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DUNEDIN — Mary Jo Blair didn't know that when school ended Dec. 1, 2006, she wouldn't be back the next day. Or ever again as band director at Dunedin Highland Middle School.
Now the woman who directed the band for 18 years wants her students to know why. So, she has planned a reunion with a potential guest list of 4,000.
"I want to see my former band students," said Blair, who also thinks of the gathering as the retirement party she never had. "I won't turn anyone away. We'll move outside the Dunedin Community Center if everyone comes."
• • •
Four years ago on Blair's 64th birthday, she left school knowing something was wrong. She just didn't know what.
For months, she had not been able to concentrate. She had stopped cooking, something she loved to do. And she couldn't muster energy to shop for new shoes, though her feet got wet when it rained because her soles had cracked. Life felt too hard.
"I had a hormonal imbalance and overactive thyroid that kept me from sleeping more than three hours a night," Blair said. "I was exhausted. My husband was home to take me to dinner and asked if I was all right. I said, 'No. I can't live like this anymore.' "
That night, her husband took her to Morton Plant Hospital, where a doctor Baker Acted her for three days because he feared she might harm herself, though she said she never had any such intentions.
She went on sick leave, then short-term disability as her doctor attempted to diagnose her problem. She retired in April 2007.
"I didn't know I wasn't coming back," Blair said. "I felt as if I'd abandoned my students and fell into a depression."
She continued to struggle with the illness, taking a variety of medicines and trying to get well. But then this year she experienced a breakthrough.
"On the way to my granddaughter's first birthday party, around the beginning of June, I was listening to Joyce Meyer CDs," she said of the bestselling author who's touted as one of the world's leading practical Bible teachers. "Until then, I hadn't been able to listen to music at all, not for four years.
"A few days later, I changed. It was a miracle from God. In an instant, my mind came back clear, clearer than it had been before I was sick. In the process of all that, he (God) healed my thyroid. I'm off all medicines now."
Blair says she has completely recovered.
She gets more rest these days but is full of ideas. Ways to support the Dunedin band. Plans for future reunions.
She also volunteers at Dunedin helping the current band director, David Mason, who was hired as her replacement in 2007.
"Mary Jo is great person, and I'm honored to follow her and direct these band students," said Mason, who plans to attend the reunion.
Also attending will be Bill Allen, 84, the middle school's first band director. Blair replaced Allen when he retired in 1988 after teaching for more than 33 years. Allen lives in Virginia and taught Blair and Mason as Dunedin students.
"Mary Jo has always been such a kind person, an angel working with the band," Bill Allen said from his home in Virginia. "When Mary Jo was sick, my wife and I traveled to visit her, but she didn't want to see us for more than a couple of minutes.
"I prayed she and John would someday have a normal life again. Then one day she called. I thought hearing her voice was nothing short of a miracle. I don't have the time or imagination to say what's in my heart, but I will have a joyous time at the reunion."
• • •
A late 1950s black and white photograph on the band room wall shows Blair in her student band uniform. Photographs of her as a director are displayed, too. They document band trips to Washington, D.C., and New York at the Statue of Liberty.
"Four of my students went on to be band directors," said Blair, who moved to Dunedin 61 years ago at age 7. "One played at Carnegie Hall."
Word of mouth about the reunion spread. Blair gets daily phone calls, letters and e-mails.
"I believe you jump-started my success and so many students' (successes) at Dunedin Middle," Tatianna Pizzutto, a Florida State University pre-med student and former Dunedin band member, wrote to Blair via Facebook on Nov. 16.
• • •
Today Blair has fun with her grandchildren, Tyler, 11 and Finley, 18 months. She enjoys time with John, her husband of 48 years, and thanks her son, Mark, her daughter, Barbara, and their families for all they've been through with her.
And Blair is back teaching private saxophone lessons.
"My youngest student is 11 and my oldest is 51," said Blair, who has played the saxophone since age 14.
"The band at Dunedin had been my life," Blair said. "I didn't want my school career to end that way. I developed close relationships with students over the years and this is my chance to reclaim the band family I've so missed."


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Health Briefs, June 22, 2010
Lab assesses wheelchair back supports
Need help to determine what back support is appropriate to address the health, comfort and functional objectives of your client? Assistive Technology Partners has a learning lab that analyzes the features of a variety of wheelchair back supports and discusses the clinical indications for their use. Some of the more commonly available commercial wheelchair back supports and customized, specialty products are under review.
The learning labs are at 2:30 p.m. the second Thursday of the month through web-based technology at the Western Slope Technical Assistance Center, WesTAC, at the Mesa County Workforce Center, 2897 North Ave.
Hospital gives seminar on back pain
St. Mary's Hospital is offering a free back pain seminar for participants to learn how the spine works and what you may be doing every day that could cause back pain and contribute to more serious, future problems.
The presentation is offered by the physical therapists with St. Mary's Rehabilitation Services. The meeting is from 2–3:30 p.m. Thursday in the Grand Mesa Room on the second floor of the St. Mary's Life Center, 1100 Patterson Road, Entrance 40.

subset: commoncrawl


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PrymeStriker wrote:miketrafficwala wrote:Mr. bay is the great director i like his movies Avenger and the latest one Dark night rises.
Michael Bay didn't direct either of those movies. He didn't have any part in those movies for that matter. We're discussing whether or not Michael Bay watched those films for inspiration.
The Avengers was directed by Joss Whedon and The Dark Night Rises was directed by Christopher Nolan
Just a hunch, but I think you're replying to one of those advertising spam generating bots, or whatever they're called. The AI tries to replicate a normal discussion, creating a stilted approximation of an actual post.
Coudl be wrong, though.


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Reviews // 4 Articles
Blogs // 5 Articles
Media // 3 Articles
The 70 Best Albums of 2010
23 Dec 2010 // 5:00 PM
The year's best albums are highlighted by the emergence of a future superstar, two veteran and virtuoso rappers, and a Dream Team of indie bands releasing career peaks.
Sigur Rós Stun Radio City Music Hall with Fantastic, Gorgeous Show (photos)
14 Oct 2016 // 6:00 AM
Sigur Rós remain a powerful force as they tour as a three piece outfit, without any additional strings or brass sections.
Jónsi: We Bought a Zoo (Soundtrack)
12 Jan 2012 // 4:00 PM
Jónsi has lovingly crafted a fantastic soundtrack, but it is the lack of brilliant new compositions that prevents the We Bought a Zoo soundtrack from being a fantastic album.
Jónsi Song "Gathering Stories" Receives Animated Video Treatment
9 Jan 2012 // 1:00 AM
The team behind movie We Bought a Zoo may be disappointed with their marketing decisions (another Dad in the dumps too close to The Descendants
Jónsi Interview: Ready to Go at Moogfest
16 Nov 2010 // 3:00 AM
A short interview speaks volumes about the artist's life and approach to music


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Artist description:
this is one of my paintings that i did on a canvas and i decided to do it in ratemydrawings.com.
Flash Draw Created Sep 26, 2009 470 x 338px Unless noted Copyright 2009 Dagul.
We encourage you to submit a comment and let the artist know what you think of this drawing. Please log in or join to post a comment.
Post a comment
Anniebee Sep 26, 2009
nice draw
Page 1


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September 20, 2017
Currently: 79° — Complete forecast
The Deseret News, Hugh Carey / AP
Federal Courthouse employees evacuate as police investigate a shooting inside the Federal Courthouse, Monday, April 21, 2014, in Salt Lake City. The shooting has left at least one person injured, a spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney said.
© Las Vegas Sun, 2017, All Rights Reserved


text:
A Senate dancer partner Rubio would die for
House Speaker Marco Rubio's proposal to swap property taxes on primary homes for higher sales tax went down in flames last year after the Senate rebuffed the idea as a tax hike.
But in Indiana, the two legislative chambers may be headed toward agreement that would make it the first state to adopt such an idea (subject to voter approval). Check out this story from the Indy Star.
"It looks like this is getting legs and picking up steam," said Sen. Michael Young, R-Indianapolis, one of two authors of the amendment. "The people of this state have a pretty decent chance of seeing their homestead property taxes disappear."


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- //Home
- //Music
- //Reviews
- //Brandon Wiard
Wiard for Waits's Wierdness?
A lot of the coverage of Brandon Wiard's music has used his surname—which the press materials insist should be pronounced 'wired'—as a springboard for analogies about how 'wired' his music is. Songs are said to be 'in the zone', hitting all the melodic sweet spots, breathing new life into the singer-songwriter and power-pop genres. At the risk of being unoriginal, I am going to do the same. I am going to compare Michigan-based Brandon Wiard to Wired magazine. Yes, that Wired.
If musical cliches are bits of code drawn from disparate computer languages, then Wiard is a hacker prodigy. He has mastered the art of pop in a rather clinical way, utilizing can't-miss hooks and other elements that recall the Beach Boys, Wilco and Elvis Costello. He has programmed them into this blissful album, his second release. Wiard takes elements as diverse as Brian Wilson harmonies and propulsive, anthemic '90s alt basslines, and he engineers them together to provoke the desired response—a sense of familiarity-driven fulfillment, the joy of pop's pleasurable cliches.
Brandon Wiard
Painting a Burning Building
US: 10 Aug 2004
UK: Available as import
"Already in Amazement" opens with white-boy vocal harmonizing that recalls the Beach Boys, inflecting it into a string of infectious power-pop hooks. Tracks like "Miss Michigan", "I Write This Songs" and "KMS" seem to belong to a '90s alt-power-pop band like Third Eye Blind or Gin Blossoms, manipulating the listener through the sheer catchiness of the melodies. Slower tracks like "Caroline" and "Since You've Gone Away" gleefully channel the spirit of Elvis Costello.
Based on the first nine tracks, Painting a Burning Building is an enjoyable romp, though nothing remotely life-changing. But the latter tracks—kooky, unpredictable, trailblazing—defeat expectations. Here Wiard is less a Warhol-like maker of pastiche than weird-nik visionary like Tom Waits or Mike Patton. The obvious computer-related analogies suggested by the earlier tracks—"monopolizing good music, make mine Microsoft"—no longer apply.
"The Old Heartless Sun" opens with hushed and syncopated beats. Mournful church organs enter, like a gentler, more comprehensible version of Radiohead's "Idioteque". Wiard turns over his singing to the pretty, lulling vocals of Kara Dupuy. Around the 2:00 mark, she stops singing: the song's gentle sympathy is scrapped in the face of nightmarish, blaring electronica. The song is invaded by Wiard's multiple counterpoint vocals, chanted like a mantra to invoke the mercy of the gods. Think "Pink Elephants on Parade"—without the Disney sheen. Finally, the song segues into a sea shanty choir, ending with a call-and-response sequence in which Wiard's dueling lyrics evoke horrible shipwreck imagery.
The final two tracks, "Second Story" and "Seeing You in No Time", are mini-opuses, stream-of-consciousness suites that emerge from Wiard's fevered imagination. For almost twenty minutes, varied delights emerge like snippets of new tracks and deviant mutations of old ones. They are interspersed with eerie Mogwai-like soundscapes. Though not Tom Waits in form, these two tracks are certainly Tom Waits in substance: a primordial soup of alternative worlds channeled by a mind working outside standard music structures.
Painting a Burning Building may seem schizophrenic due its wildly differing portions—pop genius in the first eight tracks, and potential trailblazer in the last three. Yet the album mirrors Brandon Wiard's artistic development: the dilemma of commercial success versus eccentric godhood.
Rising Appalachia 'Alive' (album stream) (premiere) // Music
Lost Bayou Ramblers "Allons a Lafayette" (video) (premiere) // Music
Jean Caffeine "Winter of Hate" (video) (premiere) // Music
"No Dollars in Duende": On Making Uncompromising, Spirited Music
// Sound Affects
"On the elusive yet clearly existential sadness that adds layers and textures to music.READ the article


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The Witch's Bracelet
Reads: 334 | Likes: 0 | Shelves: 0 | Comments: 19
Short Story by: thumblina
This story is EDITED BY Ben A Vanguarde
plot;-This a story about twin sisters Electra and Akira,they discover that they are witches..one uses her powers to help others and the other one for evil but the good witch traps and the bad doings of the evil witch for 400 years
but fate makes Eve release the wicked witch Electra and causes problems and want to kill Eve and steal new born children age to stay young and alive
so does ELectra succeed or does Akira her twin sister and Eve put a stop to the bad intentions of Electra
read it to find out the end of the story
please leave comments
The Witch's Bracelet
Five hundred years ago, in a small farming village far from the capital city, lived a pleasant couple named Charles and Jane. After five years of marriage his lovely wife Jane began to swell with a child. In time, twins Electra and Akira were born.
When Electra and Akira were 6 years old the parents and town people could clearly recognize the difference between the identical twins. Akira was a lovable, kind, and helpful. She tried to help animals and birds to heal from their wounds. Once cured, she would let them go by kissing them good bye. She cared for her dolls as if real children. Akira combed their hair, changed their clothes, bathed them clean, washed their clothes, and sang songs to them. Akira loved to help her mother in their garden and soon gave names to all of the plants.
Standing in stark contrast, Electra pulled the heads from her dolls, rip their clothes off, and stomp and grind the dolls with her full weight into the dirt. Then, Electra would lie and say that Akira had broken her doll and demand Akira's doll. In the garden, Electra crushed the rose petals in her hands instead of putting the pretty flowers into the vase on the kitchen table. When innocent butterflies chanced to rest upon Electra, she clasped their wings and set the hapless butterfly on the outside table. There, her face delighted as she slowly tore the wings from the butterfly's body.
Jane worried about Electra's behaviour. Jane told her about right and wrong and tried to reason with Electra. But it always resulted in the same behaviour; Electra would blankly stare and then run off screaming to sit by herself in a swing under a big tree at the far end of the property.
On their eighteenth birthday, Electra and Akira tended the grape vines when they saw a hawk swoop down upon a flying sparrow. Akira reflexively said, "I wish I could protect that little sparrow from the hawk." The little bird changed course and headed straight to Akira's outstretched hand. The hawk changed course and flew to his perch in the large tree with the swing. Akira kissed the little bird and gently lifted her hand to signal it time to leave. "You're safe little sparrow. We'll see you another day."
"How did you do that?" asked Electra.
"Make a wish and see what happens, Electra," replied Akira.
Electra said, "I wish my hair would change from brown to blonde." After a few seconds her hair became an unnatural platinum blonde. "This is so great. I want a book of spells and potions so that I can make other people like me, like they like Akira."
"What happened to your hair, Electra?" demanded Jane. The girls told them what happened in the vineyard.
"Are we really witches, mom?" asked Akira.
"I have heard it being passed to twins in my family before but that was long, long ago." Jane was pleased Akira had this power because she knew it would only be used for good. "Remember girls, your powers are only to be used for good. Otherwise you will destroy yourselves." Jane was frightened to think of Electra misusing the powers.
She told Akira to watch over Electra and if she did anything wrong and use her evil powers Akira had to stop her immediately and not stop just because she was her sister. They grew older and Akira used her powers for the good and helped the needy. But, as her mother feared, Electra used her powers for evil. She conjured a portion to stay young forever. This potion needed to be repeated weekly and required Electra to kill one baby animal a week to steal it's life force.
No matter how hard or what Akira tried, Electra would harm Akira to prevent her from stopping her practices. Akira knew she had to stop Electra for everybody's good but she could not figure out what to do. In tears, Akira walked into town and stood atop the foot bridge which overlooked a slow moving creek. Legend said that a river fairy lived in the water and that she provided comfort to the despondent.
Popping her head back from a trance, Akira knew just what to do. To stop Electra from doing more harm, Akira used her powers to seal the book. She created a special bracelet, one that was a simple silver broad based with just one purple gemstone in the centre. Simple but elegant.
Akira presented the bracelet to her sister. Electra was surprised to receive the gift but clasped it on her wrist. "May you reside in the hidden compartment of this bracelet unable to use your evil spells."
As the spell began to take effect upon Electra, she shouted, "May you turn into one of your little animals." Electra disappeared into the bracelet and the bracelet dropped on the floor. A plain white housecat struggled out of the pile of clothes Electra had been wearing.
Though a cat, Akira immediately locked the bracelet inside the book and pushed to book into the storage cellar under the house where canned goods were stored. Akira guarded the house and garden for 400 years.
Nana Mary loved to tell stories to her granddaughter Eve. "After all these years, legend says Akira still guards the book and her sister. The house fell down years ago and no one ever lived in that pile of rubble. I saw Akira the cat a few times when I was a kid, like you."
"Tomorrow Daddy and his men will bulldoze that land. Do you think the witche's bracelet is still there?"
"Oh, that's right. They're gonna begin building that new mall out there. Why yes, I believe its still there. Someone should save Akira, Electra, and the book, but who? Now go to sleep, honey."
Eve's father James was the new mall construction superintendent. As he left early to go to work, Eve awoke and begged her father to save the old cat and look for a magic book for her.
By noon the workers had found the old bound book and retrieved the old cat. Everyone knew the boss's daughter liked to collect antique stuff.
James returned home late that night. Eve was fast asleep so he left the old book and the Bracelet on her table. He kissed his daughter on her cheek, set the confused cat next to her, and left the room.
In the dead of the night, Eve was awoken from her sleep by a curious light on her table. Startled to see the light came from the book, she screamed. Nana got up and hurried to Eve's room. Both Eve and Nana looked at each other and then back to the light emitting book of spells. Neither knew what to do.
Nana told Eve that it was not a good idea to wear the bracelet and open the spell book as it would only cause trouble. Nana took book and bracelet and hid them in her closet. Nana told Eve to go to bed but Eve could not sleep because her mind conjured up images of what the might be inside the beautiful purple stone bracelet.
The next day without telling her Nana she wore the bracelet and Electra was freed. "You have released me from the spell. Now you have to die, little girl".
Eve screeched aloud and her old grandma ran up the stairs to find Electra stealing Eve's age and her body, as well. Immediately, Nana tossed a handful of turmeric powder at Electra. Electra cursed Nana and turned her into an ant.
Nana watched Electra fly away with Eve. Nana found Akira and asked for help.
Akira was upset at first but then told Nana that the way to get rid of Electra was to trap her back in the bracelet, smash it to pieces, set fire to it, and wash off the ashes with salt. But, all this must be done when there is no moon.
Akira and Nana found Electra hiding under the old big tree, which had fallen and lay rotting. Electra kept Eve in captivity because she could not steal the life force of any child not showing fear. Eve knew this of the legend.
Back at home, Nana and Akira waited until the day dawned and there was no moon in the sky. Akira pawed through the book of spells left behind and cast a spell on the bracelet to sing a very sweet song and enchant Electra.
Ready, Akira cleared the sky and the bracelet sang the sweet song which covered the sky and reached Electra's ears and she immediately went onto the trance and followed the song into the secret storage section of the bracelet. Back under the tree, Nana the ant chewed off the bonds of Eve. Eve picked up the bracelet and Nana and ran to her house.
Eve found a hammer belonging to her father, James, put the bracelet on the table and smashed it to pieces. Then, she set the pieces on fire and later dissolved the ashes with water and threw the remains down the drain.
They joyously hugged each other until they witnessed Akira suddenly drop to the floor dead. After a few seconds, the spirit of Akira stood before them, as young and beautiful as she was the day she became transfigured.
Akira blew a kiss to the ant and the Ant again turned back into Eve's grandma.
Akira bent down to Eve. "Now I am free. Electra is dead and my work here is done. Thank you for setting me free."
Nana and Eve waved Akira good bye as the spirit vanished.
© Copyright 2017 thumblina. All rights reserved.
Add Your Comments:
A nice little witch story and a good moral, Thumblina. I enjoyed it.
Very well crafted and entertaining story. It was an easy read the way you formatted it. Most enjoyable!
Nicely written and very imaginative. Another winner for you.
Very imaginative, an intersting read.
thats too nice han . very well written .. i like it . :) :) TC
I liked it. This is the first book I have read for the contest. Good luck!
Well done. Shows lots of imagination and was easy to read.
I was drawn to this as I'm writing a novel about someone who gets the ability to wish. I think this was really good, I loved the message at the end. You have a great imagination! keep up the writing and never let it die inside you :)
I really enjoyed and I loved the storyline, well done
Very imaginative lovely fantasy story :)
there are some grammatical errors but overall a cute lil story ..about how good wins over evil!@
Wow, Fantastic :)
good work :D
very very good :D le applaus~ :{D
a very imaginative and captivating story.... very nicely written...loved the way you end it...!!!
title attracted me, had nice folkloric quality
Cool story! ^_^
I could easily imagine this being in a fairy tale book or something like that.
i love witches. especially bad ones :D
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Adam Sandler's new movie opened this weekend to terrible reviews and the worst came not from critics, but from a group of child advocates. They are so infuriated by the comic's attempt at humor that they've created a protest petition that's drawn thousands of signatures.
The objections center on the premise of "That's My Boy": The story line follows the relationship between the main character (played by Sandler) and a son that he had with his teacher when he was 13 years old.
The movie (which I haven't
lost two hours of my life to seen) apparently treats this episode as a big joke, as if the main character was a young stud.
"To suggest in advertisements that Donny's relationship with his teacher makes him a 'legend' is reprehensible and irresponsible. It perpetuates our reluctance as a society to engage in a healthy dialogue about the realities of child sexual abuse," reads the petition created by the childhood sexual abuse prevention group Darkness to Light.
Sandler fans (assuming the breed exists) may dismiss the petition as coming from overly zealous folks who can't take a joke.
There are a few problems with that argument.
First, it opened just as media attention to child sex abuse is at a height with the trial of Jerry Sandusky, accused of abusing several young men during his time as a coach and mentor. With the victims' public testimony, we have been reminded just how deeply unfunny the subject is.
Second, the movie is marketed and clearly made for young men. This is exactly the demographic that needs to better understand that power dynamics of a sexual relationship between teens and mentors can leave lasting damage.
They need to know to speak up and out against sexual manipulation. They need to know if they are victimized, they will be supported, not ridiculed. They need to know that if one of their peers is trapped in this kind of situation, the kid needs help.
It's a problem that's more pervasive than we may realize.
While the Sandusky trial is getting national headlines, just on Sunday, the Post's local section had a story about two alleged Maryland teacher-student sexual relationships and another about a Virginia swim coach's alleged sexual contact with a minor.
Darkness to Light's petition asks that producers, "publicly [acknowledge] that the movie features a relationship amounting to statutory rape; [add] a disclaimer along the same lines to the movie's opening credits; and [create and promote] public service announcements that educate adults about child sexual abuse and empower them to protect the children in their lives."
As of this morning, the petition had drawn more than 5,000 signatures.
What do you think? Is it best that an offensive, forgettable, comic vehicle be ignored? Or should it be publicly protested?
Related content:
In Sandusky trial, testimony shows how suspicions led to silence
Sandusky, Horace Mann, Manassas & sexual abuse: Has the culture changed enough?


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Pumpkin Festival at Shepherd's Cross
Claremore, OK 74017
Celebrate fall with pumpkins, hayrides and harvest educational activities at Shepherd's Cross, an authentic working...Learn More
Celebrate fall with pumpkins, hayrides and harvest educational activities at Shepherd's Cross, an authentic working...Learn More
Once a month, downtown Claremore transforms into a community hub teeming with people. During Food Truck Thursday,...Learn More
Travel back in time to 1955 for a hip-swiveling, lip-curling musical that will have you jumping out of your blue...Learn More
Bring the entire family out to the annual Route 66 Cruisers Cruise-In & Car Show in Claremore to celebrate classic...Learn More
Travel to the Hub City Arts Festival in Clinton for great art, music, food and more. The day kicks off with a sanctioned...Learn More
Come to the Stafford Air & Space Museum in Weatherford for a full day of high-flying festivities at Wings Over...Learn More
Visit the annual P Bar Farms Haunted Maze in Weatherford for a scary good time. When it gets dark on certain nights in...Learn More
Shoppers are invited to hit the annual Western Oklahoma Historical Society Flea Market for plenty of bargain-priced...Learn More
Take an invigorating bike ride through the rolling hills of Rogers County on the Dickens of a Ride Bicycle Tour. This...Learn More
Bring the family and enjoy the annual Elk City Chili Cook-Off at the Farm and Ranch Museum. Come hungry and sample...Learn More


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MOSCOW – A Russian central banker who fought to clean up his country's murky banking system died early on Thursday from gunshot wounds after being ambushed by assassins in what police said was a contract 'hit'.
The killing of Andrei Kozlov, 41, a respected first deputy chairman of the Central Bank, was the highest-profile assassination in Moscow during the six years President Vladimir Putin has been in power.
Kozlov had led a fearless campaign to close banks suspected of involvement in money laundering. Gunmen fired on him as he left a football match between bank employees on Wednesday night.
Kozlov fell to the ground bleeding from the head and chest and was rushed to hospital, where he died a few hours later after emergency surgery. His driver was killed on the spot.
"Andrei Kozlov died early this morning," Inna Sigeyeva, a deputy chief doctor at Moscow's Hospital No. 33, told Reuters.
His murder plunged Russia's financial establishment into shock. With his department closing banks at the rate of two or three a week, Kozlov had no shortage of enemies and his colleagues said he had paid the ultimate price for his zeal.
"He was at the cutting edge of the battle against financial crime. He was a very brave and honest man and through his activity he repeatedly encroached on the interests of unprincipled financiers," Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin said in a tribute.
Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov, leading a minute's silence at a cabinet meeting, said Kozlov's death was a great loss.
Anatoly Chubais, chief executive of Russia's electricity monopoly, described the murder as an "impudent challenge" to Russia's political class. "The response of the authorities must be tough, prompt and pitiless," he said.
Only last week, Kozlov had called at a banking forum in the southern city of Sochi for much tougher penalties against bankers found guilty of money laundering.
Russia's financial markets are used to unpleasant surprises. The RTS stock index rallied by 1.4 percent and state-controlled Sberbank, Russia's biggest bank, gained 2 percent in early trading.
Kozlov's killing, with its grim echo of the often violent years of Boris Yeltsin's rule, was uncomfortable news for Putin who has consistently trumpeted the stability he has brought to Russia in the year Moscow heads the G8 group of economic powers.
After overseeing years of rapid economic growth, Putin now wants a trouble-free political climate in which to prepare an orderly presidential succession in 2008.
Al Breach, chief economist at Swiss bank UBS, said the murder could unsettle investors, though it was unlikely to change the overall investment climate.
"It will remind people of political risk before the presidential elections," he told Reuters.
The Kremlin declined immediate comment on Kozlov's killing.
Russia has about 1,200 banks. Many of them are tiny outfits with little capital and banking experts say allegations of malpractice are common.
"They assassinated Kozlov because he withdrew bank licenses. It is horrible that these attacks still happen in Russia. The government must find the killers," Vladislav Reznik, chairman of the State Duma (parliament)'s financial committee, told Reuters.
Russia's banking system grew out of chaos after the collapse of the Soviet Union when violence was a part of doing business. One analyst said the attack showed the sector had still not shaken off its past.
Contract-style killings of wealthy businessmen and bankers were common in the 1990s but they tapered off after Putin came to power in 2000.
Kozlov's killing is the highest profile attack in the capital since Chubais escaped unscathed from an assassination attempt in March 2005 when his motorcade was attacked.
In the only other attacks on top state banking officials, shots were fired through a window in 1997 at the then Central Bank chief Sergei Dubinin.
Kozlov, who was married with three children, started at what was then the Soviet central bank at the age of 24. He rose quickly through the ranks to become first deputy chairman in 1997. He left two years later for a spell in the private sector, rejoining the central bank in April 2002.


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What are some of the resources available if you believe you have been a target of, or if you are aware of a bias incident or hate crime?
Prior to and during the process of filing a bias incident report, the complainant may receive the counsel and support of an advisor of his or her choice. The advisor may be any member of the Colby community (faculty, staff, coach, or peer) and may provide the complainant with support and guidance. We offer below a list of faculty and staff who can provide support and guidance during the Colby College hate crime and bias incident reporting process and who are committed to expectations of privacy.
- Emily Schusterbauer, Director of the Gender and Sexual Diversity Program/Associate Director of the Pugh Center – 207-859-4093, email@example.com
- Betty Sasaki, Interim Associate Dean of Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity – 207-859-4257, firstname.lastname@example.com
- Joe Atkins, Assistant Dean of Students and Visiting Assistant Professor of Psychology, 207-859-4253, email@example.com
- Kurt Nelson, Dean of Spiritual and Religious Life, 207-859-4272, email@example.com
Other Colby Resources
- Dean on call and/or counselor on call (after hours), 207-859-5911
- Dean of Students Office, 207-859-4250
- Campus Life Office, 207-859-4280
- Security, 207-859-5911
- Hall Staff members
Local, State, and National Resources
- Waterville Police Department, 911 or 207-680-4700
- MaineGeneral Medical Center, 207-872-1300
- Sexual Assault Crisis and Support Center, 207-660-6277
- State hotline, 1-800-871-7741
- Maine Attorney General, 207-626-8800
- Stop the Hate – Program that provides anti-hate tools for colleges and universities
- Teaching Tolerance – 10 ways to fight hate
- ADL Hate Crimes – Statistics and Strategies for Fighting Hate


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SCREENSHOTS: Facebook For iPhone And iPad Updates With What We All Wanted – More Speed
Today Facebook finally released the much-anticipated update to its iPhone and iPad app, adding noticeable speed improvements and easier photo uploads.
We were skeptical at first, but after a few minutes of use we were pleasantly surprised by the supercharged app.
Scrolling through the News Feed is much smoother than before, and photo uploads take no time at all.
Another difference is in the structure of the News Feed. When people "Like" or add comments to status updates, they will show up in real time, eliminating the need to refresh the post to view new comments and Likes.
You can get the update for your iPhone and iPad right here.
Click here to see Facebook's iPhone app update> »
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Reno Child Support Lawyers
Child Support payments are ordered when one spouse obtains primary custody of the children during a divorce in Nevada.
Child Support payments are legally enforceable through court-orders. The parent who does not have custody is usually required to help pay for the expenses of raising a child, such as food, clothing, housing, and medical care. If you believe that the parent of your child is using these payments for other purposes, you should call a Child Support attorney in Reno Nevada.
Reno Child Support Attorneys
Generally, lawyers who practice in Child Support are great at negotiating. These attorneys are regularly called upon by former spouses to settle disputes that have arisen between them.
Furthermore, Child Support lawyers in Reno are sometimes called upon to confront the amount awarded, or to seek enforcement of the award.
If you have a legal issue with Child Support in Nevada, you should contact a Child Support attorney.
Nevada Child Support Attorneys Are Here to Make Sure Your Children Are Financially Covered
If you are having financial difficulties, Child Support lawyers in Nevada can often reduce your required payments by showing the court of your new situation. As well, these skilled attorneys can help you enforce Child Support payments from a parent who is being uncooperative. Whatever the case, you should contact a Reno Child Support attorney to make sure matters do not become more complicated than they need to be.
Find a Reno Lawyer that Specializes in Your Area of Need:
1276 Family Law cases posted to LegalMatch lawyers in Reno
Child Support Lawyers in the Largest NV Cities
Life in Reno
Reno says it's "the biggest little city in the world." Situated in a high desert valley at the foot of the Sierra Nevada, Reno is the seat of Washoe County and home to 220,500 "Reno-ites." It's the fourth most populous city in the State of Nevada behind Las Vegas, Henderson, and North Las Vegas. Like it's compatriots, Reno is best known as a gambling and entertainment destination. Many residents of the Sacramento Valley, San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, San Diego and Phoenix vacation in Reno. Most tourists visit during the annual festivals like the Hot August Nights classic car festival, the world renown Nugget Rib Cook-off, Reno Air Races and the Great Reno Balloon Race. There are a number of themed resorts like Circus Circus but nearly every hotel and resort has great shows. Reno is home and birthplace of Harrah's Entertainment.
The area of Reno and nearby Sparks is known as "Truckee Meadows." The city covers 69.3 square miles which also includes the Reno Events Center that hosts many concerts. There is a large population of students in Reno because University of Nevada, Reno is there. UNR is the oldest university in the State of Nevada and has a medical program that attracts national attention. Truckee Meadows Community College enrolls about 13,000 students. Nevada School of Law at Old College in Reno was the first law school in Nevada. There are a lot of courts in Reno so you shouldn't be surprised there are a lot of lawyers too. Reno lawyers can practice law throughout Nevada and know how to handle your legal issues.


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There is something about sitting with people while sharing a meal that lends itself to comfort and open, engaging conversation. The cynics might say the wine at dinner loosens up the lips and creates a positive feeling but I have seen it happen too much, both with and without the presence of alcoholic beverage, to agree with that cynical view. Having a meal fosters intimacy. It is an invitation to share in a ritual that historically was usually reserved for one alone or with family and close friends. An invitation to dine, especially in one's home, is an invitation to get to know people at their least guarded. It is an invitation to be included in one's closest social circle.
So, it should not be surprising that dinner is the order of the day currently at Darden (pun intended,) for cross cultural engagement. Students are using this cozy and strong interpersonal practice to manifest effective leveraging of diversity. I offer two examples.
In the fall, I became aware of an idea that Darden's chapter of the National Association of Women MBAs was proposing for a diversity fund competition. The idea proposed and eventually sponsored by Darden's Office of Diversity and Inclusion is a Diversity Dinner Series that would run the entire academic year, one dinner per month. Each small group gathering would focus on a topic unique to women and women in business. Efforts were made to keep the group small to ensure group-wide engagement in the conversation, but to also make sure men, alumni, faculty and staff were included. The plan also included ways to expand the conversation beyond the dinner itself but to the community at large. The kick-off dinner was phenomenal. The topic was "How Diversity Creates a Corporate Advantage in the Workplace" and an alumna was invited as a special guest. Dean Bob Bruner was in attendance as well as Sr. Associate Dean and Chief Diversity Officer Peter Rodriguez. I remember the discussion that night being thoughtful, revealing, enlightening and challenging. It was a great way to break bread and break barriers.
For the other example, you will need to access another blog, Global Voices of Darden. I would like to call your attention to the entry dated March 29, 2012 where second-year student Anders Hvelplund shares an experience around small, informal international lunches he and two of his classmates initiated. This effort has grown into the International Business Society club's cross-cultural small group dinners. Anders describes the benefit of Taking Advantage of Our Diversity plus simply having fun at the same time.
In essence, what value is diversity if it is not being explored? Leveraged? Enjoyed? Taken advantage of? At Darden this is not simply something that is optional. It is something students initiate, demand and value.
Kellie Sauls
Director, Diversity Initiatives and Programming
Associate Director of Admissions


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Skip to comments.Corporate money to help pay for Obama inauguration (unlimited sums)
Posted on 12/08/2012 12:11:10 AM PST by Olog-hai
In a reversal from four years ago, President Barack Obama will accept unlimited sums of money from corporations and individuals to pay for events surrounding his inauguration, a spokeswoman said Friday.
Lobbyists, political action committees and foreign entities, however, will still be banned from underwriting the costs of the gala events, spokeswoman Addie Whisenant said. The committee also will reject donations from companies that havent paid back loans from the 2008 federal bailout of Wall Street, as well as corporate sponsorship deals.
(Excerpt) Read more at bigstory.ap.org ...
Reverse Extortion
My mistake yes he is... dunno why that would be needed in case of re election, but it's done.
I'd rather he get cussed out than sworn in.
Pay the vig or else
Forget Egypt. America has its own pharoah now.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


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Teamsters, Hernando County reach agreement
After two years of negotiations, Hernando County and Teamsters Local 79, which represents about 400 county workers, have reached a tentative agreement on a contract.
The final sticking point, the weight that should be given to seniority in making hiring decisions, was signed off on Wednesday by Teamsters business agent John Sholtes.
"I'm elated,'' said Cheryl Marsden, Hernando County's director of administrative services.
See the rest of the story by Barbara Behrendt here.


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RIBBLE, Mildred Hunt, 29 Jan 1904 - 24 Dec 2004, resident of Mt. Pleasant, Tennessee, native of Bowling Green Ky. Obituary of Mrs. Mildred Hunt Ribble Mildred who was a resident of Mt. Pleasant, Tennessee, died Friday, December 24, 2004. She was one of eight children born and raised in Bowling Green, Kentucky. She was born on January 29, 1904 to Price Joe Hunt and Lou Ella Smith Hunt. She married David Patterson Ribble in 1949 in which he died in 1960. A memorial service for Mrs. Ribble will be conducted Thursday, December 30, 2004 at 1:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Mt. Pleasant with Reverend Elmer Crosby officiating. Graveside services will follow at the Summertown Cemetery in Summertown, Tennessee. There is no visitation scheduled. Williams Funeral Home in Mt. Pleasant is in charge of the arrangements. Mrs. Ribble requested that no flowers be sent but that she be remembered by donations to the Mildred Ribble Scholarship Fund which provides scholarships for Mt. Pleasant High School graduates (c/o Judy Wolaver, First Farmers and Merchants Bank, 128 North Main Street, Mt. Pleasant, Tennessee 38474 or First Baptist Church P.O. Box 169, Mt. Pleasant, Tennessee 38474. She received her AB degree at Brenau College in Atlanta, Georgia in 1925 and graduated from Bowling Green Business University in 1926. After moving to Mt. Pleasant in 1927, she established a commercial education department at Hay Long High School which became known throughout the area for producing some of the best prepared students entering their prospective fields. She enjoyed a 46 years teaching career and retired in 1973. After retirement, she enjoyed traveling, volunteer work at Maury Regional Hospital, church involvement, and visiting with friends. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Mt. Pleasant, Super Stars, and Delta Kappa Gamma Society. She is survived by two nephews and their spouses, James W. and Pat Hunt of Golf, IL and Richard and Arthea Hunt of Radcliff, KY; several great nephews, nieces, and their spouses, Ralph and Delores Donoho, Robert and Sue Donoho, Peggy and Harold Cowles, Neil and Angie Donoho, Terrie and Duane Hudson of Bowling Green, KY, Edward and Joyce Donoho of Roanoke, VA, Peggy Celsor Allen, Jimmy and Joyce Hardcastle of Franklin, KY, H. H. Hardcastle, Elma and Ron Pope of Ocala, FL, Steven and Deanna Hunt of Austin, TX, and David J. Hunt of Evansville, IL. Sent in for posting by by Mary Bob McClain. 1/10/05.
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Preschoolers will love sorting and matching colors with our Wooden Sorting Bowls and Wooden Acorns Craft. These pretty little acorns will help young children in color recognition, counting and sorting abilities. It also encourages agility and dexterity in wee hands. And, because they are beautiful, they add to the warmth and charm to any room!
Wooden Sorting Bowls and Wooden Acorns Craft Materials:
- 6 wooden bowls – 2 1/2″ bowls from Casey's Wood Products
- 18 wood acorns – 1 1/32″ acorns from Casey's Wood Products
- sandpaper, fine
- wood stain (optional)
- wood paint
- beeswax finish
Note: All materials used should be non toxic and child safe.
IMPORTANT SAFETY WARNING: The acorns are small and considered a choke hazard. Although generally it is recommended that small parts should not be given to children under 3 years of age, we highly recommended you do not give small parts to any child that still puts toys in their mouth, no matter how old they are!
Wooden Sorting Bowls and Wooden Acorns Craft Directions:
Using fine grit sandpaper, sand wood pieces smooth. Wipe off to remove any saw dust.
Using a non toxic, child safe wood stain, stain just the OUTSIDE of the bowls and the caps of the acorns. I found it easiest to use a hard bristle paint brush to apply the stain to the acorn caps. Note: If you prefer, you can choose NOT to stain the wood. The bowls and acorns in this tutorial have not been stained.
Choose 6 different colors of paint. Paint the inside of each bowl and the rim a different color. Paint your acorn bottoms to match the inside of the bowls. You will paint groups of three acorns the same color.
When the paint and stain are thoroughly dry, seal the bowls and acorns with a Beeswax Finish.
Notice the 2 wooden acorns below. They have not been stained. The one on the right was sealed with our Beeswax Finish. It naturally gives the wood a wonderful patina.
Now your bowls and acorns are ready to be played with. Remember to reapply the Beeswax Finish periodically to the wood to maintain a beautiful luster and to prolong the life of the wood.
Of course, children will come up with their own ways to use the bowls and acorns 🙂 The bowls and acorns will undoubtedly be moved to play kitchens, the acorns can be used for counting and sorting, and, you can flip the bowls over, and hide acorns under them for a super fun guessing game 🙂


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Review by JimSensei
"Heads talking with smiley faces, Mexican wrestlers, and tons of cussing; my kind of game"
Killer7 is perfect.
I may be blinded, biased, or a Capcom fanboy, but hear me out on this. What Killer7 does is what games are still trying to do today. Provoking thoughts of disgust and confusion from the player while giving them a unique story with cool characters, easy to get into game-play, and a perfect control scheme.
Killer7 is a game from the dark, crazy mind of Suda Goichi. Also known as, Suda 51. Although no one here in the states know who this guy is, he is a cult icon in the Japanese gaming world. His resume of games includes one where you head off to Michigan state with a reporter and film reports, with the interesting twist, being you must get shots of her panties to raise your score. Another has you as an agent who lives the same day over and over. The reason why we have yet to get these games is because they are just too strange for America.
Killer7 takes place in 2011, where a new threat called the Heaven Smile have begun attacking America. They take the place of normal human beings, and bomb rush people like mad bombs, blowing up with contact. The Killer7, a group of 7 assasins residing inside the mind of Harman Smith, a well-chair-bound old man, take on this threat.
Basic game-play is like this. You are stuck on invinsible rails. Press the X button to move forward, and the Triangle button to do a quick 180 turn. When you come to doors or other hallways, you tilt the analog stick in the direction shown on the screen to move into them. As you run around, you'll hear laughs. From there, you press down the R1 button, and tap the L1 button to scan. Enemies will then appear. From there, you must shoot them, kind of like in the First-Person segments of Metal Gear Solid 2.
After killing an enemy, he or it will fall down and just blow up in a fountain of blood. From there, you collect this blood to upgrade or heal your character on a special TV, where you can also save your game and change characters aswell. As you progress, you can learn new moves, such as a counter-attack and the ability to blow off limbs in one shot. And speaking about the assasins.
A few assasins, such as The Hellion Dan and lock-picking Coyote, use a few of their skills for fighting, while others like wrist-slicing Kaede and power house Mask De Smith use their talents for solving puzzles. There are a few others, such as the Speedy Con and Albino knive master Kevin, but I'll leave it to you to learn about them and their own unique talents. You can swap these characters on the forementioned TV, or on the fly through the main menu.
The game progress with you tracking down 6 targets, begining at Target 0. From there on, you progress through each level, and learn more about the story here and there. But what makes the game so amusing is the stories that lay within these targets. Sometimes through anime cutscenes or in-game renders, you will learn more and more about each unique character. The narrative is like that of an anime. Cowboy Bebop comes to mind.
As far as in-game gameplay goes, you will be killing alot of Heaven Smiles and solving alot of puzzles. One good thing about Killer7, is that the only time you ever need to go into the menu screen is to change characters or to heal. Items are use automatically when you approach the place where you need to use them. They are also picked up just as fast.
Control wise, this game is just really simple and easy to get in to. You will never have Camera problems on either version of the game. You are limited to how you can move the camera to only two positions, but other then that, it feels just like you are free-roaming. If you ever have control problems, it is possibly because you are on the Ps2 version of the game. On the Ps2 version, for some reason, you must press really hard on the R1 button to stay in aim mode. I beleive this problem is fixed in the Game-Cube version.
Presentation is just unique. Everything is done in a special style of cell shading. There are no textures, aside from couches, enemies, and grass. All the characters are shapes thrown together with strong shadowing laid out on them. But it looks amazing. You just have to see it in motion to get it. Technically, it isn't amazing, but just the style of it will put you in awe. And the sound-track? So good, they are charging 50 American skins to pre-order it! Techno is the main draw here with some Rave touches. There are some orchestra pieces, but they are few and far in-between.
If you own both a Ps2 and a Game-Cube, you may be wondering which version to get. The Ps2 version has several frame-rate issues, aswell as loading times slightly longer and control issues, as I mentioned before, so if you can, get the Cube version, but otherwise, they are both outstanding.
I really can't say more about this game. I can only add that this game has the best ending in a video game ever, and I've played all the big ones, so I know what I'm talking about here. Sweet style, easy-to-get into controls. It does what other games are trying to do. Do yourself a favor and pick this soon-to-be cult classic up.
Reviewer's Rating: 4.5 - Outstanding
Originally Posted: 07/13/05
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A recording of soldiers marching and looped - I use it on my mobile to wake me up of a morning
Thanks Daimon-Zero this was just what I was looking for.
I couldn't use it, sorry. to dirty.
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Personalised Baby Onesie
Dress your baby or toddler in head to toe fashion with this awesome onesie that's personalised just for them! Whether your taking them for a play down the park or it's onesie day at home, this cotton onesie with fleeced lining lets them stay super comfortable in being able to explore and play, as well as looking like the coolest kid in town!
Personalise your little ones hoodie firstly with an initial that appears on the left chest and secondly their name of up to 10 characters that appears down their right leg. Choose from grey pink and navy with the option of a number of different coloured lettering to create a unique design! The lettering appears in a university style font for a grown up look your little one can wear with ease!
If not for your own little one then we think this makes a cool gift for any baby or toddler in your life for a birthday or Christmas gift!
- Name
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For my second grade Halloween party, my mom—our room mom– thought it would be fun to read the kids a scary yet sweet story: "Lamont the Lonely Monster."
But when the day of the party came, my classmates opted to spend the hour watching video footage of the recent play we'd performed instead of having story time. Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things.
But it was to me, because I had some insider information: I knew that my mom was an incredible artist who had stayed up late for three nights painting and binding posterboard-sized illustrations of Lamont the Lonely Monster so the entire class could see the pictures better. I knew that my mom wouldn't just read the story to us, but she would give each character a unique monster voice, and Lamont's lonely drone would carry the story as the best of all. And I knew that my mom had seven other kids besides me and this was my turn—my only year—to have her as my room mom and read my class a scary Halloween story with all of her theatrics and presentation.
So when the teacher announced my class's impetuously vain decision to watch a video of themselves instead, I started to cry. I looked toward my mom's face, knowing the sacrifice and talent she had poured into this moment. But my mom only shrugged and slipped her 3×4' masterpiece back into the huge plastic bag in which she had brought it.
So oft are a mother's sacrifices left unnoticed.
I still feel the pain of that experience, but I don't think I ever told my mom thank you. That I noticed …
… that you had eight kids just because you genuinely loved kids, and were willing to do what it took to raise them well despite having no family support nearby and a husband who travelled 90% of the time.
That you wore with pride the title "Mac truck of childbearing," granted from the ob-gyn who delivered the latter half of us, and who marveled after each birth that you checked out of the hospital early because you missed your kids at home.
I noticed that you drove us all to three extracurricular activities each just so we had the opportunity to try new things and discover our talents.
I certainly noticed when you pulled over in our embarrassing conversion van and jumped out in your embarrassing sweats to break up a fight of some sixth graders, just because you were a mom and they were kids who also belonged to moms.
I noticed when you made me run for student government president because it would help me get into the college of my choice and that you stayed up all night long to help me practice my speech and paint my posters and convince me I actually had a chance and I noticed you never said "I told you so" when your plan worked and it all paid off.
These days, I notice your sincerely happy voice when I call you with good news and I notice you're the one who asks me most often about my health and I notice when you tell other people that you think I'm a good mom.
And now as I take turns being my kids' room mom, and realize I can't paint or read stories in a voice as lonely or lovely as yours, please know that I now recognize that being a mom can be a very lonely yet lovely thing.
And yet I notice you still open your doors and your arms and mother with a quiet dignity, giving us your all simply because you love us. And never because you hoped we noticed.
* * *
Autumn McAlpin is a local writer. She pens a weekly column for OC Moms called Cracking Up, in which she chronicles her crazy life as a mother of four.


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From: Executive chef Kerry Heffernan, Eleven Madison Park, NYC.
Yield: 12 servings.
4 large seedless cucumbers (about 1 lb. each)
1 1/2 quarts lowfat plain yogurt
1 cup fresh dill, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
as desired, smoked salmon, diced
as desired, cucumber, sliced thin
as desired, radishes, sliced
as desired, rye bread croutons
as desired, fresh dill
Peel 2 cu
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-- Paul Nelson Merrill, 72, of Grandview Avenue, died Friday morning, March 5, 1999, following a lengthy illness.
He was the father of Jean Pajak of Wooster.
A eulogy will be given Monday at 12:20 p.m. in the Chapel at Kaniewski Funeral Home, 3545 N. Bendix Drive, South Bend, Ind. Services will follow at 1 p.m. at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. Burial will be at Southlawn Cemetery.
Friends may call today (Sunday) from 2-6 at the funeral home, where a vigil service will be held at 3.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of St. Joseph County; or Ardmore Lions Club.
He was born Aug. 2, 1926 in South Bend, Ind., to Hiram and Estie (Kreischer) Merrill and married Carmelita Sallows on June 14, 1947. She survives.
Surviving in addition to his daughter and wife are three other children, Paul C. Merrill and Linda Steiner, both of South Bend, Ind., and Gerald Merrill of Granger, Ind.; nine grandchildren; a brother, William E. Merrill of South Bend, Ind., and sisters, Madeline True of Ashland City, Tenn., and Phyllis Williams of South Bend, Ind.


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Positive reinforcement works wonders on a WS who is really trying. I know we don't have a ton of heart and energy to give, but if you feel that hope in your chest it's ok to make small gestures back without feeling totally vulnerable.
Comes a point, when it's no longer waiting for them to get it -
We get it.


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Rick Santelli: Good morning, Chip Dickson - my guest this morning. Well listen...before we get into the meat of issues regarding the fed and normalization, briefly, why don't you give me your take on what's been going on in China - not only the most recent news about the foreign exchange, and maybe it's because they're trying to liberalize, timing's questionable - but the entire package of China.
Chip Dickson: I think what's going on in China is they're having trouble making the transition they want to make and that is from an economy that really benefitted from all this fixed investment that really helped the global economy in the past decade to one that's more consumption-driven. They're not getting the same bang from their buck from the fixed investment, they're not getting the right kind of return, there's a lot of leverage that they're applying to it and they need demand from somewhere else and I think that starts from lowering their currency, unfortunately. A lot of countries are trying that recipe.
Rick Santelli: Excellent, now when it comes to normalization of the Fed, it's not a topic that hasn't gotten due amount of airtime on CNBC and justifiably so, but there's a take on this that you have that I really like. Basically, it goes something like this: You've said that normalization of monetary policy is going to require a shift in fiscal and regulatory policy in the United States to get better economic growth. Elaborate, and you've backed into my notion that the Fed should have a nickname: "The Enablers". Maybe Congress didn't do what they were supposed to, but by the Fed picking up the slack, I think they put them in a situation where they could continue to do nothing. Elaborate.
Chip Dickson: Well, I think what we have is an economy I call a "low velocity" economy; we're just not growing that fast. There's not a lot of real demand and even if you look at nominal growth it's not much more than 4%. That's really weak historically. Our participation rates are low, so we're not creating enough opportunity. I frankly think the politicians have to focus more on creating opportunities. I think that's not a high priority for most. So...we're not creating opportunity, our regulatory environment is really an austere one, and so is our fiscal policy one - and that's as much on the tax side as it is on the expense side. We need to do things that focus on creating economic growth so we can create a lot more jobs, more demand, and get people a lot more opportunity.
Rick Santelli: See, what you say makes sense, Chip, because let's look at everything objectively and take a step back. Because after a crisis crazy things always happen in what I call "overcompensation mode". So after this crisis, boatloads of regulatory issues...I understand why. So maybe a good idea would be to keep it simple; create a threshold where many more mid-size, mid-cap to smaller businesses - right down to the family business - can kind of circumvent some of these more onerous regulations, especially some of the regional banks. Your thoughts?
Chip Dickson: Well, absolutely. This regulatory environment favors the large and not the smaller and mid-size guys, and the smaller and mid-size guys are where you create most of your jobs, so there needs to be a shift there. And the complexity and breadth of the regulations creates just another source of darkness that makes it harder to operate, so we need to do things that make it easier to create more businesses, to innovate and to have smaller companies succeed.


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Obituaries from the Pendleton Times,
12 May 2005
Dale P. Warner, 76
Dale P. Warner of Harrisonburg, VA, died May 4, 2005, at Harrisonburg Health and Rehabilitation Center.
Mr. Warner was born June 15, 1928, in Bland Hills, Pendleton County and was the son of the late Samuel S. and Sally Teter Warner.
He graduated from Circleville in 1947, Bridgewater College in 1951 and graduated from West Virginia University in 1967 with a master's degree. He also attended further educational class at West Virginia University and University of Virginia. He served in the U.S. Army and National Guard from 1951 to 1959 and was assigned to the radar command unit during the Korean War for two years.
Mr. Warner was employed by Rockingham County Public Schools and was in education for over 40 years. He was principal of Fulks Run, VA, for 15 years and Linville Edom Elementary for 15 years, and a teacher before. He was a lifelong cattle farmer and enjoyed hunting. Mr. Warner was a member of the VFW, NEA, VEA and RCEA. HE also was a member of Linville Edom Ruritan Club.
On Nov. 25, 1964, he married the former Doris J. Huffman, who survives. Also surviving are a son, Dale P. Warner II of Los Angeles, CA; a daughter, Tarie A. Warner Shull and husband Steve W. Shull of Bridgewater, VA; four grandsons; one brother, March Warner of Annapolis, MD: two sisters, Gladys Harper of Blue Grass, VA, and Pearline Propst of Brandywine; a number of nieces and nephews, including Wendell Warner of Franklin and Michael Warner of Harrisonburg, VA; and a number of family and friends surviving.
He also was preceded in death by eight brothers and four sisters.
Mr. Warner was a member of Muhlenberg Lutheran Church, where Pastor Joe Vought conducted the memorial service Saturday. Burial took place at Eastlawn Memorial Gardens.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to Muhlenberg Lutheran Church, 281 East Market Street, Harrisonhburg, VA 22801.
Alston Hoover, 81
Alston I. "Abe" Hoover, 81, of Hideaway Hills, OH, passed away Saturday, May 7, 2005, at his residence.
He was born December 25, 1923, in Franklin County, OH, the son of the late Alston I. and Phoebe Helen Miller Hoover.
He was married to Mary L. "Pat" Schneider Hoover, who survives, for 55 years.
He retired from Columbia Gas where he was a welder and was a WW II U.S. Navy veteran. He formerly attended Fairview Bethel United Methodist Church, Fort Seybert, and was a member of the South Fork Ruritan Club.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by a son, Bob (Barb) Hoover of Seattle, WA; two daughters, Bev Norris of Logan and Marilyn Wyatt, both of Hideaway Hills, OH: six grandchildren; one great grandchild; two brothers, Herbert (Wanda) Hoover of Phoenix, AZ, and John (Evelyn) Hoover of Upper Sndusky, OH; a sister, Janet Casey of Columbus, OH: and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother, Lowell Hoover, and a sister, Margaret Hull.
A memorial service was held Tuesday at Cardaras Funeral Home, Logan, OH.
At Mr. Hoover's request, he was cremated.
The family requests that memorial contributions be made to Central Ohio Parkinson Society, 1380 Dublin Rd., PO Box 1831, Columbus, OH 43218-0313.
To send an expression of sympathy or sign the online guest registry, visit www.cardaras.com
Mabel K. Mowrer, 90
Mabel K. Mowrer, 90, of Fredericksburg, PA, died Friday May 6, 2005, at the home of her daughter.
Born in Fort Seybert on Feb. 17, 1915, she was the daughter of the late Benjamin and Rebecca Zirk Dove.
She was retired from Verl's Salad in Fredericksburg, PA. She was a member of the St. John's United Church of Christ, Fredericksburg, PA, and had been active in the former Fredericksburg Fire Co. Ladies Aux.
She was the wife of the late Clarence "Jim" Mowrer.
She is survived by her daughters, Evelyn E., wife of Kermit Rudy of Myerstown, PA, Gladys E., wife of Neil Shirk, Virginia A. wife of Charles Knerr, Sr., and Dianne F., wife of John R. Rhoads, all of Fredericksburg, PA; 16 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandson.
Funeral services were held at the convenience of the family. Interment was at the Grand View Memorial Park, Annville, PA.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to her church at PO Box 87, Fredericksburg, PA 17038 or to the GSH-Hospice, 4th and Walnut St., Lebanon, PA 17042.
Strauss-Kreamer & Lum Funeral Home, Jonestown, PA, was in charge of the arrangements.
Bertha A. Cosner, 54
Bertha Ann Cosner, 54, of Petersburg died Monday, May 2, 2005, at Grant Memorial Hospital in Petersburg.
Mrs. Cosner was born Nov. 2, 1950 in Columbus, OH, and as a daughter of Virginia Dickerson Veach of Coshocton, OH and the late George Heck.
She was a homemaker and was employed at Advantage Foods and Pilgrim's Pride. She was a Lutheran.
In addition to her mother, she is survived by her husband, William Cosner; a daughter, Ronda Faye Cosner of Cherry Grove; a step-daughter, Alicia Cosner of Petersburg; a son, William Kelvy Cosner of Bartow; two step-sons, Kelvy William Cosner of Moorefield and Jeffrey Ervin Cosner of Kimbolton, OH; two sisters, Carol Jean Luckydoo and Debbie Heck, both of Newark, OH; 20 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
She also was preceded in death by one son, Pete F.B. Cosner.
The Rev. Clifford Schell conducted a graveside service Thursday at Mount Storm Cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made to the family c/o William Cosner, 201 Overlook Apartments, Petersburg, WV 26847.
Arrangements were by the Basagic Funeral Home, Petersburg.
Martha D. Johnson
Martha D. Johnson, 95, of Franklin died May 6, 2005, at Pendleton Nursing Home, Franklin.
Born Nov. 9, 1909, at Harman Hills, she was a daughter of the late William Henry and Lenora Biby Daugherty.
Mrs. Johnson retired as a surgical nurse from Emergency Hospital, Washington, DC.
She was a 1927 graduate of Franklin High School and a 1930 graduate of Emergency Hospital School of Nursing. She and her husband operated "Blufff" in Bayhead, NJ, for 40 years. She was a member of the Franklin Presbyterian Church.
Her husband, Alfred Edward Johnson, Jr., preceded her in death in 1982.
Surviving are two daughters, Lindsay Johnson Brinton of Phoenixville, PA, and Kathleen Johnson Spies of Brooksville, FL; one son, Alfred Edward "Mike" Johnson, III, of Bayhead, NJ; four grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at a later date.
Memorial contributions may be made to Pendleton County Rescue Squad or Pendleton Nursing Home.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Basagic Funeral Home, Franklin.
Obituaries are used with the permission of the Pendleton Times.
© -Copyright Notice
This Page was last updated -- Saturday, 28-May-2005 08:04:10 MDT.


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I am neither a hero nor a traitor. I'm an American." —Edward Snowden
When the word "treason" is brought up in national headlines, one often thinks of Benedict Arnold, the former general in the Revolutionary War who switched sides to fight for the British after his plan to give up West Point to the Brits was made public.
More than 230 years later, that word is back in the headlines.
On Monday, Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., called Edward Snowden's leak of sensitive NSA intelligence information an "act of treason."
But did he actually commit the act?
Treason is legally defined as, "Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere."
But as Politico's Leigh Munsil reports, it's hard to say if Snowden has been treasonous.
"I do not believe it is treason," George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley told Munsil. "There is nothing to suggest that his motivation was to assist our enemies or a foreign power."
Turley said a more logical charge against the 29-year-old would be illegal disclosure of classified information and unauthorized removal and retention of classified information.
Feinstein wasn't the only politician to make accusations against Snowden.
House Speaker John Boehner called Snowden a "traitor" on ABC's "Good Morning America" on Tuesday, saying Snowden's actions put American lives at risk.
In an interview with the South China Morning Post on Wednesday, Snowden said, "I am neither a traitor nor hero — I'm an American."
Only one American since World War II has been charged with treason. Adam Gadahn, a jihadist, was charged with treason in 2006, but has yet to be caught.
Editor's Note: The original version of this story posted on June 13, 2013, failed to properly follow our editorial policies. The story was shortened and links were added on Oct. 8, 2013 to fall within our editorial guidelines for aggregation.
Michael Smith is an intern in the news section of DeseretNews.com. A 2013 graduate of the University of Utah, he will be attending Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism in the fall.


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Big Girl Pole Dance [Video]
Big Girls can hit the pole just as good as any other girl! I love me a big girl that can swing on that pole while making me and herself a 5 course dinner! lol ok so this is fake, It's an commercial for the old Amp mobile phones. Nonetheless his video is Hilarious! I got inspired to look for this video because of Clay's earlier post Bikini Contestant Faceplants [Video] which showed skinny chicks falling on their face trying to be sexy…….good time….
Subscribe to Club 93.7 on


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Are you gay or bisexual?
See more » Love and Lust
This started as a comment on a post of Wired Nerve's. It got too fat so I made it an entry. It is pretty hasty and wandering.
Many people are more able to perform sex acts with the sex they aren't ordinarily attracted to. Back when I was in the business there were guys who were able to have an orgasm when a guy gave them a blowjob. But they would've never gone with a man without personal economics pulling them. Similarly men in prison have sex with men rather than their hand. This is at least functional bisexuality. (And leads to far too many bypaths into the individuals' sexuality for me to try to pursue in a comment.)
I've known plenty of gay men who've had climaxes with women without any desire to ever do so again. It was just a triumph of friction. Masturbation requiring more effort.
A woman who has sex with another female to please a boyfriend are on some level bisexual, if only functionally. It is easy to cavil at this but some people can only enjoy sex with a fetish object. So a man's approval might function as a catalyst to create a sexual potential that wouldn't exist otherwise.
The man in prison who finds a guy to be his 'bitch' puzzles me. What is he getting out of this if he just wants an orgasm? His sexuality may as much defined by a hunger for submission or control as ejecting his sperm. And will use any object available. His inability act bisexually out of jail may be weakness: fear of looking gay.
Some people are bisexual in the sense that they can enjoy having sex with either gender. But some (only heterosexual?) bisexuals want a role and life that can only be achieved with a partner of the opposite sex. Some weaklings need the acceptance of family and coworkers. Others want children produced by natural means.
Some people are happy to have sex with men and women. Some aspect of upbringing left them able to love only one sex. They can get hot and bothered when they see a nice looking man or woman but get a little giddier when they see someone of the sex that matters most to them. A boy or girl makes them smile more.
Bisexuality as asexuality: biphobic people, biphobiaWarning: include(/home/edifying/public_html/pansexualsodomite//common/individual.php): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/richardlee/domains/pansexualsodomite.org/public_html/archives/love_and_lust/are_you_gay_or_bisexual.php on line 69 Warning: include(/home/edifying/public_html/pansexualsodomite//common/individual.php): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/richardlee/domains/pansexualsodomite.org/public_html/archives/love_and_lust/are_you_gay_or_bisexual.php on line 69 Warning: include(): Failed opening '/home/edifying/public_html/pansexualsodomite//common/individual.php' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/lib/php') in /home/richardlee/domains/pansexualsodomite.org/public_html/archives/love_and_lust/are_you_gay_or_bisexual.php on line 69


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Think of cyclo-cross as a winter pastime? Think again.
The entries for the Yorkshire Cyclo-Cross Summer Series back that up, with 248 (156 seniors, 92 juniors) finishing round one in April at Newsome High School in Huddersfield.
Since then, the statistics have been 218 (158, 60) finishers in round two at Wharfe Meadows, Otley, 160 (110, 50) in round three at Colne Valley High School and 225 at Nunroyd Park, Yeadon (158, 67) for round four.
"I think we will get over 200 seniors (over-14s) starting a round before the series ends," says organiser Fred Rothwell.
"We have already had 173 at Yeadon, and that is before the Tour de France arrives in this area, after which everybody will fancy throwing their legs over a bike."
And don't be fooled either into thinking that it is any less serious than the winter version.
Just look at the finish of the senior race between Jack Clarkson and Nick Barnes at Yeadon for proof.
"They had a tussle down the finishing straight involving elbows and arms, and the air was blue," added Rothwell.
"Someone complained about the bad language and said I should use my power as commissionaire to do something about it but I believe they both apologised for it afterwards on social media."
Hope Factory rider Clarkson from Halifax won by a second from Zepnat RT ace Barnes, who won round one, with Clarkson third, the positions being reversed in round two.
Clarkson also won round three at Colne Valley High School, with Cononley's Ian Taylor (Jedi Cycle Sport) coming second at Newsome High, Wharfe Meadows and Colne Valley High, and third at Nunroyd Park.
Among the riders rounding out the top ten this season were Keighley's Alfie Moses (seventh at Newsome, fourth at Wharfe Meadows and Nunroyd Park, ninth at Colne Valley), Bradford's Rob Thackray (ninth at Newsome, sixth at Wharfe Meadows and fifth at Colne Valley) and Haworth's Andy Peace (tenth at Newsome, fifth at Wharfe Meadows, third at Colne Valley and seventh at Yeadon).
Other interlopers in the top ten have been Bradford's Billy Harding (fifth at Newsome), Oxenhope's Matt Denby (tenth at Wharfe Meadows, ninth at Yeadon) and Ilkley's Ed McParland (eighth at Colne Valley).
East Bradford Cycling Club's Euan Cameron has dominated the under-14 races.
Having missed the first round, he has won rounds two, three and four to back up his national title and National Trophy series from last winter.
Jenson Young (Pedalsport) - son of Mike and nephew of Chris - has been keeping Euan company, coming second at Newsome High and third at Wharfe Meadows, Colne Valley High and Nunroyd Park.


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Jonathan Moreland
Inside the Markets: Insiders Are Saying 'Buy'
But not right now.
January 22, 2008
by Jonathan Moreland
DISCLOSURE: Readers should assume that all stocks mentioned in this column are owned by the author and/or his firm unless otherwise noted.
With the market indices signaling obvious bear-market behavior, most CPA Insider™ readers would agree that going heavily long now is only justifiable for long-term investors with at least two-year investment horizons. If your clients fit this profile, company insiders are offering as many interesting bottom-feeding ideas as you can eat, in just about any sector you care to taste.
Thinking retail? Try on Hanesbrands (HBI). Restaurants? Execs at Darden (DRI) are already feeding on their shares. ShoreTel, Inc. (SHOR) looks interesting in the tech arena. Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway is sticking with its (so far losing) bet on building materials play USG Corporation (USG). And financials? Don't get me started. The insider buying is everywhere in that sector. For my money, Northstar Realty Finance (NRF) is still one of the more interesting longer-term plays here.
However, if your clients are looking to make money in the coming month, raising cash and selectively shorting will likely prove more profitable — or at least less costly than going long. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's intra-meeting statement earlier this month (which basically promised that the rate cut in the upcoming Fed meeting will make up for their conservative action in December) couldn't buoy the indices. That was clearly bear market behavior.
Since an economic slowdown hurts most companies' fundamentals more than "loser money" can help them, rate cuts are only good news to the extent that they stave off economic weakness. But that it appears increasingly unlikely to happen.
Backing a bearish bent, all of the shorts I've made in the past month (as the market became obviously miserable) have been profitable. In stark contrast, only two of the nine "values" I've bet on to rebound over the past three months are in the black.
That's a miserable win rate. My insider service has averaged far below the 60 percent rate of being correct since its inception. I am also accustomed to my winning positions earning me more than double what my losers cost me. But that metric of performance has also been turned on its head as of late.
These recent stats are very telling, and they are not telling a happy tale for bulls in the near term. The strategy of "buying the dips" — which has worked for several years even as the global imbalances were growing obvious — seems dead for now. The pall over the market is trumping whatever longer-term bullish signals insiders are sending in their individual stocks. Sure, two years from now most of the recent insider purchases will likely end up being profitable. But there is no hurry for shorter-term investors to follow insiders into their bottom-feeding choices.
How long the bearish trend in this market will last, no one knows. I am on record as expecting my Insider-Based Market Indicators (see yellow oval in chart below) to rise solidly into positive territory again at some point, as they commonly did before 2003. If past is prologue, such a move in my Indicators would also likely correspond with severe market weakness. With so many of the economic imbalances built up over the past years now reversing, a macro argument can easily be made for more negative market action now.
Of course, perma-bears started ringing the alarm about imbalances years ago, and they missed out on plenty of upside. Imbalances seem finally to "matter," however, and a growing concern for shorter-term investors in U.S. equities is that normally reliable metrics of value that used to indicate a bargain stock, may now be entering their own period of not mattering. Again, that would be bear market behavior.
Whether or not there is a lasting bear market in store, the near-term trend for the indices appears negative. Even if the oversold bounce I had expected in December finally happens now, I would be suspect of its lasting power. As of this writing, I'm up to 33 percent cash, and adding more short positions.
Rate this article 5 (excellent) to 1 (poor).
Jonathan Moreland is the Director of Research at New York-based Insider Insights.com.
Click here for a FREE trial issue of the firm's weekly newsletter Insider Insights.


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Detail Information
- The pathology of breast biopsy site marking devicesLuis A Guarda
Department of Pathology, Florida Hospital Medical Center, 601 East Rollins, Orlando, FL 32803, USA
Am J Surg Pathol 29:814-9. 2005..These novel breast biopsy site markers do not interfere with the histologic processing of the tissue or with their histopathologic interpretation...
- Mesenteric fibromatosis with involvement of the gastrointestinal tract. A GIST simulator: a study of 25 casesJaime A Rodriguez
Department of Pathology, National Cancer Institute, Milan, Italy
Am J Clin Pathol 121:93-8. 2004....


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About the yellow-eyed penguin
The scientific name of the yellow-eyed penguin is Megadyptes antipodes,which means a big diver from the southern lands (mega = big, dyptes = diver, antipodes = southern lands).
Its Maori name, hoiho (meaning noise shouter), was given because of its shrill call. An ancient Maori name for the yellow-eyed penguin was tavora.
Contrary to most people's idea of a penguin habitat, there's not an iceberg in sight. Instead this bird prefers the privacy of secluded nest sites scattered deep in the shade of southern New Zealand's coastal forests, scrub or dense flax. Nests and roosting sites can be found up to one kilometre inland.
That's not the only thing that makes this a most unusual penguin. Yellow-eyed penguins are the least social of all penguins. Very shy, they prefer to nest often well away and always out of sight of their neighbours.


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The Villas at Tree Tops
Bushkill, Pennsylvania
The Villas at Tree Tops
Bushkill, Pennsylvania
Timeshare Owner?
Post your timeshare at The Villas at Tree Tops for rent or sale in less than five minutes!
An escape to the mountains awaits owners who select Tree Tops as their vacation getaway. Surrounded by spectacular views of the golf course and nestled in the rolling hills of the Pocono Mountains, these villas afford guests with a long list of on-site and nearby facilities and amenities. Newly renovated villas are within close proximity to Philadelphia and New York and a variety of nearby attractions include the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, the Crossings outlet shopping, NASCAR racing, museums, animal farms, snow -tubing and skiing making this a year-round vacation destination.
Back to reviewsResort review
The outside of the units need to be updated, however, the insides are night and day. Most of the Jacuzzi tubs have been fixed or replaced, the fireplaces have all been replaced by electric fireplaces so no more smoke detectors going off alerting security. The bedding is comfortable. TV's are still rather small but who comes to the Poconos to just watch tv! All Treetop and Fairway Villas have dvd and VHS players and game stations can be attached. 18 hole Mini Golf is nice as well as the par 71 Pro Golf Course. 3 pools indoor open, 1 at Fernwood, 1 at Treetops, and 1 at Fairway. Outdoor pools are open in the Summer as well. Bushkill Falls within a 15 minute drive, Mount Airy Casino about 25 minutes away. We enjoyed it very much and didn't have to worry about laundry because there is a washer and dryer in the unit. PA Steaks are the best and the cost per lb is way cheaper than NJ made in your own fully equiped kitchen the way you want it.
WE stayed in one of the Efficiency lockouts that is meant to sleep 4 the weekend of Dec 5-7. The units have been greatly improved in both apperance and cleanliness since we last stayed here 2 years ago. Staff was very responsive to acouple of small issues. I only called to let them know. Small problem with getting the complete order at the Juke Box Diner. We didn't use any of the other restaurants this visit. I am now planning a return trip this spring. Thanks Tree Tops management for a great experience.
We came here for a family reunion in early April. We were very pleasantly surprised, expecially after reading some of the other reviews. Staff was promptly attentive to our needs, bringing extra bedding, towels, a bulb that burnt out, and even came up with a blender for making my sister's special Margaritas. It was off season, and fairly low-key, exactly what we wanted. We took advantage the hiking paths nearby and by the river, played ping pong, relaxed in the pool and jacuzzi, and made appointments for wonderful massages with the therapist associated with the resort. The Lake AB unit had plenty of space for both privacy and for gathering as a group, and we enjoyed making several of our own meals together in the comfortable open kitchen and living area. We will definitely come back - it suited our needs beautifully!
Update 12/31/07: Units are currently undergoing refurbishment and maintenance. I own at Tree Tops and can agree with a lot of the 'bad' reviews. The units at Tree Tops are old and in need of refurbishment, but the location does make up for it. I have always gone in the winter for ski season and have always had a great time. If you are more interested in activities during your vacation then Tree Tops is great. I can understand if you own Marriott and exchange into Tree Tops you will be disappointed, but as an owner the maintenance fees are low, so you accept the quality. It's a great place for the price. Additionally, whenever we called for maintainence they we at the unit to fix the problem quickly.
The units are not well maintained. The grounds are overgrown and the pools were in need of serious cleaning.
My wife and I stayed here on our honeymoon in 1999. We absolutely loved it. We stayed in a 2 bedroom loft unit. It was much larger than we needed. I didn't have many dealings with the staff, but, when they were needed, they were there to help. The only real problem we had on the whole vacation was the distance from groceries (which is not the resorts fault).
While the resort is in a prime location in the pocono mpuntains, it leaves a lot to be desired.
I called a month out and asked for a refurbished unit. At check in, I asked again and was told I was put in one. Well, torn sheets, torn curtains and furniture, discolored floor tile and a 70's era carpet told me it wasn't. This was confirmed when I met one of the owners there.
Grounds are a mess. Trash is everywhere, but then, when you have natural wild-life running around, in addition to some of the human wild-life, what can you expect when trash is placed curb side for pick up.
There was no weekly change of linen. in fact, it tells you ont he door that there is a charge for this, as your unit has a washer and dryer for this purpose. That's a first for us! Also, one roll of toilet paper for each bath room and no comp shampoo? Why did i pay $139.00 for an excahnge thru RCI?
One good point is that there are a lot of family activities. So that did save the day. But you can bet I won't go back again.
BTW, only one call from the sales center. When they found out who I already own with, they didn't even invite me for a tour!
Update 10/6/04 Received an apology letter from the resort manager today. Assures me that on my next visit "We will conduct a VIP/Management walk thru prior to your arrival to ensure quality." No offer of anything to make this trip right, like a 2 night stay or such. What makes them think they'll get another chance to get my money or time with that kind of service?
Updated 10/11/04 Spoke with the General Manager This morning. He assured me that when I came back, he would make sure the trip was right as they are in the business of providing outstanding vacation expereinces. However, there was no offer of anything to make this past trip right, like a free night. That would have been acceptable, as I live near the place. But now, they're off my list of places to vacation.
My family and I just stayed from March 14- 21,2004. The Villa was a larger one (8). It was well equipped with a full kitchen. The TV's are older and we had a minor problem with the toilet but maintenance was right on it. It does have a more rustic look but we enjoyed it very much and want to go back this summer but there are no openings so far.
The resort is great but services needs to be upgraded especially maintenance.But the resort in general is in a prime location and close by everything
We had similar problems as other guests (cracked and discolored flooring, peeling paint and wallpaper, broken bed, all around dirty). Dont know if they are running some sort of science experiment but our room was like a time capsule from the 70s. I would estimate that this resort has over 1400 units, of which only about 200 are decent, the rest are crammed in to subdivisions of man made lakes and parking lots. Will not go back.
We stayed at the resort in January 2002. We had the largest unit (AB). Very close to the slopes, loved the on-site snow-tubing.
I agree with the previous review, Villa at Tree Tops could easily a RID or GC resort if it were better maintained.
We stayed there in February 2003 and had a "lock-out" unit which gave us use of the entire "AB" unit (2 1/2 bath, 2 bedrooms, kitchen and kitchenette, etc.) It was one of the largest condos we have stayed at and we had plenty of room for the 4 adults and 2 teenagers. The unit was reasonably clean, but in need of much minor maintenance (one of 2 TVs not working, one of 2 refrigerators not working, peeling paint, bath and kitchen floors badly stained or cut and coming up). Maintenace did promptly replace the TV and refrigerator. The unit was large, nicely laid out, but needed maintenance. The resort could be a RID or GC resort if management took better care of it.
The condo was very clean. Our in room jaccuzzi was awesum! The front desk staff was helpful. We had a great time snow tubing and horse back riding at the resort. We would definately return. We did not have an opportunity to use the pool or hot tub because we were so busy doing everything else.
The pools and hot tubs were green!! Yes, green! The people (kids, actually) who worked there had their music loud. The grounds are not kept clean. There was a soda can that lay on the ground for about 4 days! When we left early, no one even asked why.
- Children's Pool
- Conference Facilities
- Cross-Country Skiing
- Health Club
- Indoor Pool
- Lake
- Laundry Room
- Live Entertainment
- Outdoor Pool
- Playground Area
- Restaurant
- Sauna
- Ski School
- Snack Bar
- Tennis
- Whirlpool/Hot Tub
- Downhill Skiing (8 miles)
- Fishing
- Grocery Store
- Horseback Riding
- Medical Facilities (12 miles)
- Shopping Area (3 miles)
- Snowboarding
- Water Skiing
Rte 209
Bushkill, Pennsylvania 18324No available map for The Villas at Tree TopsAccuracy not guaranteed. Contact the resort to confirm the address before making plans.
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ATV Crash Hospitalizes Child In Union County
The Union County Sheriff's Office is investigating an all terrain vehicle crash that sent a young girl to the hospital.
It happened in the 1900 block of Middleburg-Plain City Road in Plain City.
Sheriff's Office Dispatchers said the girl was injured after crashing into Three Mile Creek.
She was taken by Medflight to Nationwide Children's Hospital. Her condition has not yet been released.
Stay with 10TV and refresh 10TV.com for continuing coverage.
©2017 by 10TV.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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At Gemvara, we believe that the garnet claddagh jewelry you wear should be precious because it's personal. Every beautiful Gemvara design is made just for you, in your choice of gems and precious metals. Your child's birthstone in rose gold. Your favorite gem in yellow gold. Add your own meaning to every design, creating beautiful memories and brilliant reminders. It's jewelry for all life's occasions, from an engagement or birthday to your own personal milestones and celebrations. Celebrate Christmas with a brilliant gift of jewelry that will always remind her of you. Gemvara uses only the highest quality materials to craft your garnet claddagh jewelry with meticulous attention to detail. Our precious metals are recycled or responsibly mined. Our wide selection of garnet claddagh jewelry by Ji Hwang, Just Like You Designs, Jeet Palavwala, and other talented designers means you can find jewelry that's just your style. Claddagh rings are engagement, wedding or promise rings in the Celtic tradition, with the heart for love, the hands for friendship, and the crown for loyalty. A favorite of collectors, garnet is a brilliant gem that comes in a wide range of colors, from red to green. Gemvara loves red garnet for its dramatic color and surprising affordability. Gemvara offers both affordable earthy Mozambique red garnet and purplish red rhodolite garnet. Clean your garnet claddagh jewelry with mild dish soap: use a soft brush where dust collects. Gemvara's fine quality garnet claddagh jewelry is designed to be passed down for generations to come, crafted by hand in the United States.
We can help right away. Chat with a jewelry expert now!