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The training course line-up for 2017 is starting to fall into place, with confirmed offerings so far including abundance estimation from fish acoustics and management strategy evaluation (MSE).
The first course of the year, however, centres on the ICES fish stocks for which data and knowledge are insufficient to conduct a full analytical assessment of their state and exploitation. Known as category 3 and 4 stocks, these constitute over 30% of all stocks for which ICES provides advice. Length-based and catch and survey-based methods for providing reference points for these stocks emerged in 2015, and a year later these techniques were applied in order to classify the status of a small group of stocks relative to maximum sustainable yield (MSY) reference points.
This practice will be expanded to all category 3 and 4 stocks in 2017, with work to be carried out by the stock assessment expert groups. Training in the methods is therefore important for the members of these groups in order to learn the principles behind each method, the data and format, and how to run the code and interpret the results for advice.
The course will convene twice: the first, a day and a half instalment at the ICES Secretariat for stock assessment group chairs; the second, a two-day online module for stock assessors. During the meeting at ICES, taking place 25-26 January, materials and methods will be introduced as part of a full overview. For the second part, held as a web conference in February, students will learn in-depth proxy reference point methods.
Prior to the course, access will be given to a virtual research environment (made available by the BlueBRIDGE project) set up for use with all length-based methods and which will contain method code, data format, and example output files as well as provide a pre-set environment for running the code. ICES Technical Guidance on Proxy Reference Point Methodologies will also be published and made available. Students will also be able to use the www.stockassessment.org web interface.
Those interested in enrolling on the course should be able to create a length-frequency stock distribution using InterCatch as well as have some basic familiarity with the R data environment.
'ICES methods for setting proxy MSY reference points for stocks in categories 3 and 4' will be instructed by Casper Berg and Alexandros Kokkalis of DTU Aqua and Anne Cooper and Scott Large of ICES Secretariat. Participation is free of charge for ICES stock assessors and stock assessment expert group chairs.

subset: commoncrawl


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Contact Metamorphism
Rocks that are in contact with hot magma or lava often become metamorphosed. This is called contact metamorphism.
Contact metamorphism can either happen deep underground or at the Earth's surface. Underground, hot magma, fills areas within the crust; large areas are called batholiths. The hot magma alters the surrounding rocks. The amount of rock that is changed depends on how much magma there is producing heat. The zone of altered rock around a batholith is called an aureole and it may cover more than 100 square kilometers of land. Above ground, lava erupting from a volcano alters the rock that it erupts onto.
Metamorphism of rocks that happens over larger areas is called regional metamorphism.


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Zebin Du wins British Open
Zebin Du, a Chinese 4d from Nottingham University, won the British Open winning all 6 games. Second was Yuanbo Zhang, also 4d, with 5 wins. A group of 4d came next with 4 wins: Andrew Kay, T Mark Hall, and Andrew Simons. Winning 5 games lower down were Alan Thornton (1k St Albans), Peter Collins (3k Bristol), Peter Harold-Barry (5k St Albans), Andrew Russell (6k Birmingham), Pat Ridley (10k Chester) and Oscar Selby (12k Epsom). Prizes were awarded by divisions:
Division 1 (1-3d) : First Christian Scarff (4 wins), Second Harry Fearnley (3 wins)
Division 2 (1-4k): First Alan Thornton (5 wins), Second Peter Collins (5 wins)
Division 3 (5-8k): First Peter Harold-Barry (5 wins), Second Andrew Russell (5 wins)
Division 4 (9-12k): First Patrick Ridley (5 wins), Second Oscar Selby (5 wins)
Division 5 (13k +): First Luis Sousa (4 wins), Second Kathleen Timmins (3 wins)
Photo of Zebin with the Minds in Conflict Trophy courtesy of Tony Collmann for the AGA
Oscar Selby also won the British Lightning on the Friday evening with 5/5, including some close handicap victories over dan players. Winning 4 were Zebin Du, Yuanbo Zhang, Andrew Simons and Paul Barnard.
The team prize went to Andrew Kay, Andrew Simons and Klaudia Kleczkowska, whilst the best club team was judged to be Epsom.
Andrew Simons also won the Stacey Grand Prix for the year with 29 points (second was Toby Manning with 26 points and third Richard Hunter with 17). The continuous tournament was won by Roger Daniel and the Congresses Quiz was won by Toby Manning.
There were 67 players in all taking part in the Open, which was part of the British Go Congress weekend. This was held in the Cromwell Hotel in the very pleasant old town area of Stevenage and sponsored by Puzzle Shed. Most of the prizes were puzzle Go stones, with the major ones being large Go stones consisting of geared elements printed by a 3-D printer and the others being large or small flying Go stones.
Special guest for the weekend was Michael Redmond 9p, the American professional who was concluding his week long training tour of England (thanks to the Nihon Ki-in and the Sasakawa Foundation). He ran a training session on the Friday, played simultaneous matches and analysed games throughout the weekend. The special prize for the best move/improver was chosen by Michael to go to young Oscar Selby.
The weekend also featured the BGA's AGM and a Congress dinner on the Saturday evening.
All this was well organised by Alison and Simon Bexfield from the nearby Letchworth Club, who thanked all those who helped make it possible and explained the cryptic symbols on players' badges.
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George Hepplewhite
Our editors will review what you've submitted and determine whether to revise the article.
- Died:
- 1786, London
- Notable Works:
- "Cabinet-Maker and Upholsterer's Guide"
- Movement / Style:
- Georgian style
- Neoclassical art
George Hepplewhite (died 1786, London) English cabinetmaker and furniture designer whose name is associated with a graceful style of Neoclassicism, a movement he helped to formulate in the decorative arts.
Little is known of Hepplewhite's life except that he was apprenticed to the English furniture maker Robert Gillow of Lancaster, went to London, and opened a shop there on Redcross Street. Other than his noting on a chair design that it had been "executed with good effect for the Prince of Wales," there is no other evidence to show that Hepplewhite's was a fashionable firm; furthermore, the royal accounts have no record of the chair. After his death his estate was administered by his widow, Alice, who carried on the business.
Hepplewhite's style and reputation rest on his Cabinet-Maker and Upholsterer's Guide (1788), which contained nearly 300 designs for furniture and other furnishings. The plates in the Guide are unsigned, but 10 designs signed "Hepplewhite" or "Heppelwhite" are included in the Cabinet-Maker's London Book of Prices (1788). Pieces of furniture based on designs in the Guide are rare, and no piece can definitely be attributed to Hepplewhite's firm, nor can his personal responsibility for the designs be established. The Guide translated into simple yet elegant terms the more extravagant furniture of the Neoclassical style of the grand designs of Robert Adam.
Simplicity, elegance, and utility characterize the designs in the Guide. Many pieces were intended to be made in inlaid satinwood, others in mahogany or with japanned decoration. Chairs with straight tapered legs have shield-, heart-, and oval-shaped backs, incorporating urns, festoons, cornhusk chains, and other typical Neoclassical motifs. Upholstered settees of serpentine form, window seats with scrolled arms, and small square- and circular-topped inlaid tables and bookcases with delicate tracery in the glass doors also characterize the graceful Hepplewhite style. Three years after the Guide first appeared, Thomas Sheraton, an equally famous English Neoclassical designer, published The Cabinet-Maker and Upholsterers' Drawing Book, in which he writes slightingly of Hepplewhite in his preface, even though he probably borrowed from the Guide. Both Hepplewhite's and Sheraton's designs were interpreted by such eminent American cabinetmakers as Samuel McIntire and Duncan Phyfe.


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If you get the impression that the stock market is some sort of paranoid neurotic, overreacting to every little whispered rumor and half truth, you're not alone. I don't mean to cast aspersions on the emotional maturity of stock traders, but rather simply to note that there is a whole bunch of money at stake every minute and nanosecond that securities are being traded. So while an average person may find the intermittent pronouncements and releases from the Federal Reserve an inscrutable bore, the stock market looks at them as vital opportunities to make money, or at least to avoid losing it.
And the stock market yesterday was none too pleased with the minutes of January's Fed policy meeting, which were released yesterday afternoon: The S&P 500 fell 1.2% yesterday and is headed down again today.
What caused the reaction? The concern wasn't that the Fed would soon back off keeping short term interest rates near zero, or that it expected inflation to rise above 2.5%, or that it was going to scale back its $85 billion per month in bond purchases. The minutes merely said that "many," or "a number of" Fed officials were concerned that the Fed's stimulus actions may be dangerously inflating asset bubbles or putting the economy at risk of destabilizing inflation, and that these factors may cause the Fed to pull back on bond purchases before substantial improvement in the economy occurred.
The minutes also, however, noted that many participants were equally concerned about ending purchases too early, and that pulling back too soon could have disastrous effects for economic growth and employment. Ultimately, the market was probably reacting to the uncertainty implicit in the apparent conflict at the Fed. The minutes don't indicate how many FOMC members were voicing concerns about policy, but actual voting on Fed policy lately has been near unanimous, with only Kansas City Fed Chief Esther George dissenting last time around.
(MORE: What Can Fix the SEC?)
This near-unanimity is one reason not to expect any serious changes in Fed policy soon. Another is the man heading up the Federal Reserve, Ben Bernanke, who has proven two things in the past year: 1) that he is intent on using creative and aggressive monetary policy to help the economic recovery; and 2) that he is willing to tolerate dissent in order to further the policies he sees fit. Even if a couple more Fed Governors were to join the dissenting side in the coming year, nothing Bernanke has done in his two terms so far as Fed Chair has shown that he would be cowed by this disagreement in and of itself.
In addition, the Fed has reputational issues to consider. It was only late last year that the central bank modified its language on asset purchases and interest rates, pegging future policy to observable data like the unemployment rate, and it's unlikely that Bernanke would be willing to compromise the reliability of the Fed's promises by changing course so quickly.
Of course, there were outs built into the Fed's language. If the economy improves more quickly than expected, the Fed could pair back stimulus more quickly than it had originally promised. In addition, if expected inflation creeps up above 2.5%, the Fed could change course without damaging the market's trust in its promises. But both of those scenarios appear unlikely, as the federal government appears likely to introduce growth-slowing austerity measures this year through budget mechanisms. And with so much slack in the economy, most estimates of future inflation fall below the Fed's long-run target.
But again, the markets can be a prickly pear. And interest rates have a direct effect on asset valuation. So any sign that rates may rise will cause some in the market to take cover.


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One of the goals of EDF's Ecosystems work is to provide farmers with revenue opportunities in reducing their greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint. Under AB32, California's landmark legislation aimed at reducing GHG emissions, regulated entities may purchase carbon offsets to meet up to 8% of their obligations. Over the past six years, EDF has worked closely with growers to capitalize on the anticipated demand for these offsets, by developing protocols that will allow landowners to generate and sell agricultural offsets. On March 28, we reach a milestone in these efforts: the California Air Resources Board will host a workshop to begin a rulemaking process to consider the adoption of an offset protocol EDF has developed with the American Carbon Registry, crediting rice producers for GHG abatement practices.
We've put a great deal of work into understanding and piloting a myriad of rice farming techniques, while studying their implications for GHG emissions. A major conclusion from our analysis is that there exists a subset of viable alternative practices for rice producers in California with potential agronomic, economic and environmental benefits. The ones we've decided to focus on for our offset protocol are: baling, dry seeding, and early drainage of fields before harvest.
Agricultural activities account for an estimated 12% of global GHG emissions – the majority of these arise from sources of nitrous oxide and methane gases, composing ~60% and ~50% of the global total, respectively (as of IPCC AR4). Rice cultivation accounts for 5-20% of worldwide methane emissions; much of it is emitted as a byproduct of organic decomposition under flooded paddies. California's goal to reduce its emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 through its cap-and-trade program (AB32) provides an opportunity for rice farmers to help the state meet its reduction goal.
There are multiple approaches for rice farmers to reduce GHG emissions. Some of these practices can be carried out before the harvest and others post-harvest. We've carried out some in-depth analysis on the various options, to better understand the incentives and revenue possibilities we will be encouraging through our policy work – we have found that there are a handful of ways that farmers can reduce GHG emissions while maintaining yields, earning some revenue for their efforts, and potentially save on costs in some circumstances.
Our analysis builds on a prior study by our partners Applied Geosolutions, UC Davis and the California Rice Commission that estimates GHG emissions and yields for the majority of rice producing acreage in the state. They use the DeNitrification-DeComposition (DNDC) model, simulating 6,316 rice fields for 16 farming practices. In our analysis, we first estimate the potential greenhouse gas abatement of a suite of specific practices: dry seeding the rice fields, baling harvest residue, and hydroperiod adjustments (draining of fields in midseason, before harvest and/or reducing winter flooding).
We then tabulate the cost of each management practice through a combination of literature, farmer and farm advisor consultation and combine these with abatement estimates to generate marginal abatement cost curves for each practice. Our preliminary results indicate a wide variability in abatement costs, depending on farming conditions. Of course, this is before factoring in the role of a carbon credit.
Unfortunately, not all of the practices we've studied are tenable in the Californian setting. One practice (midseason drainage of the fields) is accompanied with a significant decrease in yield and therefore does not lend itself well to the Sacramento Valley climate. In the case of stopping winter flooding, there could be negative habitat impacts for waterfowl that use this ecosystem as a feeding ground. Striving to understand such risks has been crucial in determining the extent to which producers will consider the new incentives created through the market.
Because the practices listed above have not been widely adopted, they are key opportunities for the generation of offsets. To better understand adoption rates, EDF is conducting further research in determining the quantitative and qualitative barriers that are limiting farmers from adopting such farming methods.
California will be one of the first rice producing regions in the U.S. to present abatement opportunities in conjunction with a carbon market. Combining economic principles such as abatement cost curves with biogeochemical models (e.g. DNDC) is useful in studying such opportunities. Further, the ability to simulate practices at the field level is central to understanding the economic potential of offset protocols granting agricultural producers access to carbon markets. In turn, this can create new incentives to abate GHG emissions from agriculture while potentially providing new sources of revenue to landowners – potentially a win-win situation.
We are excited that Thursday's California Air Resources Board workshop will kick off the rulemaking process and that farmers can soon benefit from these interesting prospects.


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Jenny & Chris are high school sweethearts, and in every picture it's beyond evident that they both just adore each other. Jenny, a wedding planner from It Takes Two Events in Atlanta, knew exactly what she wanted from working in this crazy industry! As we sat through long vendor appointments planning their special day, Chris was such a trooper! He was the perfect groom to work with, making Jenny giggle to keep her calm through all these decisions! Jenny loved the simplicity of the Meeting House and had to have her ceremony there. She didn't need any decor to add to it, but our amazing event designer from Myrtie Blue had a few surprises up his sleeve just for the happy couple!
Dear Wesleyann captured this couple's classy style perfectly. After shooting their engagement session in the winter, Jenny and Chris felt right at ease with Wesleyann on their wedding day! I just adore Jenny's happy smile in this picture!
The weather couldn't have been more perfect for these two! After having an iffy winter here in Florida, it was a nice break to have the sun shine brightly for this sweethearts!
Brian Watson from Mytrie Blue did a fabulous job on her bouquet as well! We love the pops of the light pink anemones with the dark violet centers! Did we mention how stunning she look on the right?! Our favorite walkover #7 is the perfect bright white backdrop for her flowing dress!
Of course the brilliant Wesleyann came up with this creative setting for their "almost" first look! Jenny and Chris wrote letters to each other and read them in the Carillon Post Office right before the ceremony. This picture describes both of their personalities perfectly, with Chris' note for Jenny ripped out of a spiral notebook and Jenny's a petite, clean piece of paper.
We absolutely adore this picture! The smallest of gestures are always the sweetest.
I just love the way the sunshine hits Jenny's veil and sparkly studs in this picture! Getting to know this couple has been such a joy, and we almost didn't want their last wrap up meeting to come! We wish Jenny and Chris only the best for their many years to come!


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Employers, You Should Not Be Selling the Job in the Interview
There's only one person who should be doing the hard sell during an interview—and it's not the employer.
There's only one person who should be doing the hard sell during an interview—and it's not the employer.
That's the finding of a recent paper titled "Do interviewers sell themselves short? The effects of selling orientation on interviewers' judgments." Jennifer Marr, an assistant professor of organizational behavior at Georgia Institute of Technology, and Dan M. Cable whose research at the London Business School focuses on cultural fit and career success, conclude:
The more interviewers adopt a selling orientation, the less able they are to make judgments that accurately predict applicants future success as newcomers.
This runs counter to previous research, which has found job candidates like to be sold or pitched to on a job, and interviewers feel they are being effective and landing the candidate. But spending so much time in sales mode often means neglecting to dig into the candidate's work style or other details that would show if she fits in the job and the corporate culture.
"We can't be focusing on two or more goals at once," Marr told Quartz. One of the motivations—selling or seeing whether values and skills match—will dominate the interview. Even very competent interviewers experienced the same difficulty and could not simultaneously evaluate and encourage the candidate to join their organization, Marr says.
In instances where the candidate is highly regarded and the organization is most enthused about them, the interviews are the least effective, she added.
The consequences may be high: A new hire who doesn't mesh with staff, whose reputation does not meet the organization's reality, or who leaves the organization quickly, causing lost productivity, staff unrest, plus the cost of recruiting a replacement.
Instead, employers may want either to have two people in the interview—one to pitch the organization and job and one to evaluate the candidate, Marr suggests. They also could schedule two interviews, one to determine if the person will work and the second to sell her on the job and place. They could push critical thinking as the foundation for interviews, and recruit separately before and afterward.
That sounds smart, though it would mean for hiring managers to slow their decision-making. Half of them said they know within five minutes whether they plan to offer a candidate a job.
Reprinted with permission from Quartz. The original story can be found here.
NEXT STORY: IRS Embraces Long-Sought Taxpayer Bill of Rights


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The Bluetooth audio device does not resume after ending a call.
Playback will automatically resume after a moment or two once a phone call has ended. Some Bluetooth audio devices will turn off automatically after a certain period of time if there is no Bluetooth connection. Avoid pressing any buttons as this is normal operation. However, if applicable to your unit, try the following steps to resolve any issues:
- Press the Pause button twice to resume playback manually.
- After the call, select the Bluetooth Audio as source of the car stereo then press the 6 button once or twice.
- Turn the Bluetooth audio device back on and connect to the Bluetooth audio system manually.
NOTE: If using a mobile phone, depending on the specifications for the phone, playback may not resume. In that case, resume operation from the mobile phone instead.


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WEST COLUMBIA, Texas >> Fifty miles outside the nation's fourth-largest city is a massive field of waist-high grass, buzzing bees and palm-size butterflies, just waiting to be ripped up by an entrepreneur.
Rather than develop this pristine remnant of coastal prairie, vast enough to house more than 300 football fields, the Dr Pepper Snapple Group is investing hundreds of thousands of dollars to ensure it remains untouched.
The project is part of the company's $1.1 million investment in the Nature Conservancy, designed to benefit five Texas watersheds — including Nash Prairie outside of Houston — from which its bottling plants draw water. The money will go toward preservation work, such as reseeding the grass, to restore and expand an ecosystem that once covered 6 million acres from southwestern Louisiana through Texas.
The projects will improve water quality and quantity by preserving the prairies' sponge-like attributes. But for Dr Pepper and other beverage companies engaged in similar work, the impetus is their bottom line — conserving water guarantees long-term access to the most crucial ingredient in their products.
"If there's not fresh water, there's no business — it's just that simple," said Laura Huffman, state director of the Nature Conservancy in Texas. "It is their number one infrastructure concern. … Water tops the list, above roads, above energy, above all else, because if you don't get water right, you're not making anything."
The biggest players — from Coca-Cola and Pepsi Co. to Miller and MolsonCoors — as well as smaller, regional beverage companies list water as a risk in long-term plans. In 2006, 18 companies created an alliance called the Beverage Industry Environmental Roundtable to tackle water, energy and other issues that could affect the industry's growth. There is no total available for how much has been invested in water conservation projects in the past five years, but experts believe it's more than $500 million dollars.
Thomas Lyon, a professor at the University of Michigan who researches connections between industry and the environment, said three factors have pushed beverage companies to conserve water: future markets in developing countries don't drink enough soft drinks, from their perspective; the impacts of climate change are starting to become more apparent; and some of the countries targeted for growth are the same ones experts believe will be most affected by climate change.
"At the heart of it … is their bottom line," Lyon said. "Water is a finite resource and they desperately realize that it could become a major problem."
About a decade ago, when advance planning started to highlight water constraints, many companies streamlined processes and installed new, more efficient technologies within factories and plants, conserving millions of gallons of water and millions of dollars.
About five years ago, the corporations began partnering with environmental groups, funding projects to bring water to people in developing countries, such as India, China and Africa, where water is most scarce and infrastructure is often deficient.
The partnerships help everyone: environmental groups receive much sought-after funding; cash-strapped governments tackle projects they can't afford; and beverage companies can market themselves as "green" by conserving the most crucial, finite resource on Earth and ensure the future of their business.
And while the companies are taking steps to conserve water and, in many cases, cut energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, they still contribute to a larger global problem: They bottle many of their products in plastic. By some estimates, 2.5 million plastic bottles are trashed every hour in the United States — and less than 30 percent is recycled.
Between 2008 and 2010, 69 percent of the alliance's 1,600 manufacturing facilities decreased water use by 9 percent — or 10.3 billion gallons, enough to supply New York City for eight days.
To combat the toll on the environment, Dr Pepper cleaned bottles with air instead of water on 56 production lines in 2010, and by 2015, it hopes to cut water use and wastewater discharge by 10 percent for each gallon of finished product.
"As a beverage company, water is in everything we do, it's a primary ingredient," said Tim Grotto, Dr Pepper's vice president of sustainability.
The Coca-Cola Co. has committed to improving water efficiency by 20 percent by the end of this year and becoming water neutral — returning to the environment any water used. The company is already returning 35 percent.
"We know the importance of water to the world and the planet, and we know the importance of water to our business," said Bea Perez, the company's chief sustainability officer, explaining that the company's long-term plans define water "as a life blood … but also as a risk."
For Pepsi Co., the wakeup call came when it laid out four possible scenarios for 2030 and discovered water was the greatest risk in each. Last year, Pepsi met its goal of becoming 20 percent more efficient by 2015, saving the company some $17 million in water expenses over five years, said Dan Bena, the company's director of sustainability.
Pepsi's other goal is to provide 3 million people with access to clean drinking water by 2015, and has partnered with environmental groups to focus on rural areas in parts of the developing world. Each day, Bena said, 200 million hours are spent hauling water to communities that have no plumbing — more hours than all employees at Wal-Mart, UPS, McDonalds, IBM, Target and Kroger work in a week.
If you free up that time, he said, people can work more, making money that could potentially be spent buying Pepsi products.
And for beverage companies, that's the point.
"If you don't address it, it's a significant risk," Bena said. "If you do proactively address it … you turn them into opportunities."
Most companies partner with environmental groups that have the scientific knowledge to guarantee success.
The partnership between Coca-Cola and the World Wildlife Fund expanded its focus in 2007 from rivers and streams near the company's Atlanta headquarters to preserving high-profile waterways, such as the Central Europe's Danube River and the Yangtze, Asia's longest river, said WWF CEO Carter Roberts.
"As a society, we're going to have a huge crash if all these companies don't take action at the same time," Roberts said.


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Byram's Ford
Battle Name: | Byram's Ford |
Other Names: | Big Blue River |
State: | Missouri |
Location: | Jackson County |
Campaign: | Price's Missouri Expedition (1864) |
Dates: | October 22-23, 1864 |
Principal Commanders: | Maj. Gen. James G. Blunt and Maj. Gen. Alfred Pleasonton [US]; Brig. Gen. Joseph Shelby and Brig. Gen. John S. Marmaduke [CS] |
Forces Engaged: | 1st Division, Army of the Border and provisional cavalry division [US]; Shelby and Marmaduke's Divisions [CS] |
Estimated Casualties: | Unknown |
Description: | Maj. Gen. Sterling Price's Army of Missouri was headed west towards Kansas City and Fort Leavenworth. Maj. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis's Army of the Border, in and around Westport, was blocking the Confederates' way west and Maj. Gen. Alfred Pleasonton's provisional cavalry division was pressing Price's army's rear. Price had nearly 500 wagons with him and required a good ford over the Big Blue River to facilitate the passage of his supplies. Byram's Ford was the best ford in the area and became a strategic point during the fighting around Westport. On October 22, Maj. Gen. James G. Blunt's division held a defensive position on the Big Blue River's west bank. Around 10:00 am on the 22nd, part of Brig. Gen. Joseph O. Shelby's Confederate division conducted a frontal attack on Blunt's men. This attack was a ruse because the rest of Shelby's men flanked Blunt's hasty defenses, forcing the Federals to retire to Westport. Price's wagon train and about 5,000 head of cattle then crossed the Big Blue River at Byram's Ford and headed southward toward Little Santa Fe and safety. Pleasonton's cavalry was hot on the tail of Price's army. Brig. Gen. John S. Marmaduke's Rebel division held the west bank of the Big Blue at Byram's Ford to prevent Pleasonton from attacking Price's rear. Pleasonton assaulted Marmaduke at Byram's Ford, around 8:00 am, on the 23rd. Three hours later, Marmaduke's men had enough and fell back toward Westport. With Pleasonton across the river, he was now an additional threat to Price who was fighting Curtis's Army of the Border at Westport. Price had to retreat south. |
Results: | Union victory |


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According to Norse mythology, Freyr was closely linked with the Sun. He was the god of peace and fertility. His parents were the sea god Njord and the giantess Skadi. He was part of the Vanir family which was at war with the family Aesir.Once, Freyr climbed into Odin's throne, from which he could see into all worlds, and saw a beautiful maiden in the underworld. She was a giantess and her name was Gerd. She had such white arms that their brightness spread into the air and the sea. At first sight, Freyr fell in love with Gerd and sent his servant Skirnir to woo Gerd for him.
After a long journey and many adventures, Skirnir finally reached the underworld with the help of Odin's magic sword. Unfortunately, Gerd refused the precious gifts sent by Freyr. Skirnir was then forced to threaten Gerd with his magic sword in order to convince her to meet Freyr in a grove and become his bride.
The journey of Skirnir, whose name means Bright One, to bring about the marriage of Freyr with Gerd, is said to represent the journey of the Sun over the sky and down into the underworld.


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Your Vehicle's Computer Collects MORE Data Than Your SMART PHONE!
Newer Vehicles Generate as Much As 25GB of Data/Hour according to McKinsey. Now That is Extremely Interesting! It is also daunting as we now need to know "what data" right? You also want to know where it is going if anywhere and who owns the data? All interesting questions that we never thought about. Just get in and drive, choose a destination and if a light goes off in the dash you call us here at Grover's Auto Repair to schedule an appointment. We want our Mathews drivers to be informed as always and able to make their choices based on having facts. This is a big change in the automotive-truck service industry and it really has not hit the news at all, so it is up to us to get you up-to-date and informed. Here are the facts and where you can find more information!


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It's WEEKENDS on ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. I'm Jacki Lyden.
We have a cub. The National Zoo made that announcement in all caps on Twitter at 5:32 p.m. last night. The zoo's giant panda, Mei Xiang, gave birth to her third cub Friday. Now there's a state of, wait for it, pandamonium here in Washington. Thousands of eyes were glued to the zoo's panda cam as the tiny creature came into the world.
LYDEN: After those tiny cries, mom quickly scooped up and cradled her offspring. Now, before you get the image of an adorable speckled teddy bear in your mind, you should know that panda babies are kind of weird-looking creatures. Don't take that the wrong way, Mei Xiang. There seems to be a consensus, though, on how to describe them, at least here.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE #1: When first born, pandas are pink and the size of a stick of butter.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE #2: Just about the size of a stick of butter.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE #3: The size of a stick of butter.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE #4: The size of a stick of butter.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE #5: I can remember when he was the size of a butter stick. We came down here...
LYDEN: This is such an exciting moment because zookeepers weren't even aware that Mei Xiang was pregnant until earlier this month. Last September, her second cub died from a liver problem just six days after its birth. Mei Xiang is expected to stay in her den with her new cub for the next two weeks, and the panda cams will be rolling. Let the cub watch begin.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


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More pics
Have you heard of Style Arc patterns yet? This Australian-based pattern company is quickly gaining popularity, thanks to the internet.
I first became aware of them when, mere days after the royal wedding, they were offering a knock-off of the Pippa dress. You know the one:
I have to say that I loved Pippa's dress much more than Katherine's. :)
Not interested in making the Pippa dress, some of their other offerings caught my attention. Folks were starting to order a few of their patterns to test them out, with very favorable results. For example, Ann of Gorgeous Things, made up the Cruise Club Kim dress and the Creative Cate top, which was May's freebie pattern. The general consensus is that the Style Arc patterns are drafted the way RTW is drafted and that they fit much better than the Big 4, from the get-go, with less "extra" ease through the upper chest, for example, and a more RTW-like crotch curve. You can read more StyleArc pattern reviews on the PR website.
I was particularly interested in the StyleArc pant offerings. Despite the high cost of shipping to the U.S., I ordered several pant patterns, a couple jacket patterns, and I also received the June freebie, a camisole pattern.
The Style Arc patterns come in one size only, though the range of sizes they offer is quite large. These patterns are hand drafted and do not use multi-sizing and so, like the Italian Marfy patterns, you have to commit.
Australian sizing is different than U.S. or even European sizing, so you need to take your measurements and compare them against their sizing chart. But even then, I was not sure what to order as I don't know how generous their ease is and my waist, hip, and bust measurements each correspond to very different sizes. So, I started a conversation with Chloe at Style Arc, gave her my measurements, sent her to a picture of me on my blog, and we worked out that I should order a size 10 for bottoms and a size 16 for tops, with the understanding that I needed to alter for my waist and bust. (She even checked the ease on the jackets I wanted - such great customer service!)
When my package arrived (via Kansas City, for some reason, where the envelope was torn in transit, and then taped up again and stuck into a plastic baggie), the patterns were intact, thank goodness. The pattern paper is similar to Kwik Sew pattern paper - fairly substantial. I have not yet seen a pattern piece that requires that you lay it out on the fold. So you get the entire front, for example, and the entire back. That is very handy when matching prints or plaids, or cutting on the bias. But what I liked most, is that for each pattern, they enclose a small swatch of the recommended fabric. It's tiny, but it's much better than nothing.
The Linda Stretch Pant
I decided to start with the Linda Stretch Pant, which is a fitted pull-on pant for stretch wovens. They recommend a stretch bengaline, which is almost impossible to find in the U.S. and, thanks to the enclosed swatch, I discovered that it is not a particularly stretchy fabric. I had some fabric in my stash from Fabrix that I though would be a good substitute. (Some enterprising Aussie might want to try selling some stretch bengaline on Etsy, which is widely available in Australia in different colors and a couple different weights. I'd buy some!! :) )
Since the size 10 was based on my hip measurement, I knew I would have to enlarge the waist, but I was not exactly sure where/how much, so I decided to forge ahead and make the pattern as designed, adding a bit at the side seam. Oh, these patterns use 1cm, or 3/8", seam allowances.
These pants sewed up quickly!
- A stretch woven wool blend (?), gabardine (?), dark taupe fabric from Fabrix. I love this fabric and almost hated to use it as a test, but I have enough for another pair of pants or two and I have already used it for a pair of Sewing Workshop Trio pants that I love. So I put on my big girl panties and forged ahead.
- 1" waistband elastic. The pattern calls for 2" waistband elastic, which is optional.
Construction Notes:
- I added another 3/8" to the side seams, for a total 3/4" seam allowance, but cut the rest of the front and back pant out as designed. Their construction notes utilize RTW techniques and instruct you to sew the inside leg seams first, so I did not add more seam allowance fabric there. You then sew the crotch seam flat, using their stretch woven techniques - these were new to me, but seem to work quite well. I then pinned the side seams and tentatively tried them on. They fit quite well! Yes, the pants were a bit snug through the belly, and there was a bit of muffin top, but nothing I am not used to in RTW. The rise and crotch curve were perfect!
- I did not use the shaped waistband that came with the pattern. It was far too small for my waist. I used a rectangular waistband, as I always do. If you have a waist that is smaller than your hips, I'm sure the shaped waistband would be great.
- I very slightly tapered the pants at the knee. To be honest, I would probably omit tapering next time.
- I shortened the pants by 1", so I would assume that these patterns are drafted for someone who is around 5'6".
That's it! For me that is minimal changes, especially for such a fitted pant. These pants came together so fast and I love the fit! Yes, they do feel very much like a good pair of RTW pants. It's hard to believe that there is no zipper, especially since this stretch woven is not that stretchy, but they are so comfortable! Next time I make them (and there will be a next time), I plan to enlarge the waist a bit to avoid the muffin top, though it really doesn't need much tweaking. :)Another Teagarden T
My top is also new - one of the six things I made last weekend. I can't remember exactly how many Sewing Workshop Teagarden T's I have made, but it's approximately ten. I love this pattern – it is my go-to t-shirt. For this one, I used a lightweight rayon/lycra knit from Emma One Sock. I just loved the wild print. Also, because the fabric was so wide, I was able to lengthen it a couple of inches, which is a nice change. The first Teagarden T that I made, the one from a black rayond/lycra blend, is starting to wear out. I need to make another black one, but it's not the most exciting sewing. :) More Pictures
I LOVE this outfit. Love love love. These pants are so darned comfortable!!! So is the top and I just love the soft, lightweight rayon knit that just skims the body. UBER LOVE. :)


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by Tarsila Kruse
A3 size print (297mm x 420mm) on 300GSM uncoated matte stock
Signed by the artist
Limited edition print
Check out "Elephants Roald in Jam" exhibition page HERE
Elephants Roald in Jam is a collaborative exhibition between Jam Art Factory and Dublin illustration group, The Blind Elephant Collective. Inventing and reimagining is what they do best and when challenged create artwork inspired by the work of the much celebrated author, Roald Dahl, the Elephants did not disappoint!
Fits into a standard size frame that we stock in store for €28.50
International shipping
We can add a note in the package if it's a present


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UPDATE: I'm still waiting. "Texas Life Insurance Update" doesn't count!
ANOTHER UPDATE: And this surely doesn't count, except as evidence of what a profound step down the Miers nomination is from Roberts.
Alex, from Fargo, North Dakota writes:
Could you explain how Barney plays horseshoes?
Harriet Miers
The President throws the horseshoes to Barney, and Barney runs after them. Metal horseshoes are too heavy for Barney to lift, so he doesn't carry them around. Instead he moves them around with his nose. He has figured out pretty quickly how to get under the horseshoe enough to flip it over. As you know, the President loves horsing around with Barney.
And, apparently, the President loves horsing around with the other branches of government.


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I swear to God, it's like the paper remembers that one, perfect high that it got from torpedoing then-Senator George Allen's re-election run in 2006, and has been chasing the dragon ever since:
- 2009: You all remember the McDonnell/Deeds gubernatorial contest, yes? You also remember how the WaPo went so all-in on pushing an absurd story that Jim Geraghty started calling it the Washington Bob McDonnell's Thesis.
- 2011: The Rick Perry nonsense with regard to the name of a ranch that his family rented hunting rights to. Notice how that didn't blow up after all?
And now we have this silly little hit piece on Marco Rubio's story regarding his parents, which is not just so inaccurate that it's being smacked down by other newspapers; it's so inaccurate that it's being smacked down by the newspaper's own columnists. The problem? The guy who wrote the article – which implied that Rubio habitually lied about when his parents fled Cuba without actually giving proof that Rubio habitually lied about when his parents fled Cuba – is himself an apologist for the Castro regime (h/T: Erick Erickson) who was apparently willing to use Birther agitprop* (I have another word for it, but it's unprintable). Actually, the real problem for the Washington Post is that Marco Rubio is a young, engaging, excellent rhetorician and politician who has inexplicably picked the wrong party to belong to; couple that with a certain bitter frustration that their side's young, engaging, etc. etc. who they helped elect President in 2008 has turned out to be neither an excellent rhetorician or politician and you can understand their actions. Well, that and the chimerical nostalgia of how the paper was able to change the news in 2006.
Seriously, guys? The first step to fighting an addiction is to admit that you have one.
Moe Lane (crosspost)
*Seriously, folks, as I've said before:
…if your definition of 'natural-born citizen' means that you have to question the eligibility of this guy…
…then let me be the first to inform you: YOU ARE CURRENTLY FROLICKING IN THE ENDLESS, SUN-LIT PLAINS OF STUPIDITY.


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Small businesses continue to feel the credit crunch: one-third say it is harder to get credit today than it was a year ago, and about 70% are worried about their ability to access financing in 2011, according to a recent Greenwich Associates survey. Contributing to their concern, surely, is the fact that many community banks remain undercapitalized.
Enter the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010, signed into law last September. The legislation directs the Treasury Department to bolster the capital levels of community banks with as much as $30 billion in order to spur small-business lending. Financial institutions that qualify (the program is voluntary) will issue preferred stock to Treasury, and the funds will count as tier-1 capital.
Will the program get more money into the hands of small-business borrowers? On the plus side, capital from the so-called Small Business Lending Fund (SBLF) program will be low-cost: initially, banks will pay only a 5% dividend on the preferred stock. A community bank would be lucky to get capital in the private markets at even double that rate, says Paul Merski, chief economist of the Independent Community Bankers of America. In theory, banks could leverage the SBLF capital by as much as 10 to 1. As the economy improves and small businesses look to borrow, the SBLF could get credit flowing again, says Merski.
But some banking groups are not happy about certain terms of the law (lenders must prove small-business-loan growth in the first two years to qualify for lower rates, and Small Business Administration loans that a bank originates will only partially count toward the tally of a bank's small-business loan portfolio).
The Troubled Asset Relief Program has also left banks leery of federal help. Treasury has tried to head off those concerns by, among other measures, not imposing restrictions on bankers' executive compensation or requiring the issuance of warrants. But worries about the overall cost and complexity of participating leave some banks questioning the value, and that may leave many smaller companies wondering whether their capital concerns will ease this year.


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Finn – Ainslie gewinnt Race 7 – Christensen Platz 8 – Der Vorsprung des Dänen schmilzt auf 4 Punkte. Postma 2. in Race 7
Finn – Race 8 – Der Däne kämpft und liegt an Mark 2 17 sec vor Ainslie. 1 ESP 2 NED 3 DEN 4 GBR – Mark 3 Ainslie 2 sec hinter Christensen – Finish: 1Trujillo 2 Postma 3 Ainslie 4 Christensen
Star – Race 7 – GER BFD
Star – Race 8 – GER 11 an M1 – 12 an letzter Tonne
49er – Race 7 – Schadewald / Baumann 7. –
49er – Race 8 – S / B 14.
470er M – Race 1 – Gerz / Follman 15.
470er – Race 2 – Gerz mit 2 1/2 min Rückstand z.Zt. auf Rang 22 von 27
470er Race 2 wird übertragen: https://www.eurovisionsports.tv/london2012/index.html
Ergebnisse – Zwischenstände
Ainslie strikes back but Høgh-Christensen still leads
Ben Ainslie (GBR) returned to winning ways on the fourth day for Finns at the London 2012 Olympic Sailing Competition in Weymouth with a first and a third to narrow the gap on regatta leader Jonas H¸gh-Christensen (DEN) to just three points. Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic (CRO) moved up to third. The second race of the day was won by Rafa Trujillo (ESP).
It was a big day out on Weymouth Bay South course with big winds, big waves and bigger stakes. For Ainslie it was crucial that he started to narrow the points gap and he did just that. Today was the day that he had to make his move on Høgh-Christensen before it was too late. The Brit was fast running out of races to reverse the points score and he came out looking more confident and dominant that at any time this week.
He owned the start of race seven, locking into the dangerous pin end position early and controlling it with perfection until the gun. The Dane was just to windward and just a bit back from the line, but his problem was the Polish boat that was ahead and on his wind. Piotr Kula (POL) was OCS, but he damaged H¸gh-Christensen's start enough so that he had to tack to get clear air.
Ainslie controlled the left along with Rafa Trujillo (ESP) and Pieter-Jan Postma (NED) and they rounded the first mark in this order with Vasilij Zbogar (SLO) in fourth and then H¸gh-Christensen.
With big wind and big waves the reach to the wing was a spray filled sleigh ride. The Dane slid into fourth, and then after rounding the mark dived low to get some separation from the leading bunch. Then disaster struck as he capsized on a big wave. He was up and sailing again in 30 seconds but looked clearly rattled as he rejoined the race in 15th.
At the front Ainslie and Postma were battling for supremacy downwind in the big conditions, rounding opposite gates. Postma briefly got in front of Ainslie at the next top mark but Ainslie soon passed him downwind to extend and win his first race of the week by some 20 seconds from Postma. Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic (CRO) crossed in third with Tapio Nirkko (FIN) in fourth. Third overall Jonathan Lobert (FRA) was fifth.
Høgh-Christensen was back up to sixth at the top mark but dropped two on the downwind to cross in eighth. Early performer Trujillo had gear problems downwind and dropped to 15th at the finish.
The British breathed a collective sign of relief. Ainslie had turned the corner and put a bullet on the scoreboard. More importantly for Ainslie, H¸gh-Christensen now had to count his seventh from Monday so the points gap was down to just four.
Onto race eight and Høgh-Christensen was back on the offensive, winning the favoured pin end of the line, though he had Trujillo just to windward off him. Ainslie started slightly further up the line but was soon forced to tack off to find a lane. The fleet again favoured the left side with Ainslie heading furthest left when the leaders crossed back.
Round the top mark Trujillo led from Høgh-Christensen, Postma, Nirkko and Ainslie. The Brit went low on the reach and moved up to fourth and then also overtook Postma on the run. At the gate the top four boats rounded the same mark within 10 seconds of each other with a nice gap on the fleet.
Soon after the rounding Ainslie did a penalty turn and lost ground. Høgh-Christensen took a hitch to the right and tacked on Ainslie's wind. Again the fleet went all the way to the port layline. Trujillo held onto his lead to round ahead with H¸gh-Christensen and Postma holding a small lead over Ainslie.
The final downwind to the finish was a thrilling battle. Høgh-Christensen immediately made inroads into Trujillo's lead while Ainslie tried to find a route past Postma so he could attack the Dane. But it was Postma who made the first move going wide and then crossing on front of Høgh-Christensen and Ainslie.
Round the last mark it was Trujillo and Postma with Ainslie just sliding round the mark ahead of H¸gh-Christensen. Nothing else changed by the finish with the 2004 Silver medalist Trujillo winning the race from Postma. Ainslie had taken around 70 metres about off regatta leader Høgh-Christensen on the run to inflict his second victory over him in one day and further close the points gap.
After a third and seventh today Kljakovic Gaspic has moved up to thr bronze medal position. "It was hard day, windy but a simple race, keeping left was important. For me wasn't easy but I pulled hard for such a result, and in the end I am happy. Tomorrow it will be all about keeping the game simple, sailing fast and pushing hard.â€
Lobert, now down one place in fourth, said, "It was a rough day. There was a lot of tension this morning. I was quite nervous. I was trying to manage it and in the first race I succeeded a little bit because I had some good downwinds and managed to finish fifth. In the second I had a terrible start and then it was just too hard to come back. So not so good a day for me. The wind was really up and down today, but the left side was still generally favoured. There is still everything to do. With two more races a lot can happen so we'll keep on pushing and we'll see tomorrow and I hope to be a bit more relaxed.â€
Postma had his best day yet with two second places. "The wind was quite up and down. Sometimes 10-12 knots sometimes up to 18 knots. Especially on the downwinds you had to really look. Sometimes some people would catch a gust and 50 metres ahead the boats wouldn't have it. It was really tricky.â€
"In the first race I had a good start, sailed to the left side and it was a steady race. I had a fight with Ben. I passed him on the second upwind and he passed me on the last run on a gust. In the second race I had a bad start but on the upwind I caught a nice gust when I was more to the left and I caught up a lot. Then I caught up to second on the reach and had a good downwind.â€
"The last downwind was good. In the last part I didn't make the right plan to pass Rafa. At first I went down and then I went up but missed one wave. But I passed Jonas very nicely.â€
"Tomorrow I want to do better than today. I haven't showed everything I have yet. I have the feeling so I really want to push tomorrow." Nervous? "
I don't feel nervous now, but tomorrow I might feel a bit nervous and I think that's fine.â€
Dan Slater is still in with a chance at a medal, sitting in eighth place. "It was not a very good day for me today. I had an all right first one but not a very good second one. It was just frustrating. We are sailing in three knots of current and a washing machine of waves so it's tough. It's a one way track. But I'm still alive.â€
"They've done a fantastic job here. The facilities on shore and everything is just great. And the starts and race management have been fantastic.
It's just a shame we are sailing so far away, several miles out on a one way track. Whatever order you start off from the pin is pretty well the order we have rounded the top mark in. PJ had a great day today and I just need a day like that tomorrow to get myself back into contention. I can definitely do it. My pace is pretty good. If it's a one way track you just have to fight for the pin and you actually have take a few risks in my position.â€
A fourth and a fifth leaves Nirkko in seventh place just 14 points off the medals. "In the first race I didn't get a very good start so I had to tack away behind the whole fleet, so I was on the wrong side and struggled on the first upwind. After that I eased the clutch and just let it go. The reach and the first downwind were good. Nothing much happened on the second upwind but the second downwind was excellent. I think I got better pressure and was a bit more on the inside inside.†Nirkko went from 11th to fourth on the run, after rounding the top mark 21st.
"In the second race I stared second boat from the pin. Jonas has trouble getting past the pin and I got slowed by it and then Rafa came rolling over both of us. But then I just eased the travelled and footed under them and banged the left corner and came back with good speed and rounded fifth and managed to keep that.â€
"Tomorrow it's quite tight. I will try to close the gap to third. It looks like Jonas and Ben are gone but I believe there are still a couple of
guys that could have a difficult day tomorrow, but I need to sail a good day. After tomorrow I want to be within reach of the bronze medal and I think it's possible.â€
H¸gh-Christensen's lead has dropped from 10 points to just three points but he remains optimistic. "I got a good start but unfortunately the Polish guy started on top of me and he was over the line and that ruined my start. I wanted to go left and I had a good lane but I had to tack off because of the Polish and that ruined the first beat for me. I got up to fifth at the top mark and caught up with the front guys on the reach and then in one moment of not being on top of the boat, I flipped to windward. It was one of the expensive ones. Then there was a lot of catching up. I really pushed hard and caught up a lot so happy to get back to eighth.â€
"In the second race I did what I wanted, and got the start I wanted at the right end and had a good lane. I didn't sail a good second run and lost PJ and Ben, which wasn't very good. It was down to speed and lack of pressure. Ben sat on me quite a lot so there were times when I didn't have much pressure. Then I had two bad waves.â€
"Tomorrow I need to get two good races in, and do what we've done for the past four days. I think I've sailed well and done what I've wanted to do. I was a bit unlucky today.â€
Was it nerves today? "I don't think I was more nervous this morning that any other day. But you're always a bit nervous at the Olympics. We have a very detailed plan from when we wake up to when we go to bed and we've been following that plan and it seems to work and it takes a lot of the pressure off.â€
There is one more day of the opening series left before Sunday's double points non-discardable medal race. Today was proof, if we needed it, that it will be a fight all the way to the finish.
Ainslie was more aggressive today, appeared to be faster upwind, made fewer mistakes and was blisteringly fast downwind. He seems to have overcome the lacklustre performance of the first three days and refocussed on the job in hand. Høgh-Christensen by contrast made several mistakes and the capsize in race seven may hang over him in the days that remain. Two more opening series races remain and today's change in fortunes has set up a thrilling match between these two amazing sailors. We can't wait.
Races nine and ten are scheduled for 12.00 Friday, on Weymouth Bay South course.
Photos by Francois Richard
More photo galleries here: https://www.finnclass.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=475
Full results are mark roundings can be found here: https://www.sailing.org/olympics/london2012/results_centre.phpThis press release was sent to you by the International Finn Association ( https://www.finnclass.org/ ).


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Legally Blonde Reese Witherspoon Goes To Court To Protect Father From Bigamy
May 17, 2012
One of Reese Witherspoon's more famous roles was as the perky young attorney in Legally Blonde. Late last week, she accompanied her parents to court in a much more somber setting.
Reese Witherspoon's father, Dr. John Draper Witherspoon, was recently married. At least, that's what a newspaper in Nashville, Tennessee announced. You can read the big announcement and see the happy couple's wedding photo here.
While John doesn't exactly look happy in the picture, the announcement reveals that they will reside together in Nashville, following the intimate ceremony that featured cowboy boots and yellow roses, based on their Texas heritage. The festivities took place on January 14th, and the couple plans a celebration with friends and family for the summer.
In fact, Mary is very worried for John. She recently sued his new "wife," Tricianne Taylor (whose legal name is Patricia Taylor), in order to annul the marriage, due to bigamy. Reese's mother also asked the court to order Tricianne to vacate the condo where John and Tricianne live (and which is owned by Reese), and to return any property she has received from the family.
Mary alleged in her court filing that John and Tricianne used fraud or forgery, with her possibly posing as Mrs. John Witherspoon, to trick a bank into lending $400,000 to them. She said that Tricianne has tried to borrow money as John's wife. She's also living in his condo, driving their families' vehicles, and even has convinced John to sign a new will.
Mary says she confronted John about it, and he didn't even know he had gotten married. Mary is very worried for John's mental and physical health, pointing out that he suffers from diabetes, a heart condition, and what she fears is early-onset dementia. She says John was recently let go from the medical practice where he was an otolaryngologist for 30 years.
Reese's mother tried to appeal directly to Tricianne as well, telling her that John was still married, with two children and four grandchildren. Tricianne refused to talk to her, Mary says.
So, with no other choice to protect John, Mary turned to the court system. In fact, filing to annul the marriage was only part of the process. Mary also asked for, and received a temporary restraining order against Tricianne. This court order prohibits her from using the Witherspoon name or posing as John's wife.
Even as helpful as that was, it still wasn't enough to fully protect her husband. In fact, after this story first broke, we wrote an article suggesting that Mary should seek a guardianship or conservatorship over John, which is the only way to be sure that he would not be exploited.
These are legal proceedings where someone is appointed as a decision-maker over a person who is determined to be in need of protection, typically for being legally incompetent. The most common situations where these arise occur when an elderly person has dementia or Alzheimer's disease.
Interestingly, the same time that we were writing and posting our article on Friday, Reese Witherspoon and her mother were in court in Tennessee, seeking conservatorship over John. John appeared in court with them, where the family attended an emergency court hearing. You can read the article about it from The Tennessean here, which includes pictures of Reese and her father in the courthouse.
The Tennessean reports that the judge closed the court hearing on Friday, over objections from the newspaper's attorney, and the outcome is not known. It is likely that the judge granted at least some protections over John, given the seriousness of the allegations and the fact that he appears to have attended the court hearing voluntarily with Reese at his side.
It's a sad reality that people take advantage of seniors living alone all the time. We've seen many cases of this in our law practice, especially of single women desperate for money, who hook onto older, lonely men. And it's not just the rich ones who become targets of the Anna Nicole Smith's of the world.
While in the case of Reese Witherspoon's father, the relationship turned into bigamy, many gold-diggers are content to convince their victims to give them gifts, add their names to bank accounts or deeds, or change their wills or trusts. All of this can be achieved without a marriage, and the only way to stop it is with a guardianship or conservatorship court proceeding.
It's never an easy task for a family to go court because of exploitation of an elderly loved one. It's a growing epidemic in our country, with an estimated $2.6 billion annually lost to financial exploitation of seniors. Hopefully, the Witherspoon family caught this problem early enough to remedy it.
You can be on the lookout for elderly exploitation in your family by watching for these ten warnings signs. And, if you fear that an elderly loved one is making unsafe decisions or being taken advantage of, we encourage you to consult with an experienced guardianship and conservatorship attorney in the proper state to see if these court proceedings are right for your family.
By Danielle and Andy Mayoras, co-authors of Trial & Heirs: Famous Fortune Fights!, husband-and-wife legacy expert attorneys, and hosts of the national television special, Trial & Heirs: Protect Your Family Fortune! For the latest celebrity and high-profile cases, with tips to protect yourself, your loved ones, and your clients, click here to subscribe to The Trial & Heirs Update. You can "like" them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter and Google+.
For legal help in Michigan, visit Andy and Danielle's law firm's websites, The Center for Elder Law and The Center for Probate Litigation.


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Battle Skipper: The MovieSynopsisWhen a wicked and power hungry young debutante plots hatches a plot to take over the world, the only people seemingly standing between her and her plan are the mysterious vigilantes known as the Exstars who used modified versions of mecha called battle skippers. A coincidence and a childish crush will bring two young innocent girls straight into this battle between the Exstars and their nemesis who seeks their battle skippers for herself. ReviewWell, I've seen a lot worse, which is a bit sad when I think about it. The first strike against this production is the incoherent plot. I've seen enough anime that I don't always expect plots to be, and this is being charitable, 100 percent logical but I do, at minimum, expect them to have some sort of internal consistency. Battle Skipper features a number of odd plot twists and directions that honestly made me wonder if different people were writing the different scenes and not paying any attention to what happened previously. Key plot points in one episode would seemingly be absent or ignored in the following episode with no explanation. Even the main basis of the plot, the apparent desire of the villain to acquire the Exstars' battle skippers makes increasingly little sense (despite a very lame attempt to justify it with one special feature of the aforementioned battle skippers) as you see the type of resources and military hardware that she has available. If the show took itself a bit less seriously, perhaps it could have gotten away with a lot of this but given how seriously the plot takes itself at times, the poor writing stands out all that much more. A final scene that offers some brief explanation for certain glaring plot questions didn't do much to mollify me. The battle skippers represent one of the single lamest mecha designs I have ever seen in an anime title. It honestly would have made for better scenes if the characters were using some sort of hovertank or anything else instead of the clumsy and unpractical pieces of metal that the were supposed to be impressing the viewer. I actually laughed aloud during the first scene in which a battle skipper appeared. They offered a lame attempt to anthropomorphize the mecha by giving them AI that spoke in the Kansai dialect. This was supposed to be rather amusing comedy gold, "Oh, look at these silly mecha talking like Osakans!" but it ended up seeming very forced and pointless. These unappealing designs did not stem from a sadistic mecha artists but rather the show's true origin: a series of TOMY wire-controlled fighting robot toys . Through the help of several helpful DVD extras, I had a chance to view the Japanese commercials for the original battle skipper toys. Honestly, I think they look a bit silly even as toy but I'm not a Japanese child, so it isn't as if TOMY had to appeal to me. Interestingly enough, the original toy commercials have short anime sequences that feature characters and settings that have absolutely nothing to do with the actual OAV series. I'm not going to dismiss Battle Skipper out of hand for being a glorified advertisement for a goofy toy but I only wish they would have put some more effort into making it a higher quality production. A ninety minute fully animated OAV series costs quite a bit of yen to produce. While the show's animation wasn't awful, it was far from the spectacular and the action sequences, for the most part, were rather uninspired. Given how much plot emphasis was made on the special abilities of the Exstars' battle skippers, I was a bit surprised to see those abilities almost never used. The series also treats us to several hand-to-hand fights between the Exstars and their foes. All these scenes occur after a stock transformation sequence which, I'm guessing, was supposed to imply that that the transformation enhanced their combat abilities but it was never particularly clear to me. I also was rather unimpressed that they had to use a stock transformation sequence for an OAV series that was only three episodes long. The character work was barely decent. At times, it just seemed like they had too many characters and that they were more concerned about making sure certain standard character types were present (tough girl, smart girl, cute girl, elegant girl, et cetera) than in actually developing the characters. The characters, I suppose, were likable enough when I watched the title but their lack of depth also made them quickly forgettable. The AIs in the battle skippers received so little screen time, it almost seemed pointless to present them as sentient. They simply ended up being more characters in an already crowded and undeveloped cast. The music, for that matter, was equally forgettable. While not offensively awful, this glorified commercial (for a toy that wasn't that cool to begin with) is a very sub-par example of anime. Being poorly written, featuring forgettable characters, and having the world's most unimpressive mecha made for a less than entertaining experience. I've seen a lot worse but I've also seen a LOT better. — Jeremy A Beard Recommended Audience: They open up with a pointless and exploitive shower scene (that uses a few strategically placed pieces of equipment to hide a few key points of anatomy). Most of the violence is fairly bloodless but there is an implied attempted rape in one episode. Overall, I think this title is appropriate for teens and above. Version(s) Viewed: R1 DVD Review Status: Full (3/3) Battle Skipper: The Movie © 1995 TOMY / ARTMIC Studios / Victor Entertainment |
© 1996-2015 THEM Anime Reviews. All rights reserved. |


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To get the capability to change fonts, you need kbd-0.99. You may obtain this from ftp://ftp.win.tue.nl/pub/linux/utils/kbd
One advantage of downloading and installing kbd-0.99 is that you will be able to load international fonts (i.e Euro symbol) into your console device. On my keyboard I can have three symbols on my keyboard, the dollar sign, the English pound sign and the Euro sign.


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- Home
- Government
- Departments R - Z
- Water Utilities
- Water Quality Protection Program
- Registration for Backflow Testers
Registration for Backflow Testers
Summary of Procedures Prior to Installation of Backflow Preventer
- All backflow prevention assemblies and approved testers shall be registered with Garland Water Utilities. All backflow prevention assemblies shall be nationally recognized and certified as an approved testable device.
- All backflow prevention assembly installations require compliance with the city's Building Inspection Office (a permit is required).
- All testing shall be performed by a Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) approved licensed tester who is registered with Garland Water Utilities.
- All backflow prevention assemblies shall be tested according to Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) regulations prior to the permanent activation of the plumbing system and thereafter annually.
- All backflow prevention assemblies shall have plastic or brass caps placed upon all test cocks (No Galvanized Plugs).
- All backflow prevention assembly devices that do not have the manufactures identification plate attached to the device and that do not have a legible serial number must be replaced with a new device.
- All backflow prevention assemblies are required to be registered through the Garland Water Utilities department.
- All backflow prevention assemblies shall be installed by licensed plumbers, irrigators or fire sprinkler technicians who meet the requirements of the city's current plumbing code. All backflow prevention assemblies must be tested after installation by an approved city registered tester. Test reports must be submitted to Garland Water Utilities within 10 days of the test.
- All testers must register with Garland Water Utilities. An annual, non-refundable registration fee of $100 is required (payable by check, money order, or credit card).
o Register
Backflow Testers must register in person at:
Jack L. May Field Operations Complex
2343 Forest Lane
Garland, Texas 75042
Testers can register Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
What to Bring
Testers must bring copies of the following:
- BPAT License
- Gauge Calibration
- Proof of Confine Space Training (minimum 8 hours of hands-on training)
- Registration Form
Fireline Testers must also bring:
- Letter of Employment
Note: Forms must be printed and filled out (forms are not fillable on-line). Please print the form, complete and bring with you when you register. Testers remain registered for a calendar year, January 1 through December 31.


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Hundreds of attendees at two large conventions in Boston this fall have reported that their credit card information was stolen and was used to purchase goods around the country and overseas.
Though it is unclear how the thefts occurred, many of the victims say they had used their credit cards in area restaurants and businesses, especially in the Seaport District, where the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center is located.
Convention officials and local businesses have said they contacted Boston and State Police, as well as the Secret Service, which also investigates data theft.
Victims said their credit card numbers were fraudulently used at a hearing aid company in North Carolina, at women's clothing stores in New York City, and in drugstores and big box retailers around the country to buy gift cards that can be resold for cash.
"This is the first time we've had this kind of thing happen," said Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, which hosted 13,000 conventioneers in Boston in early November. So far about 100 attendees have told the association their cards were fraudulently used — in one case to try to make a $100,000 purchase.
"It's enough people that clearly something was going on," Benjamin said.
Meanwhile the American Society of Human Genetics annual conference, which hosted 8,000 attendees at the convention center in October, said some 200 people reported unauthorized charges after visiting Boston.
Among those is Edward McCabe, the chief medical officer for the March of Dimes, who reported several unauthorized charges at overseas locations after attending the human genetics conference.
Based in White Plains, N.Y., McCabe said the incident "will make me a little more cautious around Boston."
Though the public authority that runs the convention center said the data breach did not occur at its facility, the timing of the thefts is inauspicious for the agency. In January, the Boston facility will host the annual meeting of convention planners — the professionals who advise associations and large groups where to hold their events.
"I hope they have this solved before they bring 3,000 convention planners to the city," said Pauline Minhinnett, director of meetings for the Human Genetics society.
But the data breach even claimed as victims several employees of the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority , said spokesman Mac Daniel.
The authority began investigating around Thanksgiving after receiving complaints from the two conference groups, Daniel said, and so far has concluded the breaches did not happen inside the convention hall.
"After running internal checks and working with our customers, we found that no alleged theft occurred in any MCCA facility and appeared to occur at bars and restaurants across the city," Daniel said in a statement.
The Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel, which is connected to the convention center and provided accommodations to many attendees, also said the breaches did not happen within its systems, general manager Michael Jorgensen said.
"We feel bad because they are our hotel guests," Jorgensen said. "But it did not come from here."
Conference organizers said many victims reported eating or ordering drinks at two businesses inside the Westin — M.J. O'Connor's Restaurant and City Bar. But the owner of those businesses, the Briar Group, said its security consultants have found no problems with its systems.
"To date, they've indicated there has been no breach," said Kimberley Ring, a spokeswoman for the Briar Group
The company, which owns 10 restaurants in the Boston area, complies with the security standards outlined by the payment card industry, a consortium of major credit card firms, Ring said.
In 2011, the Briar Group paid a $110,000 settlement to the Massachusetts attorney general over allegations it failed to protect diners' personal information after a security breach. Malware, or malicious software, was apparently installed on Briar's systems that allowed hackers access to credit and debit card information, including names and account numbers.
At the time of the settlement, the Briar Group said it acted aggressively after it became aware of the breach.
Credit card theft is common, costing millions of American consumers and businesses billions of dollars. Since June, companies have reported 10 data breaches that collectively affected the credit card and social security numbers of more than 9,400 Massachusetts residents.
Massachusetts was home to one of the largest and most notorious such thefts on record — the 2007 hacking of retailer TJX Cos., in which thieves stole at least 130 million customer credit and debit card numbers.
That breach was estimated to have cost the company around $200 million.
One of the conspirators in the ring behind that and other large data breaches, Albert Gonzalez, received a 20-year sentence in 2010 for his part in the thefts.
Credit card theft occurs in several forms.
Some is old-fashioned paper-based theft, when an employee or outsider gets their hands on physical credit card records.
More often, breaches take place through malware that can be sent as a link in an e-mail; some companies have been infiltrated by thieves posing as software vendors who talk employees into downloading what they say are patches to fix software applications.
A device called a keystroke logger, which looks like a flash drive and can be inserted into a USB port on a machine that processes credit cards, can also mine data, said Chris Zoladz, founder of Navigate LLC, an information protection and privacy consultancy in Germantown, Md.
Convention-goers are not more at risk than other consumers, Zoladz added, although they eat out more often.
But restaurants are particularly vulnerable to credit card theft because servers walk away with diners' cards. Wayward employees can simply write down the credit card information or use a device called a skimmer to capture not only the name, card number, expiration date, and security code, but the information in the magnetic stripe as well.
This gives thieves the ability to manufacture new cards that are indistinguishable from the originals, Zoladz said.
"Any time a credit card is pulled out and presented to somebody, and put online for that matter," Zoladz said, "any time it's used, it's at risk."
Katie Johnston of the Globe staff contributed to this report. Deirdre Fernandes can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow her on Twitter @fernandesglobe.


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Falcon 16 Ch 5 Meg NVR Recorder With Twelve Terabyte HD Storage
The Falcon sixteen-channel NVR recorder comes with a 3 year manufactures Warranty
Key Features
- 16 Port Built-In POE Power
- Supports up to 5MP Recording
- Mobile App for Smartphone/Tablet Control
- 16 Channel Playback
- Backup via USB
- 1 x SATA Port, Supports up to 6TB HDD
- 2 Way Audio
- HDMI Video Output
- DDNS Function Supported
- PTZ Compatibility, Preset Support
A Look at the Onyx Falcon 16 Channel 5 meg 12TB NVR Recorder
Most people have something that they want to protect, whether that's the contents of their home or business, their employees, or their stock, it's only natural that as crime is on the increase people are looking to install CCTV.
The Onyx Falcon 4K 16 channel NVR recorder is a reliable and robust recorder. It is has a hard drive capacity of 12 Terabytes, meaning that you can get high quality live or recorded images to playback at your leisure.
Onyx ensures only the very quality CCTV video recordings and offers unbeatable pricing too. What's more, you can connect a range of external cameras from the Onyx CCTV security camera range with the Onyx Falcon. The external cameras are waterproof to IP66 rating and are made with a vandal-resistant metal housing to ensure maximum durability.
The Falcon range of CCTV cameras offers up to 20m range of Smart Infrared illumination for reliable night vision, something that is good at this price point. The Onyx cameras are offered in white or grey too, so you can get them in a colour that will suit your building.
Whether you are a homeowner wanting to protect your property while you're away on holiday or who are coping with a problem neighbour, or you are a business that wants a vandal and theft deterrent, Onyx has you covered with these cameras. We have CCTV cameras with motion detection, and many of the cameras have IP features for remote recording as well.
You will find a huge range of Onyx Falcon CCTV products for homes and business owners at the CCTV Camera Centre. With CCTV cameras for both indoor and outdoor use, there really is something for everyone. These cameras are used in offices, shops and malls to prevent employee theft, shoplifting and petty theft, personal assaults, vandalism and other crimes. Whether you are a large or small business owner CCTV could be the solution to any stock control issues you have as well as being a good way of protecting your property in general. We can help you with choosing the best cameras and the best NVR recorders for your business needs, explaining the operation of the devices, and also with device installation.
If you are interested in CCTV for your property then please do not hesitate to get in touch with us for a free, no-obligation quote.


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Physcial Sciences Division
Staff Awards & Honors
May 2006
Doug Ray Joins National Academies' Chemical & Materials Sciences Roundtable
Congratulations to Doug Ray for his recent appointment to the National Academies' Chemical & Materials Sciences Roundtable. The CSR is a unique science-oriented, apolitical forum for leaders of the chemical enterprise. Its objectives are to facilitate enhanced understanding of issues in the Chemical & Materials Sciences and technologies that affect government, industry, academic, national laboratories, and nonprofit sectors, and the interactions among them.
As a member, Doug will attend several annual meetings and organize workshops on highly relevant and important topics. The proceedings of the workshops are made available to the Chemical & Materials Sciences community and are designed to enable follow-up discussion or action by others in the Chemical & Materials Sciences community.
Congratulations again, Doug!


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Like so many of the most popular musicals, Fiddler on the Roof is both corny and indelible, over time becoming something of a victim of its success through constant repetition (how can we miss it when it never goes away?). Norman Jewison's 1971 film adaptation of the 1964 Broadway musical is, of course, a part of that—must I say it?—tradition of the play's cultural tenacity.
Jewison ably blows up the play into something highly cinematic through the use of thoughtful camera blocking, location photography and editing. By making a 70mm epic of the play by Joseph Stein (book), Jerry Bock (music) and Sheldon Harnick (lyrics), Jewison weds stage shtick to Dr. Zhivago. It's a gamble that doesn't entirely pay off—melancholy weighs down the three-hour picture in a way that a live performance could escape—which explains why the 1979 re-release trimmed thirty-two minutes. Still, Jewison's film is an unusually faithful film adaptation of a hugely successful musical, a victory in itself, and having John Williams as the musical adapter, Isaac Stern as the fiddle soloist, and Jerome Robbins as the choreographer doesn't hurt.
Recreating his West End role, Topol plays Tevye, the avuncular, put-upon patriarch of an Orthodox Jewish family in 1905 Russia. Like his rural village of Anatevka, Tevye contentedly endures, with high hopes for his family despite tough times. Tevye's main concern of late is troubleshooting the men who want to marry his daughters (mostly by circumventing the established tradition of working through a matchmaker), but the Jews of Anatevka live under the spectre of a much-greater threat: pogroms carried out, by somewhat reluctant neighboring Christians, under the orders of the czarist government. Both concerns give the tale(based on the stories of Sholom Aleichem) the tenor of a Biblical test of faith. Like Job, Tevye often looks skyward and asks God, "Why me?" as he puzzles out the right thing to do.
Tevye's daughter Tzeitel (Rosalind Harris) and poor tailor Motel (Leonard Frey) love each other, and she becomes determined to turn the tide of matchmaking tradition before she's forced to marry the much-older (but rich) butcher Lazar Wolf (a terrific Paul Mann). Unfortunately for Tevye, his other two daughters Hodel (Michèle Marsh) and Chava (Neva Small) take their cues from their older sister and a couple of bold, tradition-bucking suitors: political-minded student Perchik (Paul Michael Glaser) and Orthodox Christian (gasp!) Fyedka (Raymond Lovelock).
Zero Mostel was a prize ham as Tevye on Broadway, but Topol's career-defining performance impresses in its own way. Though undeniably "big," Topol's work here is also grounded enough to qualify it as well-calibrated to film. His rumbling vocals and arm-wagging strut help him to make a meal of "If I Were a Rich Man," one of the plays many well-known songs (others include "Tradition," "Matchmaker," family reflections "Sunrise, Sunset" and "Do You Love Me?" and "Miracle of Miracles," Motel's joyous exclamation of love). As a musical look at family, generational and cultural conflict, and faith, Fiddler on the Roof makes a virtue of its quaintness.
MGM delivers, via Fox, a 2-Disc Blu-ray + DVD combo pack for the hi-def debut of Fiddler on the Roof. The double-format set is a bargain and a half, with excellent A/V credentials and a full battery of bonus features. The film has never looked so good as it does on Blu-ray: the film-like image perfectly captures the hazy look that won the picture the Best Cinematography Oscar, and the color is just right. There's a brief bout of flicker and mild but fairly insistent telecine wobble, as well as occasionally evident edge enhancement, but these are quibbles with a generally impressive picture upgrade. The DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 mix is fairly glorious in delivering the film's robust score, though on rare occasions the high fidelity reveals limitations in the source material.
First up among the extras is an audio commentary by Jewison and Topol. Recorded separately, the pair share their recollections about the play's journey from stage to screen, their choices of interpretation, and the challenges of production.
The vintage featurette "Norman Jewison, Filmmaker" (49:33, SD) gives a behind-the-scenes look at the filming.
Norman Jewison Looks Back comprises the misnamed "On Directing" (3:28, SD), with the story of how Jewison got the job, despite not being Jewish; "Strongest Memory" (:57, SD); "Biggest Challenge" (1:11, SD); "On Casting" (1:20, SD) adressing the Zero Mostel issue; and "A Classic?" (2:34, SD).
The curiosity "Tevye's Dream in Color" (5:56, SD) presents the scene in its original form, with an introduction by Jewison. "Side By Side Comparison" (1:39, SD) simultaneously presents both versions.
"John Williams: Creating a Musical Tradition" (11:32, SD) is a nice featurette mostly focusing on Williams work as the film's musical adapter, conductor and co-orchestrator.
"Songs of Fiddler on the Roof" (14:43, SD) gathers interview clips of the guys responsible for the play's book, music and lyrics: Joseph Stein, Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick.
Also of strong historical interest is the "Deleted Song: Any Day Now" (3:07, SD), presented in an orchestrated demo.
"Tevye's Daughters (16:28, SD) features the recollections of Rosalind Harris, Michele Marsh and Neva Small.
"Set in Reality: Production Design" (9:50, SD) looks at the incredible production design of Robert Boyle.
"Storyboard to Film Comparison" (21:04, SD) does the honors for several musical sequences.
Last up are Trailers, Teasers and TV Spots.
Review gear: |
Panasonic Viera TC-P55VT30 55" Plasma 1080p 3D HDTV
Oppo BDP-93 Universal Network 3D Blu-ray Disc Player
Denon AVR2112CI Integrated Network A/V Surround Receiver
Pioneer SP-BS41-LR Bookshelf Speaker (2)
Pioneer SP-C21 Center Speaker
Pioneer SW-8 Subwoofer