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American Family Fitness
In October, the sixth annual American Family Fitness 5K/10K Run/Walk raised $48,000 for Children's Hospital, Richmond, VA. The event drew 800 participants, who started and finished at the hospital. In addition to the run/walk, the Tuckaway Mascot Challenge, a one-mile fun run for children aged 5-12, was held on and around hospital grounds. Including this year's gift, American Family Fitness has raised more than $235,000 for Children's Hospital since 1997. Proceeds will benefit the renovation of the hospital's playground and uncompensated care.
Life Time Fitness
Life Time Fitness' member magazine, Experience Life, received 14 awards at the 12th annual Minnesota Magazine and Publications Association (MMPA) Publishing Excellence Awards Gala. The awards included a silver award for overall excellence. This is the sixth consecutive year that Experience Life has garnered multiple MMPA awards for its editorial and design achievements. Experience Life competed in the general interest, circulation over 60,000 category. The magazine has a circulation of more than 600,000, with an estimated total reach of more than 2.5 million readers.
Rinehart Fitness Center
The reopening of the Rinehart Fitness Center at the Fort Sill, OK, Army base was postponed from November to a possible opening this month. The facility renovation started last summer, but several aspects of the renovation, including new air conditioners, required more time than anticipated, according to Andrew Turnipseed, supervisor for the Lawton, OK-based contractor Ten Bears Construction. Backorders on parts for the fire alarm also caused the delay, according to the Fort Sill Cannoneer.
2008 California Physical Fitness Test
Fifth-, seventh- and ninth-grade California public school students who took the 2008 California Physical Fitness Test showed a slight improvement in test scores from last year. In the results released in November, 28.5 percent of fifth-graders, 32.9 percent of seventh-graders and 35.6 percent of ninth-graders achieved in what the state determines as the "healthy fitness zone" for all six areas of the test, including cardiovascular endurance, body fat percentage and strength and flexibility. The results from the 1.3 million students represent a 1.4 percentage point increase in fifth-graders, a 2.0 percentage point increase in seventh-graders and a 5.5 percentage point increase in ninth-graders compared to last year's results.
Xavier University
Administrators at Xavier University, a private, Jesuit school in Cincinnati, say they will delay construction of the Xavier Square project until the economy improves. The project is to include a new campus health center and a recreation center. Xavier Square also is to include 500 student beds and an entertainment district. Covington, OH-based developer Corporex Cos. was handling the project.
Corporate Fitness
Work places with on-site gyms could have more productive employees, a new study by researchers at the University of Bristol, England, finds. Scientists reviewed "mood diaries" from 200 employees, who held mainly sedentary office jobs, to see if their performance improved on days when they exercised during the work day versus days they did not. Both their moods and performance improved on days when employees were allowed to exercise. Employee tolerance and resilience also improved.
Obesity Risk
A meta-analysis of 15 genetic studies, covering more than 90,000 patients, found six new genetic variants associated with an increased body mass index (BMI) and risk of obesity. Five of those genes are active in the brain, which means that obesity risk could be related more to behavior than to metabolism, researchers suggest. The study was published in Nature Genetics and included authors from more than 60 facilities. Study authors noted that until 2007, scientists had not uncovered any genetic links to obesity. However, the links that have been discovered since then are likely to influence brain function.

subset: commoncrawl


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Stripe Jointed Low Waist Designed Cotton Women Pants
I don't know what universe you've been living in, but it must be radiantly remarkable! This pair of trousers is the best gift for you in this season. This kind of women trousers are of perfect design to show your figure. Make every moment enchanting with the memorable magic of this pair of trousers. Solve the mystery of what to wear to this season with this pair of trousers. Features: Waist Type: Low Waist Style: Casual Season: All Seasons Material: Cotton Specifications: Never out of date classic women trousers Special material gives you a flattering and comfortable fit possible Like most trousers design, this pair of trousers will show your curve Very convenient and comfortable for outdoor activities Durable to wear and easy to wash Easy for washing and maintenance How to Measure: Details: Full view of this pair of women trousers More images for your reference which show you more details and the good workmanship Multiple choices that the trousers can go with How to Wash: Cotton is a durable, soft fiber, and most clothes today are made of it._ _Cotton is a natural vegetable fiber knitted and woven into fabrics of many textures and weights. While cotton shirts, pants and suits are wardrobe staples for both men and women. Whether your cotton fabrics are voile, organdy, batiste or linen, you can wash them at home and keep these breathable materials clean and pristine. •l _.Pretreat any stains with detergent and cold water. Place one to two teaspoons of liquid detergent on the stains before you load the clothes in the washing machine. Put your cotton fabrics in a small basin filled with cold water. After soaking the fabric for 15 to 30 minutes, gently rub the stain with a short-bristled brush. Roll your shirts, pants or blouses in a large towel to remove the water_ •l _Machine washes white and light-colored cotton fabrics in warm or hot water. If you are concerned with shrinking or bleeding, fill the machine with cold water and use a gentle washing cycle___ •l _Rinse your cotton fabrics on a cool cycle. Use minimal agitation to avoid shrinkage___ •l _ Shake garments after removal from the machine to remove wrinkles_ •l _ Dry cotton fabrics at a low or regular dryer setting. Dry towels and underwear on a hot setting. To prevent shrinking, remove cotton fabrics from the dryer while still damp. Hang in a cool and well-ventilated area to dry___ _Hand-wash lightweight fabrics, such as batiste, organdy and voile in a small basin filled with lukewarm water and one tablespoon of liquid detergent. Hang to dry or press damp with a hot iron to remove wrinkles _ Package Included: 1 x Pair of Women's Trousers


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Our core activity is researching developments in cinema markets across the Americas, Asia-Pacific and Europe, following growth in the multiplex sector, the penetration of new cinema technologies, and tracking and forecasting cinema admisisons, ticket prices and box office.
Upstream we study film industries to evaluate how far the future stream of product from Hollywood and elsewhere can support growth in the cinema sector. Recent years have seen a trend towards film industries even in small countries achieving commercial influence; film industries like those of France, Japan and Korea have long been hugely important.
We also research companies, especially financial data, looking at investment and consolidation strategies.
Most research is available in published form. Each year we publish reports on the cinema markets of approximately fifty countries. Some reports cover only one,for example India; others film distribution territories such as the USA and Canada; and others geographical regions like Scandinavia. Research is available either as individual reports or as a significantly discounted annual subscription package. The drop-down boxes below should enable you to locate quickly a report or subscription to exactly meet your needs.
You can download research directly from product information pages. We accept the cards below. Or if you prefer you can contact us by phone or email to place your order, when your reseach will be deliverd by email. There are no delivery charges. All transactions are in GB£.
As well as published work we undertake specific projects and build custom databases for clients. We act in an advisory capacity in relation to matters such as financings, strategy and public policy. We offer support in representations to competition authorities, and in litigation. We help both developers and city planning authorities understand the cinema market in relation to new developments. We execute projects focused on technological and cultural issues. We work with suppliers of equipment and services to forecast demand.


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The Ontario Archives has a database which is an index to the four volumes of assisted immigration registers created by the Toronto Emigrant Office between 1865 and 1883.
The chronological breakdown of the volumes is as follows: -
Volume 1
January 3, 1865 to September 20, 1870
Volume 2
September 26, 1870 to July 31, 1873 and October 2 1874 to Dec. 29, 1876
Volume 3
January 1, 1877 to January 31, 1883
Volume 4
May 24, 1873 to Oct. 2, 18
The first emigrant office in Upper Canada (Ontario) was opened in 1833 in Toronto, headed by AB Hawke.
It is not totally clear which communities other than Toronto, Kingston, and Hamilton had proper "offices" as such, but Hawke received reports from agents in Ottawa, Port Hope, Peterborough, Cobourg, Prescott, and other locations at various times.
Fields such as Date of Application, Nationality, Trade, Destination are filled in when you put a person's name in the database.
The website is http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/english/db/hawke.aspx


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"Nazi Zombies Portable" recreates "Nazi Zombies" game mode on the PSP.
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With foundation set, Astros look to boost payroll
Crane says club's spending will be need-based with farm system replenished
HOUSTON -- One day after the Astros finished their first season in the American League by losing 111 games, including 15 in a row to end the year, owner Jim Crane said Monday the team will be in position to increase its payroll next season.
The Astros finished the 2013 season with a payroll of about $13 million after trading away veterans Bud Norris and Jose Veras in July and cutting ties with first baseman Carlos Pena. Crane wouldn't say how much the payroll could increase, but that it would be based on need.
"We don't know yet, but I think very strongly that with the [Minor League] system rebuilt and a lot of good prospects that will continually come in waves, that we'll start working on the spots we need," he said. "We need some power, we need some back-end pitching, and we've got a few holes. We'll look at what's available and we'll spend the money wisely."
Crane said the Astros could have fared much better had they not blown so many leads, and it's no secret back-end bullpen help will be a huge priority this winter. He was pleased with the improvements of the young starting pitchers and remains committed to the rebuilding plan set in place when he bought the club nearly two years ago.
The Astros have improved their farm system dramatically the past few years and are starting to see some of that talent hit Houston. More is on the way, led by dynamic outfielder George Springer, who should start in center next year after a terrific year split at Double-A Corpus Christi and Triple-A Oklahoma City.
"We accomplished what we set out to do when we bought the team two years ago," Crane said. "We told people we were going to build the farm system, which was ranked 30th when we bought the team. I think you'll see that come in ranked very high this year, and we've got it really stocked. We've spent a lot of money in signing the Draft picks.
"We signed almost all of our Draft picks last year and this year we do have some depth in the system and some big-time Draft picks in there that will come up in waves. This year we established some guys that could play in the big leagues and we've got a nucleus, and now we'll start adding to that as the offseason comes on and start spending a little money.
"We're not happy with the record, but we're happy with the progress of the ballclub."
Crane said he was pleased with how first-year manager Bo Porter remained upbeat through a difficult season.
"I went in to talk to him yesterday and I said, 'You've been miraculous in how you handled this,'" Crane said. "He's very professional and didn't blow his cool often. I think he only got kicked out of one or two games, and that's pretty good. I think he's done a nice job with the young guys.
"He's somebody that will not give up. He's been through some adversity and we both sat and talked yesterday and he said, 'Jim, I know what I signed up for and we've got a nucleus and now let's go.'"
Reid Ryan, the Astros' president of business operations, said he also met with Porter following Sunday's game and discussed the season.
"I think we all know had we kept a couple of back-end-of-the-bullpen guys, we probably would have won a few more games," he said. "When you bring guys up that have to learn on the job, you're going to have failures and they're going to have to learn from it.
"Going into next year, if we spend a little money this offseason and can bring in a couple of key pieces, and if we let the Matt Dominguezes, Jonathan Villars and Robbie Grossmans of the world come in with another year of experience, I think we could see a really nice increase in wins next year."
Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow says he remains bullish on the future and that fans have plenty to anticipate.
"It's definitely disappointing to lose as many games as we did at the big league level, but overall we had a very successful year as an organization and pushed forward our goals," he said. "We're in a much better position today than we were 12 months ago or 24 months ago."
Seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens, who's a special assistant to Luhnow, said the Astros are a land of opportunity for young players.
"If you are in the Minor Leagues with the Houston Astros, you have a great opportunity, and I suggest that you get after it starting in about 30 days and get yourself ready for Spring Training," he said. "You have an opportunity to secure a job and make a little money for yourself."


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Montgomery County Wills, Trust, and Estates
Johnson Law Group has extensive experience in creating tailored estate plans for individuals and families designed to preserve and distribution of wealth, avoid expensive probate costs and minimize taxes. The firm is expert in drafting revocable living trusts, special needs trusts, wills, durable and special powers of attorney, and advance health directives. We also administer estates and trusts and provide support for intervention proceedings such as financial guardianships.
The U.S. population is aging, with longer and much more active lifestyles and greater expectations, the need to manage assets, provide for long-term care, and qualify for governmental benefits such as Medicare becomes paramount. Johnson Law Group provides a roadmap for navigating the often complex social, financial and health needs of people approaching or having reached retirement age.


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Broadcaster CBS Corp. said Thursday that revenue and earnings grew modestly in the final quarter of the year, helped by the U.S. presidential election and a growing economy.
While the results came up short of Wall Street forecasts, analysts said sales of its TV shows to overseas markets and to Web video services would continue to help make the company more resilient to economic swings.
Shares dipped 1.2 percent, to $42.43 in after-hours trading after the results were released.
Advertising revenue grew 3 percent in the three months through December. The gains were partly offset because last year's licensing revenue bump from the sale of CW network shows to Netflix and Hulu wasn't repeated.
Local broadcasting revenue grew less than expected and the Simon & Schuster book publishing business declined faster than analysts were bracing for. The company said, however that rising sales of digital books helped the publisher be more profitable.
Net income rose to $393 million, or 60 cents per share, from $370 million, or 55 cents per share, a year earlier.
Excluding discontinued operations, adjusted earnings came to 64 cents per share. That was below the 69 cents expected by analysts polled by FactSet.
Revenue grew 2 percent to $3.7 billion, below the $3.83 billion analysts were expecting.
Brian Wieser, an analyst with Pivotal Research Group, said the quarterly ups and downs were "a wash." The main factor driving CBS' revenue higher is increasing sales of TV shows to overseas entities and to online video providers, he said.
"The underlying trends driving their cash-flow-generating capacity are no different now than they were a day ago," he said.
CBS also said Thursday that it would double its share buyback program by $1 billion in 2013.
CBS is preparing to spin off its outdoor billboard business in North America into a real estate investment trust, which should return a high proportion of its cash flow to investors. It is also planning to sell its European outdoor operations.
Chief Financial Officer Joe Ianniello said the planned conversion of the Americas outdoor business into a REIT was on track for 2014, but said the company would also entertain offers to buy it outright.
Excluding the European operations, the outdoor billboard segment's revenue fell, which CBS blamed on the non-renewal of a contract in Toronto.
Macquarie analyst Tim Nollen said two factors were behind the CBS's quarterly miss: A temporary pullback in ad spending among retailers at local TV stations, and the fact that some analysts had not yet adjusted their estimates to reflect that CBS' no longer counts its European outdoor billboard business earnings as part of its results.
"Some of the items that hurt them in the fourth quarter look like they are not anything more than one-offs," he said. "The growth story in the first quarter still looks very good."


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Homemade Granola
Total TimePrep: 15 min. Bake: 20 min. + cooling
Makes5 cups
- 4-1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1/3 cup sliced almonds
- 1/4 cup unsweetened apple juice
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut, toasted
- 1/2 cup raisins
- Fat-free milk, optional
- In a large bowl, combine oats and almonds. In a small saucepan, combine the apple juice, syrup, oil, cinnamon and salt. Cook and stir for 3-4 minutes over medium heat until heated through. Remove from the heat. Pour over oat mixture; stir to coat.
- Transfer to a 15x10x1-in. baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until crisp, stirring every 10 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Stir in coconut and raisins. Store in an airtight container. Serve with milk if desired.
Nutrition Facts1/2 cup: 234 calories, 7g fat (2g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 133mg sodium, 39g carbohydrate (11g sugars, 4g fiber), 7g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2-1/2 starch, 1 fat.
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Aug 23, 2010
I made this & added dried cranberries, it got nice & toasty/crunchy. We thought it could use a little more sweetener, but will make it again, probably adding a few more dried fruits & nuts.
Jul 27, 2010
This granola tastes nutty and delicious--I simply don't eat much cereal which is why I probably won't make it again. I do agree with the reviewer who felt the oven temperature should be lower. I baked mine at 325 degrees for 20 minutes and it turned out fine. If you are looking for a granola that can be eaten easily with your hands, this one probably isn't for you. This one is more of a mix-in for yogurt or eaten as a cereal with milk.
Jul 19, 2010
It was to much cinnamon for my taste, and I even like cinnamon. 350 is to hot and started to burn my granola and I had to put tin foil over it to prevent further burning and cooked it for 10 more mins. I would suggest 300 and a longer cooking time. It came out bland and I even drizzled honey over it. With a lot of changes this could have been a good recipe but you shouldn't have to do so much editing to get a decent result. I found a deferent recipe I will be trying next time.


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Environmental experts at the Oyster Creek Generating Station confirmed Friday that tritium found in a concrete vault near the plant's turbine building on Wednesday is confined to the plant site.
FORKED RIVER, NJ - Environmental experts at the Oyster Creek Generating Station confirmed Friday that tritium found in a concrete vault near the plant's turbine building on Wednesday is confined to the plant site.
Plant engineers and environmental experts working to determine the source found elevated levels of tritium in a single monitoring well near an outdoor "condensate storage tank". The engineering and environmental teams are narrowing their investigation to a relatively small area close to the storage tank to determine if it, or pipes connected to it, are the source of the tritiated water.
"We found this tritiated water, reported it and are working quickly to locate the source," said Tim Rausch, Oyster Creek site vice president. "At no time has there been a threat to public or employee health and safety from this finding," Rausch said.
Clean up activities have begun, and Exelon will report the progress of those activities to government regulators and the public as those activities are completed.
Water samples from the discharge canal and six of seven monitoring wells were analyzed and showed no detectable levels of tritium. The one monitoring well with positive results - a 20-feet-deep sampling pipe near the storage tank - contained tritium levels up to 4.46 million picocuries per liter of water. A picocurie is one trillionth of a curie.
The plant maintains an extensive environmental monitoring program, including routine water sampling from 32 on-site dedicated monitoring wells for the potential of unusual levels of tritium in the environment. The affected well was last tested the week of March 10 and showed no detectable levels of tritium, indicating the leak most likely initiated recently.
The tritium in the concrete vault, which was discovered in routine environmental monitoring Wednesday, likely entered the vault space by following underground electrical conduits that pass near the condensate tank and enter the vault.
Tritium is a low-level radiation emitter that is used commercially to make luminous dials and instruments, as a source of light for exit and safety signs, as a tracer for biochemical research and in ground water transport measurements, among other uses. A tritium fact sheet from the U.S. EPA can be downloaded at http://www.epa.gov/radiation/radionuclides/tritium.html
Oyster Creek is about 60 miles east of Philadelphia in Ocean County, New Jersey. The plant produces 636 net megawatts of electricity at full power, enough electricity to supply 600,000 typical homes, the equivalent to all homes in Monmouth and Ocean counties combined.


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Gainesville, Fla. --- In the opening round of the Gator Holiday Classic, the Tennessee State University women's basketball team fell to host Florida, 86-56, in the O'Connell Center Friday night.
Briana Morrow led Tennessee State (3-9) with 12 points while Jayda Johnson and I'mani Davis each tallied nine points. Rachel Allen dished out eight assists in the contest.
Florida (8-3) had four players in double-digits led by Kayla Lewis (19). Christin Mercer (19), Cassie Peoples (16) and Carlie Needles (10) also registered double figures.
TSU was forced to burn a timeout early after Florida jumped out to a 9-0 lead at the 18:38 mark. After falling behind, 15-2, the Lady Tigers outscored the Gators, 9-5, to cut the deficit down to nine points.
Later in the half, TSU used another rally to pull within seven following back-to-back buckets from Jayda Johnson and Chelsea Hudson.
The Gators, however, closed out the frame by outscoring TSU, 19-11, to build their halftime advantage to, 43-29.
In the second half, TSU made several attempts to get back into the game but the deficit proved too much to overcome.
Tennessee State shot 34.8 percent (23-of-66) from the field including 26.7 percent (4-of-15) from the three-point line. TSU was only outrebounded by seven but the opponents shot 50 percent from the field while forcing the Lady Tigers into 24 turnovers.
U of F also held the advantage in points in the paint (44-24) and fast break points (12-2).
TSU will face LaSalle tomorrow at 4:30 p.m.


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A huge thanks to Primal Wear for these amazing cycling kits that we can sell to support the launch of the Strength in Numbers program. They have generously donated design and production so that we can donate 100% of proceeds to our programming. These are special edition with a limited run of men's and women's cycling jerseys, shorts, and jackets. When they are gone, they are gone, and they won't come back. The back lists our key sponsors: Osprey Packs, Skratch Labs, Alchemy Bicycles, Shredly, and Pedros.
Men's and women's jerseys are sport cut, raglan sleeve – $75
Men's and women's shorts are the Pro T9 – $85
WOMEN"S ONLY cycling jacket is extremely limited, most of the jackets will be given away at fundraiser events. $100
You can visit Primal Wear's site to check sizing if you are unsure.
You can get yours by emailing firstname.lastname@example.com with your order and shipping address, and if we have your sizes we'll direct you to make your donation total, including $10 shipping fee, on the Mountain2Mountain website. We'll get you orders shipped out within 7-10 days. No refunds – we are doing this grassroots style out of boxes at M2M headquarters – aka Shannon's house.
Gorgeous bike mandala was created for Strength in Numbers by April Lemly!
Want a t-shirt to show your support? Not a cyclist, don't wear spandex, or we don't have your size available? Check out the special edition tshirt available direct on Handlebar Mustache – proceeds of the sales benefit Mountain2Mountain and help spread the Strength in Numbers love! Brett and Ashley designed the shirts, complete with our bike mandala and #giveashit tagline and offered them up for sale on their site.
Guys, you can get yours here!
Ladies, you can get YOURS here!


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Sounds like a fun way to combine a family activity or married date with grocery shopping!And build some of your own social / business contacts at the same time. We are driving through Virginia, so maybe we can stop and check out a few things on the way.
When MySpace Meets your Local Producer: Fresh Food Makes a Tech Leap
MySpace, Facebook, and LinkedIn are familiar (and often tired) ways to reach out to others with similar interests and goals. So why am I not surprised to see Social Networking hit the local farmer's market? Check out the newest way to connect with your farmer down the dusty road.
FarmFoody.org is just in the beginning stages of its (hopefully) long life. Working as an easy way to connect local farmers with local foodies, it offers a simple but effective communication tool to be sure you're buying the best! Here's how it works:
- Go to FarmFoody.org to register either as a foodie (like me) or a farm that offers a vineyard, PYO, Farmer's Market, CSA, a victory garden – or any other type of local producer.
- Confirm your membership and start building your profile! You can connect and make friends with people near you or near places that you plan on visiting or vacationing (for an awesome local travel experience!)
- Share recipes, video, or just get to know and support the local system. It's good for everyone!
While FarmFoody is in the building phase (many farms near and around Virginia), they are expanding, and new farms are added every day. I have found a few within driving distance that I'm excited to check out! If you don't have any luck getting connected to the freshest food in your area, you might want to try Eatwell, which gives listings for many more combined markets, but doesn't offer the same kind of interaction with individual farmers and suppliers.
If you're not up to the task of growing your own, this is a tool worth investing in. It's free, fun, and with the right amount of interest, communities across the nation can experience the flavor that only fresh-grown can provide. Why not help a farmer out and mention FarmFoody for their local operation?
Disclaimer: The links and mentions on this site may be affiliate links. But they do not affect the actual opinions and recommendations of the authors.
Wise Bread is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
I was surprised to find so many even in Nebraska. Don't let the Viriginia focus steer you away from checking out areas near you. It seems that they are adding new ones almost daily!
I think this is such a phenomenal service for both the foodies and the farmers. And family farms are usually short on advertising budgets. This is such a simple way for even those who have avoided the internet computer thing to have an immediate online presence for free.


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WebStorm/PhpStorm links
TagsBeta Commandline completion composer CSS database debug deployment documentation ecmascript5 editor ftp HTML html5 import inspection JavaScript jstestdriver LESS navigation Node.js offer PHP PhpStorm PHPUnit productivity Profiler Project RC refactoring Release SASS settings sftp smarty Symfony TypeScript UI unit testing WebStorm WebStorm/PhpStorm links Xdebug youtrack zen-coding Zend Debugger
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JavaScript unit testing support
If you're a JavaScript developer, you probably know that the quality and correctness of your application are crucial. Well, consistency and regression testing just got a little less painful. Meet JsTestDriver plugin – an open-source project that was originally started at … Continue reading
Posted in Cool Feature, PhpStorm, Tutorial, WebStorm Tagged automated testing, jasmine, JavaScript, jstestdriver, productivity, qunit, test-driven development, ttd, unit testing 16 Comments


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Dancing With The Stars – Media Tidbits, Reflecting Back Question, Exploring Same Sex Couple idea
Ok everyone!! So, when you think back on all of the dances this year, which dances were huge standouts for you??
For me, it was Maks and Brandy's last Argentine Tango, Jennifer and Derek's first Argentine Tango and both Dirty Dancing numbers. They were so good!
In some media things for you today while you ponder on that question, first we have Louis being interviewed by the paparazzi. They ask some really good questions about the Season, the idea of a "same sex couple" dancing, and more. He doesn't hold back.
Speaking of the idea of a "Same Sex Couple" dancing, here's a take from Fox News exploring the idea.
Reports have been running rampant over recent weeks that next year's "Dancing With the Stars" will be quite a quick-step from tradition and feature a same-sex twosome.
The speculation stemmed from the announcement that the Israeli edition of the hit show would pair two ladies, at the request of a lesbian sportscaster who felt more comfortable foxtrotting with a female in the competition. Numerous names started being thrown around, including Ellen DeGeneres's wife Portia de Rossi.
"They (the producers) have approached Portia to do it. I don't think she is going to do it, but she was flattered that they asked her," DeGeneres confirmed, although it was not clear whether they asked her to dance with a male or female partner.
Insiders close to the show told Pop Tarts that a same-sex couple will "never happen" in the U.S – at least not yet.
"ABC and Disney are afraid of the negative backlash from viewers after watching a same-sex couple
grind on stage," explained our snitch. "Middle America isn't there yet – and judging by the conservatives who voted to keep Bristol in the competition, a same-sex rumba won't happen anytime soon – at least not in the 'Disney' funded ballroom."
A rep for "DWTS" did not respond for comment.
Entertainment industry expert John Ziegler concurred that it would be a bad move on ABC's part to feature a same-sex dance couple.
"The show just got a huge boost of 'Middle America' viewers with the success of Bristol Palin. They are not going to blow that, especially when there is no need," he said. "The show is on a roll and Margaret Cho's overt lesbianism did not resonate with viewers. [She was the third contestant to be eliminated this past season.] The gay community is already watching, this would be a stupid ratings move, unless of course the same sex couple involved two hot women!"
Not everyone thinks featuring two male or female partners on "DWTS" is necessarily a bad move — including one of the show's hosts.
"I fully support that and I think America is ready for that," the show's judge Carrie Ann Inaba told People.com. "Our country is much more accepting of same sex couples and it would be great for the show to reflect that."
So, what do you think? Would you be open to the idea of a Same sex couple dancing on the show? I wouldn't care one way or the other. I would have more issues if they brought someone in connected to politics again. Though Bill Clinton would be an exception! 😀 (thanks Zach for that idea that I won't be able to get out of my head now. lol)
Moving on…. On-line WSJ is reporting that because of Jennifer's reign on DWTS, "Dirty dancing" has gained more followers. Are we surprised? Here's a take. Note how "Glee" plans to feature a "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" in a future episode.
The year 2010 is beginning to look a lot like 1987, thanks to the return of "Dirty Dancing." The film's star, Jennifer Grey, made headlines last week for winning "Dancing with the Stars." Its anthem, "(I've Had) The Time of My Life," will be featured on "Glee" in the coming weeks while a new version called "The Time (Dirty Bit)," recorded by the Black Eyed Peas, is in the iTunes top five.
According to PageData, a company that tracks metrics and trends on Facebook, the film has more than 6.3 million fans on the site, ranking it sixth among movies. That's just below mega leaders like "Twilight" and "Harry Potter," but above "Avatar," which clocks in at 3.9 million fans.
Lionsgate Home Entertainment Executive Vice President Anne Parducci said the film gets about 150,000 new Facebook fans each week.
"It's really just people saying they love the movie, they love Patrick [Swayze], they love, love, love everything," said Ms. Parducci. "There is an innocence to the movie that is so endearing. My 16-year-old daughter says to me, 'I wish I could live back then.'"
Corky and Lacey were in the Hollywood Christmas parade this last Sunday. You can see them at the 7:37 mark in the video below.
Ok, that is all for you for now. More soon!! 😉 xxxx


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Commercial Pheasant Producer to Speak at KSU
Bill MacFarlane aided in the creation of the Wildlife Management Degree program at KSU
Bill MacFarlane, Owner and President of MacFarlane Pheasants, Inc., will share his knowledge of commercial pheasant production at
, Sept. 12, 2013. The lecture will be held in room 1018 of the Kansas State University at 6:30 p.m., preceded by refreshments at 6:00 p.m. There is no cost to attend, and the lecture is open to the public.
Throckmorton Plant Sciences Center
Shipping birds throughout the
U.S. and Canada, MacFarlane Pheasants, Inc. is currently the largest pheasant farm in North America. Some of his clients even include ' very own Flint Oak Hunting Resort. Topics covered in MacFarlane's presentation will include running a commercial pheasant farm, breeding and hatching processes, and the raising of pheasants.
"It's quite an operation," said MacFarlane. "I think this is a great way for students and the public to learn what it looks like to be in commercial pheasant production."
Apart from his extensive hands-on experience with gamebirds, MacFarlane has also been an active member of the North American Gamebird Association for several years, where he has served as president for three separate terms.
MacFarlane's plans for this year include the production of 1.6 million pheasant chicks and 200,000 partridge chicks, the selling of 425,000 adult pheasants, 100,000 chukar and redleg partridges, and 50,000 Hungarian partridges. MacFarlane also has plans to process 150,000 pheasants for food production in 2013. For more on MacFarlane Pheasants, Inc., visit www.pheasant.com.
For more on this event, contact Dr. Peg Althoff at (785) 532-1949.


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Critics say it's time NY ends 1885 Scaffold Law
ALBANY, N.Y. – Years before skyscrapers, when New York City's tallest building was still the 281-foot spire of Wall Street's historic Trinity Church, state lawmakers passed the Scaffold Law, which made property owners and contractors liable for most "gravity-related" injuries to workers on construction sites.
As the years went by, and the buildings and dangers climbed ever higher, the 1885 law stayed on the books and allowed injured workers to collect big court verdicts for medical bills, pain and suffering. And it remained long after other states abandoned similar laws in favor of less costly federal workers' compensation insurance.
Today, New York's Scaffold Law, protected by the state's powerful labor unions and trial lawyers, is the only one of its kind in the nation. It requires another layer of general liability insurance for contractors, and hits taxpayers by adding hundreds of thousands, even millions of dollars, to the cost of every public project.
Some New York government agencies and contractors say the cost of the insurance, which can often be double that of other states, is hitting a crisis point that could soon suspend work on bridges, schools and the recovery from Superstorm Sandy.
"It increases the cost of doing business and decreases what we are capable of doing in New York state," said Carley Hill, of Union Concrete and Construction Corp. in West Seneca. "You are losing potential millions of dollars in jobs that could go to people."
For example, building groups estimate that the law's required liability insurance premiums will add an extra $200 million to $400 million to the state's $5 billion replacement of the Tappan Zee Bridge.
New York City's school system says the insurance cost it incurs from the law is enough to build two new schools every year, according to an internal document obtained by The Associated Press.
In western New York, the general liability insurance premium was $380,000 to cover rehabilitation on just 23 miles of the state Thruway.
That liability insurance existed in other states but was long ago replaced by federal workers' compensation insurance, which requires workers to give up their right to sue for liability and provides standard payments for medical bills and lost wages as a quick way to settle claims without assessing blame.
What makes New York unique is that the Scaffold Law gives workers on all construction sites the ability to sue property owners and contractors directly for liability, which can include compensation for punitive damages or pain and suffering.
That has spawned multimillion-dollar settlements against construction companies, which have, in turn, driven up the premiums to pay for the general liability insurance.
Former General Motors Co. worker Tim Swedenhjelm of East Concord credits the law with helping him walk again after a 1999 accident when scaffolding collapsed on him, breaking bones in his back, paralyzing his leg and stopping his heart for two minutes. A big court award he didn't want to divulge paid for more tests, four back surgeries and two knee surgeries.
"I would have been written off if it was just workers' compensation," he said.
But opponents of the law say taxpayers can no longer afford the cost of the required liability insurance, and public projects are reduced or lost at a time when New York's job growth is already trailing that of the nation. Some also complain that the general liability insurance required by the law has become difficult to obtain.
"It is now fast becoming a crisis of availability," said Mike Elmendorf, CEO of the Associated General Contractors. "If you can't insure it, you can't build it."
Those were among the argument of business this year in the 2013 legislative session. Through a series of closed-door, unannounced negotiations, the perennial issue came perhaps closer than ever to substantial changes, according to players from both sides.
"For the first time, some of the trade unions are willing to sit down and have discussion," said Senate Deputy Majority Leader Thomas Libous.
Meanwhile, powerful Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has been accused of blocking repeal or changes because he works for a Manhattan law firm that handles such cases and paid him $450,000 last year.
"We don't think it's the right policy to undo these important protections," said Silver spokesman Michael Whyland.
Brian Sampson of the business group Unshackle Upstate called the law "the symbol that continues to tie us to the dark old days of Albany where a few well-connected people and some behind closed doors `negotiations' controlled nearly all legislative decisions."
The Trial Lawyers Association alone has spread more than $2 million in campaign contributions since the 2010 elections to Democrats and Republicans in the Assembly and Senate as well as Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who would be a key to forcing changes it the law.
Mike McGuire of Construction and General Building Laborers Local 79 in New York City, who spent 16 years on high-rise construction sites, acknowledges the current system isn't perfect and there may be room for compromise.
"The big guys are pretty good, they don't nickel and dime," McGuire said. But some smaller "bottom-of-the-barrel" operators cut corners with little regard for their, often temporary, employees, he said.
"There are inequities in every law," McGuire said. "But if you get rid of it, the inequities are going to go 180 degrees. ... It will favor the contractors and you put people's lives in danger."


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Which has the real computing advantage in "Jeopardy!" showdown?
History has witnessed some epic battles of man vs. machine.
Charlie Chaplin vs. the dehumanizing gears of the factory.
World Champion Garry Kasparov vs. Deep Blue at chess.
Homer Simpson vs. an electronic voting booth.
The battle moves to new ground Feb. 14-16, when Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter go up against IBM's DeepQA supercomputer, better known as Watson, on "Jeopardy!".
The basics are pretty well known.
In one corner is Watson, the result of four years worth of work by 25 IBM research engineers into building a system that analyzes natural human language – including the puns, plays on words and ironic deliveries used on "Jeopardy!" – and draws on about 200 million digital pages of books and other information sources to come up with the answer to a question (or, on "Jeopardy!", the question to an answer).
Related coverage:
IBM's 'Jeopardy!' match more than game playing
In the other corner are the all-time best "Jeopardy!" players, Jennings (74 straight wins) and Rutter ($3.25 million in winnings).
So what are Jennings and Rutter are up against? And for that matter, what is Watson up against? Here's a tale of the tape.
Raw processing power
Machine: Watson is a Linux system powered by 10 racks of IBM Power 750 servers with 2,880 processor cores. It is capable of operating at 80 teraflops, or 80 trillion floating point operations per second.
Man: The computing specs of the human brain involve some guesswork, but many estimates, based on the estimated number of neurons and synapses in the brain, put the processing power at about 100 million MIPS, or 100 million million instructions per second. In floating-point terms, estimates have made it 100 petaflops (100 quadrillion flops). Of course, since the brain also is occupied with running the functions of the human body, how many of those flops are focused on the question at hand at any given time is a mystery.
Advantage: Machine, because of the focus question. Jennings and Rutter have pretty much proved to be machines at playing "Jeopardy!", so we assume their ability to focus is pretty good, but Watson's processors don't have to worry about regulating body temperature or otherwise dealing with the subconscious, for instance.
Machine: Watson has 15 terabytes of RAM. It doesn't really have the equivalent of a hard drive; its in-memory database doesn't require external retrieval, which only speeds things up.
Man: Even more of a mystery than raw power, but estimates have ranged from 750 gigabytes to 6.4 terabytes. Most likely it can't be determined by any reasonable measure.
Advantage: Machine. At least it knows what it has.
Natural language processing
Machine: For Watson, this is the real test. Solving equations has always been natural for computers. Processing speed can be added easily. But interpreting language is a big step forward – and the reason Watson was built in the first place. IBM scientists have spent four years teaching Watson to read, listen and think. The machine won a practice round against the humans, but this time, money will be on the line.
Man: Watson has learned a lot, sure, but it still starts out with ones and zeroes. Jennings and Rutter will be working in their native tongue, which has to count for something.
Advantage: Man.
Machine: Bright. IBM says Watson represents a great leap forward in what is called natural language processing and statistical machine learning, and could lead to advances in search and analytics. Among the examples the company cites are improving health care diagnoses, examining potential drug interactions, speeding up legal searches for case law, and developing what-if scenarios involving regulatory compliance. And its popularity could be only beginning. Studies have found that 18-month-old babies considered a shiny silver robot to be human, as long as it was friendly and that people developed warm feelings for their Roombas – robotic vacuum cleaners that look like a round weight scale – even to the point of treating them like pets. A gentle-voiced supercomputer that answers all your questions will be a big hit on Facebook. People will be calling it "he" in no time.
Man: Undetermined. The human race has produced Albert Einstein and Mother Teresa, but it's also produced the characters on "Jersey Shore." Whether we're going up or down has been debated for centuries. But humans did also build Watson.
Advantage: Maybe Watson can answer this one.
About the Author
Kevin McCaney is a former editor of Defense Systems and GCN.
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text:
29 March 2010
Efendy: Lamb Testicles and other authentic Turkish meze, Balmain (28 Mar 2010)
7 comments:
- Phuoc'n Delicious said...
OMG! Bring it on! I can't wait for Sunday; it will be a day filled with feasting.. First up is an italian Easter lunch with the boy's family and then this! I'm in heaven.. :)
- March 30, 2010 at 12:45 AM
- firstname.lastname@example.com said...
What an amazing spread and I can't wait to give testicles a go on Sunday! Can't wait!
- March 30, 2010 at 6:58 AM
- Angela said...
Good on you Simon to try the lamb testicles ! I guess I wouldn't mind trying it if it's given to me.
- March 30, 2010 at 9:25 AM
- Sarah Winehouse said...
YUUUUUMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!! OMG!!!! YUUUUMMM! I even called Efendy last week to ask them a few questions! Unfortunately I may be away for Easter Sunday! Anyway I hope you have even extra fun for me :) Efendy!!!!! Btw I read ur pendolino post - I was there for dinner couple months ago - wish I knew bout their Bacon !
- March 30, 2010 at 9:28 AM
- Sarah Winehouse said...
could u send me a message w ur e-mail on twitter.com/sarawinehouse ?
- March 30, 2010 at 9:35 AM
- Portuguese Kitchen said...
Wow the food looks so amazing.Theirs are real modern twist to some old favorites. I'm so impressed.
- March 30, 2010 at 4:09 PM
- Simon Leong said...
hi phouc, your belly is going to me one very full tummy.
hi john, glad to hear you're going to try the testicles. sounds so wrong though doesn't it :-)
hi angela, i'm not a huge offal fan but when it's presented in such a nice way it certainly helps to make it more appetising.
hi sarah, it's a pity you're not free but i hope your eater break is a good one. BTW pendolino was the venue for the bacon but they actually don't make their own bacon. look out for the winning bacon though. i'm actually not sure where you get it from so you might have to contact the supplier directly.
hi Portuguese Kitchen, hopefully the flavours are still traditional enough. hope you have a great easter break :-)
- March 30, 2010 at 10:54 PM
Simon Food Favourites Map
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Gillipig wrote:greenoaks wrote:Gillipig wrote:rdsrds2120 wrote:Exactly -- it's already sorted pretty well ;D
agent was arguing that it wasn't sorted at all and should stay that way, if we've already started sorting the forum we might as well do it properly. Which would mean that politics should get a subforum of it's own and probably the same with religion and science. So hah..... I'm right again !
OT is sorted into discussion threads and games. that's enough.
Tell me, have you ever even visited the off topics? Or is this just another thing you comment on without knowing anything about?
i am there everyday and have made over 750 posts, mostly i just read other's posts although sometimes i vote in the polls - not kittens though.
i have also reported your posts there on many occassions resulting in a vacation for you.


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Map Unavailable
Date(s) - Tuesday, June 25, 2019
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
St George's Senior Citizen's Center
St. George's Senior Citizen's Club (1235 20th St. West). The club is campaigning for new members that are 55+. Memberships are $10 per year with many discounts included. Regular events are bingos, card playing & socializing from 1-4 pm every Wednesday, bowling on Tuesdays and Thursdays. For more information, contact Ed at 306-382-7657 or 306-716-0204 or Sylvia at 306-382-4390 or 306-717-8773.


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Forms and Travel
Per Diem Reimbursement Rates
Breakfast: $8.20
Lunch: $10.70
Dinner: $18.40
Hotel: $65.90
Total: $103.20
Mileage Reimbursement Rates
Employees who elect to use a personal vehicle when a state-owned vehicle is available.
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To claim the IRS personal vehicle mileage rate (1) a state vehicle was not available and (2) "SVNA" [state vehicle not available] is noted on the travel reimbursement form.
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Dispatches From The Edge: Voices On Gaza
Words have power, particularly when they confront each other. These are some words on the current crisis in Gaza:
"There is no humanitarian crisis in Gaza and therefore there is no need for a humanitarian truce—Tzipi Livni, Israeli Foreign Minister and candidate for Prime Minister.
"It has never been like this before. The assault is coming from the sky, the sea and the ground. The explosion of shells, the gunfire from the tanks and the missiles from the planes and helicopters is incessant…most Gazans can only cower in terror in whatever shelter they can find"— The Guardian
"Doctors are working day and night on floors soaked with blood to help the rapidly mounting numbers of wounded. In the halls and corridors, screams and uncontrolled sobbing, along with the sounds of bombs and mortars, punctuate the conversation"— Washington Post
"Mads Gilbert, a Norwegian doctor who was allowed into Gaza last week to give emergency medical aid, and who has worked in many conflict zones, said the situation was the worst he had seen. The hospital lacked everything, he said—monitors, anesthesia, surgical equipment, heaters and spare parts. Windows had been blown out by a bombing nearby and like the rest of Gaza, limited fuel supplies were running low"—Sidney Morning Herald
"The humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip is significant and cannot be understated. The elements of the current humanitarian crisis include…80 percent of the population cannot support themselves and are dependent on humanitarian assistance. The figure is increasing….No wheat entered Gaza since the beginning of the hostilities, resulting in the closure of all mills…The Nahal Oz fuel pipelines remain closed…resulting in no delivery of fuel…the sewer and water systems in Beit Hanoun were hit at five locations…The situation has left up to 250,000 people in Gaza City and northern Gaza without water supply"—United Nations Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Situation Report 1/2/09
"The idea it to put the Palestinians on a diet, but not make them die of hunger" —Dov Weisglass, advisor to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert
"Gaza is on the threshold of becoming the first territory to be intentionally reduced to a state of abject destitution"—UN Relief and Works Agency Commissioner-General Karen Koning Abu Zayd
"We knew that the 1.5 million inhabitants were being starved, as the UN special rapporteur on the right to food found that acute malnutrition in Gaza was on the same scale as in the poorest nations in the Southern Sahara, with more than half of all Palestinian familes eating only one meal a day"---Former President Jimmy Carter.
"According to Oxfam only 137 trucks of food were allowed into Gaza in November. This means that an average of 4.6 trucks per day entered the strip compared to an average of 123 in October of this year and 564 in December 2005…On 18 December UNRWA [United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees] suspended all food distribution for both emergency and regular programs because of the [Israeli] blockade"—Sara Roy, London Review of Books
"We don't have any intention whatsoever to target civilians. The targets we choose are military targets. If there were civilian casualties, it would only be under the responsibility of Hamas" —Maj. Avital Leibovich, Israeli Self-Defense Forces spokesperson.
"The Parties to the conflict shall at all times distinguish between the civilian population and the combatants and between civilian objects and military objectives and accordingly shall direct their operations only against military objectives"---Article 48, Geneva Conventions, Part IV
"The presence within the civilian population of individuals who do not come within the definition of civilians does not deprive the population of its civilian character"---Article 50, Geneva Conventions, Part IV
"We are targeting Hamas, we are not looking for civilians to kill more than that" —Tzipi Livni
"What did [Prime Minister Ehud] Olmert mean when he stated 'WE' the people of Gaza weren't the enemy, that it was Hamas and Islamic Jihad who were being targeted?…Were the scores of children on their way home from school and who are now among the dead and injured Hamas militants? A little further down my street…three schoolgirls happened to be passing by one of the locations when a missile struck the Preventative Security Headquarters building. The girls bodies were torn into pieces and covered the street from one side to the other"—Safa Joudeh, a university student in Gaza, by email.
"Israel is so scrupulous about civilian life". Charles Krauthammer, Washington Post
"In Gaza City, surrounded by tanks and troops since the start of the Israeli invasion on Saturday, 13 members of the same family were killed when an Israeli tank shell hit their house. The victims included three children and their mother, whose bodies were put on the floor of an overcrowded morgue. "Get up, boy, get up," cried the weeping father, said a report by the Reuters news agency. "Please get up. I am your dad and I need you."---Tobias Buck, Financial Times
"Any journalist who enters Gaza becomes a fig leaf and front for the Hamas terror organization, and I see no reason why we should help that" —Daniel Seaman, director of Israel's Government Press Office
"The unprecedented denial of access to Gaza for the world's media amounts to a severe violation of press freedom and puts the state of Israel in the company of a handful of regimes around the world which regularly keep journalists from doing their jobs"—Foreign Press Association
"I think this terrorist organization, Hamas, has got to be put away. They've got to come to their senses" —Harry Reid, (D-NV) Senate Majority Leader
Americans are closely divided over whether Israel should be taking military action against militants in the Gaza Strip—44% favor, 41% oppose— but Democratic voters overwhelmingly oppose the Israeli offensive by a 24-point margin, 31% to 55%. Republicans support the offensive 62% to 27%—Rasmussen Report Poll
"Israel believes its deterrence was lost in that [the 2006 Lebanon] war, and Israel's current campaign against Hamas should be seen as an effort to regain that deterrence. Israeli military officials believe that if Hamas feared Israel they would not be firing rockets at Israeli towns. The legacy of Israel's inconclusive 34-day war with Hezbollah in 2006 hovers over Israel's current military operations in Gaza" —David Makovsky, director of the Washington Institute Project on the Middle East Peace Process
"Thus far, the operation have been very popular with the public, and most the credit has gone to Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who is also Labor's [Party] chairman…Last week's Ha'aretz poll, for instance, found that Labor had risen to 16 Knesset seats from 11 in the previous poll.
"'There is no doubt that the [Gaza] operation has highlighted Barak's advantages and enabled a real discourse about the truly important matters,' one senior Labor official said this weekend. 'That's what we were trying to say all along: He's not a pal, he's not nice, but he is a leader. And now people see that'"—Roni-Singer-Heruti, Ha'aretz
"…the people of Gaza are being victimized for reasons remote from the rockets and border security concerns, but seemingly to improve the election prospects of current leaders now facing defeat, and to warn others in the region that Israel will use overwhelming force whenever its interests are at stake…the people of Gaza are victims of geopolitics at its inhumane worst"—Richard Falk, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories
"Tony Blair, the Middle East envoy of major powers sponsoring Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, said… that new anti-smuggling measures would be needed to clinch a ceasefire.
"What is being talked about is a credible plan to stop the smuggling," Blair, a former British prime minister, told reporters in Jerusalem" —Reuters
"Life cannot go on in Gaza if the tunnels are destroyed—they are the only opening to the outside world," he [Abu Ali] said.
Foodstuffs, building materials, medicines and electric equipment are all brought from Egypt thought the passages—as well as weapons, notably rockets, and ammunition"—Agence France-Presse
From fiscal 2002 through 2009, Israel has received $19 billion in direct U.S. military aid. Israel has 226 U.S. F-16 fighter-bombers, over 700 U.S. M-60 tanks, and 6000 U.S. armored personnel carriers, plus attack helicopters, bombs and missiles—Frida Berrigan and William D. Hartung, New American Foundation
"The United States late Saturday blocked approval of a U.N. Security Council statement calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and southern Israel and expressing concern at the escalation of violence between Israel and Hamas" —Associated Press
"It has been proven that the United Nations doesn't have the courage to make a decision to establish peace over there. It lacks the courage because the U.S. has the power to veto and, therefore, things don't happen"—Brazilian President Lula da Silva
"Former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton said Monday settling the Arab-Israeli conflict on the basis of a two-state solution was no longer workable and suggested giving the Palestinian territories to Egypt and Jordan…Gaza is returned to Egyptian control and the West Bank in some configuration reverts to Jordanian sovereignty," says the former ambassador—Agence France-Presse
"Israel would prefer any end to the siege to be conducted through the Rafah crossing [into Egypt], thus fulfilling another strategic aim: that of making Gaza Egypt's responsibility"—Ghassan Khatib, co-editor of Bitterlemons, vice-president for community outreach, Birzeit University, and former Palestinian Authority planning minister.
" Israel's attack was "perfectly proportionate" —Alan Dershowitz
According to the UN, as of Jan. 8, 758 Palestinians had died (including 257 children, 56 women), and more than 3100 wounded (including 1080 children, 465 women). Thirteen Israelis have died, ten of them soldiers, five killed by Israeli tank fire.


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The county newsletter for June 2020 has been added. It is under County News Page. To receive the newsletter directly please contact Bob Pitts
Many of the clubs in Merseyside offer beginners' and/or improvers' lessons. There are also easy duplicate sessions for improvers. As these change in availability it is not possible to keep a definitive list on this site. You can access the clubs' websites through the link top left on this site. Depending on where you live, possible clubs to try include Blundellsands BC, Deva, Liverpool BC, and Merseyside Bridge Centre.
For other suggestions, please click here to go to the EBU (English Bridge Union) education charity's website.
Are you on Facebook? Why not visit our Facebook page. Click on the logo. If you "like" the page you will get updates on forthcoming events etc.
We need your help to keep the website relevant. Please use the Contact Us facility (click here) to let us know news, results, forthcoming events etc. If you spot any errors or missing links, please also use the Contact Us facility. Please be sure to include your name as anonymous emails will be automatically deleted. Many thanks.
This is the official website of Merseyside & Cheshire Bridge Association. We hope you will find the information you are looking for. If you don't, please use the "contact us" facility to email us. Click here to send your query/comments.


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By the time this column hits the newsstands or the Internet, we, hopefully, will know who our next president will be. Whoever wins the election will find a place not dissimilar to the SEC East winner. Everyone wants to win but look what you face next. Solving the looming fiscal cliff presents more problems than stopping Alabama.
Making predictions is especially perilous particularly when it involves the future. While my crystal ball remains in the repair shop, I trust the words of Winston Churchill that Americans will do the right thing � after they have exhausted all other options. Hopefully our elected officials will not kick the can down the road. Don�t forget we elect these guys.
Hyperbolic news about the fiscal cliff worried a financially astute Bay County client. They wondered if putting everything in a money market fund would be appropriate. John Prine admonished us in Spanish Pipedream to blow up your TV � good financial advice. Perhaps changing the channel or turning it off (my idea) works better. Don�t base your investment decision on what some talking head says.
Your personal financial situation dictates your investment strategy. In their case, retirement is 25 plus years down the road so, more than likely, they will endure two or three recessions. Going to cash in preparation for the next recession means you have to forecast when to reinvest, a skill often touted but seldom mastered. Many went to cash in 2009 and missed a great opportunity to recoup losses from the Great Recession. I reminded them how we reduced their stock allocation last summer. If the market goes down next year and they continue to invest in their employer�s 401K, then they can take advantage of lower prices.
Investment plans do not fail, investors fail; either they become too aggressive when times are good or they abandon their plan when things look bleak. Have a plan, stick with it and remember market timing is a fool�s errand.
Funds earmarked for the next two to four years should never be invested in stock mutual funds or ETFs. The market does not care what your needs are. A house down payment, an emergency fund or college tuition are examples of short to intermediate term goals where principal security trumps everything else.
Congress, no doubt, will extend the Bush-era tax cuts, in part or totally. This means we have to pay for them. James Kwak and Simon Johnson in White House Burning suggest reducing spending gradually in order to avoid shocking the economy into another recession (see Europe). Politicians like low taxes and high spending because that keeps people happy.
Solving the fiscal cliff dilemma is as difficult as beating Alabama; neither is impossible though.
Leonard Hortick, who runs Lion Properties LLC in Colorado, responded to last week�s column assuring me his firm�s (and his capital) is at risk. He attached a column pointing out how real estate is different from hedge funds and his fund qualifies for favorable capital gains tax rates. Decades ago, an Auburn grad/banker told me as we watched two bird dogs hunt quail (not pen-raised birds), nothing is more dangerous than raw land, a prescient observation.
Buz Livingston,CFP, is a fee-only certified financial planner. He operates Livingston Financial Planning Inc. focusing on hourly financial planning and investment management. Contact him directly at 850-267-1068 or at email@example.com.


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Rich Gregg & Big Skreed - Take Over Club Crucial Part 2 [We in Control Records Submitted]
We in Control take over Club Crucial part 2. Rich Gregg and Big Skreed perform there follow up to Molly which did 6.5 million views on Worldstarhiphop in three days. Rite Now, the A & Money in the Streets.
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
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A woman convicted of a rape charge after she helped abduct and attack a younger rival in 2011, then left her naked on the side of a San Diego freeway, was sentenced Friday to 35 years to life in prison.
Catherine McCoy, 49, was convicted last month of rape by foreign object along with allegations of kidnapping and use of a deadly and dangerous weapon.
She was found guilty in a previous trial of kidnapping, assault and making a criminal threat, all stemming from the same incident. In that trial, the jury was unable to reach a verdict on the rape count, prompting a retrial on only that charge.
During the sentencing hearing, San Diego Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Fraser said McCoy had not shown any remorse for assaulting the victim and dumping her out of a vehicle. McCoy's purpose, the judge said, "was to have power over (the victim), to have control over her, to humiliate her," and he called the attack sadistic.
According to the trial testimony, McCoy was angry at the other woman, who was 21 at the time, because she had sex with McCoy's boyfriend.
The woman testified in trial that on Aug. 18, 2011, she took a brief trip across the border to Mexico to buy heroin and returned to a house on Snowdrop Street in City Heights. She said she went to the house to pick up her belongings. While she was there, McCoy beckoned for her to go into the garage about 7:30 p.m.
The woman said McCoy threatened to kill her, then punched her in the face. A man who was with McCoy, Christopher Carrera, grabbed the woman by the hair and forced her into the back seat of a Ford Expedition.
McCoy climbed into a back seat while Carrera got behind the wheel. As he drove, McCoy beat the woman with a flashlight and a golf club, ordered her to remove her clothes, and then sexually assaulted her with the golf club.
Carrera stopped the SUV on state Route 125 north of state Route 54, pulled the victim out and beat her before abandoning her.
A passer-by saw the naked woman emerging from the bushes about 8:30 p.m. Several motorists stopped to help her.
U-T San Diego is not reporting the woman's name because she is a victim in a sex case.
McCoy's lawyer, Charles Adair, had said Friday that his client admitted to the beating and was remorseful, but she did not admit to the rape.
Deputy District Attorney George Modlin argued for a longer sentence of 39 years, eight months in prison because of "the viciousness and callousness of this case."
The victim did not attend the hearing, but Modlin read a written statement from her mother, who had a few pointed words for the defendant.
"You appear to have no soul," the mother said in the statement. "You are an evil person and I am glad you will not be able to hurt anyone else."
Carrera pleaded guilty last year to felony charges related to the attack and assault charges stemming from an unrelated July 2011 incident in Old Town. He was sentenced to 16 years and eight months in prison.


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MyRefManager brauchte ein neues Website Design und hat einen Wettbewerb auf 99designs gestartet.
Aus 12 Designs von 1 Designern wurde eine Gewinner gewählt.
I'm the developer and owner of MyReferenceManager.com, a website that allows students and researchers to collect and organize their books, journals, websites and quotations in an online library. I added new functionality to the website and now need design work and icons for the new web pages.
Mostly students and researchers who need to manage their references to books, journals and quotations.
Web Page 1 - Entering or Updating Text Source Information:
- overall layout of Text Source tab (there are two parts to this page: one contains the entry fields (required: Author and Title, all others are optional) and the search options: by ISBN # or Google Book Search). The optional fields are in the grey box on the screenshot. These fields should be separated from the Author/Title fields and made less prominent (see screenshot for page 1)
- icon for book, journal/magazine/newspaper and website
- icon for book search by ISBN number
- icon for bibliography information recreate the icon shown on the screenshot as closely as possible, but with transparent background)
Web Page 2 - Document/Project Editor Part 1:
- icon to indicate that a quotation is included/added in the project/document (e.g. plus sign)
- icon on the left for viewing the full text of the quotation for copying and pasting into the document on the right (see screenshot for page 2)
Web Page 3 - Document Editor Part 2:
- two icons on the full text details page: one to mark that this quotation as included in the document on the right, and one icon to unmark or remove the quotation from the project (see screenshot for page 3)
Web Page 4 - Add Quotation Wizard:
- layout of the header of the wizard with a step 1 and step 2 icon and title (text, not image) (see screenshot for page 4)


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Fantastic Fungi: The Forbidden Fruit
While the Paul Stamets talk from Friday was filmed in 1999 using, apparently, a bagel (how else do you explain that video quality?), when he spoke at TedMed 2011, his presentation was augmented with this. Wow, what a difference two decades make.
Sailor and the Seagull (1949)
Why yes, I was humming "In the Navy" while I watched this, what of it?
Best Space Cake Wins $150
You think your budbutter is best? You think your green brownies are unbeatable? Fine, prove it. Compassionate-Cooking.com is running their annual Compassionate Cooking Cup right now and you can win $150 if your weed-based delicacy wins. The contest runs from June 1 through July 15, you can find more details about it here. Image: Max
The Code of the West
Montana was one of the first states in the country to legalize Medical Marijuana, now it may be the first to repeal its MMJ laws. "Code of the West" follows the 2011 debate within the Montana State Legislature on whether or not to keep weed sorta legal.
Easing Of Pot Laws Poses Challenge For Parents
The AP is running a interesting story about how square parents are having increasing difficulty explaining the deadly, deadly, dangers of reefer madness to their kids even though science keeps debunking their fears and states continue to ease restrictions on the drug. That, and the fact that a large number of now-parents themselves have dabbled in weed without becoming heroin-addicted, mass-murdering, puppy rapists. Oh, the hypocrisy is nearly palpable.[420 Times]


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A few weeks back, I had the chance to drop in on the guys and girls down at Evil Controllers in Tempe, Arizona. For those of you unfamiliar with Evil, they're a small group known for some very nice controllers, with their PS4 and Xbox One offerings getting covered here recently.
Evil doesn't have a storefront and isn't open to the public, but the team was nice enough to give me a tour of their facility, step me through the process of how they make their controllers and allow me to grab some photos along the way.
Evil Controllers is based out of an unassuming office building with no obvious markings, save for a sticker next to the door. The dimly lit lobby is sparsely decorated, with just a couple glass display cases containing some of their work and a few awards and articles scattered along the walls.
From the lobby I met up with Carlos and was taken right into the assembly area—where every controller is apparently built to order, mind you—a room larger than the office space would have led me to believe was even possible. Inside, the room was busy with an employee at every station, intensely focused on their work.
One thing I wasn't allowed to photograph was the testing and programming stations, where the team develops and programs their own mods in-house. On our way around the room, Carlos mentioned to me how much the team at Evil prides themselves on quality, making sure to point out the reject bin, which they like to call the controller graveyard.
Next, Carlos let me peruse the various shells they have pre-painted, waiting for an order.
Next, we arrived at a warehouse out behind the assembly room where a small team of two disassembled, sanded and finally painted the controller shells for Xbox One and PS4.
Racks of sanded controllers waiting for a fresh coat of paint:
Shells being dipped:
After a quick demo of the painting process, I was taken to the last stop on the tour, a relatively small room where the finishing touches are added, such as emblazoning the controller's body with a custom image or gamertag.
The first thing you see when coming into the room is this:
I was told this machine is capable of recreating any possible color. It was stressed to me that while they can create any color, there's no news on this front to report at this time, all the colors are available on their site currently, which is truly a shame, because I'd love to have a controller with a custom color.
Next to this machine is a small station where the text or images are added to the controller:
Once everything's done, painted and assembled, the final controllers are staged then packaged for shipping.
All in all, I was thoroughly impressed and surprised with the amount of work and testing that goes into the building of Evil's products. I'm not sure what I figured it would be, but I definitely didn't think it would be this complex. Have any questions? Want to know more? Let me know in the comments.


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Taxi to Palermo
Luciano, my Sicilian cab driver, is a short, fat man with a great sense of humor who drives like a madman. It's 60 kilometers to Palermo, and ten minutes into the ride, we are stuck in a mega traffic jam. Luciano doesn't hang around; he wants to get home to his wife. So he pulls onto the hard shoulder and we make fairly good progress. Whenever obstacles arise – construction, or a vehicle that has actually broken down – Luciano noses back into the slow-moving traffic, cursing, and swerves back out onto the hard shoulder as soon as he can. After 20 minutes of this, he exits the autostrada. My relief is short-lived because the secondary road we are now on is narrow and effectively an endless succession of bends. To our right, there's a continuous rock face; to our left, a sheer drop. Coming around a bend, Luciano suddenly slams on the brakes and we screech to a halt beside a stack of six or seven white plastic chairs outside a closed restaurant. While Luciano stows the chairs on the back seat, I imagine careering around this very bend to find, right in the middle of the road, a madman pinching plastic chairs. At last, I see the lights of Palermo twinkling on the horizon. But before we reach the city, Luciano still has time to make a wrong turn onto a city highway, drive occasionally on the wrong side of the road, and let go of the steering wheel completely on a bumpy stretch. In response to my questioning look he gestures downward: He's steering with his legs. Once in Palermo, he puts his hands back on the wheel but begs me to unfasten my seatbelt. To Germans, that might seem an unwise thing to do. But to Sicilians, it's a matter of honor.
Helge Timmerberg
Our columnist, Helge Timmerberg, an irrepressible globetrotter since 1969, writes travel books and contributes monthly to our magazine.


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|Rochester Library Update on City Directories and Newspaper Index
The Rochester Library has updated their on-line Rochester City Directories collection, and they will now offer a half million item unique index to some of the Rochester newspapers.
Read about the full details in our Blog by clicking on the "UNYG Blog" tab at the top of this page, and then search for Rochester.
|< Prev
|Next >


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150 Watt OCL Power Amplifier
If you are fanatical about the use of transistors jengkol 2N3055 and MJ2955 then this circuit is the answer. This OCL power amplifier circuit deliver a blasting 150 watt to a 4 Ohm speaker. The amplifier circuit is very cheapest and can be powered from 24 to 32 V/5A dual power supply. You must try this circuit. Its working great. Because Transisitor on the final amplifier will be very hot then add the aluminum finned cooler and the fan so that the transistor is not too high temperatures
Skema Rangkaian 150 Watt OCL Amplifier
- Use a well regulated and filtered power supply.
- Connect a 50K POT in series with the input as volume control if you need.Not shown in circuit diagram
The transistor 2N3055 NPN and MJ2955 PNP are a silicon Epitaxial-Base Planar transistor mounted in Jedec TO-3 metal case. It is intended for power switching circuits, series and shunt regulators, output stages and high fidelity amplifiers.
maximum rating Transistor 2N3055 NPN and MJ2955 PNP
- Collector-Base Voltage : 100 V
- Collector-Emitter Voltage: 70 V
- Collector-Emitter Voltage: 60 V
- VEBO Emitter-Base Voltage: 7 V
- IC Collector Current: 15 A
- IB Base Current: 7 A
- Total Dissipation: 115 W
- Storage Temperature: -65 to 200 oC
- Tj Max. Operating Junction Temperature 200 oC


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Wild turkeys seem to know that Thanksgiving is right around the corner and they are fighting back in Connecticut.
Marcos Carreras, of Farmington, or rather his car, has been the victim of wild turkeys not once but twice.
He was on his way to work at Kingswood Oxford School on Wednesday morning when one menacing turkey he refers to as "Frankenturkey" went after one car, then came right up to his driver's side window and actually pecked the door.
U.S. & World
The fowl encounter happened bewtween Old Mountain Road and Talcott Notch and Frankenturkey attacked on Halloween as well, Carreras said.
According to the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, there are wild turkeys in all 169 towns in the state.
You have to watch the video to see just how brazen the turkey is. Carreras' commentary and sound effects also make watching well worth your time.


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What Could Have Been: Tony Mitchell Finds a Home at North Texas
Related Story
OMAHA, NE -- Tony Mitchell stares at the ceiling of the CenturyLink Center like he's searching for an escape route.
His North Texas team will not tip off against Creighton for another 25 minutes, so he loiters near the free throw line during pregame warm-ups, effortlessly dribbling a basketball back and forth between his legs. His sophomore season has not even technically begun yet, but he already feels the eyes of every human being in the building fixating on him.
Somewhere among the 17,000 fans decked out in dark blue, judgmental scouts from 15 NBA teams sit with pens and notepads. Just beyond the baseline, a security guard whispers to his co-worker to "watch that number 13 tonight." There's a 6-foot-9 kid from Dallas in the building, and nobody wants to miss the show.
"You just gotta live up to the hype," Mitchell says hours earlier, shortly after his team's afternoon shoot-around.
This season-opening game between North Texas and Creighton, two consensus favorites in their respective conferences, will not be televised, even though national writers and columnists have touted Mitchell's matchup against Bluejays' All-American forward Doug McDermott for weeks. This is nothing new to Mitchell or anybody associated with the Sun Belt Conference. It's a league long dominated by Western Kentucky, hidden carefully in the American South and often overlooked in the shadow of the Big 12 and the Southeastern Conference.
Eleven seconds into the game, Tony Mitchell fires a mid-range jumper. Off the rim. On the next possession, his three-point attempt rattles out, too. By the first media timeout, Mitchell has zero points.
By the next timeout, Mitchell has seven points, two blocks and two dunks, the product of a four-minute flurry featuring the kind of breathtaking athleticism everybody had eagerly awaited. It started with a steal and dunk in transition, then continued with a block of McDermott, a three-pointer, another swat and, finally, a one-handed putback slam capped off by a loud and intimidating scream in the general direction of Creighton's alumni section.
They say he's a lottery pick in next year's NBA Draft. Top five, maybe. CBS Sports named him a pre-season All-American and called him "the best combination of talent and athleticism playing in college basketball today."
"Being advertised as a basketball player, you just have to live with those expectations," Mitchell said. "When the lights come on, you gotta shine. You gotta perform."
Performance has never been a problem for Mitchell at North Texas. As a freshman in 2011-12, he averaged a double-double. This year, he's the pre-season Sun Belt Player of the Year. It was not difficult to predict this three years ago, when Rivals.com rated Mitchell a five-star prospect and the 12th-best high school player in America.
It's just that all of this wasn't supposed to be happening at North Texas.
Tony Mitchell signed with Missouri on Nov. 18, 2009, marking the program's most celebrated recruiting coup in perhaps two decades. Coach Mike Anderson, now the head coach at Arkansas, had never inked a five-star prospect before. The Tigers hadn't welcomed a recruit of this caliber since Linas Kleiza signed with Quin Snyder in 2003.
Prior to choosing MU, Mitchell had spent his junior year of high school at Center of Life Christian Academy, a prep school in Florida. That decision alone ultimately altered Mitchell's path. He transferred to Pinkston High School - a part of the Dallas Independent School District - to play his senior year, but Center of Life was unaccredited and his credits did not transfer. School officials at Pinkston then administered placement tests for Mitchell, and he passed all of them.
That is, until an investigation by WFAA-TV in Dallas revealed he had taken an unprecedented nine tests in two days. Red flag. The work of reporter Brett Shipp forced an internal investigation, delaying Mitchell's graduation from high school and eventually leading the NCAA to rule him academically ineligible to compete at Missouri.
Mitchell never stepped foot on MU's campus as a student. Immediately after the ruling, he signed with North Texas and enrolled as a "partial qualifier," which meant he could sit out a season, pay in-state tuition and then join the Mean Green on scholarship as long as he kept his grades afloat.
"I really wanted to be a Tiger," Mitchell said. "I cried about it. I'm not going to lie. I just have to keep moving forward, but at the same time, I love everybody at Mizzou. They showed me a lot of love and support throughout the whole process."
"I love those guys."
So he's found a home in Denton, Tx., located less than an hour from Dallas. It allows his family to see every home game, and his team isn't bad, either. The Mean Green won 18 games a year ago and returned a promising young nucleus this season under first-year head coach Tony Benford, a former Marquette assistant. Coincidentally, Benford recruited Mitchell - as well as several of his other teammates - while working for Buzz Williams at Marquette.
"I'm a hometown kid, so I really enjoy it," Mitchell said. "Since he recruited a lot of us, he's seen a lot of us already. It's crazy how we've come together as a team, and that we're here at North Texas."
Missouri hasn't left his life entirely, though. "Who are they playing this weekend?" he asks after the shoot-around. Then, he rattles off the names of some of the transfers on MU's team this season-- "They're gonna be real good. They got all those new transfers, Keion Bell, Jordan Clarkson, Jabari Brown." He also still keeps in touch with several MU players, including point guard and fellow Dallas native Phil Pressey. The two have known each other since the beginning of high school.
"That's my guy. We talk every now and then, on and off." Pressey said. "He's doing real well. We live 15 or 20 minutes away from each other, so every time I go home, I see him."
The feeling is mutual.
"Phil and I are very close. Very close," Mitchell said. "I love seeing how he's doing. His game has evolved. Really evolved."
Mitchell's has, too, which begs that irritating but necessary question.
Tony Mitchell smiles as he imagines the possibilities.
"It could have been something special," Mitchell said. "We probably would have been amazing. On ESPN highlights all the time, going up and down. It probably would have been crazy."
Of course, even without Mitchell, Missouri still earned its fair share of ESPN airtime by winning 30 games and capturing a Big 12 Tournament title. That's how Pressey keeps his perspective.
"A 6-foot-9 guy who's freakishly athletic, he can help any team in the country. If we had him, I think we could use him," Pressey said. "But we didn't have him and we still did well."
All season, the Tigers shrugged off the doubters. People said they were too small. Too thin. Not enough depth. A one-man show in the frontcourt with Ricardo Ratliffe. Missouri ignored the critics for 34 games.
Until it got Norfolked in Game 35. Suddenly, a dream season turned into a disaster in the form of an 86-84 loss to 15th-seeded Norfolk State in the NCAA Tournament. The Spartans, statistically the heaviest underdog to ever win a tournament game in college basketball history, outrebounded the Tigers by 12. Star center Kyle O'Quinn, a 6-foot-10 behemoth in the middle of the paint, finished with a double-double and scored the go-ahead bucket after grabbing an offensive rebound in the final minute. If only Mitchell and his superhuman leaping ability were there to clean up the glass. On the game's final possession, Phil Pressey misfired on a three-point attempt at the buzzer and then crumpled to the floor.
He crumpled to the floor of the CenturyLink Center. In Omaha. The very arena where seven months later, Mitchell would play the first game of his sophomore season against Creighton on an unseasonably warm night in early November.
As he continues to stretch near the free throw line - just feet from where Pressey missed that shot at the buzzer - the whispers get louder and louder. "That's the kid you want to see," somebody mumbles near press row. When the public address announcer begins to introduce the North Texas starting lineup shortly before tip-off, he calls Mitchell first.
A six-foot-eight forward out of Dallas, Texas. Number thirteen: Tony Mitchell.
There's mostly silence in the arena, followed by a recognizable, undeniable chant from the Creighton student section.
If only.