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Fossils lead to adventures
Ron Anick of Moose Lake always has been interested in fossils, and his son, Eli, 9, has inherited that interest. The two have spent hours digging and finding fossils in South Dakota over the past few years.
"He has been interested in dinosaurs ever since he could talk," said Ron in a recent interview. "He could say their names. I was always interested in this when I was younger but I had no money to travel. Now I'm more established."
And travel they did. And they found what they were seeking.
"Eli and I went out there in 2009," said Ron. "We went on a fossil-hunting trip to Utah. We also made a quick trip through the Badlands."
The duo found Trilobites, extinct marine anthropoids, Ron explained.
"Those are pretty common fossils," Ron added. "They are a few centimeters in length to several inches long."
Eli was just 5 at the time. The trip introduced him to paleontology.
Three years later, in the summer of 2012, the father-and-son team traveled back to the Badlands of South Dakota, and they also visited the Black Hills.
"We like to go off the beaten path," said Ron. "We took our fossil hunting kits, consisting of rock hammers, dental picks, brushes and trowels. We actually found fossilized shells in the Black Hills. In the Badlands we found numerous bits of past dinosaur bones."
Ron explained that the Badlands had Pierre shale at the bottom. At one time there had been black mud at the bottom of a very large inland sea that stretched across what is now the United States.
"After the dinosaurs died out 65 million years ago, this area pushed up through geological forces and drained," added Ron. "There are various layers of sediment and rock piled hundreds and hundreds of feet deep. Those formed the layers of the Badlands.
"The layers are perfectly flat. They represent very distinct geologic eras. If I find a bone, I can almost date it.
"Eventually erosion started. The rate of erosion is greater than grasses can take hold. The Badlands erode one to three inches a year, which is extremely fast. In some places it can be more."
Ron explained, as a comparison, that the granite at Mount Rushmore erodes one inch in 10,000 years.
"The Badlands is one of, if not the greatest, depository for prehistoric mammals in the world," said Ron. "Scientists come from all over the world on expeditions.
"You can hunt in a spot and find nothing. Then you can come back in six months and find a skeleton."
The fossils aren't souvenirs to take home.
"It's illegal to take fossils from public land," Ron added. "We found bits of bones but we have to leave them in place. We found them all over.
"On our most recent trip we identified half a dozen sites where the bones had weathered out.
"I took a GPS reading to get the exact coordinates, along with the elevation, and then we went to the ranger station and reported our finds.
"Of the six that we identified they could only find three. There had been rainstorms, and the others had been covered up."
"On our most recent trip to the Badlands in July 2012, we hiked around and found a few specimens," said Ron. "Those weren't significant finds. They had eroded and crumbled. In some cases, they couldn't determine what something was."
Ron found an expert in the field of paleontology, and has been back to South Dakota since under his guidance.
Walter Stein of Paleo Adventures is based in Belle Fourche, South Dakota, in the northern Black Hills. The city is described as "a stone's throw away from some of the most important dinosaur dig sites in the world."
"He contracts with the various ranchers in South Dakota," explained Ron. "Those ranches are 6,000 to 8,000 acres.
"We were on a 6,500-acre ranch. There was an agreement that allowed Walter to come and bring tourists in so they could spend time looking for fossils."
Ron explained that people can take fossils off of privately-owned land as long as one has permission. On public land, the finder has to be a licensed paleontologist with a permit to take fossils.
The Hell Creek Formation extends from South Dakota through Wyoming to Colorado. It is a late Cretaceous formation, which means the ends of the dinosaur, explained Ron. That ended 65 million years ago, when the asteroid hit the earth and wiped out the dinosaurs.
"It is a high and dry area now," Ron added. "It is very open with alternating layers of sand and gravel. It is fairly easy to dig there. We dig with a screwdriver. At one time, it was a riverbed."
A rancher's wife had found the site in the 1970s, Ron explained. Stein secured a contract, and, during several years of digging, mapped out the area. Diggers can find tumbled bone, ranging in size from the size of a fingernail to several inches long. A tooth draw is a large amount of teeth in an area, as well as larger bones.
"He is a professional," said Ron. "He specializes in late Cretaceous animals. He is very enthusiastic about dinosaurs and fossils but is concerned about preservation as well.
"Most people go home with a small bag of bones and teeth."
Large bones that are found could end up in a museum with the person's name on it, said Ron.
"When we were there in 2012, we came back with small pieces, like Triceratops teeth," Ron related. "We thought that was just wonderful!"
Ron called Walter that December to set up the next excursion for this past July.
In February, Ron married Kim, a co-worker, and added her daughter, Breanna Owens, to his family. Eli is a student at the Moose Lake School, and Breanna continues to attend school in Willow River. She is a year younger than Eli.
"We spent two days digging," Ron explained. "The kids just loved it. They found fossils. That was awesome. Breanna found a raptor tooth and a couple of pieces of rib bone. I found a Nanotyrannus tooth. A Nanotyrannus is a small version of a T-rex. The tooth still had the serrated edges.
"It's very humbling to sit there and hold something situated around 65 million years old. I ask myself, 'What did this animal look at?'
"My wife found a similar tooth that was broken."
The intense interest of Ron and Eli prompted Stein to invite Ron to come back in September as a colleague, not as a paying customer.
"Over Labor Day weekend, I drove out there," said Ron. "We dug out a femur bone that weighed 150 pounds.
"On the final day, we stayed at the field station prepping some large bones. That gave me an experience that I would not normally get. He wants me to come back next year, again as a colleague. I would help him and the customers."
Ron said that he has asked Stein to come to this area and speak to the students at the Moose Lake and Willow River Schools.
"He could do a presentation to the elementary grades and bring samples of dinosaur bones. He is a wonderful orator," Ron concluded.
For more information, visit the website, PaleoAdventures.com.


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Network Performance
Not all cell towers or handsets are created equal. And customer consumption patterns are as individual as the customer's themselves. Yet all these factors have a direct impact on network service performance. Finding the right mix of traffic to optimize an individual customer's experience is essential to a carrier's brand – but it's not easy to do.
This interactive SAS Visual Analytics report illustrates how you can analyze network usage from both a customer and network perspective, enabling you to simultaneously monitor both a customer's experience and an individual cell tower's performance so you can take prompt action to ensure that your brand's reputation and customer loyalty remain high.

subset: commoncrawl


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Chemical evidence paved way for discovery of early life
Excerpt from the August 1, 1964, issue of Science News Letter
Clues to Life's Origin — Chemical clues to the origin of life have been found in billion-year-old rocks from Michigan…. Drs. Barghoorn, Schopf and Meinschein found porphyrins related to chlorophyll and hemoglobin, microfossils and optically active hydrocarbons in shale from the Nonesuch formation.... The molecules the scientists have found in the ancient rocks are either identical or very close relatives to those present in young sediments, which are known to consist of former living things. There is hope that the biological compounds just discovered can be used as a geological "clock." — Science News


text:
Today's public health fundamentalists charge that "AIDS exceptionalism" coddles people with HIV while threatening overall public health. These critics insist that sound public health policy dictates using mandatory testing and names reporting to stem the spread of HIV, which they claim curbed syphilis decades ago.
But "AIDS exceptionalism," as they perceive it, is a fiction. To begin with, the suggested measures actually were used rarely against syphilis (doctors frequently neglected to report the names of those in their care with sexually transmitted diseases). Notably, the public health fundamentalists who want mandatory HIV testing and names reporting are not proposing a package deal that includes the entire range of "traditional" interventions. For example, syphilis was treated, rendered noninfectious and generally cured. There certainly is no offer, after identifying those affected by HIV, to provide them with unqualified access to treatment (to the extent effective treatment exists) -- nor is there any real guarantee that people identified with HIV could not legally be forced out of jobs and services.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has indicated that it intends to recommend names reporting of HIV infection in an attempt to get a more accurate picture of the status of the epidemic, and to better target prevention efforts. The danger of this proposal is exposed by the current obsession with "exceptionalism" and a new wave of HIV backlash. Remember last fall's hysteria fed by media accounts of Nushawn Williams, the troubled 20 year old accused of infecting a number of young women in upstate New York's Chautauqua County? That case reveals that many politicians (and talk show hosts) envision names reporting as a tool for a radical twist on "tradition": use of names reporting to publicize, even arrest, those with HIV as part of an ill-conceived strategy that is more retribution than prevention.
AIDS has been exceptional in a number of ways. Other victims of plagues past certainly experienced political indifference and discrimination, but AIDS is the first disease to have 27 laws criminalizing it, making acts from spitting to sex a felony in various states for someone who has tested positive for HIV. Criminal sanctions apply only after a person bothers to get tested, so, ironically, the best way to avoid liability is to avoid knowing anything about your HIV status, regardless of how you behave. AIDS, also, to this day, is the only disease, other than mental health illness, routinely targeted by insurance companies for limits on benefits not applied to any other catastrophic illness.
The latest cry of "exceptionalism" attacks health care and services provided by AIDS service organizations. Ignoring the huge numbers of volunteers who make many services for people with HIV possible, this focus obscures the true problem: the need for reform of health care financing, so that everyone with a serious, chronic illness has access to decent medical care and services.
One of the positive "exceptional" things about AIDS is the extent to which a community came together to address the disaster of health care and indifference for people with HIV, to advocate for needed resources, and to pull together a huge network of volunteers and services to care for the sick and their loved ones. This is not a scandal; it is an achievement and a model for other disabilities groups who, for better or for worse, also continue to advocate narrowly for the discrete members of their groups. Segregated services for people with HIV are a mixed blessing -- they fill a vacuum, but reflect the nature of funding streams as much as programmatic philosophy.
"AIDS exceptionalism" mislabels complex, national problems. We can harp on this fashionable figment and villainize the sick, or we can do the real work of addressing the need for real HIV prevention education and for health care financing reform.
Catherine Hanssens is AIDS Project Director, Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund.


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You are watching: Martial Universe
Martial Universe
This is a drama adapted from the novel of the same name by Tian Can Tu Dou. It is a story that talks about Lin Dong, a child from a small village who isn't favored by his family. By chance, Lin Dong obtains a mysterious artifact that is coveted by many clans in the martial world. Because of this artifact, Lin Dong is approached by many people of different clans and is forcibly involved in various events of the martial universe.
Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Historical, Martial Arts, Wuxia
Country: China
Movie: Martial Universe
Production Co:
Release: 2018


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The Amarok developers have announced the availability of an Amarok 2 technical preview, an early pre-release that demonstrates new features that are planned for the next major release the popular open-source media player. Amarok 2 leverages many of the underlying frameworks provided by KDE 4, including the Phonon audio abstraction layer, Solid hardware interface, and Plasma widget library.
The Amarok developers note that many things are currently "broken, non-existent or flat out ugly," and explain that the purpose of this pre-release is to get more people involved with Amarok development. The developers also request (with big red text plastered over the UI) that users refrain from filing bugs since the software is still evolving and the major issues are all well-known. They do, however, encourage users to get involved with development and send in patches.
Source tarballs are available for compilation, and there is also an Ubuntu PPA repository with packages for Gutsy. The latest issue of the Amarok Insider newsletter has additional details about ongoing development efforts and the future roadmap. It also includes some information about the Windows porting effort.
I tested the technical preview with a one-click install for OpenSUSE 10.3. During my own tests, I experienced several crashes and found a bunch of minor bugs. The user interface also still needs a lot of polish. These problems are to be expected with such an early pre-release. Despite the litany of technical issues, it's a very impressive program.
I discussed Amarok 2 with developer Leo Franchi at the KDE release event last week, and I'm very impressed with much of the work that is being done on the audio player. Extensible support for Internet audio stores, Plasma-based widget displays, a new media device architecture, and increasingly robust cross-platform support will make Amarok 2 a real winner.


text: See what's on the menu for your flight Choose from an à la carte menu including traditional Emirati dishes and healthy options. Our Food & Beverage managers can make the perfect pairing recommendations from our boutique wine cellar. Enter your flight number and destination details below to see what is on the menu for your flight. Flight NumberOrigin & Destination Departure date Please enter date in a dd/mm/yyyy format * Flight Number * Origin * Destination * View menu Onboard menus may change. We'll aim to serve you your choice, but apologise if this is unavailable.


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FlatAssembler wrote:That's a "recommended hardware configuration". It doesn't really mean anything. It can't possibly take 512 MB of RAM to install Firefox when Firefox itself is 200 MB large. It takes 512 MB of RAM to install Windows 7, which are 16 GB large. Try it in a virtual machine, I distinctly remember I did it (installed Firefox 43 on a virtual machine with around 150 MB of RAM running Windows XP) without running into problems.
I'm not talking about just installing it, I'm talking about actually using it.
FlatAssembler wrote:Yes, if you try to run the newest version of Firefox on Windows XP, you get a BSOD.
that's what I'd expect from an unusable operating system.


text:
We are a public-private statewide partnership dedicated to supporting and sustaining innovative learning opportunities that extend beyond the school day for all Vermont's children and youth. Our activities are directed toward increasing the quality and availability of education programs during non-school hours, and our mission is to:
Support organizations in providing quality afterschool, summer, and expanded learning experiences so that Vermont's children and youth have the opportunities, skills, and resources they need to become healthy, productive members of society.
© 2016 About Us / Contact Us


text:
Submit your listing by end of day Tuesday
Post your listing by Tuesday 10 AM EDT with our regular fee. The final deadline to submit is Tuesday 11:59 PM EDT EST with an extended deadline fee.
New listings every Wednesday morning
Listings Project email is sent to your inbox once a week on Wednesdays.
Listings Project is free to receive
There is no cost to receive Listings Project email. There is a fee each time you post. No brokers / No managers / No listings with fees / No spaces also represented by a third party.
Featured Story
What the press is saying
"E-mails poured in to her from grateful users: artists who inadvertently met soul mates through a listing for a work space, or artists who found homes that seemed to have souls."
"Wednesday might be the least stressful morning of the week for New York City's legions of renters on the hunt for new apartments: it's the day the Listings Project shows up in subscribers' mailboxes."
"Stephanie takes submissions and goes through them to make sure they aren't submitted by brokers. Everyone on there has just one apartment they want to fill; they're not going to try to push you into something else."


text:
This is late (he passed over a week ago), but Ross Hannaford who was one of the true originals on the Oz music scene has been lost to cancer. His playing credits include Daddy Cool, Billy-T, Paul Madigan & the Humans and busking in the streets of our town (Melbourne). His guitar playing was sublime, his vocals rich and he would always share his music through a genuine love of the craft as opposed to it being a means to make money.
Search him up on YouTube and wander through the list of clips... I'm sure the vast majority of non-Antipodean members of this forum would never have heard of Ross or had the opportunity to hear his music, but here's a couple to get you started .
RIP Ross Hannaford
This is for all non-EC or peripheral-EC topics. We all know how much we love talking about 'The Man' but sometimes we have other interests.
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text:
Information for Service Providers
Conference Timetable available for download here
Count Me In Too and the Brighton and Sussex Sexualities Network (BSSN) are co-hosting the "Transforming Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans Lives" conference on September 15th 2010 at the Jury's Inn Hotel, Brighton.
The conference brings together service providers, academics, and members of LGBT communities. This will be an opportunity to engage with different perspectives on current initiatives, policies, practices, activism and research which seeks to transform LGBT lives in meaningful ways.
Speakers include:
- Caroline Lucas - MP for Brighton Pavillion
- Emma Reed - Head of Sexual Orientation and Transgender Policy, Government Equalities Office
- Dr Surya Monro - LGBT Equality in Local Government, University of Huddersfield
- Clare McEwan, South Downs Health Trust NHS
Representatives of organisations including The Justin Campaign, the Terrence Higgins Trust, East Sussex Fire Brigade, Age Concern and Lighthouse will also be attending.
Please contact Nick McGlynn ( ) for any further details.
You can download the Call for Participation here. The deadline has now passed but if you are interested in being involved in the conference, please do still get in touch!
Click here for a brief guide to the conference
This guide will give you a general idea as to how the conference will run, what will happen in the run up to 15th September, and the basic format of the day itself. Information about accessibility, about getting involved in the conference and on travel and accommodation can be found in this guide. We have also included information on the cost of attending the conference here.
Click here for information on how the conference will be inclusive
As stated in the Call for Participation, the organising team is keen to provide an accessible platform for disseminating academic research to a wide range of audiences and practitioners. Guidelines on presentation formats will be sent to accepted speakers. Inclusive methods of presentation that engage a diverse range of audiences for effective impact are particularly welcome. We really want the Transforming LGBT lives conference to be a friendly and inclusive space and on this page you'll be able learn more about how we are helping to make this a reality.


text:
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Effective August 7, 2013


text: Winston is but a teeny tiny French bulldog puppy and all he wants is to play with his grown doberman friends Emma and Dooby. Add some twee Juno music, a bit of smooth editing and we've got ourselves quite the adorable scene happening here. Can someone please make a full length movie about these guys?


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The Classics
Recognisable at twenty paces, discover our Classics collection, featuring iconic styles in beautiful leathers.
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Marion County will be the place for car enthusiasts to be early this summer with a pair of car shows.
The Burns car show will be all day May 24 in downtown Burns. No other information was available before deadline.
The annual Route 56 Classic Cruisers car show will be June 7 in Memorial Park in Hillsboro.
Registration is from 8 a.m. to noon and an awards ceremony is at 3:30 p.m. The registration fee is $15 and a can of food. They will be distributed between Marion County Toy Run and Marion County Emergency Food Bank.
For more information call, (620) 947-2484 or (620) 947-5993.


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LPC Secretary Bids Adieu to Berkeley, Elmwood Theater To Get New Marquee
Terry Blount, the first person to be hired by the city to be exclusively the secretary of the Berkeley Landmarks Preservation Commission, is leaving his position Friday (today) to become the new planning manager for Martinez in Contra Costa County.
Blount, who joined the commission in August 2007, was praised by Dan Marks, the city's planning director, and members of the Landmarks Preservation Commission at a public meeting Thursday as an asset to the city during his nearly year and a half long tenure in Berkeley.
Marks said that although the implementation of a full-time landmarks commission secretary had been a huge success, the current economic crisis made it difficult for the city's Planning and Development department—which is in charge of the landmarks commission—to replace Blount.
"I really love this job and working here, but I just wanted to take my career to the next level," Blount told the Planet after the meeting. "I am happy I was able to bring in a new level of professionalism and help in historic preservation."
Blount has been a city planner for more than a dozen years, and worked as planner-in-charge and secretary of West Hollywood's Historic Preservation Commission—where he managed the city's historic preservation program—before moving to the Bay Area. He is a native of Los Angeles.
A member of the American Institute of Certified Planners, Blount holds a master's degree in planning from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and has taken numerous classes, seminars and workshops on historic preservation.
With new projects dwindling, the planning department is facing challenges financially and has reduced Zoning Adjustments Board meetings to once a month. The zoning board, responsible for issuing use permits, formerly met twice a month.
City officials said that the land use planning division saw a 10 percent decrease in the number of use permit applications last year, calling it a matter of concern, since the majority of the planning department's $13 million budget comes from development fees.
"There are severe financial issues for the city and we don't have the ability to refill the position with someone of Terry's ability," Marks said at the meeting. "That is the situation now, and when it gets better—and it will get better—we will fill the position. Terry has been a tremendous gift to the city. I can't imagine anyone doing a better job. He chose to leave his position to go to Martinez, management is always a challenge but he is up to it."
Martinez is in the process of drawing up a new general plan.
Debbie Sanderson, the city's planning manager, commended Blount for setting a standard for the rest of the department.
"Thank you for being a diligent advocate for preservation," said Gary Parsons, vice-chair to the landmarks commission. "This is the first time we have had a full time secretary and we have been able to actively search for funds for the downtown historic preservation survey and organize Mills Act seminars and historic preservation training. It would be great to carry on with a full-time secretary, though it's not possible right away."
Alex Amoroso, the city's principal planner, will take over Blount's responsibilities until city officials find a replacement for him.
During his tenure, Blount worked to create awareness about Mills Act contracts—a state economic incentive program offered to owners of historic buildings for restoration and preservation.
In October the commission approved Mills Act contracts for two historic Berkeley landmarks, the Durant Hotel and the Charles Keeler House, for the amount of $3 million and $106,800 respectively, for renovations that will take place over a 10-year period.
Elmwood Theater Marquee
The Landmarks Preservation Commission approved a new marquee for the landmarked Strand—also known as Elmwood—Theater at 2966 College Ave.
However, they were not too pleased with its owner's proposal to inscribe "Welcome to Elmwood—Berkeley's Best Neighborhood" on its northern wall, explaining that it might seem offensive to other neighborhoods in the city.
Built in 1914, the Elmwood Theater was designed by Albert W. Cornelius in the Viennese Secessionist style, and the building's exterior, including its marquee and entrance, were renovated in the late 1940s.
The building's owners, The Elmwood Theater Association along with Rialto Cinemas Elmwood, who manage the theater, told the board that the design for the marquee would be representative of the theater in the early 1920s.
The theater is in the process of revamping its interiors, including its projector, sound system and carpeting.
The owners said that the "Berkeley's Best Neighborhood" painted mural, estimated to be less than 150 square feet, would help promote local businesses in the area.
Board members acknowledged that although legally they could not dictate whether the sign could go up or not, they would prefer if it were removed from the proposal.
"Elmwood doesn't need that," said local historian Steve Finacom. "It stands by itself."


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About JDM Source
"Today, JDM Source is North America's leading choice for high performance used engines and JDM parts."
- What started out as a simple passion and interest to build a reliable and powerful machine has gradually turned into a full time business for JDM Source.
- When JDM Source first started, their goal was to import high quality performance engines and parts. Supply then was either scarce or way too costly. For the past 10 years, the company has always been an important source for high performance engines and parts. Their reputation for consistency and efficiency is forged from their commitment to deliver quality performance engines and parts at an affordable price.
- Today, JDM Source is North America's leading choice for high performance used engines and JDM parts.
- The success is earned from their attention to details and unsurpassed services. At JDM Source, we are driven by our competitive instinct and our insatiable appetite for more powerful and more efficient parts. Our relentlessly and meticulous effort with our product selection has earned us the trust of both the industry and car enthusiasts. Today, JDM Source has extended its distribution network across the border and even overseas. With one of the largest collection of performance engines and JDM parts, JDM Source has become the preferred and reliable source for car enthusiasts across North America. Despite a high turnover of our engines and parts, our company maintains a sufficient level of inventory to feed both the retail and wholesale market.


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How to Deal with Stress in the Workplace?
I have a situation at work that is causing me great stress. A co-worker who I have had a generally good relationship with (stress points have flared from time to time) is falling behind in work, making mistakes and lying to cover it up. My work is dependent on his work and when his work is bad, I look bad too. I don`t see that there is anything I can do to resolve the situation, save from mounting a case to point out his lies, and it is making me very anxious. When I have to confront him about something, I can feel my heart pounding and my blood pressure rising. I take my frustrations home with me and my patient spouse listens and tries to talk me through it. How can a person combat a co-worker`s lies, besides rising blood pressure?
Although it would be gratifying to find a way to confront a person about their past behavior, it is difficult to do so and still maintain a cordial working relationship.
Your best bet may be to focus on the specific behavior of not getting the job done and how you can prevent this problem from happening in the future.
The key issue in your case may be getting the person to follow-through, not trying to correct what's already in the past. When you want someone to follow through, think of it as a three-phase negotiation.
It's great that you have a patient spouse who will listen to you:
get your spouse to play the role of your co-worker and try out the following techniques on him/her. If you want to be successful, practice, practice, practice before you try it out in the real world.
The first phase is an initial conversation covering the following 5 points:
1. Get a verbal commitment from them to perform the task. Don't just get them to say "yes", try to build their commitment to doing their job by getting them to say "Yes, I will do {xxxxx} and get the information to you."
2. Get a specific time frame: instead of merely asking for the information, try to pin the person down to a specific time. Try using phrases like "What's your time frame?" or "How long will this take?" to get the person to be clearer about what they need to do.
3. Get the person to develop a sense of obligation – let him know how you are going to alter what you do. Let him know that if he withdraws and it will impact you.
4. A sense of conscience: let him know how important his help is to you and he will feel guilty about not following through on his commitments.
5. Ask him to envision what he's going to do, from the first step to the last by asking questions like "What are you going to do first? Then what? Where?" and so on. The key is one that car salespersons have found: if you can get a person to sit in a car and imagine driving the car, they will buy the car.
The second phase is closing the deal: summarize the conversation with a firm verbal confirmation and a simple phrase like "So, you'll get the information to me by Monday, right?"
This particular approach of summarizing and confirming has been shown to increase participation in volunteer activities like blood drives. There's no reason why you can't try it either! The third phase depends upon a person's basic need to be consistent and have their ego stroked.
Basically, it involves letting him know that he's the type of person who does follow through on promises. Using phrases like "You're the kind of person who…" You've always impressed me with your ability to…" or "I've always liked the fact that you…" take advantage of a person's need to be consistent and appeal to ego.
Because a powerful basic human need is one in which people need to act in a manner consistent with how they see themselves and how they think other people see them, it's a mistake to say "Come on, please do it"; "I knew this was going to be a problem"; or "I don't know why I bothered to count on you."
Although it certainly would be gratifying to confront the person, this does not generate any psychological motivation on their part to prove you wrong – and if you want them to do their job, you'll have to accept the fact that for this individual, it involves "proving you wrong" time and again.
So, as the deadline approaches, let him know that you appreciate the fact that he's someone who follows through! When asking someone about his progress on a task, try phrasing it as "You know, I appreciate all the help you're providing me. I really respect that fact that you're the kind of person who follows through until he gets the job done".
As a final note: be sure to document what you've tried, just in case things do not work out.
For more information:
Go to the Anxiety and Stress Disorders health topic.


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BlackBerry Torch 9860
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Follow these instructions to use your phone's music player.
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Go to the required audio file or playlist.
3. Use music player
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Press arrow left twice.
Drag the indicator right or left.
5. Turn shuffle on or off
Depending on the current setting, the function is turned on or off.
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No WVU bowl appearance would be complete without the WVU marching band, "The Pride of West Virginia." The band is nationally renowned, having won the 1997 John Philip Sousa Foundation's Sudler Trophy, considered the Heisman Trophy for marching bands.
The band, which has more than 370 members, will leave Morgantown the morning of Jan. 1 with an overnight stop in Augusta, GA before heading on to Miami Beach.
The "Pride" will depart Miami on Jan. 5 and return to Morgantown in the afternoon of Jan. 6.
Thanks for your support of the WVU Band and we hope to see you at all of the following events. Click here for more information on the band's trip to the Orange Bowl.
|Tuesday, January 3
|11:00 a.m.
Mini Band performance at the AvMed Orange Bowl Coaches Luncheon, Jungle Island.
|Mini Band
|6:30 p.m.
Mini Band performance for Mountaineer Meet and Greet at The Clevelander Hotel patio area (l020 Ocean Dr., Miami Beach, FL).
|Mini Band
|8:00 p.m.
Band performs at The Gridiron Bash, 7th-9th Streets on Ocean Dr.
|Full Band
|Wednesday, January 4
|5:45 p.m.
Band performs at the Orange Bowl Game Day Fan Zone at Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens ("Gate G" lot area).
|Full Band
|8:00 p.m.
2012 Discover Orange Bowl at Sun Life Stadium (nationally televised on ESPN). The band will be performing during pre-game only. Band will be sitting in Section 155.
|Full band


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'At Any Price" is a corny movie not worth a hill of beans. You neither like nor care about any of the characters. That's a shame, because it wastes Dennis Quaid's fine work.
The agrarian drama "At Any Price" finds Dennis Quaid going to seed. As shady farmer Henry Whipple, Quaid is the colonel of kernels, planting and selling the stuff like nobody's agribusiness.
But in true Hollywood triteness, Henry isn't happy. Neither of his two prodigal sons wants anything to do with farming, and their indifference is somehow making Henry feel like the most successful failure the state of Iowa has ever seen. Worse, an interloper (Clancy Brown) is threatening to usurp Henry as the No. 1 seed salesman in the seven-county area. What in the name of Willy Loman is Henry to do?
Well, after visiting the town pump (Heather Graham), Henry decides to fight back with an ample supply of candy bars and a cute-as-the-dickens sidekick in the form of his youngest son's live-in girlfriend, Cadence (a fine Maika Monroe). But losing customers is just the tip of the iceberg lettuce for Henry, whose life is about to get even worse.
The script, co-written by director Ramin Bahrani, presents Henry's mounting transgressions as if they're a Watergate of the Plains, complete with lying, embezzlements and, most preposterously, a murder. It could all ruin him, but Henry would plead guilty in a second if only his stock-car driving son, Dean (Zac Efron), would agree to become his protégé. Fat chance.
Dean would rather snag bumpers, not bumper crops, in chasing after a suddenly viable NASCAR dream. So, what's a father to do? Well, if you're Henry, you waste two hours of a movie-goer's time vying to make your recalcitrant son love you while also attempting to render riveting something as important – but dreadfully dull – as the monopolization of genetically enhanced corn seeds. And therein resides the movie's downfall. Instead of making "At Any Price" about one or the other, Bahrani insists on focusing on both, and in the process, ends up shortchanging himself.
The result is a corny movie not worth a hill of beans. You neither like nor care about any of the characters. Add to that Bahrani's incessant saber-rattling about the evils of real-life seed giants like Monsanto, and you're left with acres of unharvested ambitions. Still, for Quaid fans, "At Any Price" is a too rare occasion to see him in top form as a baron with a barren crop of scruples. It's also an opportunity for Quaid to flash that impish grin that screams, "Watch out for me, I'm trouble." And Henry is definitely that, or at least he is until Bahrani starts pulling punches in a ludicrous bid to create a bizarre happy ending.
That's a shame, because not only does it waste Quaid's fine work, it also fritters equally fine turns by Graham, Brown and Efron, who refreshingly disses his good-guy image to make Dean as bad as bad can be. Perhaps there's hope for him yet.
Too bad the same can't be said for his low-yield "Price."
AT ANY PRICE (R for sexual content, including a strong graphic image, and language.) Cast includes Dennis Quaid, Zac Efron and Heather Graham. Co-written and directed by Ramin Bahrani. Grade: C


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Spec# is a formal language for API contracts (influenced by JML, AsmL, and Eiffel), which extends C# with constructs for non-null types, preconditions, postconditions, and object invariants. Spec# comes with a sound programming methodology that permits specification and reasoning about object invariants even in the presence of callbacks and multi-threading. Spec# is a research vehicle that has been used to explore specifications and the dynamic/static tools that make use of them.
The Spec# programming system is a new attempt at a more cost effective way to develop and maintain high-quality software. Spec# is pronounced "Spec sharp" and can be written (and searched for) as the "specsharp" or "Spec# programming system". The Spec# system consists of:
A unique feature of the Spec# programming system is its guarantee of maintaining invariants in object-oriented programs in the presence of callbacks, threads, and inter-object relationships.
The Spec# programming system is being developed as a research project at Microsoft Research in Redmond, primarily by the Programming Languages and Methods group.
Many people worked on Spec#. Here is a partial list:
Spec# is available from the Spec# codeplex site in binary form as well as source form.
The Spec# codeplex site also has a discussion forum, which is the best place to ask questions about Spec#.
We provide some benchmarks that can be used to compare the power and performance of other program verifiers and theorem provers. These are generated from the Boogie test suite, and consist of BoogiePL programs (the majority of which were produced by Boogie from Spec# programs in the Boogie test suite) and the verification conditions that Boogie produced from these BoogiePL programs in the format of the Simplify theorem prover.
Principal Research Software Design Engineer
Principal Researcher


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No secret cameras allowed – ever
School board to ban secret cameras on district property
After months of controversy, false starts and speculation, the board of education of Valdez City Schools made a firm stand on a new policy on hidden cameras and secret video recordings on school property: just don't do it.
"That sounds like a simple policy," board member Anita Fannin said Monday night during a discussion on a new board policy on the subject. "No surreptitious recording."
Dan Walker, vice-president of the board said if school administrators suspect wrong-doing is occurring on school property, then they should call in law enforcement to investigate the situation. No district employees, students or administrators will be allowed to plant or hide secret cameras on school property, period.
The move comes after the board struggled with several draft camera policies that would have given the superintendent the authority to plant hidden cameras on district properties.
The first draft of the hidden camera policy allowed the superintendent to secretly hide cameras with the requirement that the board be notified of the recording at the first meeting held after the cameras were hidden.
A second draft called for board approval before cameras could be hidden on school property; that provision was quickly dumped once it became apparent the board could not approve hiding secret cameras without doing so in public.
The need for a policy regarding secret recordings on district property came last April when a night custodian at Gilson Jr. High School reported finding a camera hidden in a ceiling tile in the teacher lounge. A second camera was found hidden in a clock radio that was placed in a custodial closet at Valdez High School. Witnesses say the camera in the clock had previously been located in the same lounge at Gilson.
School employees and the public were outraged at the find, but were later stunned to learn that the hidden cameras were not only legal in Alaska, but that the district had no policy regarding hidden cameras in the schools.
The issue was further muddled after Valdez fire chief George Keeney appeared before the board of education with officials from the state's division of Homeland Security urging the board to not outright ban hidden cameras on district property.
Keeney told the board that the city was in the midst of conducting a security assessment of Valdez infrustructure with the state's Divisision of Homeland Security and it was highly likely the resulting report would contain a recommendation that security cameras be placed throughout the district's schools.
At Monday night's meeting, Dr. Kathy Todd, who originally brought up the concept the board ban secret recordings on district property, said the issue of security cameras and secret cameras had become muddled and hoped to see the issues addressed seperately.
A faint cheer went up from the audience members at the meeting after the board said it would ban all secret recordings.


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The ICC World Twenty20 2012 is a 20/20 cricket tournament scheduled to take place in Sri Lanka in September-October 2012. It will be the forth World Twenty20 cricket series. The ICC World Twenty20 2012 will be contested by 12 teams which have been 10 Test teams and two qualifiers (Ireland & Afghanistan) and divided into four groups are A, B, C and D. Final will be played at R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo on October 07, 2012. Explore live scores and all information of World T20 2012.
ICC World Cup T20 2012 Complete Match Schedule,... Read More
ICC World Cup T20 2012 Match Schedule | T20 Fixtures
A forum for fans of Nations not listed above.
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How many of us are actually guilty of believing the hype of the era & buying one of these;
Not necessarily this model, but you get the idea, I know I'm guilty!
Chat with like minded people. Post anything in 'general' from latest happenings in the media to whats your favourite food!
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Movie Teasers, Movie Wallpapers and much more Bollywood,Hollywood,Tollywood stuff available here.
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I don't know about you but after a long week of work and rain, I'm ready to get out into the world for a little nature immersion therapy. The imminent end of July reminds us that summer itself shall not last forever. Thus, it behooves us all to live it to the hilt. So where are you watching birds this weekend? Comment below on the excitement you have planned!
Many of last week's SkyWatchers expressed interest in how Chicken Inferno 2008 played out. It was truly remarkable, thanks for asking. Here is a brief report which includes a link to a time-lapse movie of the chicken being built and burned that you have to see to believe!
As I'm finally spending a weekend at home, I have a number of domestic and social activities planned. Still, the wilds of Rochester beckon! Corey's birding this weekend includes watching a bunch of (St. Louis) cardinals at Shea Stadium, presumably getting trounced by the Mets. Charlie plans to spend the weekend at home digesting and then blogging the vast amount of info he just amassed visiting the RSPB and BirdLife International as part of an international shorebird delegation. I'm sure you're as eager to read those posts as I am!
As you prepare for your excellent weekend, be sure to celebrate Sky Watch Friday…
Watch the skies for wild waders, like this Little Blue Heron on the wing (photo by Corey)
Great skywatch, though it took me a moment to notice there was sky in the photo, I was so captivated by the heron. 🙂
I'm planning to spend some time (and much needed work) in my garden this weekend, and I'm sure I'll be seeing plenty of birds as I work.
Great shot!
Wonderful photo! Im hoping to get some birding in this weekend early or late in the day to avoid the heat wave we are having. Happy SWF!
Your beautiful shots.
I'll be birding in my mind…
I bow to the skill involved with this shot… fantastic capture for all us sky watchers to view….
Please forgive this 'copy & paste part of my comment but I am on my rounds checking all the links but wanted you to know I have seen your post and will try to get back again.
On behalf of all other Sky Watchers the team thank you for taking part this week.
Live it to the hilt, absolutely right. I'm out straight from work this evening. Thanks for stopping by Mike and thanks for the kind comment.
This is just amazing. I have a special love of blue herons.
Well, I've probably previously mentioned that I know relatively little about birds, but I'll have my eyes open today — I've been thinking of going out to Point Reyes, not far from here…
You've got some amazing photos on your blog. Birds and skies do go together.
My Skywatch this week is here – the skies over Bangkok and Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand.
Don't tell me it's the end of July already because that means I only have a month until school starts again and . . . oh my. I'll be birding where I usually bird, in my own backyard. It's swell and you're all welcome to come by and see the Chestnut-backed Chickadees. Just bring some sunflower seeds — they are demanding and greedy little buggers and they really go through it fast.
I'm tossing around the idea of going west this weekend, the mountains still hide a few goodies I've yet to get for my Big Year.
I'll be watching the Cardinals on TV when I can. Mets are Pond Scum! Go Redbirds!
Nate, make sure you watch the game tonight…I have some seriously good seats somewhere behind home plate so you might be able to spot me (look for some redbird red!).
And thanks to everyone who commented so far for the compliments on the picture (I just got very lucky to have it fly right past me with the sun behind me).
I'll be birding at Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio, Presque Isle State Park in Pennsylvania, and Allegany State Park in your great state of New York!
Good birding to all !!
Definitely go Cardinals!!
First visit! It has been raining and raining, so I would be happy to bird in my yard. After a storm this week, I caught (photo) of a confused great blue heron standing on a swingset. Why? I think it threw him off that the pond was so high and there were fish flopping on the lawn. But a green heron wasted no time in catching a small one. Love the herons.
If it's not raining, I'll be at Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch, Gilbert Arizona
Somewhere NEW. July isn't the most productive month for birding, so I use it for exploring. I will be up at the wild and cool Delaware Water Gap in NJ, but not my ordinary haunts. I am targeting some new trails and new sights in the middle section. Hemlock forests, spruce bogs, various wetlands intriguingly called "Crater Lakes." The maps are calling to me. "Come and see, come and see. There are birds here!"
Just amazing! Thanks for this.
what a majestic bird! superb photo!
Wonderful in-flight capture, and a great Sky Watch. Thanks!
© 2013 10,000 Birds. All words, images, and opinions are the property of their respective authors unless stated otherwise.


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7-8 December 2009 - OECD Conference Centre, Paris, France
The theme for the 8th Global Forum on International Investment was "Beyond the Crisis: International investment for a stronger, cleaner, fairer global economy".
The global economic crisis has already wiped out trillions in global wealth and the prospects for 2009 and even into 2010 are grim. This is why governments and international organisations like the OECD have put so much effort into developing new policy strategies for bringing the crisis to an end.
Further information and documentation for the GFII are available on the Global Forum website at www.oecd.org/investment/gfi-8 .
Related Documents


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Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University softball team returned to action on Thursday (March 8) following an off day at the Florida Rebel Spring Games Tournament, but dropped a 4-1 decision to Holy Family (Pa.) at the Osceola County Sports Complex in Kissimmee, Fla.
Holy Family scored twice in the first and added a run in both the top half of the second and fourth innings to take a 4-0 lead in the contest.
Ferris State finally put a run on the board in the bottom of the sixth, but it was not enough as FSU dropped to 4-5 overall this season with the loss in the first of two games on the day.
Amy Dunleavy pitched all seven innings for the Bulldogs and gave up eight hits. She struck out seven and walked three while facing 27 batters.
Dunleavy also paced the Bulldogs at the plate as she had the Bulldogs' only extra base hit with a double in the game. Additional hits came from senior Makenzi Peterson along with Morgan Kramerich and Liz Hamming in addition to senior Chelsea Morris, who tallied the Bulldogs' lone RBI of the outing.
FSU was outhit 8-5 for the game with Bianca Robinson leading Holy Family at the plate with a pair of hits, including a double. Erica Reis homered for the Tigers.
Reis hurled all seven innings for Holy Family and allowed only a single run with five strikeouts and just one walk.
Ferris State returns to action with its second game of the day versus Southwest Minnesota State at 11 a.m. (ET) on Thursday.


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September 25, 2006
LOS ANGELES - UCLA Anderson School of Management Dean Judy Olian today announced that lawyer Daniel Petrocelli will be the keynote speaker for this fall's Director Training and Certification Program. Petrocelli, lead counsel for Jeffrey K. Skilling in U.S. v. Jeffrey Skilling and Kenneth Lay, will address attendees of the program's Opening Night Networking Dinner on October 10, 2006.
"Mr. Petrocelli, who has been part of the defense team on one of the most high profile corporate trials of our time, will reflect on the trends in corporate governance and accountability from his unique vantage point," said Dean Olian.
A partner with Century City law firm O'Melveny & Myers, Petrocelli will discuss his experience as lead counsel for Jeffrey Skilling in the Enron trial and how it demonstrates disturbing trends in the prosecution of corporate executives, directors, and corporations. He will also cover topics such as: the effect of negative publicity and hostile community attitudes and the obstacles they pose to maintaining an effective defense; and strategies that prosecutors employ in these cases to gain an unfair advantage over defendants. Petrocelli's national trial practice represents clients in major litigation in a wide variety of areas including entertainment, intellectual property, unfair competition, business torts, securities, employment law, and criminal defense.
Offered by UCLA Anderson's Executive Education Programs, the Director Training and Certification Program provides content-rich modules that build and increase the expertise of directors of the boards of public companies and of private companies intending to become public. The fall program will be held October 10-13, 2006 with day one dedicated to the "nuts and bolts" for new directors, followed by an advanced level core program that includes the latest strategies for effective directorship, as well as advanced-level modules on audit, compensation, and nominating and governance. For more information go to: http://www.anderson.ucla.edu/documents/areas/prg/execed/ucla_dtp.pdf or contact the program at email@example.com; 310-825-2001.
About UCLA Anderson School of Management
UCLA Anderson School of Management is ranked among the top-tier business schools in the world. Award-winning faculty renowned for their research and teaching, highly selective admissions, successful alumni and world-class facilities combine to provide an extraordinary learning environment.
The mission of UCLA Anderson School of Management is to be a global leader in management education, research and service. Established in 1935, UCLA Anderson provides management education to more than 1,400 students enrolled in MBA and doctoral programs, and some 2,000 executives and managers enrolled annually in executive education programs. UCLA Anderson alumni number more than 35,000 graduates around the world dedicated to continued networking, professional development and educational activities.


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Monday, June 04, 2012
Persian scrambled eggs with dill (panir bereshteh)
After "discovering" this wonderful Persian beetroot and yogurt borani recipe, I was hungry for more Persian recipes. Browsing the FoodBlogSearch results and using Google gave me plenty of ideas for diversifying my family's diet during the coming weeks. One dish that really caught my eye was "Persian feta omelette" that's apparently a real hit at byblos le petit café - a favourite Persian brunch location in Montreal, Canada. As we have a ready supply off fresh eggs from our four chickens, I'm always willing to try new egg recipes, and this feta omelette fit the bill nicely.
Fluffy, one of our two Orpingtons, on a walk
I didn't have an exact recipe, instead I took inspiration from here and there (see some links at the bottom of this post). I call it Persian scrambled eggs with feta as opposed to Persian feta omelette, as, well, this is how I make scrambled eggs and not an omelette :) By blitzing the eggs with feta cheese first guarantees you have a uniform feta-egg mixture, and every bite you take tastes of the lovely feta cheese, as well as the farm-fresh eggs.
Serve with a selection of flat and soft white breads, or on top of - or between - toasted sliced bread.
Persian scrambled eggs with feta cheese
Serves two to three
4 large eggs
200 g soft feta cheese
freshly ground white or black pepper
a pinch of oregano or marjoram
fresh dill, to garnish
Place the eggs and the feta into the beaker of your hand-held/immersion blender and blitz until combined. Season with pepper and a pinch of oregano or marjoram.
Lightly oil a heavy-bottomed omelet pan.
Pour the egg mixture into the cold pan and place the pan onto a hob over a medium-low heat. Heat gently and slowly, stirring with a wooden spatula or spoon, until the eggs are scrambled, yet soft and creamy.
Remove the pan from the heat, transfer the eggs into a serving dish. Garnish with chopped dill and serve at once.
More about Persian feta omelette/omelet:
Cooking and Cooking (recipe for Panir Bereshteh)
Julie's "Eating Project" blog (see photo no 5)
She Said (same recipe/photo in the Australian Herald Sun)
Cheese contest @ Canadian Living
9 comments:
- Hovkonditorn said...
Sounds delicious! Have a great day!
- 11:02 am, June 04, 2012
- Bárbara Achondo said...
mmmmm lovely eggs! thanks for the recipe!
- 7:46 pm, June 04, 2012
- Kalyn said...
Oh yes, this sounds wonderful!
- 11:33 pm, June 04, 2012
We always have our eggs with feta :)
- 11:39 pm, June 04, 2012
- Windmill said...
Im going to try this right now, I have some dill in the fridge, I never imagined that dill would work with scrambled eggs
- 3:40 pm, June 05, 2012
- Maya said...
Love the idea, eggs with feta. And dill - interesting.
Fluffy looks gorgeous! :)
- 11:06 pm, June 05, 2012
- burningwindmill said...
I made a version of this tonight! It was sooo tasty thanks for the recipie, i hope you dont mind me posting a link to the pic of my version ?
- 11:10 pm, June 05, 2012
- Saffron said...
This sounds lovely, but I suspect the original recipe is not Persian/Iranian. "Persian feta" is an Australian cheese that's not really like what you get in Iran :(
For a real Persian recipe, this looks like the ticket: http://www.cookingandcooking.com/Recipes/Panir_Bereshteh(cheese&egg).htm.
You may also like to try Mirza Ghasemi http://turmericsaffron.blogspot.jp/2009/02/mirza-ghasemi-northern-irans-eggplants.html, or go Turkish with Menemen http://almostturkish.blogspot.jp/2007/02/turkish-scrambled-eggs-with-vegetables.html. I've had both of these yummy dishes, though not these particular recipes.
From a long-time reader : )
- 7:00 am, June 06, 2012
- love cooking said...
This looks good. I am thinking to cook it longer to have different texture. Hope it will be good too. I like it a bit brown. :)
- 4:41 pm, June 07, 2012


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IM apps (bots) from the IMified developer community
Here we'll publish all the cool IM bots created by the developer community. We're working on some of our own as well.
Will the App Directory replace the current IMified bots?
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KALAMAZOO—Three of Western Michigan University's choral ensembles—University Chorale, Collegiate Singers and Cantus Femina—will present a concert of humorous, eerie, mystifying and enchanting Halloween and All Saints' Day repertoire at 2 and 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 28, at the Dalton Center Recital Hall.
The free concert, "Hallowed Sounds: A Choral Showcase," will feature works by Knut Nystedt, Alice Parker, Gyorgy Orban, Robert Schumann, Juris Karlsons, Arne Mellnäs, Einojuhani Rautavaara and Z. Randall Stroope.
Conducted by Kimberly Dunn Adams, the show opens with the Grand Chorus singing "O Fortuna" from Carl Orff's Carmina Burana. The centerpiece of the program will be Hugo Distler's "Dance of Death," sung by University Chorale and featuring community and WMU faculty members in dramatic speaking roles. "Dance of Death," from Distler's Geistliche Chormusik, Opus 12, is a motet for All Saint's Sunday. Most accurately described as a choral drama, this setting alternates short choral statements with spoken dialogues. Soulful flute solos are interspersed throughout to provide thematic unity and time for meditation.
For more information, contact the School of Music at (269) 387-4667 or wmich.edu/music.


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British music collects 10 per cent more royalties
Blighty rakes it in from NZ, Jamaica
British musicians saw a 10.7 per cent increase from the public performance of recorded music last year despite the recession.
The revenue growth, revealed in the PPL AGM yesterday (pdf), was mostly down to more countries sending music royalties back to the UK via reciprocal agreements. New Zealand and Jamaica were new this year.
The UK is second only to the US in terms of worldwide popularity of its music, and only three countries have a net surplus when royalties going in and out are added up. In the biggest market for British talent, however, the USA, the radio industry doesn't pay any royalties for the recording, although it does pay songwriters for the music it airs.
In addition to agreements with broadcasters, the PPL also collects from shops, restaurants, hotels and venues that play sound recordings. The money is split 50:50 between the performers and the owner of the sound recording, usually a record label.
Despite the recession, and an order from the Copyright Tribunal to cut rates back to 2003 levels, revenue grew two per cent. The PPL saw licensing income of £143.5m in 2010, with international revenues up 47 per cent. The PPL said its cut of costs fell to 13.6 per cent, the lowest ever.
PPL chairman and chief executive Fran Nervka is to step down at the end of the year, to be succeeded by Peter Leathem. ®


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Extraordinary, spectacular, unforgettable and breathtaking barely begin to describe this incredible oceanfront home perched high above the Atlantic Ocean with unlimited 180-degree water and coastline views. On a clear day you can see Cape Cod.
ADDRESS: 60 Tupelo Road, Swampscott
BATHROOMS: 9 full; 2 half
LIVING SPACE: 8,700 sq. ft.
Extraordinary, spectacular, unforgettable and breathtaking barely begin to describe this incredible oceanfront home perched high above the Atlantic Ocean with unlimited 180-degree water and coastline views. On a clear day you can see Cape Cod.
Contemporary in style and spirit, this luxurious home was custom designed and built by master craftsmen using the finest materials. Besides creating a residence that is beyond astonishing, this home offers the ultimate in 21st Century conveniences within a low maintenance profile.
The bonus — OK one of very many — is that the house has a remarkable interior aesthetic that works with multiple decor styles or design visions. Essentially the house is a blank canvas, albeit a stunning and unique one.
Any attempt to list all the outstanding features, amenities and/or details in or outside this house is wonderfully impossible. That list is extremely long. For example, the entire house has radiant heated floors (every single one), six bedroom suites, an infinity Gunite pool and hot tub, a roof deck (the floor is PVC) with a fireplace and/or hot tub options, tennis court, home theater, playroom, etc.
The four-car garage/carport is at the end of an environmentally friendly open-cell paver driveway. And the systems (electrical, plumbing, and heating) are the most technically up-to-date and energy efficient ones available. The house has at least 10 different heating/cooling zones. Whew!
A 'few' highlights
Deciding where to start is a herculean task, but the fun is in the trying. So let's begin with the tower, which incidentally is part of the main entry.
Yes, a tower. Essentially three stories of hurricane-rated glass windows (as are all windows), this light-filled area has a roof-to-basement waterfall display — a self-circulating indoor water fantasy surrounded by a walkable wide, circular steel staircase. Whether to look inside at the waterfall or at the ocean outside is a delightful dilemma for anyone taking the stairs.
You can postpone the decision for a bit with a stop at the expansive atrium, which is the second floor landing that leads directly to the master suite. We'll go there in a moment.
But first, let's stop at the Great Hallway.
Entirely worthy of the name, this lengthy corridor is ideal for large format art displays. A massive "solid" wall that is at least 20-feet high (and about twice as long) and opposite a wall of windows even higher becomes an instant art gallery. On the other hand, leaving this as a blank, but lighted canvas could create a glowing view from the great outdoors…
Back at the master suite awaits a serene oasis filled with luxuries of every kind including, of course, the unforgettable view. The ultra-chic en suite bathroom, however, comes with a unique twist. While the spa tub is nestled window side anyone at the twin-sink vanity, which is directly opposite the tub, can enjoy the same vista. Wall-mounted mirrors reflect all the ocean's glory.
For more grounded pleasures, the sleeping chamber has a sleek flush-mounted gas fireplace and a massive fully customized walk-in closet/dressing room plus an adjacent sitting room/library/office. This also has access to the deck/like walkway that spans the width of the house.
Nothing is 'ordinary'
Downstairs in the foyer (a very large one), sweeping ocean views are what you notice immediately whether you look left into the salon-like dining room or right into the open-flow Great Room and kitchen. Although both spaces overlook the infinity pool, hot tub and the ocean vista (through wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling windows) each has its own interior attractions.
In the Great Room, an elegant gas fireplace takes center stage. In the kitchen, a bank of contemporary cabinets on the outer wall under several transom windows is the inside backdrop for a lengthy center island with seating for at least four. Chefs have the option to gaze at the water while cooking or not.
One perk with the spacious first-floor library/office is its access to the ocean-side of the house that makes taking breaks very tempting. Simply cross the paver patio for a quick dip in the pool.
All rooms on this level have access to another deck/walkway that is also the width of the house.
And then …
Approximately the footprint of the house, the lower level has many of the same features as the "main" house such as exceptionally high ceilings and large extra living/play rooms. A home theater and game room plus two bathrooms and a steam room are here along with several utility and storage rooms.
An option for an in-law/au pair suite is part of the package, too.
The fact is that in this oceanfront manor absolutely "everything" was considered.
Contact Jude Toner of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage at 781-704-6592 or 781-631-9511or by email: firstname.lastname@example.com.


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TORONTO — Even amid the talent dropoff, the reduced drama and ever-increasing injuries, the Lakers have suddenly found themselves in the same spot they were in last season.
The Lakers' 112-106 victory Sunday over the Toronto Raptors at Air Canada Centre officially marked the season's halfway point. Despite the Lakers appearing in high spirits following their first two-game winning streak in a month, a looming prospect hovers over them.
The Lakers (16-25) have fared one game worse than last year's squad at this point. They only snuck into the first round as a seventh seed after closing out the season 28-12. But that year's team still had a prolific Kobe Bryant and a more engaged and healthier Dwight Howard to compensate for the endless infighting. This year's team has far more persisting injuries to its backcourt and currently ranks 12th in a bloated Western Conference.
Yet, the Lakers have continued fighting, going 2-1 thus far on a seven-game trip with another stop tonight in Chicago.
"We don't think about it because we've got to get the team right," Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni said. "Mathematically, we're not out so why even think about it in that sense. We're not doomed for anything, if we just keep plugging along, maybe we'll get some luck here, and get some guys back."
Do the Lakers have enough to overcome such obstacles?
"I think we do," said forward Pau Gasol after posting 22 points on 8-of-20 shooting and nine rebounds. "The Western Conference is tougher than it was last year, but at the same time, I think we can make a really good run toward the second half of the season once we get bodies back."
If only the Lakers were in the Eastern Conference. Then they'd only trail two games for an eighth playoff seed. Then they could play more teams, such as the Raptors (20-19), who squandered a 19-point lead.
The Lakers erased all of that, thanks to heroics both familiar (Nick Young's 29 points) and new (Ryan Kelly's 17 points).
Young returned after serving a one-game suspension for delivering a punching foul last week to Phoenix's Goran Dragic with the same loose spirit that quickly made him into a fan favorite. Young bantered before the game with Xavier Henry, who playfully threw his jersey into a trash can. Young showed off his scoring touch and what D'Antoni called Young's "herky jerky" position that earned him a 10-of-11 clip from the foul line. Young also scored 10 points in the last four minutes.
"When you win, you always have fun," Young said. "That's what we have to do. Play around, talking to each other and joking. I guess we needed this trip to bring us more together."
The Lakers also needed the trip to see an emerging Kelly, whose first career start entailed scoring five points in the last three minutes.
"Obviously there's going to be games where it's tough, I'm still figuring things out," Kelly said. "But I just try and play my game."
Yet, the Lakers hardly view their latest effort as a performance to replicate.
They allowed Toronto to shoot 73.7 percent in the first quarter. The Lakers conceded 52 points in the paint and lost on the offensive glass (13-6).
"We just have trouble keeping the pace sometimes and sustaining our intensity on defense. We do that, we're a pretty good team," D'Antoni said. "I don't care who's out there, we're going to score some points. Now, we've got to stop somebody."
But in season where the Lakers have lacked much of good news, they remain hopeful the confidence stemmed from winning will fuel the growth they've lacked all season.


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text:
This question already has an answer here:
A friend of Mine gave me a system of two equations and asked me to solve them $\rightarrow$
$$\sqrt{x}+y=11~~ ...1$$ $$\sqrt{y}+x=7~~ ...2$$
I tried to solve them manually and got this horrendously complicated fourth degree equation $\rightarrow$
$$\begin{align*} y &= (7-x)^2 ~...\mbox{(from 2)} \\ y &= 49 - 14 x + x^2 \\ \implies 11&= \sqrt{x}+ 49 - 14 x + x^2 ...(\mbox{from 1)}\\ \implies~~ 0&=x^4-28x^3+272x^2-1065x+1444 \end{align*}$$
Solving this wasn't exactly my piece of cake but I could tell that one of Solutions would have been 9 and 4
But my friend kept asking for a formal solution.
I tried plotting the equations and here's what I got $\rightarrow$
So the equations had two pairs of solutions (real ones).
Maybe, Just maybe I think these could be solved using approximations.
So How do i solve them using a formal method (Calculus,Algebra,Real Analysis...)
P.S. I'm In high-school.


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SANTA CLAUS – Mount Zion Christian Church in Santa Claus will finish celebrating its 175th anniversary homecoming Sunday with speaker Brother Alfred Helms.
Helms will provide the morning message and Jim Hutson of Columbus will perform special music during the service.
Services start at 10 a.m. and Sunday school is at 9 a.m. Mount Zion Christian Church is two miles South of Santa Claus on Indiana 245.
Helms served at Mount Zion 1969 to 1976. He and his wife, Janet, reside in Alfordsville. They have three children.
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Senior Expo
Despite the dreary weather outside Thursday, May 28, turnout was great for the Senior Expo, hosted by The Senior Times at the Page Street Senior Center in West Branch.
Attendees visited vendor tables for health, financial and insurance information, health screenings and many free goodies, including a free lunch provided by Matthew's @ the Club.
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While the Israeli army's crossings into Gaza have gone into near-lockdown mode since Hamas wrested control of the coastal strip more than two years ago, Israeli human rights organizations have regularly stepped in to intervene, with some success.
That is, until last week. On Sunday, a group of the most active human rights groups here were informed that the government-run body that controls access to and from Gaza will no longer deal with them.
The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) sent an official letter on Sept. 13 to three human rights groups informing them that they would no longer be able to act on behalf of Palestinians with urgent requests to leave Gaza – generally for medical care, to visit a sick family member, or to attend a funeral. They must instead refer such requests to the Palestinian Civil Affairs Committee, in accordance with the Interim Agreement – the basis of Israeli-Palestinian cooperation established in 1995 under the Oslo peace process.
The letter notes that the "longstanding" policy of carrying out such appeals in conjunction with Palestinian authorities has been approved by Israel's High Court of Justice. But the organizations say it is part of the military's increasing resistance to working with human rights groups in the wake of the Gaza war.
The organizations include Gisha: the Legal Center for the Freedom of Movement, Physicians for Human Rights – Israel, and HaMoked: Center for the Defense of the Individual. They say they have increasingly had their appeals ignored since the war in January. This latest step, the groups complain, takes away one of the few avenues of recourse available to desperate Palestinians.
"Gaza residents have no direct access to the [Israeli] military officials who decide their fates, and up until now they had a chance to have an advocate bring their case before the military and get some sense of due process," says Sari Bashi, the director of Gisha, based in Tel Aviv.
Ms. Bashi, a lawyer, says Gisha and other groups only pick up cases where Palestinians who applied for permits – which they are told to do through the Palestinian Civil Affairs Committee – either had their applications rejected or were never given an answer.
"The new procedure means that Palestinians no longer have a right to have an advocate that they chose to help them, and everyone has a right to an advocate," Bashi says.
The case of baby Mutasem
The case of 9-month-old Mutasem Billah Abu-Mastfa, a Gazan baby diagnosed with a severe heart condition, illustrates well the delay and confusion Palestinian families with urgent health issues are facing – and the powerlessness of human rights groups to help. Due to a deterioration of his condition, his doctors in Gaza referred him for treatment at Sheba Hospital at Tel Hashomer, Israel.
His family submitted an application to take him there on Aug. 28, and the hospital was expecting them on Sept. 13. But the family never got a response from the Israeli authorities and missed the appointment they didn't know they had. The case was taken on by PHR Israel, which has been successful in the past in expediting the handling of urgent medical cases.
"We couldn't do a thing, since COGAT has stopped answering our phone calls and stopped cooperating with us," says Ran Yaron, director of PHR-Israel's Occupied Territories department.
"The lower-level officers were told not to pick up the phone, and on the rare cases that they do, they tell us, 'We don't work with you. If you need answers or to check the status of a case, go ask the Palestinian Authority.'"
However, he points out, only the Israeli military and COGAT, which is a division of Israel's Defense Ministry, has the ability to decide on an individual case.
The attitude of the military toward human rights groups has changed significantly since the war in Gaza, Mr. Yaron notes, and in particular this summer since the group Breaking the Silence released a series of controversial anonymous soldier testimonies that suggested shocking behavior in Gaza, which army officials have declared unreliable because they cannot be verified.
Army spokesman: Rights groups get in the way
The increased media attention over baby Mutasem in the past week, when the human rights groups lodged an official complaint against the new policy and launched a campaign to reverse the decision to shut them out, was likely what helped him get out of Gaza on Thursday.
As his father was crossing through the Erez checkpoint at midday, he told a Monitor reporter of a long ordeal from the day his son was born.
"Today I am here at Erez, and the life of the son I'm holding is in the hands of the Israeli army, which can help him survive or let him die," said Mohammed Abu-Mastfa, from the Khan Younis area of Gaza. After the family waited for weeks for an answer, he explained, they were told by the Palestinian Ministry of Civil Affairs that their permit was refused. No reason was given. "We've spent a lot of time just watching him suffering," he said.
Maj. Guy Inbar, the spokesman for COGAT, says that the human rights groups have blown the issue out of proportion and are refusing to accept that the army insists all requests should come via the Palestinian office in Gaza.
"What we said in this letter is that there is a mechanism, and we intend that it will work as it should," Inbar said. "If the Palestinian Authority wants the population in the Gaza Strip to enter Israel for whatever reason, they should bring it to the attention of Palestinian coordinator. What the human rights organizations do is that they interfere in that mechanism. Most of the time they just get in the way, instead of doing it right."
•Safwat al-Kahlout in Gaza City contributed to this report.


text: I realized today (after a little nostalgia trip courtesy of that new album) that my entire taste in music can perhaps be narrowed down to a series of pool parties (some more fun than others). My own particular brand of seapunk, I suppose. Anyhow, here's a selection–dive in, if you will.


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"Twisted up in Knots (Pretzel Making) Package (ages 8-14)
All supplies and ingredients are included. Aprons are available for in-class use. $299 for up to 10 children. Add more kids for only $25 each. Contact us to schedule your baking party!
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Each participating child must have a completed waiver: Download KCK Class Waiver Here. We recommend including the waiver in your child's party invitation if possible.
PLEASE NOTE: It is our goal to provide our guests with the ultimate baking experience with their friends. For this reason all parties are limited to a maximum of 15 children.