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Falmouth Daffodil Days 2013
Spohr Gardens is a six-acre garden on land once owned by the late Charles and Margaret Spohr. Each year, the Falmouth gardens celebrate Daffodil Days with guided tours, activities for children and hundreds of thousands of daffodils.
The gardens are located on the northern shore of Oyster Pond. The house that is located at the land's highest point, overlooks the pond and Nantucket Sound beyond. The Spohrs met in the years after World War II when he was a patient at Mayo Clinic, recuperating after being severely wounded and she was his nurse. In 1950 they moved to Cap Cod, where he had summered as a child. Together they started planting their garden. The garden was a crucial part of their love story. What they created was so beautiful that strangers would often stop to visit. The Spohrs enjoyed showing visitors around or watching folks wander on their own through the windy grassy paths. The guests often ended up at Oyster Pond, after enjoying the flowers and trees along the way.
Daffodils were always Charles Spohr's favorite flower, but they were just the starting point for their creation. The gardens now have over a hundred varieties of perennials. Among the most abundant are: lilies, iris, azaleas, hydrangeas, climbing hydrangeas, skimmia, andromeda and rhododendrons.
The Spohrs also enjoyed trees. Among their plantings are: crabapples, cherry, noir magnolia, paulownia, plum, and fig, hollies, umbrella pines, tree peonies and three types of beach. There are also weeping European and American beach. Recently the garden's volunteers have started putting identification plaques on the trees.
Charles Spohr was a civil engineer and he enjoyed collecting millstones, cobblestones, chains, lanterns, church bells and watering troughs. He collected scores of them, he referred to them as decorations. He scattered them like landscape art throughout the gardens. Margaret Spohr designed the gardens and together the Spohrs kept track of everything that was planted. That meticulous record keeping has proven to be invaluable to the volunteers who care of the garden today.
Charles Spohr died in 1997 and Margaret died in 2001. At that time the gardens were left to a charitable trust. Their wish was that the property stay open to the public three hundred and sixty-five days a year from 8:00 AM until 8:00 PM.
About ten years ago the gardens had begun to show their age. The trees were badly in need of shaping and there were "bald spots" in the daffodil beds. The volunteers, known as, the Friends of Spohr Gardens", began a serious restoration project. They enlisted the help of the Falmouth community. Among those who helped were the Girl Scouts, students from Falmouth High School and Falmouth Academy. They formed clean-up crews and planted over seven hundred bulbs.
Each year Daffodil Days becomes more special. In addition the Friends of Spohr Gardens are in the process of planting more perennials to extend the season. These gardens are a tranquil , setting for an afternoon stroll, a lovely place for a respite from crowds, technology and everyday worries. The gardens are only a mile from the Palmer House Inn. During your stay at the inn a visit to Spore Gardens would be a pleasant addition to your total Cape Cod experience.
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Spohr Gardens
45 Fells Rd., off Oyster Pond Rd.
Falmouth, MA, 02540
Admission: Free
Hours: Daily 8-8
While all of our rooms have their own unique charm, we would recommend the Henry David Thoreau Cottage with its private deck and jetted tub, the Emily Dickinson Room with jetted tub and fireplace, or the Henry James Penthouse with its warm tones and jetted tub for this weekend.


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In the "People's Republic of Boulder," by City Council decree, residents are known as "pet guardians," and now they've stretched their roles to guardians of wild life as well.
On Sunday, about 50 people gathered at Pearl Street Mall for a candlelight vigil to demand justice for an adult, male elk shot by a police officer in a suburban Boulder neighborhood on New Year's Day.
To honor the elk, participants played recordings of elk bugling from their cell phones. They passed out flyers to passersby. They vowed to mount pressure on police as the investigation continues. In addition to the vigil, a silent march took place recently as well.
Since the shooting, town meetings have been held. The chief of police has made statements. An announcement from the district attorney on whether charges will be filed against the police officer, who reportedly failed to handle the situation by the book, is expected today.
Meanwhile, in interviews with The College Fix, some CU Boulder students offered a different perspective, calling the reactions a bit much, even insulting.
Junior Taylor Lane, 20, said she thought the vigil was "extreme."
"So many people in Boulder are concerned with our ecological, or ethical, facade and this is a perfect example," she said. "One animal was shot out of season. I'm certain more than that are hit by traffic on a daily basis."
What's more, the Boulder community did not hold a vigil for the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in Newtown, Conn., in mid-December, in which a classroom of young students were gunned down by a mentally unstable gunman.
Senior Mitchell Whitus, 20, said he feels the Boulder community reacted "to the wrong thing."
"I saw a report on Channel 4 about the vigil, and a lady who was there compared the shooting of the elk to the Sandy Hook shooting," he said. "I'm appalled that they would compare the shooting to the massacre of children. Why not hold a vigil for the Sandy Hook shooting, instead? It is crazy."
Nearly half of Boulder's residents are registered Democrats, and the city is widely understood as the home of "pet guardians" and environmentalists.
Nevertheless, their reaction to the elk shooting also runs in stark contrast to the lack of any uproar over a bear that was tranquilized on the CU Boulder campus last year, then found dead after being hit by a car.
Meanwhile, other students felt the Boulder community used the elk as a symbol to gather around, but failed to hit on the bigger question of the police officer's conduct in shooting the beloved creature.
Senior Elizabeth Coombs, 22, said the elk is the wrong target.
"I think we should focus on the potential abuse of power by the officer if he was, indeed, on duty when he shot the elk," she said.
Fix contributor Aslinn Scott is a student at CU Boulder.
Click here to Like The College Fix on Facebook.
IMAGE: Odolaigh/Flickr

subset: commoncrawl


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About The Slip Bar & Eatery
At The Slip, we don't think food at a bar has to taste like bar food. In addition to delicious wings, pizza, burgers, and fries, we offer a Blue Zones certified menu with plenty of healthy and vegetarian choices.
Watch the sun set over Redondo's King Harbor and choose from over 60 hand-selected beers, plus wine and cocktails. The Slip is family-friendly and we have eight TVs so you can watch your favorite teams. We host an Open Mic every Wednesday and live music on the weekends.
We're located on the International Boardwalk of the Redondo Beach Pier right below the bike path, making us a perfect stop during a bike ride. Parking is also available in the lot at the apex of Harbor Drive and Pacific.


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The Victorian Room
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Enjoy the warmth of an Inn and the amenities of a luxury hotel.
The Big Yellow Inn, Cedar City, Utah 435:586-0960 Follow me - Become a fan


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I began with a story about Ruby, a little girl who is a big part of my life, and then, at lunch I asked Joe to call and see if Ruby could come over for the last hour of the presentation. I had decided to tell the story of 'Ruby's Song' to the group. It would be cool to have Ruby there and have her sing it with us. Mike agreed to get Rubes ready and Joe rushed over to pick her up. She and he sat over on the side, we'd saved a sandwich for her, and I felt her watching me, curious, as I worked. She did not know that I talked to large groups of people.
Then when I got to the point of telling people about how the song came to be, I saw her really looking, watching my face as I told the story. She and Joe came over, Ruby sitting in the chair next to me, Joe standing behind her. We had the words written down on a flip chart so people could sing with us. We sang it once, then everyone joined us. At the end, Ruby got a huge round of applause. She was predictably a bit shy in this circumstance but she handled herself with grace.
She stayed with me as Joe packed things together and several people with disabilities came over both to say 'thanks' to me and to say 'hello' to Ruby. Ruby is an old hand when it comes to wheelchairs and those who use scooters. She has never before met people with intellectual disabilities at such close quarters and in a social situation that required conversation. At the Gay Pride march, she'd seen several other with disabilities but there was no time for talk - it was all about the parade.
So she sat next to me and greeted and said hello to everyone. She shook every hand offered. Some had very difficult speech but she listened carefully and very rarely had to rely on me for translation. When they were all gone, she turned to me and said, 'some people talk kind of funny'. It was simply an observation. I said, 'Yes, it's cool that everyone is different and some people talk differently.' She paused and thought, 'Yes, it is.' she said. Then she asked a couple questions about the disability in those she had met. Questions of interest. I answered.
Then I had a question of her. You see I was worried that Ruby would say to them what other kids have said to me, 'What's wrong with you?' She didn't. Instead she greeted them warmly, a little shyly, but she spoke when comfortable and smiled shyly when not. I said, 'Ruby where did you learn to wait until later to ask about someone's difference.'
She looked at me, almost dismissively, and said, 'Dave, you don't have to learn that!'
I keep learning from children, that welcome comes naturally. It has to be turned into prejudice through the alchemy which comes from learning fear first, hatred second and prejudice third. Ruby's not yet attended those classes. I pray she always opts out. There are several kinds of difference. I want Ruby to embrace hers now. Because she already has the makings of a person, whose life will be defined by the ability to be ordinarily human in extraordinary ways.


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"SpongeBob" and "Ninja Turtles" Top TV With Kids for Week of October 15 – 21, 2012
via Nickelodeon press release:
NEW YORK – Oct. 23, 2012 – Nickelodeon's SpongeBob SquarePants and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) nabbed top honors this week (10/15-21/2012), with SpongeBob topping all TV with kids 2-11 and TMNT winning its time period by double digits among K 2-11 across all TV.
TMNT this week (Saturday, Oct. 20) averaged a 5.2/1.7 million with kids 2-11 and 3.4 million total viewers, up a strong +16% among K2-11 over last year and up +12% with P2+. The show was number-one in its 11 a.m. (ET/PT) time period with both demos on all TV, easily surpassing the next closest competitor (The Disney Channel) by +24% with K2-11 and +48% with total viewers.
TMNT has steadily grown since launching Sept. 29, with a season to date average of a 5.4/1.8 million with K2-11 (+15% over last year's time period) and 3.4 million total viewers (up +14%).
SpongeBob SquarePants hit a high this week as the top kids' show on all TV. The 90-minute episode, "Runaway Roadtrip" (Saturday, Oct. 20), averaged a 5.8/1.9 million with kids 2-11 and 3.7 million total viewers. The episode also was the most viewed kids' programming among total viewers for the week.
Nickelodeon, now in its 33rd year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books, and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 17 consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B).


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With the violence and religious extremism that has indelibly shaped the contemporary world's perception of Afghanistan, it often goes unremembered that the region for centuries flourished as a cultural crossroads of trade and Buddhism along the Silk Road. Thirty kilometers (about nineteen miles) from the Afghan capital of Kabul, under layers of unexcavated earth, lays an ancient Buddhist monastery. Started around the first century C.E., the site, Mes Aynek, is a trove of Buddhist monastery ruins, statues, and stupas attesting to the prolific role that Afghanistan played in the proliferation of Buddhism in Central and East Asia.
In the first-century B.C.E., the Yuezhi people were forcibly driven westward from East Central Asia to Ferghana and Bactria in present-day northern Afghanistan. Prior to around 126 BCE, Bactria had been governed by the Indo-Greeks, vestiges of the Alexandrine empire, who promulgated their rule and the Hellinistic culture throughout the region. Once the Yuezhi took Bactria from the Indo-Greeks, they established the Kushan Empire which played a prominent role in the early periods of the Silk Road. It was through the Kushans that the woolen textiles, gold, and silver of Rome flowed east; the cotton, spices, and semi-precious stones of India migrated north; the silk of China travelled west; and the rubies and lapis lazuli of Bactria and the Tarim Basin moved outwards.[1]
The Kushan Empire also played a vital role in the dissemination of Buddhism from India to Central Asia where it eventually found its way to China and then Japan. The Gandharan school of Buddhist art, propagated by the Kushan Empire, shows express evidence of the influences of anthropomorphic Greco-Roman forms and stylized Indian naturalism. In this way, the Kushan Empire not only directly facilitated the transmission of Buddhism to Central and East Asia, but also left an ineffaceable mark on the ensuing Buddhist artwork of Asia.
While Silk Road trade in the region diminished slightly around the 3rd and 4th centuries when Kushan rule was broken up by the Sassanian Empire, religious eclecticism continued in much of the region. It was during this time period that many of the artifacts that are being unearthed at the Mes Aynek site were produced. In some places around the monastery, the ground is littered with slag, the blackened waste from the refining and smelting of copper ore, leading archaeologists to believe that the monks once exploited the lucrative copper deposits until deforestation halted their supply of timber fuel.
These copper deposits are what have drawn the Chinese Metallurgical Group Corporation (MGC) to the site. The Chinese government-backed mining company has invested 3.5 billion USD,[2] Afghanistan's largest foreign investment, in developing the mining site and the Afghan government hopes to see 880 million USD from the project before production even begins.[3]
However, upon the signing of the Chinese contract in 2008, an agreement was reached to halt further mining explorations that would damage the historic site until 2011. As 2010 draws to a close, archaeologists acknowledge that three years may be time enough to document, but not properly preserve all the known artifacts – a process which may take up to ten years.[4] For the struggling Afghan economy, the MGC project is the country's single largest foreign investment and a promise for the creation of many jobs. However, due to governmental corruption, it is not likely that the financial boon of this Chinese investment will be used to address the lack of stable infrastructure, water, electricity, housing, jobs, and medical care and the incredibly low standard of living plaguing many Afghan people. In an article published by the Wall Street Journal, French archaeologist documenting the site, Phillippe Marquis, stresses that while a copper mine might be profitable for the next 20 to 30 years, the wealth of cultural history that would be unearthed and preserved from Mes Aynak "[is] for everybody…for the future of Afghanistan." Nevertheless, while an enduring manifestation of Afghanistan's rich cultural past would serve well to remind the world of the country's reputable history, during this time of political and economic instability, it is hard to justify.
– Gabrielle Niu
[1] Victor Mair and J.P. Mallory, The Tarim Mummies: Ancient China and the Mystery of the Earliest Peoples from the West (2000): 94


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Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more.
The City of Garland has several cost-share programs providing citizens an opportunity to defray their costs and improve conditions around their property and neighborhood. All programs listed below are contingent upon the availability of funds. Some programs require Council Action to initiate a specific project.
Programs include:
Please contact the Engineering Department for additional information.


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It is said that "success has many fathers, but failure is an orphan." Given the world-changing success of radio in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it's no wonder that so many scientists, physicists, and engineers have been credited with its invention. The fact that electromagnetic radiation is a natural phenomenon that no one can reasonably claim to have invented sometimes seems lost in the shuffle to claim the prize.
But it was exactly through the study of natural phenomena that one of the earliest pioneers in radio research came to have a reasonable claim to at least be the inventor of the radio receiver, well before anyone had learned how to reliably produce electromagnetic waves. This is the story of how a Russian physicist harnessed the power of lightning and became one of the many fathers of radio.
Alexander Stepanovich Popov was born in 1859 in the Ural mountain mining town of Krasnoturyinsk. Expected to follow in his father's footsteps and become a priest, he instead chose to study the natural sciences and enrolled in the St. Petersburg University in the physics department.
After graduating and winning an appointment as an instructor at the Imperial Russian Navy's Torpedo School in 1883, he turned his attention to electrical phenomena. The late 19th century was an exciting time in electrical research, when James Clerk Maxwell's elegant equations predicting electromagnetic waves were just starting to be explored. It was a time when great minds like Heinrich Hertz, Oliver Lodge, and J.C. Bose were all working with the latest tools and instruments to probe the mysteries of Maxwell's work.
The primary tool for detecting radio waves at the time was the coherer. Invented by Lodge based on the observation by Edouard Branley that powdered metal could conduct electricity after being exposed to electromagnetic waves, the coherer was a simple tube filled with iron filings between two electrodes. Initially, the resistance across the electrodes was relatively high thanks to the loosely packed powder and oxide coatings on each grain. A passing radio wave would cause the grains to almost weld together — sometimes sparks were reported coming from the coherer tube — which lowered the resistance enough to conduct electricity. Lodge had used his coherer to detect "Hertzian waves" in 1894, shortly after the death of their namesake.
In his Naval School lab, Popov read of Lodge's discovery and decided to explore it further. Being of a naval bent, he was concerned with the weather and atmospheric phenomena, and wondered whether a coherer could detect the electromagnetic signature of lightning. He set about building his own coherer, improving the design by building in an automatic decoherer.
A coherer is a one-shot device: once it detects a signal, it needs to be mechanically restored to the high resistance state by tapping to release the adhered metal granules. Popov's decoherer was cleverly coupled to the bell used to signal a detected wave; once the clapper had struck the bell it would spring back to rest after tapping the coherer tube to jostle its contents.
Another Popov innovation was the addition of a pair of chokes on either side of the coherer to prevent strong AC signals from coupling with the DC circuits of the detector. Popov is also credited with the first legitimate radio antenna — he connected a long wire antenna to the coherer and, critically, attached the other end of the coherer to an earth ground.
On May 7th, 1895, Popov demonstrated his "storm indicator" to the Russian Physical and Chemical Society. How exactly he got Mother Nature to cooperate and produce a detectable lightning bolt during the demonstration isn't clear; we can only assume a spark gap was used to simulate lightning for the gathered scholars. Popov did perform more experiments later that summer and managed to detect lightning some 20 miles distant, though, and managed to improve the world's first radio receiver.
The potential value of his invention was not lost on him. He ended a paper written in early 1896 with a prediction that his receiver would form half of a complete wireless communication system "if only a source of such vibrations [radio waves] can be found possessing sufficient energy." A few months later in March he had succeeded in doing just that with a transmitter powerful enough to reach his receiver 800 feet away. Unfortunately for Popov, Guglielmo Marconi had been working along similar lines and in June 1896 filed a patent for his radiotelegraph system. Lacking any documentation of his March demonstration, Popov could only protest Marconi's claims and carry on.
Popov's naval employers took interest in his system and allowed him to start experimenting with ship-to-shore communications. By 1900 he had established a wireless station on an island in the Gulf of Finland that would process hundreds of official ship-to-shore messages and play key roles in the rescue of a stranded battleship and later fifty fishermen adrift on an ice floe.
It would seem that although Marconi was first to patent and will always be remembered as "The Father of Radio," Popov played a critical role in the engineering of radio. He demonstrated the first receiver, developed the decoherer, invented the first practical antenna, probably conducted the world's first wireless communication, and certainly used radio for the first time in a sea rescue. That's a fair number of firsts in a time when they were being racked up at a furious pace, and not a bad legacy to leave. Nor are the fact that May 7th is celebrated as Radio Day in Russia, and that the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has a huge conference room in their Geneva headquarters named after him.


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It's official: Gonzaga No. 1 in college basketball
Senior guard Mike Hart woke up, checked his phone and learned that the Gonzaga Bulldogs have gone where no Zags have gone before.
"I went to Facebook and pretty much everyone's status was, 'No. 1 in the nation,'" Hart said. "Literally everyone's. I don't think I saw any other status but that. That was pretty cool and exciting to see all our fans go crazy and all my friends go crazy."
"It was pretty cool to finally see it in print and not just being talked about."
The Bulldogs on Monday reached No. 1 in both major polls for the first time in school history. Gonzaga (29-2) received 51 first-place votes and 1,607 points to outdistance No. 2 Indiana (seven first-place votes, 1,517 points) in the AP Top 25. GU had 29 of 31 first-place votes and 773 points in the USA Today coaches' poll. No. 2 Indiana received no first-place votes and 710 points.
The Bulldogs were No. 2 a week ago and swapped places with Indiana, which dropped after losing to Minnesota and defeating Iowa. Duke, following a 1-1 week, stayed put at No. 3 in AP, but slipped to No. 4 behind Kansas in the coaches' poll.
Gonzaga seems to be enjoying the best of both worlds – the No. 1 ranking while retaining ample motivation.
"Deep inside we have to keep in mind we're still going to be the underdog," senior forward Elias Harris said after GU's win over Portland on Saturday. "People aren't going to look at us like a Duke or North Carolina or a Kentucky, you name it. People, for some reason, still think Gonzaga is a Cinderella story, and that's after more than a decade of playing great basketball."
Added sophomore guard Gary Bell Jr.: "Gonzaga, a small school, they probably didn't want to put us No. 1 but now that they did it's an honor. Like Elias said, we have to play with a chip on our shoulders all the time."
Coach Mark Few told Portland counterpart Eric Reveno on Saturday he was planning on going fishing Monday because the river would be too crowded Sunday. The players return to practice today after having Sunday and Monday off.
"It's great for the program, the school, the city of Spokane and the region and entire Northwest," Few said in news release. "We still have a lot more to accomplish, starting this weekend (at the WCC tournament) in Las Vegas and moving forward to the NCAA tournament."
Gonzaga is the first WCC team to be ranked No. 1 since Bill Cartwright-led San Francisco in the 1977 season. The Zags are the first team from Washington to be No. 1. Memphis, in the 2007-08 season, was the last school outside the power six conferences to reach No. 1.
"It does wonders for any conference to have a No. 1 team, especially a program outside the quote 'big 6 conferences' that normally occupy that spot," WCC commissioner Jamie Zaninovich said. "It proves to us that you can be the No. 1 team from the WCC or any other conference."
Gonzaga, which was No. 21 in the preseason poll, is the fifth different No. 1 team this season. Indiana and Duke each had two turns at the top. Louisville and Michigan had one-week stays at No. 1 in January. The final regular-season poll will be released next week.
One of the hot topics nationally is whether Gonzaga deserves a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, provided it wins the WCC tournament. The No. 1 ranking is essentially ceremonial and carries little, if any, weight with the Division I men's basketball committee.
"Ceremonial is a good word," said Zaninovich, one of 10 committee members who select 37 at-large teams and seed teams 1 through 68. "We have a lot of data that we pay attention to, starting with RPI, but all the other ranking systems are made available to us. I think people recognize (the polls) are more of a public perception metric than some of the others."
Zaninovich exits the room when the committee discusses Gonzaga and other WCC schools.
The No. 1 ranking will bring increased media attention, but not necessarily additional pressure, assistant coach Tommy Lloyd said. "One thing that gets lost is maybe we've never been No. 1 but we've been ranked a lot and had a lot of success. We have a mature group of guys."
The Bulldogs have won 12 straight games, avoiding the wave of upsets involving top 10 teams in recent weeks. Gonzaga is the No. 1 seed in the WCC tournament and has a bye into Saturday's semifinals.
"I'll look back on it once my career is over and think that's pretty cool we were No. 1 in the nation," Hart said, "but it has no bearing on our next game.
"I feel like we have a great resume, but it doesn't matter what I think or what (poll voters) think. The beauty of college basketball is you play it out on the court."


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All of the original artwork from Tales From The Farm and Ghost Stories is now for sale at THE BEGUILING's art store! So please, help me but cat food....GO!
And also Ghost Stories, and Matt Kindt's SuperSpy have been named two of the top ten Graphic Novels of the year by BOOKLIST! That makes Top Shelf the only publisher with two books on the list!


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Katherine Jackson has reportedly given up the fight for control of her dead son's estate, but the fight for the purse strings may be far from over.
Michael Jackson's mother withdrew her petition, which she filed before she was aware of an existing will, seeking control of the singer's estate, according to TMZ. Whether she will contest the appointment of Michael's former lawyer John Branca and music exec and friend John McClain as executors remains to be seen.
Last week, Jackson's lawyers accused Branca and McClain of being "intent on keeping (Katherine) in the dark," CNN reported. His estate could be worth up to $500 million, according to estimates. Branca and McClain say they have several deals in the works to increase the value of Jackson's estate.
A Los Angeles judge granted the Michael Jackson's 79-year-old mother custody of the dead singer's three kids, and gave visitation rights to Debbie Rowe, who gave birth to two of the children while married to the King of Pop.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff's decision on Monday was expected, after Rowe and Katherine Jackson reached an agreement last week. Rowe gave birth to 12-year-old Prince Michael and 10-year-old Paris Michael. A third child, known as Blanket, will also be raised by Jacko's mother.
The monthly allowance the Jackson family matriarch will get from the singer's estate to raise the children was not announced, but TMZ reported she got 83.5% of what her lawyers requested. The reason less was given than requested is that Jackson was already supporting his mother when he died, and in a separate motion, the judge granted Katherine Jackson 100% of what her attorneys requested for her own support.
Meanwhile, Katherine Jackson told Geraldo Rivera she does not believe her son died of natural causes.
U.S. & World
"All I know that my son is dead," Katherine Jackson told the Fox News host Sunday night. "He's too young to have that. Something happened. I don't know what it was. And I can't say."
Beckloff has already approved one that will bring Jackson's 1988 autobiography, "Moonwalk" back to store shelves. The singer left behind several unfinished projects and a trove of unreleased music.
The judge also that ordered AEG, owner of Staples Center, to hand over its contract with MJ to Katherine.
That could be a significant development, as the Jackson family has been asking many questions about the circumstances of the hiring of Dr. Conrad Murray, the doctor currently under investigation in a reported homicide investigation by the L.A.P.D. Murray was hired by AEG to accompany Jackson to London for his concert tour, although AEG says the late performer insisted that they hire the physician.


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BERLIN- With a solid nucleus of solid veteran players returning at nearly every position on the field, Stephen Decatur's men's varsity lacrosse team appears poised to make a run at a conference championship and beyond this year.
Decatur, under the guidance of Coach Jason Macrides, has flourished in recent years, turning in great season after great season with a seemingly endless string of talented players. This year, the beat should go on for the Seahawks with talented veterans all over the field along with a handful of newcomers ready to contribute.
Last year's edition went 8-4 in the regular season and reached the second round of the state playoffs before falling to Northeast, 11-10, in overtime. This year, the Seahawks hope to go further with a regional and even state championship not out of the question.
Lacrosse games are often won or lost in the middle of the field and Decatur should be strong between the restraining lines with a solid group of veteran middies. Naval Academy-bound Logan West highlights the first midfield and will be joined by veteran senior Nick Hogan and junior Calvin Snyder, a transfer from Bennett.
The projected second midfield is made up of several veteran players in Sean McGarry, Matt Doherty and Sidney Grupper. Rotating in when the Seahawks are on defense will be long-stick middie Sheppard Bratten, another transfer from Bennett.
Decatur should have no trouble putting the ball in the net this year with a solid starting trio on attack. Seniors Paul Kramer and Bruce Howe will be joined up front by junior Ben Kelleher, all of whom have a penchant for scoring in bunches.
Junior Bernie McGarry will start in goal this year after backing up Dave Gilkey much of last year. McGarry will be fronted by a veteran group of senior defenders including Jeff Jester, Logan Sappington, Pat Casey and James Reid. The four defenders are practically interchangeable and all will rotate in and out on defense, according to Macrides.
Macrides stopped short of making any predictions for the season although he did say the sky's the limit for his veteran team this year. Barring serious injuries, the Seahawks should make a lot of noise this year.
"This might be the strongest line-up we've had from one end to the other since I've been here," he said. "This is a veteran group. A lot of the seniors have been starting all four years here."
Decatur should find out early just how good they are or how much more work they need to do. The Seahawks open the season next Tuesday at home against long-time Bayside Conference rival Parkside before hitting the road for the first time next Friday against Bennett.
After a home game against Wicomico on April 2, the Seahawks will play cross-town rival Worcester Prep on the road in the annual neighborhood brawl. However, the game Macrides has already circled on the schedule is the April 11 game against Kent Island at home.
"Kent Island might be the class of the Bayside this year," he said. "They are definitely the team to beat in the north."


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The leader of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad once said that Israel must be "wiped off the map." And now Iran stands poised to have its finger on the trigger of a nuclear weapon, yet the Obama Administration continues to remain virtually silent on the nascent threat, all while the clouds amassing over the Iranian Peninsula are growing too dark to ignore.
Yesterday, following news that Iran plans to triple its output of higher-grade uranium, the United States, China, Russia, Britain, France and Germany issued a joint statement calling for Iran to provide more information about its nuclear intentions and that the country's nuclear drive is causing "deep concern" to a number of world powers. Meanwhile, the United States issued sanctions on Iran's police chief and three government entities it says are involved in the brutal repression of Iranian citizens.
But that's just the tip of the iceberg.
Heritage's James Phillips writes that Iran's uranium enrichment program has increased by 84 percent since 2009, according to a new study by the Nonproliferation Policy Education Center, and author Greg Jones projects that Iran could produce enough weapons-grade uranium to fuel a nuclear weapon in about 62 days if it chose to do so.
According to unconfirmed reports, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has acquired two missile warheads capable of being armed with a nuclear weapon. And a recently leaked U.N. report described suspected ballistic missile technology exchanges between North Korea and Iran, with the technology transiting through an unnamed neighboring country, which several U.N. diplomats, under the condition of anonymity, have identified as China.
Apart from Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons, the country is also fomenting political unrest in the Middle East. Heritage's Peter Brookes wrote in March of news that NATO forces in April seized 50 Iranian rockets destined for the Taliban in support of its expected spring offensive. The weapons could have been used to target U.S. and coalition forces as well as terror weapons against population centers.
Then there's Iran's plan to further eviscerate the freedom of speech by creating its own version of the Internet — yet another step in the repression of its people.
But these threats upon threats only saw scant mention in yesterday's Senate confirmation hearing for Secretary of Defense nominee Leon Panetta who remarked that he would address Iran's nuclear activities in a closed session while acknowledging that "there's no question they continue to try to develop some kind of nuclear capability."
It's not the first time a member of the Obama Administration has skimmed over the issue, and it starts at the very top. In a major speech on the Middle East last month, President Obama only said that "our opposition to Iran's intolerance and Iran's repressive measures, as well as its illicit nuclear program and its support of terror, is well known." His soft words belied the serious nature of Iran's growing threat.
The President's refusal to honestly confront the severity of the Iranian threat — let alone condemn the regime's actions — is in keeping with his pursuit of his new way in the Middle East, an Obama Doctrine characterized by charming one's enemies rather than recognizing the realities of the world. Heritage's James Carafano writes:
Once in the White House, President Obama focused laser-like on a "charm offensive" with Iran. When voices rose against the regime in Tehran in the wake of a disputed national election, Obama offered virtually no support for the cries for freedom. Nevertheless, the "playing nice initiative" with Tehran fell flat. Today, the regime is more aggressive than ever—backing a terrorist take-over of the government in Lebanon, snubbing Western nuclear negotiators, and promoting an Islamist agenda across the region.
At this point, though, the President's charm offensive isn't working. Now is the time to not only acknowledge the problem but push back on Tehran, counter its quest for regional dominance, press for aggressive implementation of existing sanctions, fight for more comprehensive sanctions, and rally international condemnation of Iran's human rights abuses.


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Animation directors Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders have fashioned a family entertainment that functions as a copy of James Cameron's most successful film of all time. It's got the young hero from a war-bred culture who joins sides with the "enemy;" it's got romance (only here, he's the chief's offspring); it's got an at-first-untrainable dragon that he bonds with, taming it as they take to the skies; it's dazzlingly presented in 3-D.
It's also better than Avatar. Hiccup (voiced by Jay Baruchel), the hapless hero, is a scrawny Viking, a dragon hunter-in-training. And he's terrible at it, an embarrassment to his warrior father, Stoick (Gerard Butler). Toothless, Hiccup's cat-like dragon steed, shares DNA with the alien in the directors' Lilo & Stitch, and their new film seems cloned from that movie, as well, as a youth secretly fosters a lethal beast.
But this one's a real beauty.
See all articles by: BRETT MICHEL
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Assembling Our 2011 Vintage Blends: Done. And Wow!
April 23, 2012
By Robert Haas
Thursday of last week we completed our decision-making process for the blending of our estate red wines: Panoplie, Esprit, En Gobelet, and Côtes de Tablas. This vintage we'll also be making a varietal Mourvèdre. We also found time to make the final decision on the Esprit Blanc, which had given us trouble in our white blending trials in March. Now that the proportions and lots have been selected, the wines will be assembled and the reds put into our 1200-gallon oak foudres for ageing until bottling in 2013. The Esprit Blanc will go back into foudre as well until it is bottled before harvest.
Neil, Ryan, Chelsea, Jason and I form the core of the selection jury. We like also to include a visiting Perrin, and when he's in town, National Sales Manager Tommy Oldre as well. Our general practice is to taste all the varietal lots first, blind, so we don't know which vineyard block or which cellar lot each comes from: just what the variety is. We give each lot a grade. It's not a complex grading system; the grades are 1, 2 and 3. 1 identifies wines with richness, elegance and balance, typically lots destined for, or at least of a quality suitable for, the Esprits. Lots with a 2 rating are ones that we like, but which seem less balanced or less intense than those with a 1 rating. These typically form the Côtes de Tablas and our varietal wines. 3's are lots that are showing less well. If the problem, such as oxidation or reduction, is correctable in the cellar, or incomplete fermentation, we revisit the tasting later in the cycle. The "3" grade serves as a flag for the cellar crew that something needs some attention, and typically, over time, the 3's resolve themselves into 1's or 2's. The components:
The next stage is selecting for lots that we feel should be declassified out of our estate wines into our Patelin de Tablas and Patelin de Tablas Blanc. These lots tend to be friendly and pretty, but less intense and showing less character of place than we like to see in our estate bottling. This year it was very difficult to "select out" any of the varietal lots, and the 2011 Patelin wines reflect this: each has less than 5% Tablas Creek fruit in its final blend.
After this process (which we completed last month) we work from the top down, starting with the Panoplie. In our tastings of the different lots, we discuss the character of the best lots, trying to identify those that seem somehow "above and beyond" the high quality we choose for the Esprits. Then we taste a handful of possible blends for the Panoplie, reflecting different percentages of the different varieties of a suitable quality. We taste these blends blind, not knowing which blend has which percentages, so that we're free from our own biases. Knowing only that a blend is one of 4 possible Panoplie blends keeps us all honest.
We don't move on until we reach consensus. These trials are not a democracy, where if 4 of the 6 people around the table prefer one blend, but the other 2 believe a different one is the best, the 4 win by default. We talk it out, coming back to the blends with new ideas until we reach agreement. This process can take several days, and in fact with the Esprit Blanc we decided that the wines themselves needed a little more time in barrel before we felt comfortable making the right choices, so we kicked the final decision down the road in March (when we blended most of the whites). We finalized the wine last week.
In the end, we chose what for us is a classic Panoplie blend: 60% Mourvèdre, 30% Grenache, and 10% Syrah. Then we moved on to the Esprit, leaving out the lots that were now destined for Panoplie. So each round went, eliminating from each succeeding round the wines that had been chosen for the higher tiers. When we had decided on the Esprit (40% Mourvèdre, 30% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Counoise) and En Gobelet (33% Mourvèdre, 31% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 16% Tannat) we took stock of what we had left and realized that due to the low crop levels, particularly on Grenache and Syrah, we weren't going to be able to produce varietal red wines other than Mourvèdre. This made the blending of the Côtes de Tablas fairly straightforward: we knew the rest of the Grenache, Syrah and Counoise were going in, and needed to decide just on the right amount of Mourvèdre. We tasted three different potential Côtes de Tablas blends, with differing Mourvèdre quantities, and settled on a blend of 49% Grenache, 28% Syrah, 15% Mourvèdre, and 8% Counoise. That left us 800 cases of a varietal Mourvèdre.
All this was done in three days, Tuesday-Thursday. This is the first time I can remember that we reached consensus on each of the red blends on our first time around. The quality was uniformly high, even as we reached the third and fourth tiers down, which made it easier: we just had to focus on what profile we liked best for each wine.
It was not obvious last fall that 2011 would be such a high quality year. Much of the west coast suffered from unusually cold, foggy weather, and there were some early rains that began in late September. This all on top of April frosts. But we'd had a good sense since early December, when François Perrin visited. Having heard of all the challenges of the 2011 vintage in California, he was anxious to taste through the vintage in the cellar. It was early to taste. We had just finished the harvest on November 9th. Many of the wines were not even through their primary (sugar) fermentations, not to mention the malolactic fermentations, which often occur later in the cycle.
However, we plowed ahead, starting with the whites. And with each lot that we tasted François became more excited. "This is going to be a truly great white vintage," he commented. "Even this early I can see that the wines have great structure, fine aromatics, good intensity, saline minerality, individual personality, and lush fruit. Can the reds be as good?"
Reds are less "tasteable" than whites in the early stages of their development, but experienced tasters can get a good idea of their overall style and quality even six or seven weeks after the harvest, as was the case here. And with each lot we tasted, François expressed optimism for the 2011 reds. They were showing concentration, richness, intensity and elegance. As our blending sessions showed, the optimism was justified. The wines are uniformly terrific.
What accounts for the extraordinary wines of 2011? Several things combined to make it an exceptional vintage:
- We started out with good moisture in the ground after two years of wet winters, so the vines were healthy and we did not need to irrigate.
- The frosts we suffered on April 8th and 9th reduced our yields to a miniscule 2.15 tons per acre. But the damage was not uniform; while our Viognier and Grenache and much of our Syrah was decimated, Mourvèdre and Roussanne (our two most important varieties) were largely spared damage. These low yields provided excellent concentration.
- We had a very cool growing season, so that all of the grape varieties had a longer than usual hang time even though the vines were carrying a smaller crop. The result was balanced wines with excellent acidities, particularly important and unusual in a year with such great concentration.
- Although it was cold, Paso Robles' geography spared us from the persistent fog that plagued many California wine regions more open to the Pacific. We avoided the issues with mildew and rot that many other regions saw.
- The harvest rains turned out to be less than had been forecast, and significantly less than in many North Coast regions, which allowed us to wait for ripeness in this cool year without suffering through bunch rot, and a week of good weather in early November brought in several high quality lots we'd effectively written off two weeks earlier.
What next? The wines will be blended and put to rest in the foudres you can see from the tasting room. They'll sit there ageing quietly through the coming harvest, and then be bottled next summer before the 2013 harvest. We hope that 2012 will provide equally great raw materials as 2011.


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NEW BRUNSWICK, New Jersey (AP) -- Higher sales helped Johnson & Johnson post a much bigger fourth-quarter profit than a year ago, when several charges depressed results.
However, the U.S.-based maker of prescription drugs, consumer health products and medical devices said its 2013 profit forecast, for $5.35 to $5.45 per share, came up short of the average analyst estimate of $5.49.
The company said Tuesday that net income was $2.57 billion, or 91 cents per share, up from $218 million, or 8 cents per share, in 2011's fourth quarter.
Excluding about $800 million in one-time acquisition and litigation charges, earnings in the latest quarter would have been $3.38 billion, or $1.19 per share. That beat the expectation of analysts by 2 cents per share.
The company says revenue totaled $17.56 billion, just shy of analysts' average estimate of $17.69 billion.
"Our results included strong growth of key products, successful new product launches and the addition of Synthes," CEO ALex Gorski said in a prepared statement. "We continued to make important investments building strategic partnerships and in advancing our pipeline."
But J&J's long-running manufacturing quality problems continued to hurt sales of consumer health products, which were down 3.6 percent in the U.S. and 0.4 percent worldwide at a total of $3.65 billion. The company has issued about 30 recalls of Tylenol, Motrin and other products since September 2009. Upgrading its factories and getting all the products back in stores has dragged on far longer than the company predicted.
Sales of medical devices and diagnostics, J&J's largest business, helped compensate for that with a 13.7 percent increase, to a total of $7.38 billion. Prescription medicine sales rose 7.1 percent, to $6.53 billion.
The one-time charges included more reserves and other costs for recalls of the company's DePuy hip implants, costs related to the June acquisition of surgical trauma equipment and orthopedic implants maker Synthes Inc. and some research and development costs.


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The College of the Bahamas, the University of the West Indies, the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute and the Bahamas Hotel Training College are the primary higher education institutions located in the Bahamas. The majority of international students attend the COB (College of the Bahamas), a public college offering associate, bachelor and master degrees for over 60 majors. Law, pharmaceutical and other professional degree programs may be taken in partnership with U.S. and Caribbean universities.
Students can also earn degrees in business, liberal arts, communication, chemistry, nursing, mathematics and education at the COB. Higher education practices in the Bahamas closely follow other Caribbean degree programs, with bachelor degrees taking three to four years and master degrees taking another one to two years. Colleges in the Bahamas currently do not offer doctorate programs.
Financial aid is available in the form of private or government grants, awards and scholarships only to full-time Bahamian students. . Funding is limited so no student is allowed to receive more than one financial aid award per semester.
Health insurance
The Bahamian healthcare system is both private and public, consisting of government-funded healthcare for qualified residents and private or employment health insurance coverage. The Ministry of Health is responsible for delivering primary preventative healthcare in the Bahamas at government-owned health centers and clinics.
Students can either use the public healthcare system or purchase their own health insurance for the duration of their studies. In addition, students should know that the Centers for Disease Control in the U.S. recommend getting a hepatitis A and typhoid vaccine before traveling to the Bahamas. Both diseases have been found in contaminated food and water on the Islands.
Student Visas
Residents of 120 countries can stay in the Bahamas for three months without needing a visa. Students from Belgium, Denmark, Canada, Greece, Italy, Norway, Switzerland, the U.K and the U.S. can remain in the Bahamas for eight months before they must obtain a visa.
Why Study in the Bahamas?
Students earning a degree in finance, business or tourism can find employment fairly easy in the larger cities of Nassau or Freeport. In fact, the tourist industry generates 50 percent of all jobs available in the Bahamas. However, with the unemployment rate in the Bahamas holding steady at 13 percent, students obtaining another type of degree are advised to seek employment outside the Bahamas.


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Equinix to Host Launch Event at New Seattle Data Center
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Equinix, Inc. (Nasdaq: EQIX), the global interconnection and data center company, today announced that it will be celebrating the opening of its downtown Seattle data center (SE3) with an exclusive launch event on Thursday, March 14, from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Westin Seattle. The event will include a tour of the new state-of-the-art facility by Equinix's solution architects, followed by a reception of Washington craft beer and wine pairings, open bar, premium hors d'oeuvres and entertainment.
During the tours, guests will learn how SE3 offers network optimization for increased performance and lower latency, high-speed content distribution to improve end-user experience, high-capacity access to public, hybrid, and private cloud providers, and northwest access to the Asia Pacific markets and global peering platform.
Attendees can register online here.
The Westin Seattle
Puget Sound Room
Fifth Avenue
Seattle, WA 98121
Ph: 206-728-1000
SE3 Tours & Reception 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
3:00 – 5:00 p.m.
- Data center tours conducted with groups of 10 leaving every 15 min.
5:00 - 5:30 p.m.
- 5:00 – 5:05 Welcoming remarks by Adam Berlew, VP of Marketing, Equinix Americas
- 5:05 – 5:10 Charles Meyers, president-Americas, Equinix
- 5:10 – 5:15 Grant Kirkwood, founder & CEO, Unitas Global
- 5:15 – 5:20 Jesse Proudman , founder & CEO, Blue Box
- 5:20 – 5:25 Rick Cantu, CEO, president & co-Founder, Redapt
- 5:25 – 5:30 Closing remarks by Adam Berlew, VP of Marketing, Equinix Americas
5:00 – 7:00 p.m. – Open Reception
- Beverages and heavy hors d'oeuvres service throughout
- Mix, mingle and network
Please note:
- The Puget Sound room is on the lobby level just past the bar
- Valet parking available when registering
- Registrants will be required to provide a government issued photo ID for data center tours
About Equinix
Equinix, Inc. (Nasdaq: EQIX), connects more than 4,000 companies directly to their customers and partners inside the world's most networked data centers. Today, businesses leverage the Equinix interconnection platform in 31 strategic markets across the Americas, EMEA and Asia-Pacific. www.equinix.com.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from expectations discussed in such forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such differences include, but are not limited to, the challenges of acquiring, operating and constructing IBX centers and developing, deploying and delivering Equinix services; unanticipated costs or difficulties relating to the integration of companies we have acquired or will acquire into Equinix; a failure to receive significant revenue from customers in recently built out or acquired data centers; failure to complete any financing arrangements contemplated from time to time; competition from existing and new competitors; the ability to generate sufficient cash flow or otherwise obtain funds to repay new or outstanding indebtedness; the loss or decline in business from our key customers; and other risks described from time to time in Equinix's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In particular, see Equinix's recent quarterly and annual reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, copies of which are available upon request from Equinix. Equinix does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking information contained in this press release.
Equinix, Inc.
Melissa Neumann, +1 650-598-6098
for Equinix
Liam Rose, +1 415-318-4380
Source: Equinix, Inc.
Released March 11, 2013


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Budget Micro-ATX P55 Faceoff: Gigabyte GA-P55M-UD2 and ASRock P55M Pro
by Gary Key on October 5, 2009 12:30 PM EST- Posted in
- Motherboards
Mini-ITX is the new Micro-ATX, and Micro-ATX is the new ATX. At least that's where we see the trends going in the next few years. With the heavy amount of integration that Intel is working on, motherboard real estate just isn't as important as it used to be.
While we won't be able to buy an LGA-1156 mini-ITX motherboard until early 2010, there are good micro-ATX options for Lynnfield owners today with more coming.
The price points are nice and you don't give up any features to go with a micro-ATX P55 motherboard. Gigabyte's GA-P55M-UD2 is selling for $110 and ASRock's P55M Pro lists for $99. We will take a look at the performance oriented Gigabyte GA-P55M-UD4 and ASUS Maximus III GENE motherboards shortly. While both those boards are targeted to gamers/overclockers with dual x16 PCIe slots (x8 dual in CF/SLI) along with additional features, better performance is not necessarily a given unless you are running multi-GPU or high-end cooling options.
You also don't give up much in the way of features with either of these boards. Both offer a single PCIe x16 slot for graphics support along with an x4 PCIe 2.0 slot. ASRock gives you a single PCIe x1 and a 32-bit PCI slot, while Gigabyte insists on a pair of 32-bit PCI slots. Both boards also feature IEEE 1394a, eSATA, Gigabit LAN, 8-channel audio, and a penchant for overclocking. The Gigabyte UD2 board ups the stakes with two additional 3Gbps SATA ports and a BIOS that just about any enthusiast will love in an entry-level board.
Performance is indistinguishable from other P55 motherboards - these things all perform about the same at stock speeds:
Networking and storage performance are about equal between the two boards as well:
The biggest difference between the boards, from a stock performance standpoint, actually surfaces in power consumption:
About the only real performance difference between these two motherboards is in overclocking.
Core i7/860 8GB Results -
Gigabyte GA-P55M-UD2
ASRock P55M Pro
If you're going to buy just one, we'd recommend the Gigabyte GA-P55M-UD2, especially if top flight overclocking is important to you. If you are not concerned solely with overclocking, then the ASRock P55M Pro is a great choice, especially if you are on a strict budget and it comes with our full recommendation. If you want more details on both boards, continue on.
55 Comments
View All Comments
Sunburn74 - Monday, October 5, 2009 - link
Which board? I searched the thoughts section and don't see any mention of sleep :(
I just know its a huge problem with gigabyte boards, pretty much every p45- and a good number of the x58 boards mysteriosly can't s3 sleep with significant overclocks in place and its something I'm seriously going to explore before my next mobo purchase. -
Ryun - Monday, October 5, 2009 - link
I purchased and Asrock 760g, which is a great little motherboard, yet it does not support S3 state (standby mode). I have an email from Asrock's (surprisingly quick-response) tech support saying that none of their boards officially support S3 state and to use their Instant Boot technology instead.
Did the Asrock motherboard you tested allow you to go into S3 state/standby mode? I really like Asrock's boards but the lack of standby is a deal breaker for me. -
Gary Key - Monday, October 5, 2009 - link
S3 is fully supported on the ASRock board. In the power consumption section I did note what needed to be enabled for it work. Also, this was probably in the wrong spot, but in the OC section I briefly mentioned that the board had no problems resuming from S3 with the Bclk set to 215. I can understand why ASRock wants you to use Instant Boot, but S3 operation is just fine, even when overclocked. -
Ryun - Monday, October 5, 2009 - link
Ah, looks like I missed that part. Many thanks for pointing that out. Sadly though, I don't have those BIOS options on the 760g board I have but perhaps I can tinker a bit more. -
n7 - Monday, October 5, 2009 - link
Just wanted to say a massively huge thank you for testing with 8 GB!
It's extremely encouraging to see, as the large majority of reviewers do not bother testing with all slots populated.
Thanx again. -
vlado08 - Monday, October 5, 2009 - link
Which board has the quickest Power On Self Test?
With fast CPU's and SSD I expect fast booting!
Now I have a Gigabyte board (P965 DS4) and when the Sata is in AHCI mode POST is quite long.
I hope that in future articles you will include this information. -
MadMan007 - Monday, October 5, 2009 - link
S3 is your friend. Really, who boots their computer every time any more? -
strikeback03 - Monday, October 5, 2009 - link
I usually do, since I dual boot and won't necessarily know which OS I need the day before. -
Gary Key - Monday, October 5, 2009 - link
Cold Boot - Quick Boot turned off in BIOS - AHCI enabled, External Hard Drive attached via IEEE 1394a, LAN attached to our Promise NAS via a Gigabit Switch.
Time reported is from the time we turn on the board until Win7 has correctly installed the network stack. So this is the full POST and OS is usable process that is being timed.
ASRock - 44.7 seconds
Gigabyte - 53.2 seconds
I have the information since we run this for every board, just did not know if anyone would care to see it. ;) -
vlado08 - Tuesday, October 6, 2009 - link
Thanks Gary
But I was interested in time from pushing the power on switch until the begining of the OS loading. I think that there might be difference between boards depending on their BIOS.
Time from begining of the OS loading until fully functional OS depends on the computing power ot the CPU and the speed of the HDD (SSD) and not on the design of the board.
And because you (we) want to distinguish between the boards I thought that this might be one of the criterion.


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A little more wisdom for a Friday morning, from the Daily Om a few days back (October 4th).
Owning Your Tendencies
Understanding All Sides
Looking at only one side of our life can make us blind to the many other ways of looking at our situation.
Whenever we examine our lives, we examine them from a particular side or angle. Most of us tend to favor one side over the others. For example, we may tend to look at things from an emotional perspective rather than a financial perspective, or we may prefer to think in terms of details rather than the big picture, or vice versa. To a certain degree, this is not a problem, and these tendencies add color to our individual personalities. However, they can also make us one-sided, blind to the many other ways of looking at our situation. Even if we have decided that we are most happy when we focus on one particular side of things, it is always worth exploring the other sides. When we do, we become well rounded, more understanding of other viewpoints, and even more solid in our own.
Perhaps you are a person who tends to see your life in terms of your spiritual well-being. As a result, other concerns such as financial comfort or social standing may not be prominent in your mind as you make decisions. However, taking just a moment to consider those angles will help you in several ways. One, it will enable you to see more clearly what your priorities are and how they influence your life situation. Two, it will enhance your sense of confidence, because you will see your situation from all sides, even as you choose one. And three, it will help you communicate with others about who you are and what you are doing, because you will come from a place of understanding that your own biases and tendencies are unique as are theirs.
Most of us instinctively come at things from a particular angle, and in many cases this is the right way for us. Still, understanding the other angles only strengthens us. When we look at our lives from all sides, we shed light on the big picture, giving ourselves access to many points of view and highlighting more clearly the one we have chosen to take.
What do you think?
Discuss this article and share your opinion


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Elaena Targaryen
Elaena, by Amok © | |
| |
Alias | Dragon princess[1] |
Titles |
Allegiances | |
Race | Valyrian |
Culture | Crownlands |
Born | In 150 AC[2] |
Died | In or after 220 AC[2] |
Father | Aegon III Targaryen |
Mother | Daenaera Velaryon |
Spouses |
Lovers |
Issue | |
Books |
Princess Elaena Targaryen was the third daughter and youngest child of King Aegon III Targaryen and his wife, Queen Daenaera Velaryon.
Appearance and Character
According to semi-canon sources, Elaena was not a great beauty in her youth, unlike like her sisters. At age eleven, she was described as a "skinny little thing", awkward and angular, shy and charming by turns. However, her beauty matured as she grew older, and its was said that she was more beautiful at age seventy than at age seventeen. Her eyes were a soft lilac, her mouth thin-lipped and often angry. Her hair was a platinum white with a bright golden streak down the middle, an unusual color even for the Targaryens. She wore it long, pulled back, and braided, and was always being told it was her crowning beauty. However, she cut off her braid to defy her brother Baelor for imprisoning her in the Maidenvault, and afterwards wore her hair short for years.
As a child, Elaena liked to dress in black, simply because her older sister Daena also dressed in black. In character, she had more than a little of Daena's willfulness, as she would prove when she grew older. Elaena was also shrewd and intelligent, especially with money.[4]
Born in 150 AC, Elaena was the third daughter and youngest child of King Aegon III Targaryen and Queen Daenaera of House Velaryon. She had two older brothers, Daeron and Baelor, and two older sisters, Daena and Rhaena.[5] Elaena's most cherished possession was a dragon's egg whose stony shell showed the same colors as her hair.[4]
The Maidenvault
Elaena's brother, Baelor I Targaryen, came to the throne in 161 AC, when she was eleven. Shortly thereafter Baelor the Blessed imprisoned Elaena and her sisters in their own "Court of Beauty", in the part of the Red Keep that would become known as the Maidenvault, to preserve their innocence and so the sight of them would not tempt him or others in his court to mortal lusts. The three sisters were known afterwards as the "Three Maids in the Tower". Elaena hated her imprisonment, and had always been told that her hair was her "crowning glory"; so, she cut off her braid and sent it to Baelor, hoping that if she rid herself of her beauty, he would allow her out of the Maidenvault. Her pleas fell on deaf ears, and she remained in the Maidenvault until Baelor's death in 171 AC.[4][3]
After Baelor died, there were some amongst the smallfolk and the lords who felt that Elaena's eldest sister Daena should inherit the throne, as she was Aegon III's eldest surviving child. However, Daena had been isolated for a decade in the Maidenvault, which had left her and her sisters without powerful allies. The memories of the Dance of the Dragons and of Rhaenyra Targaryen, the last woman to sit the Iron Throne, left many wary of the idea of a ruling queen. The precedents of the Great Council of 101 AC and the Dance were cited, the claims of Daena and her sisters were set aside, and Elaena's uncle was crowned King Viserys II Targaryen.[6]
Later life
After being freed from the Maidenvault, Elaena outlived her siblings and led a tumultuous life. Although Elaena had three husbands during her lifetime, the great love of her life was her cousin, Lord Alyn Velaryon. She gave birth to two bastard children by him, the twins Jon and Jeyne Waters.[4] Elaena had hoped to marry Alyn, but he was lost at sea; a year after his disappearance, she gave up hope and agreed to marry another.[3]
In 176 AC, during the reign of King Aegon IV Targaryen, Elaena married her first husband, the wealthy but elderly Lord Ossifer Plumm. He died on their wedding night (supposedly after seeing her naked), but Elaena became pregnant and gave birth to a son, called Viserys Plumm. There were those who were dubious of the boy's parentage,[3][7] and had suspicions on who might actually be the boy's father.[3][8] None dared speak their suspicions aloud, however.[3]
Elaena married her second husband, Lord Ronnel Penrose, in the reign of King Daeron II Targaryen. He sat on the king's small council as master of coin; but it was widely known that Elaena was the one performing the duties, as she was shrewd and intelligent with money, while Ronnel did not have a great facility for numbers. King Daeron trusted her with many important matters of state, and she grew influential.[4][3] Elaena birthed Ronnel four children: Robin, Laena, Jocelyn, and Joy Penrose.[5] After the birth of her seventh child, Elaena declared that if seven was sufficient for the gods, it would do for her as well.[4]
Not long after Ronnel's death, Elaena married once more, for love and by her own choosing. With King Daeron II's blessing, Elaena was married to Ser Michael Manwoody, a Dornishman who had attended the court of Queen Myriah Martell. Michael was sent as an envoy to Braavos on several occasions, and there is record of correspondence between him and the keyholders of the Iron Bank. These letters, while signed with Michael's name and fixed with his seal, appear to have been in the handwriting of Elaena. While her husband was a cultured man of great wit and learning, Elaena said it was not those traits that had caused her to fall in love with him, but his love of music, and he was known to play the harp for her. When Michael died, Elaena commanded his effigy to be carved with him holding a harp, instead of the sword and spurs of knighthood.[3]
A descendant of Elaena's son Viserys Plumm crossed the narrow sea, and became the ancestor of Brown Ben Plumm.[8][1] Elaena's bastard son Jon Waters had a son who changed his last name to Longwaters, to show that he was trueborn himself, and his descendants still live in the crownlands today. One, Rennifer Longwaters, is the chief undergaoler of the Red Keep, and is fond of explaining his descent from a Targaryen princess, though he is not often believed.[9]
Daenerys: He likes you, Ben.
Ben: And well he might. I have me a drop of the dragon blood myself, you know.
Ben: Well, there was some old Plumm in the Sunset Kingdoms who wed a dragon princess. My grandmama told me the tale. He lived in King Aegon's day.[1]
Daenerys: You? How could that be?
Rennifer: I am not one to boast, but there is royal blood in my veins. I am descended from a princess. My father told me the tale when I was a tad of a lad. She was the fairest treasure of the Maidenvault. Lord Oakenfist the great admiral lost his heart to her, though he was married to another. She gave their son the bastard name of "Waters" in honor of his father, and he grew to be a great knight, as did his own son, who put the "Long" before the "Waters" so men might know that he was not basely born himself. So I have a little dragon in me.
Jaime: Yes, I almost mistook you for Aegon the Conqueror.[9]
Alyn Velaryon | Elaena | Michael Manwoody | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ossifer Plumm | Ronnel Penrose | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Jon Waters | Jeyne Waters | Viserys Plumm | Robin Penrose | Laena Penrose | Jocelyn Penrose | Joy Penrose | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 57, Daenerys V.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 See the Elaena Targaryen calculation.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Baelor I.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 So Spake Martin, Three Maidens in the Tower (June 27, 2006)
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 The World of Ice & Fire, Appendix: Targaryen Lineage.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Viserys II.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 12, Cersei III.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 57, Tyrion XI.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 8, Jaime I.
- House Targaryen
- House Plumm
- House Penrose
- House Manwoody
- Characters from the Crownlands
- Characters with purple eyes
- Characters with blond hair
- Characters with silver hair
- Masters of coin
- Members of Aegon III Targaryen's court
- Members of Daeron I Targaryen's court
- Members of Baelor I Targaryen's court
- Members of Viserys II Targaryen's court
- Members of Aegon IV Targaryen's court
- Members of Daeron II Targaryen's court
- Noblewomen


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Propaganda is easy. Use touchy-feely words like "human rights" to sell wars. Claim to cherish "values". Demonise your enemies; ignore the crimes of your allies. Don't be afraid to lie.
The greatest innovation that William Hague has brought to the dark art of spin is that he has mastered it in a Yorkshire accent. The West must "be prepared to do more to save lives" in Syria, Britain's foreign secretary said recently. Hague's preferred method of saving lives is to arm one side in a civil war.
Why should be we sceptical of the erudite statesman? In 1916, Britain and France negotiated a secret deal on carving up the Middle East between them. Splotches of blue and red were applied to a map, designating which territories should "belong" to each power. "In the blue area France, and in the red area Great Britain, shall be allowed to establish such direct or indirect administration or control as they desire," stated the Sykes-Picot accord – as the deal became known.
Almost a century later Hague and his French counterpart Laurent Fabius appear determined to oust Bashar al-Assad. There can be little doubt that Assad is responsible for atrocities. But is that really why strategists in London, Paris and Washington want him removed?
One year after Sykes-Picot, the US President Woodrow Wilson declared that a war was necessary for the world to be "made safe for democracy".
Ordinary Syrians know a thing or two about the West's commitment to democracy. Syria achieved independence in 1946; it was supposed to be a parliamentary republic. In 1949, the CIA orchestrated a coup in order to put Husni al-Zaim in power. Declassified documents indicate that the US regarded the colonel as a "likeable rogue".
Bashar al-Assad was also viewed as a likeable rogue by some Western elitists. In February 2011, Vogue magazine published a feature eulogising Bashar and his wife Asma. As well as leading the "safest country in the Middle East", the couple wanted Syria to be treated as a brand, the feature informed us.
Assad had spent much of the preceding decade undergoing a makeover to woo foreign multinationals. His Baath party had been in favour of central planning but in 2005 it decided to move towards a "social market economy", a euphemism for letting major corporations run the show. To stress its approval for this neoliberal shift, most EU governments were prepared to overlook Assad's penchant for imprisoning opponents and conclude a "free trade" deal with him. (The accord didn't come into effect, mainly because of opposition from the Netherlands).
The EU was more favourably disposed towards Assad than the US. While George W Bush was initially able to co-opt Assad for the "war on terror", the White House eventually succumbed to pressure from Congress and signed a bill imposing economic sanctions on Syria in 2003.
The editors at Vogue may have forgotten to consult their in-house astrologers before publishing that inauspicious article. Soon after it hit the shelves, Assad's forces were suppressing popular protests against him. Brand Syria had turned toxic.
Assad is now clearly perceived as a liability by Britain, France and the US. So much so that they are preparing to arm groups which we are enjoined to call "rebels". Under different circumstances, the "rebels" would be labelled "terrorists".
The Free Syrian Army has reportedly opened fire inside a hospital serving Yarmouk, a camp for Palestinian refugees in Damascus. These "rebels" are the most probable recipients of Western weapons. Indeed, they are already well-armed, thanks largely to Saudi Arabia. The Saudi royal family is a client state of the US and a prized customer of Britain's war industry. Could that explain why the West is happy to tacitly applaud the Saudis for abetting war crimes?
Susan Rice, the outgoing American ambassador to the UN, described the Security Council's "inaction" on Syria as "a moral and strategic disgrace". Her attempt to put a moral gloss on American foreign policy was risible. The same Susan Rice acted as Israel's lapdog. Among those attacked by Israel in November last year were Palestinian refugees who had fled from Syria to Gaza. Rice supported that patently immoral attack.
As it happens, the permanent members of the Security Council have not been guilty of inaction. One of them, Russia, has shamefully kept on sending arms to Assad. Three others, Britain, France and the US, have been training Syrian "rebels" in Jordan.
NATO, for its part, has provocatively placed a number of missile interceptors near Turkey's border with Syria. These are in addition to the military bases that America, the dominant country in NATO, has established in Turkey.
For all their talk about wanting to protect lives, the imperial powers' only real objective in Syria is protecting their interests. Not for the first time, they are determined to ensure that Damascus is ruled by someone who answers to Western orders.
There is a nasty sectarian aspect to Syria's civil war. Like the invasion of Iraq, it has exacerbated tensions between Sunni and Shia Muslims.
Moreover, the conflict has not stayed within Syria; it has spilled over into Lebanon. Israel has got involved, perhaps as a test run for an attack on Iran.
Shovelling fresh weapons into this civil war is flagrantly irresponsible. In their arrogance, the West's imperialists are prepared to play with fire, if it means that they can keep the Middle East under their control.
David Cronin's book Corporate Europe: How Big Business Sets Policies on Food, Climate and War will be published in August. It can be pre-ordered now from Pluto Press.
A version of this article was first published by New Europe.


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This set of pages were originally developed by Michael Bernardi, as part
of an evening class project, in collaboration with Patricia C Wrede.
Most of the content was written by Pat while the conversion to HTML was done by Michael.
Patricia C Wrede is the author of a number of fantasy novels which can be
enjoyed by both young people and adults.
Note: Pat on pronouncing her last name. "It's REE-dee, two long e's, accent/emphasis on the first syllable. On the whole, I prefer that my readers remember how to spell it rather than pronounce it, if they have to pick just one -- if they can spell it, they can find the books in the bookstore!"
Created by Michael Bernardi
Last updated: 29th March 2009


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This guide for church leaders brings wisdom and practical insight into growing a gospel-centered small-group ministry.
Brad House calls on churches to wake up to the possibilities for life-transforming, gospel ministry through small groups. In recent years Mars Hill Church, based in Seattle, has experienced the rich blessings that exist within healthy community groups. In Community, House provides a resource for other churches to experience these blessings.
House examines healthy, gospel-centered small groups in three sections. In the first, he lays a foundation for the need and purpose of small-group community. He then presents a big-picture "health plan" for small groups, looking closely at the nuts and bolts of small-group ministry. The book ends with a practical section detailing ways churches can move forward to missional small groups that bless each other, the church, and their communities.
With wisdom and candor, House helps churches think carefully about the state of their own small groups and, where necessary, take steps toward a healthier, gospel-centered community. Pastors and church leaders, as well as small groups, will find this guide to be a catalyst in their growth and development.
For further NOTES See also the BACK of the book!
Author: | Brad House |
ISBNr: | 1433523175 9781433523069 |


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Inspiring Videos
Short, Inspiring Videos To Touch Your Soul
The short, inspiring videos below will touch your heart and move your soul. Almost everyone who watches these inspiring video clips comes away deeply moved. May we all spread the deep inspiration to those around us and throughout the world. For other highly inspiring resources, don't miss our engaging Inspiration Center..
Inspiring Video #1 : Baby Laughing (3 minutes)
Inspiring Video #2 : It's in Every One of Us (5 minutes)
Inspiring Video #3 : Softball Miracle (6 minutes)
Inspiring Video #4 : Challenge Day (4-minute clip of Emmy Award Winning film)
Inspiring Video #5 : W Mitchell (15 minutes)
Inspiring Video #6 : Free Hugs Campaign (4 minutes)
Inspiring Video #7 : World's Best Dad (4 minutes)
Inspiring Video #1: Baby Laughing
What is more inspiring than a baby laughing with pure joy? This rejuvenating video is guaranteed to at the very least bring a smile to your face and brighten your day. You might even want to bookmark this clip as a favorite after watching the infectious joy of this little one. It's a great one to come back to anytime you might be feeling down or getting too serious about life. Enjoy this precious innocence which we all carry deep within.
https://www.personalgrowthcourses.net/video/baby_laughing - three-minute inspiring video clip
Inspiring Video #2: It's in Every One of Us
Gazing into the eyes of the many people you will meet in this five-minute journey, you cannot help but open your heart to the beauty within every one of us. This inspiring video is a potent reminder that each person we meet carries a spark of joy within. When we find ourselves having difficulty with someone in our lives, let us do our best to to remember the beauty and joy that is always there, even when it may not be apparent on the surface.
https://www.personalgrowthcourses.net/video/every_one_of_us - five-minute inspiring video clip
Inspiring Video #3: Softball Miracle
Witness how one of the longest trips ever around the baseball diamond literally brings tears to the eyes of both the players and spectators. This closely contested women's college championship game in the American northwest had a most unexpected result. Not only were the losing team the heroes, everyone present left feeling deeply honored and touched at the incredible sportsmanship shown in this moving video clip.
https://www.personalgrowthcourses.net/video/softball_miracle - six-minute inspiring video clip
Inspiring Video #4: Challenge Day
These powerful clips of an Emmy award winning documentary are from an inspiring video which depicts the amazing Challenge Day story. Challenge Day has transformed the lives of countless teenagers and even entire schools across North America. Thousands of testimonials every year describe in glowing words how this one-day program dramatically improves teenagers' lives. Some had even been contemplating suicide before Challenge Day, yet now see meaning and real possibilities in their lives. Because of this most empowering work, Challenge Day has even been featured several times on the Oprah Show.
Challenge Day is a one-day program offered in hundreds of high schools and junior highs every year which opens students to seeing their common humanity in a way that is simply miraculous. It is not uncommon by the end of the day to find rival gang members hugging each other and saying I'm sorry, even with tears in their eyes. "I am truly sorry to the millions of people I have picked on," commented a former school bully as he hugged a gangly boy he had tormented for several years. Watch either the 4-minute or the 15-minute clip of this most inspiring video and see if you aren't moved and moved by this life-changing program.
https://www.personalgrowthcourses.net/video/inspir... - Inspiring video of Challenge Day (4 min)
https://www.personalgrowthcourses.net/video/challenge_day - Challenge Day video (15 min)
For more information on this empowering work which spreads inspiration and transformation every day, explore the engaging material on the Challenge Day website at http://www.challengeday.org.
Inspiring Video #5: W. Mitchell
Meet one of the world's most inspiring speakers, W Mitchell. We all face challenges of varying degrees every day. And change—sometimes invited, sometimes unasked for—is often our biggest challenge. W Mitchell knows about challenge, change, and courage—all first hand. From co-founding a company that put thousands to work, from his election as mayor, from a fiery motorcycle accident that burned over 65% of his body, and from the airplane crash that left him paralyzed, Mitchell exudes grace, good humor, and powerful inspiration.
W Mitchell's inspiring message reflects his philosophy on life: "It's not what happens to you, it's what you do about it." See Mitchell's inspiring website at http://www.wmitchell.com. Don't miss the incredibly inspiring 15-minute video clip of W Mitchell at the link below:
https://www.personalgrowthcourses.net/video/what_matters_w_mitchell - 15-min. inspiring video
Inspiring Video #6: Free Hugs Campaign
In just four-minutes, the engaging video "Free Hugs Campaign" takes us on a wild journey with unexpected, yet deeply heart-warming results. The video has spread rapidly around the Internet to inspire many millions to consider the changes we can make by simply giving more hugs. For a great article on this wonderful phenomenon in Australia's leading newspaper, Sydney Morning Herald, click here. For a website devoted to this inspiring movement, click here. To watch other inspiring videos showing how this awesome campaign spread around the world, click here.
https://www.personalgrowthcourses.net/video/free_hugs_campaign - four-minute inspiring video clip
Inspiring Video #7: World's Best Dad
The final inspiring video on this list depicts the incredibly moving story of an amazing father who so loves his handicapped son that he almost moves mountains to bring joy and fulfillment into his life. Dick Hoyt's deep dedication to his son has touched the lives of millions. Their story continues to inspire all of us to remember that it is the deeper things in life that truly bring us closer to ourselves and to all around us. You may appreciate this inspiring video even more if you first read the short, powerfully moving story of Dick Hoyt and his son Rick as reported in Sports Illustrated at this link.
https://www.personalgrowthcourses.net/video/best_dad - four-minute inspiring video clip
We invite you to share these inspiring videos with your friends and colleagues. Using the amazing power of the Internet, we can send waves of meaningful inspiration around our planet. And for a number of other truly amazing videos, click here. Thanks for being who you are, and have a most wonderful and inspiring day, week, and life ahead!
Special Note: This list was compiled by Fred Burks for the PEERS team. Fred is a former language interpreter for Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. For an engaging 15-minute video clip describing Fred's high-level interpreting activities and more, click here. Though not at the level of the inspiring videos above, his story is inspiring in its own way.
- See our awesome collection of a variety of inspiring resources available here.
- For some of the most awesome short video clips on the Internet, click here.
- Read concise summaries of highly inspiring major media reports available here.
- Explore four dynamic online courses which powerfully expand your horizons.
- Share these short, inspiring videos with your friends and bookmark this article on key news websites using the "Share" icon on this page.
Don't miss our treasure trove of inspiring resources
Kindly support this work of love: Donate here
www.momentoflove.org - Every person in the world has a heart
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www.WantToKnow.info - Reliable, verifiable information on major cover-ups
www.weboflove.org - Strengthening the Web of Love that interconnects us all
Subscribe to the PEERS email list of inspiration and education (one email per week). Or subscribe to the list of news and research on deep politics (one email every few days).


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DENVER — Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook has broken Oscar Robertson's NBA record with his 42nd triple-double of the season.
Westbrook had 23 points, 12 rebounds and six assists by halftime at Denver on Sunday. He got his 10th assist with 4:17 left in the fourth quarter.
Westbrook fed Semaj Christon in the right corner for a 3-pointer that pulled Oklahoma City to 101-91 and gave Westbrook his record.
Robertson's record of 41 triple-doubles had stood since the 1961-62 season.
With averages of a league-leading 31.8 points, 10.7 rebounds and 10.4 assists, Westbrook will finish the season as the first player since Robertson in 1961-62 to average a triple-double for the season.
The Thunder have two more games left, at Minnesota and then at home against Denver, and coach Billy Donovan said before tip-off that it'll be up to Westbrook whether he wants to sit one or both out in preparation for the NBA playoffs.
The Thunder will face the Houston Rockets, led by the league's other MVP favourite, James Harden, in the first round.
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball
Follow Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton
Arnie Stapleton, The Associated Press


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Chapter 7, Page 17
Geejay on Nov. 5, 2006
Yes, it's another update, at last. I still haven't fully rested from the other comic project I was doing but I thought I've delayed this webcomic long enough. And so I sort of forced myself to finish this current page.
I feel it could've been better but I just wanted it done. There were things I couldn't quite do that I was able to do in the previous pages mainly because it involved the settings I had in Painter. And since I had to reinstall my PC along with Painter and not having saved the settings, I had to fiddle around with the settings again just to get to what I was using before. The frustrating part is, I couldn't duplicate the old settings. So, I had to make do with the settings I've come up with now.
Down the road, I may have to tweak the settings a bit more. Hopefully, I'll accidentally rediscover the old settings I was using in the previous pages.
Also, the style I've used in this page is slightly different from the style I've used a few pages ago. The style is something I sort of picked up while doing the Prey short comic. I think doing the earlier style I had was easier and faster to do so I'll switch back to that in the next page.
Anyway, hope you guys enjoy the new page.


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- Home
- Government
- Departments
- Fire
- Emergency Management
- Community Emergency Response Team
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
You Can't Predict, But You Can Prepare!
The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program educates citizens about emergency preparedness and trains them in basic emergency response skills that can be used at home, in the community, at work or anyplace an emergency may occur. CERT members:
- Promote emergency preparedness
- Provide immediate assistance to victims until emergency responders arrive
- Give critical support to first responders
- Provide help in the immediate period follow an emergency
This program enables individuals to help their families, neighbors and colleagues prepare for, respond to and recover within their neighborhood and our community.
Sign Up
If any emergency threatens or occurs, do you...
- Know how to turn off the gas?
- Know how to safety turn off the power?
- Know how to administer first aid?
- Know what actions to take to survive an active shooter situation?
- Have provisions for living outside your home for a length of time if the structure is compromised or you must evacuate?
- Have enough supplies, including water, to sustain your family and pets for up to three weeks in a major event?
- Have enough of the right supplies to survive at your workplace or in your automobile if needed?
- Damage Assessment Form (PDF)
Each volunteer gathers information as they travel from their home en route to the incident command site. - Personnel Resources Form (PDF)
Responsibility: Incident commander/scribe. This form is used to keep track of all volunteer personnel on scene, including arrival and departure times. This is the personnel accountability form. - Incident Command Log (PDF)
Responsibility: Incident commander, who may also be the scribe. Keep track of major events, assignments, official communication to 911, Emergency Operations Center (EOC), other significant calls (i.e. to Animal Control). This form may be used in very large incidents or with very large teams. - Patient Assessment Form (PDF)
Responsibility: Treatment area CERT volunteers. Every patient is assessed; this form is completed and maintained as the patient's condition changes. At some point, we may have actual tags to place on the patient. In the meantime, this form will be used to maintain patient information. - Treatment Area Log (PDF)
Responsibility: Treatment area leader. Patient assessment forms are kept on every patient including those tagged as green. Treatment Area Leader maintains a log of major events as needed. The log is a summary of what happens in the treatment area. - Situation Report (PDF)
When CERT is activated, 911 is notified first. The EOC is notified immediately afterward. This form summarizes the information required by the EOC as the situation de
Emergency Management
Physical Address
5077 John Tyler Highway
Williamsburg, VA 23185
Phone 757-220-0626


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Senate Democrats reject House GOP budget plan
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats controlling the Senate rejected for the second year in a row Wednesday a budget plan passed by House Republicans.
The 58-41 vote against the GOP budget came after a daylong debate in which Democrats blasted Republicans for refusing to consider tax increases as part of a solution to trillion-dollar deficits, and Republicans in turn attacked Democrats for not offering a budget at all.
Republicans launched the debate, which was aimed less at successfully passing a bill than highlighting the failure of Senate Democrats to deal with a budget deficit expected to top $1 trillion for the fourth consecutive year.
The Senate rejected five separate budget plans, including one based on President Barack Obama's February budget and offered by Republicans to embarrass Democrats and the White House. It failed on a 99-0 vote. Three GOP senators elected in 2010 with tea party support also offered plans in a competition to see whose budget could cut government the most.
The end results were preordained: sweeping rejection of Obama's budget and a near party-line vote to block the main alternative, the blueprint of Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., that passed the House in March. The tallies on the Ryan budget and a tougher version offered by Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., defeated on a 57-42 vote, were probably inflated since the votes weren't on the actual budgets themselves but rather on a motion to simply take them up for debate.
Five Republicans voted against the Ryan plan: Scott Brown of Massachusetts, Olympia J. Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine, Dean Heller of Nevada and Rand Paul of Kentucky. Heller voted for the measure last year but, in the midst of a competitive race to retain his seat, switched his vote on Wednesday.
Toomey's plan received 42 "aye" votes, one more than the Ryan plan.
At issue is the arcane budget process on Capitol Hill, which involves a nonbinding measure called a budget resolution. Actual changes to the budget are made in follow-up legislation.
Democrats haven't passed a budget since 2009, opting against weeklong floor debates that would have exposed party members to dozens of politically difficult votes or put themselves on record in favor of tax hikes or huge deficits.
In most years, all a congressional budget really does is assign an overall "cap" on the annual appropriations bills that set agency operating budgets. Democrats note that last summer's budget pact already set such a cap for the ongoing round of spending bills, so Wednesday's debate wasn't really necessary.
But Republicans said Democrats were abdicating their responsibility to tell voters their solution to the government's daunting budget problems, which economists of all stripes warn will swamp the economy and spook the markets unless they're dealt with before long.
"It is very hard to overstate how urgent the fiscal crisis that we face really is when you are going the fourth consecutive year with a budget deficit of over $1 trillion," Toomey said. "There is one party that is seriously addressing these problems."
The GOP plans varied in their toughness, with the House-passed measure — which fails to produce balance in the 10-year budget window — actually being the least stringent. Sen. Rand Paul's measure was the toughest, calling for the elimination of four Cabinet departments: Commerce, Education, Housing and Urban Development, and Energy while calling for a 17 percent flat tax on both individuals and corporations.
Paul's budget won 16 votes; a measure by Mike Lee, R-Utah, received 17 votes.
Each GOP measure, though, would sharply cut domestic programs and called for a dramatic transformation of Medicare that would turn it into a voucher-like program in which future beneficiaries, those presently under the age of 55, would have to buy health insurance on the open market rather than have the government pay hospital and doctor bills.
Democrats called for a "balanced" solution blending tax increases on wealthier people with less severe spending cuts.
"We will not allow the debt and deficit to be reduced on the backs of the middle class and most vulnerable Americans without calling on the wealthiest to contribute," Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said. "That is not fair, it's not what the American people want, and it's simply not going to happen."