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And we're back! Almost.
I've been coding and sprucing in a few spare minutes here and there, and here's where it's gotten us! I thought finishing that massive dang story arc warranted a little visual change. There's still a lot to be done, of course, but I wanted to get the site accessible again as soon as it started coming into focus.
And as many of you who have written in may be pleased to hear… the RSS Feed is FIXED! Hopefully it will condescend to stay that way for at least a little while. The archives are also fully updated – I repaired the quirk that cut off half of the recent arc's comics.
More news coming soon. Keep an eye out, as we will be starting a special series of comics which we'll announce properly quite soon :)


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Hello! Today, I'm announcing that I've finally moved! If you enjoyed reading this blog, don't hesitate to head over to my new blog! I would be more than happy to 'see' you there!!
I won't shut down this blog for the time being, but please note that I won't be posting anything here anymore! If you linked me, don't forget to change the URL into
A big thanks to everyone for all the support!
Stay pretty!
Stay Ohh... pretty! ( KEEP READING... )

subset: commoncrawl


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Hidden dangers line St. Johns County highway
Tree Expert: 'A very dangerous situation'
ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – It's a heartbreak no mother gets over. Nearly four year ago, Kathryn Jeffers lost her only child, when the car her 19-year-old daughter Kayla Register and two others where in, hit a downed tree on County Road 214 in St. Johns County, just west of the Interstate 95 overpass. All three died.
Just last month, a tree fell in nearly the same exact spot blocking the roadway, which is a popular road used by locals to get to St. Augustine. Thankfully, no one was killed.
Jeffers says this latest incident adds insult to injury.
"It was like a back flash of everything happening," Jeffers explained. "I sit and wonder everyday how it happened? Why did it happen? But I get no answers."
Kayla's step grandmother, Nathalie Yeoman, says she's afraid every time she drives under the huge trees.
"The bigger the tree, the more I'm worried," said Yeoman.
Channel 4 walked with Yeoman along CR 214 and she showed us trees that concern her, specifically two oak trees that hang over the road near where it intersects with Holmes Boulevard, about three miles from where her granddaughter died. We were surprised by how some of them are still standing. The roots that would anchor some of the trees have now been cut to create drainage along the road. All the weight of the limbs are hanging over drivers.
Eddie Conlon, a certified arborist with Tree Medic in St. Johns County, visited the area where Kayla and her friends lost their lives to see if he thinks these trees along CR 214 are a danger to drivers. He also examined the oak trees Yeoman is concerned about, 3 miles from the crash site. Conlon agrees with Yeoman and is stunned by their condition.
"If you look behind you'll see the root flare has been cut very close to the trunk of the tree," Conlon explained to Channel 4. "If this was a tree on a property I was working on, I would have condemned this tree at the time they cut this root system this close to the tree."
Conlon says far too often crews brought in to create drainage, cut the roots that are actually keeping trees from falling on passing cars.
"It has taken the structural integrity out of the root system of this tree to the point that as an arborist, you have to condemn this tree because of the liability factor and the practicality of it falling," he added.
It's a frightening reality since so many people drive this section of County Road 214 near Holmes Boulevard.
It was a huge oak tree that killed Kayla and her friends when it came down in the middle of the night about three miles away. Two other cars hit that same tree that night back in 2009 before the car the three friends died in, was even discovered.
"I don't like that road. If I had the choice, I would change the name to 'Devil's Highway' because it took so many people's lives. The trees, and no one's done anything about it," said Jeffers.
As Conlon examined the area where the tree fell across the roadway last month, which is also where Kayla and her friends died. He told Channel 4 he's worried, too.
"You have a very large, dead pine tree easily within falling distance of the road," Conlon explained. "Definitely a danger, it's a dead tree."
He adds that all the trees are growing in wetlands, which is like a sponge, which means their roots are already shallow and spread out to hold them up. But they've been cut to create drainage.
We talked with St. Johns County Commissioner Ron Sanchez about what Conlon showed us and explained to us. We asked Sanchez if he agrees with Conlon and what can be done about the trees.
"I agree there's some down the road here that's going to do the same. I have no doubt they are going to fall," admitted Sanchez. "Matter of fact, I constantly look for trees that are getting ready to cause a problem."
Sanchez says he drives CR 214 all the time and has had the county cut down trees he's seen hanging over the road. But says the property is privately owned.
"It's state law. We can't just go on there and do whatever we want," said Sanchez.
Channel 4 asked him if there was something he could do as a County Commissioner.
"All I can do is talk to the property owner and get his okay to do that," answered Sanchez.
We asked if he would do that and Sanchez said, "I sure will. It's a growing problem and it's all over."
Sanchez says county records indicate Jefferson-Smurfit, a paper product company, owns that property. It turns out another company, RockTenn -- with headquarters in Norcoss, Ga. -- now owns Jefferson-Smurfit.
Thursday night -- more than a day after Channel 4's inquiry -- RockTenn sent this email reply:
"It does appear this is a parcel that was acquired by RockTenn in the May 2011 acquisition. We are working to confirm ownership. We did not own the property three years ago so are still in the process of verifying information about the accident you mention. If RockTenn determines the property is ours, we will have our forestry team inspect the property and take actions deemed appropriate to ensure safety issues are addressed."
Channel 4 will follow up on the company's findings and actions and report any developments.
If you've had problems with trees falling along CR 214 or any other road in our area, please email firstname.lastname@example.com.
Copyright 2013 by News4Jax.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Your analysis of your local problem should give you a better understanding of the factors contributing to it. Once you have analyzed your local problem and established a baseline for measuring effectiveness, you should consider possible responses to address the problem.
The following response strategies provide a foundation of ideas for addressing your particular problem. These strategies are drawn from a variety of research studies, police reports, and news articles. Several of these strategies may apply to your communitys problem. It is critical that you tailor responses to local circumstances, and that you can justify each response based on reliable analysis. In most cases, an effective strategy will involve implementing several different responses. Law enforcement responses alone are seldom effective in reducing or solving the problem. Do not limit yourself to considering what police can do: carefully consider who else in your community shares responsibility for the problem and can help police better respond to it. The responsibility of responding, in some cases, may need to be shifted toward those who have the capacity to implement more effective responses. (For more detailed information on shifting and sharing responsibility, see Response Guide No. 3, Shifting and Sharing Responsibility for Public Safety Problems).
This guide assumes that the alarm industry has the responsibility to improve the quality of its equipment, install devices more accurately, improve its advice to consumers about the suitability of different types of systems for different types of homes and businesses, and increase user knowledge of its products. The responses described below have some potential to reduce false alarm calls. Police policies that stimulate the alarm industry to improve its products overall reliability are strongly preferred so as to minimize the burden on police in the effort to reduce the incidence of false burglar alarms.
Audio intrusion detection technology relies on sensors that, when activated, transmit a signal to the alarm company whereby an operator listens to live audio from the location and decides whether to notify the police.
Londons Metropolitan Police Service (2006) found that audio verification false alarm rates were 80 percent. Several cities in the United States, including Fremont (California), Salt Lake City, and Burien (Washington), have also examined audio verification versus visual/video verification and found significant false alarm rates for audio monitoring. The Fremont Police Department (2006) found a 96 percent false rate with audio monitoring in an analysis of one years worth of audio alarms. The Salt Lake City Police Department (2006) found an 82 percent false rate on audio monitoring over several years, although the number of audio alarms calls was modest. The Burien Police Department (2006) found a 92 percent false rate on audio alarms in its review of nearly seven years of audio calls that were made from the unincorporated areas of King County ,Washington, and 13 contract cities in King County.
Private security forces in the United States outnumber sworn police officers by about four to one (Betten and Mervosh 2005). The Private Sector Liaison Committee of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, collaborating with alarm industry organizations, published guidelines for private security response but noted, the alarm industry does not support response by other than sworn police officers, except as a final step in an escalating series of sanctions for alarm system abusers or as a supplement to response service provided by local police. [International Association of Chiefs of Police n.d.(c)].
Cities adopting verified response have found enormous decreases in the number of alarm calls, typically around 90 percent, which improves police response times to other types of calls. In 2000, Salt Lake City, Utah, adopted verified response using visual verification. By significantly reducing the number of calls to which officers needed to respond, the Salt Lake City Police Department gained an equivalent of five full-time officers, decreased the workload of call-takers and dispatchers, and decreased the response time to other calls for service. Area alarm industry representatives cited increased revenues (as a result of the service charge applied for verification) and similar sales levels to those before the verified response policy.21
This approach may be most feasible in more populous areas: jurisdictions with few alarm customers scattered over a large area may have difficulty securing a private resource that can deliver satisfactory and cost-effective response times.22 However, in all likelihood, police in those jurisdictions have long response times to these alarm calls. In cities adopting verified response, insurance companies continue to provide discounts to alarm owners, as it is the monitoring itself, not whether it is done by police or private security, that appears to matter.23 Over the past few years, between 20 and 25 U.S. cities have adopted this approach, and several police agencies in Canada have done so as well.
The International Association of Chiefs of Police (supported by the National Burglar & Fire Alarm Association and the Central Station Alarm Association) recommends an approach to reducing false alarms that includes, among other things, telephone (or other electronic) verification by alarm companies and notification to alarm owners every time their alarm activates.24 The difference between this approach and verified response is that the latter requires the alarm company to make visual or video verification, eliminating the police response to almost all false alarms. Common arguments against using alarm company personnel to verify alarms are that the public expects a police response and police are better trained than private security to respond to such situations.25 In addition, some mass media reports of verified response policies are characterized in a light unfavorable to police, creating the impression that police are providing less effective service.
The majority of police agencies that adopted verified response had to withstand significant resistance from the alarm industry. The alarm industry has defeated verified response proposals in many other cities. Adopting a verified response policy requires an investment in educating political leaders, the public, and interested parties (alarm companies, police unions, and the media) about the costs and benefits of a modified response. It also requires alarm companies availability for initial response to alarms.
Those panic devices police provide to victims of ongoing crimes, such as stalking, may be exempted.
False duress calls from cell phones are similar to the problem of false mobile personal-alarm calls. With the advent of E911 Phase 2, which reveals the location of cell phone users calling 911, police agencies will face the dilemma of whether to respond to cell phone hang-up calls to 911. Most of these hang-ups are the result of unintentionally dialing 911. The 911 operator hears no caller and has to decide whether to dispatch an officer. In essence, these are the equivalent of false burglar alarms. For more information about this particular problem, see the POP guide titled Misuse and Abuse of 911.
The National Burglar & Fire Alarm Association and the False Alarm Reduction Association offer guidance for jurisdictions wishing to draft an ordinance providing sample language, including definitions; registration requirements; duties of users, installers, and monitors; fines; notifications; suspensions; appeals; and reinstatement. Further, the guidance includes checklists for installers and users, and guidelines for setting fines and fees (National Burglar & Fire Alarm Association and the False Alarm Reduction Association 2001).
In 2004, the city of Dallas, Texas, spent upwards of $650,000 administering its false alarm-reduction program involving fines and collections (Dallas City Council 2005).
Calculating lost-opportunity costs might be less difficult for departments engaged in problem-oriented policing. Line officers in these departments proactively address specific crime and disorder problems.
The Central Station Alarm Association developed a software package, False Alarm Analysis Program, to assist jurisdictions with the cumbersome task of administration. The software creates invoices and bills, tracks payment delinquency, and provides reports that analyze individual alarm users false alarm rates and those of customers of individual monitoring companies. The software package also has online training. See www.csaaul.org/faap.htm. However, off the shelf software packages may not suit every jurisdictions needs (Kanable 2001).
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg (North Carolina) Police Department outsourced the administration and tracking of ordinance enforcement to a private company (Mowrey n.d.). The company launched a media campaign to encourage users to register alarms and also set up a toll-free telephone number to answer questions about the local ordinance (Kanable 2001).
An evaluation of Memphis, Tennessees, Alarm Office found that, while some alarm companies did indeed cancel alarm calls before dispatch, the practice did not have a measurable impact on the overall number of false alarms to which police were required to respond (Forde and Hellman 2004 [PDF] ). Similarly, since Montgomery County, Maryland, enacted its alarm ordinance in 1995, alarm monitoring companies cancelled 24 percent of all requests for dispatch. While this reduced the number of false alarms to which police responded, it also increased dispatchers workload (Montgomery County Police Department 2004).
In 2004, the Los Angeles (California) Police Department restructured its response to burglar alarms by 1) increasing fines, 2) suspending service after two false alarms in a rolling 12-month period, and 3) requiring alarm verification for all calls after suspension. In 2005, these changes reduced the number of alarm calls by about half, led to approximately the same cancellation rate, and required approximately half the number of alarm dispatches (Los Angeles Police Department 2005). The approach requires a significant amount of administrative work, including alarm permitting, false alarm classes, appeals processes, and use of a collection agency for past-due accounts [Los Angeles Police Commission, Alarms Section, Board of Police Commissioners (n.d.)].
The False Alarm Reduction Association and National Burglar & Fire Alarm Association created guidelines for establishing an alarm users awareness school (False Alarm Reduction Association and National Burglar & Fire Alarm Association 2000 [PDF] ).
You may order free bound copies in any of three ways:
Online: Department of Justice COPS Response Center
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Allow several days for delivery.
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"Your business model is at war with life on this planet. It's at war with us. And we need to fight back."
Klein does not have much sympathy for fellow warmists (like Al Gore), who ask people to change light bulbs and plant trees. Although Klein does not openly admit it, what she really is working for is the abolition of the traditional American free market system:
"And, you know, one of the things about deregulated capitalism is that it is a crisis creation machine, you know? You take away all the rules and you are going to have serial crises. They may be economic crises, booms and busts. Or there will be ecological crises. You're going to have both. You're just going to have shock after shock after shock."
In the interview with Bill Moyers, Klein explains why she thinks that climate change is a "historic moment to usher in the next great wave of progressive change":
NAOMI KLEIN: It can be and it must be. I mean, it's our only chance. I believe it's the biggest challenge humanity has ever faced. And we've been kidding ourselves about what it's going to take to get our emissions down to the extent that they need to go down. I mean, you talk about 80 percent lowering emissions. I mean, that is such a huge shift.
And I think that's part of the way in which, and I don't mean to beat up on the big environmental groups, because they do fantastic work. But I think that part of the reason why public opinion on this issue has been so shaky is that it doesn't really add up to say to the public, you know, "This is a huge problem. It's Armageddon." You know, you have "Inconvenient Truth." You scare the hell out of people. But then you say, "Well, the solution can be very minor. You can change your light bulb. And we'll have this complicated piece of legislation called cap and trade that you don't really understand, but that basically means that companies here can keep on polluting, but they're going to trade their carbon emissions. And, you know, somebody else is going to plant trees on the other side of the planet and they'll get credits."
And people look at that going, "Okay, if this was a crisis, wouldn't be we be responding more aggressively? So wouldn't we be responding in a way that you have, we've responded in the past during war times, where there's been, you know, that kind of a collective sense of shared responsibility?" Because I think when we really do feel that sense of urgency about an issue, and I believe we should feel it about climate change, we are willing to sacrifice. We have shown that in the past. But when you hold up a supposed emergency and actually don't ask anything of people, anything major, they actually think you might be lying, that it might not really be an emergency after all. So if this is an emergency, we have to act like it. And yeah, it is a fundamental challenge. But the good news is, you know, we get to have a future for our kids.


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Before Kinky Friedman became a best-selling author of mystery novels, or ran for the Governor of Texas as an Independent in 2006 (coming in fourth out of six candidates), he recorded some of the funniest country music ever committed to tape. His best known songs include "They Ain't Makin' Jews Like Jesus Anymore", "Ride 'Em Jewboy", and "Get Your Biscuits in the Oven and Your Buns in the Bed", which aren't exactly hymns to political correctness, but they probably will make you laugh, and might even make you think.
This interview was done by phone on 11/26/12, and was for a preview article for Friedman's shows on 12/8/12 at the Maverick Saloon in Santa Ynez, California, and on 12/9/12 at Zoey's Cafe in Ventura California. (Larry Pullen photo)


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GameEra necesitaba un nuevo diseño de otro y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 57 diseños de 12 diseñadores freelance.
GameEra Turboball
iPad game developers
iPad game players
We have Turboball game released for apple store:
I need 2 images:
1. Title Treatment
The title treatment / logo for the application should be simple and easy to read when scaled down to a small size. Please limit tag or bylines if they are not legible at small scale.
Vector .eps, .ai or minimum 600 x 600 px transparent .psd or .tif
2. Background Image
The background image, texture, color or gradient should correspond to the application or complement the title treatment. It may include elements of the application itself, but should not be or include screenshots.
900 x 530 px layered .psd
You can use some of our screenshots from the game and the attached picture to understand how the game looks and feels . Logo should look similar to existing logo. I dont have old logo tht fits the requirements so i dont attach it..
You can also use images from http://game-era.com/game4.html page in your work. screenshots and gameplay video can be found there too.
Please do fast, it is urgent work.
thanks guys! looking forward to seeing results!


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Page One
New: Chronicle Covers Up 'Green-on-Blue Deaths' in Afghanistan
On August 13, the San Francisco Chronicle reported on the tragic death of US Marine Capt. Matthew Manoukian. The Chron cited a Pentagon report that claimed the Los Altos Hills native was killed "while conducting combat operations" in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Chronicle reporter Henry K. Lee should have questioned the Pentagon's account.
The Chronicle inexplicably repeated a misleading Associated Press report that Manoukian and two other marines were killed "at a police checkpoint." This should have raised a red flag: Were the marines killed "in combat" or at a "police checkpoint"?
Had the Chronicle tried to resolve this inconsistency, it would have discovered the truth: Manoukian and two other marines (Staff Sgt. Sky R. Mote, 27, of El Dorado, Calif., and Marine Gunnery Sgt. Ryan Jeschke, 31, of Herndon, VA) were shot and killed after sitting down to share a meal with an Afghan colleague in his home — a situation that would not typically be characterized as "conducting combat operations."
The Military Times correctly reported that all three Marines were "shot by an Afghan policeman." Sangin district of chief Mohammad Sharif, told the Associated Press: [T]he shooting happened at a police checkpoint after a joint meal and a security meeting."
Somehow the Chronicle apparently missed the AP's earlier story — filed on August 10 — in which it was reported: "An Afghan police officer shot and killed three US Marines after sharing a meal with them before dawn Friday and then fled into the desolate darkness of southern Afghanistan, the third attack on coalition forces by their Afghan counterparts in a week." (These killings brought the yearly count of coalition soldiers killed by their Afghan partners to 31 – a nearly three-fold increase in so-called "green-on-blue" killings over all of 2011.)
According to AP reporter Kay Johnson, the district chief and the Taliban each identified the killer as an Afghan National Police officer named Asadullah who had worked closely with the Americans, "helping the Marines train the Afghan Local Police." A Taliban spokesman subsequently claimed that, shortly after the killings, Asadullah joined the Taliban insurgency. "Now, he is with us," Qari Yousef Ahmadi said.
A 70-page report prepared by US Army behavioral scientists in 2011, suggests that such killings are likely to continue to increase as the US occupation of Afghanistan is set to enter its 11th year. The Army investigation warned that many Afghan security personnel see American troops as "extremely arrogant, bullying and unwilling to listen to their advice." They also accused the Americans of a lack of concern for Afghans' safety, a lack of respect for female privacy and a lack of basic civility — routinely addressing Afghans with denigrating slurs.
The report found the situation is deteriorating on the US side as well, with American troops accusing their Afghan counterparts of "pervasive illicit drug use, massive thievery, personal instability, dishonesty, no integrity."
Responding to the troubling increase in green-on-blue violence, NATO spokesman Brig. Gen. Gunter Katz insisted: "We are confident that those isolated incidents will have no effect on transition or on the quality of our forces."
Shortly after Katz issued his optimistic assessment, two men wearing Afghan army uniforms shot and killed a US soldier in Paktia province (wounding two others in the process). Two days later, two well-armed Afghan soldiers attempted to murder a group of NATO troops near a base in eastern Afghanistan.
In misreporting the circumstances surrounding the death of Matthew Manoukian — a dedicated soldier and a gifted young man who was preparing to leave the Marines in 2013 to pursue a career as a lawyer — the Chronicle has muddied the record. Readers are left to wonder: Was this simply an instance of poor reporting or was it an intentional effort to cover up another troubling incident of green-on-blue violence? If the latter, the Chronicle owes Captain Manoukian's family an apology for distorting the truth and, in so doing, dishonoring the record of three US Marines.


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Cubs-Brewers Live Stream Free, Without CableBy Jeremy Evans / July 30, 2017 / Tags: Live Stream, Stream Sports
Watch the Cubs-Brewers live stream free, without cable, or if you're in a blackout zone — plus today's other MLB games.
In the MLB today, Sunday, July 30, you can live stream the Chicago Cubs at Milwaukee Brewers for free, without cable. Live coverage starts at 2:00 PM EST.
To watch the Cubs-Brewers live stream free, without cable, just use fuboTV. Sign up for a free trial of fuboTV and live stream Chicago Cubs at Milwaukee Brewers for free — plus tons more MLB, soccer, golf, and other live sports.
A handful of other games rounds out today's MLB baseball schedule. Here's how to watch every game live online, even for free or without cable.
Live Stream Today's MLB Games Without Cable
If a game you want to stream requires login with a TV provider but you don't have one, there are a couple ways you can get access.
MLB.TV, the MLB's official streaming service, is the best option. It will let you live stream games all around the league. There's just one catch — all in-market games (your local team) are blacked out on MLB.TV.
⊕ Ultimate Guide To Watch MLB Online Without Cable
Regionally and nationally televised games are also blacked out. So to watch your home team — along with every other game — you need to do this simple trick to get around the blackouts on MLB.TV. Then you can use MLB.TV to watch every game live, all season long.
You can also use fuboTV to stream baseball without cable. FuboTV has expanded to cover all major sports, and live streams lots of MLB baseball games. You can get a 7-day free trial to watch today's games for free. To see which games are streaming live on fuboTV today, go here.
YouTube TV
Another option is to use YouTube TV. This is YouTube's new live TV and sports streaming service. You can stream live sports on ESPN, FOX, CBS, NBC, and ABC with a 1-month free trial. The only drawback is that it's only available in a couple of US cities. But the good news is that even if YouTube TV isn't available where you are, you can still get access. See how to get YouTube TV in any location.
For more of today's best options to watch MLB games without cable/satellite see The Ultimate Guide To Watch MLB Online, and The Ultimate Guide To Stream Live Sports.
More Ways To Watch MLB Baseball Live Online For Free
Streaming services like fuboTV and YouTube TV offer free trials, so take advantage. Past that, you can also live stream MLB games for free with no trial offers needed — but stay away from those scummy, ad-clogged "free live sports!!!" sites. There's a better way.
You can use Kodi to watch MLB live online for free (plus lots of other sports). What is Kodi? Briefly, it's a free media player you can use to stream live sports and other content from the internet.
⊕ Watch Live TV On Kodi: Channels & How To
One note — whether Kodi is legal is an issue of debate. Yes, the networks and league frown upon watching their content for free. Hey, I'm not here to judge. But it is highly recommended you use a VPN with Kodi to stay private and secure.
To see what you can watch on Kodi, and how to get started, check out our beginner's guide on how to use Kodi or how to watch Kodi live TV. If you already use it and need help finding the best sources to stream live sports on Kodi, see our list of the best Kodi add-ons. This includes some excellent options to stream live US sports, including MLB baseball.
Bypass MLB Blackouts
If a game you want to stream is blacked out in your area, there is a way to bypass the blackouts and get access.
See How To Bypass MLB Blackouts. This works to get access to games that are under a local/regional blackout, as well as national blackout games (those that are televised on national TV, like on ESPN or FOX Sports). You can use it to get around blackouts on MLB.TV, fuboTV, Sling TV, and PlayStation Vue.
Watch MLB Live Streams From Anywhere
If you want to watch a live stream or use a streaming service that isn't available in your area, you can bypass the geo-blockers and get access.
See How To Unblock Live Sports Streams Everywhere. Note that this does not bypass login requirements — only to get around location restrictions.


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In May 2012 and again in June, Speaker John Pérez wrote memos to Democrats in the California Assembly. He wanted millions in campaign cash to win a handful of key races.
At stake, Pérez wrote, was their party's control of the Assembly – and, as it turned out, the perks and power enjoyed by the lawmakers themselves.
"It is critical that we band together to maximize our financial resources," the Los Angeles legislator wrote in the memos, copies of which were obtained by the Center for Investigative Reporting.
The lawmakers gave Pérez what he wanted, state campaign finance records show.
Exploiting loopholes in a law enacted to stanch the flow of big money in state politics, the Assembly Democrats pumped $5.8 million into the campaigns Pérez designated, a CIR data analysis shows. The infusion of cash helped the Democrats win a supermajority in the Capitol: two-thirds control of the Legislature for the first time since 1883.
The system also paid off for the speaker's biggest fundraisers in the Assembly.
According to the data, Pérez gave lawmakers who raised the most money the best assignments in the new Legislature – posts on the speaker's leadership team and seats on the powerful "juice committees."
These are seven of the Assembly's 30 standing policy committees. They control bills affecting the financial bottom line for the Capitol's wealthiest interest groups: from banks, insurance companies and public utilities to casinos, racetracks and liquor distributors. For lawmakers who serve on them, the committees are a source of political campaign "juice": abundant donations.
Pérez spokesman John Vigna said the speaker makes legislative assignments based on merits, not money.
"There is absolutely no connection, zero connection, between Speaker Pérez's leadership selections and any political considerations, including fundraising," he said.
"Speaker Pérez chooses his leadership team based on their ability to serve the people of California" and nothing else, Vigna added.
CIR's analysis of more than 38,000 contributions to Assembly Democrats in the 2011-12 campaign shows a link between donations to the speaker's targeted races and a lawmaker's prospects for important legislative assignments.
Among the findings:
•The mega-donors to Pérez's targets – three lawmakers who gave more than $250,000 – obtained positions of power. Each was named to either a leadership post or chairmanship of a juice committee, along with a seat on at least one juice committee.
•Lawmakers who gave more than $150,000 were likely to get multiple important posts. All 18 got one juice committee seat, and 16 got a leadership post, chairmanship of a juice committee or a seat on a second juice committee.
•Lawmakers who gave less got less. Donors who contributed less than $150,000 stood a 13 percent chance of heading a juice committee or joining the leadership. No lawmaker who gave less than $40,000 was named chairman of a juice committee.
California's Assembly speakers, Democrat and Republican alike, long have courted the state's monied interests, seeking campaign funds to win or maintain power in the Legislature. Despite efforts to break this cycle, most speakers also have given political allies leadership posts, committee assignments and other perks.
The Pérez memos and the pattern of donations that followed them provide new insights into how those dynamics played out in the 2012 campaign.
Phillip Ung, policy advocate for the political reform group California Common Cause, said CIR's findings are reason for concern.
"This system of campaign finance buying leadership on committees" has nothing to do with good government, he said.
"When voters see someone is chair of a committee, their expectation is that person is there because that person is a policy expert, not because they bought that chair," Ung said.
Pérez, 43, is a former labor union official who was elected speaker in 2009. Even in an era of term limits – Pérez must leave the Assembly next year – he has emerged as one of California's most powerful officials.
As the memos make clear, Pérez as speaker has made fundraising a priority. But raising money is complicated by Proposition 34, a law passed by voters in 2000 to limit the influence of big money on state elections.
Today, the law caps contributions in legislative races at $3,900 per donor but allows unlimited donations to state political parties.
Pérez's memos – one concerning the June primary, the other the general election – spell out his strategy for sidestepping the $3,900 donation cap and directing millions in contributions to key campaigns.
In the documents, Pérez sought $127,900 from each of the 52 Democrats in the Assembly at the time. The breakdown: $3,900 apiece in each of five targeted primary races and $3,900 more in each of six races targeted in the November campaign; $65,000 for the state party's "candidate support fund," split between the primary and general elections; and $20,000 for Gov. Jerry Brown's tax hike measure.
Pérez told the lawmakers not to send the money directly to the campaigns. Instead, "for proper tracking," they were told to deliver the money to an office the speaker maintains near the Capitol.
In the end, the Democrats gave more money than the speaker had requested. Republicans lost in all the races Pérez targeted, and Democrats wound up with 55 seats in the 80-seat Assembly – one seat more than needed for a two-thirds majority.
Meanwhile, as Pérez doled out legislative assignments between August and January, those who gave the most money reaped larger benefits, CIR's analysis indicates.
The Assembly's top donor, Toni Atkins of San Diego, gave $282,000 to the targeted races, records show. She was named majority floor leader – next to the speaker, the top leadership post in the Assembly. In addition to naming her majority leader, Pérez kept Atkins on the Health Committee, a juice committee on which she had served in the previous term.
Henry Perea of Fresno, a Pérez loyalist who gave a total of $277,000, was named chairman of the committee that oversees the insurance industry. He retained seats on two other juice committees as well.
Pérez's No. 3 donor, Mike Gatto of Los Angeles, gave $258,000 to the targeted races. The speaker promoted him to chairman of the most powerful juice committee, the Appropriations Committee, with jurisdiction over fiscal bills. Gatto also kept his seat on another juice committee.
Gatto declined to comment, referring a query to the speaker. Atkins and Perea didn't respond to requests for comment.
CIR's analysis shows that $150,000 was a cutoff of sorts. Most lawmakers who donated more than $150,000 to the speaker's targeted races obtained important committee assignments or leadership posts.
Including the three mega-donors, 18 lawmakers broke the $150,000 threshold. Pérez named six of them to head juice committees. Five more got leadership posts, and another five got two or more juice committee assignments.
Roger Hernández of West Covina, who donated $185,000, wound up with seats on three juice committees. He was Pérez's majority whip, but the speaker replaced him after he became embroiled in a scandal involving an ex-girlfriend. Hernández didn't respond to interview requests.
Pérez named two major donors to leadership posts even though they were incoming freshman assemblymen and thus had no Capitol experience.
Former Pasadena City Council member Chris Holden, who donated $199,000 to Pérez's targets, was named majority whip, replacing Hernández, and put on two juice committees. In a statement, Holden said he believed he was named whip because of his long service in local government.
Environmental activist Anthony Rendon of South Gate, near Los Angeles, who gave $191,000, was named assistant majority floor leader and appointed to the Utilities and Commerce Committee. Pérez later removed Rendon from the leadership and made him chairman of the Committee on Water, Parks and Wildlife, which is not considered a juice committee. Rendon asked for that assignment, spokesman Bill Wong said, largely because of water issues in his district.
For lawmakers who steered less than $150,000 to the speaker, prospects were leaner, the analysis shows.
Eighteen lawmakers gave between $40,000 and $150,000. Of those, two were named to leadership positions, and one became chairman of a juice committee.
Prospects were poorest for lawmakers who gave less than $40,000. None of this group of 18 lawmakers was named to head a juice committee, and two were named to leadership posts.
The experience of Assemblywoman Mariko Yamada of Davis was noteworthy.
Yamada donated $9,600 to the targeted races, the least of any incumbent Assembly Democrat. When Pérez parceled out leadership posts and slots on the juice committees, Yamada was passed over.
Instead, the former social worker was reappointed as chairwoman of the Assembly's low-profile Committee on Aging and Long-Term Care. She didn't respond to requests for comment.
The Center for Investigative Reporting is an independent, nonprofit investigative reporting team. For more, visit www.cironline.org. The reporters can be reached at email@example.com and email@example.com


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Almost two million years after their last meals, two members of a prehuman species in southern Africa left traces in their teeth of what they had eaten then, as well as over a lifetime of foraging. Scientists were surprised to find that these hominins apparently lived almost exclusively on a diet of leaves, fruits, wood and bark.
If you are what you eat, the new research and other recent studies suggest there was more diversity in the diets of early prehumans, both within and between species, than previously understood. And this could in part account for the recently recognized physical diversity among the long intermediate line of hominins belonging to the genus Australopithecus.
The dietary pattern of the enigmatic species, Australopithecus sediba, discovered four years ago in the Malapa caves northwest of Johannesburg, was unexpected for several reasons. It contrasted sharply with available data for other hominins in the region and elsewhere in Africa; they mainly consumed grasses and sedges from the savanna.
The Au. sediba diet also appeared to be a matter of choice, not necessity. Other evidence from animal fossils and sediments in the area indicated the presence at the time of vast grasslands in the vicinity. Yet these hominins, their skeletons adapted for tree climbing as well as upright walking, chose to feed themselves in adjacent woodlands. In this, scientists said, their behavior was more like that of modern chimpanzees, which tend to ignore savanna grasses, or perhaps the more apelike hominin Ardipithecus ramidus, which lived largely on hard foods some 4.4 million years ago.
An international team of scientists led by Amanda G. Henry of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, reported on Wednesday the research that supported their findings. Their paper was published online by the journal Nature and will appear later in a printed edition.
"If these individuals are representative of the species," the scientists wrote, "Au. sediba had a diet that was different from those of most early African hominins studied so far."
They also concluded that the "inferred consumption" of woodland products "increased the known variety of early hominin foods." But there is still much that is unknown or unclear about the newfound species: how or if it is related to modern humans and just where it fits on the hominin family tree.
The discovery, by Lee Berger of the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, of two partial skeletons — one an adult female, the other a juvenile male — was the basis for the announcement two years ago of the new hominin species. These and at least one other adult specimen indicate that these hominins stood little more than four feet tall and had small brains and a mix of primitive and more modern anatomies. Dr. Berger was an author of the new journal report.
Few other paleoanthropologists agree with Dr. Berger's contention that the new species is the most plausible known ancestor of archaic and modern humans. Dr. Henry's group said that studies of additional fossils from the Malapa caves "will provide a better understanding of the dietary ecology of Au. sediba."
Ian Tattersall, a paleoanthropologist at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, who was not involved in the research, called the findings "intriguing" and the research "an imaginative and multisided approach that makes you want to know more about this morphologically unusual species."
"Fortunately," Dr. Tattersall added, "rumor has it that more specimens are on the way."
Dr. Henry's team followed three lines of research. One was an analysis of carbon isotopes extracted by laser from tooth enamel, one of the most durable and least contaminated body parts, and one that preserves chemical signatures of what was eaten in one's youth. The type and amount of isotopes left from a diet of tree leaves, fruit and bark were well outside the range of those seen in all previously tested hominins — at least 95 percent forest food.
A second approach was an examination of dental microwear, which can reveal pits, scratches and cracks left by hard foods consumed shortly before death. Dr. Tattersall said that this "doesn't help much to clarify the situation, since it appears to differ significantly between the two individuals."
Finally, microscopic plant particles, called phytoliths, were recovered from dental tartar for the first time from a very ancient hominin (but from only one of the two individuals). Scientists said this apparently confirmed the carbon isotopic evidence for woodland diets.
Benjamin H. Passey, a geochemist at Johns Hopkins University, who conducted the tests determining the high ratio of carbon isotopes indicating a diet mostly of forest foods, explained why the research was important to an understanding of human evolution.
"One thing people probably don't realize is that humans are basically grass eaters," Dr. Passey said in a statement. "We eat grass in the form of the grains we use to make breads, noodles, cereals and beers, and we eat animals that eat grass. So when did our addiction to grass begin? At what point in our evolutionary history did we start making use of grasses? We are simply trying to find out where in the human chain that begins."


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Jakle: A husband says goodbye to 'Housewives'
Many may mourn the end of "Desperate Housewives," but a "Desperate" husband from San Antonio is not among them.
"I'm fine with it," Ricardo Antonio Chavira — who has played Carlos Solis, husband of Gabrielle Solis (Eva Longoria), through the entire run of the show — said of ABC's decision to wrap up the comedy after eight seasons. The show's two-hour finale airs at 8 p.m. Sunday.
"It's been a great training ground for what's to come," Chavira, who graduated from the University of the Incarnate Word, elaborated over a beer in a Pasadena, Calif., hotel bar. "Before this, I hadn't done a TV show where I was working on every episode several times a week for eight years. It gave me an education on how to work in front of the camera, on a major set like this."
His No. 1 priority these days is being a good husband to his wife, Marcea Dietzel, and father to his two kids, Belen Elysabeth, 3, and Tomas Antonio, 9.
"I love being in San Antonio — away from all this."
Some of "all this" is the media attention that goes hand-in-hand with Hollywood success. When not at work on "Housewives," he said, "I'm jumping on a plane and going home. I go to my kids' games, take them to practice. I've made it known that when I'm in San Antonio and with my family, leave me alone. I don't want to talk about my work or take a photo."
He clearly feels camaraderie with longtime male co-stars Doug Savant and James Denton; the two clowned around with him at the bar. He also said he loves "Eva to death; she's like a little sister to me."
However, "Desperate Housewives," in the last few years, has become "more of a job than anything else," he said.
He spoke of "unflattering" story lines written for his character. Over the seasons, Carlos has gone to prison, become blind, divorced and a drunk.
"They've put him through the wringer," Chavira said.
The most recent development, putting Carlos in rehab and away from the main action for several weeks, was actually a welcome one, he said.
"I've had a lot of time off, have gotten stuff done on my property in Texas," he said.
During the show's run, Chavira has landed movie parts ("Piranha") and guest roles in TV series such as "Monk." However, nothing causes his eyes to light up like the mention of a play he did in the summer of 2010.
"Working on the Guthrie main stage in Minneapolis playing Stanley Kowalski in 'A Streetcar Named Desire' — that's a list-scratcher," said Chavira, 40. "Of all the things I've done in the past 10 years, that is what I'm most proud of."
As for life after "Housewives," Chavira said he plans to embark on some personal adventures: "I want to take a 10-day motorcycle ride ... climb Kilimanjaro."
He also wants to focus more on renovating Taco Land, which he purchased last year with San Antonio developer David Adelman, a friend from his Lee High School days.
Down the line, he would welcome another series — preferably one that films in Texas, so he can be close to family. However, it would have to be the right series.
"I don't want to do another nighttime soap opera," he said adamantly, "another show that's estrogen heavy. I want horses, hand grenades, mud, bullets, guts, sweat, crime. If that means I don't work for a while, then that's what it means. I'm in a position where now I can say I don't want to do that."
On the other hand, he added, smiling, "I'm also not an idiot; if they're offering me the same amount of money ..."


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Welcome to Project Car Hell, where you choose your eternity by selecting the project that's the coolest... and the most hellish! Yesterday, the Warsaw Pact Hell Truck Projects ran just about neck and neck, with the trio of Romanian AROs beating the Soviet GAZ-69 in a 51:49 split. Today… well, after looking at all the backyard Lambos I've found lately, it seems like a good idea to have some real Lamborghini Hell Projects. Most of the time, it's tough to find a Lamborghini that isn't in great shape, since most of them don't exactly wear out their odometers during their lifetimes, but we've got a couple of genuine projects for you!
You know what really counts most in the hearts of
rabid highly devoted Italian-car freaks aficionados? Originality. A low-mileage original Italian supercar is sure to shatter your sanity knock 'em dead, but the prices- holy crap! Still, if you're willing to expend a lot of blood a little elbow grease, you can find a nice original Lamborghini that's been rotting stored for a decade or three and get it back into shape in your very own torture chamber garage. Say, something like this 1971 Lamborghini Espada, which has only 49,000 miles on the clock. OK, pessimists, we don't need to hear your oh-so-knowing snide comments about the way it's been sitting for either 26 years or since 1973, whichever you prefer. Yeah, every single component that ever touched any sort of fluid or allowed electrons to flow through it is going to be completely shot need some tinkering, but there's no rust and the interior is nice. All you need to do is find a source for thousands of a few replacement parts and you'll be at the beginning of an endless, painful journey ready to go!
Here we go, for the first time ever: two PCH cars from the same seller! You can get an Espada pretty cheap, so where's the exclusivity, eh? What you need, my friend, is a shiny yellow Lamborghini Murcielago! We've found one that's been in
an apocalyptic top-speed wreck a bit of a fender-bender, and the starting bid is only 76 grand! Yes, this 1991 2005 Lamborghini Murcielago is completely destroyed has some damage, and we're pretty sure the seller is keenly regretting his sarcastic statement "Small little damage in the back, but otherwise ready to go." As we know, sarcasm is "common in the salvage industry," and remember: "If you are a girly man, idiot, freeloader, lunatic or other incompetent; please do not bid." You aren't allowed to go look at the car in person, sorry. But still, how hard could it be? It's a real Murcielago!


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Testing, testing…is this thing still on?
The last 8 weeks have been manic. Good manic. Show season is in full effect and I've barely spent a weekend at home. when I have been back at HQ I've been spannering on a new project that's gotten massively out of hand. More on that in a bit. Here's a taster of some of the action:
Castle Retro Show
The annual pilgrimage to South Wales went off without a hitch and even the sun shone. I rocked down with the usual suspects in the Herald for the full 3 days and it was EPIC. From a Mobile cinema to blazing infernos, we glamped the place to death.
Northern Classic Show
A random show in the North near Manchester: Indoor is the key here, it is England after all. As a rest from the usual scene suspects it was refreshing: Flat caps and beards more the order of the day, but a chilled vibe and diverse mix made it well worth the trip. The '90s spec hotel I stayed in didn't, but we'll gloss over that.
Early Edition
Like normal Edition, but earlier. A random spot of Mercedes love by the organisers saw me roll into the show and shine in the Benz totally unprepared! Luckily the legends at Meguires sorted me out and the daily got lime light for one night only. The only Mercedes in the village: Hell YES.
Retro Mania
Retro Mania smashed it this year and finally got the weather it deserved to make a good go of it. The mix of Dubs and Old Skool was great, filling the place all day Saturday and Sunday.
Players Classic x Speedhunters
Oh yeah, a couple of wees ago there was this show you might of heard about…what was it again, erm: PLAYERS CLASSIC. You know I love a bit of Goodwood, so when Speedhunters gave me the opportunity to have the KP there with them I jumped at the chance. 522 miles in 35 hours saw me take in the historic circuit, race around it (and ticked a big one off the bucket list) and mix it up with some great people. The whole thing was amazing; expect a BIG update on this when I get my act together!
And that project I mentioned…
Well, I bought a '64 MINI as a quick 3-day turn-around job and a bit of fun. 7 weeks. SEVEN weeks it's taken to get it finished. It's been worth it though and as I sit here now it's covered 600 miles and it getting the final touches this weekend. Once it's all done I'll get it shot and fill you in…it's a MINI, but it's a bit special….


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Hello!, my name is Birneft . i make film characters and i make gangster characters like : mafia , Streetfighter clans etc.
first maked i characters for my classmates , after sometimes i maked some for me . my friend means i "must" join and give my ideas to this site.


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How to market your Youtube video
Market Your YouTube Video
Are you trying to start your own internet business? And you want to introduce it to public thru social media? Well you can definitely start your internet business and introduces thru social media or youtube. All you need to do is post your campaign video on youtube and earn likes and views. If you are thinking about the number of views you will have and number of the people that will hit like on your video. Well no need to worry there is actually some store that offers branding by buying youtube views and likes.
There are stores that offer branding by buying youtube views and likes. And those are legit and real viewers all you need to do is to review the stores profile and their rating first before purchasing their product. Buying views and like in youtube will help your online business to grow and it will also help your business to earn more viewers and likes to your video. As we all know people or online users will only get interested on your video if it has numerous of views and likes already.
Your internet business will only be notice if it went viral and trending to all social media sites. And first step in internet is by branding by buying youtube views and likes. It is a good business decision if you first buy at least a thousand of instant viewers and likes and the next number of your viewers will follow. You just first need to catch the viewers attention and make them watch and hit on like on your video. Of course you have to make sure that the content of your video is something they will be interested and something that they will like also something that they will share to their social media account.
Internet business is a good business if you know how it works. Well if you are really interested in this kind of business you can actually just research how it works online and there are a lot of ideas and suggestions you can get when you search it online. And Branding by buying youtube views and likes is one of the marketing strategies in internet business. Buying legit views and like is not actually cheating if you thought it was. Because those are real viewers and real likes you are buying their service . SO never think twice.


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Beyonce Goes Retro in Houston Rockets Photo
In a single photo, that glamour puss known as Beyonce was able to go retro, to reconstruct the early '90s hip-hop look and show her love for her Houston hometown -- all the while looking as gorgeous as ever. Yep, the upcoming Super Bowl halftime performer is flawless.
Bey shared this adorbs photo of herself with a big-brimmed Houston Rockets cap, massive hoop earrings, a bold print puffy jacket and a red-painted scowl. If we didn't know any better, we'd think this shot came screaming from the '90s.
She simply captioned the image: "#HTown."
Even when dipping back in time with her style, Bey still looks amazing and better than most. Here, she plays around like she could have been in Salt-n-Pepa or even TLC.
Push it, p-p-push it real good!
Watch the Beyonce 'Countdown' Video


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"True Blood" Season Four scoop? You know you want some...
"This season is the most shocking season yet," says star Jim Parrack. "The stories are getting more personal, and more far out without losing their humanity. Things happen that I think will just blow people's hair back."
With the dreaded Vampire King of Mississippi seemingly safely encased in cement, things started to get as back to normal as things can be in Bon Temps, Louisiana – which, of course, is not normal at all. PopcornBiz got the cast of HBO's bloody good, bloody sexy series to sink their teeth into a few teasers about the next round of fang-tastic episodes kicking off this Sunday night.
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
"Sookie has adventures in Faerieland. Sookie encounters witches. And Sookie is single!" says star Anna Paquin of the fate of her plucky Sookie Stackhouse, who was last seen entering into a mystical realm after learning that faerie blood runs in her veins, adding to her irresistibility to vampire suitors Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) and Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgaard) – and that her devoted Bill was originally sent to groom her to become a vampire queen. "Sookie hasn't tied herself to any one person at the beginning of this season. She's basically reached a point where she's like, 'You guys have both kind of messed me around, so go away.'"
Paquin says the thrill of "True Blood" lies in the fact that "there is nothing we can't do. There are no limits placed on what we're allowed to do, say, show, explore. It's very exciting, creatively."
Four seasons in, she, too, still finds Sookie irresistible. "I think she is an innately very, very good person. And she makes some interesting – and sometimes questionable – choices. But I think it all comes from a really honestly good place. She has great intentions, but she goes full force."
Moyer, Paquin's onscreen paramour and off-screen husband, says the series supernatural world expands even further this year with the addition of a coven of witches. "We've got a lot of elements, a lot of things in the air this year," he says. "I have very little to do with the witches, but I do work with them a little bit and that's been really fun. It's very new, and something completely different. They have a power that we've never kind of explored before."
After a traumatic Season Three for Tara Thornton, actress Rutina Wesley says Tara has left Bon Temps to rebuild herself – possibly resulting in an eyebrow-raising relationship. "We're going to find out what she's been doing," says Wesley. "I do know that she comes back a little more Zen. And she's learned how to love herself in a way that I think is really good, and that's going to open her up to possible love – if there is love for her, she's ready for it. I've always loved her and Sam [Merlotte, played by actor Sam Trammell] together and I think she loved Sam, but I just think she wasn't really able to sort of commit to that. Because she just wasn't loving herself. And every time she got close to someone she always ran the other way."
Ryan Kwanten was excited to explore an entirely different side of Jason Stackhouse, who's officially joined the local police force only to contend with an increasingly self-destructive Sherriff Andy Bellefleur (Chris Bauer) while still trying to help the homeless clan of his were-panther lover Crystal (Lindsay Pulsipher), who'll be back to sink her claws into him again.
"This is the season of biggest growth for Jason," says Kwanten, "because he started, in my view, very low on the evolutionary totem pole, so he can only go up. But this is a real season of where the young boy turns into a man. He's been given a position of power. He's now a cop. He's forced to try and raise a whole tribe of people and then eventually fight for his life." Jason's flip-flopping role opposite Andy was especially fun for Kwanten. "It's almost like they're struck by lightning and Jason takes on Andy's authority and Andy very much starts acquiring a lot of Jason's naïveté and addictiveness."
Deborah Ann Woll's vampire-in-training Jessica Hamby will also get further mentoring from her creator Bill while still struggling with her relationship with Hoyt (Parrack). "Jess is a vampire, and I think she wants to explore that and accept it a little bit rather than repress it," says Woll. "So you're going to see a bit more of that side of her. I get to play a bit more with Steve [Moyer]. I love that relationship. that maker/progeny, father/daughter dynamic. That's been sort of a fun one this season. I have a couple surprise people I get to work with, so that'll be exciting.
"We love each other, we really do," she says of the Jessica/Hoyt romance. "But we're very young, and the world is very cruel. And I just think we've got some challenges ahead of us."
Carrie Preston's earthy waitress Arlene will keep a sharp eye on her new son, who was fathered by her evil first husband Rene, even as her new man Terry tries to assure her the baby's perfectly normal. "My character is definitely still dealing with the same things that we left her with, which are the fears of this child that she's carrying being evil like the child's father," says Preston. "The sins of the father will be visited on the child. And then my character this season has to be face to face with something that we haven't even seen yet on the show!"
And as Eric continues his relentless pursuit/seduction of Sookie, his longtime Fangtasia sidekick Pam (Kristin Bauer) will be revealing a whole new aspect of her personality. "The side of Pam that we're going to see, we've never seen before," says Bauer It's a side I didn't know she had and was very challenging to play. She's very feral this year, and I realized how un-strategizing she is – she doesn't think two or three movies down the road. She's all heart and emotion."
And there are some new faces in Bon Temps as well, including classical actress Fiona Shaw – or Mrs. Dursley to you "Harry Potter" fans – as one of the new witches in town, and Janina Gavankar ("The L Word") as a sexy shapeshifter who opens up a new world for Merlotte.
"True Blood" returns Sunday, June 26th on HBO


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khawe necesitaba un nuevo diseño de otro y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 22 diseños de 16 diseñadores freelance.
Big Head Gang
I am a full-time cubicle dweller who dreams of being his own boss...
Mostly adults and cubicle dwellers like me -
Looking for a design concept for a "figurine" I want to develop - think Dunny ( http://sites.kidrobot.com/dunny/ ) but people and not so design centric...more focused on the specific personality.
I am looking for an illustration I can use to get a prototype built of the first "character" concept - which is a tech / new media hipster. Figure is going to be 5 inches tall and be more cartoon then real - especially when it comes to limbs and actual body details.
key points and details.
1) Name is big head gang...so character should have a "big head"
2) flat, EMO hair
3) Blue t-shirt with </?> front and center
4) cartoon'ish features. Ears, mouth, nose figners do not have to be detailed.
5) Jeans
6) Chuck Taylor type shoes.
Attached a drawing I did - use for concept but not actual finished product.


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|Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference on March 14, 2017
At the invitation of the government of the Republic of the Philippines, Vice Premier Wang Yang of the State Council will pay an official visit to the Philippines from March 16 to 19.
Q: Could you talk about the specific arrangement for Vice Premier Wang Yang's visit? Will he meet with President Rodrigo Duterte? What will be the main agenda items?
A: Vice Premier Wang Yang will pay an official visit to the Philippines from March 16 to 19. During the visit, he will meet with President Duterte, hold talks with the economic management team of the cabinet of the Philippines, address the opening ceremony of the China-ASEAN Year of Tourism and deliver a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the China-Philippines Economic and Trade Forum.
President Duterte paid a successful visit to China last October and China-Philippines relations have been turned around. We have seen an upward momentum in the development of China-Philippines relations, as the two countries deepen their political mutual trust, conduct practical cooperation across the board and resume dialogue and cooperation on maritime issues, delivering tangible benefits to the people of both countries and facilitating regional peace and stability. Last week, Chinese Minister of Commerce Zhong Shan visited the Philippines, where he chaired the 28th Conference of China-Philippines Joint Committee of Trade and Economy and met with six Philippine cabinet ministers, including the Finance Minister, reaching extensive consensus on practical cooperation between the two countries in various fields. We believe Vice Premier Wang Yang's visit will further enhance mutual trust between China and the Philippines, deepen China-Philippines good neighborliness and friendship, advance practical cooperation between the two countries in various fields and take China-Philippines relations to a new level.
Q: The Japanese helicopter carrier Izumo will go to the South China Sea for drills. Is China concerned about that?
A: You asked whether China is concerned about this. What I can tell you is: not at all. According to media reports, the Izumo warship is going to the South China Sea in May. But whether it is going there to visit some Southeast Asian countries or for other purposes, we have yet to hear the official statement from the Japanese side. If this is only about normal visits and normal transit through the South China Sea, we hold no objection and hope that such normal exchanges between relevant countries can help promote peace and stability in the region. But if it is going to the South China Sea for other motives, it would be a different story. As we have indeed seen the Japanese side stirring up troubles on the South China Sea issue, we hope the Japanese side can truly play a responsible role for peace and stability in this region.
Q: First, it is reported that US President Donald Trump is going to meet with President Xi Jinping. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's visit to China at the weekend is to prepare for that. Can you confirm that? Second, the US announced yesterday its permanent deployment of Gray Eagle unmanned drones in the ROK as a measure against the DPRK. How do you respond to that?
A: On your first question, both China and the US attach great significance to strengthening exchanges between the two countries at the top and other levels. The two sides are now staying in close touch on exchanges between the two Presidents and at other levels. We will release further information in due course.
On your second question regarding the US plan to deploy unmanned drones in the ROK, we have seen the relevant report. The current situation on the Korean Peninsula is highly sensitive and complex. If relevant sides truly hope to see peace and stability in this region, they should apply the brake and put out the fire, instead of adding fuel to the flame. We believe peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula serves the common interests and remains the shared responsibility of all parties. We hope all relevant sides will exercise calm and restraint and do more to ease the tensions, instead of the opposite.
Q: I just wonder if you can confirm US media reports that President Trump and President Xi Jinping will meet soon. Secondly, who will US Secretary of State Tillerson meet during his visit to Beijing and what are China's priorities for the talks?
A: As I said, both China and the US attach great significance to strengthening exchanges between the two countries at the top and other levels. The two sides are now in close communication on exchanges between the two Presidents and at other levels. We will release further information in due course. As for Secretary of State Tillerson's visit to China, we will also release the information very promptly.
Q: Regarding media reports about Chinese survey ships cruising waters near the "Benham Rise", Philippine President Duterte said yesterday that those were just research vessels and have not intruded waters of the Philippines. The Philippines and China had reached common understanding on this and the Philippine side had been notified by the Chinese side. As things are going great, the Philippines and China should not fight about ownership and sovereignty. How does the Chinese side comment?
A: China welcomes and commends relevant remarks by President Duterte. As he said, China and the Philippines have already communicated and had a friendly exchange of views on the relevant issue, clarified the facts and appropriately handled the issue.
I wish to reiterate that China fully respects the Philippines' rights over the continental shelf in the "Benham Rise" and there is no such thing of China challenging those rights. But the basic principle of international law says that the EEZ and the continental shelf do not equate with territories, and a littoral state's exercise of rights over the continental shelf should not hamper such rights as freedom of navigation enjoyed by other countries under international law.
Currently, under the concerted efforts of China and the Philippines, the bilateral relationship is developing with a sound momentum and practical cooperation in various areas is picking up speed. This is in line with the common interests and aspiration of the two peoples. From China's point of view, we attach great importance to the good neighborly and friendly partnership with the Philippines, and stand ready to work with the Philippines to implement the two Presidents' consensus of " upholding good neighborly and friendly cooperation, appropriately handling differences, and pursuing common development", bear in mind the larger picture of bilateral relations, continue to enhance mutual understanding and mutual trust, deepen friendly cooperation, and strive for the continued, sound and steady development of bilateral relations.
Q: The USS Carl Vinson will be participating in military exercises between the US and the ROK. Does China think that the arrival of the aircraft carrier off the coast of the ROK will do nothing to help resolve tensions on the Korean Peninsula?
A: I believe you already have the answer. Whether the participation of USS Carl Vinson in joint military exercises between the US and the ROK will help ease the tensions on the Korean Peninsula or not, the answer is self-evident. The situation on the Korean Peninsula is highly complex and sensitive. We hope relevant sides will respect the security concerns of regional countries and do more to ease the tension with a responsible attitude, instead of making provocative and escalatory moves. As Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at his press conference during the two sessions, if no side is ready for a head-on collision, then brakes should be applied. That is why China put forward the suspension-for-suspension proposal. We hope relevant sides can consider this seriously and make constructive response.
Q: The Japanese Navy will join the US-ROK joint military exercises today and tomorrow. How do you comment on that?
A: We have said repeatedly that the current situation on the Korean Peninsula is highly complex and tense. We hope relevant sides can do more to ease the tension, instead of making provocative and escalatory moves. I also wish to call upon relevant sides to have serious considerations on China's suspension-for-suspension proposal. The current situation is: on the one hand, the DPRK insists on advancing its nuclear and missile programs in violation of UN Security Council resolutions; on the other hand, the US, the ROK and Japan are conducting large-scale military exercises. This is a vicious circle and an upward spiral of tensions. It will do no good to any country. We hope relevant sides will take a responsible attitude, truly play a constructive role in promoting regional peace and stability, and, as I said, apply the brake and put out the fire, instead of adding fuel to the flame, because that does not facilitate regional peace and stability.
* * *
The regular press conference of the Foreign Ministry will adjourn on Wednesday, March 15, as Premier Li Keqiang will meet with Chinese and foreign journalists at the Great Hall of the People, and will resume on Thursday, March 16.


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4.50 average rating based on 10 reviews
- Reviews.co.ukMar 24, 2018Amazon has EVERYTHING! It\\'s become my "go to" for all purchases besides groceries. The sight is easy and fun to surf. Prices are almost always cheaper than anywhere else. Most important to me is they always deliver on time or even early. Read more


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The speaker may be in protection mode. If the system is disconnected from AC power and unused for 14 days or more, it goes into a protection mode to preserve battery power. Plug your system into AC power to reactivate it
Power troubleshooting
Speaker will not turn on
Try charging the battery on a different AC plug. There may be a problem with the power outlet you're using
Perform a product reset. To perform a SoundLink® speaker reset, follow these steps:
On the speaker, press and hold MUTE for ten seconds; the LEDs will flash briefly
Press POWER to turn the SoundLink® speaker back on


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I got another two stars! Thank you Eunice over at Living and Lovin – http://nutsfortreasure.wordpress.com/ who nominated me. She is a little treasure, isn't she just! Betake yourself over there (get that – betake – I am in Dickensian mode for Christmas, it seems!) to discover what jewels you may amongst her verbage. Ok, enough of that. No one will understand a single word if you keep that up! And thank you too to Niamh over at http://ontheplumtree.wordpress.com/ who has given me my fifth star! She is another blogger whose posts are so varied it is difficult to pigeon-hole her, so you will just have to pop over and find out what she is all about.
I can't quite believe all this. As a relatively new Blogger – I began towards the end of July – I am delighted when people enjoy reading what I have to say, telling me that they like my stories and odd poems. I am honoured to receive your awards and delighted to pass them on to others.
My nominations are going to be short and sweet and I apologise profusely to all my lovely blogging friends whom I miss out, but this is just because I am so short of time – my Christmas visitors are imminent – I appreciate all of you who come and read and comment and take the time to get to know me and my work, so please bear with me and forgive my omissions, as I nominate:
All these have blogs I admire, love to read and enjoy hanging out on.
So the award, which you might know a bit about by now, goes like this:
1 Select the blog(s) you think deserve the 'Blog of the Year 2012' Award.
2 Write a blog post and tell us about the blog(s) you have chosen – there's no minimum or maximum number of blogs required – and 'present' them with their award. Yes, in progress.
3 Include a link back to this page 'Blog of the Year 2012' Award – http://thethoughtpalette.co.uk/our-awards/blog-of-the-year-2012-award/ and include these 'rules' in your post (please don't alter the rules or the badges!)
4 Let the blog(s) you have chosen know that you have given them this award and share the 'rules' with them
5 You can now also join our Facebook group – click 'like' on this page 'Blog of the Year 2012' Award Facebook group and then you can share your blog with an even wider audience
6 As a winner of the award – please add a link back to the blog that presented you with the award – and then proudly display the award on your blog and sidebar … and start collecting stars…
Yes – that's right – there are stars to collect! Unlike other awards which you can only add to your blog once – this award is different! When you begin you will receive the '1 star' award – and every time you are given the award by another blog – you can add another star! There are a total of 6 stars to collect. Which means that you can check out your favourite blogs – and even if they have already been given the award by someone else – you can still bestow it on them again and help them to reach the maximum 6 stars!
'Blog of the Year 2012' Award Badges
Here are the six badges for you to collect – you can either 'swop' your badge for the next one each time you are given the award – or even proudly display all six badges if you are lucky enough to be presented with the award six times!


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- Manuscript copy in Lysander Spooner's hand of a four-page letter dated April 12, 1845, from Thomas Earle in Philadelphia [Pennsylvania] to G. [George] Bradburn, in which he gives lengthy critique of Lysander Spooner's book [probably The Unconstitutionality of Slavery] and the abolitionist movement in general.
- Four-page letter from Gerrit Smith of Peterboro [New York] to Lysander Spooner in Athol, Massachusetts, dated April 27, 1847, responding to Spooner's request for funds to support him during a visit to Boston as he writes his newest book. Includes list of names from whom Smith has collected funds, including S. E. Sewall, E. G. Loring, and H. B. Stanton.
- Manuscript draft of a four-page letter from Lysander Spooner in Boston [Massachusetts], dated March 12, 1856, to "Gerrit Smith, Lewis Tappan, William Goodell and others" dated March 12, 1856, explaining the reasons that Spooner has not joined the Liberty Party. At end, an additional note addressed to Gerrit Smith, requesting that he read the letter and then foward on to Goodell if he thinks it proper.
- Manuscript copy of a correspondence between Edmund Jackson and Hon. Robert C. Winthorp, in which Jackson asks for Winthorp's position on slavery before his election to United States Congress. Includes Winthorp's response dated November 2, 1840, in which he replies that he "cannot regard it as desirable or expedient to attempt any alteration of the Constitution in relation to slavery."
- Three-page letter marked 'Confidential' to Lysander Spooner of Boston [Massachusetts] requesting his participation in an Executive Committee formed to advocate for the enlistment of blacks to fight in the Civil War. Signed by George L. Stearns on behalf of the Committee. This letter is part of the Slavery collection in New-York Historical Society.
- Three-page letter and envelope dated March 21, 1881, from Daniel McFarland in Texarkana, Arkansas [Texas], to Lysander Spooner in Boston, Massachusetts, notfying of his whereabouts and giving his new address. McFarland also writes that "in order to avoid the great notoriety which follows me wherever I go, I have taken the name of Daniel O'Brien for the present."
- Two letters on one leaf. Two-page letter dated April 20, 1851, from George Bradburn to Lysander Spooner, notifying that he is leaving in the morning for Cleveland [Ohio]. Followed by a two-page letter dated April 30, 1851, from Frances H. Bradburn to Lysander Spooner, notifying that she will also leave for Cleveland before visiting with Spooner.


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Mexican singer and actor Ernesto D'alessio has gotten my attention since he was a kid and I had the chance to interview his famous mother, Lupita D'alessio.
Ernesto is a one of a kind guy pretty down to earth, handsome, educated, good actor and better singer. He recently participated in the TV show "Cantando por un Sueño" and "Reyes de la Cancion". This video is of this last show and he sang "Yo soy Aquel" in front of the opriginal singer of that famous 70's hit... Spanish singer Raphael.
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Ernesto D'alessio - Reyes de la Cancion
Posted by Master G at 7:52 AM 0 comments
The "S" at Union Station
Well... it wasn't exactly what I was expecting but... there it was. I drove twice around the building trying to find the "S" and totally missed it. Finally I had to ask to the studios representatives where the heck the "S" was and then took some pictures... I know they are not the best but anyway, here they are.
Posted by Master G at 7:39 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
The "S" marks the spot
As part of the promotional events that have been taking place to promote "Superman Returns", Warner Bros. did a laser show at the Niagara Falls last night. They projected gobo lights and lasers on the waterfalls. The night ended with some fireworks in yellow, blue and red. Here are some of the photos courtesy of Warner Bros.
Tonight the sign will be displayed at the Time Warner Center in NYC; the Queen Mary in Southern California's Long Beach Harbor; the Fantasy Tower of the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas; Chicago's Sears Tower; the giant Mall of America in Minneapolis, and some other landmark buildings fron Atlanta, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Dallas, Denver, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Kansas City.
Tonight our own Union Station will display the "S" starting at 5:00 PM and at 10:00 PM there will be an advance screening at the IMAX theatre. I will have some pictures of that tomorrow.
Posted by Master G at 9:24 AM 0 comments
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Superman Returns
I had the chance to watch an advanced screening of Superman Returns last Thursday and I have to say that the movie is GREAT! Bryan Singer scores again with this movie that really makes a difference. It is a little long (2 h 40 min) but it is worth every minute, excellent story, outstanding special effects and... of course, Brandon Routh... wow he is just gorgeous on the big screen, he looks AMAZING!
Posted by Master G at 11:14 PM 0 comments
Kuno Becker
If you have the chance to watch "Goal... the dream begins" don't miss the chance to enjoy a pretty nice film. It's a good and charming story where you will also have the chance to get to know Mexican actor Kuno Becker. Although he is very young he has been in the show business for some time doing several soap operas in Mexico. This is the first international film that he does and it will be the first of three. He plays the violin and he is also very, very down to earth (I had the chance to interview him several years ago). I know this is not his best picture but... he has a cute smile!
Posted by Master G at 10:47 PM 0 comments
What I was really watching during the Mexico - Argentina game
Although I was cheering for the Mexican team, I just couldn't take my eyes off of the referee. He is one of the most handsome referees that I have seen. And he had a way of smiling when he was giving instrucions that just made me want to gather as many pictures of him as I could find. And... did I mention that he has a great butt and that in some ocassion we could see that he has a pretty nice package? By the way his name is Massimo Bussacca from Switzerland and he is 37 years old.
Posted by Master G at 10:35 PM 0 comments
Germany 2006
Watching the World Cup games has been a pleasure, there are so many handsome soccer players that every single match is like if I was a little kid in a toy store. I took some pictures from the official website of Germany 2006 and there are plenty more for you to look at.
Posted by Master G at 10:31 PM 0 comments
I'm back!
I sincerely apologize, my move took longer than I thought. I have some posts ready for all of you. Thanks for coming back!
Posted by Master G at 10:29 PM 0 comments


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Morris and Co Snakeshead Wallpaper
Snakeshead in Madder / Gold is a feature wallpaper from Morris and Co, featured in the Morris Archive IV - The Collector collection. Product Ref 216426.
|Product Ref
|Morris and Co
|Morris Archive IV - The Collector
|Madder / Gold
|Roll Size
|69cm x 10.05m
|Other Colours
|Also Available As
- Next Working Day Delivery - Free for orders over £99 / Order before 11am
- Free Standard Delivery
- Elite Ready Mixed Paste
- 5kg hangs 5 rolls, 10kg hangs 10 rolls
- Provides a superior finish
- Recommended for all Sanderson and Morris & Co papers
- Now only £23.00
Free Next Working day delivery is available if ordered before 11am on these brands:
- Harlequin
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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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James Capital Alliance, Inc. (JCA), a Registered Investment Advisor, is a related firm of James Investment Research (JIR). JIR was founded in 1972 by Dr. Francis E. James, Jr., Ph.D. James is located in Alpha, Ohio (just east of Dayton, Ohio).
James Capital Alliance offers wrap fee accounts.
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The factors are generally value type factors, such as PE ratios, but relative strength and earnings momentum are also important. JIR's management encourages a creative approach to analysis, but a strict adherence to company standards and policies is required.
We are dedicated to supporting and respecting one another and our community, which we believe will provide the rewards of continued growth and shared profitability.
James Capital Alliance purchases research from James Investment Research. JIR also provides investment advice to JCA.


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Bathgate - Pockets Full Of Money
Video for Bathgate "Pockets Full Of Money" off of "Thanks 4 Not Helping" Mixtape Out Now!
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.


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Home Stretch
When something takes a year to accomplish or to overcome, it can be discouraging. When you are a professional baseball player, a year is a long time. Missing almost an entire season the previous year, and two months of the current season is not something that you want to happen. You show up to the complex in Arizona every day, doing shoulder exercises, working out, maybe playing catch. Then, you graduate to bullpens, live batting practices, and eventually game action. All the while, your teammates and friends are out at affiliates playing. They are doing the single thing you've wished you could do for a year now. It can be quite discouraging if you let it. It can be painful to watch toward the beginning of shoulder rehab, knowing that you still have a long way to go. That is all going to change for me very soon. So long as there are no major setbacks in my progress, I'll be toeing the rubber in a real game within weeks!
"Somewhere behind the athlete you've become, the hours of practice, the coaches who push you, and the fans who cheer for you, is the boy who fell in love with the sport and never looked back. Play for him."
6 Comments
Michael, the effort you are putting into coming back strong from this surgery and the positive attitude you have while doing so is absolutely inspiring to me. I can't imagine the stress that an injury of that nature can bring on a player, especially a pitcher. For you to continue pushing on and not letting your dream of playing in the Bigs get away from you is awesome and I can't wait to see you make it to the show.
To take the time out of the rehab process to blog your progress and actually thank those around you definitely puts you at the top of my list for class act ball players.
Best of luck, and when you're up with Texas, we'll be here in Tampa with a big Schlact sign for ya.
I have no doubt you will be in the big leagues. Keep your journey going!!
I've been following on Twitter through all the ups/downs, shin kicks and girl scout cookies! Really like the blog too. So happy you are making great progress, and working toward your dreams coming true. Inspirational! Especially love your appreciation and thankfulness that is so rare. Don't stop.
You are truly an inspiration and a class act. It's nice to see you, a pro ballplayer, take a little bit of time to thank the people that have helped you through a difficult situation. I'm glad you're progressing and I hope everything stays on track so that you'll be out there doing what you love as soon as possible! Keep up the hard work!
I really hope you make it, Michael. But whether you do or not, you have a special talent that you mustn't let go to waste. Writing.


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Baking Bread in Chicago and San Francisco in June (but Seattle has been cancelled)
(photo of baguette made with olive oil dough (page 134) by Mark Luinenburg for Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day)
Jeff and I are heading out on the road in June. We'll be in Chicago and San Fransisco doing demos, teaching classes and baking bread, what we love most. Below is the the itinerary as of now. Our publisher seems to be adding new events all the time so please check back in the next week to see what else they have in store for us. Hope to see you!
Jeff and I love to teach classes about our bread method. I think it is such a great way to expose people to baking and wipe out any notion that making bread is at all intimidating. If you are interested in having us come to your area to teach please let us know of cooking schools in the area and we will see if we can make it happen.
Sadly, our trip to Seattle has been cancelled; we just weren't able to schedule TV and radio events in Seattle, as we had in Chicago and San Francisco. Hopefully we'll see all our Seattle friends when we're promoting our second book (hopefully to be released by Christmas 2009).
Thanks! Zoë and Jeff
June 8, 2008 – 1:30pm Jeff and Zoë will be on the Good Eating Stage at the Chicago Tribune Printers Row Book Fair in Chicago, IL
June 11, 2008 – Zoë , Jeff and Bret will be teaching a hands on class at Bret's Table (only 10 people, sign up quickly)
July 19, 2008 – 1:00pm – 4:00pm Breads you can make on the grill at Cooks of Crocus Hill in St Paul, MN
August 30, 2008 – 11:00am-2:00pm Zoë and Suvir Saran have a picnic at Cooks of Crocus Hill in St Paul, MN
Bay Area:June 26, 2008 – 6:00 – 8:30pm Baking Class and Book Signing at Whole Foods Market in Napa, CA
June 28, 2008 – 2:00pm Book Signing and Demo at The Book Passage in San Francisco, CA
June 29, 2008 – Book-signing at Copperfields, Montgomery Village in Santa Rosa, CA
Check back to see if more events have been added. You should call the venue before coming to make sure the time of the event has not been changed in any way!


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Northwest Arkansas:
Fayetteville- Armstrong Ave. – Stone Bridge Road will see delays in construction zones while crews widen State Highway 16 from two lanes to four lanes with sidewalks and bike lanes. Traffic signals will be installed at three intersections.
N. College Ave. (Hwy. 71B)– Reduced to one lane beginning June 2nd between 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. for repaving. Project is expected to take a few days to complete.
I-49- Southbound traffic will be down to one lane between highway 16 and Wedington Rd. at various times from 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. This is expected to last into the first week of July.
I-49– Slowdowns expected in Washington County as crews work to widen the Johnson Mill Blvd. overpass and access ramps on Interstate 49. This project is expected to be completed later this year.
Hwy. 112- Spur will see delays. It's being widened from two to four lanes. This project should be completed in Mid-2014.
Hwy. 16– Near Porter Rd. will see delays. The project plans to widen portions of I-49 to six lanes.
Hwy. 16 – Near Armstrong Ave will see delays due to a widening project. The highway will be expanded to four lanes and new sidewalks and bike lanes will also be added in addition to three new traffic signals. Should be completed early next year.
Hwy. 265- Delays are expected while crews widen portions of Hwy. 265 from E. Joyce Blvd in Fayetteville to the Hwy. 412 exit in Springdale. This project is expected to be completed in mid-2015.
Springdale- Lane closures expected for the next three weeks between Exit 69 in Johnson and Exit 72 in Springdale. Construction will continue on the Don Tyson Parkway Interchange. Traffic will be down to one lane each night, from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. Mon. – Fri. The project aims to build an interchange between I-540 and Don Tyson.
Hwy. 264– Delays are expected near the Wagon Wheel exit on Interstate 49 due to an ongoing Hwy. improvement project. The purpose of this project is to widen 2.5 miles of Interstate 49 to three lanes in Benton County.
Prairie Grove- Portions of the Hwy. 62 bypass will see delays while crews work on construct east and west connections. This project will be completed in Mid-2014.
Bella Vista Bypass- Delays are expected on Hwy. 72 due to a highway land widening project. This construction is expected to conclude in early 2016.
Centerton- Delays are expected near Greenhouse Road on Hwy. 102B while crews widen nearly two miles of the highway.
Huntsville– Two miles of one passing lane Hwy. 412 in Carroll County is being worked on. Expect delays.
Avoca-North Garfield- U.S. Hwy 62 is being widened to five lanes. The project is expected to be finished by early 2015.
West Fork – Crews are working to overlay a 2-mile stretch of U.S. Hwy 71.
River Valley:
I-540- Slowdowns are frequently expected from Van Buren to Fort Smith due to an ongoing highway improvement project.
Hwy. 71-Hwy. 22- Delays are expected on this 5.8 mile stretch while crews work to pave Hwy. 71 near Fort Chaffee south of Van Buren in Sebastian County. This project will be completed in mid-2014.
Hwy. 22– Crews will be overlaying more than 2 miles of Highway 22 at Fort Chaffee.
Rogers Ave – Lane closures expected between 7:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. on Highway 22 between Garrison Ave and I-540. This project is expected to be completed in mid-July.
Seeing slowdowns? Let us know, just tweet: #5traffic