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UNC to test interventions aimed at reducing colon cancer screening disparities
The study will focus on assessing the impact of a clinic-based intervention that includes having patients view a multimedia decision aid (in English or Spanish) before seeing their physician, as well as support from a bilingual patient "navigator" on completion of recommended colon cancer screening tests.
Media contact: Michelle Maclay, 919-843-5365, firstname.lastname@example.com
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The American Cancer Society has awarded University of North Carolina School of Medicine researcher Dan Reuland, MD, MPH a $1.7 million Research Scholar Grant to test interventions designed to reduce colon cancer screening disparities in vulnerable patient groups, particularly Latinos.
Reuland, associate professor of medicine in the division of general medicine and clinical epidemiology, will lead a five-year, multi-site project titled "Improving Colon Cancer Screening for Diverse Populations." Collaborators include Mike Pignone, MD, MPH, professor and chief of the general medicine division and nationally recognized expert on colon cancer screening, as well as researchers from the Mecklenburg Area Partnership for Primary-Care Research (MAPPR) and the University of New Mexico.
Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Although screening can reduce colorectal cancer mortality, screening rates are low in certain vulnerable patient populations. U.S. Latinos, the nation's largest and fastest growing racial/ethnic minority population, have particularly low screening rates. The study will focus on assessing the impact of a clinic-based intervention that includes having patients view a multimedia decision aid (in English or Spanish) before seeing their physician, as well as support from a bilingual patient "navigator" on completion of recommended colon cancer screening tests.
"There is increasing recognition that improving preventive and chronic care will require an enhanced primary care model that employs proactive, team-based approaches. These approaches will need to move beyond the model of having physicians acting as individuals delivering care in brief visits with limited care coordination or support, particularly when it comes to caring for our most vulnerable patient groups," said Reuland. "The interventions tested in the study are pragmatic and have potential for integration into real world practice under the Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) model, particularly if payment for this type of systematic, team-based care can be implemented under provisions of the Affordable Care Act. This work is meant to inform clinical and policy level decisions about how to reduce disparities and promote informed decision making in vulnerable patient groups."
The grant builds on a line of research dating back to the late 1990s when Russell Harris, MD, MPH, a professor in the UNC School of Medicine and senior investigator at the Sheps Center for Health Services Research, and others developed the original colon cancer screening decision aid. In 2009, Reuland received the American Cancer Society Cancer Control Career Development Award for Primary Care Physicians, which he used to conduct the project's preliminary studies, including adaptation and testing of the decision aid in Spanish-speaking populations. During that award, he was mentored by Pignone, who holds a National Cancer Institute K05 Established Investigator award.
Preliminary studies were also supported by grant funding from the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center including its Communication for Health Applications and Interventions Core, the NIH Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) program at UNC-CH, and in-kind support from the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research.
Reuland, Pignone and Harris are all members of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.


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List of games
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This page only lists popular games for GNU/Linux. For more about running games and related system configuration tips, see Gaming.
Game Environments
Different environments exist to play games in Linux:
- Native - Games written for Linux (a good number are available in the official repositories or in the AUR). Loki also provides installers for several games.
- Wine - Allows running of some Windows games.
- Crossover Games - Members of the Codeweavers team are prime supporters of Wine. Using Crossover Games makes the installation & setting up of some games easier, more reliable & even possible, when compared to using other methods. Crossover is an inexpensive commercial product, which also provides a forum where the developers are very much involved in the community.
- Cedega - A game-oriented Wine derivative. Its packaged version is not free of charge unlike its CVS version.
- Java Webstart - to install cross-platform games very easily.
- Web game - Java applets, Flash games...
Action and adventure
- 'Bloodridge' — Java based, 3d adventure fantasy game
- http://www.hayles.demon.co.uk/bloodridge/bloodridge.html || No package
- BZFlag — Multiperson, first-person tank shooter
- Blob Wars: Blob and Conquer — 3D Action-adventure game, sequel to 2D platform game, Blob Wars: Metal Blob Solid
- Freedink — Free and enhanced version of the action-adventure "Dink Smallwood"
- Neverball — 3D game to guide a ball through a maze
- 'Astromenace' — AstroMenace is a modern 3D scrolling space shooter with ship upgrade possibilities
- Barrage - Violent point-and-click shooting game with nice effects
- Bomberclone - Free Bomberman-like game for Linux and Windows. The rules of the game are simple: run though a level and bomb other players.
- Ceferino (spanish) - Action game similar to Super Pang
- Cosmic Trip - Fast 3D shooter featuring smooth, psychedelic graphics, fast and addictive gameplay, online high-scores, and free
- Chromium - Fast paced, arcade-style, top-scrolling space shooter
- Circus Linux! - Clone of the Atari 2600 game "Circus Atari", produced by Atari, Inc
- Crack-attack - Free OpenGL game based on the Super Nintendo classic Tetris Attack
- Frozen Bubble - Frozen Bubble arcade game with colorful animated penguin eyecandy
- lbreakout2 - Breakout-style arcade game in the manner of Arkanoid
- LTris - An arcade version of Tetris.
- Noiz2sa - A vertical shooter arcade game with nice abstract graphics, music, and joystick support.
- Pinball - Open source pinball simulator for linux and other unix systems
- PowerManga - Arcade 2D shoot-em-up game with 41 levels and more than 200 sprites
- Tetrinet - Multiplayer online Tetris game for up to six people
- Ri-li - Toy wood engine GPL game
- Tuxanci - Multiplatform game, inspired by well-known czech game Bulanci
- Ultrastar-ng - Clone of SingStar, a music video game
- Viruskiller - Your computer has been invaded! Using your trusty mouse you must shoot the buggers before they can destroy your files!
- Warzone 3 - 3D tank combat simulation game, set during some of the most critical European and Russian battles of the Second World War
- Armagetron Advanced - A Tron Clone in 3D.
- BigFun Motorcycle Trials
- Extreme Tux Racer - A 3D game where you guide Tux the penguin down a course of snow and ice collecting herring. This game replaces "Tux Racer" and "Planet Penguin Racer", which are no longer under development.
- Maniadrive - Arcade car game on acrobatic tracks with quick and nervous gameplay.
- Moon-buggy - Moon Buggy is a simple game for the text mode.
- Super Tux Kart - A kart racing game featuring Tux and his friends.
- Torcs - A 3D racing cars simulator using OpenGL.
- Trigger Rally - Free OpenGL rally car racing game.
- Ultimate Stunts - UltimateStunts will be a remake of the famous DOS-game 'stunts'.
- VDrift - An open source driving simulation made with drift racing in mind.
- GCompris
- Gnumch
- Tux Paint
- Tux Typing
- Dōkutsu Monogatari (aka Cave Story) - Addictive 1-man-made metroid-vania-esque platformer
- knyttstories - Platformer with adventure elements, heavy exploration and downloadable levels
- toppler - Reimplementation of the classic jump & run game "Nebulus"
- Egoboo - Open-source action RPG/dungeon crawling adventure with OpenGL 3D graphics
- Ancient Arenas
- Cube - Open source multiplayer and singleplayer first person shooter game.
- Cube 2 : Sauerbraten - Improved version of the Cube engine.
- Doomsday - An advanced port of the Doom game engine.
- Enemy Territory: Quake Wars - Enemy Territory: Quake Wars is a commercial team and class-based multiplayer game. You need the retail DVD to play.
- Futuristic Arenas
- Jake 2
- Nexuiz - A free, open-source first person shooter.
- PrBoom+ - A game engine which provides a program to play Doom levels.
- Quake 3 Arena - Demo version from id.
- Quake Live
- Scared
- Steam under Linux
- Tesseract
- Tremulous - FPS with elements of real time strategy, featuring humans and aliens
- True Combat: Elite(TCE) - A completely free, realistic, team-based modification for Enemy Territory.
- Urban Terror
- Warsow - Fast paced multiplayer FPS focusing on movement and trick jumps
- Wolfenstein : Enemy Territory - Freeware edition of Return to Castle Wolfenstein's multiplayer client
- World Of Padman : Stand Alone Complex - Cartoon-style multiplayer first-person shooter.
- Beyond The Red Line - A completely free stand-alone conversion of Freespace 2 based on the TV show Battlestar Galactica
- Danger from deep - Submarine simulator.
- Flight Gear - An open-source, multi-platform flight simulator.
- Foobillard - An OpenGL billiard game for Linux.
- Freespace 2
- Pydance - Python DDR game.
- Stepmania - An Advanced Dance Simulation Game.
- Dofus - A free, manga inspired, Massively Multiplayer Online Role-playing Game (MMORPG) for Adobe AIR.
- Landes Eternelles
- Eve Online
- Heroes of Newerth - Online, multi-player strategy game that is based upon DoTA (Defense of the Ancients)
- Planeshift
- Regnum Online - Cross-platform 3D Massively Multiplayer Online Role-playing Game (MMORPG).
- Runescape - Official RuneScape client.
- Savage - The Battle For Newerth - Savage: The Battle for Newerth is an online multiplayer team-based FPS/RTS hybrid. Completely free as of September 2006. (Includes SFE Patches).
- Savage2 - A tortured soul - A fantasy themed online multiplayer team-based FPS/RTS/RPG hybrid. Completely free as of December 2008.
- Second Life - Online, 3D virtual world imagined and created by its residents
- The Mana World - The Mana World (TMW) is a serious effort to create an innovative free and open source MMORPG.
- Vendetta Online
- Wurm Online
- Advanced Strategic Command - A turn based strategy game in the tradition of the Battle Isle series.
- Battle for Wesnoth - Free, turn-based tactical strategy game with a high fantasy theme, featuring both single-player, and online/hotseat multiplayer combat.
- Boson - An OpenGL real-time strategy game, with the feeling of Command&Conquer(tm) or StarCraft(tm).
- Crimson Fields - A tactical war game in the tradition of Battle Isle.
- Freeciv - A multiuser clone of the famous Microprose game of Civilization.
- - Freecol - A turn-based strategy game based on Colonization.
- Glest - Free 3D real-time strategy game, where you control the armies of two different factions: Tech, which is mainly composed of warriors and mechanical devices, and Magic, that prefers mages and summoned creatures in the battlefield
- Globulation 2 - Multiplayer RTS with some "economic" elements minimizing the amount of micromanagement
- Lgeneral - Turn-based strategy engine heavily inspired by Panzer General.
- Penguin Command - A clone of the classic game "Missile Command" with improved graphics and sound.
- Singularity (Endgame) - Turn based Single player strategy/simulation about a AI hiding, growing and evolving.
- Tower Defense Game
- Tropic Euro - free online adaptation of the board game Puerto Rico for 2-5 players
- UFO Alien Invasion - Fight aliens trying to capture Earth.
- Warzone 2100 - In Warzone 2100, you command the forces of The Project in a battle to rebuild the world after mankind has almost been destroyed by nuclear missiles. The game offers campaign, multi-player, and single-player skirmish modes. An extensive tech tree with over 400 different technologies, combined with the unit design system, allows for a wide variety of possible units and tactics.
- Wormux - A clone of the worms game.
Tycoon/Management Games
- Bygfoot - Football (soccer) management game.
- Lincity-ng - City simulation game in which you are required to build and maintain a city. You can win the game either by building a sustainable economy or by evacuating all citizens with spaceships.
- OpenTTD - Open source clone of the Microprose game "Transport Tycoon Deluxe", a popular game originally written by Chris Sawyer. It attempts to mimic the original game as closely as possible while extending it with new features.
- Simutrans- Another Transport simulation that works on linux with sdl, it is available in the AUR.
- 3D Breakout
- Cgoban3
- chroma - A puzzle game like Sokoban with ncurses mode
- Eboard
- glChess
- Gnono
- Gnuchess
- Gnudoku
- Incredibuilder!
- Ksudoku
- Netris
- Pingus
- Tuxtyping
- World of Goo - great 2D game with good physic, incredible music and nice graphics, you can find demo version in AUR, if you want full version, then you can purchase Linux version for 20$ from the game's homepage
- XMoto
- Xscorch
CLI games
There are too many to list. Here's a few examples (please contribute to this list):
- bs - A Battleships based shooter for the console
- Chroma - A puzzle game like Sokoban with ncurses mode
- Crawl (aka Dungeon Crawl, aka Linley's Dungeon Crawl)
- Dwarf Fortress
- NetHack
- nInvaders - in AUR, Ncurses based space invaders clone
- Rogue
- Stone Soup (aka Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup)
- ToME (aka Troubles of Middle Earth)
These games can usually be found in the official repositories or in AUR.
An emulator is a program which serves to replicate the functions of another platform or system so as to allow applications and games to be run in environments they were not programmed for. While emulators themselves are not games in a strict sense, they provide users with the ability to play games and therefore have been included in this article.
- DeSmuME - Linux Nintendo DS emulator.
- Dolphin- Very nice Gamecube and Wii emulator.
- DOSBox - Open source DOS emulator which primarily focuses on running DOS Games.
- epsxe - Emulator of the PlayStation video game console for x86-based PC hardware.
- fceux - Cross platform, NTSC and PAL Famicom/NES emulator that is an evolution of the original FCE Ultra emulator.
- Mupen64Plus - Highly compatible n64 emulator with plugin system.
- PCSX2 - Playstation 2 emulator it is still being maintained and developed.
- snes-9x - portable, freeware Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) emulator.
- Visual Boy Advance - Gameboy emulator with GameBoy Advance, GameBoy Color, and Super GameBoy support.
- Wine - Wine is not actually an emulator, but it provides a way to play windows games on Linux.
- ZSNES - a Super Nintendo emulator.
For a full selection of emulators, try checking the AUR 'emulators' category
External links
- arch-games Games repo for Arch Linux
- The Java Game Tome - The portal for all Java games
- Free Gamer - Open source games blog
- FreeGameDev - Free/open source game development community
- Libregamewiki - Free software games wiki
- SIG/Games - OS/Linux gaming news sites and lists at Fedora's wiki
- live.linux-gamers - Arch-based live gaming distro

subset: commoncrawl


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Former UBS Trader Faces Libor Charges in U.K.
Tom Hayes, a former UBS and Citigroup trader, has been charged with eight counts of fraud as part of the U.K. investigation into the alleged manipulation of the London interbank offered rate. David Enrich looks at the charges as the whole probe into the rate scandal spreads globally.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
I ... the the ... he ... well it is ... that a ... so this is the rule ... in relation to the alleged manipulation ... of the liable rate ... David Enrich has been falling the story David is is the first ... thing is for holds on to the level investigation for the first formal criminal charge in the UK the US artist or will people but ... again this is the ... first of what I suspect will be a number of ... charges brought by a British fraud prosecutors ... here ok what exactly are the allegations this is it so there it counts ... of conspiring to defraud ... them is the official tired and until today we didn't know what the accounts specifically where ... the read aloud in court this morning though and it ... isn't the cover says hi it's owes a trader at first it UBS and Citigroup on Tokyo ... and if that counts in that becomes covered his time both of those banks ... him and his alleged conspiracy with employees of other banks and brokers ... and so they've read out for the first time the names of those institutions us ... JPMorgan Philly today in ... Rome and Scotland HSBC Rabobank ... though the banks among the brokers are ICAP's tele Prebon ... and R P Martin allegedly ... Sunday without more that says ... slowly we knew it from it ... to ... the U S live with us additions and some of the British government is well that come out over the past year that ... pays it was suspected of being involved a lot of other institutions both banks and brokers we didn't know the names of ... Intel now and again it's important and says that we don't know for sure ... Isaly ins until proven guilty but also what ... we don't really know for sure if what the the British fraud prosecutors today said ... meshes entirely with one ... other authorities in the past well just ... because the U S Department of Justice ... the investigation will this have any impact with ... a love for these top soften the impact of that yet what is ... most likely so so a is back in December was charged by the U S Justice Department ... with pretty similar allegations and use enmeshed in this ... hat transatlantic tunnel for basically where ... both the British and Americans are both trying to improve their tough on the thumb of financial crimes he was arrested the day before ... the U S plan to file criminal charges that does the firm was reported ... got very upset about that Visa felt like this guy ... you know they've been pursuing for a while and spend a lot of resources for sale ... is now is just so essentially by the Brits ... and it's those lately under ... British double jeopardy laws of his work and did did or were to plead guilty which is not certain will happen ... to these charges here ... under British law he can then be extradited to face similar charges another jurisdiction so ... the Americans that we speak to you would suspect that has never gone back to see the inside of them ... ok what about the UK trial in select ... well again to try old Japan the existence of a trial will depend on it and that of necessity him pleading not guilty and Investment artisans not clear ... who just don't know what's going to happen the next step is that ... on the fourth of July it ... pays will be appearing at a higher criminal Court is also in London and this is a preliminary hearing and for we've heard it ... is this is actually going to go to trial ... dad cry won't be until sometime next year if he were to plead guilty to some or all the charges and the rest of ... us ... this this or any other people like this in the case ... well yes and as as a standard ... at least eight other ... individuals and the recent additions to the allegedly conspiring with ... we've previously reported dead aam ... the U S and the U K authorities have criminal investigations focusing on several former Barclays employees ... and it sounds like a isn't cooperating with the SFO the serious fraud office here for ... many months and that presumably that's the result ... is an actual ... it also the son of the case of the US and UK victims this was a little so I got a call with ... a broken world wide and Hong Kong announced and refers yesterday really sweet though blurring together ... and yet are so many of them they announce the day at ... work and slightly expanding their investigation to include HSBC ... a few days before that Singapore fee is twenty banks of the various benchmark rate manipulation ... and it is happening in ... the know dozens of jurisdictions around the world to


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Stamp Camp: Jewelry
Viewer Comments
I loved the quality of this jewelry and have ordered quite a few more of the Nunn designs for making Christmas gifts. Also, the bird stamp set is one of my favorite new stamp sets. I love birds. I have been making the microscope slide ornaments and jewelry. I stamped the sweet on the wrong side when trying to copy the first one on this webisode. I made three and only one was on the correct side but, they still look okay since you can really look at both sides so I'm not going to worry about it. They all look great. Love the ideas. Thanks.....
I love you and Sarah to work together. thanks for the show
Hi - love your webisodes. I learn so much and find them inspriring. I subcribe to them in iTune and take them with me to crops. It a quick how to and (again) great inspriation. Are you no longer uploading the webisodes to iTune? There hasn't been an update in quite some time
Reply from Paper Wishes Customer Service:
Actually they are uploading as I type this....stay tuned!
Such fun. I want to make them all.
Paper Wishes Weekly Webisodes feature free scrapbooking video classes and card making video classes! Every week Paulette and LeNae bring you new online scrapbooking or card making classes demonstrating the very latest paper craft and scrapbooking techniques. Each of our free card making and scrapbooking classes also gives you unique project ideas and tips from Paper Wishes' Design Team. Come back often so you don't miss any of the fun in our card making and scrapbooking classes! You are sure to be inspired! Also watch for our "Week of Webisodes" events where we feature new scrapbooking video classes daily!


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Texas Dog Fetches Guinness Record for Largest Eyes
While most of our pets make us go "awww" with their innocent eyes, this dog on the other hand may freak you out a bit. Meet four-year-old Boston Terrier, Bruschi, who has just been given the Guinness World Record for "dog with the largest eyes" — an eye-popping 1.1 inches in diameter.
Named after former New England Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi, the dog was found by owner Victoria Reed three years ago while working at Operation Kindness, a rescue center near Arlington, TX. "I had another Boston Terrier, but I saw him and he jumped up in my arms and wouldn't leave," she said.
Reed didn't really notice Bruschi's large eyes at first as Boston Terriers normally do have such eyes. But after friends, family and even the vet commented on how big they are, Reed made an application for a Guinness World Record, which Bruschi quickly won. And according to some trivia posted on the Guinness World Records page, Reed claims Bruschi loves to play dress up and has "an overflowing bucket full of different outfits in his home".
See proof of Bruschi's world record holding eyes below.
[Via Huffington Post]


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In my mind, I backed out a hundred times. I had never been to a group fitness class. What if they are more fit than me? What if I fall way behind? What if I can't do it? What if I collapse? Well, I went. And I DID IT. The energy and support of the other Mamas was what got me through. And still does. I can't begin to explain the impact that Hot Mama has had in my life.
January 10, 2017


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The research incorporated seven trials in Bangladesh, India, Malawi and Nepal and looked at 119,428 births.
It assessed whether groups facilitated by local women, who received a short training course of around 7 – 11 days, but were not health workers, affected rates of maternal and newborn mortality. The groups use a range of methods – including discussion, voting and role-playing – to identify common pregnancy-related health problems and work out locally appropriate ways to address them.
Overall, in areas where groups were established, maternal deaths in the population as a whole fell by 37 per cent, and newborn deaths fell by 23 per cent.
The reductions in maternal and newborn deaths were even more dramatic in areas where more than a third of women took part in the groups, with maternal deaths falling by 55 per cent, and newborn deaths falling by 33 per cent in these areas.
The research, which was led by Professor Anthony Costello and Dr Audrey Prost of the UCL Institute for Global Health, points out that the groups are cost-effective, sustainable, and may be one of the most powerful ways to reduce maternal and newborn deaths in areas where other interventions are impractical or unaffordable.
Many life-saving preventive practices can be performed at home if mothers know how and have the self-assurance to act. They need information, confidence in their own decisions, and support from their families and the broader community.
Dr Audrey Prost, UCL Institute for Global Health
The study estimates that women's groups could prevent an estimated 283,000 newborn infant deaths and 41,100 maternal deaths each year if they were introduced in 74 countries where maternal and child death rates remain high.
"The reasons why mothers and newborns die are social as much as medical," says lead author Dr Audrey Prost. "A woman may not seek care for a health problem in pregnancy, even if she recognises it, if she lacks power within her household, transport, or money.
"But many life-saving preventive practices can also be performed at home if mothers know how and have the self-assurance to act," continues Dr Prost. "They need information, confidence in their own decisions, and support from their families and the broader community.
"When women's groups sit together and discuss why health problems happen from a social perspective, using adult learning techniques such as participatory games, story-telling and role-play, they find locally appropriate ways to address their problems that other, external agents would not necessarily identify."
Media contact: David Weston
Image caption: Knowing your options in Jharkhand, India
Archana is a member of a woman's group started by the organization Ekjut. She was married at 13, and had her first child at 14. The child was born at home rather than in hospital, because Archana did not know about local health facilities or what schemes were available to support her. Now, as a women's group member, she has learnt about the importance of taking iron tablets, good nutrition, and tetanus injections in pregnancy. She also knows about the national scheme that provides financial help for women to give birth in hospital, carries a note of the phone number of the vehicle that will take her there, and even keeps a new delivery kit at home in case she needs it.


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On the 24 & 25 of September there will be a tour of St. Ann's Cemetery (established 1835) in Penetanguishene, Simcoe County, Ontario.
The press release says to "Join Deb and Pam for a walk through this historic cemetery and meet sinners and saints, the famous and infamous. We've uncovered some fascinating and interesting facts about the citizens of Penetang and we'd like to share them with you."
The Walk starts at 2 PM each day.
Tickets are limited to 25 for each day and must be paid for in advance.
Tickets are $8.00 each, and you call the museum at 705-549-2150.
All proceeds are for the Cemetery Board for the upkeep of the grounds.
The Penetanguishene Centennial Museum and Archives website is http://www.pencenmuseum.com/events-exhibits/


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A Sprinter train equipped with new brake rotors has begun test runs along the length of the Escondido-to-Oceanside rail line, part of an expanded set of evaluations before passenger service can be restored.
One train made the full trip from Escondido to Oceanside and back on Friday, said Deborah Castillo, spokeswoman for the North County Transit District.
It was expected to make similar trips on Monday and throughout the week, she added.
Crews recently installed new rotors on a second Sprinter train, Castillo said. That vehicle could join the first train on the tracks by Wednesday for testing along the 22-mile corridor, the spokeswoman added.
Last week, one train successfully completed shorter test runs between the Escondido Transit Center and Woodland Parkway in San Marcos, the agency said.
Castillo said the test runs help keep the rail line in working condition. They are expected to continue until the line reopens.
All 12 Sprinter trains were shut down March 9 after state inspectors discovered premature wear on the vehicles' central brake rotors.
No date has been given for when Sprinter service will resume.
Transit agency officials initially said it could be up to four months before the trains move passengers again. Over the past week, officials have said the repair process is moving somewhat faster than first thought.
A full set of replacement rotors is expected to arrive in late April, the agency said in a blog post last week. Upon arrival of the parts, the agency plans to announce a relaunch date.
The 22-mile rail line and its trains must pass federal and state regulatory hurdles before service can resume.
In the meantime, the agency is providing replacement buses and contracted taxis and vans for passengers affected by the shutdown.
email@example.com | (760) 740-5426 | Twitter@christhejourno


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Rowe-Clark Math & Science Academy students learn about renewable energy technologies at Solar Celebration
CHICAGO (May 4, 2009) - More than 100 students from Rowe-Clark Math & Science Academy in West Humboldt Park got hands-on with the latest renewable energy technology at the charter school's second-annual Solar Celebration on Saturday, May 2. Exelon volunteers and The Field Museum demonstrated a renewable energy vehicle (REV) to give students an up-close look at an alternative fuel vehicle that can reduce carbon emissions that contribute to global warming.
The event is part of Exelon and The Field Museum's "Take One Step" partnership, which provides museum visitors the opportunity to purchase $1 carbon credits to offset their carbon footprints. The $1 credits support development of renewable energy technologies, restoration of degraded habitats, and conservation of intact forests. Exelon is matching visitor participation up to $200,000 over three years to support the REV.
The REV is the newest addition to the Field Museum's outreach education fleet. Students and their families toured and interacted with the vehicle, which is powered by carbon-neutral vegetable oil and outfitted with solar panels to capture the sun's rays. The one-of-a-kind education vehicle also features a variety of green gadgets - including a pullout go-cart that runs on alternative fuels and solar-powered iPod deck.
"Rowe-Clark Math & Science Academy opened in 2007 to provide an enhanced math and science curriculum to Chicago students and to foster their interest in a career path related to these subjects," said Helen Howes, Exelon vice president, environment, health & safety. "We are pleased that our partnership with The Field Museum gives educators new and hands-on ways to teach alternative energy choices."
Besides the REV, the Solar Celebration offered Rowe-Clark Math & Science Academy students and their families the opportunity to build solar-powered mini-cars and hot-air balloons, calculate their carbon footprints, and learn how to make their homes more energy efficient.
Chicago-based Exelon is one of the nation's largest electric and gas utilities. Its Exelon 2020 strategy to address climate change set a goal of reducing, displacing or offsetting more than 15 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year by 2020 - an amount greater the company's annual carbon footprint. Exelon recently announced that as of the end of 2008, it had reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by more than 35 percent from 2001 levels.
Beyond environmental causes, Exelon's corporate relations programs also focus on education, arts and culture, neighborhood development and diversity.


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Father Pat's Pastoral Ponderings
May 23, 2010
The biblical story of the meeting of Balaam and Balak (Numbers 22:36-39) is structured on a psychological contrast between the two men: The impatience of the king of Moab is set at variance with the caution of the soothsayer from Pethor. This opposition, established immediately, endures as long as the two men are together (24:25).
Because Balaam delayed coming to Moab, Balak's greeting is already a remonstration: "Did I not earnestly send to you, calling for you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?"
After this greeting — if greeting we can call it — Balak is eager for his hired soothsayer to start saying a bit of vigorous sooth against the recently arrived forces of Israel. This is, after all, what Balak is paying him to do Balaam, for his part, is dubious about the whole venture. Although the king of Moab is eager for his services, the soothsayer is not confident His Majesty will be much pleased with the product. Consequently, at each stage of his dealings with Balak, Balaam feels it necessary to mention his misgivings.
All along, Balaam has been of divided mind about putting himself at the service of Balak. Having declined the king's first summons, he finally accepted the second, but only at a divine command. This circumstance, all by itself, would have made him cautious. Balaam was worried things might not be the way they seemed.
Moreover, along the way to Moab another experience reinforced his concern: Balaam got into a row with his donkey! When this loyal beast suddenly became stubborn and refused to proceed, Balaam began to beat her, at which point the offended donkey happened to mention — using all the correct verbs and nouns — that a resolute-looking angel stood before them on the path, with drawn sword. No, concluded Balaam, things certainly were not the way they seemed.
It was the donkey, then, that put Balaam on guard for his arrival at Moab. Indeed, there are significant parallels between the story of Balaam and his donkey and the account of Balaam and Balak: Balaam's triple urging of the donkey (22:23-27) prepared for Balak's threefold urging of Balaam (22:41; 23:13,27). What the donkey offered to the soothsayer, the soothsayer now offers to the king: a word to watch his step.
In contrast to Balaam's caution stands Balak's reckless enthusiasm. Difficult to discourage, the king pays no attention to the doubts of the soothsayer. He is so confident of the outcome that he refuses to consider the possibility of failure.
Balak combines boundless assurance and a fixed idea — a dangerous mixture if not diluted with a heavy dose of objective counsel. In his fixed idea, Balak is like Captain Ahab in Melville's Moby Dick. In the irrationality of his overconfidence, he resembles "The Hairless Mexican" of Somerset Maugham. Balak is both. Is any man is so dangerous as him who fastens uncritical enthusiasm on a fixed idea?
The thing is worse if the man is a king. Indeed, our Teacher admonished us on this point: "Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?" (Luke 14:31) Balak, in his campaign against Israel, marches forth in awful contrast to the wiser warrior Jesus depicted.
In the story of Balaam and Balak, nonetheless, the contrast between prudence and overconfidence is more than a moral parable, a biblical version of Sense and Sensibility. It forms the narrative setting, rather, for a theological and historical thesis: The true director of the drama is the Lord, who has guided Balaam — by donkey and angel — to deal with the likes of Balak. The biblical author is not content with a lesson in moral psychology. His message asserts, in addition, that the Lord of history uses such men as Balak to accomplish His righteousness.
Balak becomes a new Pharaoh, as it were, and a new Esau, to whose well-deserved disadvantage the Lord proceeds to manifest His wonders. In the fulfillment of His purposes, God is prepared to take such stumbling blocks as Balak and turn them into stepping-stones. Moab's king becomes what St. Paul calls a vessel of wrath made for destruction (Romans 9:22). He has no one but himself to blame. Like Balaam on the donkey, he was warned.
Fr. Patrick Henry Reardon is pastor of All Saints Antiochian Orthodox Church in Chicago, Illinois, and a Senior Editor of Touchstone: A Journal of Mere Christianity.
Subscribe to Pastoral Ponderings — Fr. Reardon's weekly essay.
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Books by Fr. Reardon:


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Television is a new feature introduced in Grand Theft Auto IV, found most in safehouses and like radio stations, is only used to pass time and to discover more about the fictional world of GTA.
Each television allows the player to watch up to 3 television networks (Weazel, Public Broadcasting Corporation, and CNT); however, the channels are not numbered, so finding a show is more or less coincidental. Most of the shows are running time-shifted; for example, while I'm Rich may be almost over on one channel, it may just start on another.
The feature is carried over to its episodic titles, including The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony, with new shows and advertising added in; however, depending on whether the player opted for downloading episodic DLC or obtaining Episodes from Liberty City, the availability of shows and ads from GTA IV in both episodic titles, like radio stations, varies between DLCs and Episodes from Liberty City:
- In DLCs, existing programming and advertising from GTA IV and a DLC purchased earlier will be present in the new episodic title, and vice versa.
- In EFLC, only programming and advertising from TLAD and TBOGT will be available in both episodic titles, as much of GTA IV's content is not included in the standalone compilation.
While there is one television for each safehouse in GTA IV, the player can only watch TV at the Lost MC Clubhouse in The Lost and Damned until "Get Lost," at which point, the player has no legal means of watching television; in The Ballad of Gay Tony, one TV is available in Luis' safehouse.
Another television channel named CCC is mentioned in game, but the channel cannot be viewed by the protagonist.
Viewable programs
Weazel is a parody of Fox Broadcasting Company and features the following programing:
- The Men's Room (With Bas Rutten and Jeremy St. Ives)
- Split Sides (both Ricky Gervais and Katt Williams)
- Republican Space Rangers (Episode 6 is added in TLAD, "Homecoming" added in TBOGT)
- Venturas Poker Challenge
- Weazel News Parody of Fox News (Special report on the Motorcycle Menace) (TLAD)
CNT is a parody of CNN or TNT or CN and features the following programing:
Public Broadcasting Corporation
Public Broadcasting Corporation is a parody of BBC or PBS and features the following program:
- A History of Liberty City - The program comes in two parts: Part I in GTA IV, and Part II in TLAD and TBOGT
Mentioned Programs
- 72
- Ether
- Spittoon
- How To Survive When There is A Suitcase Nuke On Your Train
- Vinewood Cunts
- Vacation Home Sluts
- Terror Marathon
- Crow Reunion in Iran
- Weazel News (GTA IV and EFLC)
- Homo Erectus
- Waning with the Stars
- Undertaker (TBoGT)
- American Asshole
- America's Next Top Hooker
- Bad Girlz: Carwash Fundraiser
- Boner
- Conjoined Twins (Season 2 in TBoGT)
- Drunk Daddy and the Door
- Fear The Dark Finger
- Funeral Factor
- Gold Diggers of Liberty City (TBoGT)
- Patriot 500
- Shitty Singer Competition
- Z Games
- Burger Shot
- Big Paulie Budget Cars
- VIP Luxury Ringtones
- Whiz
- Excelsior
- Michael Graves campaign ad
- John Hunter campaign ad
- VIG Insurance
- Pißwasser
- Love-meet.net
- Super Classy Touch Limo
- Karin Dilettante
- Higgins Helitours
- Cluckin' Bell
- Sully's Auto Mart
- LCPD recruitment
- Most of the commercials and shows appear to be made when the game was in its beta stages.
- Some of the shows and commercial contain clips from previous Rockstar games, such as GTA San Andreas, Bully, and Red Dead Revolver.
- There is a glitch in The Lost and Damned that allows you to watch the TV even after the end of the game. Take a helicopter and land on the roof of Lost MC Clubhouse. Walk around to where the TV would be inside just under the roof, and you will be prompted to watch the TV. If you do this, there are only two ways to get outside of the clubhouse: kill yourself, or reload an old save file. This glitch is fixed on Episodes from Liberty City.
- Another way to watch TV in both the episodes and the main game if you haven't unlocked the Bohan safehouse: First, you must travel over to Niko's Bohan safehouse; the front door will be locked and can't be opened, but you can walk to the back entrance to enter the safehouse and watch TV at any time.
- The ability to watch TV within the game was mocked by Volition, the developers of the Saints Row series in this commercial for Saints Row 2.
- The ability to watch TV returns in Grand Theft Auto V, and plays a role in a specific mission. Michael De Santa is also commonly found watching TV during cutscenes or after switching characters, and can watch TV under the player's control as well.
- Homo erectus is the name for the human ancestors who were the first to utilize the use of fire, though in the GTA series, the word "erectus" is an obvious pun for an erection.
See also


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Stop what you're doing, there's a new Queen Of Hearts video in town. The amazing Warrior has only gone and got itself all visual.
The clip's directed by Elliott Morgan and sees The Queen deftly conveying the rousing bombast of the track. Which is still produced by Diamond Cut, and still amazing.
Queen Of Hearts' Warrior is released on 2nd December.
Buy Queen Of Hearts' music from:


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Protect Your Floors Rugs & Easy Care Mats
Friendly Service From our Hug Team
Item In Stock
Order one of our Rug Guru 20x20cm samples and if you decide to purchase a rug from us then we will refund the cost of your samples.
To take advantage of this, please place the order for your rug with one of our team by calling us on 01484 864304 and have your order number to hand.
We have made every effort to ensure that each sample provides a fair representation of the finished product. However please note due to the hand printed design of these samples you may experience a slight difference between the sample and the rug.
We accept Amex, Visa and MasterCard Credit and Debit cards. Payments are securely processed via Sage Pay payment gateway service.
We also accept payments via PayPal.
We also accept payments via PayPal.
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Kanuchi is a hickory nut soup with hominy that is eaten hot or cold and with sugar or honey, I like mine cold with sugar. My husband's Grandmother would make this every year and I have continued this tradition for our children. I believe most Cherokees make Kanuchi during the winter holiday season because the fall crop of hickory nuts are now seasoned and ready for use. Finding people who make the Kanuchi nut balls are getting harder and harder to find. We will most likely be making our own next year. Stay tuned. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.
Kanuchi Ball
1 pound bag of dried hominy
1 quart of water
Take your nut ball and simmer it in a soup pan with about 2 cups of water. Now you will drain your nut mixture through a sieve several times. The Kanuchi ball has some of the nut shell along with the hickory nuts and you don't want shells in your finished product. Meanwhile take a quart of water and pour over your hominy in a large soup pot. You will cook this for 1 hour. Watch it because you will have to add about 1 more quart of water to the hominy as it cooks. Once hominy is cooked, pour your sieved nut mixture in and stir. Continue to cook for about 1 more hour.


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Thursday, November 29, 2012
Sports News
A ban on anchors, a long way to go
Send a link to a friend
[November 29, 2012]
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif.
(AP) -- The putt was meaningless because it was the final hole of a pro-am in what amounts to an 18-man exhibition at the end of the year, even though ranking points are available at the World Challenge. But it was hard not to look at the end of the putter pressed into the belly of Keegan Bradley.
The decision to ban the anchor stroke used for belly putters and broom-handle putters was not because of Bradley, even though he became the face of a style that was gaining popularity, not to mention credibility.
Bradley became the first player to win a major using the belly putter when he rammed in a 35-foot birdie putt on the 17th at Atlanta Athletic Club in 2011 during a remarkable comeback. It was in the news conference after the PGA Championship that Bradley spoke about a number of players on the Nationwide Tour who were using belly putters. The next year, Webb Simpson and Ernie Els won majors with a belly putter.
The U.S. Golf Association and Royal & Ancient, who announced Wednesday a proposed rule that would ban anchoring the club to the body, said the major champions were only part of what got their attention. Mike Davis of the USGA and Peter Dawson of the R&A both spoke to a spike in number of players using such putting strokes, how it trickled down to younger golfers, and their concern that the stroke was taking too much of the skill out of the game.
Players could still use a broom-handle or belly putter -- as long as it is not pressed against their body to create the effect of a hinge.
"We believe a player should hold the club away from his body and swing it freely," Davis said. "Golf is a game of skill and challenge, and we think that's an important part of it."
What's next?
As for the rule, the governing bodies will take comments over the next three months to see if it needs to be changed, scrapped or whether the proposal is fine the way it is. Then, it would be approved by the organizations, though it would not take effect until 2016.
What's next for Bradley?
"I'm going to have to really in the next couple of years figure out a way that's going to be best for me to putt," Bradley said.
He might end up shaving a few inches off the putter so the stroke is similar, except that it doesn't press against his stomach. Fred Couples has a belly putter that rests against his stomach, but the butt of the club moves freely. It is not hinged. Couples was not sure if that would be legal under the new rule, though he could just imagine the number of phone calls if he was shown on TV using that stroke.
Then again, the odds of the 53-year-old Couples even playing the Champions Tour in 2016 was enough to make him laugh.
U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson already has been using a short putter while at home, and he said he would continue to make the transition and go to the conventional putter when he feels comfortable with it. Bradley has been using a belly putter since he was at college, and he laments the five years of practice with it going to waste.
"Who knows? Maybe there's some way to putt better," Bradley said. "I see myself finding a way to putt."
[to top of second column]
Bradley and Simpson are in a difficult spot, for neither wants to look like a group of dissenters. Both said they have respect for the USGA and R&A, and Bradley wanted to make that clear Wednesday at Sherwood Country Club when he said, "I do understand the USGA is trying to protect the game. I knew they're not doing something maliciously to hurt me or other guys."
But this already is shaping up to be a divisive issue, from industry leaders worried about the growth of golf to players who have been using these putters for years.
Carl Pettersson of Sweden and Tim Clark of South Africa have used broom-handle putters all their careers, and they have talked about a possible legal recourse. Neither could be reached for comment. Pettersson was in South Africa for the Nedbank Challenge and did not return a phone call.
"Any competitive player likes to have an extra advantage," Matt Kuchar said. "I think you're going find anyone using the short putter is glad, and anyone using the belly putter or long putter is not happy."
Kuchar used a mid-length putter that rested against his left arm when he won The Players Championship. That style is OK.
Couples wasn't sure golf needed such a rule. His argument is that if the anchored stroke was that much of an advantage, everyone would be using it. He somehow managed to work Rick Barry of the Golden State Warriors into the conversation.
He referred to him as one of the greatest free-throw shooters in NBA history, famous for his underhand shot at the foul line.
"Do you see other guys copying him?" Couples said. "Is Keegan Bradley the best putter on tour? Is Webb? So it's a look. They can say all they want, but it's a look. An advantage? You think guys out here are dumb? What's an advantage? You would think if this was such an advantage, everyone would be using it."
None of the top 20 players on the PGA Tour's most reliable putting statistic used an anchored putting stroke.
"In my opinion, they haven't screwed up golf yet, and I don't think this will screw it up," Couples said. "But I feel bad for Keegan Bradley, because I'll tell you what: If they banned it tomorrow and we played a tournament, I think I'll be a better player than Keegan. And I don't think that's fair."
In the meantime, the World Challenge gets under way Thursday as the final event of the year for Woods, and the last chance for this 18-man field to earn ranking points. Some will go to the Shark Shootout next week in Florida. The others won't be seen again until next year, either in Hawaii or the desert.
The anchored putting stroke will come again. The debate most likely won't end anytime soon.
Press; By DOUG FERGUSON]
Copyright 2012 The Associated
Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Frieda's Fresh Pre-Peeled Coconut gets a thumbs down
Springfield State Journal-Register staff tests new products.
PRODUCT: Frieda's Fresh Pre-Peeled Coconut.
DETAILS: It's a vacuum-sealed coconut without the hard shell. Pierce the flesh with an enclosed straw to drink the coconut water. Slice or shred the sweet meat to use in recipes that call for coconut.
CLAIMS: "Ready to enjoy right out of the package — no hammers or drills required," says a news release.
MORE INFORMATION: www.friedas.com.
AVAILABILITY: In some supermarket produce sections.
SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE: $3 to $4 each.
COMMENTS: If you're going to break open a coconut in a shell to use the fresh coconut, then this is more convenient. But the pre-peeled version, which needs refrigeration, lasts only one day after opening. And it's still pretty messy and sticky to use.
WOULD YOU BUY IT? No.


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Robert Raimon Roy - Dookie [Unsigned Hype]
DIM MAK recording artist Robert Raimon Roy is a rapper from Jacksonville, FL. His album, "Le Tigre Blanc" releases on December 11th, 2012.
Twitter: @robertraimonroy
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.


text:
Posted by Editor on 08/9/07
T-Mobile Stays in Cycling
After the doping problems at this year's Tour (including T-Mobile's Patrick Sinkewitz), the team's sponsor said that they were going to re-evaluate their involvement in the sport. Today, the German telecommunications giant has announced that it will stay with the sport. The full text of the release is below:
T-Mobile will continue Deutsche Telekom's 16-year commitment to the sport of cycling. This decision was made by the Bonn telecommunications group on Tuesday evening. This was preceded by open and intensive talks after the latest doping cases in the sport of cycling. "We want to prove a point through consistency and reliability which this sport is in great need of", said Hamid Akhavan, Chairman of the Board of T-Mobile International and Board Member of Deutsche Telekom AG. "We want to continue to accompany cycling and support it in its effort to become a cleaner sport", says Akhavan.
T-Mobile made a decision about one year ago to take a new route with team manager Bob Stapleton and his team. The basic condition for this was the commitment to advocate a cleaner sport and kick off respective initiatives. This included an early extension of the sponsoring agreement by two years until December 31, 2010. Despite the latest doping scandals, which also included the T-Mobile Team, this promise will be kept, said Akhavan. The decision was given serious thought. "After intensive internal talks, but also after contacting important representatives from politics, media and sport, we decided to face the challenges and not to give in to the current problems. We know that the chosen route would be difficult", says Akhavan.
Deutsche Telekom AG will continue to promote a clean sport. The sport of cycling currently plays an especially important role. The Board believes in the program of Bob Stapleton and his team. "Otherwise the endeavors of the recent past would have been pointless." Deutsche Telekom, through the Team Management will attentively and critically monitor the badly needed processes of restructuring the sport of cycling at global level.
In order to help professional cycling, alliances are as equally important as clear rules and provisions. Deutsche Telekom AG has linked its further commitment to them. Tackling doping has reached new, unprecedented levels over the past months. But this must be internationalized and coordinated more strongly to the benefit of the sport. Apart from cooperations and ideas, sponsors are also called on here. The talks therefore focused on how the struggle for a fair sport and, in particular, clean cycling can be organized in the future. Akhavan stressed that one must be aware that there "can be no guarantees" and also warned of calling for quick actions.
The following agreements were made between the team and the sponsor
For the first time in the history of the sport, the athletes and team management will make a financial contribution to tackle doping themselves. Cyclists and management in the T-Mobile Team will contribute a certain percentage of their salary. T-Mobile International will then top up this total to one million euros and make it available for the fight against doping.
The team will directly support expanded testing and better test methods, as has been done with both DNA and Blood Volume testing in 2007. To this end, the team management will meet with the responsible organizations, such as the World Anti- Doping Agency and the National Anti-Doping Agency, and other independent testing agencies.
Deutsche Telekom AG reserves the right to immediately terminate the commitment in the event of further doping cases.
The company hereby stresses that it is a reliable partner in the event of a crisis, but that the athletes bear a great deal of the responsibility for the future of the sport themselves. Furthermore T-Mobile calls on other sponsors to take responsibility also for the purpose of young athletes and mass sports. T-Mobile will invite other sponsors and teams, to discuss about the course of action.
|Return to Canadian Cyclist homepage | Back to Top


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Clippers continue east excursion in Philly
(SportsNetwork.com) - The Los Angeles Clippers will continue their long road trip Monday night with a stop in the Wells Fargo Center to meet the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Clippers are 1-2 thus far on their seven-game excursion east. They started with a loss in Atlanta, followed with a victory in Memphis, but fell in Cleveland on Saturday night.
The Cavaliers topped the Clips, 88-82 as L.A. only managed 33 points in the second half. The Clippers are fourth in the NBA in scoring.
"I thought there was a lot of pouting in the game, today, personally," said Clippers coach Doc Rivers. "You can't play that way. You've got to keep playing. I always call them 'emotional high jacks' and I thought we had a lot of that going on today. You've got to be able to pull yourself out of it individually or as a group and we didn't do a good job of that."
Jamal Crawford led the Clippers with 19 points off the bench. Chris Paul registered a double-double with 13 points and 15 assists and both Clippers big men, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, also had double-doubles.
The Clippers shot a measly 32.2 percent from the field and just 20 percent from long range.
They still have to visit Boston, Brooklyn and Washington on this odyssey.
The Sixers have lost two straight, six of seven and 10 of their last 12 after a setback at home to the Denver Nuggets, 103-92 on Saturday. The last nine Philadelphia opponents have gone over the 100-point mark as the Sixers are the league's worst defensive unit.
"I was happy with our defense for the most part," said Sixers coach Brett Brown. "We made it a point where we wanted to try and be respectable and improve. I think our guys did that."
The game changed in the fourth when Denver outscored the Sixers, 26-15.
The Sixers were without rookie stud Michael Carter-Williams for the second straight game. He is suffering from right knee soreness, which was caused by a skin infection on the front of his right knee. Per the team, Carter-Williams has been treated at Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania for the infection and is listed as day-to-day.
Tony Wroten, who started in place of Carter-Williams, led the Sixers with 20 points. Thaddeus Young and Spencer Hawes both scored 14 points and Hollis Thompson added 10. Evan Turner only managed six points on 3-for-12 shooting.
The Clippers won both meetings last season and have taken three in a row from the Sixers. L.A. has came out on top in three of its last four trips to Philly.


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The Bounty Hunter Facebook page has launched several new video vingettes from the film. Click the images below to watch:
Access Hollywood had a first look of The Bounty Hunter last night. What the clip below:
Gerard has been scheduled to appear on Live with Regis & Kelly on Thursday, March 18. Check your local listings for channel and airtimes. (Source)
Check AdvancedScreenings.com for a list of screenings for both The Bounty Hunter and How To Train Your Dragon. We'll be adding ones we find to their site to try and make the list as complete as possible.
There's a lot going on this Oscar week and with the upcoming premieres of The Bounty Hunter in the UK and US, so follow us on Twitter or Facebook to keep up with the latest news where we post it as it happens in between site updates!!
Photos from the Vanity Fair and Brioni host Artists for Peace and Justice event held on March 3 in Beverly Hills, CA have been added to the gallery. View more…
Law Abiding Citizen remained at the top of the DVD charts. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Law Abiding Citizen took the top spot on all three charts for the second week in a row, for the week ending February 28. Read more…


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Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!
Since hitting the airwaves in August 1930 as part of the "Detective Story" radio show, The Shadow has become one of the most beloved heroes in pulp history. On Two-Fisted Tuesdays, we'll follow the adventures of The Shadow as he battles a rogues gallery of crooks and villains from around the world.
Never heard of The Shadow before? Click here to learn more about this pulp era icon.
Click on the link below to download our two-fisted radio broadcast in MP3 format.
This week's episode is...
The Shadow - Prelude to Terror starring Orson Welles (originally broadcast on January 29, 1939).
Special thanks to John Picha for collecting all of the classic Shadow covers for us!
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Walk a Mile in Her Shoes Returns to Kent State
The Women's Center at Kent State University, in collaboration with other Kent State departments and student organizations, will host "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes: The International Men's March to Stop Rape, Sexual Assault and Gender Violence." The event will take place on Tuesday, April 16, at 5 p.m. at Risman Plaza.
Walk a Mile in Her Shoes® is a playful opportunity for men to raise awareness in their communities about the serious causes, effects and remediation to sexualized violence by wearing high-heeled shoes on a march across campus.
Statistics from the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network reveal that every two minutes someone in the U.S. is sexually assaulted, and one in six U.S. women is a victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime.
"There is an old saying that 'you can't really understand another person's experience until you've walked a mile in their shoes,'" says Jennie O'Connell, coordinator for Kent State's Sexual Assault Response Team's education intervention. "With this event, we hope to bring awareness to issues of sexual assault and gender violence, and I hope that our Kent State community members will join in this campaign against sexual violence and partner with us to make this event successful."
More than 300 participants are expected at the event; therefore, the Women's Center is requesting donations of pairs of high-heel shoes, either new or used, sizes 10 and above, from the Kent State community. Shoe donations, which are integral to the success of the march, are being accepted at the Women's Center, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For questions about shoe donations or about the event, contact O'Connell at the Women's Center, or call 330-672-9230. For more information about the "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes" event at Kent State, visit www.kent.edu/womenscenter.
For more information about the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes: The International Men's March to Stop Rape, Sexual Assault or Gender Violence, visit www.walkamileinhershoes.org.


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How to get a diploma.
If you've finished your studies, submitted your thesis, wrote the exam and delivered a defense – do not expect to get a diploma, as you may be used to at your home university. After enquiring, I've been just informed by Mr. Pekka Uusivuori that you have to fill out a specific diploma request form and send it to a specific person in charge:
Please be in contact with Ms. Pulmu Föhr-Siltavuori at the study
affairs office. e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Please also fill out the attached diploma request form and send it to
her. University of Art and Design, Hämeentie 135 A, 00560 Helsinki or
through scanner and e-mail.
I've attached the document for your convenience. Best of luck!


text:
Prison Guard gets $25 Fine & No Jail Time For Getting Banged Out By An Inmate!
Jail guard gets no jail time for having sex with a male inmate
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text:
This thread is a location for SP'ers to post new Mountains & Rocks, Routes, Areas & Ranges, Trip Reports, or Canyons located in scenic California.
Feel free to post your own or someone else's new items that fall in these categories. Sometimes, not always, it might not be thought of as good form to advertise your submissions. That is not the case here. Please try to stay on topic!
I got the idea for this thread from the What's New in Europe thread, and the current discussion around making new things more visible, especially if they are good. My hope is this works a little different than the Europe thread though (for example, posts will not be deleted). Post them even if they are not great pages, my hope is that by having the new item referred to in a forum post, rather than the content portion of the site, people might be more willing to offer constructive criticism (or praise), suggestions for additions, and help make the pages better (I am reluctant to do this elsewhere as I do not want it to be poorly received). If your page is not perfect, expect others to offer help and suggestions. If you receive it, use this to make your pages better.
I will kick it off, with some great recent new items in my view:
From Marcsoltan:
Two rock climbs in the Alabama Hills
Nut Towers: http://www.summitpost.org/nut-towers/675275
Earthday Dome: http://www.summitpost.org/earthday-dome/674129
and the route from North Lake to Piute Pass: http://www.summitpost.org/north-lake-to ... ail/676690
From Vitaliy M:
Pop Bottle, at Lovers Leap: http://www.summitpost.org/pop-bottle-5-7/677288
From Noondeuler:
Blanco Mountain, in the White Mountains: http://www.summitpost.org/blanco-mountain/673911
From Day Hiker:
This last page doesn't have a lot of fancy photos, but it has distance, elevation gain, hiking time, a good description, a photo of the route, and a map. Everything you need for a visit is there.


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Nice stuff AMK-future writer,
I offer a few suggestions, and must say good on you for writing a story in your second language! Amazing. Keep it up.
"At last, I have found it." He shouted with joy, gripping the book in his right hand while standing on two golden rods that were more than likely elephant teeth (or maybe tusks?). There were two of them,
their size waseach about 7 foot or abovemore in height, their end ings meeting at the book that was lying open edon a violet stand. (I thought the book was in his right hand?)
"What was it that you were searching for, master?" His servant
saidasked. His face was notugly, but wasbetter than the four other soldiers who were standing still in front of the golden rods. Every solider there was wearing a green suit, withcoat and [STRIKE]a[/STRIKE] hat.
"First of all" He raged "I am no
morelonger master" he said, still holding the book, interested in what was written in it. His expression sshowed that he was impressed by the secret golden book.
"Then what are you my master?" the solider replied (to be consistent, maybe you should write 'his servant replied'). The others' expressions showed they were waiting for the response,
More likely,what was going to happen?
"I am the king of this planet!" he cried with joy, his eyes were now
off from the book and were now aton histhe solider who was continuously (persistently?) asking questions. On the other handThe solider was feeling that the end of his life was this, this sticky end (how is his end sticky?).
"Now if you
won'tdon't mind, may I ask a question, my king?" theanother solider, repliedwho was behind the depressed solider, asked. He was somehowbraver than he looked for he barely had aany meat on his skeletonbones.
"Yes, you all can ask as
muchmany questions as you want for then aftersoon I will give you no choice" he replied andas he came down from the gold slide on which he was standing on.
"Sir-oh...King, but
howwhy are you so sure that you will be able to defeat lord drake Jordan?."
"Why would it be difficult?" the future (why future? you have already said that he is now king) king replied.
"I think that even for you it
is as it'swill be really difficult, very difficult, you see he has approximately 90 and 300 (could you say 390?) 5 headed dragons for security, and if you askmore than half of the planet is giving him support. All of them believe he is the king of planet 'pilotonio'.
"This is the greatest sign of
beingcowardice, having this muchsuch a big army, but what good will it do when the whole army including dragons cannot defeat a single person?"
"But who is the person that won't be crushed by this
much(maybe immense? huge? massive?) army?" the solider replied amazed.
"It's me.
TheKing HEGAMONT, and you all will see thathow those cowards will run away and willnever return." He replied, and looked upon the other soliders leaving the other one as it is (I don't understand this.). He was now drinking an energy drink for he had lost all thehis strength drainedduring the eye contact with Hegamont.
Edward,(who is Edward?) don't try to move or it will be the worse for you. Hegamont said breaking his eye contact with second one and looking upon the first
"But why am I to be stuck here. There is no reason
tofor it." He replied at once.
(If Edward is the servant mentioned in the beginning of the story, I think you should call him by his name throughout. It will make the story less confusing)
Interested in Language


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Detroit News columnist Rob Parker says he was just joking when he asked Lions head coach Rod Marinelli if he "wishes his daughter had married a better defensive coordinator?" Wow. Some joke.
And that, folks, may be the biggest prick move of the season ... or was it the savviest?
Parker's unfortunate question at the Lions post-game press conference on Sunday was handled with class by Marinelli; Detroit's head coach just grunted and moved on (I suspect that Jim Mora or Mike Ditka may have reacted differently). But it didn't take long for others to pounce on Parker, as we see in the video when Terry Bradshaw and the other the Fox desk jockeys begin gnawing on him. Less than 24 hours later, Parker is a virtual outcast. Take a look at his Wikipedia page, for instance, where I found this little embellishment:
Ha. Sunday's question of course was in reference to Lions defensive coordinator Joe Barry, who is married to Marinelli's daughter. Parker says it was all in fun, and apologized in a column that was hastily put up on the News' web site this morning. But more likely, it may have been just another attempt by Parker to draw attention to himself. At the beginning of the season, no one knew who Rob Parker was; he is by all accounts a pretty average journalist with poor writing skills. But after a little run-in with the Michigan State football folks earlier this year — for which he also has apologized — and now this, he's really getting his name out there, no?
Granted, it's getting out there in the same way that Jay Mariotti and Gregg Doyel do (although both are better writers), with various epithets attached. But it is getting out there. And that could be important, considering the shape that the Daily News is in. If Parker isn't fired over this latest controversy, he may soon be out of a job anyway. Name recognition isn't such a bad thing when you're looking for a job, and if you're seen as an antagonist, all the better.
Parker has been working on this act for longer than people suspect: Remember when he called Hank Aaron a coward? Parker may just be trying to survive the only way he knows how, by marching through the Internets banging a large pot with a metal spoon. Chances are he's on the radio somewhere right now explaining himself, and if so, chances are excellent that it's an ESPN station. Anyway, when you see him next month trading bon mots with Woody Paige on Around the Horn, you'll know why.
Post-game Ugliness In Motown [Pro Football Talk]
There's More To Marinelli [The Detroit News]
Parker Is Either A Liar Or Has An Awful Sense Of Humor [Real Clear Sports]


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Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Be Near Me, Be Near
Because I do not understand how in times such as these, dirty, stained, sweaty, very most favorite turtle shirts must be worn no matter what.
13 comments:
Ah, Dar! You pink cheeked boy! Let mommy wash it, okay? It will smell pretty when you get it back.
- Wednesday, August 08, 2007
- Ali said...
Look at that face, how could you refuse. Oh and there's a toy for you over at mine...
- Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Darn it! Now that song is stuck in my head!
Any chance you can bribe it off him?
- Wednesday, August 08, 2007
- Angeleen said...
I finally had to order my eldest out of her favorite birthday gifted dragon shirt after the sixth day of wear... and we were going to a very nice restauarnat for grandpa's 70th birthday. She was not amused, but she did eventually succumb to reason.
The little one is currently "at one" with a well-grunged Hello Kitty shirt which has a hem-of-questionable-integrity and is also minus several sequins.
I feel your pain.
"I like turtles!"
- Wednesday, August 08, 2007
- Kim -today's creative blog said...
Lucas never went through this stage......Thank God! Maybe you could have them wear it INTO the shower.
- Wednesday, August 08, 2007
- Chickenbells said...
There's nothing like favorite clothes is there? But, he's just so sweet in it!
- Wednesday, August 08, 2007
- lera said...
I was just about to wonder if it was a picture from the winter!
One of my boys tried to leave the house in pants and a fleece pullover recently ... in 90+ degree weather. It must be a boy thing.
- Wednesday, August 08, 2007
wait until it is too small and he insists that it still fits, even though he can't get his head through the hole and you have to hide it when you do laundry and he accuses you of throwing it away and you have to assure him that you still have it but he just can't have it......
- Thursday, August 09, 2007
Blanket sleepers? And a t-shirt too?! Doesn't this kid know it's 125 degrees out there?
- Thursday, August 09, 2007
nope. You are a good mom. My nephew wears this hideous orange and red striped tank top, complete with holes, NO. MATTER. WHAT. Even when it's cold. And HATE that song. be neee-ah. ugh. thanks. LOL.
- Thursday, August 09, 2007
- Oil Cloth Junkie said...
heehee, we have that shirt too!
- Thursday, August 09, 2007
- Chara Michele said...
I don't think I would understand either:) It is way too hot out! Now maybe if his favorite shirt was short sleeves... that I might get:)
- Thursday, August 09, 2007
- Angelina said...
It is the special province of children and homeless adults to find comfort in the grimiest clothes that can nearly walk themselves to the washer.
The good thing is that most other mothers can probably guess how come the kid's clothes look a little dirty.
- Thursday, August 09, 2007


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Portable Bed Rails Aren't Safe—Groups Ask FTC to Ban False Advertising
Devices Claimed to Improve Safety Are Dangerous, Reports Biomedical Safety & Standards
Portable bed rails marketed to "make any bed safer" actually increase the risk of injury and death, according to an article in the November 15 issue of Biomedical Safety & Standards (BS&S). A newsletter for medical device safety professionals, BS&S is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health.
Two consumer watchdog groups have requested the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to order one manufacturer to stop making false advertising claims regarding the safety of its portable bed rail. A front-page feature in BS&S reports on the request and provides background on the safety concerns related to the use of such products.
Bed Rails Linked to Deaths—Request to Stop False Advertising
In September, two groups sent a formal letter to the FTC requesting that one manufacturer be stopped from making false safety claims for its portable bedrails. Last year, one of the groups petitioned the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban marketing and order a recall of specific bed rail models; to assess the design and use of similar bed handle or bed rail devices; and to investigate the risk of life-threatening injury or death from entrapment, strangulation, or positional asphyxia and ban other devices as appropriate.
The request cites more than 525 deaths associated with bed rail use that have been filed with the FDA, along with more than 155 deaths reported to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). There are multiple "entrapment zones" with the use of a bed rail, each with a risk of causing death by asphyxiation. This entrapment risk can be a fundamental feature of the design of the rail openings or may arise from how the bed rail attaches to the bed.
Meanwhile, the manufacturer continues to make safety clams, such as that its product "makes any bed a safer bed." In the petitions, the FTC is asked to order the manufacturer to stop making these unproved safety claims. Other portable bed rails on the market present similar safety issues.
Previous CPSC standards addressing bed rails for children and toddlers have led to sharp reductions in injuries and deaths in young children. However, the standards don't apply to products intended for adults—especially older adults, for whom falls are a common and potentially catastrophic event.
There's no evidence that side rails safely prevent falls, whereas other measures—such as lowering the bed and using anti-slip matting—are effective. "A fall with a bed rail in place is more dangerous than a fall without a rail, because of the change in trajectory of the fall", according to the article in BS&S.
Although hundreds of deaths have been reported, it is likely that the true number of incidents is substantially higher. Home users and even some health care professionals may be unaware that such events should be reported to the FDA or CPSC. (Or if they are aware, they may not be motivated to report.) The BS&S feature article concludes, "Given portable bed rails are often sold directly to consumers and through medical supply stores, consumer groups think the CPSC and the FDA, both of which have been petitioned for rulemaking repeatedly in these matters, should be taking action to regulate, force recalls, and effectively ban marketing and sales of the dangerous devices.
About Biomedical Safety & Standards
Biomedical Safety & Standards has been a key resource for reliable information in the areas of medical safety and standards for more than three decades. The newsletter updates biomedical technicians and clinical engineers on the latest developments in patient safety, standards, regulations, incidents, device recalls, and professional issues. Bi-weekly issues cover everything needed to stay current on technology, safety and risk policies, new laws and standards, and equipment maintenance. Regular features include reports on safety, hazards, and risk management; updates on class I and II FDA recalls and field corrections; briefings on the latest requirements for medical equipment and/or facilities; legal issues surrounding medical device safety; the latest news from government agencies; and new educational resources.
About Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW) is a leading international publisher of trusted content delivered in innovative ways to practitioners, professionals and students to learn new skills, stay current on their practice, and make important decisions to improve patient care and clinical outcomes.
LWW is part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading global provider of information, business intelligence and point-of-care solutions for the healthcare industry. Wolters Kluwer Health is part of Wolters Kluwer, a market-leading global information services company with 2011 annual revenues of €3.4 billion ($4.7 billion).


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Capitol (seat of the U.S. Congress)
Capitol, seat of the U.S. government at Washington, D.C. It is the city's dominating monument, built on an elevated site that was chosen by George Washington in consultation with Major Pierre L'Enfant. The building as it now stands took many years to build and is the result of the work of several architects. In 1792 a competition was held to select an architect, but William Thornton gained the president's approval with a plan separately submitted and was appointed. In 1793 the president set the cornerstone, with Masonic rites, and the building was begun. Later three additional architects were employed—E. S. Hallet, George Hadfield (d.1826), and James Hoban. In 1814 the uncompleted building was burned by the British, and B. H. Latrobe, who had been appointed (1803) surveyor of public buildings, undertook its restoration. He was succeeded in 1818 by Charles Bulfinch, who brought the design to completion in 1830.
The building proved inadequate in size and was greatly enlarged (1851–65) by T. U. Walter, who added the extensive House and Senate wings at either end and the imposing dome, c.288 ft (90 m) in height, which dominates the composition. Elaborate murals depicting a variety of inspirational American subjects, painted (1854–79) by the Italian-born fresco artist Constantino Brumidi (1805–80), adorn much of the Capitol's interior. The building proper is over 750 ft (229 m) long, including approaches c.350 ft (110 m) wide. In 1960 the east front of the Capitol was extended 32 ft (9.8 m), and the original sandstone facade was replaced by marble. The greater Capitol Complex includes (in addition to the Capitol itself) 274 acres (111 hectares) of grounds with gardens, monuments, memorials, a carillon, and fountains; the United States Botanic Gardens (est. 1820), one of the oldest such gardens in the nation, although the present conservatory dates only to 1933; the several House and Senate office buildings; the buildings of the Library of Congress; and the Supreme Court building.
See I. T. Frary, They Built the Capitol (1940); U.S. Capitol Historical Society, We, the People (11th ed. 2011); G. Gugliotta, Freedom's Cap: The United States Capitol and the Coming of the Civil War (2012).


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"If you must play, decide upon three things at the start: The rules of the game, the stakes and the quitting time." ~ Chinese Proverb
Internet gambling is quickly rendering this piece of ancient wisdom moot as it spreads across the Far East, bringing with it games that never end, rules that are very much in flux and, for those who would provide it to the masses, stakes best suited to players with near-bottomless pockets.
Operators of gambling Web sites have long viewed Asia as the promised land, believing that widespread prohibitions there have created a vast reservoir of pent-up demand for their borderless product.
But difficulties in moving money in and out of many countries and a lack of reliable telecommunications infrastructure and ready access to the Internet by potential customers prevented the market from taking off in the late 1990s, when the more-developed and affluent U.S. and European arenas were growing rapidly.
A daunting businessplace for the uninitiated
Those problems still exist to some extent, and Asia remains a daunting place to do business for the uninitiated, but those who have been targeting the continent from the beginning say the dynamic has changed dramatically over the past several years.
"The market is huge, and I think everybody knows that Asian players are the most sought after … because they spend the most money and are the most fervent gamblers," said Angela Ho, president of the DrHo888.com Web site and daughter of Macau's legendary casino king, the 83-year-old Dr. Stanley Ho.
Angela Ho said the Costa Rica-based site, which couples her father's name with the tripled digit that represents "wealth" in Chinese, has recently seen monthly wagering increases of up to 40 percent by the almost exclusively Asian or Asian-speaking clientele -- a rise she attributes both to her father's fame and reputation throughout Asia and to the rapid growth of the market. She said the site serves gamblers throughout the Far East, but is particularly popular with players in China, Macau, Malaysia and Singapore.
In another unmistakable sign that the market has come of age, other operators who focused on more-developed markets are now joining the eastward Gold Rush by creating new Web sites tailored to the Asian player.
Simon Noble, CEO of Antigua-based BetWWTS.com, said the company rolled out new Chinese- language pages in January, but noted that business from the Asian market was booming even without them, particularly betting on European soccer and the NBA – attributable to the popularity of Houston Rockets star Yao Ming.
"Our numbers from Asia are up almost 130 percent from last year and it now makes up 30 percent of our overall business," he said.
Sebastian Sinclair, a gaming analyst with Christiansen Capital Advisors and a leading tracker of the Internet gambling sector, said his projections indicate that the Asian markets accounted for 16 percent of a total Net betting market of $5.6 billion in 2003 and will jump to 40 percent of a total market of $11.6 billion in 2006.
'Growing faster than the U.S.'
"There is no question that it's now growing faster than the U.S. and other established markets," he said.
Many experts say they eventually expect Asian nations to constitute a majority of the market for online gambling as betting using new technologies such as wireless phones and PDAs increases.
And while most countries currently have no laws on the books pertaining to Internet gambling, the Web site operators are betting that their offshore competition eventually will force many jurisdictions to legalize and regulate it, once they realize that they can't effectively ban it.
Such potential has enticed a number of interesting and powerful players to pull up chairs at the Internet gambling table – including Stanley Ho,who held Macau's casino gambling monopoly for 40 years and now is the highest-profile player in land-based casino gambling to make a major Internet play; respected British bookmakers like Ladbrokes, Victor Chandler and Coral; and, inscrutably, the North Korean government, which is a partner in a joint venture that offers lottery tickets and other gambling games over the Internet, mainly to South Koreans.
The arrival of widespread 24/7 betting on the Internet, which coincides with plans to expand land-based gambling in numerous Asian countries, already is jolting economies in the few jurisdictions that have become reliant on betting revenue, as well as raising concerns about the social consequences.
Hardest hit in the first phase of the Net betting incursion has been Hong Kong, which has attempted to fight back to protect its legal gambling operations from the depredations of offshore "robbers," as Hong Kong Jockey Club CEO Lawrence Wong describes them.
Hong Kong fights back
A special administrative region of China since 2000, Hong Kong in May 2002 passed a law making it illegal for its citizens to place bets with anyone other than the officially sanctioned Hong Kong Jockey Club, which generates 11 percent of the government's tax revenue each year though its horse racing, lottery and soccer betting operations. The strict law carries a $10,000 (about $1,285 U.S.) fine and three-month prison sentence for any citizen who violates it.
"Online gambling … might be considered to be the straw that broke the camel's back, certainly as far as Hong Kong was concerned," said Ted Loh, a gambling consultant specializing in Asian markets. "If it wasn't already easily available, the advent of the Internet put to rest any doubt that access to gambling would or could be made difficult."
The Jockey Club was given permission to take bets on soccer for the first time in 2003, largely to counter offshore operations and a thriving underground gambling industry that officials of the organization blamed for four straight years of declining wagering after years of steady growth.
Wong said betting exchanges -- Web sites that allow individuals to wager against one another and pay only a small "handling fee" -- have had an especially negative impact on the legal operations of the Jockey Club, which contributes sizable portions of its income to charities and philanthropic causes in the former British colony.
"The betting exchanges and all of those (others) are using the argument, 'Hey it's just a technology' … but you're stealing someone else's product," he said. "And in Hong Kong it's worse. You tear away the social welfare safety net called charity. Is that fair?"
The answer to that question apparently depends on perspective and bottom-line considerations, as numerous online betting operations continue to do business with Hong Kong's heavy rollers.
The Gibraltar-licensed Virtual Holdings Ltd., which operates the Casino-on-Net, 888.com and PacificPoker Web sites, takes wagers from Hong Kong residents but advises them to "check the legality of online gambling in the jurisdiction where they are located" before betting, said Michael Palmon, vice president of marketing for the firm's Israel–based marketing, research and development arm.
British bookmakers apparently ignore ban
Most of Britain's bookmakers also apparently still take wagers from Hong Kong residents, but place conditions on their participation.
Michael Carlton, managing director for Victor Chandler, the largest independent British bookmaker, said the company does business with Hong Kong citizens but asks that they place their bets from "out of the jurisdiction."
Asked how the company, also licensed in Gibraltar, verifies the location of the bettor, he acknowledged that the ability to do so "depends on how they contact us."
London-based bookmaker Ladbrokes, another major player in Asia, declined to discuss the politically sensitive issue.
"We don't really want to talk about our other business right now. We choose not to," said Antonia Sharpe, a spokeswoman for the company, the wagering and gambling division of the hotel giant Hilton Group.
Three sources familiar with the Asian market, all of whom spoke with MSNBC.com on condition of anonymity, said the firm still allows Hong Kong residents to place wagers, though they did not provide evidence to substantiate the claim.
Angela Ho, of DrHo888, and her husband, CEO Peter Kjaer, said the company doesn't knowingly take wagers from Hong Kong residents, though Kjaer conceded that some residents who disguise their whereabouts could be using the service.
"Having Angela's father's name on it, it's a big responsibility to carry," said Kjaer. "The last thing she wants to answer from her children is 'Why is grandfather in jail?'"
The sources also said the DrHo888 site takes bets from Hong Kong, but declined to reveal the basis for the allegation.
Making life difficult for gambling site operators
Steven Fisher, deputy secretary of Hong Kong's Home Affairs Bureau, said that while authorities have sought to promote international respect for individual jurisdiction's gambling laws, they have no ability to go after offshore entities that don't willingly comply.
"We cannot entirely stamp out Internet gambling, but we can make it very difficult for them," he said. "We ban the use of credit cards for making bets and opening accounts, so anyone must make deposits and withdrawals through very complicated methods, making it very inconvenient and adding to their risk (because banks are required to report betting-related transactions to authorities)."
Less than 40 miles to the west, in the neighboring Chinese special administrative region of Macau, authorities and gambling operators are charting a very different course in response to the new market conditions.
The former Portuguese colony, which was hard hit by Hong Kong's clampdown on betting, is moving to cement its reputation as the Las Vegas of the Orient by licensing additional land-based casinos. Among the licensees are partnerships that include companies led by top U.S. gambling execs Steve Wynn, who launched Wynn Resorts after selling Mirage Resorts to MGM Grand for $6.4 billion in 2000, and Sheldon Adelson, owner of the Venetian Hotel Resort in Las Vegas.
Manuel Joaquim das Neves, director of the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau, said Macau will further hedge its bets by developing regulations for Internet gambling, possibly by the end of the year.
Macau billionaire makes online play
Stanley Ho, the billionaire who controlled Macau's casino industry – the largest in Asia – for 40 years until the additional licenses were granted in 2001 – decided not to wait for the regulations.
His casino company, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, is behind Macau-slot.com, a soccer and basketball betting site that caters to players around the world, apparently including those in jurisdictions where such bets are prohibited.
His firm also is the majority investor in the Costa Rica-based DrHo888.com, according to Angela Ho.
Because Internet gambling is not addressed by Macau's gaming laws, authorities have made no effort to rein in the activities of either of the Ho-linked Web sites.
"The bettors are responsible for their own acts," das Neves, the Macau regulator, told this reporter. "If you bet, you're violating U.S. laws. It's not the company problem, it's your problem."
The differing views between China's economic zones pale in comparison to the feud between communist North Korea and South Korea over Pyongyang's improbable experiment in Net betting.
North Korean betting site sparks feud
The brainchild of South Korean businessman Kim Beom-hoon, the joint venture with North Korea to sell lottery tickets over the Internet originally won the blessing of South Korea's Unification Ministry, which saw it as a positive step to improve relations and communication with its isolated northern neighbor.
But when the joint venture's Jupae.com site began raking in as much as $400,000 a month by one estimate -– most of it from South Korean gamblers –- amid heightened tensions over North Korea's nuclear program, the Unification Ministry reversed course and revoked Kim's business license in January, saying he had violated its terms. It also began blocking access to Jupae.com and two affiliated sites and initiated criminal proceedings against 15 South Koreans it said had bet more than 3 million won (about $2,560) apiece on the site.
Pyongyang's new gambling bureaucracy responded to the broadside by releasing software that it said would allow South Korean users to evade the e-blockade.
The South Korean government's reversal left Kim at wit's end.
"I have spent money and sweat on this project, and I am now a victim of the Unification Ministry's reluctance to open Internet contacts between the two Koreas," an angry Kim told The Associated Press in January. "I am frustrated and sick and tired of this absurd government behavior. If they punish businessmen like me, who is going to do business with North Korea?"
Gambling business is problematic
The possibility of a sudden governmental change of heart is just one of the many difficulties in doing business in Asia.
Palmon, the Virtual Holdings executive, said the firm's Asian-aimed Web sites are localized in terms of client software and feature 11 languages, including Chinese, Korean and Japanese, a necessity when trying to reach a wide swath of the Asian audience.
But customer-friendly sites are useless without an audience, and it's difficult to reach players since advertising gambling services is illegal in many major Asian markets.
"Word of mouth has been a major force behind reaching those markets," Palmon said.
Cultural differences also are an obstacle, particularly for Westerners trying to penetrate Asian markets.
"Asians, especially the Chinese are very insular and they stick to themselves," said Angela Ho. "… They prefer to be playing with their own ethnic background rather than an outsider if there is a choice."
Kjaer, her husband, also said that Asian gamblers generally don't trust machine games, such as slots and video poker, which is why DrHo888.com features live video of employees dealing cards, rolling dice and the like.
'Lady Luck ... lives in a deck of cards'
"The Asians really don't believe that Lady Luck lives in a machine. She lives in a deck of cards," he said.
Probably the most severe hardship for those trying to penetrate the Asian market is getting money in and out of countries like China, where few citizens carry credit cards and many of those who do aren't able to use them for purchases outside the country.
Gambling site operators tend to be evasive when asked about the transactional mechanics involving wagers made in China.
"We have resources that other people might not have, being local, and it wouldn't be prudent for competitive reasons to talk about them," said Kjaer.
Noble said he relies on a "network of local marketing partners" who pool wagers at the local level and then pass the action on to Internet betting sites.
"You have aggregators who are just sort of moving the money around trying to guarantee a small profit," he said. "That makes for a very, very competitive market where bets are moved from bookmaker to bookmaker (to eliminate the middleman's risk)."
Financial go-betweens
Loh, the Asian gambling consultant, said the go-betweens likely make payments to the offshore operators through a time-honored Chinese tradition in which a third party accepts cash from the intermediary, then telephones a contact outside the country and instructs that person to pay the gambling site operator. The debt between the two money men is settled at a later date.
The underground "bankers" are likely members of "triads," he said, though not necessarily in the criminal sense.
"A triad is actually a village association which is involved in many legal operations," he said. "It's only because some triads formed an 'enforcer' section, particularly in Hong Kong, that the term triad became associated with gangsters."
Despite such difficulties and the legal uncertainties, the time is right for newcomers to join the fray in Asia, said David Carruthers, CEO of the Costa Rica-based BetonSports.com.
"My assessment is that everything's up for grabs, everything is in an evolutionary state," he said, adding that his company has spent the past 18 months researching the Asian markets and developing an "entry strategy." "Providing you run your business properly, it's a huge opportunity."
Those operators already deep into the Far East say they're not particularly worried about the increased competition given the huge size of the market.
"The frightening thing is all of us are just scratching the surface," said Noble.
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