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Is It Time for X-Rays?
Questions to Ask When You've Got Tooth Pain
Asking the right questions is important when you have tooth pain. The next time you suffer from a toothache, ask your dentist these questions:
How Will My Problem Be Treated?
It's important that you feel comfortable with the treatment option your dentist suggests. Ask for detailed information about the proposed treatment options, including anesthesia choices and what you can expect after the treatment. There's no need to suffer during a dental treatment, thanks to a variety of pain control options, including local anesthetic or oral, inhaled or intravenous sedation.
How Can I Control the Pain Before the Appointment?
Warm salt water rinses, over-the-counter pain relievers and topical anesthetic gels can help keep you comfortable until your appointment. If your tooth is very sensitive, avoid eating or drinking very hot or cold foods or beverages.
What Should I Do If the Pain Gets Much Worse Before My Appointment?
Call the dentist as soon as possible if your pain worsens. Worsening pain is never a good sign and could indicate that you have a dental abscess. If the abscess isn't treated promptly, the infection could spread to other parts of your body.
You can't always tell if you have a dental problem just by looking at your teeth. X-rays give dentists a view of the interior portion of your teeth, allowing them to diagnose tooth decay, spot cracks and identify other issues that can affect your dental health. If you're not sure it's time for X-rays, ask yourself these questions.
How Long Has It Been Since My Last Checkup?
Dental X-rays are usually taken at least once a year, but may be offered more often, depending on your dental history and your insurance coverage. X-rays provide valuable information regarding the health of your teeth. Although dark spots on teeth can be signs of decay, in most cases, cavities are only noticeable on the surface of your teeth if the decay is extensive.
X-rays help your dentist identify cavities during the earliest stage of tooth decay, which means you'll probably only need a small filling. Filling cavities when they're small helps preserve the structural integrity of your teeth.
Do I Have a Toothache or Jaw Pain?
X-rays are always needed if you have pain in your tooth or jaw. The test can uncover a variety of problems, including tooth decay, cracks, cysts or tumors, impacted teeth or dying nerves. It's particularly important to visit your dentist if you have severe pain, as extreme pain can be a symptom of an infection in your tooth called an abscess.
If you have an abscess, your dentist will prescribe pain killers and antibiotics and will probably recommend a root canal. In addition to pain, other symptoms of an abscess include fever, swollen lymph nodes in your jaw or neck, swelling in your face or jaw or a boil on your gum.
Am I Experiencing Wisdom Tooth Pain?
Your dentist uses X-rays to determine if your impacted or partially impacted wisdom teeth are ready to come out. If there isn't enough room in your mouth for your wisdom teeth, you may experience pain, swollen gums, cysts, jaw stiffness, swollen gums, gum disease or damage to other teeth. In addition to determining if it's the right time to extract your wisdom teeth, your dentist will also consult the X-rays to locate nerves that must be avoided during the procedure.
Have I Experienced a Serious Blow to My Mouth?
Blows to your mouth can damage your teeth, roots or jaw. If you've experienced an injury, an X-ray will reveal the extent of the damage. If your tooth has broken, your dentist will use the X-rays to determine if the break extends to your roots. Extraction is the only option if your roots are fractured. If they're intact, your dentist can restore your tooth with a crown.
X-rays help keep your smile healthy. If it's time for your next dental appointment, or you're concerned about an aching tooth, call us to set up an appointment.
Colgate: Dental X-rays
Medline Plus: Dental X-rays
Colgate: Potential Causes of Tooth Pain
Mouth Healthy: Abscess
Our staff of dental professionals are dedicated to helping you achieve your dental wellness objectives. Thank you for subscribing to our dental wellness newsletter.


text:
Probably the best needles made, extra smooth and easy to use. Everyone gets pleasure from knitting, with Addi Needles it increases the satifaction and enjoyment of Knitting.
Each cord has the size of needle printed to avoid confusion.
If the cord ever becomes hard and dehydrated simple soak in warm water for a few minutes to restore it.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Where to Play
Fun Things to Do in Carolina Beach and Kure Beach
100 Carl Winner
(910) 264-1807
Let Capt. Robert Schoonmaker guide you on the fishing trip of a lifetime, with 30 years of experience fishing the Cape Fear Region. Inshore charters target red drum, black drum, flounder, trout, whiting, and sharks. We can cast Flys, Plugs, or bait, whatever it takes for you to have a successful fishing trip. Trips take place in the quiet and pristine backwaters of the Cape Fear River. You will see plenty of wildlife, along with great fishing action. Families and children welcome.
Coastal fishing charters take place 1/2 mile to 3 miles off Carolina Beach, Wrightsville Beach, Bald Head Island, and Southport, NC. Here we catch Spanish and King Mackerel, Albacore, Cobia, Sharks, Flounder, Grey Trout, and various others. These hard fighting fish can be caught trolling, casting lures, and soaking live or dead baits. No matter your skill level we will catch fish and have fun. Families and children welcome.
Captain Robert Schoonmaker is a true fishing professional. He is United States Coast Guard Licensed (50 ton masters) and both his vessels are in compliance with all Coast Guard regulations. Rest Assured that you and your family will have a safe and enjoyable day on the water.


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By Jethro Mullen and Erin McLaughlin
(CNN) — The latest chapter in Amanda Knox's long legal battle begins Monday in Florence, Italy, with a retrial over the 2007 killing of her British roommate Meredith Kercher.
But Knox, 26, who has expressed concern about returning to a country where she spent four years behind bars, will not be in the court.
She was convicted in 2009 of murdering Kercher, a 21-year old British exchange student who was found stabbed to death in November 2007 in the villa the two young women rented in the central Italian university town of Perugia.
The convictions of Knox and her ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, were overturned in 2011 for "lack of evidence."
After her acquittal, Knox returned to her hometown of Seattle where she has been living since.
But Italy's Supreme Court decided last year to retry the case, saying the jury that acquitted Knox didn't consider all the evidence, and that discrepancies in testimony needed to be answered.
Afraid to go back
Knox has said she's scared to return to Italy.
"I'm afraid to go back there," she said in an interview with CNN's Chris Cuomo in May. "I don't want to go back into prison."
The high court also said evidence could support prosecutors' initial argument — that Kercher was killed in a twisted sex game gone wrong.
Knox has said such claims are "a bombardment of falsehood and fantasy."
"No one has ever claimed that I was ever taking part in deviant sexual activity. None of my roommates, none of my friends, none of the people who knew me there. This is simply coming out of the prosecution," she told CNN in May. "I was not strapping on leather and bearing a whip. I have never done that. I have never taken part in an orgy. Ever."
The Supreme Court's decision to send the case back to the appeal court for retrial "may be interpreted by the American authorities as double jeopardy — twice tried for the same fact or the same case," said Riccardo Montana, a law lecturer at City University in London. "In Italy it's not like this, because this is still the same trial."
Watching from afar
If the court convicts her, Knox will be ordered to return to Italy. If she refuses, Italy could request her extradition from the United States. But it's not clear if American authorities would comply.
Knox has said she would be willing to take a lie detector test.
"I'd do anything to prove my innocence," she told CNN affiliate ITV earlier this month. "I don't think that is necessary. But like I said, I'm doing everything to prove my innocence. It's just very sad that's what it has come to."
Knox isn't the only person watching the retrial from afar.
Sollecito, her former boyfriend, told CNN he plans to stay in the Dominican Republic with a friend. At the moment he says he has no immediate plans to return to Italy.
And as the legal saga continues over Kercher's death, her family remains in Britain.
"It took us as a family nearly five years to even begin to feel ready to lay Mez to rest and it is still extremely painful now," they said in a statement Sunday, according to ITV.
They also appeared to respond to recent comments by Knox that she would like to visit Kercher's grave.
"She now has a place near to us that we and her friends can visit to take flowers and spend time…her grave is now her safe place to sleep in peace and be with us and we hope that is respected by all," the family statement said.
CNN's Jethro Mullen reported and wrote from Hong Kong; Erin McLaughlin reported from London
™ & © 2013 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.


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late again! pretty soon they're gonna start docking my pay….
Working out who's top dog – "A new study reveals how the brain interprets information about social hierarchy." – woof.
Their Right Stuff – "The Grant study has … made the bizarre discovery that subjects' late-life mental health is strongly associated with the longevity of maternal grandfathers. That indicates a link to both traits somewhere on the X chromosome…. Just as communism, according to an old Hungarian joke, was the long road from capitalism to capitalism, psychiatry now looks like the long road that led from Darwinism to Darwinism." – heh.
If you are a perfectionist – blame your parents: Aiming to be the best is determined by your genes – "Perfectionists are born – not made – scientists claim"
The genetics of stupidity – from greg cochran.
Research suggests that humans are slowly but surely losing intellectual and emotional abilities – "With the development of agriculture, came urbanization, which may have weakened the power of selection to weed out mutations leading to intellectual disabilities. Based on calculations of the frequency with which deleterious mutations appear in the human genome and the assumption that 2000 to 5000 genes are required for intellectual ability, Dr. Crabtree estimates that within 3000 years (about 120 generations) we have all sustained two or more mutations harmful to our intellectual or emotional stability."
Some guys get all the babes – not exactly – from jayman. (luv the photo! (~_^) )
Mongolia and the Altai Mountains: Origins of genetic blending between Europeans and Asians – "[T]his blending was not due to an eastward migration of Europeans, but to a demographic expansion of local Central Asian populations, thanks to the technological improvements the Scythian culture brought with them."
Children suffer effects of parents' divorce into adult life – "The children of divorced parents can suffer the effects of the break-up well into their adult life, a report has found."
Culture: Diverse diagnostics – "Perhaps the most dramatic demonstration of this is a study of more than 55,000 children in South Korea, which estimated autism prevalence at 2.64%. That's more than twice the autism prevalence in the United States estimated by the US Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, and more than 50 times higher than the South Korean government's figure for autism prevalence of 0.046%. One reason for that higher estimate may be that the researchers screened children in the general population for autism symptoms, rather than recruiting them only from clinics for autism and other developmental disorders."
Does cloudy weather make you ginger? – "Provisional statistics indicate that between two and six per cent of northwest Europeans are redheads, compared to an average of one or two per cent in the world population. But in the UK the numbers are much higher, with 13 per cent of Scots, 10 per cent of the Irish, and six per cent of individuals in England having read hair."
Hacking the President's DNA – "The U.S. government is surreptitiously collecting the DNA of world leaders, and is reportedly protecting that of Barack Obama…. In the not-too-distant future, they may provide … the basis for the creation of personalized bioweapons that could take down a president and leave no trace."
Childhood obesity more likely to affect children in poorer neighborhoods
India's dwindling Parsi population to be boosted with fertility clinics – "The Indian government is to fund new fertility clinics to help save its dwindling Parsi population which is now under threat of extinction."
bonus: 'Super-Earth' exoplanet spotted 42 light-years away – when are we leaving?
bonus bonus: Fungus that controls zombie-ants has own fungal stalker – hyperparasites!
bonus bonus bonus: New carnivorous harp sponge discovered in deep sea
(note: comments do not require an email. ping-pong sponge!)


text: NHREIA (New Hampshire Real Estate Investors Association) is dedicated to connecting real estate investors, realtors, contractors, attorneys and mortgage lenders in New Hampshire, as well as New England, and throughout the United States. Our members are interested in investing in real estate, purchasing REO's (Real Estate Owned), foreclosures, multi-family, wholesale and flip properties, as well as income properties for real estate investment, both residential and commercial. Our expert investors impart education and foster success in new real estate entrepreneurs. We meet each month in Manchester, NH. Member of NationalREIA


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How '6 Californias' creates a state of confusion
Questions on water, prisons, roads as backer submits petitions
Sacramento --
Voters may have a chance "to reboot and refresh our state government," if Silicon Valley venture capitalist Tim Draper's plan to split California into six states makes the November 2016 ballot, but the wealthy investor's vision of California's future is longer on enthusiasm than on details.
"We are ready to make a change," Draper said Tuesday as he delivered 44,000 of the estimated 1.3 million signatures collected for his constitutional amendment to the Sacramento County registrar of voters. "We're saying, make one failing government into six great states."
But when pressed on just how a plan that creates six smaller states with huge disparities in population, resources and income would be good for all Californians, Draper was less forthcoming.
Questions, for example, about who would run the labyrinthine network that delivers water to arid regions with millions of people, how California's multibillion-dollar pension obligations would be paid, and how the University of California and state college systems would be divided can all be worked out, Draper said.
Working out those troubles, however, can cause more difficulties than the Six Californias initiative was designed to solve, said Corey Cook, an associate professor of politics at the University of San Francisco.
"It's a solution in search of a problem," he said of Draper's plan. "There's a mythology that this just provides a fresh start, but how do you disentangle 150 years of fiscal controls and arrangements?"
Water agreements, such as the Hetch Hetchy system that serves San Francisco and the Peninsula, would now be between separate states, as would the California State Water Project, which transports water south.
Jumble of services
Prisons are not always in the areas where their inmates come from. About 37 percent of the state's prisoners, for example, were convicted in what would be West California, which would include Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties - but those counties have only 7 percent of the state's prison beds.
Fire stations, state parks, office buildings and even state vehicles and other equipment are all spread unevenly across California and would have to be considered in any split of the state.
There's no guarantee this can happen in a hurry. West Virginia seceded from Virginia in 1861, but it wasn't until 1915 that the dispute over who owed what to whom was decided by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Draper said signatures for his measure were submitted Tuesday to registrars in all 58 counties. The secretary of state's office said those local officials will begin the process of determining whether Draper's group had the 807,615 valid signatures of registered voters needed to get the measure on the ballot.
Under Draper's plan, each of the six states would have its own government and own collection of elected officials, including congressional representatives.
It would make San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose part of the state of Silicon Valley, which would extend to Contra Costa, Santa Cruz and Monterey counties. San Diego and Orange counties would be in South California, while Los Angeles, Santa Monica and Santa Barbara would be in West California.
'Some serious issues'
The Central Valley south of Stockton and the central and southern Sierra would be the state of Central California, while North California would include Marin and Sonoma counties and the greater Sacramento area. Rural counties in far Northern California would make up the state of Jefferson.
Draper, a former Republican now registered as decline-to-state, said smaller, more local governments would be more responsive to citizens and business alike.
"Six Californias gives us the opportunity to live in this glorious state and have great government services, too," he said.
Plans to split the state "come along every few years," said Shaun Bowler, a political science professor at UC Riverside and an expert on the California initiative process. But such proposals usually fail to deal with "some serious issues involved in these kind of breakups," which are huge.
State disparities
The initiative calls for a 24-member Board of Commissioners, with members appointed by the state Legislature and the six new states, to "settle and adjust the property and financial affairs between the state of California and the newly created states." If they can't reach agreement, the state's debts would be split among the six new states, based on their population, with each new state taking control of the state colleges, roads, bridges, office buildings and other government assets within its borders.
But while the debts may be doled out equally, the income won't be. According to a January study by the state legislative analyst's office, the new state of Silicon Valley would be the richest state in the union, based on per-capita income, while Central California "would rank last among all U.S. states."
'Your own state bird'
And if each new state gets the colleges in their territories, Silicon Valley boasts UC Berkeley, UC San Francisco, UC Santa Cruz and four state universities. Jefferson has only two: Humboldt State and Cal State Chico.
Still, Draper argued that change in the way California operates can only be for the better.
"Nearly 1 in 5 of us is living below the poverty line; our prison population has quadrupled," he said. "Our state's technology lives in the 1980s, and our roads and freeways are starting to crack."
He said the message to California voters is, "Now, it's up to you."
"You can mold your own state," Draper said, and choose its services, government officials and "your own state bird."
Splitting the state
Issues likely to come up as the Six Californias idea advances:
State parks, beaches: Could states charge higher fees to nonresidents?
UC and CSU: Nonresident tuition for students suddenly out of state?
Prisons: Areas that now send plenty of convicts to out-of-area prisons might need new local lockups.
Water: The Sierra has it, the Bay Area, L.A. and the Central Valley need it, and they'd all be in different states.
Roads: Could a new state turn its piece of Highway 1 into a toll road?
Carla Marinucci and John Wildermuth are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com, email@example.com Twitter: @cmarinucci, @jfwildermuth


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Think Outside the Box for Custom Snare Sounds
Presets Get the Job Done, But Customized Sounds Help You Create Your Own Style and Sound
By AMIR SAID (SA'ID)
An exclusive excerpt from The BeatTips Manual, 6th Edition by Amir Said (Sa'id)
You know the deal: drum sounds are fundamental. Whether you've made your 10th or 1,000th beat this week, you've learned the importance of dope drum sounds. And when it comes to drum sounds, you can get away with a limited number of non-descript kicks. But without a distinct group of snare sounds, your beats might suffer. Why? Because since the advent of the MPC 2000, widespread sample packs, and software programs galore, many beatmakers have taken to using the exact same stock snares. And, in the process, they've decreased the chance of giving their beats a distinctive sound.
Now, don't get me wrong. There have been some beatmakers who have been able to get away with rocking one or two snares. But in those cases (most of the time), the snares have been cultivated to an ultimate level of distinction, a level in which they work almost with any non-drum arrangement. Keep in mind, however, in order to arrive at such snare sounds, some level of customization had to have gone on previously. So in this BeatTip, I want to discuss some different methods for customizing snares. Some of which were taught to me and some of which I developed on my own.
The first set of snare sounds that I ever customized were part of a classic rock kit (on floppy disk) that came with the E-Mu SP 1200, the first drum machine/sampler I ever used. Some of the snares on the kit were OK, but they didn't fit where I was trying to go sonically. So after finally recognizing that none of the snare sounds fit with the feel and style of music that I was going for, I went about customizing them. At the time, I didn't have an analog mixing console to run my sounds through; therefore, I couldn't easily boost up the bass (the low end) of the sounds I wanted to modify. I did have a dual cassette recorder and a lot of imagination, though.
So here's what I did the first time I ever attempted to customize snare sounds. I recorded every snare sound that I had to cassette tape. Next, I dubbed (duplicated) them. After dubbing the sounds, I sampled them into my Akai S950. Once inside of the Akai S950, I was really able to get creative. It wasn't that I couldn't have chopped or filtered the sounds inside of my old SP 1200, I could have. It was just that the S950 gave me a different sound, plus I felt more comfortable working with its sampling functions than those on the SP-1200.
Next, I went around my room (at that time) with a Shure SM-58 live microphone sampling all sorts of sounds. I took a hammer and hit the bottom of a metal folding chair. I took a drum stick and rapped back and forth on a Nike sneaker box stuffed with socks (I sampled the sneaker box with and without the lid on; there was indeed a noticeable difference). Switching up between the hammer, the drum stick, and a wooden hanger, I hit the inside of a window pain. Needless to say, I sampled every sound that I could imagine, anything that I thought might be interesting. All of this sampling probably took me no more than 10 minutes, tops. By the way, I would also like to think that this process taught me more about acoustics, but I digress…
So having sampled this wide assortment of sounds, all in the same room, mind you, I went about "matching" the sounds with the cassette versions of E-Mu's classic rock kit as well as several other snare sounds that I had. Incidentally, this was around the time that I first began to understand the process of layering sounds. Particularly, I was discovering the potential for layering, both as a means for customizing drum sounds as well as other sounds. I was also learning how layering could affect the overall texture and tenor of a beat. Not too long after that, I began applying these techniques to all of the drum sounds that I used. And after while, I stopped buying other peoples' drum kits altogether and I started sampling drums from records and literally making my own drum sounds.
Special Note: Since I first began customizing my snare sounds, I have never used a pre-set drum sound as-is again. Although pre-set drum sounds undoubtedly serve a purpose (I have heard some pretty nice pre-set drums), I've always found that customizing your own sounds goes a long way in helping you carve out your own unique style and sound. Still, if I come across a pre-set drum sound that I like, I'll use it. Of course, I modify it to make my own.
Short list of items great for customizing snares:
• Live microphone with an extended chord to allow you to move freely
around your space.
• A tambourine. Any percussion instrument you can pick up from a music store will help you customize your snare sounds as well create sound composites that are unique.
• A wood block.
• At least one drum stick. (You can use two in rapid succession on any hard surface. You'll be surprised at what you can come up with after you filter and adjust the pitch on a sound created by two drum sticks.)
• A mallet and a hammer.
• A shaker.
• A real set of bongos are ideal but not absolutely necessary.
• A cassette tape player! Yes…they're dirt cheap now, and they allow for connection back to the analog age (if that matters to you). Also, nobody will ever be able to duplicate your sounds if you've used some combination involving a cassette tape.
• Some sort of wooden board, maybe a chef 's cutting board, something that you can strike with anything, like a bottom of a shoe, a mallet, a set of keys, a hockey puck, and, of course, a drum stick.
• Some studio foam.
The BeatTips Manual by Amir Said (Sa'id).
"The most trusted name in beatmaking."


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Ed O'Keefe
Washington Post
Feb 24, 2013
A bipartisan group of senators is on the verge of a deal that would expand background checks to all private firearms sales with limited exemptions, but significant disagreements remain on the issue of keeping records of private gun sales, according to aides familiar with the talks.
An agreement would be a bold first step toward consideration of legislation to limit gun violence in the wake of the mass shootings at a Connecticut elementary school in December and comes as the Senate Judiciary Committee is expected this week to begin considering new proposals to limit gun violence.
The talks, led by two Democrats and two Republicans, are expected to earn more GOP support in the coming days and likely enough to move the bill through the Senate, according to senior aides of both parties who were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.
"These negotiations are challenging, as you'd expect on an issue as complicated as guns," the chief negotiator, Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), said in a statement Saturday. "But all of the senators involved are approaching this in good faith. We are all serious about wanting to get something done, and we are going to keep trying."
We are now accepting pre-orders for our healthy and delicious storable food. Stock up today!


text:
Can anyone suggest a script that will take as input the name of one or more directories and a media size, and output lists of files for input to tar using
-T (assuming no compression)?
sdvdbackup sort of does this, but it's full of bloat that I don't need. So basically looking for something like this:
./splitTars file1 file2 .... 2.0T
file can be a file or directory, and the last argument is the size of the media (e.g. 2TB). It should then output a file list for each tar archive and give a warning for files that are too big to fit on the media.
If nothing like this exists, one way to do it would be to create the list of files using find, re-arrange them in increasing or decreasing size, then start cutting the list up into pieces.


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"After 25 years I feel that I am just getting started." says Davio's Chef/CEO, Steve DiFillippo. At the age of 24, Steve purchased an established restaurant called Davio's in Boston's Back Bay. And this was the first in a succession of popular restaurants changing the concept to a Northern Italian Steakhouse. Steve is a graduate of Boston University and the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts. He is very involved in the community, serving on several non-profit boards. Steve is the honorary Chef representing the New England Patriots at the Taste of the NFL's "Party with a Purpose" event at the SuperBowl.
Steve DiFillippo is a different kind of celebrity chef — famous among the famous more than he is among the general public.
—Kerry Byrne, Food & Sports Writer
In 2008, he was inducted into the Massachusetts Restaurant Hall of Fame. Steve lives in Wenham, MA, with his wife Pamela and their four children. He runs 4–5 miles a day, "so I can wrongfully delude myself that I can eat anything I want," he says.


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Attorney General Kamala D. Harris Files U.S. Supreme Court Brief in Support of Constitutionality of Health Care Reform
SACRAMENTO --- Attorney General Kamala D. Harris has filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the U.S. Supreme Court supporting the constitutionality of federal health care reform and urging the high court to uphold the landmark law.
"Though state governments and private actors have taken important and innovative steps to expand access to health care and to restrain the growth of health care costs, no remedy can be fully effective without action on a national level. The Commerce Clause empowers Congress to take such action, and Congress properly employed that power in addressing the nation's healthcare crisis through the reforms enacted in the Affordable Care Act," the amicus brief states.
In August 2011, a divided United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit ruled that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's minimum coverage provision, which requires that individuals maintain adequate health insurance, is unconstitutional. The United States government appealed that decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, which will hear oral arguments in the matter in March 2012.
Attorney General Harris, joined by 12 other attorneys general, argued in a brief filed today in the U.S. Supreme Court that the Constitution gives Congress broad powers to regulate interstate commerce, including individual conduct that substantially affects interstate commerce.
The failure of millions of Americans to purchase health insurance has a substantial negative impact on interstate commerce, as well as state economies and budgets. In 2009, the healthcare economy accounted for 17.6% of the nation's gross domestic product. In 2008, the cost of uncompensated health care — health care provided to those who lacked insurance or some other ability pay — was $43 billion nationally. As a result, providers shift a significant portion of those costs onto insurance companies and other payers. Each American family, on average, pays $1,000 more than necessary in health insurance premiums as a result of the shifting of those costs.
"Health care is one of the fastest growing expenditures in the federal budget, California's state budget, and the budgets of families across America," Attorney General Harris said. "Federal health care reform is not only essential to improving access to quality health care in California, it also is central to the long-term health of our economy, as well as state and local budgets."
The historic health care reform law will reduce the need to shift the cost of uncompensated care of the uninsured or underinsured and will reduce the expenses absorbed by the states and by individuals with health insurance. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is an indispensable aid to the states in their own efforts to tackle the healthcare problems their residents face.
Other states joining California in this brief are Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, New Mexico, New York, Oregon and Vermont. The brief is also joined by the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands.
A copy of the amicus is attached to the online version of this release at www.oag.ca.gov.


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Ascot Stakes Previous Winners
With 18 Group races (eight of those at Group 1 level) spread across the five days of Royal Ascot, it is not uncommon to see previous winners come back year after year. Might we see Stradivarius return to defend his Gold Cup crown? Or will impressive Coventry winner Calyx step up in trip and have a crack at the St James's Palace?
The 2020 race card will be ready for you as soon as the entries become available.


text:
Samantha Hansen's greatest hurdle in reaching Antarctica isn't the distance or the cold or the paperwork. It's the government shutdown, which ended late Wednesday night.
Samantha Hansen's greatest hurdle in reaching Antarctica isn't the distance or the cold or the paperwork.
It's the government shutdown, which ended late Wednesday night.
Hansen, a University of Alabama assistant professor of geological sciences, still plans to leave Nov. 4 for her second research season in Antarctica, where she will check earthquake-monitoring equipment in hopes of understanding the origins of Antarctica's longest mountain range.
But her departure date is still somewhat in limbo because of the effects of the government shutdown.
Hansen cannot travel to Antarctica until the research station she uses, which was closed during the shutdown, is rebuilt from its bare-bones inactive state. The research station will need time to return to working order, Hansen said.
"We're all just kind of biting our fingernails and sitting in a holding pattern trying to figure out what'll happen," she said.
The window for research in Antarctica is limited to the continent's summer, meaning that if Hansen doesn't receive the go-ahead soon, she will have to wait until next year.
Hansen fears that may be too long a time for her equipment to be exposed to the Antarctic elements. The equipment has enough battery power and memory to last until the next year, she said, but malfunctioning equipment would not be fixed. Equipment buried
under two years of snowfall may also be impossible to find.
"That's a whole year's data that's probably down the drain," she said.
Hansen has no way of knowing the status of her equipment. Because the Transantarctic Mountains are so remote, she has to check all 15 of her equipment stations in person.
She planned on using the six-week period to travel to each station, perform any maintenance on the equipment, and collect the data to be analyzed fully back in the U.S.
Hansen's project received a five-year, $715,000 grant from the National Science Foundation in 2012. She and her team set up the equipment in areas along the Trans-
antarctic Mountains last November and December with the expectation of collecting three years of data.
The equipment picks up seismic activity from around the globe and uses the signals to create an image of Earth's structure below the Transantarctic Mountains.
Hansen studies this mountain range because its origin is unknown, she said. Most mountain ranges form from the collision — or compression — of two tectonic plates or other land masses, but the Transantarctic mountain range did not, making it the largest "non-compressional" mountain range in the world, she said.
"This mountain range is kind of enigmatic," she said. "We don't see the tell-tale characteristics with this one."
Hansen will consider several different theories about the range's origins. She will use the image she creates from her data to look for certain characteristics associated with each theory. She aims to identify the correct theory from this process.
Hansen said she hopes to contribute her discoveries to a more complete geological picture of Antarctica and to help explain other non-
compressional mountain ranges in the world.
She also said researchers could analyze her data for the larger topic of climate change and polar ice melting.
"If you're going to know how an ice sheet is moving in response to melting, you're going to need to know something about what it's sitting on," she said.
Hansen isn't the only one in danger of losing data and resources to a missed season. Two graduate students working with Hansen had planned to use the project's data in their personal research.
Lindsey Kenyon, a student seeking her master's in geological sciences, will have to switch thesis topics if she cannot go to Antarctica this year. She and the other graduate student, Jordan Graw, began their current research when they went with Hansen to set up the equipment last year.
Kenyon's current thesis would use the collected data to determine the thickness of the Earth's crust under the Transantarctic Mountains.
"This is the project I'd
really like to work on," she said. "The other options aren't as ground-breaking."
Antarctica appeals to Hansen and her team as an open frontier for scientific research, Hansen said.
"It's basically unexplored," she said. "You can really break some new ground on the research you're trying to do."
Hansen's optimism about the situation fluctuates, but she still holds out hope that she will be able to go this year. She said she expects to find out whether she can go in the next couple days.
"I'll be deliriously happy if they call me next week and say, 'Pack your bag. You're on your way.' "
Reach the newsroom staff at firstname.lastname@example.com or 205-722-0189.
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In an analysis of assets held in Vanguard defined contribution plans, the company found that by the end of 2012, nearly half of plan assets were in indexed or passively managed investments, according to a report released in August. The fund giant credited the trend to the proliferation of index target-date funds.
Thirty-one percent of assets were in actively managed funds, and 24% in "nonindexable" investments like money-market and stable value funds, and company stock. By comparison, in 2004, soon after Vanguard launched passively managed target-date funds, 40% of DC assets were in active funds, with 28% in index funds and 32% in nonindexable options.
Vanguard studied assets held in its plans between 2004 and 2012. The company introduced passive target-date funds at the end of 2003, and acknowledged that the early introduction has led to a higher level of adoption among clients compared with industry averages.
When nonindexable assets were excluded from the analysis, 2% of plans were invested entirely in passive options, and 5% had at least 90% of their assets in passive investments. Total assets in index investments increases from 45% to 59% when nonindexable assets are excluded.
Vanguard noted that the increase coincides with the introduction of indexed target-date funds to defined contribution plans, not just because investors want them, but because sponsors are looking at them to lower plan costs.
While indexing's popularity is reflected in its greater share of plan assets, investment menus are also changing. Vanguard found the percentage of index offerings in plan menus has increased to 57% from 42% in 2004. Most of that growth was from the addition of index target-date funds, which increased from 3% in 2004 to 31% in 2012.
However, Vanguard found that while active offerings account for a smaller percentage of investment lineups, the average number of active offerings actually increased: from 6.4 active stock funds in 2004 to 7.1 in 2012, and from 1.4 active bond funds to 1.7.
"These changes, combined with the overall increase in investment options offered, seem to suggest that plan sponsors are adding index TDFs but not removing other funds from the menu," according to the report. When looking only at plans that offer index TDFs, though, Vanguard found the average number of funds actually fell.
In plans that offer index TDFs, the average number of funds in the plan fell from 31.7 to its lowest level of 25.4 in 2006, before rising to 28.6 in 2012. In plans that don't offer index TDFs, the average number of funds has hovered between 15.6 and 16.3 over the same time period. Vanguard pointed out that in the plans with index TDFs, the number of active funds fell by 5.6 funds, while the number of index TDFs offered rose by 6 funds. "This nearly equal exchange in fund types suggests that plan sponsors adding index TDFs are making a broader strategic shift in their view of active versus passive choices in the plan," according to the report.
Index TDFs account for 17% of plan assets. Vanguard attributed this lower level of assets, relative to other index options, to the funds' popularity among new investors and their frequent use as the default option in plans with automatic enrollment.
Check out Vanguard: ETF Acceptance Grows on ThinkAdvisor.


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May 30, 2013
By KENNETH D. MILLER
Assistant Managing Editor
The results are in and the votes from the recent Los Angeles municipal elections have been tabulated and confirmed, but African American leadership have demonstrated their ability to deliver the Black vote on May 21st.
African Americans represent just 12 percent of the voting bloc in the City of Los Angeles, but still it is an influential and unified constituency that can impact the results of an election.
Blacks supported Controller Wendy Greuel by an overwhelming 71 percent according to The Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Center for the Study of Los Angeles at Loyola Marymount University, but she did not win. However that is because Greuel failed to win the majority of Latinos (60-40), whites (59-41), and barley won her home region of the San Fernando Valley 51-49 percent. Greuel grew up in the Valley and represented that area when she served on the City Council.
The Black vote also substantiated itself in the race for 9th District City Council where Senator Curren Price defeated Ana Cubas 5,184 (52.75%) to 4,643 (47.24%), although Blacks are no longer the majority of the district.
Among the many Black community leaders and elected officials who rallied together for the municipal elections was former Lakers' great and Dodgers owner Earvin 'Magic' Johnson, veteran Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, Bishop Charles E. Blake of West Angeles, John L. Mack of the Los Angeles Police Commission, Watts community activist 'Sweet' Alice Harris, Sentinel Publisher Danny J. Bakewell Sr., former Congresswoman Diane Watson, Bishop Kenneth Ulmer, and former City Councilman Dave Cunningham who were all instrumental in delivering 69 percent of the Black vote for Greuel.
Mayor-elect Eric Garcetti was also supported by Blacks, such as Rep. Karen Bass, City Council President Herb Wesson, Councilwoman Jan Perry, actor Danny Glover and Black clergy leaders including Bishop T. Larry Kirkland, presiding bishop, 5th Episcopal District, A.M.E. Church, Pastor J. Edgar Boyd, senior minister, First A.M.E. Church, Rev. Kelvin Sauls, senior pastor, Holman United Methodist Church, Rev. Xavier Thompson, Southern Missionary Baptist Church and president, Baptist Ministers' Conference of Los Angeles & Southern California and Rev. Eric P. Lee, president, Black Community, Clergy, Labor Alliance (BCCLA).
However, according to the study by Loyola Marymount, which accurately predicted to election outcome, only 31 percent of Black voters punched a ballot for Garcetti.
Greuel won the African-American vote by a whopping 69-31 percent, likely due to her connection to revered former Mayor Tom Bradley and endorsements from Magic Johnson and Congresswoman Maxine Waters.
While Black leadership was divided in the race for mayor where Garcetti won 181,995 (53.92 %) to Greuel's 155,497 (46.07 %), they were all unified in their overwhelming support of Curren Price.


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Adobe Design Achievement Awards (ADAA) 2013 finalist Robert Long illustrates our world in subtle and unexpected ways. Robert's illustrations blend an authentic natural style with an enlarged hyper-realism, sharing the creatures of our world from his unique perspective.
The ADAA judges were impressed by Robert's illustrations of insects in 2013, and he continues to impress the critics.
Robert recently won the Edible Community's Eddy Award for Critics Choice Best Imagery of the Baja, Arizona honey bee. Scientists and farmers in Baja have been studying the population decline of bees and butterflies, and working towards solutions for pollination to help preserve the insects, and our food sources.
Robert commented, "I aim to inspire curiosity in the intricacies of the natural world, and by extension, promote nature conservation."
Robert added that his ADAA experience has extended his creative network around the globe.
Robert's most recent illustration commissions have been for magazines; including the April cover for Arizona Alumni Magazine and the Edible Baja Arizona Magazine. Robert has also illustrated for Biosphere2 and aquaculture, with work for a science center next on the horizon.
"When I'm not peering through a magnifying glass, I stay inspired by visiting international natural history museums and aquaria. A natural curiosity pushes me along, often to places I didn't expect to be."
Adobe congratulates Robert for his continued success, and applauds his support for nature conservation through the beauty of his illustrations. We wish all of the students in the ADAA unexpected inspiration and curiosity while building their creative careers.
The Adobe Design Achievement Awards 2015 contest is open for student submissions.
Final deadline is June 19, 2015 at 5pm PST.
For contest guidelines, categories, and prize information, visit: www.adobeawards.com.
Follow the ADAA on Facebook or Twitter @AdobeEDU and @AdobeAwards for the latest news and contest announcements.


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Welcome to Watch List, where we identify five things on TV to watch while you stay at home and curse yourself for unplugging the DVR while on vacation. Now your sequence of "She Spies" reruns is ruined forever. LET'S GO!
CITIZEN USA: A 50-STATE ROAD TRIP – 9:00PM (HBO) Documentarian Alexandra Pelosi (she's Nancy's daughter) travels to all 50 states to witness the naturalization process in each for new American citizens. She also interviews celebrity immigrants like Arianna Huffington, Henry Kissinger, and Gene Simmons. Yes, Gene Simmons! In case you were unaware, Gene was born in Israel as Chaim Weitz. Then he became a rock star with a mile-long tongue and raised a family with a former soft-core porn star. It's your typical Ellis Island story. Anyway, expect Pelosi to try and humanize what has become an enormous political issue, and expect voices from both sides to throw that humanity out the window when arguing over immigration for the thousandth time. ANTICIPATION: THORNY!
BEHIND THE MUSIC – 10:00PM (VH1) You never know when VH1 will trot out a new edition of their venerable warhorse documentary series, so savor the flavor tonight as Ice Cube looks back at his career, in which he went from one of the most hardcore rappers of all time to a mainstream film and television star. Now every day is a good day. ANTICIPATION: MAMA COOKED A BREAKFAST WITH NO HOG!
LOUIE ANDERSON PRESENTS – 10:00PM (Showtime) I had no idea Louie Anderson was still around, but he is! And he's hosting this Showtime showcase for young comedians he put through his Stand Up Bootcamp, which sounds extremely rigorous. Campers must be up at 0500 hours to begin working on their airplane food material, and nothing fills them with more dread than having to endure the obstacle course of Carrot Top props. ANTICIPATION: FUNNY!
THE DAILY SHOW – 11:00PM (Comedy Central) Jennifer Aniston shows up to flash some leg and promote her flick "Horrible Bosses," in which she plays a "horrible" boss who sexually harasses Charlie Day. Because that's such a working man's problem, when a woman way out of your league makes consistent sexual advances upon you. Totally realistic. ANTICIPATION: ANISTON!
PRIMETIME NIGHTLINE: BEYOND BELIEF – 10:00PM (ABC) Primetime examines the phenomenon of people seeing visions of the Virgin Mary in places as diverse as Catholic chapels and tree stumps and at Sunday brunch in Manhattan. There's always some weirdo at brunch ordering up the Virgin Mary. Be bold and put some hair of the dog in that drink, fella! ANTICIPATION: HOLY!
Wednesday Watch List: INTERSTATE IMMIGRANT PARTY!
Welcome to Watch List, where we identify five things on TV to watch while you stay at home and curse yourself for unplugging the DVR while on vacation. Now your sequence of "She Spies" reruns is ruined forever. LET'S GO!


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20% off and free USA shipping with international discount as well.
Promo code GOBBLE88!
Pre Order Items are Not on Sale: product exclusions:
Madame Bovary, Platinum Luxury, Allure, Simplicity, Cami Wigged Basic - Too, Jon Wigged Basic - Too, Central Park, Chelsea Look, Washington Square, Christmas 1863, 16" Anna Karenina Outfit, Ready to Dress Carol Barrie, Ready to Dress Diane Evans, Matinee Luncheon, MIdnight #83, Roayle #82, Dazzling Tyler Wentworth®, Velvet Dazzle, Silver Shimmer, Midas Touch, Evening in Paris, Betsy McCall Prints Prints Prints Gift Set, MALLYMKUN THE DORMOUSE, 12" DRACO MALFOY™, SLYTHERIN ROBE™, VIKTOR KRUM™, 7" SMALL DOBBY, Deathly Hallows HARRY POTTER™, Deathly Hallows Hermione Granger™, and ALL TONNER 2011 HALLOWEEN CONVENTION PRODUCT.
Angelic Dreamz has Free Shipping on all USA orders over $100. Check the cool Deal of the Day feature on the website front page. There is a new offer every hour.
Barbie Collector is offering free standard shipping through 12/12. There is a selection of dolls (Doll-idays Discounts) as well.
If you are on every mailing list like most who shop online, you are getting tons of email from stores about Black Friday sales. I want to share an experience.
I ordered two items from Betsey Johnson's site two days ago. The items had been marked down from the original prices and I thought I was getting a good deal. Today I got an email from them announcing a 40% off sale for Black Friday. That meant a big difference in the price I paid. I called and because the items had already been discounted off the original prices, they could not do a further adjustment. I re-ordered anyway because even though I would have to pay the shipping back and forth on the original order, my savings came to more than $40. I think it was worth it. If you want to check out the Betsey Johnson site which is not doll related, here is the link. I love her jewelry!
Back to dolls:
A new product from Wilde Imagination caught my fancy. It is Evangeline's Mourning Hat & Wig Set.
The wig is tacked to the hat but can be removed for separate use. Price $36.
There's a note on their site that a special holiday offer is coming on Saturday. No date given, just Saturday.
A fabulous new fashion for Evangeline is called Graveside Picnic. I love it and wouldn't mind having it for myself although I rarely go to picnics graveside. In fact, I can't remember the last one I attended.
I wonder if this would fit some of my other dolls. Hmmm...I really like it. Comes with the jacket, belt, skirt and hat The hat is the clincher. It's wonderful. LE350 Price: $110.
Maryann Roy and her wonderful "Welcome Home" website will be unveiling her holiday window display photos this coming weekend: 11/25/11. Check here for the reveal.
Last but not least, Integrity Toys has a selection of 2011 convention dolls and accessory packs remaining in their store for sale to the general public. Prices have not been reduced but if you didn't get them at the convention, you can get them there at a price very close to that which convention goers paid.
Happy Shopping and Happy Thanksgiving.


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Update: COVID-19: New rentals paused through June, 2020
We hope your families are well and safe. Things are beginning to gradually reopen in our county! We are accepting reservations for July & beyond, and monitoring daily to see when the travel ban will be lifted. This could be later in June if virus containment continues. In the interim, we continue our extraordinary home sanitization protocols and preparing to welcome guests for a much needed break when this crisis passes. Feel free to call us for further updates. Please stay safe & well!
Featured Properties
Ocean View Homes
Located between the Pelican Point condo complex and Cypress Townhouse complex, the Houses at Pajaro Dunes range from two to five bedrooms. Each Home is unique from its neighbors; some offering a rooftop deck, private hot tub, or even a view of a castle.
Pelican Point Condos
The Pelican Point complex has 87 units ranging from one to four bedrooms and is situated at the South end of the property, with the most expansive beaches. Each 3-story building contains units with either 1 or 2 levels. All of the homes have varying views of the Pajaro River as it flows into the Pacific Ocean.
Cypress Grove
The Cypress Townhouse complex consists of 24 two and three level units ranging from two to five bedrooms. The Townhouses are typically more spacious than the Shorebird or Pelican condominiums.
Shorebird Condos
The Shorebird Condominium complex consists of nine 3-story buildings and is located at the North side of the property. Each building contains condos ranging from one to three bedrooms — each with varying views of the Monterey Bay & dunes. This complex is also adjacent to the Cypress and Lagoon event facilities and eight tennis courts. Some of these properties are available for monthly rentals.
Nestled along the Monterey Bay is one of the most scenic stretches of California's central coastline. Spanning 1 1/2 miles of pristine beach, Pajaro Dunes Resort is a secluded, gated community featuring a collection of beautiful beachfront houses, townhomes, and condominiums architected to blend harmoniously with the gently rolling, natural ocean side landscape — available for vacation rentals, conferences and real estate sales.
Looking for a perfect Santa Cruz County family vacation, family reunion or conference site? Pajaro Dunes is located centrally, 20 miles south of Santa Cruz and 25 miles north of Monterey/Carmel. Enjoy the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Santa Cruz Mountain Redwoods, Monterey Bay Aquarium, central coast wineries and world famous golf!!
Whether you're looking for a perfect family vacation getaway or an ideal group retreat, Pajaro Dunes offers 4 event centers in a natural park like setting, perfect for corporate meetings, getaways & seminars. Placed conveniently in natural surroundings are 15 tennis courts. Experience Pajaro Dunes as it was meant to be experienced. Pajaro Dunes Company and Resort has been providing a great vacation destination for the past 40+ years.
Enjoy the sun, sand and sound of the sea …


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Visual Studio 2010 Publish Command from msbuild Command line
Seems like there a bunch of confusion about how to produce the "Publish" behavior provided by Visual Studio 2010 from msbuild 4 command line. The question I keep seeing over and over again is: How do I publsih the output of a web application with web.config tranformations included. This should get the job done:
msbuild solution.sln


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Texans shopping on Amazon.com will start paying state and local sales taxes on Sunday.
Under a deal with Texas Comptroller Susan Combs, the online retail giant is to begin collecting sales taxes July 1 on purchases from Texas.
Amazon has also promised 2,500 new jobs for the state and $200 million in capital investment over four years.
The latest news from around North Texas.
Before the deal struck in April, Texas store owners had complained that Internet retailers have an unfair price advantage because they are not required to collect state sales tax.
But that's about to change.
An Amazon spokesman wrote in an email to the Austin American Statesman that "Amazon customers in Texas will see the appropriate sales taxes (automatically) applied to their order when they proceed to check out."


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Representative Todd Akin has decided to stay in the Missouri senatorial race, bucking the national GOP, which desperately wants him tossed under the bus for the spectacularly stupid "legitimate rape" thing, and you know what? Good for him. Leaving aside my own love of political schadenfreude here, the dude did win the Republican primary fair and square, did he not? He is the plurality choice of Missouri's Republican voters, isn't he? He didn't strangle kittens, set them on fire, and insert them into an unmentionable part of some adorable puppy's anatomy, did he? No; all he really did was say out loud something that an apparently non-trivial number of conservatives seem to believe, i.e., that some rapes are rapier than others, and (probably less common, at least I hope) that at the rapiest level of rape, you probably aren't gonna get knocked up. It's appallingly stupid and wrong, of course. But that doesn't mean he (up until Sunday, anyway) didn't believe it, or that saying something appallingly stupid and wrong but entirely within the penumbra of conservative thought should disqualify him from participating in a race he earned the right to be in, through a democratic process. "You stupidly said out loud what many of us actually believe," shouldn't by any rational standard be a reason for his forfeit.
Yes, he's embarrassing the GOP presidential candidate by staying in a race after Romney said he should drop out, and yes, the Democrats will use Akin's comment and his extraordinarily restrictive anti-choice views (reflected, incidentally, in the official GOP platform) like a cudgel on the Republicans every single day that Akin stays in the race. But why is that Akin's problem? By all indications, he was not the favored candidate of the national GOP anyway, so no skin off his nose. The national GOP says they're not going to send him money, but if they want to take the Senate, they're not likely to do it without him, so I imagine sooner or later they're going to slip some cash his way regardless. So again, what impetus does Akin have to do anything other than run? For the rest of the GOP, it's about control of the Senate; for Akin, it's whether or not he has a job come next January. He sure as hell doesn't have any reason to quit, and winning, should he win, will be sweet indeed.
And yeah, Democrats binging on schadenfreude, he could win. Even after the "forcible rape" flub, he was still up a point in the polls against Claire McCaskill. He might sink — as I understand it, making an ass of yourself on live TV takes a few days to sink in with the polls — but then again he might not. He apologized for his stupidity, and pitched it in a way that will resonate with evangelicals, for many of whom he is the ideal candidate. Don't kid yourself that he's lost the race already. And of course, that's just one more reason for him to stay in.
I wouldn't vote for Akin; I don't know why anyone would want to vote for someone so heinously ignorant of human biology, which I suspect is indicative of other vasty swaths of ignorance in his mental makeup. I wouldn't encourage anyone in Missouri to vote for him either, as we already have enough appallingly ignorant people in the Senate without adding him to their number. But do I think he should be the GOP senatorial candidate for the state? Absolutely. If Mitt Romney, the national GOP or anyone else has a problem with it, they should bring it up with Missouri's Republican voters. He was their pick for the gig. I think you have to respect that, even if you shake your head that they could choose so poorly.


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Design and Modeling / Prototypes
In an extraordinary example of long-distance collaboration, SMEs from Berlin and Kibbutz Einat have joined forces to develop new laser technology that will be...
With its bottom-up approach, EUREKA supports the development of rapidly marketable innovative products, processes and services that help improve the daily life of everyday people. The commercialisation of the innovative products, processes and services from hundreds of successfully completed projects have added billions of euro to national economies.
Here is a selection of our best innovative R&D projects.
Raising the productivity and competitiveness of European businesses through technology. Boosting national economies on the international market, and strengthening the basis for sustainable prosperity and employment.


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The following are excerpts of the remarks of Gov. Chris Christie to the Foundation for Excellence in Education in Washington, D.C.:
I know this…I would not be standing here today if it wasn't for the fact that my parents had the opportunity to send me to the public schools that gave me the best possible education I could have.
In each one of us, there is a certain God-given ability, but that God-given ability will only take us so far.
We need someone to nurture it and draw it out of us. We see this happening today in the best schools, in the best homes and with the best teachers and parents.
But it also has to happen each and every day in what are now the worst schools by nurturing children who do not come from the best homes. We have to draw out and empower parents. And we have to demand that the teachers, the principals and the administrators put these children first.
Not themselves.
If we do not do this…If we do not change what is happening in our mediocre and poor performing schools, then we are failing our children. And continuing to play the blame game and to make excuses only makes the adults feel better.
It does nothing for our children.
I'm going to fight as hard as I can against those who believe that what we're fighting for is the status quo.
Because it is not acceptable to let a teacher who can't teach stay in the classroom. It is not acceptable that a child who is neglected in one of our schools must just accept it because of their zip code. It is not acceptable that parents who can't afford to send their children to a private school, or aren't lucky enough to draw a good lottery number, have no choice but to be resigned to the fact that the difference between a successful future for their child and prison has already been predetermined.
No parent should ever have to stand up in that awful moment, with their child's future on the line, and be powerless to change the outcome. It is the terrible complacency of those who defend the status quo, those who accept these choices and circumstances for our children, that we must stand against.
This is the fight. It is not a Democratic fight. It is not a Republican fight.
This is a fight where Republicans and Democrats can stand united. One where President Obama, Mayor Booker, Bill Gates and I can all stand in agreement.
It is a fight for our children.
And yes, sometimes the fight will be angry. Sometimes the fight will be loud. Sometimes the fight will draw tears. And still, sometimes the fight will require embrace.
There is nothing more important to the future of our country than this fight, because this is the fight that will define all of the other fights. This is why we all must have the stomach and the strength to take it on.
We cannot let this moment pass us by. We cannot let the enthusiasm and the intensity with which our leaders have been discussing education reform diminish.
Failure is not an option. Which is why I would rather lose an election and lose my career, rather than look back and realize that I did not do enough, or that I put myself and my career ahead of the future lives of the children of New Jersey.
So now it's up to all of us. We can and we must stand up and fight for a better future for Newark, for New Jersey and for our entire country.


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Alaina Phillips, PhD
- User Research and Testing
- Information Architecture
- User Experience
- Accessibility
This content created as a result of our celebration is available to everyone and we invite conversation around the work we are doing. Missing a talk?
This resource is brought to you thanks to the countless volunteer hours provided by the global World IA Day team, the IA Institute, and The Understanding Group.


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An open floor plan, gallery-sized walls, floor-to-ceiling windows, and sweeping views of San Francisco make this penthouse an exceptional South of Market property. Located in an ultra-exclusive area, you're close to the Saint Regis Hotel, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, and all the amenities of Union Square, San Francisco's central shopping and entertainment district. Three bedrooms and three bathrooms span over 2,500 square feet, while the spacious main living area provides plenty of room for in-sky entertainment. A true urban gem. View property.
Copyright LXTVN - LXTV


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WASHINGTON, March 6 (UPI) -- U.S. President Barack Obama is standing in the way of an energy revolution that could help address U.S. economic woes, U.S. Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Wash said.
Hastings, chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, said that, in light of budget cuts known as sequestration, one of the best ways to raise money without raising taxes is through energy production.
"The United States has yet to reach its full energy potential but it can if the Obama administration would simply get out of the way and allow the people's energy resources to be harnessed," Hastings said during congressional testimony.
U.S. crude oil production is at historic highs, though Republicans like Hastings contend there's more to gain by giving energy companies access to oil and natural gas resources in places other than private and state land.
"In light of record debt and deficits, and the current sequestration cuts going into effect, we should be looking for every opportunity possible to raise new revues without raising taxes," he said.
U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar last week warned the mandatory budget cuts could affect offshore and onshore energy development plans, as well as domestic renewable energy programs, on public land.


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Whole Foods recalls croissants over undeclared egg
AUSTIN, Texas – Whole Foods Markets is recalling mini butter croissants sold in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana because they contain eggs, an undeclared allergen.
The recalled item is sold with a Whole Foods market scale label reading "mini butter croissants" in six-pack plastic containers with a "Best by" date of April 21 through April 23. It also has a uniform product code of 2 28719-00499-1 on the scale label.
A company statement says the issue arose after one illness was reported. That's the only illness reported so far, but persons with an allergy or severe sensitivity to eggs run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reactions if they consume the pastry.
Austin-based Whole Foods Markets' Southwest Region distributed the pastry to 26 While Foods Market stores in the regions four states.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Angelina Jolie Receives Gift from Iraqi Foreign Ministry
Angelina Jolie is presented a gift by Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiar Zebari during the next leg of her solidarity tour for the UNHCR on Saturday (September 15) in Baghdad, Iraq.
The 37-year-old actress visited Iraq to hold talks with Iraqi leaders about refugees who fled violence in Syria.
PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Angelina Jolie
Angelina has already made stops in Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey on her tour to meet with Syrian refugees.
Check out the video below released by the UNHCR showing Angie on the third leg of the tour in Eastern Turkey.
Angelina Jolie – UNHCR Video


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Here are the top national stories coming today from GateHouse News Service. Stories are available at http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com. Please submit stories below no later than 6 p.m. local time, unless you have breaking news that is changing significantly.
GateHouse News Service National Budget
For 3/25/10 editions
Contacts: Lisa Glowinski, (217) 816-3343, firstname.lastname@example.com
- Michael Toeset, 630-348-3356 (office), 630-835-8870 (mobile), firstname.lastname@example.com
NEW SITE: Check out a redesigned GHNewsroom.
EASTER 2010 CONTENT: Easter is April 4 this year. Check out our collection of pages, cartoons and more. If you have content that will work on a national level, submit it through Zope or e-mail email@example.com.
HEALTH CARE REFORM CONTENT: Our collection of stories, columns, cartoons and more.
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED: Check out Galesburg's online callout for reader questions.
POLL QUESTION IDEA: How has the Catholic priest sex abuse scandal, which is resurfacing in the news, affected you?
FARM LIVING: The Spring Farm Living magazine is out, with articles on farming in the future, local foods' growing popularity and the bee shortage's continued effect on crops.
MOMENT IN HISTORY: Kent State shootings gave us a lesson in war.
GO GREEN: Six eco-friendly ways to fight allergens.
MORNING MINUTES: Includes Word of the Day, Web Site of the Day, Number to Know, This Day in History, Today's Featured Birthday and Daily Quote.
RELIGION NEWS: Weekly religion rail, with items on 3-D Christian programming, the second openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church, getting to know hymnist Henry Alford.
PET HEALTH: Make sure you understand instructions on flea/tick treatments for pets -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says it has seen a significant increase in similar reports of pets suffering side effects from spot-on pesticides for fleas and ticks. The agency late last week announced plans to step up labeling and testing of such treatments. Reactions can range from mild skin irritation to vomiting, trembling, seizures and even death, the EPA said. By David Riley of The MetroWest Daily News.
GREEN THUMBS UP: Prioritize your springtime projects -- Spring officially arrived this past weekend as Mother Nature delivered a perfect prelude to the new growing season. By Suzanne Mahler.
BOILING POINT: Ride your grill to Vietnam -- Our sense of smell can power our memories. Vietnam vets will remember street food as we fire up our grills for another season. One is Nuong Vit, charcoal barbecued duck with crackled skin like candy.
PAUL ASHTON: The secret of scones -- My youthful summers in the United Kingdom could be described as a succession of church fetes featuring scones accompanied by strawberries and clotted cream. Imagine my shock to discover that in the U.S. even premium coffeehouses serve scones that can best be described as floured hockey pucks and better used as door stops. Such a disservice for a noble delight.
JULIA SPITZ: It's March, spring's mad, so is Biden -- Flipping through the calendar made me realize April 15 is three weeks away, we're down to 10 Idols, and I haven't updated the Spitzionary once this year. How is this possible?
SUDOKU FOR APRIL: Sudoku puzzles (645-672) for April are available. Follow the link below or visit our Puzzles category.
5 THINGS TO DO THIS WEEKEND: This week's suggestions: Head to the theater for the latest animated feature, "How to Train Your Dragon"; catch the NCAA tournament on TV; celebrate Earth Hour; watch the MLS season kick off; and celebrate Palm Sunday.
JESUS MOVIES: Jesus Christ movie star: Films that tell Christ's story have always been popular - Filmmakers just can't resist going back to tell Jesus' tale over and over. The Bible has it all — murder, sex, lies, wars, plagues, redemption, forgiveness, pharaohs, love, hate, sibling rivalry. And you don't have to pay royalties. By Brien Murphy.
SNEAK PREVIEW: 'How to Train Your Dragon' and other movies opening this week. By Al Alexander of The Patriot Ledger.
FLICKS: Despite cliches, 'Dragon' looks worth the trouble -- Flicks is torn this week. Two of my favorite movie things, dragons and John Cusack, are on the horizon, but the films that feature them are tragically flawed. By John Meo of the Norwich Bulletin.
FARR SIDE: Gokey's debut hints at golden future - Danny Gokey might sing about his best days being ahead of him, but I believe they've already begun. Gokey was a favorite of mine on Season 8 of "American Idol." His personality, style, grace, perseverance and infectious optimism was an inspiration to contestants and viewers. By David T. Farr.
'DRAGON' REVIEW: Movie review: 'How To Train Your Dragon' is fun for all ages - The animation is beautiful, the story is incredible and the vocal acting is just right. By Gary Darling.
'DRAGON' INTERVIEW: Q&A with Hamilton Lewis of 'How to Train Your Dragon.' By Gary Darling.
BRITT CARTOON: Great moments in history with Joe Biden.
GRANLUND CARTOON: Federal limits on the fishing industry
GRANLUND CARTOON: Wall Street's Easter lesson
PAM ADAMS: Do Tea Partiers care how bad behavior reflects on movement? - The rant-filled, anti-reform rallies leading up to the nation's historic health care bill should put a new variation on an old and unpleasant inner prayer.
CHARITA GOSHAY: My Rx: Everyone take a chill pill -- Too many of us are becoming like that voracious plant in "Little Shop of Horrors," spending all our waking hours just looking for things on which to feed our anger.
LLOYD GARVER: Tweaking the health care plan -- We all know that getting the health care bill passed by the House of Representatives was not easy. However, it was a good civics lesson for children. They learned that if the minority is unhappy with what the majority decides, those who support the minority call the people in the majority offensive names and spit at them. Some make threatening phone calls.
Business / Ag
BIZ BITS: Weekly business rail, with e-filing tips, a look at the most valuable college basketball teams and more.
BATTERY-POWERED: Man converts old Geo Metro into electric vehicle -- Dean Holden is determined not to suffer pain at the pump. With oil hovering at $81 a barrel and gas at $2.75, Holden took a broken down 1994 Geo Metro and turned it into a lean, green machine for the 21st century. Originally a 3-cylinder with a 100-pound engine, the Metro is now powered by 11 batteries weighing 900 pounds. By Kathy Uek of The MetroWest Daily News.
DAVE RAMSEY: Weekly financial Q&A, with advice on new cars and vacations.
ON COMPUTERS: Four or eight cylinders? -- Many consumer computers now run at 64-bit. A few years ago, only the big dogs ran at that level. The rest of us were stuck in a 32-bit world. By Jim Hillibish of The Repository.
CHECKOUT LANE: Choosing the right skateboard -- Skate shop owners have a message for aspiring skateboarders: Equipment is everything. By Lana Lagomarsini of The Patriot Ledger.
MAKING CENTS: The case for long-term care insurance -- Many times over the years I've written about long-term care insurance, and it still blows me away how many people say that this coverage is a waste of money. The issues surrounding caring and paying for long-term illnesses are far more significant than issues that we think about when evaluating the purchase decision. By John P. Napolitano of The Patriot Ledger.
MIKE FINE: March Madness? More like March Sadness -- This year is so nuts. This is no longer March Madness. It's March Sadness, and when the tourney resumes tonight, it'll be tough to even watch. There's nothing like devouring this tournament when your brackets are alive and kicking. It's all spinach and liver when you've got no shot.
NASCAR PAGE: Spoiler alert


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While World Championship Wrestling closed its doors over eight years ago, The Rise & Fall of WCW three-disc DVD set reminds viewers just how Monday became known as wrestling night.
In this tag team review of WWE's latest DVD exhibiting how Vince McMahon has shown time and time again that money conquers all, Matt Mackinder and Ryan Nation will discuss what each liked in the DVD, what they didn't like, what was missed and how they would have produced it differently.
Matt's comments will be italicized, while Ryan's will be in normal font.
The documentary kicks into gear with Jim and David Crockett discussing their father, Jim Crockett, Sr., and his role as a promoter in the Carolina area.
I liked this intro because a great many of today's fans have no clue about the history of the NWA, WCW, or Jim Crockett.
A very sincere Vince McMahon also discusses the relationship between his father, Vince McMahon Sr., and Jim Crockett Sr., who were both a part of the National Wrestling Alliance. McMahon always lights up when discussing his dad, which is nice to see the human side of Vince as opposed to the character of Mr. McMahon viewers are accustomed to.
Sincere? Hahahahahahaha.
Jim and David Crockett proceed to recount the history of Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling and Jim Crocket Promotions, along with input from others such as Ric Flair and Dusty Rhodes. The history of Georgia Championship Wrestling is glossed over. The Crocketts and McMahon discuss Black Saturday, however, the notable absence of both Jerry and Jack Brisco is somewhat bewildering considering they were both minority owners of GCW.
Bewildering? Yes. I'm actually surprised Triple H didn't get interviewed here. The early years get skimmed over because of two reasons -- fans nowadays only know WWE and have only read about WCW and NWA on message boards.
After detailing the sale of JCP to Turner Broadcasting, World Championship Wrestling is born -- along with the cavalcade of upper management.
One noticeable drawback is the absence of input from individuals who played pivotal roles during the glory days of WCW. For example, WWE taps into archived footage for comments from Eric Bischoff, Hulk Hogan and Scott Hall, among others. However, there are a few surprises, such as the inclusion of former Turner Sports president Dr. Harvey Schiller.
It would have been cool to see Sting interviewed, but we all know why that was pretty much impossible.
The importance of Hogan�s heel turn and the formation of the NWO are discussed, but there are no groundbreaking revelations since again, mostly older interviews are utilized.
Bill Goldberg�s participation is a high point within the DVD. Goldberg comes across very humble by giving credit to "The Sarge" Dwayne Bruce, who helped train him at the WCW Power Plant, and Hugh Morrus (Bill DeMott) -- Goldberg�s opponent in his debut match on Monday Nitro.
Although Bischoff declined to participate in the DVD, he is depicted in a mostly positive light, although the same can not be said about the portrayal of Vince Russo. Whereas one can easily understand why WWE would not approach Russo for his involvement given his current role in TNA, this portion comes across as extremely one-sided as result. While Russo is seemingly buried, former WWE writer Ed Ferrara -- who made the jump with Russo in 1999 to WCW -- apparently never existed, as his name is not mentioned at all.
Ferrara and Chris Benoit must be on the same list.
SLAM! Wrestling was able to confirm Ferrara was not contacted to participate in the documentary. Ironically, Ferrara returned to TNA in September to be a part of the creative team with Russo after several years away from wrestling.
The merger of AOL and Time Warner is credited with ringing the death knell for WCW, although oddly enough, Jamie Kellner, former Turner Broadcasting chairman and CEO at the time WCW folded, is never even referenced.
A big hole here, indeed. The viewer seems to see that as the documentary goes on that the WWE (WWF) takeover of WCW was all business, as we knew, but we really get many of the specifics, but not all.
Dr. Schiller gives the poignant last words summarizing WCW by stating, "Ted [Turner] loved wrestling even to this day. It was his idea to bring it, it was his idea to keep it and he would still love to have it."
My biggest criticism is the lack of individuals interviewed for the project. For instance, Paul Heyman would have brought a unique perspective considering his prior involvement with WCW and WWE. Furthermore, a segment featuring the entire McMahon family discussing what it was like within WWE when WCW was on top would have been a great addition.
The set only contains four matches from the '80s, no matches from 1999, only one match from 2000 and no matches from 2001. I felt as though they could have at least included one match from the final Night of Champions Monday Nitro, such as the closing match between Flair and Sting. Furthermore, the fact they opted not to include at least one match from the first Monday Nitro is another striking omission as well. Personally, I would have picked the Brian Pillman versus Jushin "Thunder" Liger match.
The Pillman-Liger match was epic. Nice choice, Ryan. Personally, I would have included a Benoit match or two, but we know that he's non-existent these days in Vince's eyes. And that's a shame. The match from Souled Out 2000 where he won the WCW title from Sid Vicious could have been a catalyst to discussing WCW wrestlers migrating to WWE (then WWF).
Disc 1 (the documentary) also has special features attached, including pieces on Bill Watts, Spam Man, and Bischoff's part in giving away the infamous Raw results where Mick Foley won the world title. Discs 2 and 3 are all matches (as listed below):
For all of the attention the documentary puts on the match between Goldberg and Hogan in 1998 at the Georgia Dome, you would think the match is necessary viewing, yet it is excluded. In fact, I read the match listing twice as I thought I had surely missed it the first time around.
Same here, Ryan. Same here.
My biggest compliment is the simple fact that WWE treated WCW as a whole with a lot of respect when they could have easily pigeonholed the success of WCW as a fluke.
If you are looking for the complete, unabridged history of WCW, then this DVD is probably not for you. However, if you are looking for a snapshot of how WCW affected the wrestling world, then I highly recommend it.
Overall, this DVD set reminded me just how important competition is -- and just how much it is missed.
I couldn't have said it better myself.
Match listing for The Rise & Fall of WCW
Ryan Nation hopes WWE will consider releasing an anthology based on the history of WCW, or at least producing a similar endeavor for WWE Classics on Demand. E-mail him at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Live Music in Gulf Shores at Big Beach Brewery
Friday, 20 April, 2018|
Live Music in Gulf Shores at Big Beach Brewing Company
Time: 6:30PM - 9:30PM
Where: Big Beach Brewing Company
300 E. 24th Ave.
Gulf Shores, AL. 36542
Big Beach Brewing Company boasts a beautiful open-air taproom complete with fireplace and comfortable seating. We also have tons of table seating for those that might want to bring in or order food. Big Beach has four garage doors so the coastal breeze can flow right through our taproom. You can expect to see craft beer lovers soaking up the Southern sun in our front yard. We encourage families to come visit us so that parents can have fun while kids enjoy our family friendly outside. We have 12 taps at Big Beach with craft beer being our specialty, aside from in-house made lemonade for those that aren't drinkers.
April 13 - Andrew Elllis
April 20 - Dueling Pianos with Steve Wilkerson & Frankie
April 27 - Johnny No
Gulf Shores, AL 36542
Event ContactBig Beach Brewery
Phone: 2519482337
Website: Click to Visit


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Certifications & exams > Certifications > Why get certified
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Verify your skills and unlock opportunity
This is an exciting time to get certified: our certification paths reflect today's cloud-focused jobs, helping you to get hired, get ahead, be productive faster, and to receive the recognition you deserve.
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Professionals can expect career advancement from certification. Employers regularly use certifications as selection criteria for hiring and promotion, and are willing to pay certified professionals more.
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Upon earning a certification, 23% of Microsoft certified technologists reported receiving up to a 20% salary increase. What's more, certified employees are often entrusted with supervising their peers—putting them on the fast track for a promotion.
Download the 2017 Pearson VUE Value of Certification white paper
When you pass a Microsoft Certification exam, you'll have access to your Microsoft Badge; share your certification online with your professional network, and unlock your salary potential.
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Download the 2017 IDC-Microsoft white paper Cloud Skills and Organizational Influence: How Cloud Skills Are Accelerating the Careers of IT Professionals
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of IT professionals say they are more influential during cloud deployments than counterparts during deployments of other technologies.
36.9% of IT professionals claimed certification helped them perform complex tasks more confidently.
Get recognized
As a Microsoft Certified Professional, you'll make immediate impact, helping you get noticed and move forward quickly in your career. Compared to their peers, Microsoft certified developers are 90% more productive and nearly 60% more efficient. This means that they make nearly twice as many applications per year and in half the time per application.
And when you've been certified, you can share your achievements in a way that's trusted and verifiable with your Microsoft badge! Your Microsoft badge empowers you to share your certification online with your professional network, find the employers that are looking for candidates like you, discover your salary potential, and easily apply for jobs.Explore role-based certifications


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If you're the system administrator for an enterprise, advise your users to set up their new devices for advanced network configurations with iOS Setup Assistant.
- On the Hello screen, press the Home button or swipe up.
- On the Choose a Wi-Fi Network screen, press the Home button or press and hold the Side button for 2 seconds.
- Tap More Wi-Fi Settings.
- Next to your network's name, tap .
From this screen, you can adjust the following settings:
- Set up an HTTP proxy
- Define static network settings
- Renew the settings from a DHCP server
- Turn on BootP
- Configure DNS


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One on One's NFL Friday: Week 11
Mike Watts and Kenny Ducey discuss Giants' recent losses with guest Paul Schwartz, Giants Beat reporter for the New York Post. They cover all the hot topics for Big Blue including: Eli Manning's recent play, the running game, and the defense. Eric Mollo and Joe Vitiello have their respective weekly Giants and Jets reports.
Mike and Kenny talk about the Jets' locker room issues and evaluate general mangager Mike Tannenbaum. The guys preview what is sure to be an exciting game against the St.Louis Rams.
In the General NFL Segment, the guys break down all the backup quarterbacks starting for contending teams this weekend among a few other hot subjects. The show concludes with the weekly fantasy and picks segments. Tune into this week's episode to make sure you win all your various football related leagues.
Click on the plug-in below to listen.