closed session to deliberate and that there was no open vote on the board's ruling.
Copyright © 2014
The Leader Union is your source for local news, sports, events and information in Vandalia, Il, and the surrounding area.


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Security Fail: iPhone Password Can Be Bypassed
A security flaw on the iPhone 5 that could allow the password to be bypassed has been revealed. The trick involves using another phone to call the iPhone while also playing with the power button. The Verge tech blog also found a way to bypass the password and view photos by attempting to add a photo as a contact. The good news for iPhone owners is that Apple is generally pretty quick to resolve security issues through software updates. The company has already released a statement saying it is aware of the issue and will deliver a fix soon …
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Atlantic Research Marketing Systems, Inc.
B-292743: Dec 1, 2003
Additional Materials:
- Full Report:
Ralph O. White
(202) 512-8278
(202) 512-4800
(202) 512-8278
Office of Public Affairs
(202) 512-4800
Atlantic Research Marketing Systems, Inc. (ARMS) protests the rejection of its proposal for four configurations of a rail interface system (RIS) under request for proposals (RFP) No. N00164-02-R-0014, issued by the Department of the Navy for miniature day/night sight development for the special operations peculiar modifications system. The Navy determined that each of ARMS's RIS configurations was unacceptable due to operational unsuitability.
We sustain the protest.
Nov 28, 2014
- FitNet Purchasing AllianceB-410263
Nov 26, 2014
- Rotech Healthcare, Inc.B-410203,B-410203.3
- CACI Technologies, Inc.--CostsB-407923.3
Nov 25, 2014
- MetalCraft Marine Inc.B-410199,B-410199.2
- Quality Services International, LLCB-410156,B-410156.2,B-410156.3
- American Auto Logistics LPB-409207
Nov 24, 2014
Looking for more? Browse all our products here


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Your 'Insider's' Guide to the Barry Apple Festival
This is the season for small town festivals all around northeast Missouri and western Illinois. All the communities that stage such get togethers do a fine job.
This is the season for small town festivals all around northeast Missouri and western Illinois. All the communities that stage such get togethers do a fine job.
Quincy Community Theatre will bring Ebeneezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim, Bob Cratchit, and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future to their stage at Christmastime!
A couple of six foot tall stuffed bears will make their first appearance at the Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing's 26th Annual Teddy Bear Clinic on Sunday, October 5, from Noon to 4 p.m. The Clinic will be held in the Auditorium of Blessing Hospital at 11th Street in Quincy (Hospital main entrance).The new bears are named Flo and Dorsey Brown Bear.
I noticed this morning that yesterday was a monumental day in the record business and I totally missed it. Thursday was "National One Hit Wonder Day." Apparently, there is a day for everything if you look hard enough for it. It did set my mind into motion thinking about some of my favorite one hit wonder groups and their big songs. The seventies seemed to have quite a few members to this one hit wonder club including the Starland Vocal Band in 1976 with "Afternoon Delight".
A national sandwich shop chain is the latest victim of a data breach, and a couple of area outlets are among the stores affected.
Two things are very clear in the world of social media... a whole lot of people like to use Facebook, and a whole lot of people get annoyed by how others use it.
Research is proving that money can buy happiness ... up to a certain dollar amount.
Sad news to report. The popular Swinkey Corn Maze will not operate in 2014.
The popular Halloween-themed Fright Fest returns to Six Flags St. Louis beginning October 3. Featuring haunted attractions, scare zones, Halloween shows, kids' attractions, zombies and scares throughout the park, Fright Fest is described by Six Flags as "the world's largest Halloween party."
A much-anticipated documentary that tells the story of actor Hal Holbrook and his 60 year portrayal of Mark Twain will preview this fall in Hannibal.


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Holy Smoke, the Pope is Catholic!
The Roman Catholic Church went through the process and ritual of selecting the next Pope, the head of that institution. By all accounts Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the man who has chosen the name, "Francis" has great humility. He cooked is own food, rode the bus rather than having a limo and doesn't even wear flashy shoes. He is very concerned about the poor but the liberal media is in utter shock! The new pope is not in favor of same gender marriage or abortion. Not even contraception. Imagine, they hired a Roman Catholic to head the church! At times I thought some of the news personalities were going to become apoplectic. On one of the FOX shows Juan Williams expressed his dismay at the Pope's lack of being up with the times and it was pointed out that the Pope is Roman Catholic and a requirement in taking the position is a pledge to uphold and defend the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church. Juan than said that lots of American Roman Catholics favor same gender marriage and abortion. The host then pointed out that the Church is NOT a democratic institution. Perhaps part of the problem is that our President and Congress also swear to uphold and defend the Constitution but once sworn in ignore their commitment and go on to do whatever they want in violation of the Constitution. Honesty, integrity and fidelity are not highly valued commodities among liberals and progressives. Continue reading …
Mean Talk
I had a phone call last week in response to one of the Snarky Apologist YouTube videos about Jehovah's Witnesses. The caller started, "You are really mean in your presentation. Can't you focus on issues without attacking others?" I listened and didn't point out the obvious, that they were emotional and attacking me. After a few minutes I responded with a stock statement I have been using for years now, "You may be right. I may be mean. I may even be short and fat but the real issue is, where are we wrong?" The caller hesitated for a moment, not sure what to do with the response. I then pointed out that the video did address actual issues and even though they became emotionally worked up over the material that doesn't mean that we resorted to an emotional attack devoid of facts. We ended up talking for nearly an hour and they are in the process of verifying a number of issues we covered.
A few days later I had a call from someone that has been reading our book on Bill Gothard. The caller said they really had wanted to drop by the office to talk because they wanted to tell me face to face that our writings are mean-spirited and even though they disagree with Bill Gothard that does not mean we should be so mean-spirited in the way we write. After listening for a while I responded with Continue reading …
Best of 2012
As I sit here on a very snowy New Years Eve here in Quincy IL, it occurs to me that we have had a great year here at MCOI. Somewhere along the way, the Lord has added to our numbers. Some of those people have found the Facebook page through the blog but more likely it was the other way around. We have currently 195 people and organizations that "like" us in the Facebook kind of way at least. We've had some stimulating discussions. We've raised a few eyebrows and hopefully the tenor of what passes for public debate. Not bad for a little outfit that operates on a shoe string budget (and if you know where we can sell these shoestrings for some actual money, please let us know!).
So in the tradition of . . . well, every prime time morning TV show, let's hop into the way back machine and take a look at some of the memorable posts from this year.
By far the biggest topic this year was the election. We had several posts and though MCOI is a non-partisan organization, we are not ostriches with our head in the sand. Don started us off this year with what he dubbed the first political question of the season in "'Tis the Season to be Political": Continue reading …
I have to admit, this started out to be a very different blog than it ended up. Like many, I was discouraged at the results of the election. Yes, I know that God is in control and uses even government for His purposes but sometimes those purposes are to punish His people or the nations in which His people dwell and they suffer as well. To be perfectly honest I am not a big fan of suffering.
I know that politics is messy business and corruption abounds in the hallowed halls of Congress and the White House. Special interest groups are working hard to persuade the Federal Government to use the club of legislation to beat down the opposition. But that is how government works in a Democratic Republic. We vote for candidates that most closely align with our worldview and values and trust they will at the very least protect us from those who have a different view. Continue reading …
Abandoning Israel
In the heat of election season the conventions of each major party reveals what they stand for in their "planks." The Republicans have vowed fiscal conservatism and although they tend to be pro-life and in favor of traditional marriage they are also saying they are not addressing moral but economic issues in this election. The Democrat Party on the other hand have moral issues as a part of their platform. Abortion on demand, abortifacients included in all insurance plans, normalizing same sex marriage and a variety of other issues of moral significance. Quite a flap was raised when it was realized that all mentions of God were removed from the Democrat platform. U.S. Democratic Party removes reference to Jerusalem as Israel's capital from official platform made quite the headline. Continue reading …
Can You Vote for a Roman Catholic?
This may seem like an odd question but strikes me as being a good corollary to one that I have been asked quite frequently in recent weeks. The questions on this issue can be summed up in a recent email I received:
|So, in your opinion, which would be worse for President –1. Obama, with his liberal left faith and politics and increasingly oppressive policies on unacceptable stands for everyone (i.e.– gay marriage, contraceptives mandatory from employers).
2. Romney, with his probably better economic policies and outwardly traditional values, but his worked-his-way-up-the-ladder-in-the-Mormon-church faith, and the reported bail-outs from the Mormon church, and the power and money of the Mormon church behind him?
On political questions like this I and MCOI have to be a little careful not to endorse a candidate or party. However, I think some guidelines for making such decisions are appropriate and can be helpful. The first is to pose the question as to whether or not we should be involved in the election process to begin with? Continue reading …
Fifty Shades of Chick-Fil-A
I thought I had said all I wanted to say about gay marriage, being gay, and what Christians should do about it. I was happily going about researching other topics for you dear reader to think about. Then Dan Cathy, COO of Chick-Fil-A, answered a direct question in an interview and suddenly here we are. I've held off a few weeks for the feathers to settle. To give the media time to settle on a narrative and for the pundits to "pund". By now, you've probably hear all you want to hear about CFA and gay marriage. However, it is important for me to come back to this subject because of its relevance to what I said about gay marriage in previous posts:
My prediction is that gay marriage is an inevitability. I predict that same-sex couples will not settle for tolerance and being left alone with their right to marry. Instead many will demand non-discrimination from religious organizations . . . Christians who are tolerant of same-sex couples but who don't want to be complicit in same-sex events as vendors, photographers etc. will claim freedom of religion and they will be ridiculed, persecuted, and hated for it. Christians who simply assert that homosexual practice is incompatible with Christianity for the same reason pork chops are incompatible with Judaism or a glass of wine is incompatible with Islam will be called bigots and worse.
Cue Dan Cathy. In an interview on the Ken Coleman show, Cathy made the following statement: Continue reading …


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Hope Church reduces energy consumption 23.5 percent; efforts save $425,319
As the nation celebrates Energy Awareness Month in October, Hope Church administrators are having a celebration of their own – announcing more than $425,319 savings achieved through an innovative energy conservation program since April 2010.
The $425,319 savings is equal to 23.5 percent of the expected energy costs without the program. In environmental terms, the energy saved equates to 2,501 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions being prevented, or 449 autos off the highway annually or over 63,977 tree seedlings planted and grown in ten years.
"It is particularly appropriate to celebrate our savings this month," said Mack Oates, Energy Specialist. "Energy Awareness Month is all about teaching people to make good decisions about the energy they use, and that's what our program does. ...
- Written by Tri-State Defender Newsroom


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Patricia Smith Sinsel 1955 – 2014
Patricia Smith Sinsel, 59, died Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2014 with her family by her side.
A memorial service will be held at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2014 at Biggers Funeral Chapel. The family will receive friends from 4:30 p.m. until service time.
In Iieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Shawl Ministry in care of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, 2700 W. Spring Creek Parkway, Plano, 75203.… Read the rest
Charolette Bostick 1960-2014
Charolette Bostick, 54, a loving mother, daughter, sister and grandmother, died Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2014, surrounded by those who loved her.
A funeral service was held Friday, Sept. 19, at Alexander's Midway Funeral Home in Springtown.
Charolette was born June 11, 1960 in Fort Worth to Bobby Currier and Betty Finley.
Survivors include her parents, Betty and William Odom and Bobby Currier; children, Chris Roberts and companion Stephanie, Rachael Self and husband, James and Adriane Bostick and companion Bret; siblings, Vicki Row and Kevin Dixon; grandchildren, Shelby, Kyler, Bailey, Payton, Rylea, Noah and Naomi.… Read the rest
Rebecca Maxine Hammersley Massey 1967-2014
Rebecca Maxine Hammersley Massey, 47, a loving wife, daughter, sister and aunt, passed away peacefully Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2014 in Azle, surrounded by those who loved her.
Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014 at First Church of Fort Worth in White Settlement. Interment followed in Ash Creek Cemetery in Azle under the direction of Alexander's Midway Funeral Home.… Read the rest
Patricia Gene Waters Cole 1949-2014
Patricia Gene Waters Cole, 64, a stay at home mammie, died Monday, Sept. 22, 2014 at home surrounded by her children.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. at Real Family Fellowship located at 202 Pearson Lane in Azle.
Patricia Gene Cole was born Oct. 25, 1949, in Fordyce, Arkansas. She was preceded in death by her husband, Eddie Cole.
Survivors include sons John Charles Waters of Cedar Park; Barry Wade Cole of Austin; daughters Michelle Sisson of Springtown, April Cole of Azle; grandchildren Lee Patrick, Rylee Patrick, Destree Larson, Anthony Waters, Kya Cole, and Keri Cole.… Read the rest
Howard Charles Cummins 1951-2014
Howard Charles Cummins, 63, died Friday, Sept. 19, 2014 in Fort Worth.
Visitation was held Tuesday, Sept. 23, from 6-8 p.m. at Brock Baptist Church.
Funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2014 at Brock Baptist Church with burial to follow at Johnson Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made payable to Brock Baptist Church Sports Recreation Center, 2111 FM 1189, Brock 76087.… Read the rest
Bobby Dupree 1965-2014
Bobby Dupree, 49, loving husband, father and grandfather passed away Monday, Sept. 22, 2014.
Visitation from 2 to 4 P.M. Monday, Sept. 29 at White's Azle Funeral Home, 105 Denver Trail, Azle.
Bobby was born Feb. 25, 1965 in Dallas. He attended Mineral Wells High School. Bobby married the love of his life, JuneLynn June 21, 1991 in Fort Worth. He honorably served his country in the United States Army. Bobby was an auto mechanic and had lived in the Azle area for the past nine years.… Read the rest
Charlie Kelley Stegall, Jr, 1923-2014
Charlie Kelley Stegall, Jr., 90, of Azle, died Saturday, Sept. 21, 2014 in Fort Worth.
There will be a memorial to celebrate his life on a date to be determined at a later time.
Charlie was born in Taylor County near Abilene on Nov. 17 1923. He moved to Azle in 1963. For 50 years he was employed by Zack Burkett Road Construction and Brown and Blakney Road Construction. He was once voted the best blade man in Texas.… Read the rest
James Wade Baldwin 1946-2014
James Wade Baldwin passed away on Sept. 7, 2014.
A private family memorial was held at Toledo Bend Lake.
James was born July 19, 1946 to L. W. and Virginia Baldwin in Fort Worth. He graduated from Azle High School in 1964 and attended and played football at the University of Texas. He led a full life letting his passion take him to many places. He was a ranch hand in Montana, a logger in the mountains of Canada and driller in the oil fields of Texas and the Persian Gulf.… Read the rest
Robert Joseph Collins 2014
Robert Joseph Collins, 94, passed away Friday, September 12, 2014 in Azle. Service and Interment: Rose Hills Memorial Park in Alhambra, California. Mr. Collins was born in Buffalo, New York, has lived in Alhambra, California for many years before moving to Azle 2 years ago. He served in the United States Army during World War II as a Medic at Pearl Harbor and in Europe at the Battle of the Bulge. Bob graduated from The University of Southern California and in 1957 became a Pharmacist.… Read the rest
Dana Geffert Klapp 1961-2014
Dana Geffert Klapp, 53, passed away Sunday, Sept. 14, 2014 in Fort Worth.
A memorial service will be held at 10:30 A.M. Thursday at White's Azle Chapel, 105 Denver Trail, Azle.
Dana was born Sept 8, 1961 in Fort Worth to Paul Edward Geffert and Bonnie Jean Ford. She loved her children and grandchildren. Dana loved her sister she was her best friend. She called her mother everyday. Dana loved her family and wanted to be around them as much as possible.… Read the rest