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MightySlim necesitaba un nuevo diseño de página web y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 45 diseños de 16 diseñadores freelance.
Want a cool, engaging, professional homepage and supporting pages. We are inspirational and unique. Help us get that way on the net. Audience age 24-64.
The homepage needs to be our storefront. It should look professional, inviting, engaging, and not boring. We are a tax representation firm, which means that we represent people who are in trouble with the IRS. People who need our services tend to be nervous and affraid. We are their hope against the IRS.
Supporting pages
Supporting pages should fit well with the homepage but should be different enough so their subordinate position is apparent.
For reference
For reference material, check out http://www.txmstr.com. We need to keep the logo, the maroon color, and the links to O'Reilly, Miller, and the TV commercial. So try not to clash too bad with those.
Sites I like: http://www.gattiam.com/, http://www.aevodesign.at/, http://www.burkedesign.ca/ the intro)
- Something unique I've not seen before
- We have to keep the maroon color--ok to add accent colors if tasteful
- We have to keep the logo--hands off
- We have to keep links to O'Reilly, Miller, and our TV commercial--everything else is free game
- When customers see our site (http://www.txmstr.com), they should think professional, unique, dependable, responsible, all with a hint of cool danger
- Navigation should be easy to read and easy to use
- Nothing flash-based--we need content exposed for search
- Nothing completely over the top
- No bright or loud colors unless appropriate (an example of appropriate would be changing the Contact Us box from shades of maroon and pink to yellow; an example of inappropriate would be changing entire site background to yellow)


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Daytimers (10:30 AM - 12 PM)Monday, May 6, 2019 - 10:30am
An ongoing peer-led support group for people living with HIV, with a primary focus on men 50+. New members are welcome. Meets Mondays and Thursdays, 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM.Read More
HIV/Hep C Testing (12 - 7:45 PM)Monday, May 6, 2019 - 12:00pm
We provide free, rapid HIV and hepatitis C (HCV) testing services, post-test counseling, referrals, condom and lubricant distribution at our offices located in the Edgewater neighborhood of Chicago. TESTING HOURS: Monday & Wednesday: 12pm - 7:45pm Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 12pm - 3:...Read More
Syringe Exchange (12 - 7:45 PM)Monday, May 6, 2019 - 12:00pm
Health Access Resources Team or HART, is TPAN's syringe exchange program provides access to free, sterile syringes and other health promotion materials and resources. Harm reduction reduction counseling specific to vein health, safer injection procedures, and ways to reduce HIV and hepatitis...Read More
The Tea Room Youth Drop-In Center (4 - 8 PM)Monday, May 6, 2019 - 4:00pm
The Tea Room is TPAN's drop-in youth center, is a safe space open for LGBTQ young adults and allies to congregate, find help and community. Here you'll find a haven and community, as well as medical and mental health care services, a washer-dryer, educational resources, creative arts programing,...Read More

subset: commoncrawl


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Grey Stucco. This very high resolution image of a rustic stucco wall was captured in the Tuscan region of Italy. Tiled and ready for use. Great for backgrounds or repeated tiling texture work for any type of graphic arts or 3d texturing.
File includes 16 bit Tif version for better color corrections.


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The North Carolina Supreme Court is now weighing an issue stemming from an Elon University matter that will have a ripple effect on every private college in the state with a campus police department. Must law enforcement at private colleges be as open with arrest and other records as their law enforcement counterparts in counties, cities and towns?
While the court has yet to reach its decision, we argue, yes. In fact, we argue absolutely yes.
The issue was raised initially in 2010 by an Elon student and reporter for Phoenix TV, the campus television station. Nick Ochsner sought the arrest record of a student charged with underage drinking and resisting an officer. What Ochsner received in a return from university police was a bare bones document with details removed � or not released � concerning how the arrest was made. There was no mention of any possible chase involving campus police and the student or what circumstances led to a charge of resisting arrest.
When Ochsner asked for clarity he was told campus police were not required to provide anything else. The university contended it was exempt from state public records laws as a private entity.
Ochsner has waged this legal battle ever since.
We find ourselves in agreement with Ochsner�s attorney, who happens to be his mother. Ann Ochsner argued before the court last week that nothing better describes government power than the lawful authority to arrest someone.
We couldn�t express it better.
�If an entity or a person commissioned by statute has the power of arrest, then all the records related to that would become public records,� Ann Ochsner told the Supreme Court, the Associated Press reported.
From our position, this is the essence of the argument. No one in North Carolina with the authority to charge or arrest someone should have powers greater than another in a similar job in the public sector. By giving private entities the ability to file charges, make arrests or conduct searches and seizures, those agencies must be held accountable by allowing public inspection of records regarding those actions. Otherwise, a secret police force is created with seemingly unlimited authority that can never be challenged.
Private campus police were given the ability to enforce laws and investigate crimes by state law in 2005. To maintain law and order on sites where youthful indiscretions aren�t uncommon, such authority is perhaps necessary. So far, 16 of North Carolina�s 36 private colleges have their own police departments.
But it should be handled with great care and under the same provisions local government must maintain. Justice Paul Newby stated during oral arguments, �These are very special and unique governmental activities� now handed to private universities.
And like government, they should be open to inspection.


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What's that you're doing, Ms. Wiele?
Katharina Wiele, 29,
Development and product engineer
who has been working for Lufthansa Technik for ten years
"I'm attaching strip lights to the cabin floor of an Airbus A380, a job that involves cutting the strips to size and gluing them in place. If the power goes off, the shimmering blue strips light the way to the nearest exit. But I don't just install these strips, I also develop them further. The idea itself is pretty basic. You've probably seen luminous cutouts in children's rooms. They absorb daylight or artifical light and then glow in the dark, but usually only for a very short time. Aircraft strip lights are made to quite different standards. They have to last for years, despite being literally trodden underfoot by thousands of passengers, getting rolled over by heavy cabin trolleys and possibly even having coffee spilled on them. And they have to glow in the dark even after a 16-hour, long-haul flight – as well as blending nicely into the overall cabin design when it's light outside. That's why we are developing strips for ever different aircraft type."


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Elton John has been released from a London hospital after being treated for flu and an E. coli bacterial infection.
The singer's spokesman Gary Farrow says John was at home Friday and was feeling fine. He left the hospital early Thursday.
He says John planned to resume his suspended tour and would play scheduled U.S. dates with Billy Joel starting in Oakland, California on Nov. 14.
Illness has forced the 62-year-old musician to cancel several gigs in Britain, Ireland and the U.S. over the last few weeks.
Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Elton John
PLAY IT NOW: Elton John Reacts To Prop 8 Ruling (May 26, 2009)
PLAY IT NOW: Elton John's 2009 Oscar Party
MORE ACCESS ON THESE TOPICS: Elton John - Music - Billy Joel - Hospitalizations - Health Scares


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Airplane experts with a mission
A group of senior citizens in Berlin is restoring an old Soviet propeller plane. The former employees of Interflug and Lufthansa, the national airlines of the two postwar Germanies, collaborate well but still face many hurdles
When they cut back on activities, some people find themselves stumbling into the adventure of a lifetime. Klaus Czepluch quit gardening "due to his age" when he was 68, packed the relics of his working life – instruments, switches, landing lights – into a crate and hauled it over to the Technology Museum in Berlin. "I hear you're restoring an old IL-14, perhaps some of this will come in handy." It did, but it wasn't enough: They wanted him, too. As luck would have it, he had been in charge of maintaining this particular plane when he was an engineer with Interflug, East Germany's state airline. Luck – or fate? At any rate, Czepluch agreed, saying he'd got a bunch of hobbies, but he'd make room for this.
Nine years later, Czepluch arrives at what was once Tempelhof Airport, where kiteboarders now fly along the runways and frisbees whiz through the air. He parks his Toyota Prius outside a corrugated metal hangar and climbs out. Hair brush cut, tinted sunglasses, wide-wale corduroys and a rag hanging from his belt, it's time to get his hands dirty. Jacked up under the ceiling is a huge steel tube: the 22-meter-long fuselage of the Ilyushin IL-14. Inside, a burly worker in blue overalls is fiddling with the electrics. "What a mess," he sighs. "Morning, Czeppi," the other workers say, "come and see what we've found on the steering gear."
Most of the "Friends of the IL-14" who volunteer here were born during World War II, but this is no hobby space for semi-senile seniors. With blue thumbnails and solder burns, and covered in grease, their mission is to turn the "heap of rubbish" they both love and hate back into a proud plane.
After 1983, the plane stood on a Stasi airfield in Eilenburg, East Germany. When the borders opened, unknown assailants hurled rocks at the windows and tore out the controls, radio equipment and seats. In 1992, in preparation for the trip to Berlin, the fuselage was cut in half with a circular saw, its metal skin, wiring and control cables severed. The aim now is to restore the plane to its original state. In 1958, the IL-14 had a plain, metallic finish, so the paint has to come off and it needs a pressure wash. "We pilots have to do our part," says Eberhard Steinkopf, a small man with a mop of white hair. He puts on his goggles and the paint starts to fly. Steinkopf flew an Ilyushin as a trainee 46 years ago, when he was 21. "We had no flight simulators back then." Jürgen Hartmann, 78, is helping him. A former aircraft mechanic, he is familiar with the IL-14 as well. "It's a great plane, very reliable," he says. Steinkopf reminisces, too: "We skirted the clouds as we flew the plane manually to Budapest. Today, pilots hit autopilot as soon as they take off." That's what his son tells him – he's a pilot, too. Just like his daughter-in-law. He doesn't care what his grandchild does later, "as long as he becomes a pilot."
After reunification, Steinkopf flew for Lufthansa. Many of his colleagues lost their jobs when Interflug folded. "Some people were so distressed they threw themselves in front of a train." Everyone here has heard stories like this. Mention Treuhand, the agency tasked with privatizing East Germany's economy, and their blood starts to boil. "They ruined us," – "They sold us out," is the bitter response. Reconstructing the IL-14 is an effort partly driven by defiance. "After reunification, we often heard people say that our planes were just American imitations," says Czepluch. "It's always bothered me, this ignorance of the fact that we also had people who were good at their job."
The IL-14 is symbolic of a period of new beginnings in East German aviation. In 1955, the East German airline Deutsche Lufthansa (Ost) undertook its maiden flight to Moscow in the twin-engine propellor plane, and 80 of them were built by aircraft manufacturer Flugzeugwerken Dresden until 1959.
Spare parts are difficult, if not impossible, to find. But this is no problem for Gustav Hassenpflug, 79. At his workbench, the retired toolmaker turns billiard balls into knobs for cotrol sticks and fuel taps, and is greatly admired for his "golden hands." In a moment of fun, the others presented him, a man from West Berlin, with an East German "best worker" badge. "I was very honored to be told that if they had known me earlier, they would have felt quite differently about people from West Germany," he says. Other "Wessies" joined the team through the museum's sponsoring society. Ingrid Andriessen-Beck, 63, was a flight instructor in Landshut. She has no issue with being the only woman in the hangar. "This might have been different if all my colleagues were from the West," she says, "but having female colleagues was perfectly normal in the East."
Despite such social successes, there have been setbacks. Five comrades have died, and "time's not exactly on our side," the others admit. Nobody knows, either, where the finished aircraft will eventually be exhibited. The mood is subdued. But at lunchtime, it becomes clear what really keeps them going. Drinking coffee from their favorite cup, enjoying sausages, potato salad and pickles, the old-timers start sharing stories: How at an East German Christmas party, someone played the West German national anthem by mistake; or how they made an immersion heater out of razor blades to boil water for coffee in a hotel room in Addis Ababa – boys' stories with a punchline that has everyone laughing. "If you're ever in a foul mood, you come to this place and immediately feel better," says Hassenpflug. Their plane may be a ruin, but the team love their work.
What will they leave behind? Some people have no trouble answering that question: a restored Ilyushin IL-14 with a silver sheen that looks just like it did when it was new.


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Miley Cyrus is hosting "Saturday Night Live"… and that's… pretty cool!
The 18-year-old star is slated to host for her first time on March 5, Access Hollywood has confirmed.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Young Hollywood: Then & Now
U.S. & World
The day's top national and international news.
The actress, who just wrapped "So Undercover" with Kelly Osbourne and rumored new boyfriend Josh Bowman, will not also be singing that night – a separate musical guest (Access has not confirmed who yet) has been booked.
No word yet if Miley will join "SNL" featured cast member Vanessa Bayer in her hilarious sketch, "The Miley Cyrus Show," in which Vanessa plays the teen star and Jason Sudeikis plays dad Billy Ray.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: She's Just Bein' Miley!
In December, Vanessa spoofed Miley's recent Bong-Gate – which the singer spoke out on for the first time week – in a sketch. See it HERE!
Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Young Hollywood Heartthrobs!
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Young Hollywood Starlets!
PLAY IT NOW: Access Extended: Young Hollywood Celebrates Bieber's 'Never Say Never' Premiere
PLAY IT NOW: Fans Go Wild At Justin Bieber's 'Never Say Never' Premiere
More from Access: [ Miley Cyrus Kelly Osbourne Saturday Night Live ]


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Mustang Alternators & Generators 1964-2020
The alternator serves as the source of electrical power for your Mustang. It uses the power produced by your engine to generate the energy needed to operate your vehicle's vital electronic components. Simply put, if your alternator stops working, your Mustang won't be able to make it out of your driveway! If you need to replace a malfunctioning Mustang Alternator, look no further than CJ Pony Parts. We offer a large selection of Mustang alternators spanning the entire history of America's original pony car. With more than 50,000 parts in all, we have what you need to keep your Mustang on the road!
Showing 1-20 of 150 results
per page
Showing 1-20 of 150 results
per page
Alternators & Generators
The Evolution From Generator to AlternatorAn alternator is standard equipment in every Mustang, but that wasn't always the case. In the early days, the Mustang's electrical power was provided by a generator instead.
Unlike a Mustang alternator, which produces an alternating current (AC) that alternately reverses direction (thus, the term "alternating"), a generator produces a direct current (DC) that only travels in one direction. In modern Mustangs, DC is still necessary to work in conjunction with the battery, which requires conversion from AC to DC. In newer Mustangs, the vehicle's on-board computer regulates the AC's power output to prevent damage to the battery.
How Does the Mustang Alternator Function?The crankshaft serves as the Mustang alternator's driving force. The operation of the Mustang crankshaft causes the movement of Mustang belts that turn the alternator and generates an electrical charge. The generated electricity is then sent to and charges the Mustang battery. The fully charged battery is capable of providing power to the vehicle's electrical components.
What Causes a Mustang Alternator to Fail?While an electrical malfunction is often attributed to a dead or damaged battery, a Mustang alternator is also a common source of electrical failure. If you hear a loud grinding noise coming from the alternator, it's typically a sign that it is not working properly and may need to be replaced. This sound usually signifies that the alternator's needle bearings are breaking down and wearing unevenly, which will eventually cause the alternator to fail. The best course of action is to order a new Mustang alternator from CJ Pony Parts at the first sign of trouble.
Your One-Stop Source for Affordable Mustang Alternators and PartsCJ Pony Parts offers a complete selection of Mustang alternators and related parts such as brackets, fans and hardware. If you have an older generator-powered Mustang, you'll also find an assortment of generator parts and hardware.
Regardless of your Mustang alternator or generator needs, you'll find everyday low prices on all of our products. We also include free ground shipping within the contiguous United States to help keep more of your hard-earned money in your wallet.
Become Part of a Thriving Community of Mustang EnthusiastsWhen you purchase Mustang alternators from CJ Pony Parts, you're more than just another customer. You're also a member of a large and loyal community of Mustang enthusiasts who share your passion for this iconic American original.
Our staff includes plenty of folks who will do everything possible to help you get the most out of your Mustang ownership experience. We've been proudly serving the Mustang community since 1985!


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Words with Friends is one of the best game available on Facebook app store which is very similar to the traditional Scrabble game. Words with Friends allows users to play the game with multiple friends online. I have been playing this game for a while and love it. The game also has apps for both iOS and Android allowing you to play the game on the go as well.
Considering that the game is played online there is a lot of chances for people to look up the dictionary to find words and score high points. So how do you score high points in Words with Friends? Well there are several ways to do it and I'll list a few of them here.
The first option to find words out of the alphabets on your board in Words With Friends is Word Solver. This website provides you options to solve Scrabble words using various dictionaries including; Scrabble Tournament Word List, English Scrabble Dictionary, Words with Friends Dictionary and French Scrabble Dictionary among others.
All you have to do is enter the words on your board in the textbox provided and click on the "Find words!" button and it will automatically display the words you can create using your board. Another similar alternative for finding words is Lexical Word Finder.
The above websites can be used to create words from alphabets on your board. However, what if you want to add to already existing words created on the table? Well, there is a cheat for that too.
More Words is a excellent website which would help you in many ways with solving words in "Words for Friends" and Scrabble in general. It is basically a word search engine which provides you with definitions, anagrams and more. More Words also provides users with an option to create words by adding letters to it and also search for larger words containing a particular word and words starting with or ending with your search.
So if you are looking to cheat in Scrabble or Words with Friends online, look no farther than More Words since it can provide you with the best help you can do with.
While there are many more websites that can help you with finding words for your Scrabble or Words with Friends game. I think the above mentioned websites should be more than sufficient.
P.S. I didn't want to be a spoilsport and take the fun out of the game. However, considering that players can play at their own pace and have the internet to look up words this isn't technically cheating or is it?


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model H59 or Rocket H59. The guitar was Harmonys answer to the Gibson Switchmaster. The guitar was equipped with 3 DeArmond Golden Tone pickups with a neat row of tone volume potentiometers along the guitars lower bottom bout.
|Switchmaster & Zephyr
As on the Gibson Switchmaster and it's Epiphone cousin, the Zephyr Emperor Regent. Both guitars had a volume and tone potentiomers for each pickup (The Zephyr Emperor had a single volume and tone pot for all three pickups.
Necks on many Harmony guitars did not have adjustable truss rods, but did have a steel rod within to prevent warping.
In 1966 Harmony began using what they called "Torque-Lok Adjustable Neck Reinforcing Rods." The neck scale was 24 ¼"; somewhat shorter than Gibsons normal length.
We don't know what wood was used for the body. The catalog say "hardwood body." Many Harmony guitars were made of birch. The catalog states it is made from Hardwood. During its run this guitar sold for $139.50! The chipboard case was only $14.50.
By 1966 the price went up eight bucks to $147.50 and the case was a dollar more.
In 1968 Harmony redesigned the guitar and dubbed it the H59/1. Essentially it was the same guitar but with double cutaways. The cost went up twenty bucks to $159.50, but the case remained at $15.50.
Some of Harmonys more expensive guitars were quality instruments. And this model is no exception.


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New Jersey's largest utility company has proposed spending $3.9 billion over a decade to stormproof its Superstorm Sandy-battered electric and gas system in a time when big storms have become more frequent.
Newark, N.J.-based PSE&G said it can be done without raising customers' bills - so long as power supply costs don't shoot up.
"We live in a digital society nowadays, we have a digital economy," said PSE&G Chairman and CEO Ralph Izzo. "This is about protecting our way of life in extreme weather."
The company says it plans to raise some flood-prone substations, build barriers around others and line cast-iron gas lines with plastic. It wants to fortify overhead power lines so they could withstand sustained 65 mph winds, not just the 55 mph winds they're built for now. It also wants to break electrical circuits into smaller units so that when the power goes out, fewer customers will be affected. And it wants technology to help fix problems faster.
New Jersey, like other places, has seen more frequent and more damaging storms, including Tropical Storm Irene and an ice storm in 2011. During Superstorm Sandy last year, 2 million of the company's 2.2 million customers lost power as trees took down power lines and substations flooded. The company says 800,000 would not have been knocked out if the proposed upgrades were in place. And the rest would have had service returned sooner.
For instance, company officials said the Newark Liberty Airport would have had a shorter shutdown after Sandy if the Newark electrical substation had been protected from flooding.
PSE&G serves about three-fourths of New Jersey electrical customers, including many in the Philadelphia and New York City suburbs.
The company said ratepayers would see no increases or small ones on their bills because two surcharges are due to come off bills in the next few years. Thanks to lower natural gas supply costs, Izzo said, the average residential customer with both gas and electric service now is paying about $2,400 per year to the company - $600 less than in 2008. He said the aim is that the bills would not rise because of the proposed project.
But the estimates do not include $250 million to $300 million the company needs to pay for repairs for damages caused by Sandy. It's not clear how those repair costs might be passed on to customers.
Almost as soon as PSE&G filed its proposal, the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce gave its support.
"Investing in a reliable and resilient energy infrastructure that is better able to withstand powerful and damaging storms like Sandy and other natural disasters will help keep New Jersey competitive and open for business," chamber President and CEO Thomas Bracken said in a statement.
The New Jersey International Brotherhood of Electrical Worker also supported it, saying it would create 5,800 jobs. And the New Jersey Building and Construction Trades Council also came out in support, saying it would provide an adrenalin shot to the state economy.
The proposal requires approval of the state Board of Public Utilities. A spokesman said the board cannot comment on matters before it.
Generally, there's an incentive for investor-owned regulated utilities like PSE&G have to invest in large projects such as power plants, transmission lines and substations, because that's how they can best increase profits for shareholders.
Regulators allow utilities to earn a greater rate of return - typically around 10 percent - for big capital-intensive projects than for simply delivering electricity. The reason is that regulators need to give utilities an incentive to invest in big-ticket items that could improve the system. New Jersey does not have a set rate of return on infrastructure investments, but rather decides them on a case-by-case basis.
Investors cheer when these projects are allowed because they increase electric rates. But they are not always good news for customers. Even if the proposed project does not raise utility bills, it would keep them from dropping as much as they otherwise would because the surcharges that disappearing in 2014 and 2016 that together account for more than 7 percent of the average utility bill.
Jennifer Kim, state director for the liberal consumer protection and environmental organization New Jersey Public Interest Research Group, said that she wants to see an electric system more able to weather bad storms, but she is skeptical about the claim that ratepayers won't see their bills rise. She also said she wants to make sure the project is closely examined and that the company pays for some costs out of what it's already collected from customers.
"Shouldn't some of this stuff have been taken care of already?" she asked.
PSE&G's Izzo said in a conference call that the company has spoken with officials, but he has not asked the governor to pre-approve the upgrade plans.
AP Business Writer Jonathan Fahey in New York contributed to this report.


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Glide along @CB_Connector from #CincyCyclones Stop 1 @TheBanksCincy to #FindlayMarket and #OTR and back again. Pa… https://t.co/Bt3rB8ws3b
Willow Branch Farm is a family-owned farm in north eastern Kentucky. They specialize in seasonal local produce, honey, free-range eggs, and pastured beef. Their mission is to be a local supplier of sustainable produced food to the greater Cincinna...read more


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Could this be a Bromance?
Brian Blanco/AP
Anyone who knows me outside of the ballpark might say I am just having a "moment" with my increasing adulation for Rays uber player Ben Zobrist. There have even been whispers of a budding bro-mance (No, but I still wave), and that my respect and complete adulation for this budding MLB star might sometimes borders on downright obsession. Sorry to ruin it for the bromance police, but I see a lot of similarities between Zobrist and myself when I was playing sports, and I really admire those traits and sensibilities. I see the child-like wonder still on his face and eyes as he is getting ready to step on the field every day. And his community involvement, not only in his faith, but in his actions to bring the joys of baseball to kids, even during the off season just makes me like him more and more.
There is just something about Zorilla and the way he goes about his business both on and off the field that you want to point out to younger kids and hope they take a bit of his style, confidence and positive demeanor for the game of baseball home with them and hopefully carry it with them on the baseball diamond. Maybe it is the honest fact I might actually be watching one of the budding great role models for the kids forming right in front of my eyes, and I want to shout from the rooftops about it hoping that others outside our realm of the baseball world also hears my loud raves.
And I will agree totally that I seem to push this agenda a bit hard when it comes to Zorilla, but I see so much potential yet to be tapped, or even shown to the MLB baseball world and I am thrilled to be able to watch him daily. And maybe it is a bit creepy as it is written here, but it is done with the best intentions to publicize one of those MLB players I truly label one of the real "Good Guys" in baseball. But you do not have to look too far away from the game of baseball to see he is a great example of a good man and father as well as an excellent multi-faceted baseball player.
You only have to see him on the sidelines before games talking with fans, or shaking hands or hugs to other Rays fans who have grown to also know the inner "Good Guy" to know we are witnessing the ever changing growth of a great person. He always has time for the fans, either with a picture or signing a baseball. He truly knows just how blessed he is to be able to play this game for a profession every game, and it shows on his face. If you have ever seen him hold his young son Zion before games, or even seen the glances between Zorilla and his beautiful wife Julianna, you know this is a guy is grounded and supported at home as well as at the ballpark by thousands of screaming fans. I have to say I am a bit jealous of his relationship with his wife because he seemed to have found the perfect complimentary piece of the puzzle for his personal life.
Thanks to Ryan Bodies films/RaysIndex for videos
From the ground up Zobrist has solidified what each Major League player goes throughout their careers before finally busting through the barrier and getting the plate appearances and the playing time to impress and bring shock and awe to the fans and his teammates. Considering most Rays fans had Zobrist penciled in at shortstop going into 2007 off season before the Rays traded with the Twins to bring in shortstop Jason Bartlett. And some players might have taken a step back, but Zobrist was confident and poised and if not for a thumb injury sustained early in Spring Training, it might have prevented an intense battle between the two. But in reality, the healing time spent nursing that thumb injury might have been the perfect antedote to give Zobrist more time to experiment and hone his swing into the power tool it is today.
By Zobrist going back to basics after this injury to his thumb, it might have helped him develop his swing to incorporate his hips sooner into his swing and bring his power element to the forefront. And it is simply a treat now to watch him hit and because of his fielding versatility, he adds a different dimension to this Rays squad. I actually think he made the Rays a better team by being so versatile both at the plate and in the field so that the Rays are able to pencil him into multiple positions without fear of a decrease in productivity or defensive ability.
And most people look at 2009 as Zobrist's banner year, but I truly think we are just starting to see the edges of a career that just might explode with more plate appearances and a possibility of position stability in 2010. If there truly was a "10th Man" award in Major League Baseball, then without a doubt, last season it would have ended up resting in Zobrist's hands. And if you look at his final totals for 2009: a .297 batting average, 27 HR, 91 RBIs and a monstrous .948 OPS, you know we might only be seeing the start of a long career. And that is what is great about the reporting date next Friday down in Port Charlotte, Florida. It is the time for the next chapter in the Zorilla tale to begin.
Chris O'Meara / AP
And it was refreshing in the attached video to hear Zorilla and his wife discuss candidly the upcoming Rays 2010 season and the high expectation goals each see on the near horizon. Neither of them was shy in their opinions and both honestly saw the potential for a great year with more surprises and more Zorilla All-Star chatter. But what I really liked visualizing in that video was the basic fact you saw that these two people really liked and wanted the best for each other. I know that sounds corny and a bit insane, but sometimes you can be "in love" with a person and not like them, but with these two people, the love and the connection between them just shines through in a bright shining beam of awesomeness. Okay, maybe that was a bit much, but you get the idea.
I have gotten lucky enough to talk to Zobrist a few times while he has been with the Rays and he an intelligent and very open guy who truly loves talking about baseball. Even during one of the plays that seemed to have burst his name upon the ears of fans outside Tampa Bay, I was standing right there asking if he was okay and beaming with pride on the extreme effort he took on the play even before making impact with the low Rightfield foul line barrier. And when Zobrist came over the next day and signed his name on the broken piece of the wall, he genuinely thanked me for making sure he was okay. And maybe that is when the bromance from afar started. Because I finally saw a bit of myself in Zobrist and it forged an instant bond.
One of my friends once commented that my new found attention towards Zorilla was my self actualization that we both carried so many of the same values in life, and in that I found solace and respect for him. But I also find solace in the fact he is a "team guy" totally. So many times you hear about players who are "me" guys, well Zobrist is far from a "me" guy, and that fits perfectly into the culture of the Rays clubhouse. I got the idea to write this blog after reading a fellow Rays blog, Rays Index today and seeing Zobrist and his wife compared to Milly and Jimmy from the movie "Bull Durham". And in reality, Zobrist does fall into that realm of the spiritual team mate who is always smiling and in a positive frame of mind. And that is infectious to a team's chemistry and always a good guy to have around during the solemn moments. I might not personally throw "Milly" in with Julianna, but I do agree on her love of the game of baseball and for embracing Jimmy and his personality.
Zobrist is one of those budding players among the ranks of the MLB that we can be proud of knowing, watching play and showing our youth the positive things about the game of baseball. I imagine the Rays might have seen some of those special qualities when he was traded by the Houston Astros to the Rays back on July 12,2006 in exchange for slugger Aubrey Huff. And what he has brought to this Rays roster is a lot more than just his steady play and always improving bat. Zobrist answered in one of the attached videos he would love to play the rest of his career with the Rays.
16 Comments
I love the enthusiaasm he projects in the first picture. Nothing worng with being a Zorilla fan and having a a little bromance !
Cliff! ! I want to play fantasy baseball!
If you're a fan of Zobrist, he must be bromance worthy! From what you write about him, I can see why you hold him in such high regard.
The guy is a positive magnet.
He enjoys the game like that to extremes.
I have to say we are extremely lucky to have a personality like this on the Tampa Bay Rays.
I will get with COB and see if there is anyone not playing this year Emma…….But be afraid, be very afraid….I am the current Champion (j/k).
Rays Renegade
Better Zobrist than Crawford, whom everyone assumes will be outta TB soon. I like Zobrist too… I'm curious to see if last year was a fluke or not production-wise. I think a lot of us feel that way. As always, I learned some new stuff by stoppin by RR.
That's great. I used to have a bromance with Curtis Granderson and when he got traded I cried lol. Now I have a bromance with Justin Verlander after I meet him at Tigerfest, 3 weeks ago. Ben Zobrist is a budding star and SUCH a good hitter, and so versatile in the field.
I have a question for you. On the right side of this screen you have the link "Renegade Favortes" and there's a video called "Zorbrist hangs on near Renegades seat" And there is a guy that looks like you with jean shorts on and bends over the wall to help Zorbrist up. Was that you?
I know there are guys on every team like Ben Zobrist, but he just seems to be doing this life so easily compared to myself and some others.
His character might not be flawless, but it is remarkable. His devotion to family, his religion and his team is up there at the top.
Guess I kind of idolize him more as the perfect teammate since I have had a few bad eggs popped on my sports squads.
Breathe of fresh air might be the best way to put it.
Rays Renegade
Funny thing here that the Rays do so much under the cover of darkness in regards to extensions we would not know if they are actively going after CC or not until it is too late.
Sometimes you just want to know if there is forward motion, but the Rays like to do their signing "Black OPS"-style.
Rays Renegade
Verlander is another one of those guys who seems to be doing it right, so there is nothing wrong with looking to him as a role model.
And this is not to throw guys like Elijah Dukes, Delmon Young or Brett Meyers under the bus, but positive influence and examples make the wrold go round.
Curtis Granderson went to a bigger stage for 2010, and he might be perfect for that spot, but I hope he can get used to the catcalls and the blankty-blank words thrown at him after just a 0-4 day in the Bronx.
When they leave, you just have to hope they maintain their style and do not try and become a persona of their new environment.
Rays Renegade
You change your profile picture so often and I was wondering how you get acsess to players. Like today you changed your picture to you and Ben Zorbrist. I must be cool to have a fan-player relationship with players. It must make you feel like your watching one of your friends or one of your own children.
That is me standing there right at the rail. That is my seat for 81 games a years since 2000.
I am about 30 pounds lighter now than in that picture, but as you can see, I just got done taking a picture of something else right before the play.
I wish it wasn't me because I am not my usual delf, but that happens when you get older (lol).
Rays Renegade
I have to tell you, I have been lucky to have a "baseball" relationship with most of the Rays Bullpen, and some of the Rays bench players.
It has been basically a relationship built out of respect, getting to know them outside the stadium, and most of all showing support for them during the season.
And through that, I have gotten a few tidbits of information that have been turned into blogs and also photos.
I try and change up my profile photo because I think people want to see different things.
Rays Renegade
LOL CLiff! You don't scare me! I can play tough too! except the times that I use my heart instead of head selecting players. lmk.
I always use a sense of both in selecting players. Oh! you are talking about the Fantasy team.
Got side-trcked there for a moment.
It is all fun, and hopefully we can get some more of the West Coast bloggers involved this season.
Hey, the Western divisions have been tough in the MLB, why not on Fantasy Baseball too!
Rays Renegade
Next thing you know TMZ will have me in a photo having lunch with Brodie Jenner somewhere.
Hey, can't two guys enjoy the game of baseball and the attributes of the game without romance hitting the scene..I think they can.
But, Zorilla is one of those guys you truly wish your 21-year old daughter would bring home instead of the unemployed sub shoppe guy with no car, home or prospects.
Rays Renegade


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Are you or a loved one in the military? Or a veteran of the armed forces? KPCC wants to hear about your experiences.
We're planning some live events and news programs this fall about how war is changing lives, families and communities in Southern California. We invite you help shape our coverage by sharing your insights and story ideas.
Why did you (or a loved one) enlist? What were the best and most challenging aspects of military service? How did your family adapt to military life? Did your time in the armed forces help your post-military work life and financial stability?
Your response to these questions is confidential and seen only by journalists. Nothing you share is aired or published without your permission. A reporter or producer might call for more information.


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Patient-centered care by doctors tied to better outcomes
Patients tend to do better when their doctors pay attention to their individual needs and circumstances, according to a new study.
"In a sense that sounds sort of obvious, but no one has ever showed that before," said Dr. Saul Weiner, the study's lead researcher.
Weiner, a physician and health services researcher at Jesse Brown VA Medical Center and the University of Illinois at Chicago, said doctors are often focused on meeting recommended guidelines, such as prescribing certain medications for a condition like high blood pressure.
"The challenge of healthcare is actually customizing those guidelines to the individual's circumstance and the needs of a patient. For generations people have called that the art of medicine, but the problem with that is it seemed dismissive," he said.
Previous studies had suggested that patient-centered care led to better outcomes, but it was hard to know what doctors were talking about with patients.
Researchers didn't know -- for example -- whether doctors simply increased patients' medications when their blood pressures crept back up, or if they tried to find out why their current pills stopped working.
Instead of the medication, it could be that the patients could no longer afford their pills, or that they developed dementia and are forgetful.
For the new study, Weiner and his colleagues recruited 139 doctors-in-training, known as residents, from two U.S. Veterans Affairs facilities. The residents agreed to let their patients privately record a future medical visit.
They then recruited 774 patients of those doctors who agreed to secretly tape record one of their future visits by leaving a recorder in their clothing or bag.
The researchers then went through the patients' medical records to see if there were any "red flags" that signaled patients' conditions were deteriorating. For example, if a person's diabetes was no longer under control.
They then listened to the tape recordings to see if the doctors picked up on the "red flags" and tried to address the underlying cause. About 160 of the patients were then tracked for nine months to see if their conditions improved.
Overall, there were 548 "red flags" identified in the patients' medical records, and 208 of them were addressed during the recorded visits.
The researchers found 71 percent of the patients who had their "red flags" addressed by their doctors improved, compared to about 46 percent of those whose doctors didn't get to the underlying cause.
Addressing the problem
The study cannot prove that the doctors finding those "red flags" caused their patients to do better, but Dr. Robert Smith, who has researched patient-centered care at Michigan State University in East Lansing, said the results are consistent with previous research.
Smith, who wasn't involved with the new study, said that medical education needs to include patient-centered skills and interviewing practices into its curriculum.
"Doctors are not bad people who are not being patient-centered. It's the fact they're not taught it," he added.
Dr. Lisa Cooper, who co-wrote an editorial accompanying the new study in the Annals of Internal Medicine, told Reuters Health there is also a resource issue.
"I'm always an optimist, but we do have challenges. We have an access problem. We don't have an adequate number of primary care physicians," said Cooper, from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore.
Smith, Cooper and Weiner all said patients also shouldn't be afraid to speak up during their visits. But Weiner said the responsibility ultimately falls on the doctor.
"Oftentimes patients don't know what about their context is relevant. If a patient has diminishing cognitive abilities, they're the last person to know their diabetes is going out of control," he said.
"That's why I ultimately think that this is a doctor's job. Not a patient job."


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I was planning to start with a completely different project, but I distinctly heard a plea for a something that would start to make a dint in our burgeoning button collections - and who am I to refuse?
* Buttons - I found shank buttons easier to attach, but any will work.
* Beads - Choose a selection of beads leftover from other projects, or fill with smaller buttons.
* Jewellery pliers and wire cutters.
* Headpins and jump rings - just a few.
* A 'charm' style bracelet or length of chain with sizeable links and a closure fitting.


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Friday, February 26, 2010
The Man In Black
4 comments:
- Jay's Shadow said...
I listen to many styles of music but country....but he was the only country music I would listen to once in a while. But I think this is the best song he did, the way he did it gave it a lot of personal feeling.
- February 26, 2010 at 12:45 AM
- Hopsy the beer drinking clown said...
I actually find that some of Johnny Cash's covers of modern songs like Nine Inch Nails and Sound Garden (Rusty Cage) are great! Typically I listen to Slayer, Grinderman, Cop Shoot Cop or things like that...
- February 26, 2010 at 7:22 AM
- Rot said...
A friend of mine worships Johnny Cash and he hates horror movies, but he rented the DAWN OF THE DEAD remake because he knew they used Cash's THE MAN COMES AROUND for the main title sequence. So we sat there and watched the intro about fifteen times.
It's such an amazing song. We were in a trance watching it over and over again. : )
- February 26, 2010 at 7:44 AM
- The Gill-Man said...
I love Cash, and I REALLY dig the American albums he did with Rick Rubin (the last of which is hitting stores now). The covers are absolutely brilliant, and the original tunes are quite powerful. Cash is one of those artists that embodied what REAL country music was about (not the modern excuse for country that is coming out of Nashville). He sang about real human emotion and experience, and I think that's why he appeals to fans of other genres.
- February 26, 2010 at 9:15 AM


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Lamb is often considered a special-occasion entree (though it shouldn't be limited to that), and we associate it with spring. The American Lamb Board reports that although fresh lamb is available all year, consumption of it doubles during the spring months.
Food writer and recipe developer Adeena Sussman has created a number of spring recipes for the lamb board.
Here's one of her recipes. The others can be found at americanlamb.com.
Lemon-and Herb-Grilled Butterflied Leg of Lamb With Minted Mediterranean Orzo
Serves 8
For the lamb:
8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons pepper
Boneless butterflied leg of lamb, approximately 4-6 pounds
For the orzo:
One 16-ounce box orzo pasta, cooked according to package directions
2⁄3 cup crumbled feta cheese
2/3 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced in half lengthwise
½ cup chopped roasted red pepper
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
Combine garlic, rosemary, oregano, olive oil, lemon juice and zest, salt and pepper in a bowl and rub all over lamb. Place lamb in a covered glass dish or a zip-close plastic bag and marinate in refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
Preheat grill to medium-high. Remove lamb from marinade and scrape off excess solids. Run several skewers though meat to make it easier to handle.
Grill meat until medium-rare, 8-9 minutes per side. Remove lamb from heat and let rest until it comes to room temperature, about 10-15 minutes.
While lamb is resting, toss cooked orzo with feta, olives, red pepper, olive oil, chopped mint, pepper and salt.
Slice meat thinly against the grain and serve with orzo.


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President Barack Obama is proposing that American taxpayers spend about $1.55 billion on aid to Egypt and another $1.5 million – not billion - on aid to Libya in the fiscal year that starts on Oct. 1, which would be the same amount allocated for Egypt in the current fiscal year, and a decline of about $1 million in Libyan aid.
Carolyn Kaster / AP
President Barack Obama, accompanied by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, speaks during a Transfer of Remains Ceremony, Friday, Sept. 14, 2012, at Andrews Air Force Base, Md.
The attacks this week on the U.S. Embassy in Cairo and on the consulate in Benghazi, Libya, have caused some members of Congress to question whether taxpayers' money is being well spent.
Recommended: Obama to campaign in Wisconsin
The morning after the Benghazi attack, which resulted in the deaths of four Americans (including Ambassador Christopher Stevens), Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said many Americans were asking, "How could this happen in a country we helped liberate, in a city we helped save from destruction? This question reflects just how complicated and, at times, how confounding the world can be."
But she said the attack was the work of "a small and savage group – not the people or Government of Libya."
As "complicated" and "confounding" as American engagement in Egypt and Libya might be, Sen. Rand Paul, R- Ky., took to the Senate floor Thursday to offer a simple response to the events: either halting or putting tight restrictions on the flow of U.S. aid to not only Egypt and Libya, but to Yemen and Pakistan as well.
Andrea Mitchell, Joan Walsh and Jim Frederick share their thoughts on the latest from the protests in the Middle East.
Paul offered an amendment that would require the governments of all those countries to cooperate with investigations of the attacks on U.S. embassies in Yemen and Egypt and the consulate in Benghazi and turn over those who planned or took part in any of those attacks to U.S. custody.
(Paul also wants the Pakistani government to release from prison Dr. Shakil Afridi, who helped the U.S. to locate Osama Bin Laden.)
The amendment has not been voted on by the Senate.
"The American people are tired of this," Paul said. "Our Treasury is bare. There is a multitude of reasons why we should not continue to send good money after bad."
Recommended: Ryan adds personal touch to Obama criticism before social conservatives
He added, "Not one penny more for Libya or Egypt or Pakistan until they act as our allies. Some say we have to keep sending it. Fine, let's send it when they act as our allies. Let's send it when they start behaving as civilized nations and come to their senses."
Jessica Rinaldi / Reuters
Senator John Kerry, D-Ma., addresses the final session of the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina September 6, 2012.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry, D- Mass., responded: "Whatever happened to the great commitment of the conservative movement in America to freedom and democracy and to help it develop? Just turn our back on it and pull out the aid? What the heck - because we don't think they are civilized?"
Kerry warned that "unscrupulous people (who) we all know have hated us for a long time" would "love to get the upper hand" in all those countries and Paul's amendment might help them do that.
As far as Libya is concerned, Karim Mezran, adjunct professor of Middle East Studies at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, said the actual dollar amount of U.S. aid matters far less than the symbolism of supporting a pro-Western, pro-U.S. government. "Do you stand with a regularly elected government which the U.S. and the Europeans helped bring to power, or do you allow it to sink by withdrawing support?" Mezran asked.
The foreign aid numbers make it clear that Egypt is a far bigger matter than Libya.
Recommended: After conventions, advantage Obama
According to the Congressional Research Service, between 1948 and 2011, the United States gave Egypt $71.6 billion in foreign aid. In the past fiscal year, Egypt ranked fifth among countries receiving U.S. foreign aid money, after Israel, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq.
For the fiscal year which begins on Oct, 1, Obama is requesting $1.55 billion in aid to Egypt: $1.3 billion in military aid and $250 million in economic aid.
To put that number in perspective, the federal government spends about $1.5 billion a day on Medicare.


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School bells to ring Thursday for Sandy Hook survivors
- Students will attend school in neighboring town
- Local homeowners displayed welcome signs for Sandy Hook community
- "We want to get back to teaching and learning," superintendent says
MONROE, Conn. — Parents and students of Newtown's Sandy Hook Elementary School, arriving Wednesday for an open house at a repurposed school, were greeted with a warm embrace from this neighboring town.
A Sandy Hook Elementary School banner stretched across Chalk Hill School, which was closed in 2010 but renovated to accommodate the students whose studies were tragically halted on Dec. 14 when a gunman killed 20 classmates and six adults at the Sandy Hook school.
Classes will resume Thursday with a new principal, Donna Page, who served as Sandy Hook's principal for more than a decade before retiring in 2010. Page replaces Dawn Hochsprung, who was among the first victims of Adam Lanza's killing spree.
"I want parents and families enduring the loss of their precious children to know their loved ones are foremost in our hearts and minds as we move forward," Page said in a note on the Sandy Hook school's website. "Your strength and compassion (have) been, and will continue to be, an inspiration to me and countless others as we work to honor the memory of your precious children and our beloved staff."
Chalk Hill, about seven miles from Sandy Hook, sits in the woods on a quiet road dominated by private homes. Some displayed welcome signs on snow-covered front lawns. Green ribbons adorned mailboxes and fence posts. The ribbons are the color symbolic of Sandy Hook school.
One yard featured a wooden plank that said: "Welcome Sandy Hook Friends Forever In Our Prayers."
Sandy Hook parent Robert Bazuro, who has children in the second and fourth grades, said he was pleased that school was resuming.
"We're very happy the kids are going back and we're very thankful for Monroe for everything they've done for us," Bazuro said.
Chalk Hill has been renamed Sandy Hook Elementary School, Newtown Superintendent of Schools Janet Robinson said at a press conference in a Monroe park. She said about 500 students attend Sandy Hook, and "the children are so excited to see their teachers" again.
At one point, there were 80 people cleaning and painting the school to "make it look cheerful and happy," she said. Robinson said she heard laughter from teachers setting up things in a new classroom — an "important" sign that "things were changing."
She said furniture and students' belongings were brought from the Newtown school — part of an attempt by school officials to make students comfortable in their new surroundings. Teachers have been very creative decorating some classrooms, though, which look "very different" than the ones in their former school, she said.
A strong police presence was visible Wednesday. "I think right now it has to be the safest school in America," Monroe police Lt. Keith White said.
Teachers attended staff meetings and were visited by Gov. Dannel Malloy before the open house, White said.
In Newtown, a town trying to move forward after the shooting rampage, schools are guarded by local police. The road to Sandy Hook Elementary School remains blocked, as it has been since the morning of the shooting.
Officers from nearby Bethel and Brookfield are assisting with routine police matters, directing traffic past utility work.
Most makeshift memorials for the shooting victims have been removed from Newtown streets, including large displays that once stood in downtown Sandy Hook. A memorial still stands at the corner of Main and Sugar streets outside the Newtown Police Department headquarters.
Contributing: Associated Press


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Grievances ask for paid time off in compensation for the days employees were on forced leave.
This story has been updated.
Multiple unions representing employees at the Federal Aviation Administration are filing grievances with the agency, attempting to receive paid time off to make up for unnecessary furloughs some employees were forced to take.
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association -- which represents 20,000 members -- has filed a grievance because it claims FAA has not complied with regulations from the Office of Personnel Management.
"OPM has put out guidance that grants agencies discretion to provide excused absence to employees who served furlough days that were not required due to the furlough subsequently being cancelled," a NATCA spokesman told Government Executive. "FAA has yet to exercise that discretion. Approximately half of NATCA's members served their furlough day in the first half of the pay period in which the furlough was cancelled."
On the week of April 21, FAA began furloughing employees across the agency. Congress agreed on April 26, however, to shift funds around in FAA's budget to ensure furloughs were no longer necessary.
The American Federation of Government Employees Local 200, which represents 360 FAA workers in Atlantic City, N.J., plans to file a grievance "for violating furlough memo of understanding," according to a union steward.
"So far the agency has not issued any type of guidance or a course [of] action [in] reference to the furlough," said Dave King, the AFGE official.
King added his union is seeking administrative leave or excused absence with no loss of pay as compensation for the time employees were on furlough in non-pay status.
The lack of a response from FAA, King said, has put the union in a "holding pattern" with the agency, forcing the grievance. The complaint will go through several steps within the agency before it reaches an arbitrator. If either party then decides to appeal the arbitrator's decision, the Federal Labor Relations Authority will issue a binding decision.
King said the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists -- which represents 11,000 FAA workers -- has filed a national grievance against FAA. A PASS spokeswoman did not respond in time for this publishing.
NEXT STORY: Senior Exec Bonuses Targeted


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Human Gyroscope, 1Q50.15
Topic and Concept:
Rotational Dynamics, 1Q40. Gyroscopic Motion
Cabinet: Mechanic (ME)
Shelf: #1
One stands on a rotating platform and with a spinning bicycle wheel, rotate the bicycle wheel so that it transfer some of it's energy to the rotating platform.
ID Number
Rotating Platform
ME, Bay B9, Shelf #1
Bicycle Wheel
Important Setup Notes:
- Demonstration may require practice.
- A volunteer may be required.
Setup and Demonstration:
- Set Rotating Platform out on the floor.
- Level the platform.
- Select a volunteer (possibly yourself), and have him or her carefully step onto the platform.
- Get the wheel spinning by grasping a handle (the axle) with one hand. Then, grabbing the outer rim with the other hand, apply a strong, tangential force.
- Hand off the spinning wheel with its plane of rotation vertically oriented to the volunteer (you should still be holding on to the axle) having him or her hold onto the axle with both hands, one on either side. Tell him or her to keep his or her arms straight so as not to bump and thereby slow down the spinning wheel.
- Have the volunteer tilt the wheel so that the plane of rotation approaches horizontal. This will set him or her into rotational motion in a direction opposite that of wheel. The volunteer can control his or her speed by the degree of tilt from vertical. The maximum speed will be reached when the plane is fully horizontal.
- To stop the wheel, warn the volunteer that you are about to do so, and tell him or her to hold the wheel firmly. Then, using a hand or two, slowly grip the tire until the wheel comes to a stop. After the wheel stops, you can take the wheel from the volunteer, and have him or her carefully step off of the platform.
Cautions, Warnings, or Safety Concerns:
- Fingers, long hair, and necklaces may get caught in the spooks of the moving bicycle wheel. Take precautions!
- Due to the high rotational speed of the bicycle wheel, stopping the wheel can be difficult.
- The volunteer may get dizzy from spinning.
When the wheel is spun, it is given some amount of angular momentum whereas the volunteer has none (starting from rest). When the volunteer tilts the wheel, he or she is applying a torque to it and thereby changing its angular momentum. By the conservation of angular momentum (or equivalently Newton's third law), the volunteer feels a torque from the wheel applied in the opposite direction causing him or here to start spinning in a direction opposite that of the wheel. The applied change in angular momentum will be greatest when the torque is applied through an angle of 90°. This is because torque is related to angular acceleration by τ = I*α where I is the moment of inertia of the wheel. α become negative once we pass the 90° mark thereby causing the volunteer to start slowing down. It is this same effect that allows the volunteer to control what direction he or she turns. This is what makes gyroscopes so handy!


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The base�s Bowling Center may be closed soon because of growing financial losses.
EGLIN AFB � The base�s Bowling Center may be closed soon because of growing financial losses.
Employees at the bowling alley are telling customers that it will close at the end of next month. Eglin officials have requested the closure, but no decision has been made.
The center features 32 bowling lanes, a pro shop and snack bar, and is open Monday through Friday, according to the Eglin Air Force Base Support Squadron�s website.
The site suggests that customers call to reserve lanes or to book parties, but employees answering the phone said they no longer will be open after May 24.
Eglin spokeswoman Lois Walsh said base leaders have asked Air Force headquarters to approve closing the bowling alley, but the decision has not been approved.
The center has been facing growing financial losses because of fewer customers, Walsh said. It was identified as a potential for closure in a review of installation programs in December 2011 and again in January.
�If approved, closing the Bowling Center allows installation leaders to use limited base support funding to enhance and augment other Morale, Welfare and Recreation and Services programs that have higher usage across the entire base community,� Walsh said in a written statement.
Walsh did not confirm whether the request to close the Bowling Center was related to sequestration, which requires the Department of Defense to cut $41 billion from its budget by Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year.
The 96th Test Wing at Eglin will have to cut $30 million, or about 20 percent of its budget by then, commander Brig. Gen. David Harris said last month.
In recent weeks, the base has been closing or reducing hours at various facilities.
Last week, the Eglin Library announced it will close until Sept. 30 because of budget restraints.
The wing has also reduced flying hours, eliminated overtime, set thermostats higher, reduced the number of vehicles being used, restricted at least one dining facility�s meal service, reduced operating hours at the legal office and fitness center, and canceled the My First Tri triathlon event scheduled for June 15.
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Lauren Sage Reinlie at 850-315-4443 or firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow her on Twitter @LaurenRnwfdn.


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Ever want to just get away? Fortunately my bicycle has been taking me away for 25 years, since I used to sneak off on my BMX to explore bordering neighborhoods. Some people do this with long walks, movies, spas, alcohol, etc, but for me nothing is as effective as a change in environmental space via pedal strokes and rubber on pavement.
This past weekend I tried to organize a big hike that never panned out. Santa Barbara help had already been sorted with an ex-Angeleno , so I figured, why not ride? I rolled out of Los Angeles about 630pm through the misery of Westwood to the glory of the beach. Bumper to bumper traffic on PCH so I was splitting lanes as the sun was going down and the cool breeze was rolling in. What better 'away' could there be? It's not a physical endeavor as much as a spiritual retreat, sometimes. Near McGrath State Beach I stopped to listen to the frogs and along a closed-to-cars road that parallels the 101 I turned off my lights to ride under the stars.
Rode some of the Grand Tour route and the Lonely Planet west coast cycling route, both in reverse. The quiet, rolling hills between Ventura and Santa Barbara at 1230/1am was just the physical space to open up and clear some mental space. Felt fortunate to be healthy and have the time for such an adventure. Rolled up to Stacy's place (in the hills!) after about 105 miles at 130am. After waking her up we defrosted some brown rice and chickpea patties before I showered and slept for a few hours.
Pedaled away from a coffee shop with 2 bottles of water in my pack, 1 water and 1 Sustained Energy on the bike, some bananas, a clif bar and dried cranberries (and well-caffeinated), with some tail wind, and made it back to LA in 5.5 hours. Riding hard on little sleep is a different type of spiritual experience altogether. Somehow physical exertion combined with mild discomfort and lack of sleep helps me focus? Anyone else experience this?


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When is the best time of year to see whales?
Success rates for different species shifts throughout the year. Transient/Biggs killer whales, for example, make up the majority of our killer whale sightings as they are plentiful and observed year-round. Their smaller, fish-eating cousins known as the 'southern resident' killer whales can also be encountered throughout the year, but are not as common as they once were. Humpback whales have been observed regularly throughout the year, too, but are especially common from late August through December. Gray whales are intermittent visitors as they stop off during their long migration from Mexico to the Bering Sea. There appears to be a small resident gray whale population in the area as well. During the summer, minke whales are located fairly nearby Victoria and we keep tabs on their movements, providing important information to researchers about this little-understood blue whale cousin. So, the best time of year for watching whales is whenever you have the time to come out and join us!
Do you offer a drop-off service?
Yes! Our staff are always happy to arrange for our guests residing downtown to utilize our shuttle before, or taxis after, their trip. Eagle Wing will cover the cost of these transfers.
How do I arrange a pickup service?
Please mention at the time of booking when you speak to our friendly office staff that you would like a complimentary shuttle pickup. Alternatively, if you are staying at a major hotel, please ask the concierge to arrange a pickup on your behalf.
Is your pickup service complimentary?
Yes. We pick up at all major hotels, bed & breakfasts, and hostels.
How long before my scheduled wildlife adventure will the shuttle pick me up?
Usually 45–55 minutes prior to departure. We ask our guests to be at the dock for signing waivers and check-in 30 minutes prior to departure. Our office staff will arrange a pickup time that works for you.
How many passengers can your shuttle carry?
Our van carries seven passengers. For larger parties, we can arrange taxis or a combination of our shuttle and taxis to transport your group.
What is the range of your shuttle pickup service?
Everywhere in the extended downtown Victoria core. If we are unable to send the shuttle to your location for any reason, we will provide a complimentary pickup service through a local taxi company.
Are killer whales seen on every trip?
No, not every trip – but the odds are definitely in your favour. Victoria and the Pacific Northwest are becoming renowned globally for reliability in orca sightings. If averaged over the entire season from May–October our success has been a staggering 90-95% (species specific – orca). If you calculate sightings without being species specific (that is, you count orca along with grays, humpbacks and minke whales) our company's success is over 98%. This is one of the highest success rates in our industry. Over the past five years, humpback whales have been sighted very consistently May through October.
Can anyone go on your trips?
Yes, almost everyone can embark on a journey of a lifetime when conditions are perfect (weather, distance to whales, a person's boating experience, etc.) We have taken guests ranging from three months to 90 years in age, pregnant women, and those with back/neck discomfort. In all cases such as these, the decision is one that is made at the time of the departure with the best interest of the guest comfort in mind. But in general terms, tours are not recommended for pregnant women and persons with serious neck and back problems or frail health. Our captain will make the final decision prior to departure.
Can we hear the whales underwater?
Yes, all of our boats are equipped with scientific grade under water hydrophones that are dropped into the water when within the vicinity of whales. Their sounds are then amplified and broadcast over a surround sound system. The mysterious and beautiful calls of the southern resident orca are a highlight of any trip – if not one's lifetime. Because of this, Eagle Wing has invested in top of the line hydrophone and broadcast equipment for your enjoyment and education.
Are there washrooms on the boat?
Yes, there are washrooms on board Eaglewing, Goldwing, Serengeti & 4 Ever Wild.
Do I need to bring anything?
Bring cameras, an extra memory card, extra clothing, water and perhaps something to snack on. Dry storage is available on board all the boats to keep equipment extra safe on wet days. Feel free to bring additional protection for your camera equipment, e.g. dry bag or plastic bag. We also provide lots of extras in the way of protective clothing and equipment.
Do you allow service dogs on your boats?
Eagle Wing Tours allow registered service dogs on our larger vessels Goldwing and 4 Ever Wild. On these vessels we have both a captain and at least one crew member, so we are able to look after all passengers' safety, both human and canine. This is at the captain's discretion based on weather and sea conditions at the time of the tour just as it would be for guests with any legal disability, back injuries, neck injuries or pregnant women, etc.
How can we make reservations?
Customer experience agents here at Eagle Wing Tours are ready to assist by phone and live chat, or you may reserve directly online by completing the secure reservations form. Advanced reservations are recommended so that you are assured a seat aboard one of our vessels. The peak whale watching season brings many people from all over the world who share the same desire, to see the (now endangered) southern resident killer whales in their own habitat.
How close do you get to the whales?
Whale watching guidelines supported by US and Canadian authorities, top orca researchers and ourselves, members of the whale watching industry, stipulate that operators remain 200 metres from killer whales in Canadian waters (or 200 yards in US waters) and 100m from baleen whales in Canadian waters (or 100 yards in US waters). Exceptions are made for vessels with their engines turned off when whales have approached on their own inside these guidelines. This does not mean that we can park in their path, turn our engines off and wait for them to approach. It means that if whales change course and end up closer to our vessel, it leaves us room to back off; the procedure is to shut down and wait. It's a matter of professional pride that everyone respects these guidelines. Read more about Being Whale Wise.
How do you find the whales?
This is a very intricate process which involves casting a very large 'spotting web' of information. This web includes: being a member of a professional association of over 30 companies that collectively share information, shore based informants, seaplane connections, sport and commercial fisherman, and constant communication with boats actively on the water.
How do you guarantee your sightings?
A combination of our fast boat style, local knowledge, superior staff experience, and a bit of luck allows most of our customers a chance to see whales. If the whales are around we will know because of our joint affiliation with an extensive spotting network. We will travel great distances to show you whales, be it the southern resident killer whale community, transient killer whales or humpbacks – along with many more beautiful creatures. However, unpredictability is a part of our business. Our success at Eagle Wing Tours in sighting whales is an industry-leading 98% from May–October. In the rare event that whales are not seen, passengers are covered by our Whale Guarantee program (a lifetime pass to come back as many times as is necessary to show you whales).
How many passengers go on each boat?
We have four high performance boats and all offer a first-class experience providing ample personal space, room to move about, a private marine washroom and stowage area for personal gear. Our three open-air boats are:
Serengeti – 38 ft; carries 12 passengers and one captain
Goldwing – 60 ft; carries 26 passengers with one captain and one crew member)
Our open-air covered catamaran 4 Ever Wild carries 50 passengers (with a min. 3 crew + captain), while Wild 4 Whales carries 63 passengers (with a min. 3 crew + 2 captains). All vessels offer unobstructed views of the wildlife providing unbelievable photographic opportunities.
How should I dress?
Please remember to dress warmly and be prepared for all weather conditions. Keeping in mind that the ocean air will always be cool relative to what you may be experiencing on land in the harbour. We suggest dressing in layers; bring a jacket/sweater along, keeping in mind that jackets are available if you don't have one. Wear soft-soled shoes, NOT sandals (flip flops or bare feet are not suitable). If you're visiting in the summer and left your scarf and covered shoes at home, we'll wrap you in complimentary blankets, gloves, hats, windproof pants and a jacket to keep you warm!
Is there any better time of day to see the whales?
In general there is no best time of day for sighting success. Our vessel style has a greater range than our competitors, allowing us to confidently guarantee sightings 98% of the time. It boils down to what time best suits your schedule while you are here in Victoria. Sometimes it is windier in the late afternoon, yet the whales can be perhaps more playful in rougher water conditions. In late August/early September we do contend with fog as the sun rises, but it usually burns off by late morning.
Is there parking close by?
Yes, there are lots of parking options in either the Fisherman's Wharf pay parking lot ($9 for 6 hours) or parking on the street (free but limited to two hours max. on every day but Sunday when it's free to park all day long). You can also take a short walk from downtown along the Harbour Pathway, take a harbour ferry water taxi. We also offer a free shuttle to and from downtown hotels, B&Bs or vacation rentals.
What about sea sickness?
It's always a possibility, however, this is rarely a problem on our boats due to vessel design and resulting motion. In online reviews, customers back up this claim. Our boats are very stable in comparison to our competitors' and you have an unobstructed view of the horizon, and plenty of fresh air all around the vessels. As a precaution for those that are susceptible to this ailment, we would recommend that you take your favorite motion sickness medicine at least one hour before your journey. It might seem counter-intuitive, but a light meal before heading out on a tour is advised, as marine travel on an empty stomach is likely to make you feel more sick. We also supply ginger candies to our passengers, which can greatly alleviate small bouts of nausea. Prevention is better than cure, so please speak to your captain or crew members as soon as you start to feel a little restless as they can help you before it gets to the point where you're feeding the fish their next meal. Never feel embarrassed – it's nothing the crew haven't dealt with before!
What are your rates and departure times?
There are several departures throughout the day for your convenience and the rates vary according to the time of year and which vessel, please see rates and schedule.
What else is there to see?
Here are a few examples: Lighthouses, tidal rapids, active commercial shipping lanes with freighters and naval vessels, wind surfers, shallow water environments, secluded coves, rocky outcrops, channels of water carving paths through the islands, diverse vegetation, snow-capped mountains, rainforest valleys, sunsets, estuaries and lagoons, ecological reserves, a defunct leper colony (!), buoys, tide lines, tall ships under sail, tide rips, feeding frenzies (birds), sea life on a scale exceeded only in the polar regions and much, much more!
What equipment do you supply?
We supply many items so that you remember the amazing experience, and not how uncomfortable you were because you weren't prepared. We offer complimentary usage of: sunglasses, 45 SPF sunscreen, toques (warm knit hats), binoculars, gloves, on-board wildlife identification cards and Transport Canada certified 'optional' waterproof flotation jackets (these are very warm 'bomber' style jackets with polar fleece lined pockets and hoods in all sizes). We also offer wind and waterproof pants in all sizes including children's.
What is Eagle Wing Tours
Located in Victoria BC, Canada, Eagle Wing Tours is a locally-owned and family-operated company offering an exclusive, educational, eco-friendly experience for the discerning traveller. Our marine-based guided expeditions explore the San Juan and Gulf Islands in search of killer whales and other marine wildlife. Eagle Wing Tours offers you a chance to bear witness to one of nature's most majestic and awe-inspiring creatures in one of the most impressive settings on earth: the Pacific Northwest. A treasure chest of diverse marine wildlife awaits you!
What is the ride like?
It's like travelling first class! The ride is dry, smooth and exhilarating! As you may know, Mother Nature can certainly kick it up a notch and when she does it is absolutely crucial that you are as comfortable as possible during your personalized whale watching experience. If you are not comfortable, your memories of the wildlife will most certainly be overshadowed by how (windblown, smashed around, wet, bruised) unhappy you were. Comfort is a prime directive at Eagle Wing. Simply stated: if you are not comfortable you will not enjoy yourself as much as you could have, and that is not acceptable with us. Trips are cancelled when sea conditions are unsafe or uncomfortable.
What kind of boats do you use?
Providing a premium marine adventure means utilizing premium vessel design. As such, Eagle Wing uses two different versions of an 'offshore hull design' (scarab), and a high-performance twin-hull catamaran. These styles of vessels have been utilized all over the world for search and rescue operations, high-performance offshore racing, and military applications because of their unique ability to blend safety and comfort with stability and speed. We are the originators of these vessel styles within the whale watching industry. They are simply more comfortable, more exciting and safer, with the result being we see more and do more than our competitors!
What marine life is there to see?
Every tour really is an original experience. Much like purchasing an original piece of art, the experience is solely your own. Surprisingly, anticipation of the unknown and wondering just what will be discovered around each approaching point is where much of the magic comes from. Nature is forever changing and unveils a movement and rhythm that is captivating. Our captains remain wonderfully in tune with these rhythms and so can reliably provide thrills and unique experiences over and over. The wildlife around Victoria is spectacular, diverse, enchanting, and memorable. Marine life you'll potentially see include: orca, gray whales, humpback whales, minke whales, fin whale (rare), Dall's porpoise, harbour porpoise, seals and sea lions, eagles, an endless numbers of sea and shore birds for the ornithologists, and sea stars, giant kelp and other inter-tidal delights.
Where are you located?
We are located in one of the most beautiful places on earth – Victoria! Our floating office and whale interpretive centre is located at historic Fisherman's Wharf. We're easily spotted by the colourful mural of whales and wildlife covering our floating building – look for our lighthouse! We're close to the entrance ramp to the wharf, just take a right at the bottom by Barb's Fish & Chips. We're on the other side of Smoke & Anchor, across from Jackson's Ice Cream. Don't worry, whale watching builds a healthy appetite! Historic Fisherman's Wharf is located near the entrance to Victoria's Inner Harbour at 12 Erie Street, Pier #2.
Where do you go to see the whales?
The entire Salish Sea is our playground. Our operating area stretches from Victoria, to Vancouver, to Seattle, and out to Port Renfrew (west coast Vancouver Island). Often the location of the whales is determined by the whales' prey availability (food), which is delicately intertwined and linked with the natural spawning cycles of this food source (in the case of the southern resident killer whales, salmon).
Who takes care of us on the boats?
A talented collection of experienced captains, marine biologists and their families make up the Eagle Wing team. All of them take their responsibility for your safety and enjoyment extremely seriously; sharing a passion for the west coast ecosystem while delivering a heartfelt wilderness experience is a profession few are privileged to enjoy. Canada holds professional captains and crew to a standard recognized as one of the highest worldwide. Your safety is assured aboard coast guard certified vessels that exceed all requirements for our area.
Why are you more expensive than some other companies?
Pay a bit more, get a lot more! As passionate stewards of a world-renowned marine environment, we are motivated to provide our guests with more than just a look at the whales. We realize that most of our guests have travelled great distances at high cost to experience what we have the privilege of seeing daily. We respect, and ultimately are grateful for this and so with every departure we go above and beyond – maximizing guest satisfaction, overall comfort, and delivering the WOW factor! The truth is, not all whale watching tours are created equal. Comfort aboard many competitors is sacrificed in order to get bums in seats. Not at Eagle Wing: our vessels offer walk-around comfort, accessible washrooms, and are designed to offer the smoothest ride possible. You will be offered waterproof jackets and pants if necessary, hats and gloves, supplied sunscreen, protective glasses and even binoculars. Every detail has been considered and taken care of.


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photo credit Stephanie Williams


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Spa Treatment
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[♪music♪] [Russell Preston Brown in...] [The Russell Brown Show - Power Tips] This episode of the Russell Brown Show is called "The Spa Treatment." Yes, this is a series of tips and techniques for enhancing images of people's faces. In this process, of course, we're going to finish with this final image you see here and we're going to, of course, start with this image right here. There are a lot of problems, but first of all is the background is too cluttered and is distracting from the person's face. Next, there's lots of Spa Treatment we can do to the face-- getting rid of some wrinkles, brightening the teeth, and generally giving the person a more even skin tone complexion. Let's go through this step by step, and believe it or don't--I do not use the Healing brush during this entire process. Now, you may use this in your general work flow, but I find this Spa Treatment effect works extremely well for subtle and gentle retouching. Let's get started. I'm going to turn on a few layers, one by one, so you can see how these change the image. I'm going to zoom in a bit at this time so we can see these more clearly. Let's start with my first layer that I work with, and it's a Lighten layer. I'm going to turn it on right here. Now, what this does is get rid of the shadows in the areas of the wrinkles in the face. I'm calling this Lighten because if I select the layer, you can see that I've set the mode for this layer to Lighten, right here. It's isolating the corrections to only lighten those areas which are dark. This is a great technique. The next thing I want to do is get rid of areas that are slightly too light in value, and that's done with Darken. Let me turn this one on. I'm going to select Darken, this layer right here and turn it on. Now, in this particular case, I used it specifically right on the lips, so I got rid of this glossy sheen to the lips. Let's turn this on again so you can see this. Again, if I target the Darken layer, you can see that I've set the blend mode for this layer to Darken, right here. So it will only darken those areas which are lighter than the current shade of color that you're painting with. And again, I work with the Clone Stamp tool in this case to move the pixels around. I want to do the least amount of damage to the person's face. I want to use the existing pixels on the person's face and with this technique of Lighten and Darken, you can do some amazing things. Not to mention the fact that these are on their separate layers you can then tone these back. Check this out--with this Darken layer, I have it currently set to 71%. Let's bring this up to 100% and see what this looks like. I found that it took out too much of the sheen to the lips, so I dropped it back a little. That's the great thing about putting these adjustments of Lighten and Darken on their own separate layers-- you can adjust them and delicately balance this as you're working on the project because sometimes you can just go a little too far, and you don't want the person to look like a baby face. You want them to look natural and realistic with just a little bit of what I call the "Spa Treatment." Next in my series of adjustments is a color adjustment. Check this out. I'm turning on this Color layer--the visibility right here. You can see here that I've put a general coloring over the entire face with this process. I'm going to target the Color layer, and of course, it's name is Color, and here in the Options bar, I've set the mode to Color. Now what am I doing? I'm simply painting into this layer with a color. If I turn off the visibility of these other layers, you can actually see the actual color layer here below. So it's like a mask of color that I'm putting onto the image. In this particular case, I'm just using a color brush and painting it in. I choose a nice tan color, and then I paint it into position, and because the layer is set to Color, it only colorizes the existing pixels and leaves everything as it is, so it's a great way to tint someone's face and get rid of an overall variation in the colors in their face, like a nice, quick, even tan. Now I'm going to turn on this next layer right here, and this next layer deals with teeth and making them brighter and whiter and I also can apply that to the eyes. And not only that--I can use this same overlay layer to enhance the eyebrows and eyelashes. Check it out--I'm going to turn this layer on. So here it is with the layer on and here's with the layer off. It gives it a nice brightness to those teeth and to the eyes, and also enhances the eyebrows. Now how is this working? If I target this layer, of course, check up here-- it's always a Blend mode. In this case, it's Overlay. With Overlay on I can go in with the Dodge and Burn tools and correct things within the image. Notice that the color of this layer is actually gray. If I turn the mode to Normal at this time, you can see that it's a layer filled with gray-- a standard, default gray of 50%. But if I go to the Overlay mode, the gray values disappear and only those values that are lighter than 50% gray or darker than 50% gray will affect the image. Check it out. As I target this layer, and I go over and select--in this case my Burn tool right here-- I can go in and burn the values of gray in this image and make areas darker. Let's say we want to make the eyebrows darker. I'm going to bring my brush size down with the closed bracket, and then I can go over the eyebrows--check this out-- and make them darker, just like this. With a couple quick strokes like that, you've then made your eyebrows darker. So darken elements with the Burn tool or lighten elements like the teeth with the Dodge tool. Selecting the Dodge tool here then dropping my brush size down to the size of the teeth, I can go in and brighten up teeth. Don't go too far in the whitening, or it'll look like a toothpaste commercial and they'll stand out. So I'm going to dim that back a bit. And of course, you can go in and make these adjustments and like all these previous layers, you target the layer and up here in the Opacity, you can adjust the Opacity down for that particular layer. Okay, moving on in this Spa Treatment. Zooming back out, because I want to show you how to get rid of the background. In this particular case, there were objects behind this subject, and the wall had this wood grain pattern to it, which was distracting. Check this out--I'm going to turn on this background layer like this, and I'm also going to hide this layer mask so I blurred an entire copy of the image and then I adjusted the tones with levels adjustments so that I toned it back a little bit darker and got rid of some of the highlights. Then I used a layer mask in this case to bring the subject through from the background. With a layer mask, I can, of course, go in and paint with black and create this mask so that my background is soft and blurry and this quality of it slowly blending around the person's hair really enhances the quality of your final portrait. So that's my background elimination--it's just a simple Gaussian blur with a layer mask. And then, finally, I've adjusted this with a little bit of a non-destructive adjustment layer for levels, just to make it a little bit darker, and Vibrance, another adjustment layer here to just bring up the overall color throughout the image. Going through each one of these, layer by layer, then gives you this great quality. Let's take a look at the before and after again. So here's our before, and here's our after. Now, before I finish, let's just go down here and create one of these layers so you can see this work flow. If I target my base layer, of course, I can create a new blank layer right down here at the base, Create New Layer. It's a blank layer. Don't forget--this first layer is going to be the Lighten layer. We target the layer, we go to the Blend modes, and we select Lighten. All you do now is go in with your Clone Stamp tool, in this case right here, and hold down your option or alt key. Pick up the shade you want to paint with here, for example, this lighter shade right here. Move up, and of course, notice the nice preview that happens here in Adobe CS4, but watch--you think you're going to be painting over all of the pixels here, under this person's eye, but in fact, the layer is set to Lighten, as I said earlier. It's going to focus the adjustments only in those areas which are darker than the current color that you're painting with. So it's moving these shades right into these areas of the darkest patterns. It's a really excellent way to remove these strong lines under a person's eyes or to get rid of age spots over here, for example, here on the cheek, or here on the nose. Pick up a sample nearby and move it. Okay, now for something that's really important that I want you to watch out for-- it's right up here in the Options bar. Do you see this? Under Sample--you must make sure that you're sampling from the base layer in this case. So I have mine set to Current and Below, which means it's going to pull the information from the current layer as well as the layers below, and that's important in this case because I want to paint into this blank layer using the pixels from the background image below. Now you know. So now you've seen the process of creating these individual layers. Don't forget; you have a Lighten layer, a Darken layer, a Color layer for balancing out the color across the person's face, a special layer here set to Overlay and filled with 50% gray, and then I used the Dodge and Burn tools on it. Then, I got rid of my background with this layer, and then finally finished it off with a Levels and Vibrance layer right here. It gave me my best results. Of course, this is just one in a million ways to retouch a person's face, but I find the combination of these different layers working together gives me my best results. Give it a try. [♪music♪] [tv.adobe.com]
Video Details
Duration: 11 minutes and 1 second
Language: English
License: All rights reserved
Genre: None
Views: 51
Posted by: adobetv on Oct 6, 2010
In this episode, Russell Brown shows you how to enhance portraits using Adobe Photoshop CS4 Extended so that you don't actually have to take them to a day spa.
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