text:
Harry's back: But magic's getting old
In addition to facing the three tasks of the Triwizard Tournament, the revived Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes), and a gossipy tabloid reporter (Miranda Richardson) who keeps insisting he's 12, 14-year-old Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) is up against something even more fearsome: adolescence.
But the worst enemy in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is one that robs you of your faith in your own eyes: CGI. There's hardly a shot in the film that doesn't appear to employ Computer Generated Imagery. It's wonderful stuff for the most part, but adds up to overkill. After a point. it doesn't enhance the movie– it takes it over.
Sure, it's the best way to show dragons, sea creatures, and the Quidditch World Cup; but do all the sets, scenery, and crowds have to look as if they're created in a computer?
Series screenwriter Steve Kloves had a 734-page J.K. Rowling novel to pare down to a script of about 150 pages. Director Mike Newell still allows some breathing room between incidents, so a lot of sequences have a compressed feeling. With the introduction of several new characters, some of the old ones are reduced to cameo appearances to remind us they're still around.
Harry dreams that Lord Voldemort, who killed his parents 13 years ago, is back and up to no good. Then Voldemort's forces, the Death Eaters, destroy the campground at the Quidditch World Cup, which Harry is attending with the Weasleys and some others.
Back at Hogwarts for their fourth year, Harry and Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) have an unspoken rivalry over Hermione Granger (Emma Watson), who is evolving faster than the boys. When Harry gets interested in an Asian girl, Cho (Katie Leung), Ron has only his own shyness to contend with, but that's a formidable obstacle. He and Harry have a falling-out, then get back together.
Harry is mysteriously chosen to compete in the Triwizard Tournament with the standard-bearers from Hogwarts (Robert Pattinson as Cedric Diggory), Durmstrang (Stanislav Ianevski as Viktor Krum), and Beauxbatons (Clémence Poésy as Fleur Delacour), even though he didn't enter his name and isn't old enough, according to the rules. The foreigners remain foreign to us because there isn't time to develop their characters.
The newbie with the most screen time is Mad-Eye Moody (Brendan Gleeson), the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.
The Tournament is a weird triathlon that begins with stealing an egg from a dragon, then is interrupted for the Yule Ball, the event that cues most of the adolescent angst over finding dates.
In the second challenge each person must recover something that's been stolen from him and placed at the bottom of Black Lake. His friend Neville Longbottom (Matthew Lewis) gets Harry some gillyweed that turns him amphibian so he can breathe underwater. (I had some weed once that made me think I could breathe underwater, but that's another story.)
The third and final task is a race through a living maze to retrieve the Triwizard Cup. That leads directly to a confrontation with Lord Valdemort (whose nose appears to be blurred out, like naughty bits on network TV), the unveiling of a surprise (?) villain, and the end of the school year.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire has the feel of Cliff's Notes or a package tour covering seven countries in ten days. Diehard fans will still love it, and it will make a gazillion dollars, and parents will ignore the PG-13 rating because their kids will report them for abuse if they don't let them see this movie.
All that doesn't make it good, although in fact it's not bad. But you'll enjoy it more if your expectations aren't too high.


text:
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Gettin' Crunk in Little Rock
We arrived earlier than expected, so we had plenty of time to enjoy a leisurely brunch from the very vegan-friendly Root Cafe:
The Root Cafe's chef, Cash, is super awesome, and he made my Vegan Biscuits and Chocolate Gravy from Cookin' Crunk to serve for brunch that day!!
Sheridan ordered that plate, and even though I really wanted to order my own chocolate gravy plate, I was so torn because I'd been dying to try the Root's vegan Bhan Mi Tofu Scramble. I decided that, since I have the recipe for chocolate gravy and can make it any time and since I'm very rarely able to enjoy brunch in Little Rock, I'd get the Bhan Mi:
You can't tell but there's a delicious tofu scramble underneath those raw carrots. There's also a layer of vegan mayo, hoisin sauce, and sriracha. It's served with little toasts, like a deconstructed bhan mi breakfast! And the Root has the best salad dressing on the planet, which is served over the bed of mixed greens. Of course, I snuck a bite of Sheridan's biscuits, and Cash did an amazing job!!
The Root serves coffee in various, re-purposed mugs. Sheridan got stuck with the 40th birthday mug! But she's only 32, I promise:
Here's Cassi and me:
After brunch, we walked across the street to the Green Corner Store, where my booksigning was set to begin at noon. The Green Corner Store is cute little gift shop that sells local, handmade, and eco-friendly gifts. Lots of old friends stopped by, and I made some new ones too (The sun was very bright coming through the window!):
One of those new friends is Sydney. She ordered her copy of Cookin' Crunk awhile ago, and it already had stains on some of the pages!
The Green Corner Store has an old-fasioned soda fountain and ice cream bar, and they have vegan flavors and toppings clearly marked with a little "v." I just had to try a scoop of Coconut Coffee Ice Cream topped with Waffle Chips and Dark Chocolate. So good!
They also brew their own kombucha. Sheridan and I bought bottles and then we had the soda jerk flavor them with custom syrups. I chose hibiscus flower, and Sheridan had raspberry. Cassi took a sip of my kombucha and decided the fermented tea wasn't for her:
As if we hadn't already eaten enough all day, we were ready for dinner after the signing. So we made the drive to Lilly's Dim Sum and Then Some for my favorite dish there — Spicy Panang Curry with Tofu.
Why is this my fave, you ask. Because that fried tofu goodness is served with coconut curry sauce over RAMEN NOODLES! And y'all know how I feel about ramen! Sheridan ordered the same thing.
Anyway, we had a fabulous day! I sold some cookbooks, met some new people, saw some old friends, and ate myself silly.
8 comments:
- Sydney said...
It was so nice to meet you!
You guys are ramen fans, too? I fancied some up for dinner tonight.
Here's the pic I took of everyone from the table. Hope you like it!
Say (no to) Cheese!
- November 18, 2012 at 11:49 PM
- Carrie said...
Hey, you should come do a demonstration at Ozark Natural Foods in Fayetteville, AR! I met Christy Morgan of "Blissful Chef" there doing a demo - and bought her book.
- November 19, 2012 at 7:01 AM
- tender b. said...
What a cool place. The tofu banh mi sounds like a must try...I can see why one might be torn.
- November 19, 2012 at 7:34 AM
- Barb@ThatWasVegan? said...
That Bahn Mi looks delicious, and I love the funny repurposed mugs!
- November 19, 2012 at 8:34 AM
- Jesse @ Happy Go Lucky Vegan said...
I love re-inventing ramen noodles! So cheap and delish. Glad the book signings are going well!
- November 19, 2012 at 11:05 AM
Haha, I can totally imagine Cassi's reaction to the kombucha. I want to eat all of the food you got in LR! Bhan Mi tofu scramble is like the best idea ever.
- November 19, 2012 at 11:17 AM
- Sheridan said...
It was so much fun having you here! I'm glad Green Corner Store is selling your book! Can't wait to see you this week for Thanksgiving!
- November 19, 2012 at 11:50 AM
- Christy said...
Haha I was just about to comment that you should hit up Ozark Natural Foods but someone beat me to it! How far is Fayetteville from you? I may be visiting my mom and bro there end of December. I would love to meet up with you somehow!
- November 26, 2012 at 10:02 AM

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Welcome to the game development board!
This is a place for discussing general game development, related or unrelated to Outer Colony. If you've got technical questions about Outer Colony's engine, want to know how we approach feature design, or have questions about Voyager Games in general, feel free to ask here.
If you've got a game development project of your own that you'd like to discuss, bring that up here, too! I've met so many amazing developers on Twitter and have found a bunch of fantastic games lately, and I'd love to talk more about these projects here.
Finally, if you'd like to discuss industry trends or gaming news in general, this is the right place for it.
Game Development Forum Overview
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Key Person of Influence - Live Business Conference
Full Day Business Strategy Seminar with Leading Entrepreneurs! Only $39 for General Admission Ticket. Hear from Five of Australia's Top Entrepreneurs Plus Take Home Two Best Selling Books, a $50 Elance Voucher and More. Valued at $138
- About
- Fine Print
- Speakers
- Video
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The Offer
Build your brand and raise your personal profile with General Admission tickets to a full day business conference at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
Learn the proven five-step method to become highly valued and highly paid in your industry
Includes powerful talks from live success stories; normal people who have successfully applied the five-step formula - no hype, no heavy sales pitch, just proven strategies for fast growth
Hear from Matthew Michalewicz, a Pitching legend who sold his company last year, the third fastest growing company in Australia, for tens of millions; Valerie Khoo, profile expert and author of Power Stories: The 8 Stories you MUST Tell to Build an Epic Business (please see 'Speakers' tab for the full line-up)
You'll get to take home two best selling books; Become a Key Person of Influence by Daniel Preistley and Life in Half a Second by Matthew Michalewicz
Plus receive a $50 voucher towards services purchased online at Elance.com
Exclusive Offer: Our members will receive access to a Udemy online course 'Entrepreneur Brand Accelerator' with lifetime access to 68 lectures, over five hours of high quality content plus more!
This one-day-only event will be held on Friday 7 February 2014 from 9:00am - 6:00pm with networking opportunities and an afterparty from 7:00pm
What We Like
Whether you're an entrepreneur or in small business, this value-packed day is designed to set you up for success, introducing you to ideas and strategies to turn your skills, talents and experience into a profitable business
Check out the 'Video' tab for an inspiring look at what's in store
The Company
Melbourne Convention Centre, Plenary 3, 2 Clarendon Street
3006 Southbank
The Fine Print
Valid for conference on Friday 7 February 2014 only (bookings MUST be made by 6 February 2014)
Conference runs from 9:00am - 6:00pm, with registration required at 8:30am
Bookings are essential and are subject to availability
Valid for a general admission ticket for one person
Members can purchase one voucher for themselves and buy multiple vouchers as gifts for different recipients
24 hour cancellation policy applies, non-attendance and late cancellation voids voucher
Not valid in conjunction with any other offer and not redeemable for cash
Redemption instructions can be found on the voucher
Matthew Michalewicz on Competitive Pitching
A pitching master; his last venture becoming Australia's third fastest growing company in 2012 (Deloitte) which sold for tens of millions. Author of 'Winning Credibility' and 'Life in half a second' his insights on Pitching, Winning Credibility and Entrepreneurship are priceless.
Andrew Griffiths on Publishing for Profit
Australia's #1 small business author; 11 books sold in over 50 countries. A writing and publishing expert; international speaker; writer for CNN, columnist for INC Magazine and a leading advisor to top brands with over 20 years experience.
Tim Dwyer on Productising Services
With over 180 coaches servicing clients in 30+ countries, Shirlaws has increased it's clients combined market valuations by over 1 Billion Dollars since 1999, with over $100 Million of that in Australia alone. As Global Partner and CEO of Shirlaws Australia, Tim is a heavy hitter when it comes to capital growth, profit and lifestyle.
Valerie Khoo on the Power of Profile
Angel investor; award-winning entrepreneur; journalist; Author of 'Power Stories: The 8 Stories you MUST tell to build an epic business'. Valerie is a top business blogger and her own business, The Australian Writers Centre was named by Dell as one of the 10 most innovative small businesses in Australia.
Glen Carlson Host & MC. Global Director. Co-Founder of the Key Person of Influence series in Australia
Recognised by Fairfax Media as having grown from startup to over 1 million in annual profit in less than 3 years, Glen and his team specialise in helping entrepreneurs become more visible, valuable and profitable in their industries.
Apply the five steps helped us become one of the fastest growing companies in Australia."Tracy Angwin, Entrepreneur & Author
A gathering of bright minds who get things done."Mike Harris, Founder of 3 Multi Billion Dollar businesses
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Daily Inspirations


text:
The Ludosport Lightsaber Combat Academy is a chain (yes, there are multiple schools!) in Italy that teach willing students in the art of lightsaber combat. Or, for those who've never dreamed of being a Jedi, in dancing around swinging a glowing toy stick.
These guys have some serious skills. Going way beyond just hitting each other with toy lightsabers, there's a full range of acrobatic moves on display, as well as styles borrowed from stuff like Kendo.
Which...I dunno, kind of makes it all look a bit silly, no? Call me a fake space combat purist, but the ballet moves of the prequel trilogy seemed as fake and boring as the rest of the flicks; overly-choreographed and using spins to make up for a lack of gravitas (or acting ability).
That's in terms of being a Star Wars class, though. In terms of this being a social and fitness class - as emphasised in the trailer below - well, this is about as awesome as it gets.
Ludosport [Site, via Geekologie]


text:
Called upon early again, O's bullpen falters
After Gonzalez can't escape sixth, Baltimore 'pen allows six runs
TORONTO -- Following a four-game set in Boston in which three of his starters failed to go six innings, Orioles manager Buck Showalter made it clear that the rotation had to step up and start to go deeper into games.
Unfortunately for the Orioles, it was a familiar scene Tuesday at Rogers Centre as another abbreviated outing brought on the bullpen early, and a trio of pivotal three-run homers saddled Baltimore with a 9-3 loss to the Blue Jays.
Right-hander Evan Meek, who entered the game having thrown 9 1/3 scoreless innings over eight games, served up a three-run shot to Brett Lawrie in the eighth that proved to be the game-winner. But to put the loss squarely on Meek -- or the bullpen in general -- wouldn't be fair, with O's relievers picking up 16 1/3 innings in five games on the road, forcing Baltimore to add lefty T.J. McFarland, who was one of five pitchers used on Tuesday.
"Yeah it bothers me because as starters we want to go as far as we can to keep our bullpen fresh," said Orioles starter Miguel Gonzalez, who went 5 2/3 innings. "That just didn't happen tonight, and I wasn't too happy about it."
Meek, who was charged with four runs and exited after striking out Jonathan Diaz, was followed by Josh Stinson, who let the Blue Jays put the game out of reach with Melky Cabrera's three-run shot. Prior to Tuesday's late-game implosion, the O's relievers had been a bright spot for Baltimore, pitching to a 2.78 ERA on the road and constantly picking up innings as the rotation struggles to find its footing.
"I think we're getting guys 0-2 a lot, and we're getting to 3-2. That can't happen," catcher Steve Clevenger said. "When we get 0-2 we have to put the guys away and make pitches, make better quality pitches. That should keep the pitch counts down and get our pitchers further in the game."
While the Orioles are hardly the only team struggling with its rotation -- Toronto's R.A. Dickey recorded one more out than Gonzalez -- there's no immediate fix. Showalter, who wanted to stay away from using three or four relievers, acknowledged maneuvering the 'pen can be a challenge on nights like Tuesday, but said he isn't concerned with the relievers piling up innings.
"Not at eight pitchers. And not if we get an off-day here and there," Showalter said. "I just don't want to put them in harm's way. Sometimes we are rested and haven't pitched well out of the 'pen, too. That's a very convenient excuse if you choose to use it, but our guys won't do that."
Perhaps most puzzling about the starting rotation's performance has been that they've dominated early on. The O's have blown leads of five runs, six runs and three runs in their last three games as the starters seemingly fall apart, forcing an all-too-early call to the bullpen.
"You kind of expect that over the course of a year," Meek said of the heavy workload over the past week. "Guys down there know how the bullpen works. There is going to be times when starters are going deep into games and the bullpen is not going to be used, and there's going to be times where they need to be used early. We all know that. It's just a matter of being consistent, going out there and getting outs. And obviously, today it was a struggle. Just not a good day."
And while Gonzalez didn't get hit around, the right-hander couldn't give the Orioles the innings they badly needed.
Staked to a three-run lead on Nelson Cruz's homer, Gonzalez let Toronto tie it on Edwin Encarnacion's sixth-inning homer. Gonzalez watched the leadoff man Cabrera reach on a ball second baseman Steve Lombardozzi overran and Jose Bautista collect a broken-bat single to put two men on. Encarnacion then made sure the error hurt by sending a 1-1 pitch deep. Two outs later, Gonzalez hit Lawrie to spell the end of his night.
O's starters have now picked up 27 1/3 innings on the team's five-game road trip, pitching to a 4.97 ERA over that span. Gonzalez, who cruised through five scoreless innings to start, was followed by McFarland, who threw a scoreless inning. Ryan Webb threw two pitches for the final out of the seventh before handing the ball off to Meek.
"It's pretty frustrating," Gonzalez said. "We're better than that, as a whole, as a team, and it's going to come around."
"I think it was a little bit of bad luck," Clevenger said of Gonzalez's outing. "He was locating all day. He had all his pitches going for strikes. We just made an error, made one bad pitch and they capitalized on it."
The Orioles offense -- missing J.J. Hardy and Matt Wieters with minor injuries -- stranded the bases loaded in the seventh, missing an opportunity to break the tie as Adam Jones and Clevenger struck out against reliever Brett Cecil. Lombardozzi started the inning off with his second hit of the game, and Nick Markakis' ground-rule double chased Dickey in favor of Neil Wagner, who got Cruz to ground out. Cecil came on and walked Chris Davis -- who has 13 free passes and has now reached base in a career-high 18 straight -- before the pair of punchouts.
The red-hot Cruz put the O's on the board off Dickey, who cruised through five innings -- allowing just two hits by Clevenger -- but again fell apart in the game's second half.
"There's a consistent pattern that's emerging where I feel like I'm an All-Star for the first four or five innings of a ball game," Dickey said. "Then I get to pitches 75 to 100, and it's like I'm a different human being out there. I'm trying to figure out what that's about physically, but there are a lot of positives."
After Lombardozzi's fly ball fell into left field for a leadoff sixth-inning double, Markakis worked a walk and Cruz drove a 1-1 fastball over the left-center-field wall for a three-run shot that marked his fifth consecutive game with at least one RBI. Cruz, who also singled in the ninth, has been one of the team's most consistent hitters and has a team-leading 16 RBIs.
The Orioles went on to load the bases after Cruz's knock, as Dickey walked Clevenger and Ryan Flaherty in between hitting Delmon Young with a pitch. But Jonathan Schoop struck out to keep the O's at three runs.
"It's a big contrast in environments the last four days to today," Showalter said. "We got to try to finish that lead. It's a tough thing to do."


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The trend is your friend" is one of those sayings that endures because it has been proven right so often. When markets are going up, chances are better than even that they'll keep going up—until, of course, they don't. Pinpointing the change in direction is certainly a challenge. But what if there are no trends at all?
For one category of managers, "trend followers" of managed futures, trendless markets present an even bigger challenge than trying to spot reversals. Choppy prices and directionless markets are to trend followers what placid seas are to surfers. Because trend followers profit from identifying and capitalizing on the likelihood that the price of oil (or many other sectors like gold, currencies or stock market indexes) will continue in the same direction for a while, trends have indeed become their friend. Without sustained market moves—either up or down—trend followers just paddle around, waiting to catch a wave.
We pay close attention to trend followers (and a subset of managed futures managers called specialized managers, as well) at Altegris. Mostly this is because we believe that a portfolio that includes managed futures—both trend followers and specialized managers—offers the potential to deliver returns when traditional assets are performing poorly. Because of managed futures' historical record for zigging when long-only stock and bond portfolios are zagging, there has been an understandable demand for them as core long-term diversifiers.
But as it turned out, "trendless" and "directionless" accurately described the markets for trend followers in 2009, 2011 and 2012. In fact, those years have the distinction of posting three of the four lowest trend-strength readings for a calendar year in history. That observation comes from an interesting measurement developed by Rho Asset Management, an investment management firm in Zug, Switzerland that specializes in managed futures.
The Rho Trend Barometer measures the strength of a market trend and, as Rho puts it, "reveals whether you should ride the tiger or stand aside." You can read more about it at Rho's website, Rhoam.ch, but the gist is the higher the mercury moves—in this case a value of more than 43.3%—the more the markets are trending. If the mercury reads a value that is less 43.3%, it's a sign that market trends are weakening.
Not surprisingly, then, four of the five calendar years that the Rho Trend Barometer registered a value of less than 43.3% turned out to be losing years for managed futures. In 2009, for instance, the Trend Barometer dipped to 34.7%, a year when managed futures returned a negative 7.98%. By contrast, in 2008 the Rho Trend Barometer registered 52.1%, and managed futures returned an average 15.47%.
So, what's ahead? After a long stretch of meandering, are market trends strengthening or weakening? To borrow Twitter's terminology, are trends "trending"? Historically, exceptionally trendless markets like the ones in recent years have been short-lived. However, some other factors associated with managed futures' poor showing in recent years may also become less of a factor.
Specifically, if the era of low interest rates, diminished or compressed volatility and risk-on/risk-off investing is over, managed futures could benefit. If the Federal Reserve Bank does taper quantitative easing this year, as it has hinted it might do, a sustained period of more conservative, risk-off investing could ensue. Again, all trend followers want is to catch a wave. We think there is a good possibility that trends will strengthen in the months ahead.
Past is not prologue, as we like to remind investors. But historically, managed futures' underperformance has been infrequent and relatively lower in comparison to traditional long-only asset classes. They have a track record of generating profits through a wide array of market cycles over the long haul. In 19 of the last 23 years ended December 2012, managed futures have turned in positive results. And that's not a trend. That's a fact.


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Vacation is provided by the university for rest and relaxation and is meant to be taken accordingly. It is expected and assumed that employees will schedule and utilize their vacation during the "vacation year." As such, carry over of vacation will not be allowed. The university's complete vacation policy is contained in the Policies and Procedures (UPP 4-02).
Full-time Employees as of January 1, 2005 will be eligible for and accrue vacation as follows:
|Length of Service
|Paid Vacation
|Years 1 through 4
|3 weeks
|.308 hours per day (1.25 days/month)
|Years 5 through 19
|4 weeks
|.411 hours per day (1.66 days/month)
|Years 20 and above
|5 weeks
|.5136 hours per day (2.08 days/month)
The "vacation year" for non-exempt employees is the twelve-month period following the anniversary of the date of hire. For example, the "vacation year" for an employee with a hire date of April 15 would be April 15 through April 14 of the following year. A non-exempt employee may accrue the maximum paid vacation based on the years of service indicated above. However, at no time may an employee's total accumulated vacation exceed their annual allowance; i.e., three, four or five weeks. Carrying over any amount in excess of the annual allowance is not allowed at any time during the year.
All vacation utilized by non-exempt support staff employees must be recorded on the university's timekeeping system. The system will not allow vacation balances to exceed the allowable maximum.
Regular non-exempt part-time benefit eligible employees will receive vacation benefits on a prorated basis. All other provisions of this vacation policy apply.
Full-time Employees as of January 1, 2005 will be eligible for and earn vacation as follows:
|Length of Service
|Paid Vacation
|Prorated from date of hire to end of fiscal year
|Years 1 through 4
|3 weeks
|1.25 days/month
|Years 5 through 19
|4 weeks
|1.66 days/month
|Years 20 and above
|5 weeks
|2.08 days/month
The "vacation year" for exempt employees shall coincide with the University's fiscal year: July 1 through June 30. Exempt employees in their first year shall be credited with prorated vacation based on the date of hire through the following June 30. Thus, an employee eligible for three weeks of vacation in a full "vacation year" earns 1.25 days for each month of service. An employee hired January 1 will then be eligible for a prorated amount of 7.5 days of vacation between January 1 and June 30 or it will be lost. From that point on, the employee will be credited with the allowable vacation (either three, four or five weeks) based on years of service, as of each July 1. An exempt employee becomes eligible to accrue vacation at the four-week level starting with their fifth year of employment (49th month of employment). Carrying over of unused vacation from one fiscal year to the next is not permitted.
Exempt employees must report all vacation time taken to their immediate supervisor who is responsible for accurately recording vacation utilization in the timekeeping system.
Regular exempt part-time benefit eligible employees will receive vacation benefits on a prorated basis. All other provisions of this vacation policy apply.
Only full-time University dental school faculty and librarian faculty are eligible for 4 weeks of vacation upon hire. All other faculty do not earn vacation.
Requests for vacation should be submitted to the employee's manager at least two weeks in advance of the requested dates. All vacation should be scheduled when the workload permits and must be approved in advance by the appropriate manager, director, vice president, etc. Managers may restrict employees from taking vacation during the first three months of employment.
Vacations are provided for rest and relaxation and should be taken in weekly blocks. However, vacation may be taken in daily or half-day increments if scheduled and approved in advance.
Employees must utilize their vacation by taking time off from work. The university will not pay additional salary in lieu of vacation not taken nor provide advance payment of vacation pay.
*Carrying-over of unused vacation from one year to the next for exempt employees is not allowed. For exempt employees the "vacation year" is July 1 through June 30. As of each June 30, the vacation balances for all exempt employees shall be 0. For non-exempt employees, the "vacation year" shall coincide with the date of hire and at no time may an employee's total vacation balance exceed their annual vacation amount.


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Melissa DeRosa, who worked on Carl Andrews' unsuccessful Congressional campaign in Brooklyn in 2006 and in the press office of Nydia Velazquez, has been hired as the New York State director of Organizing for America, which is affiliated with the Democratic National Committee and Barack Obama.
Here's the announcement:
Washington, DC – Organizing for America (OFA), a project of the Democratic National Committee committed to building on and strengthening the historic grassroots network created during the Obama campaign and helping advance the President's agenda, today announced the following staff hires: Melissa DeRosa, New York State Director; Moira Kelley, Regional Field Director; and Geoff Berman, Regional Field Director.
President Obama announced OFA in January and the group has continually been active around important legislative initiatives. OFA first organized thousands of meetings in support of the Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Later the group organized a nationwide pledge drive and encouraged Americans to call their Members of Congress to encourage support for President Obama's budget priorities. Volunteers and supporters are continuing to have conversations and educate their neighbors and members of their community about the President's plan to reform Health Care. In recent weeks, OFA held thousands of Health Care Kick-Off events in New York and in communities across the country. On Saturday June 27th, OFA participated in a Health Care Day of Service where supporters and volunteers volunteered for a health care cause in their community.
OFA in New York recently be based out of Albany and recently opened a New York City office. OFA's operation in New York will continue to expand in the coming months.
"The work we're doing at Organizing for America is unprecedented. I'm grateful to be working with such a group of talented and dedicated staffers and volunteers in this effort to maintain and build upon the historic grassroots network of support that brought us victory in November. OFA has quickly become a way for people in communities across the country to make their voices heard on Capitol Hill and delivering on the President's promise to change the way Washington works," said DeRosa, New York State Director for OFA. "With over 45 million Americans without health care coverage it's clear that the time to act and pass health care reform is now. This week OFA volunteers and supporters will participate in a series of events across the state to demonstrate support of President Obama's plan to pass health care reform this year."
Information on new staff is below:
Melissa DeRosa, New York State Director
Melissa DeRosa is a New York native, having spent time growing up in Rochester, Saratoga Springs and Albany before attending Cornell University, where she received an undergraduate degree in Industrial and Labor Relations and Masters in Public Administration. DeRosa is an experienced New York political operative, having most recently served as Director of Communications and Legislation for Cordo & Co., LLC. During the 2008 election, DeRosa served as Campaign Manager for the Tracey Brooks for Congress Campaign. Prior to the Brooks Campaign, DeRosa Melissa served as Deputy Press Secretary to Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, Communications Director for "People for Carl Andrews" and Deputy Press Secretary for the successful NY State Transportation Bond Act Campaign "Vote Yes" in 2005. Melissa has also worked for Bolton-St. Johns, providing communications and political consulting services to clients, and has interned for HILLPAC and the New York State AFL-CIO. In addition, DeRosa serves on the Executive Board of the Women's Leadership Forum Network of the Democratic National Committee.
Moira Kelley, Regional Field Director
Moira L. Kelley is a Regional Field Director for Organizing for America. Prior to her hire there, Kelley worked as the Site / Event Coordinator for Union Station with the Presidential Inaugural Committee. During the 2008 general election, she served as a Field Organizer for the Obama for America campaign in the Hudson Valley and Westchester, NY. In previous years, she has also worked in new business at Bates Worldwide Advertising and as the Manager for Affiliate Sales at the YES Network. Kelley is graduate of Trinity College. She has lived in New York City for the last 9 years, and she currently resides in Brooklyn.
Geoff Berman, Regional Field Director
Geoff Berman is a Regional Field Director for Organizing for America. During the 2008 general election, Berman served as a Field Organizer for the Obama for America campaign in Missouri, and prior to that, did work for the campaign in New York and Pennsylvania. Before the campaign, Berman worked to reform the New York public school system primarily through his job as an attorney at the law firm of Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP, where his legal work focused on pro bono advocacy for alternative public high schools. Berman also served as Artistic Director of the Atlantic Theater Company's acting school for five years. Berman is a graduate of UCLA, where he earned an undergraduate degree in History and Politics, and the University of Virginia Law School, where he earned Master's and Juris Doctor degrees.


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Haris has provided a rebutal to my article entitled Haris Ibrahim Probably Will Have to Renounce Prophet Musa AS. His rebuttal is entitled Judge ye the tree by its fruit.
Haris says: I can almost hear Rahman screaming that we must give effect to a literal reading of Surah 2 verse 54.
Well, would Rahman also then give effect to a literal reading of the following, please?
'Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And Allah heareth and knoweth all things.' - Surah 2 verse 256
MY REPLY: In only says there is no compulsion to force others converting into Islam. Have nothing to do with death penalty to apostates. Sorry Harris.
Haris quotes:'If it had been thy Lord's will, they would all have believed,- all who are on earth! wilt thou then compel mankind, against their will, to believe?' - Surah 10 verse 99
MY REPLY:Has nothing to do with apostasy at all. I do not see it at all with regards to Apostasy.
Haris quotes:"'Do not make excuses; you have denied indeed after you had believed; if We pardon a party of you, We will chastise (another) party because they are guilty. The hypocritical men and the hypocritical women are all alike; they enjoin evil and forbid good and withhold their hands; they have forsaken Allah, so He has forsaken them; surely the hypocrites are the transgressors. Allah has promised the hypocritical men and the hypocritical women and the unbelievers the fire of hell to abide therein; it is enough for them; and Allah has cursed them and they shall have lasting punishment.' -Surah 9 verses 66-68.
MY REPLY:The verse speaks about the Hypocrites, which are Muslims on the outside but kufr on the inside. In other words, hypocrites are those who do not express their kufr feeling to Allah. They project an image of being a Muslim but in their hearts they reject Islam.
How then can they be punished for crime of apostasy when they do not express their riddah?
If they expose their true beliefs then they will be subjected to the laws of apostasy. If they don't then there is no evidence, is there?
Haris says: Also, could Rahman reconcile his obsession with killing the apostates against the following command of God?
'Tell those who believe to forgive those who hope not for the days of Allah; in order that He may requite folk what they used to earn.' - Surah 45 verse 14
MY REPLY: I struggle to find what this verse has anything to do with apostasy? The term "hope not for the days of Allah" could mean Muslims who are not prepared for the Day of Judgement.
Haris says: Finally, perhaps Rahman would care to share with us why, when so many verses heavily point to God dealing with apostates to the exclusion of all others, he would choose to read one verse as an imperative to kill?
MY REPLY: First of all, none of the verses Haris quoted "heavily point to God dealing with apostates". It is only Haris's interpretation of the verses. Nothing more.
Second, it is a Sunnah shown by the Prophet SAW and Sunnah is part of God's revelations as stated in 62:02 and many more. And not to mention, Saidina Musa does it too as reported in 02:54.
In conclusion, there are no verses in the Quran that supports Haris's case at all. Haris will be struggling to find his justification from the Quran's perspective.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Haris'es Verses Don't Negate Death Penalty for Apostates
Haris has provided a rebutal to my article entitled Haris Ibrahim Probably Will Have to Renounce Prophet Musa AS. His rebuttal is entitled Judge ye the tree by its fruit.
7 comments:
- Rozaimi Bin Mohd Said said...
You are absolutely right about the verse "there is no compulsion in Islam". It means no compulsion to profess Islam but when you are a Muslim, you can be forced to to what Allah asked usto do and leave what Allah prohibits us from doing. Unfortunately many Muslims out there especially those liberal thinking Muslims who likes to interprest Al-Qur'an and Hadith to suit their on needs interpret the above Qur'anic verse to cover all aspects in Islam including the do's and the dont's in Islam. That is why some of them said that, "don't force me to pray because Allah said there is no compulsion in Islam".
- June 23, 2008 at 11:18 PM
- Tulang Besi said...
TQ Rozaimi.
I took this initiative because there is too much unfair attacks on Islam especially done by those who call themselves Muslims
- June 24, 2008 at 5:49 PM
- Anonymous said...
Assalamu Alaikum to Ahlul Sunnah Wal Jamaah
Rahman said: In conclusion, there are no verses in the Quran that supports Haris's case at all. Haris will be struggling to find his justification from the Quran's perspective.
Rahman can you please explain this verse:
'Sesungguhnya orang-orang yang beriman, kemudian mereka kafir, kemudian mereka beriman semula, kemudian mereka kafir sekali lagi, kemudian mereka bertambah-tambah lagi dengan kekufuran, Allah tidak sekali-kali akan memberi ampun kepada mereka dan tidak akan memberi petunjuk hidayat kepada mereka ke jalan yang benar. (Nisaa 137).
Thank you.
- July 23, 2008 at 12:17 AM
- Anonymous said...
Rahman adalah seorang munafik yang menduakan Allah.
Bertaubatlah wahai penyembah Bukhari!
- August 21, 2008 at 5:03 AM
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One cold, autumn afternoon, all of that changes when Sarah's car plunges off a bridge and into a river. She is pronounced clinically dead to those on the "outside," but Sarah's spirit is still very much alive. What she discovers on the other side transforms everything about Sarah's view of life--past, present, and future.
When Sarah is revived, she is a changed woman. And the unsuspecting world around her will never be the same again.
|Title: Any Minute: A Novel - eBook
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The world as we know it may end on Oct. 17.
This statement seems hyperbolic. It sounds like another absurd prediction of the end times that garners far too much attention from the media. But this isn't about the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. Unless the Congress raises the debt ceiling, Oct.17 is the date that the United States government runs out of money to pay its bills.
The consequences could be catastrophic.
Defaulting on our financial obligations would shatter the global confidence in the U.S. dollar that has made it the worldwide reserve currency. U.S. Treasury bonds would no longer be perceived as safe investments, which means creditors would demand higher interest rates to purchase the bonds because of the increased investment risk. The rise in interest rates would make U.S. debt more expensive to finance, leading to more government spending and slower economic growth. The U.S. Treasury believes a default could cause another recession far worse than what we experienced in 2008.
Of course, this pending crisis is completely manufactured and entirely avoidable.
Since 1917, Congress has limited the amount of debt the U.S. can accumulate. In order to borrow beyond the current limit, Congress must take legislative action authorizing an increase. This is known as "raising the debt ceiling." This becomes necessary when the government's bills exceed the amount of resources available.
Until very recently Congress has regularly raised the debt ceiling with little opposition and almost no controversy. Leaders from both parties realized the necessity of paying the bills already incurred based on the spending Congress had authorized. Basic math and common sense reigned in Washington.
Recently, however, conservatives in the House of Representatives have seen the need to raise the debt ceiling as leverage for winning concessions on other issues. After a prior showdown in 2011 cost U.S. taxpayers more than $1.2 billion, President Obama and Democrats have refused to legitimize the tactic by negotiating over an issue of such significance for our economy and global financial health.
While initially seeming extreme, the analogy of hostage taking fits the circumstances well. Elected leaders of the United States are willing to risk economic catastrophe unless their demands are met.
Such a position is reckless and irresponsible, far more rooted in political ideology than sound public policy.
This failure of leadership, bordering on a denial of reality, also reflects a fundamental truth that Genesis has warned us about for thousands of years: there are limitations in the world that humans refuse to heed at their own peril.
The story of Adam and Eve (Genesis 2:4-3) is very familiar to us. God creates humans and places them in the Garden of Eden to work and care for the rest of Creation. While they are allowed to eat of fruit anywhere in the garden, God prohibits them from eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. A serpent proves persuasive and both Adam and Eve partake of the forbidden fruit. Having gained the knowledge of good and evil, thus attempting to become like God, they are cursed and then banished from the Garden.
For centuries interpreters have sought to understand the meaning of this rich text. At its core, the story is about boundaries transgressed resulting in an innocence that cannot be recovered. By refusing to obey the limitations imposed on them by God – that is by attempting to control their own destiny instead of living into the vocation given to them – Adam and Eve suffer irrevocable consequences. Human interactions are distorted. Work is transformed from a labor of love to a life of toil. The relationship with God is damaged in ways beyond human redemption.
Boundaries are created for a reason. Limitations need to be respected. The costs of failing to recognize these truths have severe costs.
The debt ceiling is a boundary. It may not be an eternally established truth, but failing to respect it will likely have severe consequences.
As every American understands, defaulting on a mortgage, missing a car payment, or making other decisions that damage your credit score causes serious financial pain that can haunt an individual for years and decades. In most cases, it is caused by events beyond a person's control – losing a job, unexpected medical expenses, or a tanking economy – that brings financial disaster. Nobody seeks out, much less invites, such destruction.
The United States has always paid its debts. Defaulting on our obligations would take us into unprecedented territory impacting our nation for generations. We could never again return to a time where our creditworthiness was unquestioned.
Those in Congress who are recklessly flirting with disaster might consider reading and reflecting on the early chapters of Genesis. We live in a world where actions have consequences. I hope our leaders in Congress have learned this lesson.
Rev. Beau Underwood is Director of Campaigns and Advocacy at Sojourners. He also works part-time at a Washington, D.C., congregation.
Image: Debt crisis illustration, mikeledray / Shutterstock.com
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A singularly American spirit that has turned out to be a singularly American success story.
American Heritage
Bourbon making can be traced back to the late 18th century in our country's infancy and stands as a uniquely American spirit known for quality and craftsmanship. Because of particularly specific and high standards, bourbon tastes different than other whiskies such as Scotch, Irish, Canadian, or Tennessee whiskey. Bourbon must be made in America and predominantly from corn. This makes bourbon unique among all other styles of whiskey. Furthermore, bourbon is never stored in used barrels. New oak barrels age bourbon slowly over time so it garners a deep amber color and rich flavors as it matures. No artificial color or additives are ever added. Remember, all bourbons are whiskeys, but not all whiskeys are bourbons.
The smooth yet complex flavor of bourbon makes it quite versatile for drinking many ways. The easily approachable taste can be enjoyed by connoisseurs and casual drinkers alike. Bourbon tastes magnificent straight up or on ice, but the depth of flavor makes for brilliant craft cocktails and classics, like the Manhattan and the Old Fashioned.
Smoother and more approachable than other whiskies, bourbon has inherent flavors of vanilla, oak, fruit, spice and honey. This depth of flavor is subtle and complex, but not overpowering, making bourbon easy to enjoy.


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A judge has granted singer Mel B a temporary restraining order and sole custody of her youngest daughter after she claimed her estranged husband subjected her to years of abuse.
The order was granted Monday after the former Spice Girl filed a sworn declaration stating Stephen Belafonte subjected her to emotional and physical abuse throughout their relationship and threatened to leak sex tapes of her.
Mel B, whose real name is Melanie Brown, wrote that Belafonte's abuse often occurred after high-profile events, including punching her following her appearance on Australia's version of "X Factor" in July 2012 and again days after she performed with the Spice Girls at the London Olympics.
U.S. & World
Court records filed in their divorce do not include a lawyer for Belafonte, and attempts to find a representative for him were unsuccessful.


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Hey y'all! How is everything going for you guys on these sunny summer days? On my side, so far so good. Cold, rainy Belgium may have its perks, but have so much to give back too. Yet, lately, I've been thinking about what I truly miss from my year and so abroad in China. And… Continue reading China vs Europe (part I) – 5 things you may ignore
Category: Story Teller
Happy New Year… still? 新年快乐
Hi everyone ! #ThrowBack / #FlashBack It has been a while since I haven't posted a new article here. You know, being back in Europe, some health issues and other things that kept me away from my beloved #blog. But now, it's 2018 and it's time to get back to what I love: telling travel… Continue reading Happy New Year… still? 新年快乐
Scan ton bike & smile – Paris à vélo #TravelBike -2
Salut les amis ! Pour ce premier article en français (English part here), je reste dans la continuité de mon sujet précédent : le système de vélo à louer. Je vous l'ai dit, en Chine (à Pékin, à lire ici), j'utilisais constamment les applications pour « emprunter » un vélo à la ville et m'en aller pédaler sur les… Continue reading Scan ton bike & smile – Paris à vélo #TravelBike -2
Let's Bike Our Way Through – #TravelBike – 1
Hello guys. So this week #Brève is about a great thing I have come to LOVE in Beijing: #BIKING !!! In this wild and huge city, you may think that the fastest way to get from your current location to a point B would be the subway. Well, to be fair, Beijing subway is, indeed,… Continue reading Let's Bike Our Way Through – #TravelBike – 1
Postal services or how your home country screws you ! – A tale of a return home (1/2).
Hi Guys. Today, it's a short article about something that just happened to me: the loss of a 16kg package sent from my host-country to my home-country. Bloggers, travelers, expats, this is for you but also to everyone who decides, one day, to send a package from a country to the other ! I am… Continue reading Postal services or how your home country screws you ! – A tale of a return home (1/2).
4 Temples Stroll – Temple of Heaven 天坛公园 (Walkli collaboration)
Hi guys ! After a long period of time, I can finally give you a piece of a new project I have been working on since I left Beijing. Before leaving my amazing life as an expat (for now!), I received an amazing proposition : a collaboration with an American web site called "Walkli". Walkli is… Continue reading 4 Temples Stroll – Temple of Heaven 天坛公园 (Walkli collaboration)
911 What's Your Emergency? China vs Europe
Hi guys ! It's been a while ! To be accurate, more than a month (that's not accurate at all but hey…). I's been a month that I am back in my hometown (Liège, Belgium). Since I got back, I had to checkup a bit some health problems. Nothing serious, but still concerning. After 3… Continue reading 911 What's Your Emergency? China vs Europe


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Driving Force
You've undoubtedly seen them. Maybe you didn't realize what they were, but if you've looked down recently you've seen them. Well-heeled men seem to be shod in a sporty cross between a chic moccasin and sturdy slipper. Perhaps you thought they looked comfortable for all their transcendent stylishness. Or maybe you just wondered at the curious bumps running up the backs of the shoes. They are driving shoes—the footwear intended for Porsche pedals and Maserati mats—that are showing up not just in automobiles, but at the office, the train platform and the soccer match. The names on the shoes—the vaguely WASPy sounding "Tod's" and the plain English "Carshoe"—convey the sense that this is the boat shoe for the twenty-first century. You know, one of those utilitarian objects of apparel that arise out of the preppy playgrounds of the Northeast.
One day Chet and Chip come back to the office from a long weekend wearing them as if they just didn't have the time or the inclination to lace up their brogues for the office. Soon everyone is wearing them for everything except their intended purpose because they seem to say "go to hell" with such deft insouciance that you can't bear not to join the chorus. Until one day you notice your baby-sitter and the guy who mows your lawn wearing them, and they don't seem so dashing and nautical anymore. Instead, they look like a cheap pair of leather-laced moccasins with a rubber sole and a fancy name, and you pitch them.
But don't be hasty. What makes driving shoes different is quality. At their best, driving shoes represent a sublime marriage of Old World craftsmanship and modern performance standards that could only be Italian in origin. And that's what the preeminent purveyors of the genre—Carshoe and Tod's—are, their British sounding names notwithstanding.
The story begins some 40 years ago on the Autostrada del Sole. Ridged by mountains and set back by the effects of the Second World War, Italy was late to develop a modern highway system linking the entire peninsula. But by 1964, the Autostrada, under construction since 1956, had connected Milan to Salerno and reduced overland travel from Rome to Milan from 33 hours to slightly more than six. Concurrent with this development was a surge in Italian commercial design in everything from automobiles to fashion—furniture to appliances—much of it utilizing the latest high-tech materials. Privileged Italians were taking to the open road at the same time they were enjoying another renaissance of style.
It was in this atmosphere that Gianni Mostile, a Vigevano cobbler, began creating shoes intended for the intimate confines of an automobile coach. Mostile reasoned that a shoe for driving must be lightweight, flexible and slip resistant, yet sturdy enough to be worn when one exits the car. The dotted sole, which has become one of the hallmarks of Carshoe, or for that matter the car shoe, came out of this thinking. The little rubber pebbles would resist wear while retarding pedal friction. They were made from rubber similar to that of a car tire. "Novocalf," the soft, thin leather that makes up the three-ply uppers, came from Tanneries Haas of France. The tarred twine for the stitching came from the Barbour of Britain, makers of wax jackets as well as other outdoor clothing. A technician injected the rubber nibs in the sole, and Mostile oversaw the rest of the process, an operation that involved 20 manual phases and as many as 160 hand-sewn stitches a shoe.
Mostile introduced his product in 1962 and by 1965 had patented the shoes. The first customers were race-car drivers and enthusiasts. Granted, these aren't the highly technical booties that Michael Schumacher steps into just before he hops in his Ferrari F2002 to race off to Formula 1 glory. (Those glorified high-top sneakers are lined with fireproof material, tipped with Kevlar, involve a lot of Velcro closures, and usually come in a combination of garish colors you wouldn't be caught dead in.) However, there are similarities. Pebbled soles afford the traction on the accelerator, brake and clutch pedals that the technical shoe achieves with a full rubber sole with hollows. The pebbling that extends up the back of the heel on many models protects the leather from wear as you ardently heel-toe the throttle and brake while tearing around the mountain curves of Monte Carlo. (This is an especially welcome quality when you've popped $350 for the shoes.) Racecar drivers' shoes have solid rubber up the back. But the two types of shoe compare best in terms of flexibility and sensitivity of the soles. They both bend with anatomical ease and allow the driver intimate feel for the pedals.
For years, driving was what they were used for. It was only later that the shoes trickled down to the public. In America, it was in the form of Tod's, a shoe of similar style and quality created by Diego Della Valle, that the shoe showed up on chic feet. Princess Diana wore them. They appeared as product placement in movies. Soon, cinema types were haunting Tod's exclusive second-floor private showroom on Rodeo Drive to try them on.
Naturally, the knockoff artists have targeted the look over the years, offering them with a similar appearance for a price far south of $350. There was, of course, an attendant loss of quality. If the knockoffs bother Carshoe or Tod's, neither is showing it. They look to each other as the competition. When Prada recently bought 51 percent of Carshoe from Antonio Moretti, who had bought the company from Mostile, chief executive officer Patrizio Bertelli pointedly remarked, "Copies of these shoes have been very successful, eventually becoming a status symbol." He meant Tod's, not the cheap copies. Bertelli had previously vied with Della Valle for the purchase of England's Church & Co. Shoes, a battle that he also won.
The plan for Carshoe, according to Moretti, is to expand distribution as opposed to increasing production, which is limited because each shoe is handmade. Carshoe has also opened its first store, in Villa della Spiga in Milan. Presumably, Prada's marketing arm in America will help Carshoe make up for lost time in the United States, where Tod's already has several stores as well as outlets in high-end retailers such as Barneys, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue. Here Carshoe will face the ironic problem of seeming to some Americans to be the Johnny-come-lately in a market it created. Moretti understandably claims preeminence for his shoes. "It's very simple: they were the first!" he declares.
For American consumers however, the only problems are happy ones. Decide which style to wear and whether propriety dictates matching driving shoes with evening clothes. And if your lawn guy shows up wearing them, you're paying him too much.
Lisa Zmud contributed additional reporting in Italy.


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50 Cent Interview With Dj Semtext! (50 Wants To Know Why Its Wrong For Beanie Sigel To Diss Jay-Z But When The Game Disrespects Curtis Its Ok)
50 interview with Dj Semtex
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The following is a daily arrest report provided by the Gastonia and Gaston County police departments and the Gaston County Sheriff�s Office. An arrest does not imply someone is guilty of any alleged wrongdoing. These arrests occurred from midnight March 22 to 11:59 p.m. March 23. Juvenile arrests (younger than 16) are not included. This report has been designed to capture as much data as possible based on the arrest date/time.
Gastonia Police Department
Joy Lynn Bardge, 34, 1282 Baugh St., Gastonia; 8:30 p.m., resist arrest or escape from custody, 1927 W. Franklin Blvd.
Nicholas Neil LaVecchia, 21, 1089 Fairwell Drive, Gastonia; 9 p.m., no charge listed, 900 Fern Forest Drive
David Alexander Wright, 23, 969 Brown St., Gastonia; 5:30 p.m., fraud/false pretenses/swindle/confidence game, 425 N. Marietta St.
Gaston County Police Department
Barry Martin Collins, 40, 214 Mountain Terrace Lane, Kings Mountain, 6 p.m., drug/narcotic violation, 325 N. Marietta St.
Stephen Christopher Lockey, 25, 108 Killan Farm Road, Stanley; 1:20 a.m., OFA contempt of court/perjury/court violation, 307 John Frasure Road
Christopher Tyrone Smarr, 30, 1205 Butler St., Gastonia; 2:09 a.m., drug equipment and narcotic violations, Goble Street and Olney Church Road
GastonCountySheriff�s Office
Zachary Tyler Bowling, 17, 1209 Old Post Road, Cherryville; 1:30 a.m., OFA contempt of court/perjury/court violation, 425 N. Marietta St.
Christopher David Rice, 25, 516 Glennallen Drive, Gastonia; 10 a.m., aggravated assault, 516 Glenallen Drive


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In a USA Today column Thursday evening, liberal Fox News political analyst Kirsten Powers took the establishment press to task for its failure to give more than cursory attention to the trial of Philadelphia abortionist Kermit Gosnell. Life News reminded its readers today that Gosnell "faces 43 criminal counts, including eight counts of murder in the death of one patient, Karnamaya Monger, and seven newborn infants." It excerpted an Associated Press story earlier today which may be a harbinger of a long overdue change in the amount and scope of trial coverage. We'll see.
If there's a change, it may partially be because of sharp criticisms leveled by Powers (links are in original; bolds are mine):
Philadelphia abortion clinic horror: Column
We've forgotten what belongs on Page One.
Infant beheadings. Severed baby feet in jars. A child screaming after it was delivered alive during an abortion procedure. Haven't heard about these sickening accusations?
It's not your fault. Since the murder trial of Pennsylvania abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell began March 18, there has been precious little coverage of the case that should be on every news show and front page. The revolting revelations of Gosnell's former staff, who have been testifying to what they witnessed and did during late-term abortions, should shock anyone with a heart.
NBC-10 Philadelphia reported that, Stephen Massof, a former Gosnell worker, "described how he snipped the spinal cords of babies, calling it, 'literally a beheading. It is separating the brain from the body." One former worker, Adrienne Moton,testified that Gosnell taught her his "snipping" technique to use on infants born alive.
Massof, who, like other witnesses, has himself pleaded guilty to serious crimes, testified "It would rain fetuses. Fetuses and blood all over the place." Here is the headline the Associated Press put on a story about his testimony that he saw 100 babies born and then snipped: "Staffer describes chaos at PA abortion clinic."
"Chaos" isn't really the story here. Butchering babies that were already born and were older than the state's 24-week limit for abortions is the story.
... A Lexis-Nexis search shows none of the news shows on the three major national television networks has mentioned the Gosnell trial in the last three months. The exception is when Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan hijacked a segment on Meet the Press meant to foment outrage over an anti-abortion rights law in some backward red state.
... The deafening silence of too much of the media, once a force for justice in America, is a disgrace.
I would beg to differ with Ms. Powers that the reason the Gosnell trial isn't Page One news is because journalists have "forgotten" what belongs there. They know damned well it does. They just don't like what it exposes.
Cross-posted at BizzyBlog.com.


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I am a Jewish mother. I worry. A lot.
I worry that I am not doing enough with my kids.
I worry that I am doing too much with them.
Today a friend of mine shared this with me on Facebook:
It hit home, hard.
When you homeschool, there are always so many well meaning friends and family who offer their advice and opinions.
"Kids NEED to be with lots of other kids, how else will they toughen up and learn about life?"
"Kids need to be stimulated, they can't just play all day. Look into tennis lessons, swim lessons, ballet lessons, piano lessons, science camp, reading camp blah blah blah..."
"It's not healthy for them or you to be together ALL day, everyday"
Honestly, it can get a little confusing.
When I look at my kids, I see they are happy. They are content. They have a really wonderful and safe little world right now.
In their world, they know that every morning they get to pick their breakfast.
They get to pour their own milk into the cereal of their choice.
They then get to decide what they want to do with their morning.
There are always lots of options ready for them to choose from.
They can go to our art section and pull out some construction paper, glue and scissors and create a master piece.
They can jump into a bean bag with a bunch of books and read whatever they want for however long they want to.
They can sit on the floor and create an entire village with blocks, Lego's, dolls and cars.
Kids need routine, don't get me wrong.
But part of their routine needs to include lots and lots of time for their minds to blossom.
Constantly giving kids things to do may validate YOU because you feel that they are getting X,Y and Z accomplished.
But giving them the ability and the confidence to make decisions based on things that THEY want to do do and what they enjoy is priceless.
In my experience, when a child is interested in something, feed it.
If they are not interested, either leave it alone or reintroduce it at another time.
Kids need love. Kids need discipline. Kids need to be treated with respect. Kids need options. Kids need parents who believe in them and give them and build up their confidence. Kids need direction. Kids need the opportunity to discover new things and explore their interests.
Kids do not need OUR agenda.
They have their own.
And if we tap into it, its quite remarkable what happens.
And you will see that when it comes time to learn certain things like reading, writing, math, Chumash, Gemara, etc. their brains will be SO ready for it because you have given them all these years, this gift, this freedom to exercise their brains and to figure things out by themselves and to make their own decisions.
I have seen it, and it's quite extraordinary.
Have a wonderful Shabbos,


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Was asked, and have been many times, why I don't believe in God. Or, if I minded hearing someone say "God" or even "Merry Christmas." Or, why I couldn't just believe in one and get over my having to be so picky about there being more. HAHAHA. Yeah, and I have responses to each one of those. But, here, I'll simply explain it.
To a pagan, we see many, or we may see none. By and by, we honor many--at least two: God and Goddess. Others, they see the Divine, the Universe, Creator; there are as many names for the higher power as their are ideas of it. And that's cool. It really is. It gives something beyond our labels and senses a bigger box to be kept in. Man seems to love putting things in neatly classified boxes and bottles.
But, God, as most say outside the Pagan Community (and some within), is exactly that. They are beyond us. They are beyond our senses, the five and our sixth--though that allows us to glimpse them, and our limited understanding. As humans, we cannot conceive of a being so grand as the Divine truly is. We are limited to the physical and here and now. That 'touch' or sixth sense allows us to refocus, somewhat beyond.
So, how do we see God? In Pagan belief, and it's varied, 'God' is seen as a jewel. Like a cut diamond. When you look at it, you cannot see every facet, not all at once. Bit, you can see some, at least one. 'God' comes to us as this, a facet of their whole self. They come as pieces/parts of themselves so that we may comprehend their presence. So that we may hear, see, understand, maybe even touch them. Each self they send is a facet of the much larger jewel. The true scope/beauty of the Divine.
That is the Pagan view of "god." Not that we disagree with one or the Christian trinity, we simply see it as facets of something greater--and in our own way.
And, for the record, I don't mind hearing or saying "Merry Christmas." I also rejoice and say "Happy Yule." Is a holiday season. I'll say "Happy Chanukah" and "Happy Kwanza." Doesn't it all look silly in quotations? Merriment is merriment and celebration is celebration. Check the in-fighting at the door. ;)
We're all made of the same mud.
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Jeter ties Wagner for sixth on all-time hits list
NEW YORK -- Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter moved into a tie with Honus Wagner for sixth place on Major League Baseball's all-time hits list with an infield single -- No. 3,430 -- in the first inning off Indians starter Trevor Bauer in Friday night's 10-6 win at the Stadium.
"Big names. I mean really big names," manager Joe Girardi said. "It's been fun to watch him go through it this season."
Jeter hit a ground ball up the middle that was fielded by shortstop Jose Ramirez at the edge of the infield toward shallow center field. Ramirez spun and threw to first, but the ball bounced out of first baseman Carlos Santana's glove and was ruled a hit by official scorer David Freeman.
"The field was a little wet," Santana said. "I don't know what happened, but I tried to catch the ball and I slipped a little bit when I tried to find the base. The ball came and I dropped it."
This marked yet another milestone for Jeter, who later scored on Carlos Beltran's single in a five-run first inning for the Yankees.
Jeter, 40, announced before the start of the year that this would be his final season. Tris Speaker is fifth on the hit list with 3,514.


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Cole and Son Rajapur Wallpaper
Rajapur is a feature wallpaper from Cole and Son, featured in the Contemporary Collection collection. Product Ref 66-5039.
|Product Ref
|Cole and Son
|Contemporary Collection
|Roll Size
|53cm x 10.05m
|Other Colours
|Also Available As
- Free Delivery
- Cole and Son Tub Paste
- A specially prepared paste made up of starch derivatives with resin emulsion and a very small amount of PVA.
- 5kg hangs 5 x rolls, 10kg hangs 10 x rolls
- Now only £16.00
Free Next Working day delivery is available if ordered before 11am on these brands:
- Harlequin
- Sanderson
- Morris and Co
- Scion
- Orla Kiely
- Zoffany
- Anthology
- Clarke and Clarke
Delivery times for the rest of the brands is generally 2 - 3 working days from the time in which the order was placed.
If your items are faulty or you change your mind, please return your order within 14 days of receiving it for an exchange or refund. Items must be unopened and undamaged.
Please ensure you purchase a sample before you place an order if you are in any doubt as colours on monitors vary widely.
Items returned must be un-opened and and re-saleable condition. Fabric must be not be cut or treated to receive a refund.
If you are still not sure after looking at the image, please order a sample by clicking on the link below.
Samples are 50p each with no delivery charge. You are able to order up to a maximum of 8 samples.


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Keys can be manually distributed, but this scheme does not scale well, the National Institute of Standards and Technology says in its latest recommendations for handling cryptographic keys.
"As the number of entities using a system grows, the work involved in the distribution of the secret keying material grows rapidly," NIST says in Special Publication 800-56B, titled Recommendation for Pair-Wise Key Establishment Schemes Using Integer Factorization Cryptography. "Therefore, it is essential to support the cryptographic algorithms used in modern U.S. Government applications with automated key establishment schemes."
The publication gives specifications of key establishment schemes that are based on the ANS X9.44 standard, "Key Establishment Using Integer Factorization Cryptography."
Cryptographic keys must be available both to the party encrypting data and to the party decrypting it. They can be established by both parties using a key establishment scheme in which the secret keying material is the result of contributions made by both parties, or a key transport scheme in which the sender creates the keying material and sends it, encrypted, to the receiver. The key agreement schemes described in this recommendation use asymmetric, or public-key, techniques. The key transport schemes use either public-key techniques or a combination of public key and symmetric key techniques.
The recommended are intended for use with NIST Special Publication 800-57 Part 1, "Recommendations for Key Management." Although the specifications are based on the ANS X9.44 standard, where there are differences between the NIST recommendations and the standard the NIST recommendations take precedence for government applications. In general, the NIST recommendations are more restrictive than the standard.
The NIST recommendations include a more detailed level of validation testing, require a higher minimum strength for public keys, and allow the same key to be used both for key transport and for key agreement. For key-wrapping algorithms, NIST currently specifies only the AES algorithm. The recommendations also require a more stringent key confirmation that includes authentication of the party confirming the key.
About the Author
William Jackson is a Maryland-based freelance writer.
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UGE Cynthia Chandelier Eight Light Chrome w Crystal E14 100cm
UGE Lighting - Cynthia Chandelier 8 Light E14 spiral teardrop chandelier with Egycian crystal.
Specifications and Features:
Dimensions (DxH): 400mm x 1000mm
Chain length: 1100mm
Colour: Chrome with crystal
Warranty: 1 Year manufacturer warranty
Globe Specifications:
Globe base: E14 x 8
Voltage: 240V
Globe Included: No, LED Compatible
Shipping Information
We shipped the products everywhere in the Australia. We have a flat rate shipping fee except for Northern Territory, Tasmania & WA. Please contact us to get the exact shipping charges. We ship via Australia Post & Other Various Shipping providers.
Basic Delivery Information
We understand that getting your items quickly is important to you, so we make every effort to process your order quickly. We also know that you want to save money, so you'll find free shipping on all the orders over $99.
Estimated shipping and delivery times are displayed on each of our product pages. We ship the order after getting payment cleared, delivery can take up 2 to 7 business days depending on where you live. Our free shipping offers do not apply to Northern Territory.
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While we make every effort to keep all listed merchandise in stock, occasionally we are sold out of a certain item. If we are out of stock on an item you have ordered, we will send you an email update as quickly as possible. It will then be your choice to proceed and keep the order in place or cancel it.
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Shipping charges for all items under $99 is based on the item size, weight, delivery destination, or other factors. We do our best to provide you with accurate shipping and delivery times on all our product, but please note that these times are approximate time only. Shipping and delivery estimates are not a guarantee.
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If you need to cancel or make changes to an order, please contact us as quickly as possible. Please note that most items ship within 2 to 3 business days, with some items shipping on the same day of your order, so we need to know as quickly as possible that you wish to change or cancel your order.
Cancellations are not guaranteed until you receive an email confirming cancellation.


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Britain's financial regulator fined Swiss bank UBS 9.45 million pounds ($14.8 million) Tuesday for exposing customers to unacceptable risk in the selling of an investment fund and for failing to deal properly with complaints that followed.
The Financial Services Authority says UBS AG placed some 2,000 customers' money in a fund that the bank had not properly reviewed, the so-called AIG Enhanced Variable Rate Fund. When AIG ran into trouble in 2008 as a consequence of the global credit crunch and the collapse of investment bank Lehman Brothers, there was a run on the fund.
The FSA says that UBS failed to carry out adequate due diligence, "so UBS had an inadequate understanding of the nature of the fund's assets and the consequent risks."
"Firms such as UBS should be under no illusion about the standards expected of them," said Tracey McDermott, director of enforcement and financial crime. "UBS's conduct fell far short of what its customers deserved and what the FSA requires. It failed to ensure it understood the product it was selling, failed to recommend it to the right customers and failed to take effective action in the financial crisis when the problems with the fund came to the fore."
UBS agreed to settle at an early stage, entitling it to a 30 percent discount on its fine. The FSA would have imposed a financial penalty of 13.5 million pounds on UBS were it not for the discount.
UBS is one of the world's largest managers of private wealth. Its reputation has been hurt by an industry-wide investigation into the rigging of the benchmark London interbank offered rate, or LIBOR. UBS' standing was also dented by a London trial into a multibillion-dollar trading scandal and ongoing tax evasion probes.