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Fireworks, beach music usher in the holiday at Clemson
CLEMSON - The smell of elephant ears filled the lawn as the Out of Towners played beach music on the stage, accompanied by the setting sun.
Once it was dark, the whiffs of carnival food and the lively dancing music gave way to the sulfur smell and thundering booms of fireworks.
It's a Fourth of July tradition for Mary Jo Clarkson, her husband, Noel, and son Xander, 5. The Clarksons have been coming to the lawn of the Foothills Area Family YMCA for three or four years.
Xander goes to summer camp at the Y.
"You can't beat the fireworks," said Mary Jo Clarkson.
About 3,000 people came to "ooh" and "ahh" as they watched the skies become lit with bright reds and whites.
The weather had cooled from the weekend's scorching highs and there were no rain clouds or "thunder bringers" as homemade ice cream maker and vendor Wayne Atkinson said.
The mid-week holiday and nice weather brought people from around the area who turned out in droves, sitting on blankets or folding chairs.
Marion Kimball came for the beach music. She's a dance instructor and goes across the Upstate along with friends including Brenda Lanning and Christine Parker.
The three faithfully danced to all of the beach tunes while Kimball's husband counted down to the fireworks.
"We've been coming for about five years," Marion Kimball said. "I come for the dancing, he likes the fireworks."
It was the 19th time that the firework display happened at the YMCA beach, a cooperation of the city of Clemson and Clemson University. Dozens of boats anchored near the beach, while everyone else sat on a large field. In between the boats and lawn chairs was a beach packed with fireworks launchers.
"It's a mainstay of the community," said Ruthie Millar, president and CEO of the Clemson Area Chamber of Commerce. The chamber has led the pre-holiday festival for years.
It was the chamber of commerce that helped Steve and Laura Michaels figure out how to spend the night.
The Michaelses, from Chesterfield, Va., are taking back roads on a slow, relaxing trip to Florida. Steve Michaels looked around on the Internet before the trip and found out through the chamber about the fireworks display.
They lounged on a blanket toward the back of the crowded lawn as the fireworks began to thunder.
"We're just here until the fifth," Laura Michaels said. "I'm glad we found out about this."
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November 1, 2011
By Lindsey Burke
Are public school teachers overpaid? That's the topic of discussion today at the American Enterprise Institute, where The Heritage Foundation's Jason Richwine and AEI's Andrew Biggs are presenting their new paper, "Assessing the Compensation of Public-School Teachers."
Richwine's and Biggs's research led them to some pretty interesting — and perhaps counter-intuitive — findings about how well public school teachers are compensated. For example, they find:
While their salaries are comparable to "similarly skilled private sector workers," when fringe benefits are thrown into the mix — overgenerous pensions, extensive retiree health care, and job security — public school teachers "make total compensation 52 percent greater than fair market levels, equivalent to more than $120 billion overcharged to taxpayers each year."
Such findings are sure to draw the ire of public education unions. But how should we rethink policy with these new facts at hand?
While the authors find that existing teachers are over-compensated, we also know that there is a lack of high-quality teachers in America's classrooms.
The lack of quality teachers, particularly in core subjects like math and science, has a lot to do with policies like "last-in, first-out," step increases in pay that disregard excellence while rewarding mediocrity, and barriers to entry into the teaching profession. This last piece has created a system of credentialed elite, with union rules at times excluding the qualified in favor of the credentialed.
States and local school districts must reform policy (which will take curtailing the power of education unions) in a way that allows schools to terminate poor-performing teachers. At the same time, schools should compensate teachers based on merit — as does nearly every other sector in America— not on number of years in the classroom, paper credentials, or professional development credits accrued.
Once schools are empowered to pay teachers based on their merit — on their ability to improve the academic performance of children — they will also be able to reward the best and the brightest teachers. When pay can be differentiated, it can be differentiated to reward teachers who have demonstrably improved student performance. The Goldwater Institute has even calculated that a combination of salary bonuses and larger class size could create an environment where excellent teachers, willing to have at least 32 students in a class, are rewarded with six-figure salaries.
Schools must also be allowed to give non-teaching professionals alternative routes into the classroom. Florida has done this to great effect: the Sunshine State's reciprocity policy accepts teacher certifications from any state in the country. At the same time, districts in Florida have created their own teacher certification systems, and fast-track alternatives like the American Board for the Certification of Teacher Excellence (ABCTE) are encouraged.
Rigid step increases in pay and inflexible routes into the classroom that prioritize the credentialing over the qualifications have not created an environment that attracts and retains high-quality teachers. In fact, it has created a system where taxpayers are on the hook for education employees who receive over-generous compensation but taxpayers are unable to reward excellent teachers.
We all have fond memories of good teachers and feel a debt of gratitude toward them. While some purported defenders of teachers may find Richwine's and Biggs's new findings provocative, they should be careful not to prioritize the status quo system over the teachers themselves. This important new evidence should inform policy moving forward so that schools can attract and retain the best teachers, giving many more children the invaluable life experience of learning from great teachers.
Lindsey M. Burke is a senior policy analyst in domestic policy studies at The Heritage Foundation.
First appeared in The Daily Caller
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His Tweezerman Hangnail Trimmer
We know you want the goods as soon as possible, which is why orders received by 3pm ET leave our warehouse the very same day. We'll send you an email that day to confirm shipment and the email will include your tracking information.
Our warehouse is closed Saturday & Sunday, so orders received after 3pm ET on Fridays will not ship out until Monday.
Based on 1 Review
DevonWashington, DCDon't Let The Product Name Fool You - These Are Great For Her, Too!!I'm a woman and I love this product!! I have a terrible habit of picking at my cuticles, so I try to keep them as neat as possible and quickly remove any opportunities/temptations to pick. These trimmers are nice and compact (much more portable than the traditional, 4" nippers), and great for keeping in my purse. They're nice and sharp, too, which allows you to make close, clean cuts. They are a bit pricey, but with Tweezerman's lifetime guarantee, they aren't just a purchase, they're an investment (and a good one, at that!). I highly recommend this product for men AND women!1 out of 1 shoppers thought this review was helpful.
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1994-09-17 Julio Cesar Chavez w rsc 8 Meldrick Taylor, MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA - WBC
1994-09-17 Julio Cesar Chavez w rsc 8 Meldrick Taylor, MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA - WBC. Referee: Mills Lane. Following their controversial earlier fight both men were unsurprisingly cautious in the early rounds, but after the challenger had two points deducted for misdemeanours, in the third and sixth sessions, Chavez (140) seemed to slip into gear just as his rival began to lose composure. Then, having effectively worked the body, Chavez saw his efforts finally paying off in the eighth as Taylor (140) came apart at the seams. Ramming home a couple of straight punches, Chavez went on the attack and right and left hooks followed by another left saw Taylor hit the deck. Although Taylor got up at 'six' the referee quickly decided that he was in no position to defend himself and rescued him on the 1.41 mark.


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MT. JULIET -- Funeral services will be conducted 2 p.m. Friday, August 13 at Bond Memorial Chapel for Mrs. Hackett, 84, of Mt. Juliet.
The daughter of the late Ewell Ernest and Vida Mai Crittenden Taylor, she died Monday, Aug. 9, 2010.
Services will be conducted by Dr. Don Crittenden. Interment will follow at Mt. Juliet Memorial Gardens.
Survivors include: her husband of over 65 years Thomas Hackett and children Janice Hackett of Mt. Juliet and Johnny (Kay) Hackett of Gallatin.
In addition to her parents, she was also preceded in death by two brothers.
Active pallbearers: Harold Hackett, Wayne Hackett, Jeff Hackett, Jeff Dickens, Chris Dickens, Jim Crittenden and Bill Crittenden.
Arrangements by Bond Memorial Chapel, Mt. Juliet.


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A Florida Politics Blog
Made fresh, never frozen, here's the juice on local and state politics from the staff of The Tampa Tribune and The St. Petersburg Tribune.
Gov. Scott got 'bad advice' on open gov't law, lawyer says
The Associated Press
A Tallahassee attorney says Florida Gov. Rick Scott was a "novice politician" who got "bad advice" that led him to ignore the state's public records law.
State officials on Friday paid $700,000 to Steven Andrews to settle seven lawsuits that contended that Scott, Attorney General Pam Bondi and other officials flouted Florida's public records law.
It's believed to be one of the larger payments ever approved in an open government case in Florida.
Jolly's Senate run means 'Zen'ning out on redistricting battle
By James L. Rosica
Running for U.S. Senate means David Jolly has reached his moment of Zen regarding redistricting.
Lawmakers are back in Tallahassee this week and next to redraw – yet again – the boundaries of the state's congressional districts.
They're starting with a "base map," the product of 31 prior drafts, meant to be a starting point.
Bush unveils border security, immigration plan
The Associated Press
MIAMI – Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush is outlining a six-point strategy to bolster security at the nation's border and overhaul its immigration laws.
The former Florida governor said Monday that finding a solution to the status of people in the country illegally "is a nonstarter if our borders are not secure against future illegal immigration."
Bush is proposing the estimated 11 million people living in the country illegally could earn legal status "over time," after they pass a criminal background check, pay a fine and learn English, among other requirements.
Scott wants Medicaid insurance, hospital contracts examined
The Associated Press
Gov. Rick Scott is targeting health insurers participating in the state's Medicaid care program, accusing them of negotiating hospital rates that are too high.
Scott instructed state health officials Monday to examine hospital contracts, warning that contracts over 120 percent of the Medicaid cap will be subject to an "immediate corrective action plan" that includes possible termination.
Scott and the insurers are locked in intense negotiations that could undermine the fledgling program that gives federal funds to private health insurance companies to oversee medical care for poor and disabled people instead of reimbursing doctors and hospitals for each service.
Joyner to Jeb Bush: "Acknowledge your mistakes and unequivocally apologize"
James L. Rosica in Tallahassee
The state Senate's top Democrat is chiding former governor and current presidential candidate Jeb Bush over his voting-rights record.
In a one-page letter that cites legislation and Scripture, state Sen. Arthenia Joyner of Tampa called Bush out on voter-roll purges and cutting early voting, among other things.
"If you are indeed sincere about being inclusive, then you need to first acknowledge your mistakes and unequivocally apologize directly to the community you wronged," she wrote on Thursday.
State Senate districts next to be redrawn in third special session of year
James L. Rosica in Tallahassee
A lawsuit over the boundaries of Florida's state Senate maps was settled Tuesday, with lawmakers agreeing to go into an Oct. 19-Nov. 6 special session – the third one of this year – to redraw the political maps.
What comes out of that 18-day meeting could reshape the Tampa Bay area's political landscape.
Three local Senate districts, among others, were called unconstitutional gerrymandering by the plaintiffs in the now three-year-old suit, brought by the League of Women Voters of Florida and Common Cause.
Dueling letters show blackjack battle heating up
James L. Rosica in Tallahassee
The battle over blackjack between the state and the Seminole Tribe got a little hotter after dueling demand letters on Monday.
The state's top gambling regulator sent a letter to Tribal Chairman James Billie, asking when the Seminoles were closing down blackjack tables at their Florida casinos.
After all, Ken Lawson wrote, the two sovereigns have "enjoy(ed) an unprecedented amount of cooperation ... and good will."
Mason-Dixon poll: No clear favorite in U.S. Senate race
Jenna Buzzacco-Foerster in Naples
There is no clear favorite in either the Democratic or Republican primaries to fill an open U.S. Senate seat, according to a Mason-Dixon poll released Monday.
According to a poll of 500 registered Republicans, U.S. Rep. David Jolly (Tampa Bay area) would be the choice for 16 percent of respondents; ten percent of people said they would favor Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera.
U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis (northeast Florida) was the choice for 9 percent, while Rep. Jeff Miller (Panhandle) was the choice for 8 percent. Todd Wilcox (political newcomer) was favored by 2 percent.
Seminole Tribe edges toward federal lawsuit over blackjack rights
James L. Rosica in Tallahassee
The state of Florida and the Seminole Tribe are one step closer to squaring off in a federal courtroom over the tribe's right to continue offering blackjack at its casinos.
Those casinos include the Seminole Casino Hotel in Immokalee and the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa, which alone generates more than $1 billion yearly for the tribe.
An agreement to give the Seminoles exclusive rights to blackjack and other banked card games expires next Friday, and renewal talks went nowhere earlier this year.
Former Lt. Gov. agrees to $1,000 fine to resolve ethics case
The Associated Press
Florida's ethics panel and former Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll have reached a deal over allegations that she broke the state's ethics law.
The Florida Commission on Ethics unanimously approved the deal Friday with no comment.
Carroll, a Republican, did not attend the meeting.


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FTB2500 Sport Sissy Bar Combo Bag
This bag is the multi-functional 1 of 2 larger siblings of the FTB clan. It has the same, knife sharp styling and organizing features as the smaller bags but with more capacity and some extra features. A top mounted auxiliary storage bag is included with gull-wing style access flaps to expand your cargo capacity by a huge margin. Need to get at rain gear fast, but keep it away from your other stuff? These auxiliary storage bags fit the bill, and more.
Drag Specialties/Parts Unlimited Part #: 3515-0141


text: One thing I didn't mention about the screen is that the top part acts like a laminar lip. there's a gap between the lower and upper parts. I think that helps it to work so well. The company on eBay is in Germany and shipped it to me very quickly. The advert shows that they ship worldwide. Drop them a line and see how much they charge to ship to the USA. Rack? No, it's a Ventura.


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Posts Tagged 'Inside Bet'
PONDERING: C2′s Top Reads of 2012Wednesday, January 23, 2013 13:00 No Comments
Tweet Yes, yes…I know I'm late getting my list ready for you, faithful reader. Life gets busy sometimes and I get distracted. But here I am with my list! Yay!! Onward!
EXCERPT: Inside Bet by Katie PorterFriday, September 14, 2012 13:00 No Comments
Tweet Hot men in uniform, strong women daring enough to take them on, and enough steam to fog up your e-reader. Sound like something you might like? Welcome to the Vegas Top Guns series, brought to you by a new name in romance – Katie Porter (the combined efforts of Carrie Lofty and Lorelie Brown). […]
GUEST BLOG: Alpha Build vs. Alpha Man by Katie PorterFriday, September 14, 2012 10:00 6 Comments
Tweet Alpha is not all in a body type. Cool, now that we've all got that down, you can buy Inside Bet and we'll all be good, yes? Phssh. We all know it's not nearly that easy.
REVIEW: Inside Bet by Katie PorterFriday, September 14, 2012 1:00 No Comments
Tweet C2's review of Inside Bet (Vegas Top Guns, Book 2) by Katie Porter Contemporary Romance ebook published by Samhain 28 Aug 12 What happens when two wounded people feel instant chemistry but neither is willing to relinquish control to the other? The very best sort of struggle for dominance, of course. And if Katie […]


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A Conversation on Race with Dr. Tyrone Forman
Deliberate Indifference? Racial Apathy & the Changing Face of Prejudice
Friday, February 7, 2014 at 3:00 pm
Michigan Room, FCS
Tyrone Forman is the Vice Provost for Diversity and Senior Advisor to the Chancellor at the University of Illinois-Chicago. His scholarly interests include the study of intergroup prejudice and discrimination, comparative race and ethnic relations, public opinion of American youth, and health & well-being.
Dr. Forman received his B.A. degree from Vassar College, his M.A. degree from Northwestern University, and his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan.
Dr. Formans work has appeared in a number of leading social science journals including: Social Problems, Journal of Health and Social Behavior, Discourse and Society, Du Bois Review, Youth and Society, and the American Journal of Sociology. His research has received financial support from the Russell Sage Foundation, the Fletcher Foundation, the National Science Foundation, and the National Institutes of Health. He is the recipient of several national awards including the 2012 Oliver Cromwell Cox Award from the American Sociological Association for best article on race and ethnicity published in the past three years and a 2011-12 fellowship at Stanford Universitys Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences. Forman was also recently named one of the 20 People to Watch in 2013 by a local Atlanta magazine. He is the Book Review Editor for the DuBois Review: Social Science Research on Race and also serves on the editorial board of Social Problems.
Please join the University of Michigan-Dearborn in welcoming Dr. Tyrone Forman, noted educator and scholar to our campus.
This event is sponsored by the Office for the Chancellor, and the Office for Student Engagement. This event is free and open to the public.
For more information on this and future diversity related events, please contact the Office for Student Engagement via phone at 313.593.5390.
The University of Michigan-Dearborn does not necessarily endorse speakers' views.


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RPD TOPS RFD TEAM AS PART OF HOMETOWN HEROES DAYFeatures | 1/22/2013 1:36:21 PM | ROCHESTER AMERICANS
A daylong tribute to Rochester's First Responders ended with the Rochester Police Department coming out on top with a 13-6 win over the Rochester Fire Department in a hard-fought hockey game at The Blue Cross Arena on Monday afternoon.
The Amerks held a "Hometown Heroes Day" on Monday as a salute to police officers, fire fighters and emergency medical technicians in our community who serve as heroes each and every day with the admirable work they do. As a way to thank them, the Amerks offered a free ticket to first responders for Monday afternoon's game against the Hamilton Bulldogs.


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VIDEO: Marlon Byrd homers in first career playoff at-bat
Follow NL wild card game live on Gametracker | Eye On Baseball Live Blog
Despite having played in the majors for parts of 12 seasons, appearing in 1,250 games with 4,813 plate appearances, Marlon Byrd had never before appeared in a playoff game.
And he didn't waste any time making his mark. In his first career postseason plate appearance, Byrd electrified the already-rocking PNC Park crowd with a home run, putting the Pirates up, 1-0, in the second inning.
Here it is:
Russell Martin would homer later in the inning, giving the Pirates an early 2-0 advantage.


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New leaders for Vatican city-state administration
Catholic World News - September 05, 2011
The Vatican has announced an overhaul in the leadership of the Governatorate that administers the affairs of the Vatican city-state.
Archbishop Giuseppe Bertello, who has been the apostolic nuncio in Italy, will become the president of the Governatorate, effective October 1. He will replace Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo, who is retiring at the age of 76.
Msgr. Giuseppe Sciacaa, a 56-year-old official of the Roman Rota, was named secretary of the Governatorate, effective immediately. He replaces Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, who is rumored to be in line for a new assignment as apostolic nuncio to the United States.
The retirement of Cardinal Lajolo had long been anticipated. Earlier this year it was reported that his replacement would be Archbishop Pietro Sambi, who was then serving as apostolic nuncio in Washington. But Archbishop Sambi died on July 27, after unexpected complications following lung surgery.
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The Good Wife: A Novel
Paperback – 320 pages
|Title link:
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A San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of the Year
On a clear winter night in upstate New York, two young men break in to a house they believe is empty. It isn't, and within minutes an old woman is dead and the house is in flames. Soon after, the men are caught by the police. Across the county, a phone rings in a darkened bedroom, waking a pregnant woman. It's her husband. He wants her to know that he and his friend have gotten themselves into a little trouble. So Patty Dickerson's old life ends and a strange new one begins.
At once a love story and a portrait of a woman discovering her own strength, The Good Wife follows Patty through the twenty-eight years of her husband's incarceration, as she raises their son, navigates a system that has no place for her, and braves the scorn of her community. Compassionate and unflinching, The Good Wife illuminates a marriage and a family tested to the limits of endurance.
"A moving, lyrical, assured piece of work . . . This is a quiet novel, written in a nearly adjective-free, spare, strong style. Yet the depth of feeling comes through in the plainness of the words . . . A fine and finely wrought fiction."Diane Roberts, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"Grabs the reader immediately and refuses to let go. O'Nan has a gut understanding of the way ordinary people think and act in the most mundane and most extraordinary circumstances, and his sure command of dialogue strengthens that realism . . . This is a story of love and loyalty, duty and determination, beautifully told."Carole Goldberg, The News & Observer (Raleigh)
"This engrossing and heartbreaking novelO'Nan's follow-up to his nonfiction baseball memoir, Faithfulrecounts the plight of Patty and Tommy Dickerson, a young married couple expecting their first child. One winter night, Tommy and a friend are arrested and accused of murdering an elderly woman during a bungled burglary; Tommy ends up in prison for 28 years, and Patty decides to stand by him throughout his sentence. The readeralong with many of Patty's family memberswants Patty to leave Tommy and get on with her life. Yet she visits him faithfully, learning the intricacies of prison visits and traveling long and then even longer distances as Tommy is transferred seemingly arbitrarily. All the while, she struggles to earn a living and raise their son. O'Nan has been named one of the best young American novelists by Granta, and it's evident here why. Highly recommended."Library Journal
"The versatile, accomplished O'Nan follows up the ghostly doings of The Night Country with a quiet, realistic portrait of a woman waitingfor 28 yearsfor her husband to get out of jail. Patty is 27 and pregnant when she learns that husband Tommy and his buddy Gary have committed a string of burglaries and are now being charged with murder after an old woman dies during their latest break-in. With seasoned skill, O'Nan spends the first third of the story (through the trial) delineating Patty's situation. Relations are tense with her widowed mother, who has always disapproved of Tommy, and with older sister Shannon, who boasts a more affluent husband and lifestyle. Younger sister Eileen, her closest family ally, is broke, blue-collar, and a little raffish, like Patty and Tommy. In the trial, Gary turns state's witness, Tommy gets 25 to life, and Patty is left to raise baby Casey as a single mother with few job skills. The subsequent scenes episodically sketch her life, front-loaded toward the early years of Tommy's incarceration. Patty learns to cope with the monolithic prison system, at best indifferent to and often actively abusive of the convicts' families. O'Nan focuses on Patty's struggles and growth as she reluctantly moves in with her mother, endures a series of grinding, poorly paid jobs, and sees the scars Tommy's absence inflicts on their slightly aloof son, who nonetheless matures into a decent, responsible young man. The deliberately low-key narrative has few dramatic eventsTommy's abrupt transfer to a more distant prison is the most jarringand even fewer discussions of people's feelings. Patty simply lives her commitment to her marriage every day for 28 years, and we believe in it because we believe in the fully dimensional, ordinary but extraordinary character O'Nan has created. She deserves her (qualified) happy ending, long though it is in coming. Another fine effort from a writer who in ten years has crafted nine novels dramatically different in tone and content but impressively consistent in their moral seriousness and artistic conviction."Kirkus Reviews
Patty Dickerson, the resilient heroine of O'Nan's forceful, oddly moving ninth novel, is pregnant with her first child and waiting for her husband, Tommy, on a snowy night in the mid-1970s, when the phone rings. It's Tommy, and he's in jail after a robbery. He's been a thief for some time, a fact Patty has refused to acknowledge. Unfortunately, Tommy's latest escapade involves arson and death. Convicted of murder in the second degree, he receives a sentence of 25 years to life. The main story is Patty's, told in the present tense in quietly lyrical and observant prose: the struggle to make ends meet in an economically depressed upstate New York community, the shame of her son's father being in prison, the frustrating and humiliating treatment the penal system inflicts on prisoners and family alike. In a sense, Patty's life is on semipermanent hold over the 28 years Tommy spends in a correctional facility, but of course it isn't really: her son grows up, she visits her husband as often as she can, she works, mostly at dead-end jobs, and eventually she creates a career for herself. In other words, she makes a life that's both with and without her love. O'Nan (The Night Country) has completely captured Patty Dickerson and her dogged determination to endure in this sad but strangely hopeful story."Publishers Weekly (starred review)


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Eric Pritchett
- Filed Under
Young Plainfield photographer earns top honor
Eric Pritchett, 18, Plainfield, will get to take photos alongside professional photographers on May 23, Media Day, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Why is the senior at Plainfield High School getting that opportunity? He was recently named the first-place winner in the 2013 Indiana High School Press Association Sports Photography contest and also was recently honored at a First Amendment Symposium at the Indiana Statehouse.
Pritchett is among four students earning first-place awards in their IHSPA categories who will spend a day at the the raceway. Jalen Allen, a Pike High School student, was the winner in a writing category.
Pritchett talked recently about his interest in photography.
Question: What's your favorite subject to photograph?
A: I really like sports or animals. What I like best about them is that they are always focused on what they are doing and don't notice or care about a camera. I like to capture the emotion and intensity of what's going on. Pictures can show the preparation, the action and the excitement or tragedy after an event.
Q: Any advice for young photographers?
A: Try new things and experiment. I think the most important thing is to be unique and visualize the picture in your own way, because you'll see it in a way that no one else will.
Q: How do you use photography at your school?
A: I'm in yearbook and our school's news magazine class. I take pictures of sports and student life in and out of school for a yearbook class, and for news magazine, I do whatever they tell me to do.
Q: What kind of a camera do you use?
A: I use a Canon Rebel T3 with 18-55 and 55-330 lenses for all my sports events and some other things. I also use a simple point-and-shoot Canon PowerShot SX160 IS when I just want to have a compact camera with me; it's a good price for anyone starting and is a camera I would suggest for youngsters and for anyone looking for a camera.
Memorial Day Murph event will get blood pumping
CrossFit Unbreakable, a gym that franchisee Jim Beebe opened in March in Plainfield, invites the public to join in the annual Memorial Day Murph.
The challenging workout that's done across the nation in recognition of Medal of Honor recipient Lt. Michael Murphy - a Navy SEAL who died in the line of duty - will raise money for the military in Murphy's honor. The workout starts with a one-mile run, followed by 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 squats and ends with a one-mile run.
The Murph benefit is May 25 at CrossFit Unbreakable, 2198 Reeves Road, Building 2A, Plainfield. Registration is at 10 a.m., with heats every 30 minutes beginning at 11 a.m.
For more information, visit www.crossfitunbreakable.com or call (317) 224-6960.
Brownsburg second-grader will attend Kidney Camp
Forrest Tafflinger, 8, Brownsburg, this year will get to go horseback riding at his first Kidney Camp, thanks to the Avon Optimist Club, a chapter of Optimists International.
Brandy Tafflinger said her son was diagnosed with a posterior urethral valve when she was 19 weeks pregnant - and required two surgeries trying to relieve fluid from his bladder and kidneys. Forrest was born with less than 10 percent kidney function, was transferred to Riley Hospital for Children at 4 days old, and started kidney dialysis at 10 days. He received his uncle's kidney at age 3, but just a year later, Forrest was diagnosed with post-transplant lymphoma and underwent chemotherapy.
The second-grader at Cardinal Elementary School in Brownsburg has been cancer-free for nearly four years. He loves to play baseball, football and basketball.
"He has had more than 35 surgeries in his life and still is the happiest kid you could ever meet," said Brandy Tafflinger of her son, who she also said is a big fan of NASCAR race-car driver Jimmy Johnson.
Jarod Turner, president-elect of the Avon Optimist Club, said the club found Forrest through the National Kidney Foundation, which hosts Kidney Camp May 31-June 4 at Camp Tecumseh in Brookston, Ind.
Seedlings preschool program taking applications
Avon Seedlings Preschool Program is open for registration for the 2013-2014 school year.
The 185-day program for kids ages 3-5, which runs from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., offers academics, social play, guided discovery and opportunities to interact as peer buddies.
The program is open to children or grandchildren of Avon Community School Corp. employees, as well as preschool students who resident in the district. For information, call (317) 544-6700 or visit www.avon-schools.org.
Get ready for some fun in the sun
Put on your swimsuit and grab your towel, it's time for the Splash Island Family Waterpark to kick off the summer season.
The Plainfield Parks & Recreation Department's outdoor waterpark will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 25 and May 27, and noon to 6 p.m. May 26, Starting June 1, the park will be open daily through Aug. 6.
Wet Wednesdays will feature additional 7 to 10 p.m. hours. Radio Disney will visit every Tuesday with music, dancing and contests.
The park features a 900-foot-long lazy river ride, three water slides, a six-lane competition pool with diving well and two 1-meter springboards, a water basketball court, and an interactive play area with kiddie slides, water jets, ropes and more.
New this season: Parking for an additional 75 vehicles; and Guilford Township residents who are not within the town limits will receive reduced priced membership of $168 for a three-month pass.
Visit http://townofplainfield.com/si/ for admission prices and other information.


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According to National Football League commish Roger Goodell, speaking at a conference in London, broadcasters are already seeing a drop in advertising revenue for NFL games. Goodell was speaking at a conference on the globalization of sports.
"The sales market is different than it was even several weeks ago," Goodell said during a panel discussion with Richard Scudamore, the chief executive of the English Premier League. "We see it primarily on a local level, which I think is through a large extent a reflection of what is happening in the automobile industry. But it has now in the recent weeks gone to the national level. It's had an impact. The fortunate thing is that it hasn't had an impact on our viewership."
Goodell didn't disclose any specific figures, though Goodell said he was confident that ad sales for games would stabilize even in the short-term. The bigger long-term problem according to Goodell would be retaining big corporate sponsors.


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The Theory of Everything, Solved was written to provide an alternate understanding of the inner workings of the atom. For many years, scientists have tried to unite the four fundamental forces - the strong and weak nuclear forces, gravity, and electromagnetism - without success. Many have tried uniting known theories, such as general relativity with quantum mechanics, string theory, and even the standard model. These theories differ in many ways, and it seems difficult, if not impossible, to find a single link to connect these theories together.
Many scientists believe that a single "theory of everything" must contain one or more of the present-day theories, or perhaps an equation. Albert Einstein spent the last years of his life searching without success for an equation that would unite the fundamental forces. With so many scientists working on many theories, perhaps they have overlooked the simple theories, the ones that do not require complex equations or have to unite one theory with another.


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Can't get SMS notification to work
I am new to todoist and a major reason I went premium was to get reminders on my phone. I have the app installed. I have tried setting it up different ways and nothing. I am in the US. Have an Android phone. I want to be notified by text. I have the test and all 3 different numbers listed. Any suggestions?
All responses
Hello Carole,
Please try to choose "International" as your carrier/location, make sure your phone number is added in this format: +1234567890 that is - with a plus sign, your country code and the number without spaces or dashes and then pick one of the Canadian hosts.
If this won't help and selecting the US host with your actual carrier won't work either, please send your phone number to firstname.lastname@example.com , I'll send 3 tests through our system and if they won't arrive either, I'll contact our SMS provider.
Best regards,
Thank you, that worked.


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When asked if she would run again, Keehn wouldn't commit to another possible mayoral race, but said she will have a presence in city politics.
"I can tell you I'll be at the City Council meetings," she said "If you think that I am going away, I can tell you I am not."
In other contested elections, Jane Weihe, a former city Democratic Committee chairwoman, challenged Republican Ivins, 51, for city finance commissioner. Current finance commissioner Matthew McCabe chose not to seek re-election after two terms in office. Ivins tallied 3,924 votes to Weihe's 3,770 according to the unofficial tally by the Saratoga County Board of Elections.
Democratic incumbent Public Safety Commissioner Ron Kim, 48, was challenged by Republic Richard Wirth, 58, who owns a private investigation business. Kim retained his seat by garnering 4,310 votes to Wirth's 2,431.
If the unofficial tallies stand, City Council will have gone from having zero Republicans (McCabe, the only non-Democrat on the current City Council, ran as an Independent) to being Republican-controlled by a margin of 3-to-2. Only two Democrats would remain on the City Council: Kim and Accounts Commissioner John Franck, who ran unopposed.
A Republican also stole a Democrat seat in the at-large city Supervisor election. Republican Matthew Veitch beat out incumbent supervisor Cheryl Keyrouze by a margin of 4,312 to 3,847. Yepsen garnered the most votes for supervisor with 4,697.""
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The Stereo team recently returned from a week-long trip to Minnesota. The crew consisted of hometown hero Clint Peterson, Daniel Shimizu, Danny Supa, Olly Todd and Zach Wagner, plus special appearances by Paul Shier and Steve Nesser.
Stereo had a few events, including a demo/signing at 3rd Lair Burnsville, a signing at Familia and an art show at the Vine Arts Center featuring the work of Chris Pastras, Jason Lee and Clint Peterson.
For more info and photos of the trip check out Stereo Part One , Stereo Part Two, Stereo Part Three


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Item of the Day
In addition to coffee, candy, nail polish, and bad movies, I'm addicted to Twitter. I'm on there all day long, reading my friends' updates and crafting my own. Once or twice I've even gone all the way back to the beginning to see what my earliest tweets were – the ultimate self-indulgent procrastination activity. So of course I'm kind of excited to find out that you can get a book made filled with all your tweets. There's absolutely no purpose to this other than being able to read what you wrote sooooo long ago without having to carpal tunnel yourself clicking through a million pages on the Twitter website.
Get yours here.


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No comment today on the results of the Iowa caucuses. Because of publishing deadlines, this column had to be turned in before we learned who garnered the most votes there. But you can bet I'll have plenty to say about the race for the White House in the weeks to come.
Today, let's discern the biggest political lie of 2011. My, there are so many to choose from.
I admit I was skeptical when PolitiFact — a popular feature of the Tampa Bay Times — said it was ready to declare the "Lie of the Year 2011." After all, its record for bashing conservatives was pretty much unblemished.
Two years ago, the scribes who put together PolitiFact selected Sarah Palin's comment about "death panels" as the biggest lie of 2009. In 2010, they once again sprang to the defense of Obamacare, pooh-poohing claims that it represented a "government takeover of health care" as the year's biggest falsehood.
Given this history and the very liberal bias of the paper's editorial section, I was prepared for one of the recurring themes you read about in Personal Liberty Digest™ to be their top target this time around.
So imagine my surprise when the paper declared that the "Lie of the Year 2011" was the Democrats' claim that "Republicans voted to end Medicare."
The brouhaha began in April, when Republicans in the House of Representatives passed Representative Paul Ryan's plan to reform the hugely expensive government healthcare program. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee jumped on the issue. In a widely circulated Web commercial released just four days after the vote, it warned that senior citizens would have to pay $12,500 more each year for healthcare "because Republicans voted to end Medicare."
In the most blatantly dishonest attack of all, the Agenda Project, a liberal activist group, produced a Web video showing a Ryan look-alike pushing an old woman in a wheelchair off a cliff.
The attacks continued, even though the Ryan plan was defeated in the Senate. In November, Nancy Pelosi — the vitriolic former Speaker of the House who was demoted to Minority Leader after the Republican victories in 2010 — sent out a fundraising appeal that read: "House Republicans' vote to end Medicare is a shameful act of betrayal."
(Hey, if you think the political debates got nasty last year, just wait until the Republicans settle on a candidate for President this year. If the Barack Obama partisans really do raise $1 billion for their guy, you can be sure almost every penny will be spent in the dirtiest attacks imaginable. After all, you can't expect them to run on their record, can you?)
When PolitiFact first reported on the Democratic accusations, it found nine separate instances of factual inaccuracies. Some it branded as "False." Others were so blatantly wrong they earned a "Pants on Fire" designation.
For the record, the Ryan plan would not have made a single change in Medicare for anyone who is presently on the program. Nor would anyone be affected who would be eligible for Medicare over the next decade. For anyone 55 or older, the program would be unchanged.
Yet virtually every Democratic attack ad talked about senior citizens or featured pictures and videos of elderly people who were clearly too old to be affected by the Ryan plan. It was some of the worst political demagoguery I've ever seen.
But I don't think it was the "Lie of the Year 2011."
No, I think the biggest lie of 2011 was "We're going to cut spending."
After more than two years of operating without a budget and just before heading home for the holidays, Congress finally passed an omnibus spending bill for Fiscal 2012. The 1,221-page beast calls for the expenditure of more than $1 trillion, yet doesn't reduce Federal spending by a penny.
According to an opinion piece in The Wall Street Journal, there was only one major domestic program that cost U.S. taxpayers more than$100 million that got the ax: the Department of Energy's loan-guarantee program. Right, that's the same one that cost U.S. taxpayers more $500 million when the solar-power favorite Solyndra went under. The total savings from eliminating this boondoggle was less than $500 million.
Meanwhile, spending on food stamps is scheduled to reach $80 billion this year –more than double the amount just five years ago.
Since it's almost impossible for us to grasp the real significance of the numbers Washington bandies about so casually, let me put it in terms that every family in America can understand (some wag put this together). Let's remove eight zeroes from the Federal numbers and pretend we're talking about a household budget. If your family operated the same way Washington does, here is what it would look like:
- Annual family income: $21,700
- Annual family expenditures: $38,200
- Increase in your credit-card debt: $16,500
- Outstanding balance on your credit cards: $142,710
- Amount you agree to cut spending: $385
If you ever heard of a family operating in this manner, wouldn't you think they are almost criminally irresponsible?
In fact, wouldn't you want to delete the word "almost" from my previous sentence?
There were a lot of big lies told last year. That should come as no surprise. As the joke says, "How can you tell when a politician is lying?" Answer: "His lips are moving." Or in Pelosi's case, her lips are moving.
In narrowing the field of falsehoods to the biggest of the big ones, I choose the simple promise "We'll cut spending." For most of my life, our political masters in both parties have willingly, even gleefully, participated in a massive conspiracy to rob from our children and grandchildren. They have saddled these innocent victims with more than $15 trillion in debt — plus many times that amount in promises our government has made but cannot possibly keep.
What is the single most important issue facing this country in 2012? I am convinced it's stopping the spending.
That means electing enough people to the House and Senate who will no longer "go along to get along" — no matter who is in the White House.
That's my story, and I'm sticking to it. What's yours?
Until next time, keep some powder dry.
–Chip Wood


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Daily Archives: September 22, 2011
Dream Travel—Rollerskates, Elevators and Other Transportation
When I used to dream of flying, I could lift myself slowly off the ground by sheer will, to the amazement of spectators below. It was risky, though. Staying aloft depended on my confidence. At the slightest trace of anxiety, I lost altitude. Another danger was telephone lines. Flying into them meant instant death.
Then I dreamed mostly about trains, buses, motorcycles, and bikes. Trains and buses were a headache because I didn't know where to get on or when to get off, or I didn't have the right fare. Fortunately, I also had a trusty motorcycle—an ancient vehicle given to me by my grandfather (who died sixty years ago). It never ran out of gas, no matter how many years I had it. However, the headlights often dimmed and went out on dark country roads.
My bicycles got stolen. I'd forget to lock the bike before going into a store and then would find it gone when I returned. Each time I'd think, "When will I ever learn? I can't afford to keep buying new bikes." But I'd buy a new one in preparation for the next dream and it would happen all over again.
Rollerskates are a newer, more exciting mode of transportation in my dreams. I skate with speed and skill in public places, something I could never do in real life. I sail down streets and sidewalks, through malls, and down the corridors of large buildings such as libraries. It pleases me to pass pedestrians at three times their speed.
If I'm skating in a building such as a hospital where conventional behavior is expected, I worry about being stopped and asked to remove my skates. Most often this turns out to be the Mayo Clinic, where I was once employed.
In real life, I wore skates to work on a dare many years ago. I was manager of a department of writers at Abbott Laboratories. Company employees were horrified and titillated to see me rolling down the halls, files in hand. You'd think I was naked. Tattlers sent reports up the chain of command to the CEO, and within four hours a decree came back down to my boss. He came into my office laughing and said, "Sorry, Barb, you'll have to take off your skates."
Elevators are a recent addition to my dreams. Usually I'm in a hurry to reach a certain office on an upper floor where I have an appointment to interview a doctor. I'm late and have trouble finding an elevator. When I do, I discover that it travels only to the fourth floor, or to floors six through ten. Sometimes a crowded elevator arrives and I have trouble squeezing in. As the doors start shutting, I thrust my arms in to force them open. Frightened occupants yell at me to get away, but I don't. I somehow get in.
Occasionally an elevator goes to an upper floor and then starts traveling sideways. I have no idea where I'm headed. I think, "Oh, well, I'll just have to relax and see what happens."
Maybe that's the lesson in the dream.
* * *
Dholes–The Asian Wild Dog
Dholes, a handsome breed of wild dog native to Asia, are divided into subspecies. One type has white fur around the muzzle, on its chest and in its ears. The other is reddish brown all over . Dholes weigh about the same as border collies but their bodies are leaner and their legs longer. The dhole is a trim, muscular dog.
Also known as the Asian Wild Dog, the dhole prefers to live in dense scrub or forests. The dogs make their homes in dens—often holes vacated by hyenas and porcupines. They improve the construction, digging tunnels and adding one or more entrances. The dens may be located under or between rocks, in heavy underbrush, or on the banks of dry rivers or creeks.
The front door of the den is usually almost vertical. The tunnel behind it takes a sharp turn after three or four feet. Some dens have several entrances and many connecting tunnels. These dwellings become more elaborate over the years, as the dholes improve and enlarge them. Their living quarters are often the work of many generations, shared by the entire clan. Females give birth to their litters in the chambers of the den and raise them there.
Dholes have a complicated repertoire of sounds for communicating with each other. Sometimes they whistle or make cooing noises to coordinate their movements through thick brush. Other sounds include whining for food, growling as sign of aggression, yapping, and chattering as a warning signal (for a video, click here). When dholes attack a prey animal, they make a screaming sound. Unlike many other wild dogs, dholes do not howl.
Their body language is complex, too. A friendly greeting involves pulling back the lips as though smiling, lowering the tail, and licking. The dogs show submission the same way. When dholes want to play, they assume a play bow. Angry or aggressive dholes open their jaws slightly while pulling their lips back and snarling. The hair on their backs stands up, as well. When they're afraid, they tuck their tails beneath their bodies and flatten their ears.
A dhole pack gets excited just before an early morning hunting trip, nuzzling each other and rubbing bodies. When they spot a prey animal, they work as a team—each with an assigned role. One or more dholes lead the chase while the rest keep up a steadier pace behind. The dogs aren't fast runners, but they have stamina and can keep going for hours. When the lead dogs get tired, those trailing behind move up and take over. Dholes often drive prey animals to a body of water where their swimming skills and ability to leap high into the air give them the advantage.
While dholes prey on deer, wild boar, water buffalo and other large animals, they also eat plants and fruit. They enjoy various kinds of grasses, herbs and leaves. One of their favorite foods is mountain rhubarb, found in the Tien Shan mountain range (photo).
(To watch dogs at a watering hole, click here)
On rare occasions, dholes attack tigers. Tigers—fearing these determined canines—climb a tree or stand with their backs to it. If they maintain their defensive stance, the tigers have a good chance of survival. If they try to escape, they're usually killed. While dholes will take on a tiger, they are cautious about it—knowing that the big cat has enough strength to kill one of them with a single paw strike.
The few people who have tried to raise dholes in captivity have found it difficult. The dogs are nearly impossible to tame, although they may play with domestic dogs while they're still pups. (To watch dhole pups at play click here). When captive dholes reach adulthood, they usually become too aggressive to trust around other animals.
Dholes live to be about ten years old in the wild, but may survive as long as sixteen years in captivity.


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OTO Development formed as a U.S. hospitality development company in May of 2004. Since that time, our real estate and construction team has quickly established a distinguished position among the nation's most active developers of premier select-service hotel brands within the nation's top markets. As a growing hotel development company, OTO has been honored by Hilton Worldwide, Marriott International, and Global Hyatt with numerous awards and recognitions, classifying us among their elite franchise partners.
As of the first quarter of 2012, OTO Development has a $1.1 billion portfolio that includes 35 open hotels, four hotels under construction, and six sites under contract and in the entitlement process. In addition to the sites controlled by OTO, we are pursuing a $400 million pipeline of new projects in premier markets across the United States.
Our extensive knowledge of major U. S. metropolitan areas coupled with the strength of our cooperative brand partnerships enable us to identify quality markets, locate prominent sites, and secure the licenses for the best available brands. We employ a proven systematic approach to U. S. hospitality development that covers the entire process, from market feasibility through site selection, entitlements, construction, and operations management.
Our commitment to environmental sustainability is evident by the wide range of hotels developed on contaminated sites or as re-use projects. Between OTO Development and our predecessor company, Extended Stay America, we've built well over 500 hotels across the country. In so doing, we've cultivated the talent and processes to handle a wide range of environmental challenges. To learn more details on these development projects, please click the below button and then the Re-use and Contaminated Site Development tab on our Success at Work page.
© Copyright 2015 OTO Development. All Rights Reserved. Web Development by Launch Something.


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RubyMine Links
Tags1.5 2.0 bdd Beta bundler code completion CoffeeScript configuration cucumber debug documentation editing Enoki gems haml Hinoki HTML Ichii IDE inspection JavaScript Kusunoki mac Momiji navigation Nire performance plugin Puppet Rails RailsConf refactoring rspec Ruby RubyMotion rvm SASS Satsuki SCSS test Tsubaki Tōhi UI UML unit testing
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Author Archives: Tatiana Vasilyeva
RubyMine Tsubaki EAP: Cucumber 2.0 and bug-fixing
Hello everyone, Here is a new RubyMine Tsubaki EAP build for you. It will allow you to run the latest version of Cucumber (2.0.0.beta3 at this moment) and also fixes number of regressions we have introduced in previous EAPs (yes, … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Tsubaki 10 Comments
RubyConf Brasil 2014 License Winners Announcement
Hello everyone, Our visit to Brazil was really great. It was definitely worth the 16-hour flight, crossing the floor of the globe. We were so heartily met with all the Brazilian hospitality and warmth! And we still remember the taste … Continue reading
Posted in Announcement, Events Tagged Brasil, RubyConf 2 Comments
RubyMine Tsubaki EAP: Better Debugger and Code Insight
Hello everyone, Every bug and feature has its own story, and sometimes it is a really-really long story. But everything has its own time: sooner or later, one way or another. This EAP build includes fixes for some old bugs … Continue reading
Posted in Announcement, Better Code Tagged Tsubaki 4 Comments
Our Congratulations to Ruby Contest Winners!
Hello everyone, No matter how tricky a problem is, there is always a solution, and sometimes multiple ones. Indeed, the UTF-8 regular expressions problem we proposed for the recent RubyMine Contest inspired many solutions! The Ruby community answered our call … Continue reading
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RubyMine Tsubaki EAP is Open!
Hello everyone, A month has passed since we published the roadmap for the next major release, and today you can already try the first new features! The Early Access Program for the next RubyMine Tsubaki is now open with the following … Continue reading
Posted in Announcement Tagged Tsubaki 5 Comments
Solve a Tricky Ruby Problem and Win a Prize!
Hello everyone, You know that annoying feeling when you have crutches in your code and can't seem to find a better solution, don't you? Well, this is it. We faced a tricky Ruby problem: UTF-8 regular expressions fail when working … Continue reading
Posted in Announcement, Screencast 1 Comment
RubyMine Tsubaki Roadmap
Hello everyone, Summer is the kind of time when we draw a breath and look into the future. In terms of development it is a good time for planning the next version and that's what we did. Please welcome the roadmap for the … Continue reading
Posted in Announcement Tagged Tsubaki 11 Comments
RubyMine 6.3.3: RSpec 3 Code Insight & Other Fixes
Hello everyone, In these days of football mania all over the world, wishing all national teams a win and thus an award of three points, we've made the third – hopefully the final and winning – bug fix update for … Continue reading
Posted in Announcement Tagged Hinoki 1 Comment
RailsConf 2014 License Winners Announcement
Hi everyone, Last weekend I looked back on the past few months and remembered the most exciting events of this Spring. Of course, I couldn't help but think of RailsConf 2014. RailsConf always gives us a boost of energy as well as some good … Continue reading
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Welcome us on RubyMotion #inspect 2014!
Hello everyone, If you're a RubyMotion user and fan you might be in San-Francisco, California, at the RubyMotion #inspect conference started a couple of hours ago. Or feel a little bit jealous for those who are at the conference if … Continue reading
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MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (WUSA) - With nearly 150-thousand students, Montgomery County Public Schools are in one of the largest school districts in the country.
Despite the size, Superintendent Joshua Starr says the district has a strong record of success. He highlighted some of the achievements today in front of a room packed with students, teachers, and parents.
Starr said, "MCPS has had the highest graduation rate among the nation's large school districts>"
Starr also pointed out other strides the district has made --- in student access to AP classes and in their efforts to team up with local industries to give their students real world experience.
While he says there has been progress, he said there is room for growth.
He said, "We are leading the way in graduation rate but we must recognize that an African American or Hispanic ninth grader is 3 or 4 times more likely to drop out before graduation than a white or Asian student. And while our dropout rate has been decreasing over the years, that gap hasn't narrowed."
Parents and teachers told 9News that Monday's speech on the state of Montgomery County Schools was encouraging.
They feel improvements are being made in this already strong district - but they also feel the superintendent is focusing on creating change in key areas.
One teacher said Starr is focusing on bringing equality for all groups.


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The Students' Office is in charge of registration and fees; it monitors students' course credits and maintains a host of lists and programs of seminars and academic events.
The Examination Office deals with the whole spectrum of examinations and graduation.
It can answer any questions regarding admission and recognition of reports and documents.


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Starts: 19.02.2013 at 09:30
Ends: 19.02.2013 at 15:30
London, United Kingdom
This workshop is intended for advanced users who are familiar with the standard functions of the Online Filing software as well as the formal requirements for filing patent applications and performing subsequent actions in the EP procedure. A brief look into PCT and the UK National form upon request.
The morning session of the programme is dedicated to Online Filing while the afternoon includes an introduction of the recently launched Mailbox & MyFiles services.
Classroom training
10.00 - 12.30: Online Filing workshop with the focus on formalities and the procedural features highlighting the most significant changes over the past two years.
12.30 - 13.30: Lunch Break
13.30 - 15.00: Update on EPO's Online Products and Services. Introduction to Mailbox and MyFiles.
15.00 - 15.30: Questions and answers
Registered participants who are unable to attend are requested to inform the organisers as soon as possible, to allow others to take their place.
CIPA, 95 Chancery Lane
London WC2A1DT
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Patent attorneys and support staff responsible for filling out forms using the Online Filing software. The workshops are for users with experience of Online Filing.
No date available


text:
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October 9, 2015
Stay Connected Anywhere
A Fort Riley Artillery Unit is performing its first live fire practice in 23 months this week.
The Second Battalion 32nd Field Artillery Regiment, Fourth Infantry Brigade Combat Team, First Infantry Division are doing the exercise.
They are known as the "Proud Americans."
They are validating their core competencies as artillerymen. Since their last live fire the unit has been training and performing infantry-oriented tasks.
Click Here to access the online Public Inspection File
Viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station's FCC Public Inspection File by contacting the station with the information listed below. Questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the FCC's online public file system should be directed to the FCC at 888-225-5322, 888-835-5322 (TTY), or email@example.com.


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Hawks at Pacers – Game 1 Preview
The Hawks are preparing for game one against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday afternoon in Indianapolis.
Atlanta didn't win at Banker's Life Fieldhouse in the regular season and will be looking to steal game one in a building where the Pacers won 30 games. The Pacers will go with George Hill, Lance Stephenson, Paul George, David West and Roy Hibbert. Knowing that, I suspect Larry Drew will counter with Jeff Teague, Devin Harris, DeShawn Stevenson, Josh Smith and Al Horford. Kyle Korver could be substituted for Stevenson, but I think Drew will sacrifice a little bit of offense in order to put a slightly better defender on George. If game one is lopsided on the glass or in the paint, Drew may move Smith to small forward and start Ivan Johnson or Johan Petro in game two.
Beating Indiana won't be easy, but it is possible. Here are the game one keys:
The Paint
The Hawks must keep Indiana out of the lane. The Pacers will have size at just about every position on the floor. Atlanta can't let Hibbert and West catch the ball deep, and they can't get Hill and George penetrate off the dribble. The pacers are a physical team and are best when they play big. If they get inside positioning, it's game over because of their size. No one on their team shoots 50 percent, and no one shoots better than 36 percent from deep. Making Indiana a jump-shooting team is the way to beat them. If they hit their jump shots, you tip your hat.
The Hawks like to play last. The Pacers don't. A half-court game, which is what most playoff games become, favors Indiana. The Hawks have to be careful not to fall into the trap of playing tight just because the game means more. Instead they have to run at every opportunity. It's much easier to score on Indiana's transition defense than it is to score on their half-court defense.
The Hawks are going to have to win the bench battle. The Pacers get a lot smaller when Hibbert, West and George leave the floor, so the Hawks should have matchup opportunities off the bench. This is an area where I think the Hawks can really excel. After all, the bench erased a 20-point fourth quarter lead in Indiana the last time these teams played and nearly won the game. If Atlanta wins game one, the bench will likely be a reason why.
To stay up-to-date with the Hawks throughout the playoffs, visit Hawks Playoff Central.
Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE/Getty Images


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Top tips to break Windows 7 password
Setting a strong password for one's personal computer or laptop is usually a great method to protect computer system, but you tend to forget Windows 7 password. Then what to do if we are locked out of PC? The following will show you two universal guards to break Windows 7 password.
Top tip 1 : Create a bootable Windows 7 recovery disk
Windows Password Key is made to reset lost password for Windows 7/Vista/XP/2000 and Server 2003/2008, which may also help you develop this sort of a key recovery bootable disk to reset Windows 7 code, you require a blank CD/DVD or maybe a USB. Then follow the measures:
Step 1. Download Windows Password Key. In this step, you need to log in any available computer not yours (as you can't log in your computer) download the tool and install it on that computer.
Step 2. Make a bootable CD/DVD or USB reset disk. In this process, you are required a blank CD/DVD or just a 2 GB USB. Run the program and burn the ISO image file to the disk.
Step 3. Turn to your locked pc, insert the disk. Your computer needs to be start from this disk. How should you do that? By Changing the bios setup, Press F2 when Windows starts, then use the allow keys to the BOOT tab. And select the CD-ROM (for DVD/CD) or Removable Devices (for USB devices) to the first.
Step 4. Break Windows 7 password.
The designed Windows 7 password recovery disk can safely and very easily reset Windows 7 password, it saves you much more time and trouble than reinstalling Windows OS, and will not likely get rid of any data in your personal computer.
Top tip 2: Use Windows 7 default Administrator account to change password.
Windows 7 has a built-in administrator account which has no password in it. This account is created during Windows installation, and disable by default. You can log in as that account to Change your other account password by doing the following steps.
Note: Through this tip you need to enable Windows 7 default Administrator account before losing your other account password, as the default admin account is disable by default, only you enable it, will it appear in the log in screen.
Step 1: Start your computer and press "F8" while the computer boots up. The Advanced Boot Options screen appears. Scroll down to "Safe Mode with Command Prompt".
Step 2: Select the Administrator account that appear in the screen, then enter command prompt.
Step 3: Type: net user XXX 123456 and enter (XXX is the account which you need to break the password, and 123456 is the new password) it will show you a message that" the command completed successfully.
Step 4: Restart your computer, then you can log in as XXX with the password 123456. You can go to control Panel to change your account password if necessary.
The second tip does not promise you 100% to break Windows 7 password, as you may disable your Windows 7 default admin account. But the first tip can break your password with amazing rate.
4 Responses »
Savion on November 10th, 2011 at 5:29 am:
I guess finding ueufsl, reliable information on the internet isn't hopeless after all.
How to Password Protect your Windows 7 System | Computer Tips on November 18th, 2011 at 8:29 am:
[...] How to break windows 7 password How to recover Windows Password with Ophcrack Live CD [...]
najeeb on April 17th, 2012 at 6:50 pm:
sir i have forget my windows 7 password please help me 07207158183
Eillen on April 18th, 2012 at 3:41 pm:
Have you created a password reset disk for that account before?


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Name Calling or general rude behavior is no longer acceptable in the Cafe, We are adults which means that we should be able to debate without resorting to name calling. Warnings will be given out if users fail to act appropriately.
PH(x) HD Double HoneyComb Single Dome Perc wit Ice pinch and Splash Guard
Discussion in 'The Glass House' started by BreezyBankz420, Nov 15, 2012.


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New Design, More Features, Same Telemaster Style
Drop Box for the Senior Telemaster is now available. 94 in. wingspan, 64 in. long, 1330 sq. in. wing area (Stab area 320 sq. in.), 9 lbs flying weight. The original Senior Telemaster has been a staple at model fields around the world for over 40 years. A model design doesn't have that kind of longevity if it doesn't do one thing very well---FLY. The phrase "Nothing Flies like a Telemaster" says it all. Over the years we have received many suggestions from our rabid fans; the Senior Telemaster Plus is our response to these suggestions and requests. You wanted to do away with the rubber band wing mount and one-piece wing; Senior Telemaster Plus has 2 wing panels that slide on aluminum wing joiners and butt up to the fuselage sides. Each wing panel has an aileron and a flap control surface and the upper strut mount blind nut is pre-installed. Wings are small enough for easier transport and field assembly is very quick. You wanted the tail to be removable so we installed the horizontal tails on tube spars just like the wings. With the wings and stabs removed the fuselage is easier to transport and to store. The fuselage cross-section on the Sr Telemaster Plus is much larger than the original, providing the ability to carry a larger payload internally. This all-new version is covered in genuine Oracover, has built in flaps, quality construction and hardware, and even comes with a camera mounting cover. With the flaps down it will almost hover in a 10MPH wind. Takeoffs and landings are easy and majestic. Swapping batteries or checking your fuel tank is easy with the large magnetic access hatch on top of the fuselage. An illustrated instruction manual is included showing how to assemble the model which will take about 6-8 hours to complete. For 5 channels: Ailerons (2 servos) Flaps (2 servos), Elevator, Rudder and Throttle.
Drop Box PDF Instruction Manual
Technical Specifications:
Spare Parts
Radio 1 - SPM8800 DX8 8Ch Transmitter w/AR8000 6 - HTS0322S HS-322 Standard Servo 4 - HT0605 Hitec 24" Servo Extension 2 - HT0604 12" Aileron Servo Extension w/Gold Pins 2 - HRC54609S 6" Twisted Wire Aileron Extension 1 - HRC57351S Dual Aileron Y Harness Servo Extension Motor/Prop 1 - ERCBL60 eRC .60 size Outrunner Motor 1 - APC17010E 17x10E Thin Electric Prop Motor Controller 1 - ERCE085P eRC 85A Brushless Programmable Opto ESC 1 - ERCBEC6 eRC 6 Amp BEC Battery 1 - TP50005SPL2 Pro Lite V2 5 Cell 5000 mAh 18.5V 20C LiPo Charger 1 - DYN4105 Passport UltraForce 200WAC/DCCharger Accessories Glue, Solder, Connectors, etc.
Everything You'll Need
Need to repair? Use Corsair Blue Ultracote(HANU905), White Ultracote(HANU870), and Flame Red Ultracote(HANU883)
Senior Telemaster Plus Manual PDF


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Property Owners and Managers Survey
Also available in (*.zip) in in SAS transport format, ASCII format, or dBASE format.
Also available in (*.zip) in SAS transport format or ASCII format.
The Property Owners and Managers Survey (POMS) Overview, Summary Tables, and Source and Accuracy Statement are now available from the U.S. Census Bureau. POMS was designed to learn more about rental housing and the providers of rental housing. The purpose was to gain a better understanding of the property owners and managers on whom the nation depends to provide affordable rental housing and what motivates their rental and maintenance policies. Interviewing for the survey was done between November 1995 and June 1996.
A nationwide sample of approximately 16,300 housing units which were rented or vacant-for-rent in the 1993 American Housing Survey National Sample (AHS-N) was selected, and a questionnaire was mailed to the property owner, manager, or other agent of the owner of each property containing a selected unit. Detailed information was collected on maintenance, management practices, tenant policy, financial aspects of rental property ownership, owner characteristics, and related topics.
Analysts can use survey results to answer the question: Who are the owners of the nation's rental units and do their actions differ greatly between different segments of the rental market? The survey results also can be used to analyze the problems facing owners and managers of rental units, and as an aid in understanding more about what are considered priorities by owners and managers.
The addresses included in the POMS sample were limited to counties and independent cities in the 438 sampling areas used for the Census Bureau's 1993 American Housing Survey (AHS) National Sample.
A unit (and the property containing the unit) was included in the survey if it was a privately owned rental unit in the 1993 AHS-N, and was still a rental at the time of the POMS (November 1995 to June 1996). A unit was considered rental if it was either rented for cash rent, occupied by someone other than the owner without payment of cash rent, or vacant but available for rent.
The following types of units (and the properties containing these units) were either excluded from the original sample, or were identified as being out of the scope of the survey during the conduct of the survey.
- Units owned by a public housing authority
- Units owned by the United States Military or any other federal agency
- Units that were owner-occupied
- Units that were vacant, but were available for sale only
- Units that were vacant, but were not available for rent or sale
- Units used primarily as second or vacation homes
- Units that were rental at the time of the 1993 AHS-N, but were no longer rental at the time of the POMS (November 1995 to June 1996)
- Units that became rental after the 1993 AHS-N, i.e., new construction and units converted from owner to rental
This survey does not duplicate work done in other Census Bureau surveys or studies that deal with rental units or properties, but can be used to supplement such surveys as the American Housing Survey (AHS) and the Residential Finance Survey (RFS).
There are two public use microdata files available. The first is for units in single-unit rental properties which include:
- Single-family detached houses
- Single-family attached houses, rowhouses, or townhouses
- Single housing units attached to a business
- Condominium units (house or apartment)
- Cooperative units (house or apartment)
- Mobile homes
The second is for units in multi-unit rental properties (two or more housing units) which include:
- Units in apartment buildings or complexes (non-condominium or cooperative)
- Single-family houses with an extra unit such as a garage, attic, or basement apartment
- Units in duplexes or triplexes
- Units in any other property with two or more housing units
The MWEIGHT variable in the Property Owners and Managers Survey (POMS) microdata is designed to allow aggregation and analysis at the level of the housing unit. In particular, MWEIGHT is not appropriate to analyze the data at the level of the property, something of interest to users of the multifamily dataset. We have added a new variable, PROPWGT, which does allow this analysis.
If you have already downloaded the POMS datasets, there is no need to download the full versions again. All you want to do is add the property weights, which may be found in these files:
PMSASPWT.EXE -- SAS transport files.
PMASCPWT.EXE -- Fixed-column ASCII files.
These ZIP archives include documentation files.
In order to add the property weights to your existing multifamily data, you need to match ID variable in the existing data with the ID variable in the property weight file. The SAS version of the ZIP file includes a sample SAS program which demonstrates how to do this. If you are using the ASCII files, how you match the data will depend on the software you are using. Because of the variety of analysis software in use, HUD is unable to provide detailed instructions.
If you have not yet downloaded the multifamily data, then use one of these files:
PMSASMLT.EXE -- SAS transport files.
PMASCMLT.EXE -- Fixed-column ASCII files.
PMDBFMLT.EXE -- dBASE format.
The property weights have already been merged into the SAS transport file. The ASCII ZIP file contains a separate file containing the property weights and IDs. These must be merged with the main file by matching IDs.
There are no property weights for the POMS single family data set, because they are not needed. The unit weights (the SWEIGHT variable) and the property weights are the same for single-family properties.
These files are available on magnetic tape or CD-ROM. They can be ordered from the Administrative and Customer Services Division, Customer Services (Order Desk), Bureau of the Census, Washington, DC 20233.


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First pieces for Meredith Sculpture Walk installed
MEREDITH — Downtown Meredith, already known for its attractive buildings and shops, is now getting artsy.
The first art pieces of the new Meredith Sculpture Walk are being installed on sculpture "pods" that are being set up in visible spots around town by the Greater Meredith Program.
By summer's end, 24 sculptures by New England artists will be in place, as the program makes further improvements to its award-winning downtown area, said Elizabeth Lapham, executive director of the Greater Meredith Program.
The artworks will be replaced with new sculptures each year until the town's 250th anniversary in 2018.
"We think this will be a terrific energizing draw to the downtown area," Lapham said.
Lapham's husband, Bev Lapham, said the idea is to draw the thousands of drivers passing through town during the summer months to stop to get a better look at the downtown area.
"In the summertime, Meredith grows in population from 6,000 to about 35,000 people," he said. "It's a win-win for the town, it's great for artists and it's great for us, it should bring more attention to our beautiful downtown."
The idea came from two art exhibits that were erected by businesses downtown two years ago.
"We realized there was a place for more public art in Meredith," Bev Lapham said.
Program officials put out a Call to Artists on April 15 to about 200 artists in New England. They received 33 applications from artists, and now have 51 pieces of sculpture to choose from. All are on loan from the artists, and will be returned next year and replaced with new art.
A Greater Meredith Program "jury" chose the art works carefully, he said."The jury was very cautious to avoid anything too controversial, and we made sure not to have too many sharp edges on the sculptures for safety reasons," he said.
Among the artworks that went up Wednesday was a sculpture of a giant hand called "Advantage" by sculptor Steve Green of Lee. It was made using granite from Milford.Program officials said they will be creating a walking map for visitors to tour the artworks, which will have plaques bearing the name of the artist and artist's website.
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SoCalGas offers great opportunities for paid internships.
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City OKs change in cable provider
Polk County Enterprise - March 2009
LIVINGSTON — City offi cials approved a request Tuesday from Rapid Cable to transfer the cable television franchise to RB 3, LLC and heard from Texas Department of Transportation staff members about upcoming projects in the city. RB 3 has been operating the local cable system since December, about the same time as all of Rapid Cable's assets were transferred to them. RB 3 asked for the transfer at a prior city council meeting and the council asked Georgia Crump, an attorney with Lloyd Gosslink & Associates to review the matter. Crump reported back to City Attorney Gaffney Phillips recommending the city agree to the cable company's transfer request, without waiving the city's right to collect an estimated $4,500 in franchise fees. Pursuing legal action to collect the fees is not likely to be successful, Phillips said. Tom Semtimphelter, who operated the now defunct Rapid Cable and currently manages RB 3, says neither company can pay the franchise fees due for connections that used city-owned utility poles from June through November. RB 3 made a payment of $869.01 Monday for the one month it took over cable operations. Based on Crump's communication with Semtimphelter, there may be another sale pending, Phillips told the council. The city will have another opportunity to collect franchise fees from the buyer if RB 3 is sold. In either case, the cable franchise expires in 2011 and any cable television companies operating in Livingston will have to arrange franchise agreements with the Public Utility Commission. Alderman Ray Hill and Mayor Pro Tem Judy Cochran both expressed their concerns over citizen complaints each of them had heard about cable service. RB 3's representative at Tuesday's meeting assured the council that local technicians would be available for service calls 24 hours a day which should address complaints about lengthy outages. Another issue about payments made to technicians in the fi eld should be resolved by a change in offi ce policy, he added. TxDOT Area Engineer Kevin Harbuck told the council that TxDOT will widen FM 350 from U.S. 190 to U.S. 59 by adding a one to two foot shoulder on each side of the roadway to improve safety. Harbuck added that the project will have to be timed to avoid conflict with the city's installation of new water lines and other construction planned in connection with the new high school campus on FM 350. Alderman Ray Luna questioned the effectiveness of a one-foot shoulder and Harbuck said it would eliminate much of the danger of log trucks and other traffic dropping a tire off the edge of the roadway. Those drop-offs often cause the driver to overcorrect and collide with oncoming traffic or lose control and hit a fixed object near the roadway. High numbers of drop-offs also damage the roadway, Harbuck said. Harbuck is also talking with engineers planning the entrance from FM 350 onto the new high school campus. That project will require the addition of acceleration and deceleration lanes to FM 350 near the entrance. Harbuck said FM 350 was high on TxDOT's list of areas that need additional safety features. Another area considered but not scheduled was rehabilitating SH 146, but utility lines need to be moved before work can begin there. When the district can secure funds they will add inlay on Hwy. 146 south to Garner Street. Mayor Clarke Evans also asked Harbuck about future plans to improve safety where Houston Street merges into Washington Street just before it intersects with Loop 59 and the area of Business 59 (Pan American Street) near the Southpoint Shopping Center. TxDOT recently changed the barrier that prevents motorists from turning left from Business 59 into the shopping center, but drivers are now attempting a U-turn just north of the entrance. Harbuck said TxDOT can do another safety study on both areas if the council sends a letter requesting the study. Other changes are anticipated for North Washington to improve access as the county jail is expanded. A speed reduction also may be needed there, according to Harbuck. Harbuck also told the council that a committee is studying the Highway 190 corridor to expand it to a four-lane divided highway across Texas from El Paso to Bon Wier. When completed, the highway would tie Fort Bliss, Fort Hood and Fort Polk as well as several other military bases. "This will be a major military route needed to tie them together for national defense," Harbuck said. TxDOT District Safety Engineer Herbert Bickley explained speed zone studies to council members. Traffic surveyors use radar to determine actual speeds over two hours or 125 vehicles as they pass the survey team. Most survey results show that 85 percent of drivers are traveling at safe and prudent speeds, according to Bickley. Survey teams also look at driveways and other access points, sight distances and curves during the study. "New issues develop when the public thinks the speed is too slow and law enforcement officers believe it's too slow," Bickley said. In some cases, city officials want a speed limit of 35 miles per hour but 85 percent of the traffic is driving 45. TxDOT can set a speed limit that varies by seven miles per hour, or if there are a high number of accidents, they can go up to 12, Bickley said. According to Bickley, the intersection of South Washington and South Houston has a posted speed of 55 miles per hour, but most traffic was moving at 54. Since motorists are traveling at posted speeds, enforcement is not an issue there. Bickley added that the width of the interchange adds to driver confusion. Drivers have trouble discerning what other cars are going to do. Sight lines were blocked at the time Bickley looked at the intersection Tuesday. He said they may consider eliminating parking on that portion of South Washington. Management District proposal City officials plan to schedule a workshop for further study of a proposal by Anthony Properties to create a municipal management district on property the company is currently developing on U.S. 190 near U.S. 59. Prior to the presentation, Evans recused himself from the discussion due to his earlier involvement with Anthony Properties as part of his real estate business. The company is seeking to create a municipal management district which would be on their own property and handle infrastructure improvements such as surface roads, water and wastewater services. The district would pay for these improvements by levying taxes on Anthony Properties. The company would recapture that investment from businesses who lease or buy space in the development. The district would be established by a special bill that requires approval by the Texas legislature. The operating rules are specified in a development agreement. Frank Nuchereno, president of Anthony Properties, told the council shifting priorities among the company's active project have prompted them to "push hard" on Livingston projects. Tertiary communities that are continuing to grow are in a better position to get financing than projects in big towns, according to Nuchereno. "In our office there are 20 projects — 18 are dead. This one has life so we're pressing harder than I would under different conditions," Nuchereno said. City officials have been hesitant to agree to creating such a district since other businesses have been able to build developments without creating a new political subdivision. Nuchereno contends the bill sponsor could add a line specifying that a development agreement that meets city official's approval has to be executed or the legislation creating the district is void. "There is an economic benefit to both the city and us," Nuchereno said. "This is unique to this piece of land and not the northeast corner of U.S. 190 and 59 or any other property." Nuchereno further contends the fact that Livingston does not assess ad valorem taxes does not attract retailers to this development. He said a KFC franchise holder completely discounted the tax advantage saying it could change at any time. "The new high school is our savior," Nuchereno said. Anthony Properties would supply all the background material necessary and city officials can sit down with its own legal team and poke holes in the proposal. Later in his explanation, Nuchereno said the management district essentially does the same thing as a Municipal Utility District (MUD) except it would take much less time than the nine months needed for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to approve it. Similar management districts have been created in Friendswood, Terrell and the Greenspoint area in Houston, according to Nuchereno. At the close of Nuchereno's proposal the council had reached a consensus to schedule a workshop for further discussion. COUNCIL From Page 1A
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text:
Deadmau5 Coffee Mug - Splatter
Description of Deadmau5 Coffee Mug - Splatter
Black, ceramic Deadmau5 coffee mugs showcasing a splattered Mau5head logo on one side. This is a full color graphic featuring primary colors, red, blue and yellow.
The artists stage name is written at the top of the design. These are dishwasher safe when you put them in the top rack and make an excellent gift for anyone who loves electronic music.
Deadmau5 is an exceptional Canadian musician who produces electronic music that is recognized internationally. The man behind the mouse headdress is Joel Zimmerman, a groovy 21st century guy who helped create Fruity loops as we know it today.
Need to find a few really cool Deadmau5 Shirts? We've got them here!
Products related to Deadmau5 Coffee Mug - Splatter
Deadmau5 T-Shirt - Logo
Deadmau5 Beanie - Striped
Deadmau5 Beanie - Ears


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Laura Isensee's Biography
Laura Isensee covers education for KUHF, including K-12 and higher education.
Previously, she was a staff reporter at The Miami Herald and regularly contributed to WLRN, the local NPR affiliate and Miami Herald news partner.
In 2012, Laura won first place in politics reporting from the Society of Professional Journalists' Green Eyeshade Awards for her work with Miami Herald reporter Jay Weaver on shadow-banking in Miami politics.
Laura grew up in Houston and got her start in journalism in the city, when she reported for a Spanish-language paper and the Houston Chronicle. Her work has also appeared in The Dallas Morning News,Reuters and Clarín, one of Argentina's major newspapers. Laura studied Spanish and liberal arts at the University of Texas at Austin and earned her masters from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
Follow her on Twitter @lauraisensee.