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It's been an intense competition over the last six weeks on The Four: Battle for Stardom, to say the least. But, at long last, we finally have our winner -- the next big star who will be signed and also become iHeartRadio's new On The Verge artist!
Drum roll please ... it's EVVIE! Evvie McKinney has been crowned winner of the first season of The Four: Battle for Stardom.
Let's back up. How did we get here? Evvie, who is 20 years old from Memphis, Tennessee, competed for the first time just last week. She captured the audience's hearts after sharing a touching story about her father, who was a gospel singer, and who had passed away -- but more importantly with her undeniable talent. She stunned with a beautiful rendition of Andra Day's "Rise Up," then challenged Kendyle with a powerful performance of Aretha Franklin's "I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You," eventually claiming her seat on The Four.
Other highlights from last week include newcomer Vincint Cannady, from Philadelphia, who took Jason Warrior's seat on The Four, and the battle of The Four Members past; Zhavia, Candice Boyd, Ash Minor, and Saeed Renaud all came back on the show to face off against each other in two epic battles, ultimately ending in Zhavia and Candice taking back their seats, sending Tim Johnson Jr. and rapper Nick Harrison home.
OK, now that we're all caught up. Here's what went down on the season one finale of The Four: Battle for Stardom...
The show kicked off with a performance of Lady Gaga's "The Edge of Glory" from Zhavia, Candice, Vincent, and Evvie. Very fitting. Because then it was time for battle, as all four members of The Four were up against each other. Diddy said it best: "One thing I wanna say to all the artists up there, this is a competition. And I'm telling y'all right now, y'all better step up because the competition is tight. So if you have any fear in your heart, please leave now. And if you're staying here, you better eat!"
So here's how the epic, head to head battles went down on the finale. In round one, each member of the The Four performed one song, and the audience voted on their favorite. The winner of that round had the power to choose who would face off against whom in round two in two battles. The two winners of those battles then competed against each other in the final round.
Round One
Up first, was Candice Boyd, who sang No Doubt's "Don't Speak" which showed off her versatility. Afterwards, Meghan told her, "It's really hard to say anything negative about your performance. It's really hard. You nailed every single note, you showed your range. I love your different choices in melody, rather than the song choice's. I love that it shows your creativity as an artist, and a songwriter." Diddy followed with, "You just continue to grow right in front of our faces. Your vocal rage is very, very seasoned."
Next, was Evvie, and the powerhouse singer sang Tina Turner's "Proud Mary," with incredible choreography that had every single panelist and audience member out of their seats. Afterwards, Diddy told her, "That performance was fearless." Meghan said, "Personally, that was my favorite performance on this stage throughout the entire season. And I saw what you're capable of and what you can deliver to the world. You blew my mind." Meanwhile, DJ Khaled whipped out a gold airhorn for Evvie, and said, "You securing the bag alert tonight! You were performing like, you're an icon or something."
Then, Vincint took the stage to perform an incredible version of Radiohead's "Creep." Meghan exclaimed after his performance, "Thank you! Yes! So good, Vincent! I was so nervous in the beginning, I was like 'no not a ballad,' and then you immediately jumped it up like I wanted you to. I feel like you read my mind, I was so happy, and that ending, your growl. I saw you as an artist, Vincint!" Diddy said, "I gotta be real. I always felt like you was the sleeper." He added, "You gave us that emotion, that commitment, that stillness, that poise, that superstar shine. This is the first time anybody has given me goosebumps. I'm proud of you."
Finally, it was Zhavia's turn, and the 16-year-old sang Drake's "One Dance." Afterwards, Meghan told her, "It wasn't my favorite performance tonight, but I know what you're capable of." And Diddy said, "I have a responsibility to tell you guys the truth. I haven't been feeling your energy since you walked on the stage. It isn't the original Zhavia that up there, fearless. That performance was not your best and you're responsible for that. I'm telling you the truth, because I want you to have a chance to win. So, I need you to know, as far as The Four up there, you're ranked No. 4. You are way, way better than that. And the beauty about this competition is now you have the information, you're going to get a second chance, and you have to give us that thing that we all fell in love with. You be you and give everybody a run for their money." Khaled animatedly told Zhavia, "I'm fighting for you."
It was time for the audience to vote on who they think won the first round of the finale, and after all four performances, they chose Evvie.
Round Two
With the power to choose who would go head to head in round two, Evvie chose to challenge Zhavia, leaving Vincint and Candice to go face off against each other. Evvie explained of her choice, "I chose Zhavia because I wanna win. You said tell the truth. I wanna win, and that's why I chose her."
So, it was Evvie vs Zhavia, and up first, was Zhavia. Boots off and barefoot, she sang Rihanna's "Man Down." Evvie followed with Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine." After praise for both from Meghan and Khaled, and some constructive criticism from Diddy, it was all up to the panel to decide who would move on to the final round. And after much deliberation and going back and forth, they ultimately chose Evvie.
Then, it was Vincent vs. Candice. The winner of this head to head challenge would go on to face off against Evvie. Up first, was Vincint, who performed Bruno Mars's "Locked Out of Heaven," followed by Candice singing Whitney Houston's "I Have Nothing," which got a loud golden airhorn from Khaled. He told her, "Candice, you are an artist." After discussing both performances, Fergie asked each judge for their choice. Khaled voted for Candice, while Meghan picked Vincint ... so the tie-breaking vote went to Diddy, and he chose Candice.
SO. The final battle: Evvie McKinney vs. Candice Boyd.
Round Three - The Final Round: Evvie vs. Candice
Two amazing voices were left on The Four, and they were going head to head. It was Evvie vs. Candice. But first, an "Unforgettable" performance from French Montana. The rapper performed a medley of "Unforgettable" and "Famous" as the panel joined him on stage to dance it out.
Then, the final battle began. Up first, was Evvie, and she sang John Legend and Common's "Glory." Then, Candice followed with a performance of Rihanna's "Stay."
Afterwards, the panel addressed both artists. Meghan said, "Well, you both know you're queens. Candice, you know you were born with this gift. You know your vocal range and your vocal skills are better than most singers out there and you know you have something that the world deserves to hear. And Evvie, wow, mind blown! Honestly, to sing what the song means and really explain it with your eyes and your body, you do it so well."
Next, Khaled told them, "I love both of y'all. Y'all are both strong vocalists, both of y'all's performance to me was flawless. Y'all are the definition of great."
Lastly, Diddy explained, "Candice, you would be the perfect next generation of a Bad Boy female R&B artist. You deserve to win this competition. Evvie, I haven't seen nothing like you in a long time. What I can't get out of my head though, is the way you performed in that deep place that you reach deep down into. I think you deserve to win also. This is a very, very, hard decision."
After deliberating, the panel agreed ... Evvie was the winner! As Diddy said, "I wanna make a legend."
After Diddy revealed that Evvie was the winner, the Memphis native shared her emotional reaction, fighting through tears after her family joined her on stage to celebrate. She said, "I just thank God for this moment, because I've wanted it for so long. Thank y'all so much."
Not only will Evvie's career launch with the help of the judges, not only does she get a recording contract with Republic Records, but she will also become iHeartRadio's "On the Verge" artist; an artist development program supporting the winner with airplay across iHeartMedia radio stations nationwide. This program has helped launched the careers of artists like Sam Smith, Fifth Harmony and Nick Jonas, among others.
Congratulations to Evvie!
Photos: 21st Century Fox


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Cycling Advocacy Organizations
The Adam Little Foundation — Founded in memory of Adam Little, a cyclist from Mt. Pleasant, N.C., who was struck and killed by a motorist while commuting by bike to work, the Foundation strives to increase the safety of all cyclists in North Carolina through legislative action, public service announcements and motorist education.
Adventure Cycling Association — The nonprofit's mission is to inspire people of all ages to travel by bicycle for fitness, fun, and self-discovery. One of their biggest tasks is to research and produce cycling maps for the Adventure Cycling Route Network, one of the largest route networks in the world at 40,699 miles (and growing).
America Bikes — Made up of bicycle community leaders, this non-profit organization advocates for bike and pedestrian initiatives under the federal transportation bill.
Bike Pure — An independent, not-for-profit organization registered in Australia that promotes honest, ethical, drug-free cycling on a global scale. Bike Pure is strongly opposed to doping and works with athletes, teams and events to stand together in a united position against performance-enhacing drugs.
Bike Walk Connecticut — A member-supported non-profit organization making cycling and walking safe, feasible and attractive for a healthier, cleaner Connecticut.
Cadence Cycling Foundation — The Cadence Cycling Foundation (CCF) was formed in 2007 with the vision to provide kids opportunities in life through cycling. CCF's mission is to use cycling as a mechanism to connect with local, underserved youth, ages 9 to 18, and help them improve their health and well-being, improve school performance, and develop positive life skills. CCF accomplishes this by carrying out afterschool and summer programming based on a Positive Youth Development Model, offering programs through neighborhood partnerships, and building collaborations to provide participants with access to support services.
Connecticut Cycling Advancement Program — The CCAP mission is to inspire youth and young adults through cycling by creating a complete cycling development program involving schools across Connecticut.
CYCLE Kids — CYCLE kids promotes healthy lifestyle choices by introducing kids to the joy of bicycling and educating them about bike safety and nutrition. They work to empower children to develop positive, safe, and active lifelong habits.
CyclingSavvy — Empowering people to use their bicycles to go anywhere they want, safely and confidently.
Duke City Wheelmen Foundation — This advocacy organization works throughout New Mexico to help promote safe cycling in all its forms, including racing, touring, commuting and recreational riding.
International Mountain Biking Association — Their mission is to create, enhance and preserve great trail experiences for mountain bikers worldwide.
Iowa Bicycle Coalition — Advocating for cycling in all manners, particularly within the Iowa government for safer laws, the IBC is also active in local efforts to encourage cycling and help communities attain Bicycle Friendly Status. They also sponsor many events across the state.
League of American Bicyclists — Promotes bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation while working through advocacy and education for a bicycle-friendly America.
The National Brotherhood of Cyclists — A network of people, clubs and resources that promote an appreciation of cycling and its beneficial impact on health issues affecting those communities disproportionately affected by health disparities.
PeopleForBikes — Seeks to unite a million names of support and help build a national movement to promote bicycling. Also works to make bicycling safer, more convenient and appealing for everyone by providing support for state and local advocacy efforts.
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy — A nonprofit organization that works to create a nationwide network of trails from former rail lines and connecting corridors to build healthier places for healthier people.
Team Share the Road — Promotes safe access to streets, roads and highways for bicyclists and pedestrians in Alabama through education and advocacy. The non-profit also distributes cycling equipment to riders in need and works with local and state agencies to create safer environments for cyclists.
United States Deaf Cycling Association — Affiliated with the USA Deaf Sports Federation, the USDCA promotes cycling, both recreational and competitive, among deaf and hearing impaired people.
Wheel Movement — Their mission is to promote and support the local cycling community by providing educational programs, conducting community outreach initiatives, and engaging in advocacy efforts that not only generate, but also sustain a positive cycling environment throughout the community of metro Augusta, Georgia.
World Bicycle Relief — Specializes in large-scale, comprehensive bicycle programs by providing supply chain management, technical knowledge and logistics expertise to poverty relief and disaster assistance initiatives.
Yield to Life — Started by pro cyclist and national champion Dave Zabriskie, Yield to Life works to promote positive attitudes toward cyclists and replace any hostility between motorists and cyclists with understanding, respect, and appreciation for all life on the road. Y2L puts on education programs for motorists and cyclists alike through driver's education programs, public awareness movements and media campaigns.
Youth Educational Sports, Inc. (YES, Inc.) — YES, Inc. is a non-profit that provides walking and bicycling educational programs for schools, community and youth organizations, law enforcement groups, park programs and communities. YES works to encourage youth to see cycling as part of a healthy lifestyle as well as a mode of transportation and recreation.
If you'd like to suggest an organization to add to this list, please contact Steve Bitter, USA Cycling's digital & social media manager, at firstname.lastname@example.com Insurance reviews

subset: commoncrawl


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Gerald Celente - Hot Trends in the New Year.
Ted Dixon - Mining insider sentiment.
Larry Reaugh - The junior markets.
Gerald Celente
The Trends Research Institute The Martial Artist of Trend Forecasting —The purpose of trend forecasting is to provide insights and directions in anticipation of what the future may bring – and to be prepared for the unexpected.
Gerald Celente, a Close Combat practitioner and black belt trainer, well understands the importance of proacting rather than reacting: "The first rule of Close Combat is to attack the attacker. Action is faster than reaction. The same holds true for the future. You know the future is coming … attack it before it attacks you."
Founder of The Trends Research Institute in 1980, Gerald Celente is a pioneer trend strategist. He is author of the national bestseller Trends 2000 and Trend Tracking (Warner Books) – "Far better than Megatrends," and publisher of the internationally circulated Trends Journal newsletter.
Political Atheist — Gerald Celente is a political atheist. Unencumbered by political dogma, rigid ideology or conventional wisdom, Celente, whose motto is "think for yourself," observes and analyzes the current events forming future trends for what they are – not for the way he wants them to be.
Like a doctor giving a diagnosis after gathering the facts, whether or not you like the prognosis doesn't alter the outcome, make him an optimist or pessimist – it's simply what is. And while Celente holds a US passport, he considers himself a citizen of the world. Globalnomic® Trend Forecaster — Using his unique perspectives on current events forming future trends, Gerald Celente developed the Globalnomic® methodology which is used to identify, track, forecast and manage trends.
The world's only trends analyst covering 300 diversified trends fields, Gerald Celente and the Trends Research Institute provide trend research studies and consulting services to businesses and governments worldwide. Celente also designed the nation's first professional course in trend forecasting.
The proof is in his past — Gerald Celente has earned his reputation as "The most trusted name in trends" by accurately forecasting hundreds of social, business, consumer, environmental, economic, political, entertainment, and technology trends. Among them: Celente coined the term "clean foods" in 1993 and predicted sustained growth in organic products in 1988.
When gold was at $275 per ounce in 2002, Celente said the price had bottomed and in 2004 forecast the beginning of the "Gold Bull Run." Since that time, with pinpoint accuracy, he said when, why - and how high - gold would go
|Gerald Celente


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Utley meets with media
The great run of spectacular weather continues in Clearwater.
Chase Utley took advantage by meeting with all of the media down the left field line at Bright House Field. Chase was asked about the great response today as single game tickets went on sale up north. He praised the passion of the Phillies fans and said he and his teammates are looking forward to once again playing in front of sold out crowds at home. You can see the Utley interview later tonight on phillies.com., along with a feature on the new Lehigh Valley IronPigs manager and Hall of Fame second baseman, Ryne Sandberg.
Did you know that there are only two players to play in the major leagues with the first name, Ryne? And, both played for the Phillies. The other was a pitcher, the late Ryne Duren, who was with the Phillies from 1963-65.
The position players aren't the only ones who have shown up early. Broadcasters Larry Andersen and Gary (Sarge) Matthews and Chris Wheeler are all in camp. LA spent the morning watching the pitchers, while Sarge, to no one's surprise, finds a seat in the dugout at Bright House Field where the hitters are doing their thing.
Reliever David Herndon is the proud owner of a new guitar. The right-hander has been playing for about four years but this is his first electric guitar and amp. He bought it yesterday in Clearwater and it's made by a company called Ibanez. No relation to Raul Ibanez, and for the record it's pronounced EEE'-BEN-EZ. Ironically Raul also plays guitar and last year picked up his own Ibanez model.
The latest photo shoot in camp is Philly Magazine. Cliff Lee will be on the cover of the April issue which will also feature an interview with Ruben.
Friday's the last day before all 59 players will work out as a unit. The 10 a.m. workouts at Carpenter Field are open to fans. Starting on Saturday, all four diamonds at Carpenter Field will be used. Plenty to see for fans.
2 Comments
Now that the phillies have put together the best pitching staff anyone could imagine, and a team behind them that could go all the way, and selling tickets at a record setting pace, it`s time for McCarthy, Wheeler and "the sarge" TO GO. Why should fans that can`t get to the ballpark be subjected to the worst broadcasting team in baseball. It`s nice that the Phillies make the experience at the ballpark great for those who can get there but now it`s time to make the T.V. experience for the fans who watch every game and are true Phillies fans a pleasureable experience again. Man I miss Harry and Whitey.
I am surprised by longoga's strong dislike of the Current Phillies TV announcers. When McCarthy left Philly and worked for the Mets for a season a few years ago, I thought it was a major loss. He has become one of the best play-by-play announcers I've heard and possesses a mellow voice to boot. Wheels has a broad knowledge of the game and continually come up with incisive comments that are unexpected but accurate. Sarge's view from the inside is often enlightening and humorous, fresh and entertaining. I go back to Claude Herring and By Saam on radio. We've had some great announcers; these guys are in the same tradition.


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Home > News & Events > Wayland Press Release Archives > 2004 News Releases > April 2004 > Betenbough Foundation donates funds for scholarships
Betenbough Foundation donates funds for scholarships
LUBBOCK - The Betenbough Charitable Foundation, Inc. has donated $50,000 to the Wayland Baptist University campus in Lubbock for scholarships. The funds are designated for students working toward a career in ministry or related fields.
The scholarships are available as early as the summer term for students who meet the requirements designated by the Betenbough Foundation. Students may receive up to $2,500 per year, must have a financial need to complete their education, and must maintain a 2.5 grade point average. Students of all religious denominations are encouraged to apply and no denomination receives preference for the scholarships.
The Betenbough Foundation's mission is to "best use our first fruits to promote the kingdom of God." The foundation partners with members of the Body of Christ who are working together to advance the kingdom.
To apply for the Betenbough Christian Ministry Scholarship at the Lubbock campus, students should contact the campus offices at 785-9285.


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SKETCHES FROM THE NATIONAL LAMPOON World Premiere Plays Hayworth Theatre, Now thru 3/17
National Lampoon will present the World Premiere of SKETCHES FROM THE NATIONAL LAMPOON, conceived and produced by Matty Simmons, with original songs by Richard Levinson and directed by Pat Towne. SKETCHES FROM THE NATIONAL LAMPOON will begin previews tonight, February 7 at 8pm; will open on Friday, February 15 at 8pm and run through Sunday, March 17 at the Hayworth Theatre, 2511 Wilshire Blvd. in Los Angeles.
SKETCHES FROM THE NATIONAL LAMPOON, is National Lampoon's first live stage production in over 25 years. Featuring the most hilarious and classic monologues, sketches, songs and other humor derived from the best known comedy company in entertainment history and written by more than thirty Lampoon magazine, radio and theatrical writers including Michael O'Donoghue, Doug Kenney, John Hughes, and PJ O'Rourke. SKETCHES FROM THE NATIONAL LAMPOON will take an irreverent look back at the best of the best in Lampoon history and will feature 6 original songs written for this production. The show is being produced by National Lampoon founder Matty Simmons, who created, not only the humor magazine, but also the radio shows, albums, theatre and such films as "National Lampoon's Animal House" and "Vacation" series. The show is also being co-produced along with the new President of the National Lampoon Alan Donnes, CEO Jerry Daigle and Patti Browne.
First, let's get this dog thing out of the way. The National Lampoon magazine cover featuring a dog with a gun to his head and the printed warning: "If You Don't Buy This Magazine - We'll Kill This Dog" was selected by The Art Director's Society of America as the "best magazine cover ever." It has certainly become the most popular.
The sketches and monologues in the new revue, "Sketches From the National Lampoon," were written by many of the legendary humorists for the Lampoon magazine and its radio, recording, stage and film productions.
Much of the material was written by teams of writers, sometimes as many as four or five, occasionally, just one solitary funny individual.
The list of writers, actors, directors and editors who worked for the Lampoon would take more space than available here and then we'd accidentally leave some out so we will, with apologies to those unintentionally left out, list some.
The original editors of the Lampoon were Doug Kenny and Henry Beard. They were soon joined by Michael O'Donahue, George Trow, TEd Mann, Tony Hendra, Brian McConnachie, Anne Beatts, P.J. O'Rourke, John Hughes, Terry Southern, Dave Hanson, Jerry Sussman and many others. Later, came Al Jean, Michael Reiss, Andy Simmons, Larry Sloman, Michael Simmons, Larry David, etc., etc.
Introduced in various Lampoon entertainment projects were: John Belushi, Christopher Guest, Chevy Chase, Bill Murray, Brian Doyle Murray, Gilda Radner, Meatloaf, Richard Belzer, Michelle Pfeiffer, Tom Hulce, Karen Allen, Peter Riegert, Stephen Furst, Martha Smith, Dana Baron, Anthony Michael Hall, Harold Ramis and many others. Diane Lane was 14 when she appeared in a National Lampoon film. The aforementioned Michelle Pfeiffer made her first appearance as an actress on a Lampoon TV show.
The Lampoon was created in 1970. Its founder and CEO was Matty Simmons, who has produced "Sketches." He ran the company for more than 20 years, selling control in 1990. In the two decades that followed, the magazine closed but a number of films were produced under the Lampoon banner, including van Wilder.
Now, new management, under the supervision of Jerry Daigle, CEO and Alan Donnes, President, there has been a Renaissance. A full-length documentary on the Lampoon will be in theaters sometime this year and films and other projects are in the works.
Matty Simmons (Producer) born in Brooklyn, was a high school and college basketball player, who, at the age of seventeen, became a newspaper reporter for the New York World Telegram and Sun. After a brief stint in the army he became a New York press agent, opening his own firm and representing show business clients as well as commercial accounts such as Heineken Beer. He then became one of the three men who started The Diners' Club, the first all- purpose credit card company and served as Executive Vice President of that company directing its marketing and publishing operations including Signature Magazine, which he founded shortly after the company's inception.
He resigned in the late 1960's to form 21st Century Communications, which was later to become National Lampoon Inc. The company went public in 1972 with Mr. Simmons as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. Its' first magazine was Weight Watchers Magazine, founded in 1968. In 1970, the company introduced National Lampoon, which was to become the most popular humor magazine in publishing history. In 1972, Mr. Simmons produced the musical comedy "Lemmings" in which he introduced a number of new faces including John Belushi, Chevy Chase and Christopher Guest. Over the next five years, Mr. Simmons produced three other Lampoon shows introducing among others Gilda Radner, Harold Ramis, Bill Murray and Meatloaf. During that period, he also produced the National Lampoon Radio Hour, which was the most listened to radio show in America in 1973 and 1974 and 12 comedy albums.
In 1978 he produced "National Lampoon's Animal House" considered the most popular film comedy of all time. He has also produced, among other films, the National Lampoon "Vacation" series.
In 1979, he was named "Producer of the Year" and in 1980, "Publisher of the Year" by industry organizations. His film and television discoveries include Michele Pfeiffer, Tom Hulce and Kevin Bacon. Among the writers he discovered were John Hughes, PJ O'Rourke, Michael O'Donaghue and dozens of others, who today dominate the film and television scenes.
Over the years, Mr. Simmons has written seven books including several bestsellers and in the 1960's was the principal owner of the San Francisco Warriors, now the Golden State Warriors.
His latest book, "Fat, Drunk amd Stupid," was published by St. Martin's Press in mid-April of 2012. In the same month, it was announced that Mr. Simmons was one of the producers who are developing a musical comedy version of Animal House for Broadway.
Pat Towne (Director) is an award winning director and actor and veteran of the Los Angeles Theatre scene for nearly 20 years.
Pat directed and performed in his own production of Frank Zappa's Joe's Garage. Pat directed, co-adapted, and co-produced this world premiere production which went on to win two LAWeekly Awards. For Sacred Fools Theater Company he directed and starred in Gorey Stories which won the Franklin R. Levy Award: the Ovation Award for Best Musical in 2005. He has also performed and directed shows for Zoo District, Independent Shakespeare Co., The Open Fist, and The Second City Los Angeles.
As an actor, Pat most recently appeared in Sacred Fools production of Stoneface: The Rise & Fall of Buster Keaton starring French Stewart, and in Hoboken to Hollywood, winner of the 2011 LAWeekly Award for Musical of the Year.
Mr. Towne has also been a mainstay of the late-night comedy scene in L.A. performing in the long-running late-night hits Serial Killers and Crime Scene both at Sacred Fools. And Pat was a member of the LAWeekly Award winning sketch comedy group Margot's Bush - the single greatest sketch comedy group in the history of the universe.
Originally from Chicago, Pat was a founding member, Managing Director, and Training Center Coordinator of Chicago's famed Annoyance Theatre which just celebrated its 25th anniversary. He performed, directed and taught there, and played the Clown in their production of Coed Prison Sluts - the longest running musical in Chicago history. Pat also originated the role of Greg in the Annoyance's production of The Real Live Brady Bunch, and eventually went on to direct the show Off-Broadway.
Television credits include: Mad Men, Boston Legal, Desperate Housewives, Las Vegas, Gilmore Girls among others. He has performed on stages across the United States and internationally, on film & television, and he has taught at The Second City Los Angeles, The Annoyance Theatre, and Tulane University in New Orleans.
ALAN DONNES (Producer/President National Lampoon) is a former stand up comedian and sportscaster. He managed professional athletes including former heavyweight boxing champion Larry Holmes before relaunching the National Lampoon radio hour in 2002. He has written and produced National Lampoon's Dirty Movie, National Lampoon's Snatched and National Lampoon's Another Dirty Movie and has recently been named President of the company.
JERRY DAIGLE (Producer/CEO National Lampoon) began making movies in and around his native New Orleans in 2002, when he produced The Scoundrel's Wife with acclaimed Cajun filmmaker, Glen Pitre. Since that time, he has produced a number of motion pictures for the National Lampoon label, including National Lampoon's Dirty Movie, which he directed. He recently became CEO of National Lampoon, Inc.
Richard Levinson (Original Songs) After penning Burt Reynolds's novelty hit "Let's Do Something Cheap and Superficial" many, many years ago, Richard Levinson entered the dark world of jingles,heaping praise on beers, wines, banks, brokers, shopping malls, car dealers, supermarkets, California Eggs and the LSU women's basketball team... winning all major awards along the way.
To atone for this, he writes comedy music and satiric songs, some of which have appeared in productions by MTV, National Lampoon, Fox/HBO and Disney Television, and on the Dr. Demento show. He also has contributed intentionally unfunny songs to many films and TV shows, including True Blood and Raising Hope. As a musical director, actor and/or piano player, Richard has performed in numerous local LA productions, recently including the multi-award winning musical Louis and Keely Live at the Sahara! (Sacred Fools, Matrix and Geffen Theaters) and the equally honored Peace in Our Time (Antaeus Theater).
He is a member of the Sacred Fools Theater Company, and often writes for and/or performs in their popular late-night Serial Killers show.
His "Honky-Tonk" musical, Savin' Up for Saturday Night, earned him an Ovation nomination for best music and lyrics, and is now published by Samuel French and Company. He also can be seen and heard occasionally with Fred Willard's sketch group, "The MOHOs." He has just released his 2nd live collection of comedy songs, "Unchartables Vol.2," on iTunes and everywhere else in the digital universe. "Unchartables Vol. 1," (heard regularly on XM/Sirius satellite radio and also available on iTunes).
PATTI BROWNE (Co-Producer) started her career in film in 1975, serving as the Managing Director of Helicopter Aerials, a company that did aerial film photography for many major films and commercials. In 1988, she joined the National Lampoon to work on the company's creative team. Over the years, she has served as associate producer and co-producer on many film and TV projects. She was a key member of the production team on such projects as "Christmas Vacation," "Christmas Vacation 2," "Vegas Vacation," "Pucked" and others. Currently, she is President of Matty Simmons Productions.
The cast of SKETCHES FROM THE NATIONAL LAMPOON will include: Henry Ditman, Jesse Merlin, David Haverty Erin Matthews, CJ Merriman, Darrin Revitz and Pat Towne,
The Set, Costume and Prop Design is by Tifanie McQueen (Endgame -Ovation Nomination, Forbidden Zone). The Lighting Design is by Cricket Sloat. The Sound Design is by Jaime Robledo (Louis and Keely Live at the Sahara, Stoneface). The Stage Manager is Brenda Goldstein.
SKETCHES FROM THE NATIONAL LAMPOON will preview tonight, February 7 at 8pm; Friday, February 8 at 8pm; Saturday, February 9 at 8pm; Sunday February 10 at 3pm; Thursday February 14 at 8pm and will open on Friday, February 15 at 8pm and run through Sunday, March 17 at the Hayworth Theatre, 2511 Wilshire Blvd. in Los Angeles.
Performances for SKETCHES FROM THE NATIONAL LAMPOON are Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays at 8:00pm and Sundays at 3:00pm & 7:00pm at the Hayworth Theatre, 2511 Wilshire Blvd. in Los Angeles. Tickets are $30. Previews are $25. Pay parking lot - $6, right next door to the theatre. Free parking on Wilshire Blvd., Coronado St., and Carondelet St.
For tickets, visit www.brownpapertickets.com or call 323-337-1546. For additional information, visit www.nationallampoon.com.
Arts Orgs


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It is so very sad, what the gays have done
To a wonderful person like Rick
They label him hateful, but he loves every one
Though the things that they do make him sick
Santorum believes that gay marriage is wrong
And the gays call that view an attack!
But "separate but equal" keeps straight marriage strong—
It's ok to seat gays in the back
The horrible things that these activist gays
Do to Rick, are too awful to mention
When really, he loves them—he just hates their ways—
Homophobia's not his intention!
Gays shouldn't get married. That's Rick's point of view.
It's not that he wants to restrict 'em
But it's there in his bible, which is your bible too…
Santorum is really the victim!
Weapons-grade projection, after the jump:
CNN's Political Ticker reports Rick Santorum's wife is defending her husband against the cruel and vicious attacks against him by gay activists. "Rick doesn't hate anyone", she says, and if you can't trust a politician's wife to tell the truth about him, who can you trust?
"I think it is very sad what the gay activists have done out there. They vilify him, and it is so wrong," Karen Santorum said at a South Carolina forum. "Rick does not hate anyone. He loves them. What he has simply said is marriage shouldn't happen."
See? No reason to think he hates gays, simply because he views them as second-class citizens.
Along with his wife, Santorum weighed in on Monday, saying some people misinterpret his views against same-sex marriage as attacks.
"I'm doing what I'm called to do, which is love everyone and accept everybody," the candidate said. "But this is a public policy difference, and I think that some see that public policy difference as a personal assault."
This is the danger of religion. Santorum can convince himself that he's the victim here, when all he wants to do is deny gays the same treatment as straights. He's righteous, not bigoted. These are not his own prejudices, these are God's will.
It's a good thing Rick Santorum doesn't hate anyone. If this is how he treats the people he loves…


text: Sculptor Nancy Schön created the famous "Make Way for Ducklings" sculpture in the Boston Public Garden (and another one in Moscow.) Nancy has created over a dozen prominent public sculptures, and is currently writing a book about her experiences with public sculpture. In addition to her work with public sculpture, Nancy has created a diverse body of smaller sculptures that you may visit in her galleries. • Skatepark Park Opens: Watch on WCVB


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Who is a migrant?
Dunne Speaks: Who is a migrant?
29 May 2014
At one level, all of us are migrants – it is just a matter of when we arrived here. At another, if you believe New Zealand First's bigots and Labour's xenophobes, we are being overrun today by hordes of migrants arriving here with the expressed purpose of buying up all our houses.
This is not one of those arguments where the truth lies in the middle – because it does not. The first proposition (that we are a migrant nation) is far closer to the truth than some of us might care to appreciate. The second is merely racist buncombe. But that is not really the nub of the argument.
Of far more concern is the developing race between various political parties – now from National downwards – to take the allegedly "responsible" line of proposing immigration curbs. (Perhaps the most ludicrous of the many comments so far was that of the Labour leader who said the problem had arisen because too many New Zealanders were returning and not enough are leaving!)
The reality is that immigration is not just a crude tap to be turned on and off to fit the prevailing political mood. It is in fact a core component of population policy, something we have never had, but which should lie at the heart of our environmental and societal sustainability.
In the rather unseemly debate now occurring, where we are just one fragile step away from defying history's sober lesson and formally blaming migrants for a range of social ills, only one party – UnitedFuture – is so far prepared to stand in opposition to the approaching tide.
This is because of our strong belief that New Zealand does need a dramatic boost in its population over the next few years, if New Zealand is to retain a sufficiently viable economic base to protect its sovereignty. And then there is the contribution that immigration makes to our national diversity.
The mix of immigrants to New Zealand, from Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Pacific, alongside our indigenous Māori dimension, has the unique capacity to shape the New Zealander of the future as a person like no other in the world. Our children and grandchildren can have the privileged opportunity of growing up in the world's first genuinely equal multi-ethnic society, and in turn being equally at home in the various worlds that compose our national tapestry. Our generation has the chance to make this happen, and it is an exciting challenge we should not shy away from.
But then, the grim reality of the contemporary New Zealand debate arises again – a narrow, increasingly bitter and small-minded discussion focused on securing short-term political advantage.
This is a race to the bottom we do not need, nor deserve. Our country's future, literally, depends on leadership prepared to be firm and principled, and acting in the long-term interests of our country. We need politicians with the boldness to provide that.


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We have managed to share the Official Micromax C205 Stock Firmware ROM (flash file) on this page. The Firmware Package contains Flash Tool, Driver, Flash File and Instructions manual to flash it.
Micromax C205 Firmware
The Micromax Stock ROM will help you to downgrade or upgrade the Stock Firmware of your Micromax Mobile Device. It also helps you to fix any Software related issue, Bootloop Issue, IMEI Related Issue.
Package Name: Micromax_C205_V1_31052014_MIRA.zip
Package Version: V1
Package Size: 5 MB
How to Flash: Use Miracle Box Software to Flash this firmware.
How to Flash
Step 1: Download and extract the Micromax C205 Firmware Package on your computer.
Step 2: After extracting the firmware package, you will be able to get the Flash Tool, USB Driver, Flash File and Instructions Manual.
Step 3: Firstly, install the provided USB Driver on your computer. If in case USB Driver is already installed then SKIP this Step.
Step 4: Then Launch the Miracle Box Tool on the computer and load the firmware.
Step 5: Then boot your Micromax C205 device into the download mode to begin the flashing process.
Readme Once:
[*] Backup: Take a backup of everything before flashing the above firmware, as because your personal data will be removed (deleted) permanently after flashing the firmware.
[*] The above firmware (ROM) if Officially released by the Micromax Company. Official ROM helps you to fix the device if in case your device is having any Bootloop, Hang issue, or Dead Issue.


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PORTSMOUTH - @ Guildhall. Let's see if there will be lying Noel's blinded journalists "reviewing" here too.
more to add soon
..... Noel the leech, the looter, the parasite... the little bitch.
added: Ocean child, Golden brown, Damaged, Feel the pain, Hi-heel sneakers, Je so' pazzo, Summer in the city, etc. (should have added Stone Roses too and many more)..... as Tony said, the first 3 Oasis albums were made thanks to the Real People... (Columbia, Supersonic, Whatever, Rockin' Chair, All around the world, Don't go away, etc. were not written by Noel)...concidentially, the first 3 albums are considered the only good ones........ Oasis without Noel, the Boys in the Bubble (wanna be free)
oasisblues fan since 1994 - Copyright © 2019 Magazine 4 Column is Designed by Ipietoon Sponsored by Dezigntuts


text:
The following transit lines have routes that pass near Kalmistu and Kungla
Click on the Bus route to see step by step directions with maps, line arrival times and updated time schedules.From Paneeli, Tallinn 370 min
Looking for how to get to Kalmistu and Kungla in Tamsalu, Estonia? Moovit shows you the fastest route and shortest time that will get you there. Check out the Moovit App or Moovit Website to find the latest schedule, or to plan your route on a map, or to find the closest transit station to your desired destination. If there's a specific crosspoint or junction that you want to visit, type in the address of the street or road and Moovit will help you plan your journey.
The following public transit options, Bus, can take you to Kalmistu and Kungla. The following lines and routes have stops nearby - Bus: 20, 66
Looking for the nearest stop or station to Kalmistu and Kungla? The closest stops and stations to your destination are: Tamsalu.
You don't need to download an individual bus app or train app, Moovit is your all-in-one transit app that helps you find the best bus time or train time available. Download the Moovit App to follow live directions to Kalmistu and Kungla.
We make riding to Kalmistu and Kungla easy, which is why over 720 million users, including users in Tamsalu trust Moovit as the best app for public transit.


text:
New Photo Gallery - click the Media button on top menu to view and comment on photos, etc.
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Topic: Labradorite rough (Read 874 times)
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Wine Bottle not included
Gravel Calculator
Not sure how much stone you need? Use our handy calculator tool to help you. If you would like more advice please call us on 0113 320 0890Calculate
Code: HBD-2017WB
Wine Bottle not included
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Bags will be delivered on a wooden pallet and the driver will require a signature as proof of delivery.
If your property is down a narrow country lane or narrow drive way or has sharp bends, PLEASE can you add notes to the order so we can make a successful delivery first time every time. If the pallet company has to come back to redeliver there will be a charge.
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What our customers say...
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*This calculator is only intended as a rough guide to help you approximate the likely volume of gravel, slate or other aggregates needed for your project.
Following the Prime Minister's announcement on the 23rd March 2020, we confirm that GardenHub will be temporarily suspending business and have stopped taking or despatching any orders for the time being.
We apologise for any inconvenience caused during these extraordinary times but we feel that ensuring that we play our part in removing unnecessary stress on the country's essential services at this time, and protecting the wellbeing of our colleagues, customers, and suppliers should be our absolute priority.
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Every action we have taken has been with safety in mind. From our family to yours, stay safe and healthy, and thank you for your understanding. We look forward to working with you again very soon.
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Canada Pledges to Sell Oil to Asia After Obama Rejects Keystone Pipeline
President Barack Obama's decision yesterday to reject a permit for TransCanada Corp.'s Keystone XL oil pipeline may prompt Canada to turn to China for oil exports.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper, in a telephone call yesterday, told Obama "Canada will continue to work to diversify its energy exports," according to details provided by Harper's office. Canadian Natural Resource Minister Joe Oliver said relying less on the U.S. would help strengthen the country's "financial security."
The "decision by the Obama administration underlines the importance of diversifying and expanding our markets, including the growing Asian market," Oliver told reporters in Ottawa.
Currently, 99 percent of Canada's crude exports go to the U.S., a figure that Harper wants to reduce in his bid to make Canada a "superpower" in global energy markets.
Canada accounts for more than 90 percent of all proven reserves outside the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, according to data compiled in the BP Statistical Review of World Energy. Most of Canada's crude is produced from oil-sands deposits in the landlocked province of Alberta, where output is expected to double over the next eight years, according to the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers.
"I am sure that if the oil sands production is not used in the United States, they will be used in other countries," Fatih Birol, chief economist at the International Energy Agency, said in an interview before a speech at Imperial College in London today.
'Profound Disappointment'
Harper "expressed his profound disappointment with the news," according to the statement, which added that Obama told Harper the rejection was not based on the project's merit and that the company is free to re-apply.
Canada this month began hearings on a proposed pipeline by Enbridge Inc. to move crude from Alberta's oil sands to British Columbia's coast, where it could be shipped to Asian markets.
Environmentalists and Canadian opposition lawmakers welcomed the Obama administration's decision. Megan Leslie, a lawmaker for the opposition New Democratic Party, said the Keystone pipeline project was harmful to Canada's energy security.
"What I'm opposed to is continuing the unchecked expansion of the oil sands," Leslie said by telephone.
New Flashpoint
Enbridge's pipeline may now become the new flashpoint between Harper and the opposition. Harper has said building the capacity to sell the country's oil to Asian markets is in the national interest, and the government will review regulatory- approval rules for new energy projects so they can be done more quickly. Harper has also said he will look more closely into complaints that "foreign money" is being used to overload the regulatory process.
"We have to have processes in Canada that come to a decision in a reasonable amount of time, and processes that cannot be hijacked," Harper said at a press conference Jan. 6 in Edmonton.
The Keystone decision is the latest of several U.S. moves that have irked Canadian policy makers. Canada objected to "Buy American" provisions in the Obama administration's $447 billion jobs bill that was blocked by Republicans in Congress, as well as the restoration of a $5.50 fee on Canadian travelers arriving in the U.S. by plane or ship.
Approval of Keystone is a "no-brainer," Harper said in a Sept. 21 interview with Bloomberg.
Cornerstone of Development
Yesterday's rejection "certainly introduces new uncertainties into the economic relationship," said David Pumphrey, deputy director of the energy and national security program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. "This is a cornerstone of economic development for the country."
The denial came before a Feb. 21 deadline set by Congress after Obama postponed a decision in November. TransCanada said the 1,661-mile (2,673-kilometer) project would carry 700,000 barrels of crude a day from Alberta's oil sands to refineries on the U.S. Gulf coast, crossing six U.S. states and creating 20,000 jobs.
"I'm disappointed that Republicans in Congress forced this decision, but it does not change my administration's commitment to American-made energy," Obama said today in a statement. "We will continue to look for new ways to partner with the oil and gas industry to increase our energy security."
Canadian policy makers said they remain optimistic TransCanada will eventually be able to proceed.
Still Supporting
Alberta Premier Alison Redford said in a press conference in Edmonton that it is still "entirely possible" the pipeline will be built and said it was good news that TransCanada planned to apply again.
Canada will continue to support TransCanada Corp. (TRP)'s plans to build the Keystone XL pipeline, Canadian Foreign Minister John Bairdsaid, adding that it is in the best interests of both Canada and the United States.
"We strongly believe that Keystone's in the best interests of both countries," he said. "We'll continue to be an active supporter of the project."


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NASCAR purists won't like the changes the sport is considering.
NASCAR purists won't like the changes the sport is considering.
But many of those purists left when NASCAR left North Wilkesboro. They left when Darlington was de-emphasized. They left when they no longer could find a Southern driver with red clay beneath his fingernails.
Many abandoned the sport because they felt the sport abandoned them.
The purists who stayed would love NASCAR to return to its roots. That's not going to happen any more than the NFL is going to return the Bulldogs' franchise to Canton, Ohio. Nothing stays the same. I've been in Junior Johnson's Charlotte home. It has furniture from France.
I love the potential changes. Win a race and you're practically assured of a spot in the Chase.
Fans love the drama and anticipation of a team playing a loser-go-home game, especially if their team wins. What works in the NFL — check the TV ratings, the most accurate barometer of interest in an event — should at least be given an audition by NASCAR.
The new format will add four drivers to what was a 12-driver Chase. That means four more sets of happy fans and happy sponsors.
The field would be reduced after the third, sixth and ninth races. Get them in and, if they can't hang, get them out.
Only four drivers would advance to the Homestead finale with a chance to win, and they'd be tied.
I'd like the format even more if only those four cars were allowed to race. Stick the others in what would be to NASCAR what the National Invitation Tournament is to the NCAA basketball tournament. The rest of the field would be a very large preliminary. If they want, they could stick around and watch the main event.
The changes are daring and drastic and necessary. Do you remember the last time you went to a race and said, "It sure is crowded in the grandstands"?
Of course fans will complain.
Some will complain because it's what they do when a change of any kind is proposed.
Others will complain because they believe consistency, not victories, is the best measure of a driver.
Fans of Jimmie Johnson will complain because he dominates the Chase as it's presently configured.
I suspect all three have sent critical emails to NASCAR.
But think of the possibilities the potential changes confer. Drivers no longer will finish sixth and thank their sponsors and the fellows back in the shop.
If the rule is: Win a race and you are practically in the Chase, second place will look lonelier than it ever has and winning will look even more beautiful.
And what if Danica Patrick, after running 37th all season, wins a race?
Some race fans criticize stick-and-ball sports. The ultimate insult, when they want me to go back to my own kind, is to tell me to stick to stick-and-ball sports.
A stick-and-ball sport held two playoff games last Sunday. You watch?
A stick-and-ball sport will hold its championship in New Jersey a week from today.
You'll watch.
And if NASCAR finally emphasizes winning, you'll watch more racing, too.


text:
GitLab Community Edition
Open source software to collaborate on code
Manage Git repositories with fine-grained access controls that keep your code secure. Perform code reviews and enhance collaboration with merge requests. Each project can also have an issue tracker and a wiki.
To register an Identity account or recover access to an existing account, please visit the KDE Identity self service portal.


text:
Recent research out of Norway is casting an alarming light on the issue of suicide. Researchers say some young men take their lives without showing any of the traditional warning signs. In fact, some show no signs at all.
Recent research out of Norway is casting an alarming light on the issue of suicide. Researchers say some young men take their lives without showing any of the traditional warning signs. In fact, some show no signs at all. Researchers from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health spoke with relatives and close friends of 10 men who unexpectedly killed themselves. They say these young men seemed to be exaggerating their own success to compensate for their low self-esteem. They also report the research contradicts past findings showing mental illness is an important risk factor in suicide. But some counselors believe mental health, depression and brain injuries are still major factors in suicide. "It's always a possibility that someone has suffered an injury of some sort. It may have been years prior to the suicide, but damage to the brain is something that would have to be ruled out," said psychologist Don St. John, Ph.D. He agrees that some men have figured out how to hide their emotional pain. "Some people are pretty adept in keeping everything just tucked away. There's a suffering underneath," he said. That's not to say there aren't cracks in the façade young men may put up to mask what St. John calls the "devastated self." "There could be impulsive actions or occasional outbreaks of intense temper," he said. St. John said people like that may form shallow relationships with other people. Someone may spend an entire afternoon with that person and come away feeling like they still don't know anything about them. "With people like that, you often get a sense that they're kind of far away," he said. But he said an attentive spouse should be able to spot the problems and notice if their loved one isn't emotionally available. Recovery for someone dealing with this "devastated self" could take a long time. St. John said recovering from any kind of emotional trauma is usually a lengthy process.%3Cimg%20src%3D%22http%3A//beacon.deseretconnect.com/beacon.gif%3Fcid%3D154109%26pid%3D46%22%20/%3E


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(CNN) -- The man tasked with leading the police department in Sanford, Florida, in the wake of the Trayvon Martin killing said communities should "take a good, hard look at who is selected," for neighborhood watch programs.
But, said Sanford's interim Police Chief Richard Myers, he still supports the programs.
"Neighborhood watch is at work in literally thousands of neighborhoods across the country and with no problems whatsoever," Myers told CNN's Erin Burnett on Tuesday. "I think the problems emerge from who the person is and perhaps there's a cause for communities to take a good, hard look at who is selected or who volunteers.
"Let's not kill the concept because of one bad, really bad outcome."
Myers, a former police chief from Colorado Springs, took the post Friday. He said he has plans to help the department that has been under the microscope since the February 26 killing of unarmed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman. Martin was black; Zimmerman is Hispanic.
"I'm here to help the community. There's a lot of healing that has to take place," Myers said. "I'm here to help the department get some stability."
His predecessor, Bill Lee, stepped aside as chief after a vote of no-confidence by city commissioners in April, clearing the way for Myers.
The Martin case drew nationwide protests when Sanford police decided against arresting Zimmerman, who told investigators he killed Martin in self-defense.
A special prosecutor assigned to look into Martin's death ultimately brought second-degree murder charges against the 28-year-old Zimmerman, who has pleaded not guilty and is out on a $150,000 bail.
Myers, a 35-year law enforcement veteran, acknowledged the Sanford police department needs to rebuild its relationship with African-Americans in the area.
"One of my major goals is to try and strengthen the relationship that Sanford police have with all elements of the community, especially the African-American community," he said.
"In America today, there still exists a great deal of unresolved tension about race and policing and I have a particular passion for working on those issues and helping to resolve conflict. So whether or not that was a factor in this case, it certainly is a factor in some tension that exists. We're going to work on that."
Myers began his career in the suburbs of Detroit and Chicago before becoming chief of the Appleton, Wisconsin, police department. After that, he took the reins of the Colorado Springs police department in 2007.
Myers resigned that post in 2011. Myers is supposed to spend a three- to five-month stint leading the Sanford department, city officials have said.
™ & © 2012 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.


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Introversion Humble Weekly Sale includes plenty of goodies
The latest Humble Weekly Sale is from Prison Architect developer Introversion. No, Prison Architect isn't in it – but buy in early to get a discount on the popular alpha.
Multiwinia headlines
Humble Introversion Bundle on sale now
The latest Humble Indie Bundle packs in four award-winning games along with two bonuses for those who beat the average price.
Multiwinia gets new demo, Steam special offer
Introversion's released a new demo for Multiwinia and announced a special offer for the game on Steam this weekend.Buy before tomorrow and your $10 purchase will include the original Darwinia for free.And why the new demo? The first one didn't include any multiplayer options, apparently.Go to the official site for the download.
Multiwinia goes live
Title says it all. As of around two-and-a-half hours ago, Introversion's strategy title, Multiwinia, went live.The game's available to buy from the Introversion store for £15, $24.90 or €19.95."Multiwinia is also available from Steam and will soon be released into retail worldwide," says the release.Full thing after the break.By Mike Bowden
Multiwinia pre-orders go live
Introversion sent word this afternoon that its site is now taking pre-orders for Multwinia: Survival of the Flattest."There will be a three-tiered pre-order menu; digital download, digital download plus boxed unit, or customers will be able to treat themselves and purchase our limited edition special pack presented in a beautiful custom-made Darwinian tin," said a […]
Multiwinia to be amBX-ified
Philips announced this afternoon that Multiwinia is to be amBX-enabled, meaning the multiplayer strategy follow-up with flash and fan along with all amBX kit."Our agreement with Introversion builds on a hugely successful relationship between amBX and Introversion through DEFCON and Darwinia," said amBX marketing boss Jo Cooke."amBX will produce an exhilarating gaming experience for Multiwinia […]
Multiwinia site goes live
Introversion's put the official Multiwinia site live. There are links there for both a demo and video of the multiplayer RTS, but neither are in place yet, unfortunately. There are some pretty screens, though, and that's all you can hope for. Go see.
Multiwinia for September release
According to this Shacknews piece, Multiwinia will release in September. The Introversion multiplayer RTS is also hitting Live this year in the form of Darwinia+, which includes the original game plus the online update. No firm date on that as yet, though.
New Multiwinia shots show flat explosions
Introversion sent over some new shots of upcoming RTS Multiwinia, and very nice it's looking too. The game's an update to the much-loved Darwinia, which saw little computer men fighting for survival against virus types.We've just got a preview build of this, so we'll knock up some impressions and new shots this week. No date […]
RPS goes hands-on with Multiwinia, shots included
Nice, genyoowine exclusive here for the RPS massive, with Gillen getting a good go on Introversion's Multiwinia. There are plenty of screens included, and a heap of detail on a bot-match on the Holy Tree map.This pretty much sums it up: "I'm dominating the left of the battlefield, and there's plenty of computer-guy-corpses to recycle."Take […]
Multiwinia testing begins
According to Introversion's forums, Multiwinia testing is starting now."Finally after years of development we are finally in a position to start the testing of Multiwinia," said a staffer. "This is a massive achivement for us and we're really looking forward to finding out what the rest of the world thinks of our next game."Hit this […]
Multiwinia beta sign-up open now
And here it is. Apparently beta testers are being accepted in batches of 50. The multiplayer version of Introversion's strategy oddity Darwinia will be ready for release this summer.
GDC: Introversion admits publisher aspirations, talks Subversion
Indie favourite Introversion – developer of classics Uplink, Darwinia, Defcon and the upcoming Subversion – has hinted that the company's future may see a publishing role develop."There are games out there we could have taken and published," said commercial director Mark Arundel, talking to videogaming247 in San Francisco yesterday, ahead of this week's GDC. "Half […]
Multiwinia for "summer", says Introversion
Indie developer Introversion has confirmed that Multiwinia, the multiplayer update of RTS title Darwinia, is on track for a summer release this year."I'd hesitate saying a month, but you're more than welcome to say it's going to be out in the summer of 2008," a company rep told VG247. "We've got some announcements about Multiwinia […]
Multiwinia latest
GDC: Introversion admits publisher aspirations, talks Subversion


text:
Henry Grabar
Henry Grabar is a staff writer for Slate's Moneybox and a former fellow at CityLab. He lives in New York.
In the 1980s, the dying red spruce trees of New England—many of them taller than eight-story buildings and more than three centuries old—furnished frightening proof of the power of acid rain. The trees were seen as a canary in the coal mine, and it was easy to imagine the ensuing consequences for the forest at large.
"Half the red spruce… are dead," Dudley Clendinen wrote for The New York Times from New Hampshire in 1983. "Some of the balsam fir are beginning to look sick. Sugar maples have fallen, as have beech trees, and Dr. Richard M. Klein, one of the two directors of the university's research project, worries that with spring, they may find that ash trees are down on the mountain, too."
The prospect of dead forests galvanized Americans and their representatives. In 1990, Congress amended the Clean Air Act to include the Acid Rain Program. The impact on the targeted pollutants, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides from power generation, was remarkable. Between 1995 and 2011, emissions of sulfur dioxide fell by 64 percent; nitrogen oxides by 67 percent.
And the red spruce? According to a study by the University of Vermont and the U.S. Forest Service, released this August, the trees are healthier than ever. The diameters of these once-fragile trees are now growing at twice the average rate of the last century.
It's been 50 years since Dr. Gene Likens and his colleagues first discovered that rain samples in the White Mountains had a pH content of 4.1, well below water's neutral pH of 7. The connection between acid rain and atmospheric pollution had been previously observed, but over the next decade, Likens and others collected samples from across the Northeast. Their findings, announced to the world in a 1974 paper in Science, set an environmental movement in motion.
"At present, acid rain or snow is falling on most of the northeastern United States," they wrote. "The annual acidity value averages about pH 4, but values between pH 2.1 and 5 have been recorded for individual storms." For comparison, lemon juice and vinegar have a pH of 2; pH 4 is similar to tomato juice.
Over the next dozen years, acid rain became a household term and an environmental bogeyman. Perhaps as vivid a warning sign as the red spruces were the hundreds of dead Adirondack lakes void of fish. In an attempt to neutralize the acid content of one 50-acre lake in upstate New York, scientists poured in 14 tons of baking soda. But such measures were only stopgaps.
The decade-long Congressional study that finished in 1990 brought mixed news. The red spruce were indeed dying, but there was "no evidence of widespread forest damage." Many lakes were poisoned, but the risks of environmental apocalypse were overstated. For skeptics of the environmental movement, the findings constituted a victory. Many conservationists were outraged by perceived shortcomings with the study. And yet, there was enough evidence, and enough concern, to prompt the passage that year of the Acid Rain Program to restrict emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides from power plants.
All in all, the whole episode is considered a success for the environmental movement. The Environmental Protection Agency considers the Acid Rain Program a paradigm. It wasn't just the trees that benefited. A 2011 report [PDF] prepared by the Office of Science and Technology Policy estimated the annual benefits to human health alone fall between $170 and $430 billion. The lower number far exceeds the costs of the program.
The recovering red spruce forest, though, makes a curious legacy, because scientists are unable to say for sure if the resurgence owes more to a decline in acid rain or to climate change.
The connection between the two environmental phenomena is fitting. For one thing, climate change deniers continue to cite acid rain as an example of the environmental lobby's tendency towards fear-mongering. "The story of acid rain is not of catastrophe averted but of minor environmental nuisance somewhat abated," Matt Ridley—who has recently come under fire for his climate change op-eds in the Wall Street Journal—wrote in Wired last year. Not surprisingly, acid rain is also a favorite topic of the "Agenda 21" crowd. They've heard these green "lies" before.
But those who worry about climate change should look at the acid rain panic in a different light. The fear that red spruce decline was a sign of imminent, widespread deforestation may not have come true, but the sight of brown-leafed New England forests nevertheless helped bring about a landmark piece of legislation—one whose benefits are made quite clear in the 2011 congressional report [PDF]. Together with dead lakes, they helped make the damage of acid rain real to Americans and bring about a government response not two decades after the threat was first reported in Science.
In this respect, the contrast with our current situation is striking. As Cass Sunstein wrote for Bloomberg two weeks ago, the present environmental threat seems to strike visceral fear in neither Americans nor their lawmakers. Psychologically, climate change may be closer to the opposite of acid rain: no single identifiable perpetrator, no clear victims, no imminent threat. Its most vivid manifestation —the shrinking polar ice caps—is distant and abstract next to the images of acid rain damage to trees and lakes.
"The world is unlikely to make much progress on climate change until the barrier of human psychology is squarely addressed," Sunstein writes.
If researchers want to study the connection between environmental disaster and popular concern, acid rain would be a good place to start.
Top image: Alicar/Shutterstock.com
Two new studies have revived the long-running debate over how police respond to white criminal suspects versus African Americans.
Often ranked as one of the deadliest cities in America, Camden, New Jersey, ended 2017 with its lowest homicide rate since the 1980s.
Architects and planners have an obligation to protect health, safety and welfare through the spaces we design. As the George Floyd protests reveal, we've failed.
Conditions that led to George Floyd's death are not unique to Minneapolis and St. Paul. But there's a reason why the Twin Cities triggered a national uprising.
Despite new research on police brutality, we still have no idea whether violence toward African Americans is fueled by racial prejudice. That has consequences.


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This boy's parents may have scrimped a little on Christmas presents by putting off buying him a new suit, but they spared nothing in acceding to his demands for the latest in locomotory accessories. I exaggerate a little, of course, since most of the several hundred Google images of "antique horse tricycles" are full-bodied models, close cousins to the fancy rocking horse featured in a previous Photo-Sleuth article, and far more elaborate than this pared down version. Judging by the number of horse tricycles that seem to have survived, they were not that uncommon. Sadly, the identity of the proud young lad, caught in the moment before he escapes down the driveway to show it off to his friends, is unknown.
The photographer's name, on the other hand, is clearly displayed on both the front and reverse of the card mount. By the time he took this photograph, perhaps in the mid- to late 1880s, Frederick William Broadhead (c1846-1925) was a well established Leicester photographer, although the bulk of his commissions were conventional studio-based portraits, rather than outdoors shots. This example was clearly taken outdoors, but whether outside the studio premises or in the boy's own garden is unknown. It is perhaps a useful reminder that we should always examine the background to such outdoors photographs in our family collections for clues as to their location.
"View of Castle Cornet St Peters Port Guernsey Taken from the Hights" by F.D. Broadhead, oil on panel, c.1870
Image © and courtesy of Christies
Broadhead's father Frederick Dodson Broadhead (c1812-1878) was a portrait and landscape artist, and the son also occasionally advertised as an artist. Although he was born in Kennington in London, Frederick William's family moved frequently, so that by the time he started work aged 14 as a lithographer in Litchurch, Derby, they had already lived in London, Bath and Nottingham, where his father presumably found commissions.
The Broadhead family moved again in the late 1860s to Leicester. Frederick junior was working as a photographer by November 1869, when he announced his removal to "more convenient premises [at] 14 Welford road." Cartes de visite were advertised from 6s per dozen, and portraits in oil from one guinea upwards. It is not clear whether the portraits were photographs finished in oils or miniature oil paintings, although I suspect the latter, as an article in the Leicester Chronicle in 1876 reported his having painted "a pair of life-size bust portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Thornton."
According to a newspaper article in 1879, F.W. Broadhead was one of the early practitioners in the use of artificial light in studio photography.
Leicester Chronicle & Leicestershire Mercury, 11 January 1879.
Night Photography.
Mr. Broadhead, of 65 Welford road, has secured a patent luxograph, by means of which portraits can be taken at night, and by which daylight and the sun's rays are not rendered indispensable accessories to the production of a good picture. The process is apparently very simple; the principle upon which it is worked being the concentration of the rays emitted from a series of carefully arranged reflectors directly upon the sitter. The light is produced by the ignition of chemical powders, and is of pale blue colour. Although for an instant its brilliancy is rather dazzling, it softens down into a soft mellow hue, void of all garishness, and rather pleasant to the eyes than otherwise. By this artificial means a portrait can be taken in from seven to twqelve seconds, and even this period is decreased to about five seconds when it has to be taken on a ferrotype plate. At present there are only two or three machines in use throughout the kingdom, but when its properties are well known they cannot fail to be highly appreciated.
Barker & Co.'s Directory for Leicestershire & Rutland, 1875
Trade directories, census, Royal Photographic Society registrations, newspaper entries and advertisements provide a detailed record of his studio addresses during the thirty years he was in business:
1869: 84 Humberstone Rd
Nov 1870-1875: 74 Welford Rd
1876-1877: 72 & 74 Welford Rd
1877-1885: 65 Welford Rd
1884-1892: 55 Welford Rd
1888: 24 Gallowtree Gate
1892: 44 London Rd
1895-1896: Stanley Chambers, 30 Gallowtree Gate
1898: Stockdale Terrace, 19 London Road
1900: 55 Chestnut St & 102 Welford Rd
Directory entries and designs on the reverse of his card mounts demonstrate that he also operated periodically in the nearby towns of Loughborough and Market Harborough, although the evidence for his presence in these places is more patchy. It appears that he may merely have visited periodically, as an 1883 trade directory entry indicates weekly attendance:
Broadhead Fdk. Wm., artist and photographer, High street (attend Tu.), Market Harborough
Leicester Chronicle & Leicestershire Mercury, 10 June 1882
In addition to opportunistic shots of Royal processions and general views of the town and local tourist spots, Broadhead was not averse to seeking other photographic commissions away from his studio premises:
Leicester Chronicle & Leicestershire Mercury, 16 August 1879.
The Leicestershire Volunteers in Camp ... at Willesley Park ... Mr. F.W. Broadhead, Welford-road, Leicester, camped out with the volunteers all the week, and took a great variety of views of the camp, and of the men when on parade, by an instantaneous process, and he appeared to do a "roaring" trade under his "special appointment as a photographer to the camp.
Wright's Directory of Leicestershire, 1887-88
Leicester Chronicle & Leicestershire Mercury, 8 July 1882.
The Australian Cricketers. Mr. F.W. Broadhead, photographer, of Welford-road, has produced a pair of excellent group portraits of the Australian and Leicestershire teams who took part in the match lately played on the Aylestone-road Ground. The work has been carefully executed in variou-sized photographs, and give a life-like representation of the players ... No doubt a large number of these photographs well be secured in commemmoration of Leicestershire having played so well against the antipodeans.
He also gave evidence regarding photographic matters to the Leicester courts on several occasions.
Leicester Chronicle & Leicestershire Mercury, 12 April 1884.
Charge against a photographer ... according to the evidence of Mr. Broadhead, photographer, it was impossible for Daniels to have taken the photo from the condition of the camera and under the circumstances detailed by Mrs. Glover and the groom who attended prisoner. Mr Broadhead, however, admitted that the camera would take a negative, but it would not be passable .... Frederick William Broadhead, photographer, said that he had tested the lenses in question, and found that the lens produced perfectly fitted Professor Colton's apparatus.
Records of the Copyright Office, Stationers' Company:
Photograph of the Mayor & Council of Leicester, consisting of 50 persons including the Mayor". Copyright owner and author of work: Frederick William Broadhead, 35 Welford Road, Leicester. Form completed 12 November 1892. Registration stamp: 14 November 1892.
Wright's Directory of Leicestershire, 1889-90
In 1889 he celebrated his twentieth year in business. He appears to have retired not long after moving to Coalville a decade later. Frederick W. Broadhead died in 1925 at Farnham, Surrey, aged 78. He was married twice, and had two sons and two daughters with his first wife Sarah Ann Fisher, who died in 1898. His second wife Leah Reeves died in 1935.
This is my contribution to this week's Sepia Saturday. For more in a similar vein, head off there for a browse - I won't say quick, because you're likely to be there for a while!
Heathcote, B.V. & P.F. (1982) Leicester Photographic Studios in Victorian & Edwardian Times, Royal Photographic Society, The Photohistorian supplement.


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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - Sweat gathered on the back of Gilberto Olivo's shirt as he tried to divert attention from his resume at a recent job fair in the working-class town of Catano.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) � Sweat gathered on the back of Gilberto Olivo's shirt as he tried to divert attention from his resume at a recent job fair in the working-class town of Catano.
Once a chemical engineer who held managerial positions in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, Olivo became unemployed five years ago. Talking to a recruiter, the 64-year-old knew his former career might make him overqualified for jobs available now that could help him pay his mortgage, his daughter's college tuition and other costs.
"I'll do anything," Olivo said in all seriousness. "I'll clean floors, I'll wash dishes, I'll be an errand boy."
Olivo's predicament has become disturbingly common for many beleaguered lower- and middle-class residents of this U.S. territory, where energy, food and other costs were already much higher than those in the U.S. mainland. Now, the island's cost of living is hitting unsustainable levels for people such as Olivo as the government passes a flurry of new taxes and increases in water and sewer rates that are adding hundreds of dollars onto monthly budgets.
Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla has said the island needs the new revenue to close a budget deficit and improve the near-junk status of its general obligation bonds while it hobbles through its seventh straight year of recession. But critics say the new measures are hurting potential economic recovery by squeezing Puerto Ricans who were already barely making ends meet.
"We inherited a chaotic situation, and in 8 � months, we've done a lot," Garcia said after meeting with Wall Street credit agencies in late September in hopes of improving the status of the island's bonds. "We've done everything we had to do."
However, Gustavo Velez, a prominent local economist, said it wasn't clear yet whether the new measures would do more harm than good.
Next year, the economy is expected to contract by as much as 2 percent as Puerto Rico remains burdened by $69 billion in public debt and an unemployment rate of 13.9 percent, higher than any U.S. state.
"It's like a Catch-22," Velez said. "The big question is whether the economy is capable of absorbing the impact of these taxes. .... It's a question we cannot yet answer."
Some critics say the island's public spending is the problem.
The new business tax was enacted "to maintain a level of government spending that Puerto Rico's economy cannot sustain," said Priscilla Vazquez, spokeswoman for the Manufacturers Association of Puerto Rico, which is requesting a moratorium on the tax.
Tens of thousands of Puerto Ricans have already left the island for better opportunities elsewhere, including Olivo's two sons who sought new jobs in the U.S. Olivo said he is too old to start a new life with them, noting he's still paying a $750 monthly mortgage and tuition costs with the help from his wife, a social worker.
Meanwhile, Olivo's monthly water bill has more than doubled from $70 to $150, and gas prices have spiked following an increase in taxes on each barrel of crude oil from $3 to $9.25. He's adjusted by spending more time at home or walking instead of driving. If forced to use the car, Olivo buys only a few gallons (liters) at a time. He said three years have passed since he last bought any personal items for himself.
"Those increases have been a disaster," he said. "I can't afford to live in Catano now on Social Security alone. ... I used to make more than $80,000 a year. To go from $80,000 to $0, imagine that."
Such reactions prompted Treasury Secretary Melba Acosta to delay a portion of the oil tax increase in mid-August to give officials time to study its impact on prices, while the state water and sewage company has made concessions to help lower water bills for certain commercial and private consumers. As it stands, residential clients who use up to 35 cubic meters of water a month are paying almost double now. Some commercial clients have seen their bill go up by several thousands of dollars.
"This has definitely had an impact on everyone," said Eugenio Alonso, president and CEO of Consumer Credit Counseling, noting that electricity costs are already on average double those on the mainland. "Business owners are saying, 'I can't do this anymore given the costs.' They declare bankruptcy or simply close."
The new business tax is expected to generate nearly $500 million a year and applies to gross sales of companies generating $1 million or more a year. Another new tax applies to commercial bank transactions.
Wendy Cordova, a 37-year-old widow with five children who relies on Social Security and her income as a hair stylist, said she's struggling to make car payments and pay the medical bills of her 13-year-old daughter, a diabetic. She already sent another daughter to live with her brother in the U.S. to finish high school.
"Everything keeps going up, and people are still making the same salary," she said. "We're going from bad to worse."
Nonprofit organizations across the island, meanwhile, have noted an increase in people seeking help. The concern now is that electric bills will rise next, given that the state power company depends largely on petroleum.
It's another reason Olivo, the chemical engineer, wants a job. He said he had a stroke in May that he blames on financial stress.
As he met with one last recruiter at the job fair, he learned they might need someone to help oversee the reorganization of a nearby factory.
"Do you have immediate availability?" the recruiter asked.
"Yes," Olivo answered. "Right now."


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Those who know me well know that I am interested and fascinated by the advancements in webconferencing websites and tools. I have seen first hand how using this type of technology in the classroom is very cost effective when using only a laptop/computer, project, webcam, microphone and external speakers. Most classrooms have at least one computer setup in the room or have access to the equipment just referenced. I have a wiki featuring tools, software, tips and strategies to use this medium to enrich instruction at http://caisefiles.wikispaces.com. As a result, I am always on the lookout for any type of tool or website that can assist people wanting to use webconferencing to bring in subject matter experts, extend the flat classroom or have students study and interact with different cultures around the world.
I recently came across a site called "Scriblink – Your Online Whiteboard". This site allows you to invite people to participate via a long distance phone call, VOIP, or via a URL. I created a test session at http://www.scriblink.com/index.jsp?act=phome&roomid=5218&KEY=06F31C8729790 DD1CF8D347D14450E7E that you are welcome to click on to see the setup.
If you click on the ∏ (Pi) symbol you can access special math, symbols and characters. I tried to do this but could not get the special characters or symbols to embed in the whiteboard. You can upload images and have those embedded in the whiteboard as well.
The colors of the writing pen and pencil can be changed along with the thickness of each instrument. The background can also be changed and they have great choices to choose from. I couldn't find a way to find a softer color as most of the colors for the background are very bright and wouldn't be conducive in many collaboration sessions.
This has potential for classrooms that don't have a whiteboard or if you wanted students to collaborate on one document/whiteboard area. You could also collaborate with colleagues online and use the URL for everyone to get together for a meeting. There are some exciting possibilities here despite the one bug that I encoutered. Overall, it is definitely worth checking out and giving it a trial run.


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LITTLE ROCK — The Clinton library and the CIA on Thursday announced the release next month of more than 300 newly declassified documents on intelligence and presidential policy-making during the 1992-1995 Bosnia War.
Former President Bill Clinton is scheduled to deliver remarks during a symposium Oct. 1 hosted by the Clinton Presidential Library and the Clinton Foundation. The event will mark the first time a U.S. president will participate in a CIA declassification event, officials said.
Other scheduled speakers include Madeleine Albright, former Secretary of State and United Nations ambassador; retired Gen. Wesley Clark, former Supreme Allied Commander in Europe; former Clinton National Security Adviser Sandy Berger; Leon Fuerth, former national security adviser to Vice President Gore; and former CIA Deputy Director for Intelligence John Gannon.
The symposium, titled "Bosnia, Intelligence, and the Clinton Presidency," will examine the Balkan conflict and the role of intelligence in informing senior policymakers. The collection highlights the Clinton administration's role in brokering the agreement that resolved the armed conflict in the Balkans and the role the Interagency Balkan Task Force played in informing policymakers' decisions.
In 1995, President Clinton signed Executive Order 12958, which prescribed a uniform system for classifying, safeguarding and declassifying national security information. Thousands of documents have been declassified on a wide range of issues since the order was signed.
Officials said the Bosnia collection — the youngest ever released in the CIA Historical Review Program's 20-year existence — represents a transition from HRP's releases of largely Cold War-era documents to more contemporary records that address modern intelligence activities.
The program is part of CIA Information Management Services. It identifies, collects and produces historically relevant collections of declassified materials. The collections are centered on a theme or event and are made available online with supporting analysis, essays, video, audio and photographs.