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Carnegie Hall Notables Present Love Letters with Renée Fleming, Alec Baldwin
On Thursday, November 17 at 7:30 p.m. in Zankel Hall, the Carnegie Hall Notables-a membership and ticket program for music enthusiasts in their 20s and 30s-will host Love Letters, a performance of contemporary American playwright A. R. Gurney's work. Celebrated soprano Renée Fleming and award-winning actor Alec Baldwin will perform the piece as directed by Mark Lamos with executive producer Susan Q. Gallin. After the exclusive event, the Notables will gather at Providence for cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, with music by Paul D. Miller, aka DJ Spooky.
Love Letters, a play by A.R. Gurney, traces the lifelong correspondence of the staid, dutiful lawyer Andrew Makepeace Ladd III and the lively, unstable artist Melissa Gardner. Their bittersweet relationship gradually unfolds from what is written-and what is left unsaid-in their letters.
Love Letters is generously underwritten by Pia and Jimmy Zankel. Additional support provided by Ryan Brown, Alexander Goldberg, Adriana Herrera, Daniel Montilla, and Jason Soloway. RÖKK Vodka is the exclusive beverage sponsor of the Love Letters after-party. The New York Observer is media partner of Love Letters.
This special event is hosted by Carnegie Hall's Notables, whose support benefits the music education and community programs created by Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute (WMI). Love Letters benefits The Song Continues... an annual WMI program, created by acclaimed mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne, which fosters the careers of young professional singers from around the world through public master classes with renowned artists and performances at Carnegie Hall. For more information on The Song Continues... click here.
For the November 17 Love Letters performance and after-party, Notables members at the Supporter level (annual contribution of $500) and higher receive complimentary admission for two to this membership event. Admission for non-members is $120 each (in honor of Carnegie Hall's 120th Anniversary) with the price of each ticket applied toward a Notables membership. Tickets are not available to the general public. For more information, please contact the Notables office at 212-903-9734 or firstname.lastname@example.com, or visit carnegiehall.org/LoveLetters.
Love Letters is part of a series of annual special events offered for Carnegie Hall Notables members. Previous events have included panel discussions exploring music's connection to other areas of culture including music and video games, Broadway's youth movement, film soundtracks, fashion, and politics. Celebrity panelists have included Academy Award-nominated film director Wes Anderson; musicians Lou Reed, Natalie Merchant, Moby, Pete Wentz, Rickie Lee Jones, Steven Adler, Henry Rollins, Ace Frehley, Darryl "DMC" McDaniels (Run-DMC), Grandmaster Flash, and Wu-Tang Clan's chief music producer RZA; Saturday Night Live's Ana Gasteyer; songwriter and composer Duncan Sheik; director and costume designer Julie Taymor; fashion designer Zac Posen; composer Lin-Manuel Miranda; and Sex and the City stylist Patricia Field.
About the Artists
One of the most celebrated musical ambassadors of our time, soprano Renée Fleming continues to grace the world's greatest opera stages and concert halls, now extending her reach to include other musical forms and media. In recent seasons, Ms. Fleming has hosted a wide variety of television and radio broadcasts, including the Metropolitan Opera's Live in HD series for movie theaters and Live From Lincoln Center on PBS. As a musical statesman, she has performed at the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, during the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, and at the "We Are One" inaugural celebration for Barack Obama in 2009. A three-time Grammy Award winner, Ms. Fleming has recorded a wide range of CDs and DVDs, including Verdi's La Traviata filmed at the Royal Opera, the jazz album Haunted Heart, and recently a pop covers album Dark Hope. Master Chef Daniel Boulud created the dessert "La Diva Renée" in her honor, and in 2008, Ms. Fleming launched "La Voce by Renée Fleming," a fragrance with proceeds benefiting the Metropolitan Opera. Her awards include the Fulbright Lifetime Achievement Medal (2011), the Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur (2005), and Honorary Doctorates from the Eastman School of Music (2011) and The Juilliard School (2003), where she was also a commencement speaker. Ms. Fleming is currently a member of the Board of Trustees of Carnegie Hall, the Board of Sing for Hope, and the Advisory Board of the White Nights Foundation of America. In 2010, she was named the first ever Creative Consultant at Lyric Opera of Chicago. Over the years, Ms. Fleming has performed nearly 40 times at Carnegie Hall including the dedication of Zankel Hall and Carnegie's season opening gala in 2004.
Alec Baldwin is a graduate of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and received an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from NYU in 2010. Mr. Baldwin last appeared on stage in the 2010 Guild Hall (East Hampton) production of Peter Shaffer's Equus. Other stage credits include the Roundabout Theatre Company's 2006 production of Entertaining Mr. Sloane as well as productions of Loot; Serious Money; Prelude to a Kiss; A Streetcar Named Desire; Macbeth; and The Twentieth Century. Mr. Baldwin has appeared in over forty films, including Beetle Juice, Working Girl, Miami Blues, The Hunt for Red October, Glengarry Glen Ross, Malice, The Juror, The Edge, Ghosts of Mississippi, State and Main, The Cat in the Hat, The Cooler (for which he earned an Oscar nomination), The Aviator, The Departed, and It's Complicated, among many others. On television, he currently stars with Tina Fey on NBC's 30 Rock, winner of the Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2007, 2008, and 2009. Mr. Baldwin has received five SAG Awards, three Golden Globes, the Television Critics Award, and two Emmy Awards as Best Actor in a Comedy Series for his performance on the show.
A. R. ("Pete") Gurney was born in 1930 in Buffalo, New York. He graduated from Williams College in 1952, served as an officer in the Navy, and afterwards attended the Yale School of Drama. For many years, he taught literature at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and moved to New York in 1982 to devote more time to writing for the theater. Among his works are: Scenes from American Life, Children, The Dining Room, The Cocktail Hour, Love Letters, Sylvia, Far East, Ancestral Voices, Big Bill, Indian Blood, and most recently, Black Tie. He has also written three novels, television scripts, and the libretto of Strawberry Fields (a one-act opera). Mr. Gurney is a member of the Theatre Hall of Fame and the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
Mark Lamos is a director of plays, musicals, and opera. He spent 17 seasons as artistic director of Connecticut's Hartford Stage, for which he accepted the Tony Award in 1989 and now acts as artistic director at Westport Country Playhouse. Mr. Lamos made his Broadway directing debut with a transfer from Hartford Stage of Our Country's Good, for which he received a Tony Award nomination as Best Director. His other Broadway credits include Cymbeline, Seascape (Tony Award nomination for Best Revival), The Rivals, the world premiere of A.R. Gurney's The Grand Manner, The Gershwins' Fascinating Rhythm, and The Deep Blue Sea. In the realm of opera, he directed Francesco Cilea's Adriana Lecouvreur with Plácido Domingo for the Metropolitan Opera. His extensive work in opera includes new productions for the Metropolitan Opera, including the world premiere of John Harbison's The Great Gatsby (also seen at Lyric Opera of Chicago), numerous productions for New York City Opera, and new productions for San Francisco Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, among many other companies in the U.S. and abroad.
The Carnegie Hall Notables, a membership and ticket program for music enthusiasts in their 20s and 30s, is an exciting and energetic community of young people committed to advancing music education and the arts. Through original events, discussions with world-famous composers and musicians, discounted ticket prices to concerts, and music events throughout New York City, Notables members are invited to celebrate and intimately experience the exceptional power of music. The annual roster of events is curated by the Notables Committee, a diverse group of artists, socialites, and entrepreneurs in their 20s and 30s led by co-chairs Jimmy Zankel and Cody Franchetti. Members experience all types of musical genres. Contributions to the Notables program support the vital music education programs of Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute, which annually serves over 170,000 children, students, teachers, parents, young music professionals, and adults in the New York metropolitan area and across the US, with more than an additional 100,000 people taking advantage of WMI's online music education resources. For more information, visit carnegiehall.org/notables.
Bank of America is the Proud Season Sponsor of Carnegie Hall.
Event Information
Thursday, November 17, 2011
By A.R. Gurney
Renée Fleming (Melissa Gardner)
Alec Baldwin (Andrew Makepeace Ladd III)
Mark Lamos, Director
Susan Q. Gallin, Executive Producer
7:30 p.m. - Love Letters reading in Zankel Hall (Seventh Avenue between 56th and 57th Streets)
9:00 p.m. - After-Party featuring DJ Spooky at Providence (311 West 57th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues)
Notables members at the Supporter level (annual contribution of $500) and higher receive complimentary admission for two to this membership event. Admission for non-members is $120 each (in honor of Carnegie Hall's 120th Anniversary) with the price of each ticket applied toward a Notables membership. Tickets are not available to the general public. For more information, please contact the Notables office at 212-903-9734 or email@example.com, or visit carnegiehall.org/LoveLetters.
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Hong Kong
All Events
Next Weekend
Victoria Harbor & Star Ferry
Victoria Harbor & Star Ferry (Hong Kong)
The glint of Hong Kong's steel skyline has one world-famous vantage point – Victoria Harbor. Nothing in this city of Cantonese dim sum and martial arts blockbusters screams "time-honored" like a relaxing cruise on the Star Ferry, renowned since the 1800s for transporting folks between Hong Kong and Kowloon. At HK$2, it's without a doubt one of the cheapest cruises in the world.
Peking Duck
Peking Duck (Beijing)
There are variations of it all over the world from New York to New Delhi, but the original recipe started in Beijing. The first origins of this dish appeared in the emperor's kitchen during the Yuan Dynasty 800 years ago. It was so good that it was reserved only for the emperor himself, but over time the secret was slowly released to the masses and Peking Duck eventually rose to international fame. After you roll the succulent duck meat into a pancake and add a little sweet bean sauce, scallions, cucumbers and sometimes sugar into the mix, take a bite and enjoy a mouthful of history.
Leshan Big Buddha
Leshan Big Buddha (Sichuan)
The Big Buddha of Leshan is huge. In fact, it's so huge that the 71 m- (233 ft)-tall structure is the largest stone Buddha in the world and by far the largest pre-modern statue in existence. Carved out of the red cliff that sits over the confluence of the Minjiang, Dadu and Qingyi Rivers, the mighty sculpture was started by the monk Haitang, who hoped it would help calm the turbulent waters below that plagued passing ships.
West Lake
West Lake (Zhejiang)
This 1,300-year-old body of water floats a fleet of slow-moving dragon boats and is dotted with pagoda-capped islands, ancient gardens, willow lined boardwalks and mystical temples – turning West Lake into a top-tier portrait of classical China. Though the area has undergone heavy facelifts since its 8th century inception, this is still one of China's elite destinations nestled in one of the country's most liveable cities – Hangzhou.
Labrang Monastery
Labrang Monastery (Gansu)
It's no secret that getting into Tibet is a pill that many travelers will never swallow. To get your Tibet fix, Gansu's small town of Xiahe is a manageable part of the former Tibetan kingdom of Amdo, and Labrang Monastery is the pilgrimage focal point of a migration of Tibetan Buddhists who visit Gansu year-round. The monastery has an aura beyond its potent beauty, and it's a place where the religiously devout gravitate to the prayer wheels and chant circles of this sacred holy site.
Tiger Leaping Gorge
Tiger Leaping Gorge (Yunnan)
Carved out over the eons by an upper tributary of the Yangtze River, Tiger Leaping Gorge slices more than 15 km (9 mi) through the north of the province and provides one of the most exhilarating treks in China. Marked by an at-times-narrow hiking trail with a commanding view of the river basin, and flanked by arresting mountains on all sides (including magnificent Jade Dragon Snow Mountain), the gorge is one of the deepest in the world and among the best in the country.
Hulunbuir Grasslands
Hulunbuir Grasslands (Inner Mongolia)
Find your "inner Mongolian" at the splendid Hulunbuir Grasslands, where legend says a beautiful girl named Hunlun and her daring man Beier defeated a band of ruthless ogres before casting their spirits into the grass and water that dazzle the area. Settle into a Mongolian ger (a traditional Mongolian yurt tent) for a homestay, do some horseback riding and eat home cooked meals; you may never want to leave.
Mogao Caves of Dunhuang
Mogao Caves of Dunhuang (Gansu)
An absolutely extraordinary cache of Buddhist artwork (perhaps the greatest in the world), the Mogao Caves are a series of 492 Buddhist temples dug into caves southeast of the Silk Road town of Dunhuang. The first caves are thought to have been dug around 366 CE as a place for Buddhist meditation and prayer, and at its zenith, 18 monasteries, about 1,500 monks and nuns, and droves of artists and calligraphers called the grottoes home. Today, the multitude of brilliant murals, frescoes, silken paintings and textiles on display here are some of China's greatest treasures.
Mt Huashan
Mt Huashan (Shaanxi)
The clouds that float through the splendid green valley around the iconic piercing peaks of Mt Huashan seem to come and go on a whim, lending a vision of the mountain's past as a haven for hardy Taoist hermits and immortality seekers. The westernmost of China's Five Great Mountains, it was here that Taoists and Buddhist ascetics cultivated their inner being for centuries, and today the spectacular views at the summits make holy Mt Huashan one of Shaanxi's treasured gems.
Jiuzhaigou National Park
Jiuzhaigou National Park (Sichuan)
UNESCO sure knows how to pick'em, and once again, they have crowned one of China's most spectacular spots with a World Heritage listing. It's not just the enchanting azure lakes, gushing waterfalls, lush green forests or the backdrop of snowtopped mountains; it's the fact that the well-tended trails and boardwalks, as well as eco-friendly camping trips, make Jiuzhaigou an unmissable symbol of China's budding green movement.
Yunnan's Ethnic Minorities
Yunnan's Ethnic Minorities (Yunnan)
34% of Yunnan Province belongs to a non-Han ethnic group: the major ethnicities represented here are Yi, Bai, Hani, Zhuang, Dai, Miao, Tibetan and many others. With so many different cultures, customs and festivities in one location, exploring this land (especially in the southern region of Xishuangbanna) makes for a eye-opening (and even lifechanging) experience.
The Silk Road
The Silk Road (Xinjiang & Gansu)
The Silk Road in China branches into several routes, but none are more time-locked than the ones that run through the sands of Xinjiang and Gansu Province. Numerous caravans from the Middle East, Europe and Central Asia traded goods and ideas across the Eurasian super-highway for thousands of years, and it was along the northern route through Kuqa, Turpan and Urumqi that Marco Polo carved out his great adventure. In Gansu, the Silk Road runs straight through the barren lands of the Hexi Corridor, passing through Great Wall outposts, forgotten temples and Muslim street markets.
Confucian Temple
Confucian Temple (Shandong)
Confucius, the man whose philosophy on social responsibility shaped nearly every aspect of Chinese society, passed away in 478 BCE, and the Duke of the State of Lu subsequently turned his three-bedroom home into a temple. Over the years it has evolved to become the second largest imperial complex in China, but if that's not enough to impress, pop in for its astonishing dragon columns, thundering stone steles, classical architecture and perfectly preserved collection of original Confucian books, clothing and musical instruments.
Giant Panda Breeding Research Base
Giant Panda Breeding Research Base (Sichuan)
The most famous face of China may sit on the front of its RMB notes, but the close runner up makes its most prolific appearance right here in Chengdu's Giant Panda Breeding Research Base. Far better than any zoo, the enclosures for the pandas are well maintained, the grounds are superbly pleasant and the animals look genuinely happy and well cared for. The name of the game here is romance; getting these apparently prude animals to mate is not an easy task, but March to May is the season of love, and visitors in August have a chance to see the cuddly newborns.
Suzhou Canals & Gardens
Suzhou Canals & Gardens (Jiangsu)
The ancient canal town of Suzhou has been named the Venice of the East, and with so many rivers, historic sites and ancient buildings, you'll quickly see why. Suzhou is also renowned for some of the most impressive classical Chinese gardens in the world, many of which have existed for over 1,000 years. For this reason Suzhou has been inducted into UNESCO's World Heritage List.
Mt Wuyi
Mt Wuyi (Fujian)
There are a few better places than the tops of the lovely peaks of Wuyi. Don't forget about the gurgling creeks, rivers and waterfalls singing all throughout the protected forests, nor the fact that Mt Wuyi's relatively low profile means you can experience its powerful beauty in relative peace compared to some of the more roaring tourist mountains.
Kawa Karpo
Kawa Karpo (Yunnan)
The great mountain of Kawa Karpo – part of the Meili Xueshan range tumbling over both sides of the Tibet-Yunnan border – is by far one of China's most tantalizing peaks. The summit soars to 6,740 m (22,113 ft) and supports China's most ecologically diverse glacier (Mingyong Glacier), and this holy mountain traditionally hosts gatherings of Tibetan pilgrims each year.
Kaiping Watchtowers
Kaiping Watchtowers (Guangdong)
Kaiping's Diaolou is a relatively recent addition to China's plethora of stunning sights. Around 1,833 of the original 3,000 diaolou survive along the yellow grassy Guangdong countryside, and their fantastic designs bear clear influences from Roman, Baroque, Gothic and even Byzantine models. One of the nation's most tragically unsung heroes, the Diaolou of Kaiping is a one-of-a-kind delight that any Guangdong-bound visitor should see.
The Chengde Mountain Resort
The Chengde Mountain Resort (Hebei)
Living in Beijing during the sweltering heat of summer inspired the Kangxi Emperor to construct a palace in the cool mountain countryside of Chengde, Hebei. Kangxi's love of hunting is showcased by the enormous hunting grounds walled within the compound, creating one of the most spectacular and unique palaces ever created in China.
Mt Taishan
Mt Taishan (Shandong)
In 219 BCE, the triumphant Emperor Qin Shihuang stood here at one of the country's holiest mountains and declared to the world a unified China for the first time ever. However, it wasn't just Qin who made history on the slopes of the mountain that has been worshipped for over 3,000 years: 71 emperors and Mao Zedong have all left their marks, poetry and musings etched in stones and tablets along the road to the top.
Heaven Lake & Mt Changbai
Heaven Lake & Mt Changbai (Jilin)
Here you can catch the sparkling glory of the crystal clear Heaven Lake: a pristine 9.82 sq km (3.79 sq mi) body of water poured into a massive volcano caldera calmly flowing below the snow-capped Mt Changbai. North Korea shares the back half of the mountain and still purports it to be the birthplace of Kim Jong-il.
The Great Wall
The Great Wall (Beijing)
It's thousands of miles long, but the best parts are easily the walks surrounding the capital. Beijing's Great Wall comes in a variety of styles, from immaculately (and recently) crafted to crumbling under a heap of overgrown brush. But no matter which side of this masterpiece you decide to visit, you'll quickly see that the Great Wall is not only a symbol of China, but a testament to the ingenuity and diligence of humanity.
Hot Pot
Hot Pot (Sichuan & Chongqing)
Spicy, rowdy, delicious... there's a never-ending list of adjectives used to describe a hot pot feast, but none will even come close to describing your experience; you've got to try it yourself. Hot pot is one of China's favorite meals, and after dipping your raw meats and veggies into a bubbling pot of liquid fire and taking a bite, you'll see why since your taste buds will be jumping and screaming.
Dim Sum
Dim Sum (Guangdong & Hong Kong)
Foodies take heart: you're about to indulge in a time-honored classic that is praised as perhaps one of the greatest brunches mankind has ever created. Take a seat at a dim sum restaurant in Guangdong or Hong Kong (the birth place of this delicacy) and wait for the carts piled high with crunchy spring rolls, shrimp dumplings, stuffed pork buns, glutinous rice wrapped in leaves, sweet pastries, and many others, to pass by. Next, grab and grub like there's no tomorrow, and wash it all down with a pot of pu'er tea. There is absolutely no other better way to start the day.
Yalong & Sanya Bays
Yalong & Sanya Bays (Hainan)
Here it is, the self-proclaimed Hawaii of China. Yalong and Sanya, Hainan's premier sun-soaked beach resorts, are perfect for those looking for a tropical, laidback vacation. With golden sand, coconut-filled trees, excellent surfing, glorious tropical island sunsets, jungle bike treks and bumping nightlife, it's hard not to fall in love with Hainan.
Pingyao Ancient Town
Pingyao Ancient Town (Shanxi)
China's best preserved ancient town could be a childhood daydream: tiled roofs creak among cobbled streets, rows of red lanterns illuminate gloomy alleyways and antique markets alight with locals moving slowly within the centuries-old city walls. It's not often UNESCO puts an entire town on their World Heritage List.
Shennongjia (Hubei)
Shennongjia is the cream of Hubei's magnificent crop. This forested region of soaring mountains and Yangtze River tributaries has a brilliance that just doesn't let up – and that was just the bus ride in! It's the perfect place to brush off the dust from the provincial capital (and mega city) of Wuhan, and over 400 have claimed to spot the yerén ( ??) – China's very own Yeti.
wudalianchi (Heilongjiang)
The Lost World of the Northeast. The desolate magma fields sitting at the foot of 14 dormant volcanoes, the crystal blue lakes next to ice-filled caves and the sunken 300-year-old birch forest are just a few of the things that make this one of the most unique sights in the Middle Kingdom.
The Terracotta Warriors
The Terracotta Warriors (Shaanxi)
China's first emperor, Qin Shihuang, made his iron fist known in numerous ways, not least with his commission of some 10,000 hand-made clay warriors built to guard his tomb and accommodate his conquest in the afterlife. In fact, the 1974 discovery by farmers digging a well outside of Xi'an was one of the most monumental archeological finds in history. The perfectly-crafted warriors each have their own distinct expression, lending credence to the country's deep cultural history and the unimaginable expertise of its artisans over 2,000 years ago.
Lugu Lake
Lugu Lake (Sichuan & Yunnan)
Straddling the Sichuan-Yunnan border and sprinkled with a concentration of Naxi, Yi and Tibetan minority villages, the remote mountain lake (2,690 m; 825 ft above sea level) kicks off its shoes and lays back as an easy-going rustic retreat in two of China's most mellow provinces. Besides the enthralling beauty of the forests and hamlets that circle the lake, the drive up the lattice of switchbacks is enough to convince even the most seasoned traveler of its beauty.
Mt Wudang & Taoism
Mt Wudang & Taoism (Hubei)
Mt Wudang is the fabled birthplace of Tai Chi Quan and a legendary Taoist base. Here, in between breathtaking hikes and magnificent views, you can witness experts practice some of the world's oldest and most renowned martial arts. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a must for any Taoist enthusiast or those just looking for an aesthetic retreat.
The Forbidden City
The Forbidden City (Beijing)
Not just for emperors and sniveling eunuchs anymore, the Forbidden City was in its heyday a monstrous palace with a hamlet of servants and concubines. Today its beauty, regality and sheer size, along with its mythological history and unyielding architectural magnificence, continue to knock the socks off anyone who steps inside.
Shaolin Temple & Kung Fu
Shaolin Temple & Kung Fu (Henan)
Most martial artists need little introduction to the Shaolin Temple – the birthplace of Chinese kung fu. Since the legendary founding circa 500 CE, the temple has produced thousands of elite fighting monks and some of the most intriguingly spiritual and holistic martial skills on the planet. While here, take lessons and learn the secrets of Shaolin.
The Temple of Heaven
The Temple of Heaven (Beijing)
Set amongst a series of astonishing halls and altars (all designed to appease the heavens through sound, numerology, sacrifice and relentless beauty), the Temple of Heaven is one of Beijing's dreamiest spots. Everything here is well above par, but save your breath for the awesome might of the blue domed Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest that casts watch over the northern cordon.
Zhangjiajie (Hunan)
When steamy subtropical forests give way to a cropping of 3,000 karst pinnacles and some of the most diverse flora and fauna in China, you know you've found something special. UNESCO knows it too, as do the 20 million annual tourists who visit this spectacular World Heritage Site in northern Hunan Province. The quartzite-sandstone formations are found nowhere else in the world, and you may find that the three days allowed on your entry pass are simply not enough.
Zhouzhuang Ancient Town
Zhouzhuang Ancient Town (Jiangsu)
The second edition of China's Venice, the 900-yearold town of Zhouzhuang may be 30 km (18.5 mi) south of Suzhou, but it certainly hasn't been hiding under the tourist radar. In part because of its idyllic beauty and redolent paintings of Chen Yifei (the one who immortalized the town), Zhouzhuang offers its most appealing scenes in the early morning or at dusk, when the distant sun elucidates the town into various shades of deep orange, red, purple and blue.
Qinghai-Tibet Railway
Qinghai-Tibet Railway (Qinghai & Tibet)
It's rare for a train to be featured on any top itinerary, but that's because most of them cannot even come close to competing with the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. Stretching from Golmud, Qinghai to the Tibetan capital of Lhasa, the tracks pass over the Roof of the World at over 5,000 m (16,600 ft), giving it the title as the world's highest railway line. In fact, the air is so thin that you will need a physical evaluation before boarding, and oxygen is pumped through the air-tight cabins. Apart from the adventure, the views of the vast Tibetan plateau and wild yaks grazing are as spiritual as they are pleasing.
Yungang Grottoes
Yungang Grottoes (Shanxi)
The rocky landscape of northern Shanxi is home to some 51,000 exquisite 5th century Buddhist statues carved directly into the earth. It's hard to believe that the superb level of craftsmanship and artistic talent was inspired by Greece and Persia, and it's even harder to grasp that much of the coloring of these remarkable carvings still remains after 1,500 years.
Hongcun Ancient Village
Hongcun Ancient Village (Anhui)
Ang Lee knew how special Hongcun was when he filmed scenes from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon around its bridges and lakes. UNESCO has taken note as well, and we assure you that this World Heritage listed village – a Song Dynasty construction of the Wang clan – will dazzle you as well. The place was built on the advice of a feng shui expert, and the bridges, cozy alleys, traditional halls and Ming-style residences deliver charm to every corner.
Potala Palace
Potala Palace (Tibet)
Potala Palace, esteemed all over the world as the sacrosanct symbol of Lamaism, rises 13 stories in white and maroon bastions over a hillside of radiant white staircases. The preeminent landmark of Tibetan Buddhism, Potala Palace is one of the foremost holy places in the world, and the former seat of the Tibetan government is sure to leave you weak in the knees. It's not easy by any means for foreigners to enter Tibet (you'll need to join a tour group), but if you can Potala is an absolute must.
Yangshuo & the Li River
Yangshuo & the Li River (Guangxi)
This area has stolen the hearts of countless painters and poets for centuries – the limestone karst peaks dipped in a coating of vibrant green forest and splashed with rice paddies and lolling water buffalo are simply indescribable. The best way to experience it all is to hop on a bamboo raft and let the river be your guide.
Mt Lushan
Mt Lushan (Jiangxi)
The UNESCO inscribed Mt Lushan National Park is an intoxicating symbol of China's spiritual and creative past. It was on the heady slopes of Mt Lushan that the monk Hui Yuan founded the Pure Land Sect – China's most widely practiced school of Buddhism – and a host of landscape poets and writers such as Tao Yuanming found their inspiration along its peaks. It's impossible not to be inspired by the monumental cliffs, the splay of lakes and temples, and the European-style villas of Guling nestled in the center of the three peaks.
Yuanyang Rice Terraces
Yuanyang Rice Terraces (Yunnan)
For many people, the glistening terraces, sedate water buffalo and dazzling colors in the low-lying clouds are the definition of picturesque. They are wonderful all year round, but winter sees them filled to the brim with water, providing the most glistening and colorful image. There's no question that the silver paddies and straw hat-wearing, goodnatured farmers of this stunning part of Yunnan paint a most dazzling portrait of an iconic and stirringly beautiful China; you don't want to miss this one.
Kashgar (Xinjiang)
You will forget which country you're in while walking the ancient alleyways of the old Silk Road trading post of Kashgar. The beautiful mosques, vibrant bazaars, fully-veiled women and the scent of lamb kebabs roasting on an open grill make it more similar to Bukhara than Beijing. For a chance to rub shoulders with the locals, be sure to check out the Kashgar Livestock Market held every Sunday. Many compare it to the Wall Street Stock Exchange of Central Asia, though here the term is "stock" as in "livestock." Brace ourself!
Pudong & the Bund
Pudong & the Bund (Shanghai)
Pudong is a glistening symbol of the country's 21st century ambitions: financial dominance, sophistication and peerless feats. The second tallest building in the world (set to be completed in 2014), along with the needle-headed Oriental Pearl Tower and others, give Pudong one of the world's most stunning skylines. Across the river, the Bund's famous boardwalk is a red-hot tourist destination that gives the perfect vantage point to see glimmering Pudong to the east and the fanciful European neoclassical buildings to the west.
Taroko Gorge & Tribes
Taroko Gorge & Tribes (Taiwan)
Taroko National Park on the outskirts of Hualien is easily the top attraction in all of Taiwan. Often referred to as the Marble Gorge due to its geological makeup, the attractions include monstrous waterfalls, natural hot springs, much of Taiwan's flora and fauna and even a scattering of the island's many ethnic minorities. In fact, Taroko means "beautiful and magnificent" in the Truku language, and you are sure to cross paths with many of the region's most fascinating ethnic minority groups.
Yangtze River Cruise
Yangtze River Cruise (Chongqing)
In a country with so many jaw-dropping natural scenes, there are few places that have rendered the most prolific of orators speechless as the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River. Seeing the mind-altering bluffs and pinnacles along Asia's longest and most famous river is a sight to behold to say the least, and it's worthy of your view from none other than a leisurely cruise down her powerful currents.
Huangguoshu Waterfall
Huangguoshu Waterfall (Guizhou)
Guizhou is renowned for its waterfalls, so it's no surprise that the top natural attraction in the province is this thundering stampede of H20. Throngs of tourists zip down every year to meander through this vast collection of karst caves, minor falls and revitalizing pools that hover with rainbows from the mist. It's also worth mentioning that Huangguoshu is one of the biggest waterfalls in Asia.
Mt Huangshan
Mt Huangshan (Anhui)
The ethereal slopes of Mt Huangshan, along with its spindly trees and granite precipices, spend nearly two-thirds of the year veiled in mist. Inspiring the reflections of some 20,000 poets throughout history and enough landscape paintings that an entire school was named after the mountain, Mt Huangshan's peaks are about as mystical as it gets.
Fenghuang Ancient Town
Fenghuang Ancient Town (Hunan)
We bet you've never seen so many riverside stilted homes basking in a palate of green forests, deep blue canals and fairy-tale orange sunsets all rolled up into one. If you can step away from the seductive Tuo River long enough, a cobweb of back alleys filled with enigmatic medicine and herb shops are ready to pull you into an ancient world; you'll be hard-pressed to ever leave.
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This is our new Software and Content Store, Welcome!
Most of of our content and the SILKYPIX series are now available through this store.
We can only accept Paypal at this time through the Content Store. See STORE FAQ.
Norm 3D is a free 3D character from the Toon People group. Meshbox Design has several characters built on top of Norm 3D.


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WASHINGTON — A funeral Mass for Sen. Edward M. Kennedy will be celebrated Saturday at a Boston church, and he will be buried later that day at Arlington National Cemetery near his slain brothers, former President John F. Kennedy and former Sen. Robert F. Kennedy.
Kennedy died late Tuesday at age 77 after a yearlong struggle with brain cancer.
On Thursday morning, Kennedy's family will travel by motorcade with his body from their compound on Cape Cod, Mass., to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston. His body will lie in repose there for public viewing on Thursday and Friday.
The Kennedys have planned a private memorial service at the library for Friday night, according to a schedule of events released by Kennedy's Senate office. Vice President Joseph Biden and Sens. John Kerry and John McCain will be among the speakers, The New York Times reported.
On Saturday morning, a funeral Mass for the late senator will be celebrated at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Basilica — commonly known as the Mission Church — in the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston. The 1,300-seat basilica on Tremont Street, built in the 1870s, was where Kennedy prayed frequently in 2003 while his daughter, Kara, successfully battled her own cancer.
"Over time, the Basilica took on special meaning for him as a place of hope and optimism," the family statement said.
President Barack Obama will speak at the Mass, according to the Times.
Slain brothers
Kennedy's body will be flown to Virginia for a 5 p.m. Saturday private burial service at Arlington, the famous hillside that is the final resting site of others from the storied clan, including former first lady Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis.
At the site of the eternal flame rest four Kennedy family members: the former president and his wife; their baby son, Patrick, who died after two days; and a stillborn child. Robert Kennedy's grave is a short distance away.
Edward Kennedy will be buried approximately 95 feet south of Robert's grave, NBC News reported.
"Senator Kennedy spent more days than most at Arlington visiting the graves of his beloved brothers and paying tribute to the fallen men and women of Massachusetts who gave their lives for our country," the family statement said.
Other political news of note
Animated Boehner: 'There's nothing complex about the Keystone Pipeline!'
House Speaker John Boehner became animated Tuesday over the proposed Keystone Pipeline, castigating the Obama administration for not having approved the project yet.
- Budget deficits shrinking but set to grow after 2015
- Senate readies another volley on unemployment aid
- Obama faces Syria standstill
- Fluke files to run in California
- Animated Boehner: 'There's nothing complex about the Keystone Pipeline!'
Final resting place
A senior defense official told the AP the Kennedy family approached the Army some time ago to explore the possibility of burying the senator at Arlington, the nation's most celebrated burial ground of fallen military and the resting place of astronauts, Supreme Court justices and other giants in American history.
Kennedy is eligible for burial at Arlington by virtue of his service in Congress as well as his two years in the Army, 1951 to 1953. He was a private first class and served in the military police at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, then located in Paris and now in Belgium.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to educational programming at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate. The family has set up a Web site in memory of Kennedy where people can post their memories.
In a separate tribute, Obama has ordered that flags fly at half-staff on federal buildings and at the White House in Kennedy's memory.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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*****I will add photos as soon as I have them *****
This is my all time, favorite American Food cookbook, James Beard's American Cookery. It isn't the junk side of American cooking but the homemade, melding of traditions cooking. I love it. And... as a kid learning to cook, I loved that he always told you where the dish came from and listed historical facts.
My favorite recipe from this book is the Macaroni and Cheese recipe. Apparently at one time it was called Macaroni pudding.
So Here goes the Creamiest Macaroni and Cheese as adapted from the James Beard cookbook.
1 pound macaroni
6 Tbsp butter
6 Tbsp flour
3 cups milk
2 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
2 dashes Sriracha sauce
3 cups shredded cheese
Buttered Bread Crumbs
Boil the macaroni in salted water till just tender. Drain well.
Prepare white sauce - melt butter in a heavy saucepan, blend with the flour, and cook several minutes over medium heat. Heat the milk to the boiling point, stir into the flour-butter mixture, and continue stirring till it thickens. Add the seasonings and simmer 4 to 5 minutes.
Butter a 4 quart baking dish or casserole.
Arrange alternate layers of macaroni, sauce, and cheese, ending with the cheese. Cover the top with the buttered crumbs.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes, or until the top is nicely browned and the sauce is bubbly. Serve at once.
I used to mix the cheese into the sauce and melt it and I have also used prepared mustard instead of the dry mustard... I like it both ways BUT this way is creamier and I think tastes better. My kids agree. I have found that when you melt the cheese in the sauce it can go grainy... not good eats for a texture issues child. So... This way wins now and is much easier.


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Ancak aşağıdaki diğer ürünlerimizi inceleyebilirsiniz.
Your orders are delivered within 10-12 days. Product change is not possible for orders placed from abroad through our Internet Store . You can return the unused products in your order (bought from en.uspoloassn.com) within 30 days subject to the following conditions. The customer must pay the shipping cost, duty and all the other costs possible to arise during the return process, and return the product together with its invoice.
©2016 U.S. POLO ASSN. All copyrights reserved.


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As we eye that looming upset, we look at our final Elite Eight matchup.
By the way, the first final four matchup with be posted Wednesday, the day after Christmas — yes, we're working — and the second final four matchup will be posted on New Years Eve. We're working then too.
No. 3 Seed Pac Man Jones
Introduced the phrase "Make It Rain" to a nation of grateful white people.
Scared his family.
Missed out on watching Vince Young play quarterback this season.
Didn't rassle, darnit.
No. 6 Seed Sean Salisbury
Displayed his photographic skills.
Accidentally said "Jew."
Met The Balls.
Established a Web presence.
So, who makes the Final Four?


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They are $14.99 (as I reported last thursday over a Yak.)
Quote from: Jayson on April 20, 2010, 11:18 AMThey are $14.99 (as I reported last thursday over a Yak.) I must have read right over the price the other day - I swear it wasn't there earlier.
They are $14.99 (as I reported last thursday over a Yak.)
Awesome Pete, nice work! I assume you scored those at Walmart?
Got my TRU.com order of four more Firefighter Droids yesterday - that means I'm done with Clone Wars until August!!!! Yeah!!!
bought another magnaguard at tru,LOVE this sale!!
Quote from: STARKILLER on May 12, 2010, 04:00 PMbought another magnaguard at tru,LOVE this sale!!What's wrong with your TRU that they keep stocking new TCW figures? Don't they realize this is against their business model of only stocking Clone Wars figures from 2009? I literally might have a heart attack if I walked into a TRU around here and found a Clone Wars figures less than six months old. You can't even order a Magnaguard direct from Hasbro! I guess my dreams of finding one for opening is dead.
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I.Y.A.Z (Sean Kingstons's Artist) - Talk What They Want [Audio]
Sean kingston presents I.Y.A.Z with His Street Single "Talk What They Want" Timeismoneyent/warner bro. Album comin soon!!!
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So, on a cold Sunday (why do it in the warm weather…right?) we hauled down the fan dipole, which had given me sterling service for nearly five years, and put up the new 80m OCF dipole. It took us a while to tune it, this antenna works on 80m-40m-20m-10m and 6m, and when tuned properly can give you a 1.5:1 SWR across the bands. We could not quite get 1.5:1, but we did get close to that.
|From the Bux Comm website
Within minutes I had a neighbour knocking at the front door and the XYL back in the shack, both complaining of interference with their respective TV's. Off went the rig for the night and I sat and contemplated what the hell could be wrong.
The rig sat idle for about a week, and during that time I replaced every bit of coax in the shack with brand new pieces. On went the rig, called CQ, more complaints came from the neighbours, and off went the rig.
What to do and more to the point, what the hell is going on. We know these antennas work, and all my neighbours are on cable. Could it be the 4:1 Balun? Nope, checked that out and it works fine, and it was back to contemplating this issue for a few more days.
I had to do something fast as the RAC Winter Contest was coming up, and I needed a working antenna that wasn't going to get me strung up by my neighbours. So, I did what any good ham would do…the damn thing came down, the old one went back up, and we're back on the air with no complaints!
And that's how I earned the "Worked All Neighbours Award".


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Frank Loesser's PLEASURES AND PALACES Plays in Concert at Lyric Stage, Now thru 1/27
Historical hijinks abound in PLEASURES AND PALACES, the unknown masterpiece from the composer of GUYS AND DOLLS. Lyric Stage presents Frank Loesser's PLEASURES AND PALACES in concert tonight, January 24-27, 2013. Performances are January 24, 25 & 26 @ 8:00 PM and January 27 @ 2:30 PM in the Irving Arts Center's Carpenter Performance Hall, 3333 N. MacArthur Blvd., Irving, TX. Tickets are available at www.lyricstage.org or by calling the box office @ 972-252-2787.
In this comic look at actual historical events, American John Paul Jones enters into the court and service of Russian Empress Catherine the Great to fight the Turks and recapture Constantinople for Russia, and becomes involved in political intrigue and romantic complications. Catherine is in love with Grigori Alexandrovich Potemkin, who is enamored with the voluptuous Sura, who finds herself torn between Potemkin and Jones.
Originally directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse, the Broadway-bound PLEASURES AND PALACES opened on March 11, 1965 at the Fisher Theatre in Detroit, closed there on April 10, and has never been seen or heard since. Lyric Stage's production of this "new" Frank Loesser musical will feature a 40-piece acoustic orchestra playing Philip J. Lang's original orchestrations.
PLEASURES AND PALACES has a hysterical book by Frank Loesser and Sam Spewack, and a "new" Broadway score by Loesser. Philip J. Lang's sparkling orchestrations feature the full spectrum of the orchestra, going from lush strings to jazzy brass and thundering percussion, to a solo Russian-themed mandolin, and even bongo drums. Based on Spewack's 1961 play Once There Was a Russian, the musical takes its title from the opening lyrics of the 1823 song "Home, Sweet Home": "Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam, Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home."
Lyric Stage's commitment to preserving the American musical led to the rediscovery of PLEASURES AND PALACES. While working on the restoration of the GYPSY score in the spring of 2011, Lyric Stage Music Director Jay Dias met with Joseph Weiss and his assistant Jason Buell of Jule Styne Enterprises and Frank Loesser Enterprises. Weiss told Dias that Jo Sullivan Loesser, Frank's widow, had been searching for the right music director and theater to present PLEASURES AND PALACES. Based on Dias' meticulous work on GYPSY, Weiss thought he and Lyric Stage would be a perfect fit for PLEASURES AND PALACES. PLEASURES AND PALACES follows Lyric Stage's recent triumph premiering the fully restored version of Frank Loesser's THE MOST HAPPY FELLA.
Ann Nieman will direct and choreograph the 43 person cast. Christopher Carl returns to Lyric Stage to play Potemkin after starring as Haj in last season's KISMET. Luann Aronson, last seen at Lyric Stage as Mrs. Anna in THE KING AND I, will play Catherine the Great. Fresh from his acclaimed performances as Curly in OKLAHOMA! and Thomas Jefferson in 1776, Bryant Martin is back as John Paul Jones. Danielle Estes will play Sura. Playing featured roles are Brian Mathis, Christopher Curtis, James Williams, Ben Phillips, and Randy Pearlman, and also in the cast are Aaron Alarcon, Rebekah Ankrom, Chelsea Coyne, Vicki Dean, Peter di Cesare, Dayton Dobbs, Emily Ford, Anthony Fortino, Doug Fowler, Kevin Friemel, Clinton Greenspan, Martin Guerra, Doug Henry, Colleen LeBleu, Jessica Beth Lemmons, Laura Lites, Gerard Lucero, Morgan Mabry Mason, Susan Metzger, Mallory Michaellann, Delynda Johnson Moravec, Preston Pickett, Michael Pricer, Stephen Raikes, Jennifer Randolph, Neil Rogers, Daniel Saroni, Scott Sutton, Dana Taylor, Jay Taylor, Jessica Taylor, Vernicia Vernon, Jason Villarreal, Natasha Wells and Aaron C. White.
PLEASURES AND PALACES performances are tonight, January 24 and January 25 & 26 @ 8:00 PM and January 27 @ 2:30 PM in the Irving Arts Center's Carpenter Performance Hall, 3333 N. MacArthur Blvd. Tickets are available at www.lyricstage.org or by calling the box office @ 972-252-2787.


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On Monday, October 21, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. there will be a meeting at the Parkside Ctr, 140 Durham Street in Sudbury of the Sudbury District (OGS) Branch.
The topic will be The Shouldering of Arms by Gary Peck. He will discuss what led to the First World War, with the intent to help better appreciate ancestors in the context of the times.
For more info, go to http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~onogs/ogs.htm


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Checking In On…the Southern ConferencePosted by EMoyer on February 25th, 2012
Eric Moyer is the RTC correspondent for the Southern Conference and Atlantic Sun Conference and a contributor to the RTC SEC Microsite. You can follow him on Twitter @EricDMoyer.
Reader's Take
Looking Back
- Bye Bye: Davidson and UNC Greensboro secured first-round byes into the SoCon Tournament as top seeds of the South and North Division, respectively. The last remaining spots will be decided until after Saturday's finales.
- Busted: In BracketBusters, the SoCon split its four games as College of Charleston and Appalachian State scored victories but Davidson and Wofford dropped their respective contests.
- Academic Honors: Student-athletes earned spots on the 2012 Capital One Academic All-America Team. Wofford senior guard Brad Loesing was named to the first team, while Davidson junior JP Kuhlman garnered third-team honors.
End of Year Honors
Since this edition is the last "Checking In On" for the SoCon before the end of the season, no time seemed more appropriate than now to dole out some hardware (hardware not included).
- Coach of the Year: Charlton Young, Georgia Southern: After winning a total of 14 games in his first two years in Statesboro, Young guided the Eagles to a second-place showing in the South Division and achieved the second-biggest win improvement in SoCon history winning 12 league games after winning just one in 2010-11.
- Freshman of the Year: Karl Cochran, Wofford: On a Terrier team that faced major overhaul from the past two seasons in which they claimed NCAA Tournament bids, Cochran has paced all SoCon freshmen in scoring (11.0). In addition, he ranks in the top three in rebounding, assists, steals and blocks.
- All-Conference Team: De'Mon Brooks, Davidson (15.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 53.1 FG Pct); Eric Ferguson, Georgia Southern (14.9 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 57.0 FG Pct); Mike Groselle, The Citadel (16.6 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 59.2 FG Pct); Andrew Lawrence, College of Charleston (12.9 PPG, 5.7 APG, 1.8 SPG); Brad Loesing, Wofford (14.6 PPG, 5.6 APG, 38.6 MPG).
- Player of the Year: Eric Ferguson, Georgia Southern: Ferguson has been at the front of the Eagles' ascent up the SoCon standings. He ranks in the top six in scoring, rebounding and field-goal percentage. He increased his shooting percentage to 46.2 percent and increased his scoring by almost three points per game.
Power Rankings
- Davidson (21-7, Previous Ranking: 1): The Wildcats secured their tenth 20-win season under head coach Bob McKillop and won their eighth division title in the last 12 years. 98 percent of the WildCats' scoring and 96 percent of their rebounding comes from juniors, sophomores and freshmen.
- Wofford (18-12, Previous Ranking: 4): The Terriers extended their streak of 10-conference-win seasons to four after beating Elon on Feb. 15. Wofford improved to 15-1 when leading at halftime. Against UNC Greensboro, Brad Loesing surpassed the 1,000-point mark. Read the rest of this entry »


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IBM Watson - Business Intelligence, Data Retrieval and Text Mining
Visits (30934)
The IBM Challenge was a big success. One of the contestants, Ken Jennings, [welcomes our new computer overlords]. Congratulations are in order to the IBM Research team who pulled off this Herculean effort!
Some folks have poked fun at some of the odd responses and wager amounts from the IBM Watson computer during the three-day tournament. Others were surprised as I was that the impressive feat was done with less than 1TB of stored data. Here is what John Webster wrote in CNET yesterday, in hist article [What IBM's Watson says to storage systems developers]:
"All well and good. But here's what I find most interesting as a result of what IBM has done in response to the Grand Challenge that motivated Watson's creators. We know, from Tony Pearson's blog, that the foundation of Watson's data storage system is a modified IBM SONAS cluster with a total of 21.6TB of raw capacity. But Pearson also reveals another very significant, and to me, surprising data point: "When Watson is booted up, the 15TB of total RAM are loaded up, and thereafter the DeepQA processing is all done from memory. According to IBM Research, the actual size of the data (analyzed and indexed text, knowledge bases, etc.) used for candidate answer generation and evidence evaluation is under 1 Terabyte."
To better appreciate how difficult the challenge was, and how a small amount of data can answer a billion different questions, I thought I would cover Business Intelligence, Data Retrieval and Text Mining concepts.
Let's start with Business Intelligence. [Seth Grimes] pointed me to this quote from [A Business Intelligence System], written by Hans Peter Luhn back in October 1958 IBM Journal.
"In this paper, business is a collection of activities carried on for whatever purpose, be it science, technology, commerce, industry, law, government, defense, et cetera. The communication facility serving the conduct of a business (in the broad sense) may be referred to as an intelligence system. The notion of intelligence is also defined here, in a more general sense, as the ability to apprehend the interrelationships of presented facts in such a way as to guide action towards a desired goal."
Ideally, when you need "Business Intelligence" to help you make a better decision, you perform data retrieval from a structured database for the specific information you are looking for. In other cases, you might be looking for insight, patterns or trends. In that case, you go "data mining" against your structured databases.
And that's not including more ethereal questions, such as:
This is just for a small set, two market segments (by gender) and two products (apples and oranges). However, if you have many market segments (perhaps by age group, zip code, etc.) and many products, the number of queries that can be supported is huge. For small sets of data, you can easily do this with a spreadsheet program like IBM Lotus Symphony or Microsoft Excel.
Second, you had to be skilled at SQL to phrase your queries correctly to retrieve the data you are after. What ended up happening was that skilled SQL programmers would develop "canned reports" with fixed SQL parameters, so that less-skilled business decision makers could base their decisions from these reports.
IBM has fully integrated stacks to help process structured data, combining servers, storage, and advanced analytics software into a complete appliance. IBM offers the [Smart Analytics System] for robust, customized deployments, and recently acquired [Netezza] for pre-configured, and more rapid deployments.
However, the bigger problem is that more than 80 percent of information is not structured! Semi-structured data like email provides some searchable fields like From and Subject. The rest of the information is unstructured, such as text files, photographs, video and audio. To look for specific information in unstructured sources can be like looking for a needle in a haystack, and trying to get insight, patterns or trends involves text mining.
IBM is a leader in Business Analytics and has made great progress in dealing with unstructured data. This includes [IBM OmniFind Enterprise Edition], [IBM e-Discovery Manager] and [IBM Cognos Business Intelligence].
This, in effect, is what IBM Watson was able to perform so well this week. Finding the needle in the haystacks of unstructured data from 200 million pages of text stored in its system, combined with the ability to apprehend the interrelationships of meaning and subtle nuance, resulted in an impressive technology demonstration. Certainly, this new technology will be powerful for a variety of use cases across a broad set of industries!
To learn more, read the Arizona Daily Star's article [After 'Jeopardy!' win, IBM program steps out].
technorati tags: IBM, Watson, Jeopardy, Challenge, John Webster, CNET, BI, data mining, Text Mining, OLAP, Arizona, Daily Star


text: Limited-edition, arctic-camouflaged TUF ATX Intel® Z97 motherboard with strengthened backplate and flexible cooling system for non-stop stability. LGA1150 Socket for the 5th, New 4th and 4th Generation Intel® Core™ i7/i5/i3/Pentium®/Celeron® Processors Intel® Z97 Express Chipset Arctic Camo Thermal Armor with Flow Valve - Total Airflow-boosting Heat Dissipation Arctic Camo TUF Fortifier - Damage Protection and Improved Cooling White Dust Defenders - Repel the Dust, Expand the Lifespan TUF ICe - Your Total Cooling Commander Thermal Radar 2 - Customized Fan Tuning, Complete System Cooling TUF Components [TUF 10K Ti-Caps, TUF New Alloy Choke & MOSFETs; Certified by Military-standard] - Certified for Tough Duty Upgrade flexibility to ultimate-speed 10Gbit/s with ASUS USB 3.1 Card >>Learn more Shop Modal header Design Story Ultimate Cooling Tested Reliability Durable Design Sabertooth Z97 Mark S Specs Design Story Ultimate Cooling Tested Reliability Durable Design Enter TUF Site TUF New Alloy Chokes TUF Thermal Armor with Flow Valve Exclusive Limited Edition TUF Fortifier TUF ICe TUF 10K Ti-Caps TUF MOSFETs New DIGI+ Power Control Intel LGA1150 Socket Front USB 3.0 Header Intel Z97 Chipset CrossFireX/SLI Support USB 2.0 DisplayPort LAN Audio Jacks USB BIOS HDMI USB 3.0 Optical output Design Story The Incredible Creation of Sabertooth Z97 Mark S Our latest masterpiece is made of creative brilliance Acclaimed creativity adorning technical supremacy This stunning board's first appearance was at Computex 2014, where it was exhibited under the codename 'Sabranco', a portmanteau of Saber and 'branco' (the Portuguese word for 'white') — and most every visitor expressed their desire to take it home with them. Now the finished beast is ready for your build and we've called it Sabertooth Z97 Mark S! Fine–crafted to every surface To create the unique camouflage pattern, our engineers employed a premium printing technique — a world first in the motherboard industry. This clever technology ensures an outstanding appearance with superior adhesion to even complex shapes – so Sabertooth Z97 Mark S will stay looking great long for its life time and the highlight for your PCDIY! Infused with unbreakable Tiger Spirit The rear side of Sabertooth Z97 Mark S is adorned with two traditional Chinese characters that mean 'tiger spirit'. Sabertooth endured the most extreme conditions, from subtropical savannahs to frozen mountains. Sabertooth Z97 Mark S is engineered with the same unwavering endurance – therefore it is infused with unbreakable tiger spirit! Our very first white PCB motherboard Sabertooth Z97 Mark S is the very first white PCB motherboard from ASUS TUF, adding an extra-special dimension that we know you'll love. And our innovative hydrographics technology means that Sabertooth Z97 Mark S retains its strikingly-white hue without discoloring! Arctic Camo, TUF Ammo We've designed Sabertooth Z97 Mark S to stand out — and boy does it make a visual impact! The snow-white color scheme echoes TUF's ultra-efficient cooling prowess, while the arctic-camouflage styling reflects the motherboard's extreme durability. Limited-edition exclusivity – numbered just for you Sabertooth Z97 Mark S is clearly very special with exclusive rarity. We're making limited numbers of these beautiful boards; each individually numbered. Exclusive, rare, strikingly arctic white and irresistibly tough — which number will be yours? Ultimate Cooling Arctic Camo Thermal Armor with Flow Valve Total airflow-boosting heat dissipation More than just a cool military-styled cover, TUF Thermal Armor employs dual fans to provide boosted airflow for rapid cooling. Reversible-airflow technology blows dust up and away from the heatsink VRM, while the exclusive flow-valve design controls the heat-pipe's air contact — great for liquid-cooling setups! Learn More Close A combination of form and function, Z97 Thermal Armor has been upgraded with innovative reversible-airflow technology that literally blows dust up and away from the heatsink and VRM! The airflow channels created by Thermal Armor provide targeted cooling for critical components such as the VRM, chokes and capacitors. This cooling can further be bolstered by installing the included cover and I/O fans. This additional cooling can be optimized for different CPU cooling scenarios. By opening the two airflow valves, greater circulation can be achieved for air-cooling scenarios, while closing the valves will focus the airflow into the Thermal Armor channels — ideal for systems using self-contained liquid CPU coolers. PCB convection holes Openings in the board are strategically-placed to improve air circulation and ensure effective cooling reaches under the board. PCB convection holes lower in-case temperatures, adding to system stability and endurance. Watch video Close Thermal Radar 2 Customized fan tuning, complete system cooling Z97 Thermal Radar 2 now lets you control fans on ASUS graphics cards, as well your case fans! Dust de-Fan technology spins Thermal Armor's assistant fan in reverse to blow particles out of the case. Multiple onboard sensors and the bundled thermistor cable let you monitor graphics card temperatures and other key components in real time, so you can adjust manually or optimize automatically with one click. Learn More Close VGA Fan Control Thermal Tuning Thermal Status Recorder DIGI+ Power Control Z97 Thermal Radar 2's fan management has been expanded — so now you can control fans on ASUS graphics cards, as well as multiple case fans! With customizable settings for each fan, you can tune the Dust de-Fan technology to extend your motherboard's lifespan. Switch on your PC and Dust de-Fan briefly spins in reverse direction to disturb settled dust before switching to normal rotation to blow the dust out of the case. You can even monitor, manage and individually name and control your system's fans to create your perfect balance between quietness, cooling and performance. You can also choose to optimize the whole system's fan setup with a single click. Based on the characteristics of each fan connected to your motherboard, all fan profiles can be quickly optimized. With thermal-status reports showing CPU and graphics cards zone temperature in real-time, your system fan control can be as precise as you like! Additional CPU thermal assessment gauges temperature rises with increasing voltage, providing a benchmark to judge your CPU cooler's performance. Critical voltages, temperatures and fan speeds are recorded over time, so you can review your system's history and make informed judgments for improved operation. DIGI+ Power Control is one of the most essential motherboard designs, and TUF offers ultra-precise memory tuning in addition to extra-accurate CPU voltage control. Best in class power efficiency and stability reduces wasteful voltage discrepancies and provides a more stable CPU and memory setup. Close TUF ICe The total cooling commander ASUS TUF engineered have forged a brand-new microchip that delivers incredibly precise temperature monitoring and fan controls. With the TUF IC Cool processor, you can be assured that monitoring of onboard temperature sensors and fan speeds is always ultra-accurate — whether you're adjusting settings manually or using the automatic one-click optimization. Tested Reliability Arctic Camo TUF Fortifier Improves rigidity and cooling behind the board TUF delivers great strength and cooling via exclusive TUF Fortifier. A reinforced backplate ensures that the motherboard doesn't buckle under the weight of heavy graphics cards and CPU coolers, minimizing the risk of damaged circuitry from bowing and bending. TUF Fortifier also includes a thermal pad that efficiently directs heat away from the VRM and other components — an innovation that reduces operating temperatures by up to 7°C! Learn More Close Bolsters boards against bending damage TUF Fortifier adds a strong backplate so the motherboard doesn't buckle under the weight of heavy graphics cards and CPU coolers. Reduced PCB bowing and bending means an end to potentially damaged circuitry. Make the whole backplate your heatsink TUF Fortifier uses a thermal pad attached to the motherboard, making the whole backplate a huge heatsink that directs heat away from key components such as VRMs and MOSFETs. TUF Fortifier also protects DIY builders from solder pins and other sharp motherboard parts – preventing annoying cuts! Close TUF Components Certified for tough duty 10K Ti-Caps: +20% temp. tolerance and 5X longer lifetime usage. TUF New Alloy Chokes: 13.6% Cooler for extra-unbeatable durability TUF MOSFETs: military-grade certified MOSFETs with lower RDS(on)* *Low RDS means more power efficient and will thus produce slightly less heat as a by-product of the MOSFET Learn More Close TUF New Alloy Chokes Our military-grade alloy chokes have an 18.5%-larger heat-dissipation area so they run up to 13.6% cooler — and that means a longer lifespan for your PC. 10K Ti-Caps Unique Black Metallic capacitors with military-standard certification offer +20% high and low temperature tolerance and 5X longer lifetime usage. TUF MOSFETs TUF MOSFETs also pass military-grade tests with lower RDS(on), certified for tough duty. Military standard Low RDS(on) TUF MOSFETs Yes V Other MOSFETs No X *Low RDS means more power efficient and will thus produce slightly less heat as a by-product of the MOSFET Close White Dust Defenders* Repel the dust, expand the lifespan DRAM* SATA & USB3.0 Slots* I/O Ports TUF design protects back I/O ports, expansion and memory slots plus critical connectors from dust and particles that degrade system performance over time if left unchecked. With a filter to ensure the back I/O fan doesn't draw dust into the board, Dust Defenders guards against dust build up, helping your PC perform in an optimal and stable state longer. * PCIe and DRAM slot Dust Defenders in white theme. Durable Design Server-grade Tests Systematically-tested stability TUF is proud to be a leading total solution provider. That means we test more than just the product itself — we examine system durability as a whole. Our motherboards undergo extreme temperature variations (thermal shock), extensive Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) tests and many whole-build server-grade stability tests — so you know that your TUF motherboard can be trusted in all conditions. 5 Years Warranty Guaranteed reliability Each and every TUF motherboard is built with components certified for military use and undergoes serious server-level burn-in tests, including over 7,000 hours of compatibility checks with over 1,000 devices. TUF is forged solid for your confidence, which is why every board is covered by a 5-year warranty. TUF ESD Guards Strong ESD protection for extended component lifespan Electrostatic discharge (ESD) can happen suddenly, and its damaging effects are easily underestimated. TUF ESD Guards are tested to standards that are 30% higher than industry standards, ensuring electrostatic discharges are properly grounded from all onboard connectivity — and that means greater component longevity. Keyboard and mouse connectors: Additional on-circuit ESD TVS diodes. USB 3/2.0 connectors: On-circuit transient-voltage-suppression (TVS) diodes and capacitor protection for surface-mount and dual-inline packages. Audio connectors: Capacitor protection on both front and back audio-output circuits. LAN port: ESD TVS diode protection on the LAN circuit bolstered by an anti-surge LAN connector that increases protection against extreme events, such as lightning strikes. Media-acclaimed the most intuitive UEFI BIOS The smoothest mouse-controlled graphical BIOS is with improvements to both EZ and Advanced Modes. It benefits both the novice builder as well as the seasoned overclocker. Map to MyFavorite:Quickly find tuning options and add preferred tools to the MyFavorites list! EZ Tuning Wizard – OC and RAID:Just select your hardware and using easy-to-understand scenarios to tune system performance or streamline your RAID configuration for faster data retrieval and backups! EZ XMP: Improve your DRAM performance with a click! Intuitive graphical fan control: Fine-tune individual fans simply by dragging a curve with the mouse! Real-time hardware monitor: Benefit from instant information from the critical parts of your system! EZ Mode Fan Profile: Detailed CPU & Chassis fan controls for instant cooling. SATA Information: Displays each SATA port details for you to easily recognize devices. Fast Clock Adjustment: Easily change the time and date in EZ Mode using the mouse. = EZ XMP: Improve your DRAM performance with a click! Advanced Mode Shortcut: Press Enter to create shortcuts to favorite settings, or select an existing shortcut and press F4 to go straight there! Quick Notes: Make notes and capture BIOS-related ideas, quickly and conveniently! Last Modified Log: Easily track settings and save preferred profile into a USB drive. SATA Port Renaming: Rename SATA ports for easy identification. Instantly upgrade to ultimate-speed 10Gb/s with USB 3.1 Card ASUS brings you the world's first USB 3.1 Card, perfectly matched for this motherboard. - 10Gb/s data-transfer speeds – twice as fast as USB 3.0 - Choice of USB 3.1 connectors: 1. Popular, backwardly-compatible Type-A 2. New, future-proof reversible Type-C - Fits in any PCIe x4, x8, x16 slot - Even faster USB 3.1 transfers with included ASUS USB 3.1 Boost utility * It requires both BIOS and driver update Cracked-up Content Creation! If design is in your blood, a TUF Z97 motherboard needs to be on your desktop! Exclusive USB 3.0 Boost technology drives data transfer at speeds that are up to 170% faster than standard, while SATA Express connectivity stores and retrieve data at up to 10Gbit/s. For you, that means slicker workflow every hour of every day – no more drumming your fingers waiting for images to transfer or files to save or load! You also get our exclusive Turbo LAN technology, which automatically optimizes your internet connection for the fastest and smoothest possible file transfers. TUF Z97 even helps with your multiple-monitor setup, ensuring total stability right up to 4K/UHD resolutions! Upgrade to super-fast Thunderbolt speed today ASUS ThunderboltEX II series are the first Intel®-certified Thunderbolt™ 2 add-on card, offering the flexibility to upgrade your own build to Thunderbolt technology whenever you want. You can enjoy bi-directional transfer speeds up to 10Gbit/s* — that's four times (4X) faster than USB 3.0! Experience video in incredible detail on the latest 4K/UHD (ultra-high-definition) displays while using bandwidth-hungry storage devices at the same time. >>Learn More TUF Audio Design TUF Audio Design makes short work of optimizing audio settings for the way you want to listen, chatting, watching movies or relaxing to your favorite music. Onboard physical shielding, professional engineered design and premium components result in sound output that has exceptional clarity and fidelity. Shielding Physical isolation of analog and digital components reduces multi-lateral interference. Audio amplifier Enhance the highest quality sound for headphone and speakers. Unique de-pop circuit Reduces start-up popping noise to all audio outputs. Special layout design Separate layers for left and right channels to guard the quality of the sensitive audio signals PC DIY has never been easy like this We understand how you use your PC. From assembly, system setting and monitoring, and to firmware and hardware updates — we're all about making your life easier. That's why we never stop developing new and exciting DIY opportunities to make PC DIY easy, fun and free from hassle! 1 assembly ASUS Q-Design makes PC building quick and easy 2 setting ASUS AI Suite 3 is a one-stop shop for adjusting your settings 3 monitoring ASUS Push Notice monitors your PC status on the go 4 BIOS updates ASUS USB BIOS Flashback updates your BIOS without a CPU installed Learn More Easy PC DIY starts with ASUS Q-Design Watch video Q-DIMM - Easy memory removal Even if you work with a smaller case, just push down on the one-sided clip and push or pull RAM modules in or out – couldn't be simpler! Q-Slot - Effortless PCI Express component removal The large winged clip is easy to reach and easy to operate. Just press the Q-Slot clip lightly, and graphics cards just pop out. Installing or removing even the biggest graphics cards is no sweat! Q-Connector - Easy, quick, and accurate connections You no longer need to worry about which front-panel wire goes where. Just pop the wires into Q-Connector's one-piece plug that and you're good to go. Q-Shield – Easy and safe on fingers Unlike other I/O shields, with their sharp edges, the exclusive Q-Shield is soft and pliable to protect your hands from cuts. Q-LED - Easy PC diagnostics Q-LED indicates problems with the CPU, memory, graphics card or boot device, so you can quickly diagnose and remedy any issues — and wave goodbye to endless frustrations! AI Suite 3 One-stop access to innovative ASUS features ASUS AI Suite 3 offers a brand-new user experience through a clearer and more attractive interface with support for larger monitors. It consolidates all exclusive ASUS features into one simple-to-use package, allowing you to supervise overclocking, energy consumption, fan speeds, voltages and more. This all-in-one app offers diverse and easy to use functionality, with no need to switch back and forth between different utilities. Push Notice Monitor your PC status on the go. If you've ever wondering how your PC is faring when you're not around, Push Notice will keep you informed – in real time! When your PC's status changes, Push Note instantly sends an alert to your tablet or smartphone. You can also throw the webpage you are browsing or memo to your smart device. Everything is under control, no matter where you are. USB BIOS Flashback Simple plug and press hardware-based BIOS flashing Hardware-level USB BIOS Flashback allows users to update to new UEFI BIOS versions even without a CPU or DRAM installed. Just plug in a USB flash drive containing the BIOS file and press the ROG Connect/USB BIOS Flashback/onboard BIOS BFLK button/Reset button* for 5 seconds with the power supply connected. Hassle-free updating for ultimate convenience! Connect to a power supply Plug a USB flash drive Press the button *The button's availability and location varies by motherboard model. Please refer to your manual. EZ Flash 2 Easy BIOS updates from USB outside the operating system Quickly update your BIOS from a USB flash drive before entering the OS. It only takes a few clicks, with no floppy disk or an OS-based flash utility. Close


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Syllabus on Philosophy of Law
The readings mentioned in this syllabus, from a 2016 course, may be of interest to libertarians interested in philosophy of law.
The readings mentioned in this syllabus, from a 2016 course, may be of interest to libertarians interested in philosophy of law.
The Supreme Court case Buck v. Bell affirmed the legality of forced sterilizations. How could such a thing happen? And what does it say about science and policy?
Hayek lectures on the differences and similarities between the concept of evolution in biology and the concept of evolution in the social sciences.
Excerpts from Chapter 7 of Jeff Riggenbach's Persuaded by Reason, titled "Libertarianism – Yet More Individualism In Politics."
Essential Hayek is a project of the Fraser Institute that aims to explain F. A. Hayek's ideas in common, every-day language.
Laura Ingalls Wilder, her daughter Rose Wilder Lane, and Lane's protégé Roger MacBride were all important libertarian figures.
David Boaz writes about the life and thought of F. A. Hayek on the 116th anniversary of his birth. "He's like Marx, only right."
Herbert Spencer doesn't deserve his reputation as a "Social Darwinist," and shouldn't be used to attack libertarians.
When mistakes happen in the market, they can be quickly corrected. We have to live with government errors for decades.
A collection of editorials written by Liggio for the 20 volumes of the journal Literature of Liberty: A Review of Contemporary Liberal Thought.
In this short newspaper opinion piece, Miron argues that the consistency of libertarianism sets it apart from other ways of thinking about politics.
Determining what constitutes aggression can be complicated and libertarians should be wary to rely solely on the Non-Aggression Principle.
Markets are impersonal, but the social networks that develop inside markets are personal. Freedom within these networks is a crucial aspect of a free market.
Government's only advantage over its citizenry is in the use of force to limit destructive behavior. Beyond this end, this fist of government limits social productivity.
Wikipedia is collaborative, diverse and peaceful. In the internet age, it encapsulates the concepts of spontaneous order and free markets.
The progress of the past century, from the microwave to the smart phone to penicillin, originates from economic freedom.
Markets not Capitalism, a collection of essays outlining left-libertarianism, reveals how our current system falls short of the free market ideal.
"I, Pencil" describes the complicated process of creating a simple pencil. This essay honors the impact of "I, Pencil" in demonstrating spontaneous order in markets.


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In his first professional golf tournament in November, Lanto Griffin earned a tidy sum of $938.33. That might not be enough to merit driving around with a giant check in the backseat, a la Happy Gilmore, but it was enough to make the 22-year-old VCU alumnus proud.
Just six months later on May 5, the 2009 CAA Golfer of the Year was making his first PGA start and taking aim at a share of a $6.5 million purse at the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, N.C. All in all, it hasn't been a bad start to life as a professional for the 2010 VCU graduate.
Griffin spent the winter and spring playing the Hooters and eGolf Tours, smaller, non-PGA affiliated professional tournaments, but fired a 65 during an 18-hole qualifier May 2 to earn one of four at-large spots into the Wells Fargo Championship. It was the realization of years of hard work for the Blacksburg, Va. native.
"They gave me a 2011 Mercedes courtesy car for the week. There were 40,000 fans there every day. It was pretty nuts. It's one of those things where you always dream about playing in one," Griffin said.
Proudly displaying a VCU golf shirt, Griffin spent Wednesday's practice round consuming the experience. He played a few holes with well-known pro Stuart Applebee and 2007 Masters Champion Zach Johnson. Griffin marveled as kids staked out the practice round and fished for autographs, caps, balls and any other memorabilia they could pry from pros. He also ran into fellow VCU alum John Rollins, a PGA veteran of 300 tour starts, in the locker room.
"He just told me to enjoy the week, have fun and soak it all in," Griffin said.
As Thursday's opening round approached, Griffin grew anxious. He'd been watching the PGA since he was 13 years old and now he was just hours away from playing with the best golfers in the world. The 48 hours leading up to the tournament were hard on Griffin. He says he barely slept Tuesday night. Wednesday was even worse. However, by the time he reached the course Thursday morning, his uneasiness was washed away by adrenaline.
On the first tee, Griffin lined up and smashed his first PGA drive down the middle of the fairway. He was on the green in two and putted home a birdie. Not a bad start for a rookie.
"I wasn't really nervous on the first tee," Griffin said. "It was just kind of surreal. I wanted to make contact. I think everybody was a little surprised I birdied my first hole on tour."
Griffin eventually missed the cut after shooting a 2-over 74 on Thursday and 75 on Friday. The former Ram was 1-under through the front nine on Thursday, but succumbed to Quail Hollow's vaunted "Green Mile", the moniker given to the course's final three holes, which have been collectively rated the toughest finish on the PGA Tour each of the last two years.
Despite the finish, Griffin feels the experience he earned at the Wells Fargo will serve him well in the future.
"Basically, I learned that my game is now good enough to be out there. It's not good enough to win out there, but I know I can compete with those guys," Griffin said. "I learned my short game needs to improve a lot. I knew that going in, but I didn't know that magnitude. The courses they play are so [difficult], everything has to be fine-tuned. You can't get away with a mediocre or average short game out there."
The Wells Fargo experience in his pocket, Griffin will now turn his attention to advancing his professional career. He's living in Richmond when he's not traveling for tournaments and has been working with two swing coaches, as well as VCU Strength Coach Ryan Horn. Griffin and his manager, Dave Maraghy, are also hoping to secure a sponsor's exemption to play in the Greenbriar Classic in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. in July.
In the coming weeks, Griffin will attempt to secure sponsorships, which are vital to budding pros. Tournaments often cost more than $1,000 to enter and that's before the cost of travel and lodging is factored into the equation. Q School, a series of tournaments used by the PGA to award tour cards, carries a $5,000 entry fee. Griffin's website, www.lantogriffin.com, lists his current sponsors as Titleist, The Virginia Golf Club and Novocaine sports drink.
Griffin plans to enter Q School in September. It's a series of three to four qualifiers in which players need to finish in the top 20 to advance to the next stage. In the final stage, held in December, the top 25 golfers earn a PGA Tour Card.
He doesn't expect the road to a PGA career to be easy, but Griffin is determined to make it a reality. At 22, he knows there's plenty of room for professional growth, but hopes to be swinging his clubs at Augusta or Sawgrass sooner rather than later.
"You see it on TV every week when you see the galleries, and you see the logos all over their shirts and the golf course is in perfect shape, and guys winning a million dollars at the Masters," Griffin said, allowing himself to drift into a daydream. "I've seen interviews of rookies on tour and they're like, I'm amazed that they let me in the gates. That would be an absolute dream. You have so much power to help people."


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Dallas Center
We are a community of 1600 that is proud of where we've been and excited about where we're going. We have a rich heritage in agriculture and host companies that lead the world in animal and plant genetics. We enjoy a small town quality of life within 20 miles of the greater Des Moines community.
Our library, parks, pool and other recreational activities provide opportunities for our residents to unwind. We are home to two Dallas Center-Grimes School buildings offering high quality educational opportunities to our K-8 children in great new facilities. The DC-G School system has strong academic, fine arts and sports traditions. Kids Korner, a local daycare and preschool center, has developed a unique partnership with our schools to provide before and after school care in a controlled, fun environment. We're proud of our kids!
Thanks for visiting!
Michael Kidd, Mayor
Dallas Center, Iowa


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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – With the Denver Broncos' 26-16 victory over the New England Patriots on Sunday, former Tennessee State defensive back Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie will represent TSU in Super Bowl XLVIII.
Rodgers-Cromartie will be the third Tiger in the last four years to play in the NFL Championship Game joining former teammates Anthony Levine who was on the Green Bay Packers' roster in 2011 and the Baltimore Ravens' in 2013 and Lamar Divens whose San Francisco 49'ers fell to the Ravens last year.
This season, Rodgers-Cromartie has recorded 31 tackles (25 solo) and intercepted three passes, leading Denver to a 15-3 record (including the playoffs).
Rodgers-Cromartie was apart of the Arizona Cardinals in 2009 when they played in Super Bowl XLIII.
Rodgers-Cromartie is in his sixth year as a professional and has amassed 246 stops (222 solo), 19 interceptions and five touchdowns while playing for three different teams. This is Rodgers-Cromartie's first season with the Broncos.
While at TSU, opposing quarterbacks completed just 55 of 161 passes (34.16%) thrown in Rodgers-Cromartie's immediate area. He intercepted 11 of those throws, deflected 25 and held the opposition to 3.54 yards per pass attempt.
In addition to his stellar football career, Rodgers-Cromartie was also a standout performer for the TSU track team. He qualified for the NCAA Mid-East Regionals in 2007 after he captured the Ohio Valley Conference long jump title (25' 0.75").
During the OVC Indoor Track Championships, Rodgers-Cromartie was named the top male athlete with a sensational performance. He won the 60-meter dash (6.89), long jump (25' 0.75") and high jump (6' 9.5") and finished second in the triple-jump (48' 8").
Rodgers-Cromartie is one of 20 Tigers who have reached the Super Bowl.
Rodgers-Cromartie and the rest of the Denver Broncos will meet the NFC Champion in New York on Feb. 2.


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Bamboo Care
Cold, delicate machine Wash.
Cold hand wash preferable
Do not tumble dry
Wash with similar colours
Flat Dry Preferable
Do not bleach
Do not iron on print (t-shirt). Only cool ironing please!
Returns Policy
We want you to love your Nic Harry items. Hang on to them and if you're unhappy with your purchase, contact us and we'll do our best to make things right.
As a general rule, if you've worn your socks, they are yours forever and we wont want them back. We trust you, keep 'em!