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You have over 45 years of experience in this sector. How did you first get interested in it?
Like so many people who are passionate about this industry, it all started with my fascination with the aircraft itself.
I was trained as an aeronautical engineer, so I understand the physics of flight. But it always amazed me how these massive planes can take off into the air. It's incredible to me, even today.
I also became interested in the management aspect of the airline industry. The challenge that airlines have of managing fixed supply and variable demand is fascinating. I'm also intrigued by the pure complexity of this industry that is labor, capital and fuel intensive, a rare combination.
What are the most profound industry changes you have seen over the years?
I've seen many, but let me focus on three. First, there are developments related to the aircraft themselves that changed the game. When the B707 came out in the late 1950s, it transformed transoceanic travel time. The A380 disrupted seat mile costs. And I could go on, for example, with the advanced regional aircraft.
Second, I can point to the development of low-cost carriers. Today, about 30 percent of seats are sold by low-cost carriers. Not only are they competing with full service carriers, but they've brought air travel to people and places where it did not exist before.
And lastly, I've seen big changes in management capabilities in this industry that get overlooked. For example, airlines aren't given enough credit for having begun sharing economy practices—think code sharing—long before the sharing economy even existed.
Why did you want to write a book about disruptive innovation in the airline industry?
Think about how disruptive innovation is changing so many industries.
Before the Apple iPod, people had to go the store, buy a CD with 10 songs on it, and load it into a CD player to listen. But now, people can download one specific song and listen to it essentially anywhere and anytime. Netflix has done the same thing with movies and television shows.
And have you heard what Google is doing with the self-driving car? It's only a few years away. It's been driven one million miles with only about a dozen minor fender benders. When it arrives, it will change so much, including the airline industry. The implications are mind boggling.
Disruptions like these got me thinking about what it will all mean for this industry. Also, my conversations with senior airline executives, leaders in related businesses, and government policy makers confirmed that disruptive innovation is a top-of-mind topic.
Do most people think of the airline industry as disruptive?
I think it's mixed. Some people think that airlines simply fly people from airport to airport—even jetway to jetway—and don't care about what happens before or after.
Other people have a completely different perspective. They see airlines innovating in a variety of ways, from expanding routes to improving the customer experience. That might be introducing more comfortable seat choices or providing experiences that drive social media buzz.
Do airlines recognize the importance of disruptive innovation?
They clearly recognize it. But the degree of reaction varies. Some airlines are moving forward with business as usual.
Others are going to completely change how they operate. These carriers will segment the market and provide relevant value propositions. The transformation strategies require a mindset to deal with the legacy systems, processes, and workforce and to leverage emerging technologies.
What's at stake for them if airlines don't innovate today?
Airlines that don't transform will exit the market by going bankrupt. Some might get acquired. Still others will become irrelevant. They'll remain in the market, but competitors won't see them as a threat, and consumers will be neutral to them at best.
What are the biggest barriers to change for airlines?
The complexity of this industry is a huge barrier. There is a complex web of government regulation, security issues, airport congestion and air traffic control issues that airlines have to manage through.
Airlines have also been limited by decades old legacy technology systems that were not designed for the realities of air travel today. And I hate to say it, but legacy mindsets can be a challenge too.
What disruptive trends intrigue you the most—and why?
Let me explore three of them. First, I believe that the Airbus A321neoLR will be a game changer. It's a smaller airplane—about 150 seats—that can fly 4,000 nautical miles nonstop. Boeing is developing a similar plane, the B737MAX. These could open up new routes from major cities to smaller cities.
I'm also tracking the evolution of mobile devices. They have given travelers a whole new level of information, transparency and control. Leading airlines are working on technology that will allow passengers to complete the self reaccommodation process when a flight is delayed or canceled all from their mobile device.
I also think that the role of social media in influencing brand reputation and passenger preference is fascinating. More and more, people are looking to social media—to user generated content—to get information from people whom they trust and respect.
Why are customers such a disruptive force for the industry?
I can answer that very simply. The power has shifted from airlines to customers, from providers to receivers.
How are new intermediaries pushing airlines to disruptive innovation?
They play a huge role. But which one? We know that they aren't going to become airlines. The business is too complex, and it has traditionally been difficult for airlines to make profits until recently.
Instead, the new intermediaries are disrupting distribution. They have a 360-degree view of customers in way that airlines cannot—at least today. With deep customer data and analytics, they are targeting the management of customer relationships, working as facilitators of mobility.
Consider this scenario. You miss your connection on a flight to London. The airline books you on a flight the next day. And what happens in between is your problem.
But the intermediary books you on an earlier flight on a different airline, puts you up in an airport hotel for a half-day, and offers a deal on tickets to the theatre in London during your stay. This is facilitating mobility with rich customer information and analytics.
What will the air travel experience be like for customers in ten years?
The forward thinkers will have a decision to make for the future.
They can't be everything to everyone. They will need to segment their business, create and deliver an appropriate value proposition for that segment, build the brand, and provide seamless service across alliance partnerships, all modes of transport, and at all touchpoints.
Do you fly often? What kind of air traveler are you?
Yes, I do fly often. And I may be an oddball. I don't care about in-flight meals or entertainment. My top priority is on-time performance and nonstop flights.
What is your most memorable air travel experience?
Every time I've gotten to my destination on time!
I fill out surveys about what I think about the flight, and my rating is always about on-time performance. I have no other comments because nothing else matters to me.
There's an important point in this. No traveler is the same. Airlines must understand people's different needs and deliver on travelers' stated and unstated needs. That's the essence of disruptive innovation. Giving people something before they even know they want it.


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Thank you to everyone who entered my giveaway for a copy of Seaside Home, and thank you also for all of your kind words about the book. And it sounds like you've got some great plans for the summer! Without further adeiu, the winner of the book was lucky number 82!
And lucky number 82 was Leah, who said
Congratulations, Leah! I'll send the book out to you ASAP!

subset: commoncrawl


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Gender: WomenItem Type: Leg WarmersBrand Name: yulobulkItem Length: 19cmObscene Picture: NoSexually Suggestive: NoModel Number: women leg warmersPattern Type: SolidMaterial: AcrylicStyle: Fashion
We have put a lot of focus on making sure the items get delivered to our customers as quickly as possible. You will receive your order in 6-17 business days from the date that it is placed.
A confirmation email will be sent to you once the order is authorized and verified. We begin preparing your order immediately after it is verified. With this sort of time frame, it makes it difficult for us to change or cancel your order, however, we will do our best to support your request.
It normally takes 3-7 days for us to process your order and takes 1-3 business days for the items marked with "Priority Dispatching" to be ready for shipment. Please note that this does not include holidays and weekends.
It does take longer for us to process pre-order items, please refer to our campaign/product page for more detailed information.
It is free when orders over $79 and takes about 10-20 days to arrive using standard shipping. Here is the variants of shipping time according to different countries.
USA, Australia, Canada, Europe:7-15 days (standard shipping)and 5-8 days (express shipping) South & Central America: 30 days (standard shipping)and 6-12 days (express shipping) Brazil:20 days (standard shipping)and 10 days (express shipping) Middle East:7-15 days (standard shipping)and 6-10 days (express shipping) Asia: about 3-10 daysOther Countries: about 20 days
We offer free standard shipping for all the orders,
free express shipping for orders over $169.
This reminder is for Brazilian customer:
Brazil postal service announced that it would charge operation fee 15 riyals (about $3.50) per order for all international packages from August 27, 2018 to balance out Brazil postal's annual losses. This fee shall be paid by the customer in Brazil postal online system. After the payment is successful, Parcels will be delivered to the customer, or the parcels will be returned if the fee still unpaid after the package arrived in Brazil 30 days .
Hereby emphasize: The fee 15 riyals (about $3.50) is not charged by Everkaki, but by Brazil Post.
Please refer to the detailed policy:
Official website of Brazil post: http://www.correios.com.br/


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July 3 2016
New dates coming soon
9th - 11th
The University of Pennsylvania is home to extraordinary academic resources, and the College of Liberal and Professional Studies (LPS) is proud to share them with Philadelphia high school students. We believe taking Penn courses as a high school student can inspire great achievements and new explorations, and offer important preparation for college-level academics. To that end, we offer the Young Scholars Program, as well as Penn Summer High School programs.
The Young Scholars Program allows outstanding juniors and seniors attending a local high school to take college courses for full credit. In the Young Scholars Program, you can pursue your discipline beyond the level offered in secondary schools, get a head start on your college requirements or explore a brand-new field that interests you. It_Сйs an exciting chance to explore new ideas and experience life in a college classroom.
Young Scholars can choose from a variety of courses at the undergraduate level offered by the College of Liberal and Professional Studies. Topics offered include anthropology, economics, English, math, philosophy, linguistics, psychology and many more. For the list of courses currently available to Young Scholars, please view our online course guide. Complete course descriptions and meeting times are available by clicking on individual course titles.
Students must apply according to our admissions and eligibility guidelines. Enrollment is subject to the approval of the Program Director, and registration in a desired course is not guaranteed.
Students attending City of Philadelphia public and charter schools are eligible for tuition-free participation in the program. Once admitted to the program, students will be able to take one course in the fall and spring semesters tuition free.
Whether you_Сйre a local high school student or visiting from elsewhere around the world, Penn Summer offers a broad variety of subject-focused summer academies, the opportunity to take college courses and many other options. Please visit the Penn Summer High School Programs page for full details on available courses, admissions and eligibility.л_
One Jump
New dates coming soon
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
July 3 2016
9th / 10th / 11th
August 9 2017
Summer Program
July 3 2016
July 23 2016
New dates coming soon
Science, Health and Medicine


text:
Nintendo 3DS puts portability into 3-D
Nintendo has always marched to the beat of its own drum, and the rhythm has rarely faltered in the past five years with the one-two punch of the DS and the Wii. The dual displays and touch-screen took portable gaming beyond just being a watered-down console experience, while the Wii and its motion controls created a new category of gaming altogether.
But Nintendo can also come off as the perfectionist who can't stop tinkering with his own toys: witness the four versions of the DS and three of the Wii controller.
Coming into this dichotomy is the 3DS, a new portable system with a 3-D screen launching Sunday at $249. It follows the Nintendo approach of building gameplay around a novel interface and might signal something of a hat trick for Nintendo in light of challenges in portable gaming from smart-phone apps and increasing technical muscle from rival Sony.
It's a looker of a machine, with a form factor that closely follows the sleek lines of the DS from the Lite model onward. Aside from some slightly different button positions (including a Wii-like "Home" button along the bottom), what's immediately noticeable are an analog nub above the d-pad, and a slightly wider screen at the top.
The wow factor comes from this top screen, which is capable of a stereoscopic 3-D effect without glasses. The images take on a convincing illusion of depth to the naked eye, like an exaggerated version of a hologram sticker.
The 3-D does have its limitations: the screen must be viewed straight on and at a particular distance (adjustable with a slider) to work properly; look at a slight angle or too closely and the images take on the familiar double blur.
The depth of the screen may also be disappointingly subtle for anyone expecting projectiles to fly out toward them. But for a diorama box come to life, the effect is uncanny.
It's a fancy parlor trick worth showing off to friends, especially when the 3DS comes equipped with dual cameras that can take 3-D images - probably the neatest feature out of the box.
But I'm thinking more and more that the 3-D is merely an initial hook, and that the system's real strength lies in its forays into augmented reality.
Those same cameras also display and manipulate whatever is in front of you, including a handful of AR cards included in the box that contain mini-games and virtual figures. A card placed on the table top will wobble and spring into a landscape of archery targets.
Sensors keep track of your position and adjust the image accordingly; it's up to you to move around different angles to shoot the targets. Coupled with 3-D, the top screen can resemble a magic window.
Face Raiders, a shooting game also built into the system, takes a picture of your face and uses distorted versions of your own head that seem to tear through the fabric of reality. But since the heads come at you from all directions, you'll frequently be spinning and turning the screen, which is tough to do while maintaining the proper angle and distance for the 3-D to work.
You can turn off the 3-D altogether, but then comes the nagging notion that you're playing an upgraded version of the DS.
Luckily a few passive functions in sleep mode really set the system apart: A pedometer that converts steps into coins for in-game purchases, as well as displaying your daily activity in a bar chart. And a feature called Street Pass automatically exchanges gaming information with other 3DSes in the vicinity. That information then generates characters to use in the RPG-lite mini-game Street Pass Quest.
It's a smart way for the system to quietly assert itself. Sure, you may already carry a smart phone, but it doesn't hurt to keep a 3DS around, too.
That's not a slam-dunk strategy in lieu of killer apps, though Super Street Fighter IV: 3-D Edition and Pilotwings Resort come close (for a roundup of select launch titles, go to www.sfgate.com/blogs/culture).
Still, the 3DS comes with enough functionality out of the box to hold its own weight even without a cartridge. Consider these features a blueprint. For a third time, Nintendo has our attention on the strength of its ideas; now it's a matter of seeing what it does with them.
E-mail Erick Wong at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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green cars of austin brauchte ein neues Logo Design und hat einen Wettbewerb auf 99designs gestartet.
Aus 162 Designs von 55 Designern wurde eine Gewinner gewählt.
Our design task involves the combination of a unique logo and business card designs. The contest guidelines include the obvious 'think green', but also must be as far removed from the 'status quo car dealer' business model. Colors and font will be important. We are also undecided on a tag line so any/many suggestions are welcome!
green cars of austin
Green Cars of Austin is a unique independent used vehicle dealership that will offer a variety of used hybrid, electric, and higher gas mileage vehicles with lower carbon footprints. Our business model shares no similarities to the current, typical, used car dealer business model. We are consultants for our customers and provide research and information for them to help make the best informed decision on the vehicle that best suits their needs. Our pricing is pre-set and 1 price (no back and forth haggling).
We're looking for a very innovative logo and style of business card--nothing traditional, please.
- Item 1...The logo/business card contest should include the obvious---think 'green'---from colors to font and format.
- Logo needs to combine both elements of 'green' and 'car'
- I'd prefer the usual lighter greens and blues, yellow (?), orange/rust, lighter browns(?)---think organic.
- script should be all lower case with the (possible) exception of my name and title which could read "Trent McClure, President"
- Font size for "green cars" should be larger than that of "of Austin"
- Must be very innovative and unconventional yet organic, cheerful, welcoming, and professional
- For business card---a front anc back that includes the following info:
- green cars of austin
- 4700 south lamar blvd
- austin, texas 78745
- 512.555.1978 p
- 512.555.0727 f
- http://www.greencarsofaustin.com
- email@example.com
- Trent McClure, President
- Item 1...Anything REMOTELY close to the stereotypical, used car dealer---this is IMPERATIVE.
- Nothing traditional, please
- No typical images of automobiles---but will need SOMETHING(S) that connotates both 'green' and 'car'
- Cursive script
Finden Sie heraus, wie ein Designwettbewerb funktioniert, oder lernen Sie mehr über unsere Logo-Design-Angebote.


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Weather summary for Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia:Fortunately, thanks to the always useful Duncan Temple Lang's XML package (see here for a tutorial about XML programming under R), it is straightforward to write few lines of R code to invoke the google weather api for the location of interest, retrieve the XML file, parse it using the XPath paradigm and get the required informations:
The weather in Trieste is clear. The temperature is currently 14°C (57°F). Humidity: 63%.
address="Trieste" url = paste( "http://www.google.com/ig/api?weather=", URLencode(address), sep="" ) xml = xmlTreeParse(url, useInternalNodes=TRUE) # take a look at the xml output: # Get the required informations: condition=xpathSApply(xml,"//xml_api_reply/weather/current_conditions/condition",xmlGetAttr,"data") temp_c=xpathSApply(xml,"//xml_api_reply/weather/current_conditions/temp_c",xmlGetAttr,"data") humidity=xpathSApply(xml,"//xml_api_reply/weather/current_conditions/humidity",xmlGetAttr,"data") cat( paste("The Weather in ", address, " is ", condition, ". The temperature is ", temp_c, "°C. Humidity is ", humidity, "%.") )
Times ago I came to the conclusion that the best way to organize my R code is to create packages even for basic tasks. I know that It seems too much effort for this trivial task (and it was in the past) but fortunately, thanks to the Hadley Wickham's devtools package development It has become a piece of cake process (sort of)!
Below I present the minimal workflow I used to create this simple package. For a proper introduction to package development using devtools take a look at this link.
First create the skeleton for the project using the package.skeleton() function:
package.skeleton("pkg")Read './pkg/Read-and-delete-me' file, compile the DESCRIPTION fiels according to your needs and delete './pkg/Read-and-delete-me'.
Now the devtools magic:
library("devtools") pkg <- as.package("pkg") # pkg is the directory containing the structure created using package.skeleton()Create your functions and documentation following the roxygen literate programming paradigm: basically you write your functions together with its documentation using in the preamble tags such as @param, @example, etc. to indicate the different constituents of the functions and devtools automagically will create the functions' documentation (.Rd files).
Then you test your code, try your examples, verify that your package passes the check without errors and warnings, build it and, if you like, you can ftp it directly to CRAN (disclaimer: I didn't check this feature)!
load_all(pkg, reset=T) # to reload the package without having to restart R document(pkg) # to be used together with roxygen2 to creating the corresponding Rd files run_examples(pkg) # to check the examples for the different functions devtools:::check(pkg) # to verified if your package raises errors or warnings devtools:::build(pkg) install(pkg) # install your package # release()
Final consideration: the devtools package improved significantly my day-by-day workflow and I want to thank Hadley Wickham for this and all the other valuable packages he gifted the R community!
P.S. If you like to install the RWeather package I created using devtools, you can do it by typing:
install.packages("RWeather", repos="http://R-Forge.R-project.org")or download the source code from here.
P.S.2 I'd like to thank Kay Cichini for this post which explains how to set-up the syntax-highlighting for the R code on Blogger.
Update: Thanks to the useful info I got from this Python module, now RWeather can show weather information from Yahoo! Weather, Google Weather and NOAA APIs.
From now the stable version of the package can be installed directly from CRAN:


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Racquetball and Squash Courts
Join the Washington College Competitive racquetball and squash ladder.
The ladder was created last year due to high interest from faculty, staff, and students. Anyone is welcome to join the ladder, no matter the skill level.
Throughout each week, players will keep track of their wins and losses. After the conclusion of one to two weeks there will be a re-ranking of individuals due to each game's outcome. Once everyone is ranked the players will be able to challenge individuals of higher rank, helping to move themselves up the ladder. The ladder will consist of players names, rank, and e-mail. Towards the end of the semester top players in the ladders will play in a round robin tournament resulting in one person becoming the Squash and Racquetball Champion at Washington College.


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Jess Layered Hoop And Faux Pearl Earrings
Jess Layered Hoop And Faux Pearl Earrings
Product code: DZZ37423
50% Off Everything!
$6.00 $12.00
Style NotesEarrings are the must-have accessory of the moment. From simple studs, to statement drop designs, our accessory collection features the hottest earrings around— because we are all about keeping you in this seasons style loop.
Details & CareONE SIZE. Length:8CM/3.2" Width:4CM/1.5"
Shipping info
Shipping option Shipping times Shipping cost New Zealand Standard Shipping Up to 17 business days $9.99 per order New Zealand Express Shipping Up to 14 business days. Not available for PO Box / Parcel Collect addresses, delivery may take longer in very remote areas. $19.99 per order
Click here for further information.
Returns info
We hope you are satisfied with all of your purchases but if you ever need to return an item, you can do so within 60 days days from the date shown on your dispatch note.
Please note, we cannot offer refunds on cosmetics and pierced jewellery or on swimwear and lingerie if the hygiene seal is not in place or has been broken.
Click here to view our full Returns Policy.


text:
It's been a struggle the last few weeks not to go in detail about how frustrating it's been to own an injury-prone fantasy team. The biggest reason is simple: it can be much, much worse.
It's been a struggle the last few weeks not to go in detail about how frustrating it's been to own an injury-prone fantasy team.
The biggest reason is simple: it can be much, much worse.
How about owning a player with immense potential — who has realized said potential in the past — that simply refuses to perform on a weekly basis?
For example, we're going into the eighth week of the season and I still don't know where Chris Johnson (TEN) is.
I can't figure it out.
But whoever this imposter is decided last Sunday to place the blame on anyone but himself. Clearly Johnson doesn't know where he is either, because the player he once was isn't the player we've seen this season.
So as a prelude to the second annual Pix Six Weekly Midseason All-Stars edition, I'll present the first annual Pick Six Weekly Milk Carton Edition.
The Milk Carton Edition of this column will highlight six players this season who have simply not shown up at all this season. These are six players who had the expectations of being top-tier players who simply haven't lived up to their billing — some haven't even come close.
Please note these aren't players who have missed weeks due to injuries. That's just too easy.
Here's the list:
Milk Carton Duds
QB: Philip Rivers (SD)
RB: Chris Johnson (TEN), Rashard Mendenhall (PIT)
WR: Brandon Lloyd (DEN/STL), Mike Williams (TB),
TE: Marcedes Lewis (JAC)
Joe Flacco (BAL) barely missed the cut because he wasn't expected to throw like Rivers has in the past. Rivers, however, was drafted as high as the second round in leagues and the fact there's 16 quarterbacks better than him, even with a bye week, says a lot about how poorly he's played.
Rivers got his tight end back in Antonio Gates, but even that didn't help is overall production after a porous seven points last week.
Where is the real Philip Rivers?
It's been noted that Johnson has been avoiding contact of late. Has Johnson become the next Shaun Alexander? Fantasy owners dread to think it, but after Johnson earned his cash, the third-year back is playing like a broke down, old and gimpy 15-year veteran.
There were Mendenhall sightings in Week 6 against Jacksonville, but the back disappeared again against a very subpar Arizona defense.
Mendenhall was projected by many to be a low-end first round pick in fantasy drafts.
No receiver has more disappearances in the NFL than Brandon Lloyd. Here today, gone for several weeks. Lloyd allowed Eric Decker to outplay him in Denver and was traded to St. Louis. He's not playing like a No. 1 receiver like he had last season and his inconsistent ways has reared its head again.
Williams is having that second-year Tampa Bay wideout luck this season a la Michael Clayton (NYG). And Marcedes Lewis was a waste of a fantasy draft pick, as is everyone not named Maurice Jones-Drew in Jacksonville.
Can't Wait! Waiver Wire Pickups
In case you didn't hear me last week, pick up DeMarco Murry (DAL)!
Murry had 253 yards and a touchdown last week against the lowly St. Louis Rams. In comparison, Chris Johnson has 268 yards through six starts.
If you liked him, then you should put a claim on him.
Darren McFadden (OAK) has what's been termed a "mildly sprained foot" so as insurance, pick up Michael Bush. Bush has shown fantasy starter potential in the past so, it'd be in your best interest to get him if he's named the starter in Week 9.
Speaking of injury prone players, Beanie Wells (ARI) is hurt again and Alfonso Smith is projected to be the starting back if Wells can't go.
There's been a lot of running back injuries in recent weeks and with byes for Atlanta, Chicago, Green Bay, NY Jets, Oakland and Tampa Bay, there's a good chance many of you need a back or two.
QB: AJ Feely (STL)
RB: Murray (DAL), Bush (OAK), Smith (ARI)
WR: Jabar Gaffney (WSH)
Breakin' Bread List
Drew Brees (NO) was amazing last week. Also so amazing that I forgot I put both McFadden and Ray Rice (BAL) on the Breakin' Bread list last week.
Brees and Arian Foster (HOU) sure did make up for lost times in Week 7 and I'm expected elite numbers from them again Week 8.
QB: Brees (NO) at St. Louis, Tom Brady (NE) at Pittsburgh
RB: Foster (HOU) vs. Jacksonville, Adrian Peterson (MIN) at Carolina
WR: Calvin Johnson (DET) at Denver, Steve Smith (CAR) vs. Minnesota
The Purple Drank list — presented by Jim Harbaugh
The Harbaughs can't stay off the Purple Drank (list) can they?
So let me get this straight. While Joe Flacco (BAL) was throwing the football like it was 1949 Monday night, the Baltimore Ravens decided to throw the ball more?
I mean, against the Jacksonville Jaguars? How the Jags have two wins this year almost baffles me as much as Ray Rice's rushing attempt total.
For those keeping track at home, this is the same Jacksonville team that allowed Mendenhall to have a rare 100-yard performance this year.
Rice? Well, he only had eight carries against the Jags while Mendenhall had 23.
QB: Blaine Gabbert (JAC) at Houston, John Beck (WAS) at Buffalo
RB: Leon Washington (SEA) vs. Cincinnati, DeAngelo Williams (CAR) vs. Minnesota
WR: Torrey Smith (BAL) vs. Arizona, Reggie Wayne (IND) at Tennessee
Don't sleep on my sleepers
QB: Andy Dalton (CIN) at Seattle, Alex Smith (SF) vs. Cleveland
RB: Mark Ingram (NO) at St. Louis, Javon Ringer (TEN) vs. Indianapolis,
WR: Antonio Brown (PIT) vs. New England, Naaman Roosevelt (BUF) vs. Washington
Joey Baskerville writes his column every Wednesday. He can be reached at email@example.com or @jmark79 on Twitter.


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Operational spending at Benjamin Franklin Middle School in Sangamon County is 16 percent less than the average Chicago public school.
Benjamin Franklin Middle School is in the Springfield SD 186 school district, where operational spending is $12,704 per year, per student.
In the Chicago Public School District (CPS), the average school spends $15,120 per year, per student.
The number of students per classroom at Benjamin Franklin Middle School is actually fewer than at CPS. At Benjamin Franklin Middle School, there are 20 students per classroom, while at CPS, there are 24.
However, at CPS, while schools are staffed for full enrollment, 27 percent of students are "chronically truant." That means adjusted for actual student attendance, CPS has 17.5 students per classroom.
At Benjamin Franklin Middle School, the truancy rate is 8.7 percent.
The Chicago Teachers Union has called on state taxpayers to increase state funding to CPS by 33 percent, or to $20,000 per student. City officials are considering filing a federal lawsuit to require the rest of Illinois to provide this funding.
40.5 percent of students at Benjamin Franklin Middle School earned a passing score on the 2015 Illinois standardized K-12 test, or PARCC exam.
On the same exam, 25 percent of CPS students earned a passing score.


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NotAtAllStrange necesitaba un nuevo diseño de página web y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 41 diseños de 12 diseñadores freelance.
Up and coming Australian design agency looking for a high quality website that reflects the quality our clients expect. Swamped with client work, we simply do not have time to justify working on our own site. Our experience with this contest may determine how we handle future overflow work.
Home page design $250
Detail Page $100
Package Comparison Page $100
Files to be provided as a layered photoshop file (PSD). No HTML/CSS coding required.
Not At All Strange
Not At All Strange provides branding services to small businesses and NGOs. Our packages are tied to our 3 core offerings - Web Design and Development, Print Design and Execution, Identity and Brand Management. Our tagline (which we do want on the site just yet), is "Big ideas for small business? Nothing strange about that".
- 1 home page
- 1 detail page (will be used for about us, contact us, etc)
- 1 package comparison page (similar to the detail page but with a table comparing the details of each our packages)Layout
- 950px wide fixed layout
- home page less than 750px high
- detail pages can be any length, but no shorter than the home pageLogo
- logo can be found at
- logo will be altered by us at a later date and should be used as isType
- Frutiger, Futura or equivalent for key message
- all other font choices to be planned with web usage in mind and browser type limitations taken into account
- we require styles for h1, h2, h3 and body text
- any text should be taken from http://loremipsum.net/ as we are not looking for creative writingColor Palette
There are 3 key components to our business, and there will be 3 equivalent sections within the website. We do not require design for these sections, but we would like a color palette to work with. So, for example we might use green as the section color for our web design and development section, blue for our print design and execution section etc. Ideally we would like to keep the color palette small with the focus being on section colors alone.
As mentioned previously, we are only looking for a single key image per page. Any images used should be available within iStockPhoto and will be purchased by us at a later date. iStockPhoto allows you to download a free complimentary version of any image you find for use in your design. This comp. image will be low resolution and will scale poorly, but we will replace it with a high resolution image at a later date, and will not take image quality into account when rating a design.
Examples of the type of imagery we are looking to use can be found via the following link.
Home Page
A single advertisement style piece should be central to the home page, with both a single key image (isolated with no background and no edges), and a single key message (10 - 20 words).
Page copy should be secondary to this key message and should be noticed after the key message, meaning that the key message should really stand out. I am not a fan of starbursts, glow effects or drop shadows on key imagery and would like both the key image and the key message to stand out based upon quality alone. Large fonts, and high quality background isolated images should be enough to take care of this.
There will need to be page copy included elsewhere in the page . As an indication, you can expect a maximum of somewhere in the vicinity of say 2 paragraphs of 5-7 lines, with around 7-10 words per line.
Detail Page
As with the home page, a single advertisement style piece should be central to the detail page, with
both a single key image (isolated with no background and no edges), and
a single key message (10 - 20 words). This may be positioned different to the home page, and sized a lot smaller, but should definitely be present, and should still be the first thing a user notices.
There may be extensive page copy included elsewhere in the detail page and consideration will need to be made for this. As
an indication, you can expect a minimum of somewhere in the vicinity of
say 8 paragraphs of 5-7 lines, with around 7-10 words per line.
Package Comparison Page
As with the home page, a single advertisement style piece should be central to the detail page, with
both a single key image (isolated with no background and no edges), and
a single key message (10 - 20 words). This may be positioned different to the home page, and sized a lot smaller, but should definitely be present, and should still be the first thing a user notices.
The package comparison page should contain a table similar in nature to the table found on the following site - that is to say the text contained within the table will be similar, the table can be totally different.
I am a very big fan of good typography, and good use of fonts will be noticed. Check out any of the articles doing the rounds at the moment regarding web 2.0 typography, or web 2.0 fonts, if you need ideas.
The center piece of the site will be the advertising style pieces used throughout, so thought should really be given to how these center pieces can really be made to sing.
The site should demonstrate class, and with this in mind extensive use of white space is important. Clutter looks cheap. We are looking for images to be used only when required, or when they achieve something. This sounds like it would make the design easier, but it actually makes things harder, as alignment and proximity become the most important parts of the design. Elements that should go togeter should be placed together. Elements that should be separate should be placed apart, or contrasted via size, or weight, or color.
I sound fussy in the brief, but in actual fact I am just trying to make things easier. I provide good feedback and will let you know exactly what I am thinking. I don;t bite heads off, and am discreet when providing criticism.
Ask questions if you have any. This is a very short contest and we are looking for a design we can use immediately. The more questions you ask the better your design will match our expectations. I'll make a point of answering any questions as soon as I get them.
- classy web 2.0 feel
- generous use of white space
- subtle gradients
and implied edges rather than hard borders
- very minimalistic
- single high quality isolated image per page with careful typographyExamples
Ignore the style of the following example, but take into account the content. This is meant to demonstrate my idea of a single key message and a single key image per page. Please note that this is a content example though, and we do not want flash or a sketched design.
The following example shows the subtle web 2.0 feel we are looking for, although the main content at the bottomis a bit scrappy. The upper half of the page is great. I like the inplied edges (eg. the bottom left borders in the header) and the fact that a whole border is not required.
I do not like the design of this site, but the table demonstrated on this page is similar to what we will need to place within our own package comparison page. Please note that this example is only included for content. The table is not meant to indicate design preferences.
Examples of the type of imagery we are looking to use can be found via the following link.
- busy pages or too much content
- borders or boxes or containers - any grid should be implied onlyAlthough the following example caters to a similar audience, and I like each of the design elements, the site is a good example of what we do not want. The site confuses the eye as there are too many things that draw your
attention all at once. We would like a definite hierarchy of attention.
We are looking for the user to notice things in the following order:
key image and key message, page content, logo, and then navigation.


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All Saints Episcopal Church
Combining high-church Episcopalian pomp with liberal social activism, All Saints draws occasional national attention, like its run-in with the IRS over its tax-exempt status. It's been a longtime leader in Pasadena, starting and then spinning off a number of excellent nonprofits, from Union Station to Young & Healthy. Offerings include frequent services, a fantastic children's choir program, Sunday-school classes, adult education that brings in speakers from all walks of life, youth activities, social-justice programs and ministries for all sorts of groups, from gays and lesbians to diabetics and seniors.
132 N. Euclid Ave., Pasadena, 626.796.1172, allsaints-pas.org
First Congregational Church of Pasadena
A member of the United Church of Christ, this grand and beautiful church is home to a liberal Christian congregation that meets on Sundays for worship services. It also hosts classes and a choir for children, a Lambda group for gay and lesbian congregants and a Justice and Peace outreach ministry.
464 E. Walnut St., Pasadena, 626.795.0696 , uccpasadena.org
Holy Family Church
A huge and vibrant Catholic community, Holy Family attracts parishioners from well outside its parish boundaries, thanks in no small part to the longtime, dynamic leadership of Monsignor Clem Connolly. The church runs a highly regarded parochial school, a bookstore, lots of outreach programs (food for the homeless, fair-trade merchandise, social-justice activism and a commitment to a community in Haiti), bible study, social events and, of course, plenty of masses.
1527 Fremont Ave., South Pasadena, 626.799.8908, holyfamily.org
La Cañada Presbyterian
There's never a dull moment at this big, bustling church, which hews to mainstream Presbyterian doctrine and is a pillar of La Cañada life. It sponsors an exceptional roster of outreach programs, from house building in Tijuana to feeding homeless folks locally, and its social and volunteer programs for kids and teens are terrific. The parent-ed classes are also a big draw.
626 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada, 818.790.6708, lacanadapc.org
Lake Avenue Church
Pasadena's Christian megachurch occupies almost an entire city block just north of the 210 Freeway, and something is always going on here, from community meetings to huge worship services to lively teen gatherings. A theologically conservative place, it offers a lot of local and international outreach programs, which emphasize evangelicalism as much as helping the needy.
393 N. Lake Ave., Pasadena, 626.844.4700, lakeave.org
Masjid Gibrael
This growing Islamic mosque has been improving itself, adding a minaret, classroom space and a larger prayer room. Besides providing a venue for daily prayer, it offers children's Arabic classes and such special events as post-Ramadan potlucks.
1301 E. Las Tunas Dr., San Gabriel, 626.285.2573, masjidgibrael.org
Neighborhood Unitarian-Universalist Church
A place of peace and thoughtfulness, this longtime Unitarian church occupies a beautiful campus next door to the Gamble House. In Unitarian fashion, the services draw on many traditions, from Christianity the Buddhism. Neighborhood sponsors excellent music, youth education and social-justice programs, and it also serves as the home for Pasadena Pro Musica. The adult-education classes (ranging from sustainable living to a survey of world religions) are often worthwhile, and it gets politically involved on a regular basis, most recently with the marriage-equality issue.
301 N. Orange Grove Blvd., Pasadena, 626.449.3470, uuneighborhood.org
Pasadena Buddhist Church
Established in 1948, this Buddhist temple, complete with a serene teahouse in the garden, has Sunday-morning services in English, followed by classes in both English and Japanese. It sponsors a lovely Obon Festival every summer to honor the memories of the deceased.
1993 Glen Ave., Pasadena, 626.798.4781, pasadenabuddhisttemple.org
Pasadena Church of God
This predominately African-American church has a more modern vibe than the old-line AME and Baptist churches—it's made a commitment, for instance, to the American Cancer Society's Body & Soul campaign aimed at black churches, so fruit and granola bars are served after Sunday school instead of doughnuts. Besides Sunday services, you'll find bible study, prayer groups, choir and youth program.
404 E. Washington Blvd., Pasadena, 626.794.2951, pasadenachurch.com
Pasadena Jewish Temple & Center
Although this temple is technically allied with the conservative movement, it honors a diverse range of Jewish belief and practices (including interfaith families) and has a hip young rabbi. It's a busy and engaged community, with a strong adult-education schedule, events for young families, a full roster of Shabbat and holiday services and good community-service groups, from the Green Committee to the United Synagogue Youth Program for high school kids.
1434 N. Altadena Dr., Pasadena, 626.798.1161, pjtc.net
St. Andrew Catholic Church
What sets this church apart is its architecture and art—it's a must-visit, regardless of your religious orientation. Inspired by the Renaissance churches of Rome, it is a building of exceptional grace and color; take some time to really look at the artwork, which fills every inch of the place. Besides its beauty, it boasts a large and active community, a parochial school, plenty of masses in both English and Spanish, and all sorts of ministries and programs.
311 N. Raymond Ave., Old Pasadena, 626.792.4183, saintandrewpasadena.org
Saint Anthony's Greek Orthodox Church
A community center as much as a church, Saint Anthony's offers everything from Greek folk dance and Greek school to youth groups and traditional bible study. Liturgies are held weekdays and Sundays. Its fall Greek Fest is a great party for the whole town, with Greek food, music and dance.
778 S. Rosemead Blvd., East Pasadena, 626.449.6943, saint-anthonys.org
St. Elizabeth of Hungary
A warm, friendly Catholic parish, St. E's, as it is known, has a respectable parochial school, an active community, a handsome Spanish-style church and a peaceful and lovely grotto that we highly recommend you visit, whether or not you are Catholic.
1879 N. Lake Ave., Altadena, 626.797.1167, saintelizabethchurch.org
Temple Sinai of Glendale
This welcoming Reform temple draws people from all over Pasadena and Altadena as well as Glendale and Eagle Rock. It's home to Shabbat services, lots of bar and bat mitzvahs on Saturdays, Hebrew school and good opportunities for community service, from Habitat for Humanity homebuilding to holiday toy drives.
1212 N. Pacific Ave., Glendale, 818.246.8101, temple-sinai.net


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$42.00 $52.00 You Save 19% ($10.00)
This sisal and yarn woven basket is handmade by a weaving group in southeastern Kenya, by women of the Kamba tribe. Sourcing sisal locally and purchasing yarn in the market, the women make these strikingly beautiful baskets. Use this African basket as a planter, storage basket, or shelf decor and add a pop of color to your home!
Color: Green, Lime, Blue, Orange, White
11" Wide x 11" Tall
Amsha works directly with artisans to produce handmade goods in order to create a lasting and positive impact. We use locally sourced and recycled materials in order to reduce our carbon footprint and to ensure that our social impact extends to our supply chain.
When you purchase an Amsha good, our artisans earn 2- 3 times as much as they would in their local market. We support a living wage and benefits that go beyond fair trade.


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21 Disney Park secrets only insiders know
While Disney's off-season is shrinking and shrinking every year, there are times when the parks are significantly less crowded. Pockets in January (that aren't Martin Luther King Jr. weekend) and February will see the lowest crowds after a bustling Christmas season. Late August and the month of September are also good options as children return to school - just avoid Labor Day weekend. Pay attention to crowd calendars such as Undercover Tourist when booking and you can avoid major crowds at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World.Walt Disney World
Check for deals before you book
Disney vacations certainly are expensive, but you can get discounts and deals if you keep your (Mickey) ears to the ground. Every year, Walt Disney World releases free dining to fill their resorts during times they expect to be slow. Along with free dining plans for resort guests, Disney will also offer room-only discounts during this time period for folks less interested in the free food, which is usually tied to a full-price hotel room. If you pay attention to these deals and other bundles advertised before you book, you can save a ton on your trip. And that's not the only way to save money at Walt Disney World!Shutterstock
Annual Passes can save you lots of money
It may seem counterintuitive to become an annual passholder member because the up-front costs are pretty significant. As of this writing, an annual pass to Walt Disney World starts at $894.00 and an annual passport to Disneyland (with blackout dates) starts at $799. But if you and your family are frequent Disney vacationers, it could be worth it. Passholders get discounts on dining, merchandise, special events, photos and select resort activities.Walt Disney World/Matt Stroshane, photographer
If you missed that dinner reservation, check and check again
It's not easy to land a meal at Be Our Guest, Cinderella's Royal Table or the Plaza Inn, but if you don't see those coveted reservations open at 180 days (for Walt Disney World) or 60 days (for Disneyland), don't fret just yet! Guests frequently drop their reservations as plans change, up to 24 hours before their reservation time. You never know what highly sought-after place you could find yourself at if you check the day before.Yelp / Plaza Inn
Same with Fastpasses
At Walt Disney World, guests who stay on site can book three Fastpasses per day 60 days before the first night of their stay. That means Fastpasses for popular rides like Seven Dwarves Mine Train, Flight of Passage and Peter Pan's Flight get gobbled up before other guests can book them (30 days before a visit). But! Plans change, so keep checking for Fastpasses in the weeks leading up to your trip and even while you're at the park. You just might be able to walk on to Slinky Dog Dash instead of waiting in an 80-minute line.Walt Disney World/Matt Stroshane, photographer
You can book a lot of Fastpasses per day
At Walt Disney World, you can book three Fastpasses per day in advance of even visiting your chosen theme park of the day. But did you know that after your first three Fastpasses are used you can book even more? Yep! Check the My Disney Experience app the moment you use your final pre-booked Fastpass of the day and you can set up a brand-new experience. At Disneyland, if you have MaxPass added on to your ticket you can book a new Fastpass as soon as your time window opens up. It doesn't matter whether or not you've used your other Fastpass yet.Joshua Sudock/Disneyland Resort
After-hours parties are worth the extra cost
At Walt Disney World during select nights during the winter and spring, the theme parks host a Disney After Hours event, where a very limited number of guests have access to the majority of attractions for three hours. And when we say "limited number of guests," we mean it. The parks feel empty during these parties. And while that time period may sound short, you can get so much done when you basically have free reign over Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios or the Magic Kingdom. You can just walk on to the best Disney theme park attractions of all time with no wait.Walt DIsney World/Kent Phillips, photographer
Avoid Extra Magic Hours
While Disney After Hours are worth looking into for you and your family, Extra Magic Hours is something that Disney park frequenters know to avoid. On both coasts, guests who stay at a Disney resort will have access to one theme park one hour before (or after) its open to regular day guests. While this may seem like a great way to get a lot done early when you stay on property, you're not the only guest who has this idea. After that first hour is over, resort guests without Park Hopper passes are going to be at that park all day long. Thus, that park is apt to be more crowded throughout the day and wait times are generally going to be much, more longer. Walking right on to Splash Mountain at 8 a.m. will feel pointless when you have to wait 40 minutes to get on Dumbo at 3 o'clock.Walt Disney World/Matt Stroshane, photographer
Go to the parks early, stay late
If you're up for it, going to the parks right when they open at Rope Drop is a great way to get a lot of big rides done early in the day. Heavy-hitters like Space Mountain, Radiator Springs Racers and Frozen Ever After will have significantly shorter lines first thing in the morning before most of the crowds enter the parks. Similarly, after the fireworks, people leave both Disneyland and Walt Disney World en masse. Sticking around for the final hour or two of the night will allow you to hop from attraction to attraction. If you find this schedule exhausting, don't worry! You can always head back to your resort in the middle of the day to relax.Joshua Sudock/Disneyland Resort
Eat when people ride; ride when people eat
The key to knowing how to conquer Disney like a true pro is to be a bit contrarian. Not only should you get to the parks early and stay late, but the secret to having a quick and easy day is to eat when people ride and ride when people eat. You'll see this advice a lot, and that's because it's true! You're far more likely to score a reservation to Lamplight Lounge or Le Cellier at 4 p.m. than you are at 6:30. Plus, while all those 6 o'clock eaters are chowing down, wait times for popular rides like the Incredicoaster or Soarin' are bound to drop.Joshua Sudock/Disneyland Resort
Don't always trust the wait times
The My Disney Experience app is amazing for quickly and easily checking on wait times. There's no point in schlepping across Disneyland to ride Indiana Jones Adventure if it has a 50-minute line! And while we love that convenience, you can't always trust the wait times posted on your app or even at the front of the line. If you wander upon It's a Small World and happen to see people queued till the very end of the show building but the posted time is only 15 minutes, don't hop in that line. On the other hand, at the end of the night, Disney is known to inflate times to discourage guests from getting in line at 9:45 when the park closes at 10. Is Flight of Passage really at two hours? Maybe. But probably not.Yelp/Rekha S.
Ride solo
Unless you're traveling with small children, take advantage of single rider lines on both coasts. Radiator Springs Racers at Disney California Adventure can rack up a 90-minute wait easily. But if you enter through the single riders' entrance, you can basically walk right on the attraction. At Disneyland, a number of big rides like Incredicoaster, Grizzly River Run, Matterhorn Bobsleds and Space Mountain have single rider lines. At Walt Disney World, you'll only find them for the big thrill rides (Test Track, Expedition Everest and Rock 'n' Roller Coaster).Paul Hiffmeyer/Disneyland Resort
Some seats ARE better than others
Disney will claim that every seat is a good seat on every single one of their attractions. While that is true a majority of the time, some spots on some attractions are just better than others. If you want to truly feel the dips and swerves of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad or Seven Dwarves Mine Train, you want to be in the back. And the center seat on the top row of Soarin' (ask for B1) has the best views of the screen without any dangling feet in your periphery.Paul Hiffmeyer/Disneyland Resort
Freebies do exist
Free? At Disney?! Yes, some things do come at no cost. The famous celebration buttons marking first visits, birthdays and anniversaries are complimentary on both coasts. At Walt Disney World, you can also pick up a pack of Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom cards from Main Street U.S.A. If you play the interactive game, great! If not, you get a cool memento to take home with you. Epcot also has the world-famous Club Cool, where you can try exotic sodas from around the world for free. You can also stumble upon free stickers, free food samples and free mementos and ride maps if you keep your eyes peeled.Yelp/Melissa R.
Bring your own water bottle
Speaking of freebies, did you know that quick service locations at every Disney park offer free cups of ice water to guests? It's true! So don't waste $4 buying a bottle of Dasani, just bring your own refillable water bottle. Not only are there water fountains throughout the parks, but you can also carefully stuff all that ice and cold water into your own bottle to stay hydrated. Seriously, it's important!Shutterstock
Mobile ordering is key
Clearly, Disney park insiders know how to save time at the theme parks. But you don't just wait in line for the rides and character meet-and-greets. Oh yes, you will wait in line for the food at Disney parks too. Or will you? In 2017, Walt Disney World launched its mobile ordering option on the My Disney Experience app; Disneyland followed suit in 2018. Guests simply select a restaurant and an arrival time and place a food order from their smartphone. Then, when you're within a certain distance of the chosen restaurant, you check in, and your meal will be ready within minutes at a specially-designated window. It's the best time-saver we can think of.Walt Disney World/Matt Stroshane, photographer
Budget with Disney gift cards
Budgeting for a Disney vacation is no joke. But theme park pros know the best way to budget at Disney is by purchasing Disney gift cards. When you're on property, they're as good as cash and can be spent on food, merchandise, extra recreation, hotel rooms, park tickets and more. If you know you don't want to spend more than $100 on merchandise on your trip, load a gift card for that amount. When you hit your limit, you hit it.Jeff Bukowski/Shutterstock.com
First aid isn't just for emergencies
Every Disney theme park has a first aid center, but it isn't just for fainting spells and broken bones. In fact, Disney first aid has even the smallest things available (for free!) for guests, including band-aids, over-the-counter medicines, ice packs for sprained ankles, treatment for blisters and ointment for bee stings. First aid also has a refrigerator for medications that need to be kept chilled and a much-needed air conditioned space for people who are tired of the heat. Chances are, if you need something even slightly medical-related, the first aid center has it!Yelp/Amy S.
There are hidden details EVERYWHERE
Anyone who has been to a Disney theme park knows about Hidden Mickeys, but those little symbols are only the start of the hidden details and secrets in Disney parks. See that shadowy figure above Snow White's Scary Adventures in Disneyland? That's the Evil Queen leering down at guests. Over in Disney World, take a peek at the price sticker on Rex's box in Hollywood Studios' Toy Story Land. Not only does it reveal he was bought at Al's Toy Barn, the tag reads 11 22 $19.95 or November 22, 1995, when the first 'Toy Story' film hit theatres. And that's just the start of all the Easter eggs.Yelp/Matt F.
Some of the best activities are outside the theme parks
It's hard to think of spending a day at Walt Disney World or Disneyland without going to one of the theme parks, but in fact every proper Disney vacation should have one day with no park visit planned. Outside the theme parks, you will find stunning resorts you should explore, shopping at Downtown Disney or Disney Springs and numerous magical activities such as character meals, spas and shows. If you're in Disneyland, consider these fun California activities. If you're in Orlando, consider these 21 things you can do at Disney World without a park ticket.Walt Disney World/Todd Anderson
The No. 1 way to ruin the magic is over-planning
While it's great to know which iconic Disney theme park snacks are worth your money and which park will be the least crowded on any given day, you need to be flexible when you're at Disney. There's no need to have a binder full of spreadsheets breaking down every dollar and minute of your trip. Disney vacations do take a lot of planning, but remember: It's a vacation. You can relax a bit. Trust us, we're pros - and it's one of our best tips for a fun and easy Disney vacation.
More From The Active Times:
15 Things Not to Do at Disney
Coast-to-Coast: The Best Rides at Disneyland vs. Walt Disney World
Every Attraction at Disney's Magic Kingdom, Ranked
Unique Attractions at Disney Theme Parks Around the World
10 Big Changes Coming to Walt Disney World by 2021Walt Disney World


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Amarista's pinch-hit homer helps Friars take finale
Three-run shot in seventh comes on 25th birthday, rewards Kennedy
MIAMI -- In the hours before Sunday's game, a handful of Padres players tried to convince manager Bud Black that utilityman Alexi Amarista needed to be in the starting lineup.
It was, after all, Amarista's 25th birthday.
"Some guys were giving me a hard time, how you always play a guy on his birthday," Black said. "I guess he showed me."
For a team desperate for offense, Amarista's pinch-hit, three-run home run wasn't just the critical swing in the Padres' 4-2 win over the Marlins in front of a crowd of 22,496 at Marlins Park, but it collectively lifted the spirits of a team in dire need of having something good happen to them.
"This was one of my best birthdays ever," said Amarista, with first-base coach Jose Valentin acting as his interpreter.
Amarista's big swing came at the end of a nine-pitch at-bat against Marlins pitcher Nathan Eovaldi (1-1), who was cruising up to that point. Amarista fouled off six pitches during the at-bat.
"He fell behind and extended the at-bat, got a mistake and didn't miss it," said Padres hitting coach Phil Plantier. "Alexi ... is a little sneaky strong."
Eovaldi allowed three runs on six hits with eight strikeouts in seven innings. He might have been starting to tire in that final inning, as he allowed consecutive singles with one out to Will Venable and Tommy Medica.
The pitch that really got away from Eovaldi wasn't so much the home run pitch, but the one before it.
"It was a 1-2 count, I threw that curveball," Eovaldi said. "I was hoping that would be the one pitch I'd really get him on. He took it for a ball. It was up in the zone. I came back with a slider in. He pulled it down the line, foul. He put together good at-bats. He got that one slider down and in and took it deep."
Amarista pinch-hit for Padres pitcher Ian Kennedy (1-1), who was called back from the on-deck circle. Kennedy threw 96 pitches over six innings and likely could have gone back out to at least start the seventh inning.
"I'll take that every single time," Kennedy said when asked about Amarista hitting for him.
Kennedy, using a fastball-curveball combination, got six groundouts and allowed one run. He had one walk and struck out five. The curveball, Black said, was the best he's seen since the team obtained Kennedy at the non-waiver Trade Deadline a year ago from Arizona.
"It was the most I've thrown it for strikes," Kennedy said. "And I was able to get it down, too."
The Marlins (5-2) got a run back in the bottom of the inning against reliever Alex Torres, but Yonder Alonso got a sacrifice fly in the top of the eighth inning off lefty Dan Jennings to give the Padres (2-4) some much-needed breathing room.
"He drove the ball into left-center. ... We saw that a couple of years ago when he had 39 doubles," Black said. "At times, Yonder can get a little pull-happy. But he was able to stay on the slider. It was good situational hitting by Yonder to get the run in."
From there, the bullpen trio of Dale Thayer, Joaquin Benoit and closer Huston Street -- pitching for the first time since Opening Day -- combined for 2 1/3 scoreless innings. It was Street's second save.
The Padres had gone 18 2/3 innings in this series without a run before Amarista's home run. The bats still aren't producing the way Black and the Padres would like or expect. But one swing saved their Sunday and kept them from a series sweep.
It might have also helped preserve their sanity.


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An ancient evil has returned from beyond death and threatens the very existence of the realms. Will the champion of the Elder Gods have the power to defeat the threat borne of Deception?
1 Players
See it in action
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Historically, the name "Elstree Studios" has referred to several film studios that were based in the town of Elstree and Borehamwood in Hertfordshire, England. Most of these studios are now closed, and the phrase is commonly used as the name of Elstree Film and Television Studios, a privately run production facility owned by Hertsmere Borough Council.
The Jim Henson Company filmed several movies at the studio, and The Muppet Show was filmed at one of the Elstree studios in its ITV days. George Lucas was also a regular at the studio, making the Star Wars and Indiana Jones films at Elstree.
Henson Productions
- The Muppet Show
- The Great Muppet Caper
- The Dark Crystal
- Dreamchild
- Labyrinth
- The Tale of the Bunny Picnic
- The StoryTeller
- The StoryTeller: Greek Myths
- The Hoobs
- The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Other Productions at Elstree
- Star Wars
- The Empire Strikes Back
- Raiders of the Lost Ark
- Return of the Jedi
- Return to Oz
- Superman IV: The Quest for Peace
- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
- Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
- Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith


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How to Prepare Yard Waste
Leaves and other Vegetation
Includes acorns, bark, garden plants, grass clippings, pine cones, pine needles, twigs, straw and hay.
- Bag in Kraft paper bags, compostable plastic bags, or place unbagged in a sturdy reusable container with handles. Compostable plastic bags must have the logo on the right to be accepted for collection.
- All bags must be 33 gallons in size, or less.
- All containers must be 32-38 gallons in size, no less than 26 inches in height, and have sturdy handles (no buckets, pails or collapsable containers). An example of an acceptable reusable container is on the right.
- Each bag or container must weigh less than 40 pounds.
- Sod is accepted if the dirt is removed. Dirt is not collected by garbage or yard waste collection crews.
- Minnesota State law, 115A. 931(a), prohibits disposing of yard waste with the garbage.
Brush and Prunings
Includes pieces of brush and small branches that are less than 3 inches in diameter and less than 3 feet long.
- Bundle them securely with twine or rope. Do not use wire.
- Each bundle must be less than 3 feet long.
- Each bundle must weigh less than 40 pounds.
Make sure to have your reusable containers, bags or bundles of yard waste at your alley or curb line, next to the garbage cart, by 6:00 a.m. on your garbage day.
Minneapolis Solid Waste & Recycling recommends that you not bag grass clippings but leave them on your lawn. This practice is known as grasscycling. Learn more about grasscycling.
Save Time and Money
Yard waste that is not properly prepared cannot be collected by your yard waste crew. If you take time to correct the problem, we will resume service on your next scheduled pickup day. If not you will be required to pay an additional fee for cleanup.
Other Helpful Yard Waste Sites
For additional information relating to Eco-Yard, Composting, Landscaping, Lawn Care, Gardens, Plants, Soil, as well as a Seminar Schedule, call Hennepin County Environmental Services (612) 348-3777, or visit Hennepin County's website.
Last updated Sep 19, 2019


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10 | 10 Edition - Asian cuisine with Vroni Lutz
10 | 10 Edition - Asian Cuisine by Vroni Lutz
The 10|10 edition 'Asian cuisine from and with Vroni Lutz', team chef for the professional cycling team BORA – hansgrohe, impresses with Asian recipes that are quick and easy (10|10) to make. "For me, a perfect dish should be straightforward", says Vroni. And straightforward Asian recipes are precisely what this book offers. What BORA has achieved with regard to kitchen design, Vroni focuses on when cooking: she questions the status quo and has the courage to rethink dishes and create innovations.
Born in Chiemgau, Germany, Veronika Lutz's career as a chef took off quickly within just a few years. Most of her skills are self-taught. Now, the cyclists in the BORA – hansgrohe team benefit from these too. As the team's chef, she provides healthy yet delicious meals. It was April 2015 when a young lady in a chequered lumberjack shirt appeared on the TV show 'Game of Chefs'. She came across as so natural and such a breath of fresh air that all German TV viewers fell in love. Veronika Lutz became the show's only amateur chef to make it to the final, taking third place. "Maybe it's just the way I deal with stress: by staying relaxed and talking a lot", says Vroni, as everyone knows her. "I was nervous for the first few minutes, then I simply forgot about all the cameras around me – so much so that I almost tripped over one in the heat of the action.
"We meet up with the 34-year-old in her home town of Riedering in Chiemgau, Germany, and are instantly overwhelmed by her energy. She is a mother of three: "two girls and one boy". Looking after them could be regarded as a full-time job in itself. At the moment though, she is also managing a construction site near her home. This is where a café is being built in line with Vroni's wishes. She hopes to open it next year. This will make a major dream come true for her. "We will serve breakfast, snacks and sandwiches for lunch and the classic coffee and cake in the afternoons", she tells us. However, she also wants to open one evening a week and offer a 6-course meal to a manageable number of maybe 20 guests. In typical Vroni style, this will be without airs and graces though. "I want people to sit at a long table, chat to one another and have fun. The food will be served on huge, old platters, which everyone can help themselves from." It is certainly clear that although one of her dishes in 'Game of Chefs' was deemed to be of Michelin-star quality, the product is far more important to Vroni than the culinary stars. She is committed to offering premium quality cuisine, but without stiff napkins, stiff waiters and a stiff atmosphere. We should, however, also mention that Vroni has another job too. She is the chef for the BORA – hansgrohe cycling team. It is part of BORA's corporate philosophy to entrust creative-minded people looking for a change in career with these kinds of positions of responsibility. Just as BORA revolutionized the design and function of kitchens with its products, Vroni continually questions the status quo. She has the courage to rethink dishes and create innovations. She selfconfidently does her own thing. And with great success. When talking about the cycling stars in the BORA – hansgrohe team, she refers to them as 'my guys'. With her unpretentious attitude, Vroni is very popular with the athletes and has gained the highest level of respect in the shortest of times. This is also because she understands what 'her guys' need after a race, during which they will have burned between 6,000 and 8,000 calories. "They spend six hours in the saddle so should be able to look forward to their evening meal", says Vroni simply. She understands how to conjure up a balance between healthy and delicious food with her creations. One of the team's cyclists recently commented that her food "tastes as good as in a 3-Michelin-star restaurant". "I was absolutely delighted", she admits.
She identifies so much with the cycling team that the former endurance swimmer, who was even a member of the junior national team, has now taken up road cycling herself. But let's not get distracted from the cooking. Vroni was a late-comer to the chefing world and is self-taught. She only started work as a chef during her economics degree and subsequent training to be a medical laboratory assistant. "Out of necessity", she says with a laugh. Her cooking idol was not a celebrity chef, but her mother. "We never had ready meals when I was growing up. My mum always brought in fresh ingredients from the garden and was a great cook." Vroni wanted to follow in her footsteps and quickly found that she not only loved cooking but also seemed to have a knack for it. The friends she used to love cooking for confirmed this. To raise her ambitious amateur chef activities to professional level, she helped out in the kitchen of the country inn 'Gut Apfelkam' in the nearby town of Rohrdorf. Vroni was also influenced by Italian cuisine. "My aunt lived in Tuscany and I used to go and visit her with my family whenever we had a few free days." Even today, Italy is still a place of culinary revelation for Vroni. "You often go to a restaurant and wonder how you got there", she says, "but then my mum stands at the stove and cooks the best food you've ever had." Her favourite dish is an Italian one: Melanzane alla parmigiana. However, she also draws lots of inspiration from Asian cuisine, which fascinates her with its clarity and simplicity. To such an extent that she is now bringing out a cookbook in cooperation with BORA. "This reveals how you can quickly conjure up truly impressive Asian dishes on the Tepan stainless steel grill with just a few ingredients", says Vroni in description of the work. The book forms part of the range based on the 10|10 recipe and cooking concept developed by BORA. This means that all recipes take 10 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook. "For me, a perfect dish should be straightforward", says Vroni. And straightforward Asian recipes are precisely what the book offers.
Vroni knows what she wants. What she herself regards as a weakness is perhaps her greatest strength. "I don't like listening to other people or being told what to do", she admits. Here at the edge of the Alps, we tend to describe people like Vroni as 'stubborn'. Or to put it more positively, she is focussed. And this is how she had to be to work her way up from a novice cook to a sought-after professional chef in less than ten years. She is uncompromising, but in a relaxed way. A fellow chef whose work she particularly likes is Jamie Oliver. "His dishes are very interesting", she says. "I also love his approach of going to schools and preparing lunch for the kids. With his casual demeanour, he plays a huge role in restoring children's appreciation of good nutrition." Children are also her toughest critics: "When they say they like something, I know I'm on the right track."


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Uniting Care urged to extend childcare centres' management
South Gippsland Shire Council has asked Uniting Care to extend its management of the Mirboo North and Foster childcare centres.
The council is interviewing two service providers to take over the Mirboo North Centre but there has been no interest in taking over the Foster centre.
The shire's Jan Martin says it is unlikely that new management will be ready when Uniting Care plans to leave in February.
She says Foster will need to be run by a community committee of management with some help from the council.
"The way that a centre is funded is through a Commonwealth Government funding, and from parent contributions, and South Gippsland Shire Council isn't looking to change that operational model," she said.
Topics: child-care, local-government, mirboo-north-3871, sale-3850, foster-3960


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72 Woodville Rd, Woodville SA 5011
Postal Address:
PO Box 1
Woodville SA 5011
Customer Contact counter open Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5pm.
Closed on public holidays.
Phone: 08 8408 1111
Fax: 08 8408 1122
After hours emergency service: 08 8408 1111 - when answered push 1 to be transferred.
Emergency such as; flooding, vicious dog attack, bad spill onto roadway, illegal parking etc.
Email us: email@example.com or use the contact form below: Requests, Compliments, Complaints
Customer Service Charter (1108 kb)
Our friendly and professional Customer Contact team are trained in all aspects of Council business. If you have any general inquiries, including Garbage Collection, Parking, Planning & Building Applications, Rates & Roads, Enquiries & Payments please contact us on 8408 1111.
Payments can also be made at our libraries.
Library locations and opening hours
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Phone: 08 8295 5077
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Phone: 08 8408 1350
Open: Monday to Saturday 8am to 4pm, Sunday 8am to 1pm and closed on public holidays.
At the City of Charles Sturt we welcome any comments or suggestions you may have. If you have a request for service, a general enquiry, would like to lodge a complaint or a compliment, or simply would like to provide us with feedback, please use the submission form below. If you have an issue that requires immediate attention, please phone the Council on 08 8408 1111. This phone line is monitored 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
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If you have recently changed your address and wish to let us know, please use the attached Change of Address form:
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The National Ground Water Association is offering two courses in June: "Principles of Groundwater: Flow, Transport, and Remediation" on June 8-10 at its headquarters in Westerville, Ohio; and "The New MODFLOW Course: Theory and Hands-on Applications," June 8-11 in Las Vegas, Nev.
The earlier course will examine the concepts, theories, and procedures in hydrogeology. Discussions will address the movement and occurrence of groundwater, transmissivity, hydraulic head and gradient, aquifer test procedures and analysis, water-quality characterization, solute transport, plume configuration and delineation, capture zone analysis, groundwater modeling, and remediation techniques.
The course instructors are Scott Bair, Ph.D, professor in the Department of Geological Sciences, Ohio State University and Thomas Naymik, Ph.D., a senior consultant with GeoSyntec Consultants Inc. in Columbus, Ohio.
The later course will present the theory behind MODFLOW-2005 and its related programs MODPATH, ZoneBudget, MT3D, and RT3D, and illustrates the practical development of three-dimensional groundwater flow and transport models using Visual MODFLOW.
The course instructors are Daniel Gomes, Schlumberger Water Services' Sacramento operations manager, and Robert "Bob" W. Cleary, Ph.D., currently a groundwater consultant and an adjunct professor in the groundwater program at the University of Waterloo.
To learn more about these courses, visit www.ngwa.org or call 800.551.7379.


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These are the instructions to root Posh Orion Max X550a smartphone (running on android 4.4) using the KingRoot Application on the mobile itself (no need of computer).
Requirements: Your smartphone should have at least 20 percent of device battery or more to begin the root process.
Step 1: On your Android Device, Open Settings > Security > Device Administration > Unknown Source (tick to enable it).
Step 2: Download and install KingRoot APK on your Android Device.
Step 3: Once Installation is completed, you will be able to see the following icon in the Launcher Menu:
Step 4: Tap on the KingRoot Icon to Open it. Once KingRoot Application is launched you will be able to see the following screen:
Step 5: Now, Tap on the Start Root Button to begin the root process.
Step 6: Within a minute or two you will be able to see the Big Green Tick, which signifies that your device is rooted successfully.
Step 7: Restart your Android Device.
Step 8: Now, you can replace the KingUser and other chinese application with SuperSU (chainfire). To replace, follow how to replace KingUser with SuperSU.
Readme Once:
[*] The above method tested on Posh Orion Max X550a without having any issues.
[*] Powerful Tool: KingRoot is a very powerful tool, that allows you to root Android Devices from 2.3 to 5.0 without any issues.
[*] No data loss process: Your Android Phone Data like contacts, pictures, videos, music and etc will be not affected with this method.
[*] Warranty Void: Your Android Device Warranty may be Void after following the above tutorial.
[*] Posh Stock Firmware: If you are looking for the original firmware for your device then head over to Download Posh Stock Firmware for all devices page.
[*] Posh USB Driver: If you are looking for the original USB Driver for your device then head over to Download Posh USB Driver for all devices page.
[*] Credits: KingRoot Application is created by Kingroot Studio. So Full Credits goes to them for the Application.