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Wiggins: Armstrong confession can help clean up the sport
AT 32, the Tour champ says he is motivated and has plenty of years ahead of him on the bike
MADRID (AFP) — Tour de France champion Bradley Wiggins says he thinks Lance Armstrong's doping confession is catastrophic but will serve to make the sport cleaner in the future.
Armstrong, a seven-time winner of the Tour de France himself, was stripped of his titles after the Union Cycliste Internationale accepted a U.S. Anti-Doping Agency report that he had doped when winning his seven Tours between 1999 and 2005.
The American then confessed that he had taken performance enhancing drugs in an interview with TV host Oprah Winfrey.
But despite the scandal being just the latest doping issue to affect the sport, Wiggins said he is hopeful the future of cycling will be clean in an interview published Thursday in Spanish sports daily Marca.
"In the short term, the sensation is that it is catastrophic and generates bad press. Moreover, with every scandal a lot of people who don't know about cycling chip in with their opinions," he told the paper after his first four days of competitive action this season in the Mallorca Challenge.
"However, in the long term it is good. If my son decides to become a cyclist when he turns professional the sport will be cleaner," he said. "Actions speak louder than words. We have to keep doing things as we are just now and believe that in the future things will be better."
Wiggins had an extraordinary 2012. On top of becoming the first Briton to win the Tour, he also won his fourth Olympic gold medal, in the time trial at London 2012.
This year, though, he has set himself new targets, including the implausible double of winning the Tour and the Giro d'Italia back-to-back.
"Why not? Every day I am more convinced that it is possible. To win the Giro and the Tour in the same season is an incentive that motivates me. I can't think about what I have achieved as a professional but rather I have to give myself new targets that inspire me to work harder every day," he said. "The objectives are different and I will do other races that I didn't last year, but the motivation and the will to win remain the same and that's what matters."
At 32, Wiggins isn't exactly a rising star of the cycling circuit, but he still believes he has plenty of years left at the top of the sport.
"Physically, I have still not reached my peak, but the question now, at 32 years of age, is more mental than physical," he said. "What matters is knowing what you most want to do and how much you want to work to achieve it. Luckily, I have many years ahead of me."


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Your Little Prince deserves the very best, and this subtly nuanced palette of muted beige and blue creates a nursery rich with European elegance. Quilt patches of interlocking scrolls, champagne strie', textured velvet and oval brocade combine for a sublimely sumptuous design made of the finest woven fabrics available. Sheet is silky soft and has a slight luster. The clean lines of the piping add a tailored, refined detail. Crib skirt of woven damask fabric measures 16". Little Prince linens marry beauty with function to bring you an elegance of design rarely seen in today's nurseries. Your little prince will love an environment that is soothing and serene for rest and play.
2Pc Set (Includes fitted sheet and crib skirt)
3Pc Set (Includes quilt, fitted sheet, crib skirt)

subset: commoncrawl


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Mars Express steadily returns to routine operation
Mission controllers are making excellent progress in returning Mars Express to routine service. Some science activities have already resumed after being temporarily suspended last month following a series of faults related to the onboard data storage system.
Having arrived around Mars in December 2003 for an initial two-year mission, the spacecraft is now in its eighth year of science operations. It has returned some of the most stunning images and valuable science data ever obtained from the Red Planet.
In mid-October 2011, anomalies in the operation of its Solid-State Mass Memory (SSMM) system caused science observations to be temporarily halted.
The problem had surfaced several weeks earlier, when, on several occasions, the spacecraft autonomously entered safe mode. This is an operational mode designed to safeguard both the spacecraft and its instrument payload in the event of internal faults or errors.
Data storage problems
The cause was a complex combination of events relating to reading from and writing to memory modules in the SSMM system.
This is used to store data acquired by the instruments and housekeeping data from the spacecraft's subsystems, prior to transmission to Earth. It is also used to store commands that have been received from ground stations while awaiting execution.
This problem was unanticipated by the spacecraft designers, so everyone on the mission control team is learning as we go.
The mission control team at ESOC, ESA's Space Operations Centre, Darmstadt, have been working closely with technical experts from the spacecraft's manufacturer as well as other experts at ESA to troubleshoot and isolate the problem. However, it has not been possible to date to understand nor resolve the problem with the SSMM directly.
Therefore the team are now designing a series of new procedures that will enable commands to be stored without critical dependency on the problem-plagued SSMM.
Working intensively
"The entire team have worked intensively to implement a provisional fix. Limited science observations were able to resume on 31 October," said Michel Denis, Mars Express Spacecraft Operations Manager.
"This problem was unanticipated by the spacecraft designers, so everyone on the mission control team is learning as we go."
The newly designed approach implies that commands will now be sent up in much smaller batches, and that additional protections will be implemented to avoid safe mode or an unpredictable spacecraft status should one of the command batches fail to execute.
Solving this problem is like writing a really terrific mystery novel.
"This has been our first permanent anomaly in eight years of orbit," said James Godfrey, Mars Express Spacecraft Operations Engineer. "Solving it is like writing a really terrific mystery novel."
By mid-November, the spacecraft had returned to gathering science observations for longer periods during each orbit, one instrument at a time. The team expect that combined science operations with all instruments will resume in early 2012.
"We're still studying the issue to formulate a long-term solution, and we're aiming to return to as high a level of normal science operations as possible – quite close to 100%, actually," said Denis.
"The team are doing an excellent job at designing ingenious and safe solutions; I'm very impressed with their skills and dedication to our otherwise very fit spacecraft."
LINKS http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=49549 MEX web pages OPS ESOC


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Fayette FFA members have placed high in several competitions in the current school year.
The rural soil judging team of Raven Joughin, MacKenzie Fruchey, Reba Rash and Jerry Minzey placed first in district competition and advanced to the state contest. Others participating in soil judging were Darrell Randall, Nathan Seiler, Sarah Kovar and Taylor Curry.
Ten members of the parliamentary procedure team—Noelle Goodson, Amanda Gilmore, Jacy Lewellen, Cady Stockburger, Sydney Brown, Jessie Torres, Clay Burkholder, Jake West, Sarah Kovar, Darrell Randall and Reba Rash—placed first in the county contest and third in the district contest, just short of becoming state qualifiers.
Fayette placed fourth in the district dairy judging and dairy foods contest. Competitors scored a cow class, a heifer class and a linear class, and placed animals based on pedigree and sire characteristics. Quintin Keefer placed 10th individually.
Reba Rash placed first in Div. II of the district job interview competition and she will advance to the state level in March.
In the county competition, Rash was joined by Amanda Gilmore in Div. II. Alec Hylander and Patrick Mellott competed in Div. I; Taylor Curry and Chase Hookstadt competed in Div. III; Jacy Lewellen and Heather Cuff competed in Div. 4.
Nine first-year members attended Greenhand Camp: Cole Burkholder, Alec Hylander, Zayne Colegrove, Ruben Rodriguez, Allison Cuff, Cady Stockburger, Noelle Goodson, MiKayla Phillips and Patrick Mellott.
Fayette was the host site for the Fulton County Chapter Degree Ceremonies, recognizing second-year FFA members of Pettisville, Wauseon, Archbold, Evergreen and Fayette. Eighty-three county FFA members received their degree and heard remarks from State FFA President Jeremy Grove.
Fayette members are preparing for the annual FFA Week activities that begin Feb. 25, with hat day. That will be followed by twin day, class color day or official dress day, then duct tape day and final spirit day on Feb. 29, when the Ag. Olympics will take place.


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You know how in horror movies when the beast/zombie/alien monster/ghostly apparition looks like it's finally been vanquished, you know it'll still rise up one more time to scare the bejesus out of you?
Meet the real-life equivalent: the RIAA and the MPAA. Despite being beaten like a drum last year over SOPA and PIPA, two badly written bills that aimed to curb piracy and counterfeiting at the cost of free speech, the content cartel is alive and poised to lunge at your jugular.
[ Want to cash in on your IT experiences? InfoWorld is looking for stories of an amazing or amusing IT adventure, lesson learned, or tales from the trenches. Send your story to email@example.com. If we publish it, we'll keep you anonymous and send you a $50 American Express gift cheque. ]
Yesterday, MPAA president and former U.S. Senator Chris Dodd addressed the Content Protection Summit, calling for a partnership with the same companies that helped to shoot down the idiot twins SOPA and PIPA last year. Per Variety:
"Hollywood and Silicon Valley have more in common than most people realize or are willing to acknowledge," he said. "Not only does Hollywood work closely with Silicon Valley to create and promote films; Hollywood film and television creators are tech companies. They celebrate innovation through the world's most cutting-edge content, and they embrace technology as imperative to the success of the creators in their community.
Early next year we'll start to see major ISPs -- AT&T, Cablevision Systems, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and Verizon -- roll out the Six Strikes system, where would-be pirates are given a series of escalating warnings and may have their Internet connections throttled if they don't quit downloading.
The argument, which Dodd made yet again last month in an op-ed piece for the Huffington Post, goes thusly: When you're BitTorrenting MP3s and MPEG files, you're hurting artists, not fat, white male corporate hooligans wearing $2,000 suits.
Dodd uses the recent Facebook copyright hoax to draw comparisons between how people view their own content on Facebook and how media companies view it.
The Facebook incident demonstrates that the average Internet user recognizes this fact, especially when they feel their personal content -- photos, videos, ideas, etc. -- is in jeopardy. But it also provides average Internet users with some insight into the point of view of the creators of movies, music or other artistic endeavors whose work has been subject to online theft.
The livelihoods of these innovators depend on strong copyright protection policies so they can benefit from their work and continue to create more of it. Without robust intellectual property protections, innovation has no incentive to thrive.
Dodd's concern for content creators is deeply moving -- or it would be, if it weren't total bull. The music and movie industries have been ripping off these same "artistic innovators" for decades.
Rolling Stone magazine recently ran a series of stories this fall on how musicians like James Taylor, Cheap Trick, and the Allman Brothers have had to sue their own labels to get the money rightfully owed to them. The issue at hand? Royalties for digital copies of their work.


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Green Bay: Mastiff Breeders
Below is a sample search of our Mastiff breeders with puppies for sale. The search tool above returns a list of breeders located nearest to the zip or postal code you enter. From there you can see photos of their pups, find detailed information on their web page and contact them by e-mail, phone and even get driving directions.
(Detailed contact information has been omitted. Enter your zip or postal code above to access our up-to-date directory).
This is a FREE search tool! Use the form at the top to get complete listings for breeders in your area!
Important: Breeders.net has not screened the listed breeders and accepts no responsibility for their reputation or quality. It is your responsibility to investigate. See How to Find a Dog.
Kharisma Mastiffs
Services: Puppies,Stud Service
We are Mastiff Breeders located in Lake Villa,Il. We Have been breeding mastiffs since 1999. Our dogs are AKC registered. We breed for show and pet homes. Our dogs are tested before breeding. Take a look at some of our dogs on our website. We have puppies occasionally.If you have any questions about us or just want to take mastiff give me a call.
Pantheon Acres
Services: Puppies,Stud Service
We currently do not have any puppies available at this time. Please feel free to contact us about future breedings.
G & C Mastiff
Services: Puppies,Adult Dogs
Updated 9/22/20We have 1 up litter DueBabies should be here 11/3/20They will be ready the week between Christmas & New YearPlease call for informationWe rarely answer text or emails on our dogs
Fire & Ice Mastiffs
Services: Puppies,Adult Dogs
We have puppies available!!!!Please inquire if your looking for a puppy
Moonraker Mastiffs
Services: Puppies
Small hobby breeder of English Mastiffs, Newfoundlands and Giant mix breed.Puppies Available now mix breed also Mastiff Dec 2017
Bowtied Lickers
Services: Puppies,Adult Dogs,Stud Service
We are small breeder from Central Illinois. Our Mastiffs are members of our family first, not just pets they share our home.We strive to produce AKC standard and Health tested Mastiffs and Bulldog
Hess' Country Mastiffs
Services: Puppies,Stud Service
Puppies expected in May 2018! Get on our waiting list now.
Devincourt Mastiffs & French Bulldogs
Services: Puppies,Adult Dogs,Stud Service
Champion, health tested Mastiffs with excellent temperaments. All puppies come with a health guarantee, vet checkup ,shots, wormings and Microchip ID.Frenchie puppies available now!
MidKnight Mastiffs
Services: Puppies,Stud Service
Home of Multiple AKC Champions, they are health tested and evaluated prior to breeding. We have shown our mastiffs around the country and have had multiple mastiffs in Westminster. BBB Accredited
Hug-A-Mug Mastiffs
Services: Puppies,Adult Dogs,Stud Service,Rescue
Puppies available now. Ch sire-multiple BOB,Group placements,Bred for size temperament,conformation. Working,Companion or show pups for the discriminating buyer.References required.Call 417-343-3795.
Hocus Pocus Mastiffs
Services: Puppies,Adult Dogs,Stud Service
Hocus Pocus is the home of the black brindle mastiff. Parents on site and tested. Champion Groppetti, Old School, Wileyways, Lazy D, Iron Hills, Castle Mount lines. Health guarantee, puppy contract.
Shenandoah Mastiffs
Services: Puppies
Our Mastiffs live with us on our small farmette in the Shenandoah Valley. We love our Mastiffs, and enjoy giving others the opportunity to live with one of these gentle giants.
Gentle Mastiffs
Services: Puppies
Gentle Mastiffs is the home of champion English Mastiffs.
Madigan Mastiffs
Services: Puppies,Adult Dogs,Stud Service
Old English Mastiffs of Quality and Size. Health and temperament tested.All pups sold with written health and temperament guarantee. NEW LITTER!Born NOV 14 Males available now (DEC 18 )
Thoughts 2 Reality
Services: Puppies
Raised in a loving home with their Chihuahua and cat siblings. Come meet your new family member. Outstanding pedigree on both parents sides! Show and pet quality puppies! $1,800-$2,500
Uno Grande Mastiffs
Services: Puppies,Adult Dogs,Stud Service,Rescue
We breed for size, health, and temperament. Most of our dogs are either Champions or currently working on their titles. We health test our adults and health guarantee our puppies.
Two Ponds Kennel
Services: Puppies,Adult Dogs,Stud Service
Here at Two Ponds Kennel our goal is to provide the healthiest, happiest, most well socialized Old English Mastiff Puppies. We raise a limited number of puppies but our quality is excellent.
Sheets Ranch
Services: Puppies
We have 3 mastiff puppies available. One brindle female, one fawn male, and one brindle male. They were born on 8-4-20 and are just gorgeous.Please call Vicki at 785-846-7735 home or 785-694-3334.
Mountainview Mastiffs
Services: Puppies,Stud Service,Rescue
We are proud owners and breeders of AKC Mastiffs. Either pet or show you will be guaranteed a healthy ,beautiful spoiled puppy.Please goto my website for more information.www.mountainviewmastiffs.net
Horse Creek
Services: Puppies,Adult Dogs,Stud Service
We have don't have any puppies at the moment.... I had bred Owen (apricot) and Mack ( brindle) so if all went well we should have a litter mid to end of May...
Stone Horse Mastiffs
Services: Puppies,Stud Service
Stone Horse Mastiffs we are Breeders of multiple AKC Champions and Grand Champions. Our dogs are Family. We Have Puppies! All pup's sold with Health Certificate, 1st shots and Microchip. email or call
Mastiffs of Florida ~ Majestic's
Services: Puppies,Stud Service
We have puppies NOW! Champion Line Puppies to forever family homes. FULLY HEALTH TESTED parents.We invite you to meet our mastiff family of FOUR generations which live with us in our home!
Az Southwest Dreams Mastiffs
Services: Puppies,Stud Service
please note, there are no puppies available at this time. Thank you! Appreciate your interest in our 4 legged extended family/ planning a breeding later in the year :) www.southwestdreamsmastiffs.co
The Mastiff Kingdom
Services: Puppies,Rescue
We have fallen head over heels with this amazing breed! Gentle Giants for sure. We feel very lucky to have this wonderful litter and are thoroughly enjoying them!
Services: Puppies
Mastiff Puppies for sale,AKC, Fawns and Apricots...ready to go home 2/22/18, notable pedigrees with national specialty winners; best of all, Amazing temperaments that will make wonderful family pets!
Prideland Mastiffs
Services: Puppies,Stud Service
Prideland Mastiffs has been producing top quality champion dogs since 1980. PUPPIES BORNMarch 26th, 2020...available...SERIOUS INQUIRIES $3500. *****ACCEPTING DEPOSITS FOR NEW LITT


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"How does Alderson go about reviving the more dormant aspects of our passion, those which have been dulled by two years of dismal sputtering on the heels of two years of dramatic letdown? By winning, of course. Winning will make us all feel better. Winning will bring new iconicism to the uniform, to the franchise and to our self-esteem. Seats will not go unfilled when we're winning. Enthusiasm won't need to be cultivated. It will emerge and it will roar the way it once did in these parts. And how does Alderson get us to that point? That's the more difficult question, and for all the broad strokes (and narrow beseechments) we are all willing to offer, the only person who is entrusted to answer it is Sandy Alderson. That's why they're paying the man. But if he doesn't mind a touch of fan interference, I'd be willing to remove a potentially perceived obstacle from his thinking. Explore every trade that makes sense to you and, if you are convinced in your role as our grand baseball poobah that it's the right thing to do, trade anybody you feel you have to trade. Your job is improving the New York Mets. There are no sacred cows grazing in Citi Field. Not after 2010. Not after 2009."
—A relatively typical Mets fan, October 29, 2010 [1]
"While your lead character R.A. Dickey is richly drawn, and his backstory is potentially appealing, we here at Limited Imagination agree there is no way he could exist. Since you insist on setting Dickey within the milieu of major league baseball, there needs to be at least some semblance of reality attached to your protagonist, and quite frankly, your Dickey may be the least fathomable sports character we've ever read. According to our research department, most successful baseball pitchers attain a level of peak performance in their 20s, but your Dickey is supposedly a career journeyman derailed by the lack of an essential component in his throwing arm who attempts to learn a magic pitch in his 30s, takes years to master it and then, quite suddenly, takes it to a whole other level where he becomes all but impossible to hit. The sports reader may 'root' for the unexpected, but that demographic is more and more grounded in statistical probability and the Dickey you describe in the latter chapters begins to do things that sound impossible. We could accept a certain literary license in making Dickey fairly articulate as a contrast to the usual ballplayer, but having him write a searing memoir that lands on the New York Times bestseller list in advance of creating this pitching alchemy again stretches credulity."
—"Clueless Editor," rejecting book proposal from "George Plimpton," following the events of June 13, 2012 [2]
"It was a blast to be in R.A.'s ranks Thursday. I'd practically call it an honor to bear witness to the sixth Mets pitcher clinching the ninth 20-win season in franchise history. Every fifth or sixth day in the second half of 2012, R.A. lifted us from the benign disengagement you'd rightly infer a fourth-place team inspires to full-fledged immersion that seemed perfectly logical as Dickey's knucklers rode their own private highway from his well-traveled fingertips to Josh Thole's oversized mitt. It's a shame his 20th win didn't come in service to a better Mets team, but it was enough, I suppose, that R.A. Dickey made the Mets a better team whenever it was his turn to try. And besides, as fans who are unshakeable in our affinity, we need these kinds of stories and these kinds of seasons when the overarching narrative is lacking. Dickey winning his 20th as a tuneup for his projected start in Game Two of the NLDS would be as sweet as that sounds, but given what we know as reality, what could be sweeter than a 72-84 club being redeemed regularly by the presence of a 20-6 savior? Savior of our sanity if not our season."
—A view from the not-so-cheap seats, as sat in and stood in front of on September 27, 2012 [3]
"Mets fans in New York City chanted his name, waved giant R's and A's and loved him in a way that people love a child or a monk or a dying man who has shed all his armor and come before them in his truth."
—Gary Smith, current cover story in Sports Illustrated [4]
"This was a baseball decision. And at some point the lines crossed. We did prefer to sign him at the outset. We felt we could sign him. I still felt confident we could sign him as we got into the winter meetings. But it also became clear that against the backdrop of a very hot market for pitching, his value in a possible trade was also skyrocketing. […] His value in trade to us at some point we felt exceeded our ability to keep him here over a one- or possibly two- or three-year period. We're not going to replace him with a No. 1 starter in return, but we're going to have to find someone who can give us some of those wins. We also have to hope the team improves in other areas to offset R.A.'s loss. […] R.A. was a very popular player. I'm sure he would have been very popular next year here. I'm sure he'll be popular in Toronto, and for good reason. On the other hand, our popularity as a team, our popularity among fans, our attendance is going to be a function of winning and losing. And winning and losing consistently over time. Those are the kinds of things we have to take into account. […] I'm hopeful in coming years that our overall popularity will be more a function of our success than individuals. But, look, I recognize this is an entertainment business. It was great to have R.A. here, and yet we felt in the best interest of the organization and the long-term popularity of the team that this was the right thing to do."
—Sandy Alderson, December 17, 2012 [5]
"Sometimes it makes me sad, though, Andy being gone. I have to remind myself that some birds aren't meant to be caged. Their feathers are just too bright. And when they fly away, the part of you that knows it was a sin to lock them up does rejoice. But still, the place you live in is that much more drab and empty that they're gone. I guess I just miss my friend."
—Red, after Andy Dufresne escaped to a better place [6], The Shawshank Redemption


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Household and Home Market Research
Mintel's household/house and home market research reports keep you on top of one of the world's fastest-changing industries. From DIY and home improvement to cleaning, cooking and furnishing, our research and analysis gives you detailed data on every market segment and unrivalled insight into the household of the future. Home is where the smart is.
Online access
Previous editions
Multiple formats


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The Fort Street Presbyterian Church represents an important step in the evolution of American 19th "revivalist" architecture. In the 18th century, leading figures like Thomas Jefferson advocated an architecture for America derived from the design ideals of classical Greece and Rome--the same cultures that originated the ideas of "democracy." By the 1830s, however, some designers and architects had grown tired of classical antiquity's endless symmetry, and turned, ironically enough, to England for inspiration. In England, popular architects, also reacting against classical architecture's "reason" and "control," began pushing for a national "revival" of the exuberant and visually varied designs of Medieval cathedrals. American designers picked up on this European trend in architecture, and imported and reintrepreted the English "Gothic Revival." With its soaring octagonal tower, flying butresses, and lacy stonework, the 1870 Fort Street Presbyterian Church exemplifies how American architects copied elements they recognized as "Gothic" and then skillfully applied them onto simple building plans -- an American style that is now called "Victorian Gothic." Another Detroit Church, St. Paul's Cathedral, documents a later development in revivalist architecture -- the "Late Gothic Revival" -- when architects, rather than just borrowing specific Gothic elements, attempted to reproduce the spirit and forms of Medieval Cathedrals. The Fort Street Presbyterian Church, one of Michigan's oldest churches, has remained essentially unchanged despite fires in 1877 and 1914, and is a wonderful example of Victorian Gothic architecture.
The Fort Street Presbyterian Church is located at 631 West Fort Street, just east of the intersection of the Lodge Freeway (US 10) and West Fort Street (US 25.) The building is open to the public.
Fort Street Presbyterian Church
Photograph courtesy of the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office
Previous Site | Detroit Map | Detroit Itinerary Home | Next Site


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Complete Story
Electric Utility Companies Ask FCC for Pay Ruling on Cable Ops Attaching to Utility Poles
By: John Eggerton, Broadcasting & Cable
A quartet of electric utility companies have asked the FCC for a declaratory ruling that cable operators who provide VoIP service should pay for attaching to utility poles at the telecom rate rather than the cable rate, which is less.
The companies asked the FCC to rule that the telecommunications rate charged for attachments by traditional phone service should apply to cable systems providing interconnected VoIP service as well. "Electricity consumers, many of whom do not subscribe to VoIP services, must not be forced to subsidize cable giants like Comcast and Time Warner Cable, they argue."
Filing the petition were American Electric Power Service Corp., Duke Energy Corp., Southern Company, and Xcel Energy.
They argue the FCC should make that "clarification" before it takes up any related issues in its broadband notice of inquiry or proposed rulemakings on IP services and pole attachments.
The cable industry has argued that utility companies are well compensated by cable's current payment formula, which has been upheld by the FCC, the Supreme Court (FCC v. Florida Power), and that the FCC has correctly applied the formula to attachments for cable modem service. In fact, the cable industry has argued for lowering the rate for everyone to that paid by cable, with the National Cable & Telecommunications Association saying that "adopting a broadband attachment rate for all similarly situated broadband providers that is based on the cable rate formula is the surest way to promote continued deployment and investment in rural areas."
By contrast, says NCTA: "[R]aising attachment rates for cable operators would raise prices and discourage broadband deployment and adoption, particularly in rural areas."
Source: http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/328224-Electric_Utility_Companies_Ask_FCC_for_Pay_Ruling_on_Cable_Ops_Attaching_to_Utility_Poles.php?rssid=20065


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Suicide Squad #7
Hunted through the streets of Gotham City, her former teammates on the Suicide Squad in relentless pursuit-- Harley Quinn is out of friends, out of luck and out of time. Will Harley find The Joker before the Squad finds her? Place your bets, people: It's Harley Quinn vs. the Suicide Squad! Plus: Harley's origin revealed - it ain't pretty!
Cover Illustrators


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A Houseboy's Chores...
Kyler Moss' chores around the house may be finished, but he hasn't "finished" daddy Bryan Slater, yet! Bryan makes Kyler writhe as he sucks his uncut cock before the boy swallows his rigid dick on the bed. Kyler is as vocal as he's ever been, moaning and yelping as he slowly impales himself on Bryan's cock. Bryan rails him in a few positions before finally making him cum on his back. Kyler gets to end the scene with a hot facial and mouthful of cum from his daddy!
Categories: Big Dick, Clean Shaven, Bearded, Smooth, Hairy, American, Riding, Missionary, In The Bedroom, Rough Sex, Frottage, Cum Jerking Off, Cum Getting Fucked, Daddies, Cum Eating, Short Hair, Uncut, Muscular, Cut, Small, Trimmed, Fucking, Brown Hair, Black Hair, Kissing, Facial, Oral Sex, Porn Star, Anal
Models: Kyler Moss, Bryan Slater
Site: Bang Me Sugar Daddy
Added: 2012-02-20


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Red Gingham Dog Collar ©Salt Dog Studios
Red gingham ribbon dog collar, on red cushioned webbing, lined with red velvet for comfort.
Collars can be washed at 30°, just hang on the line or radiator to dry.
Clasps for 1" width collars are 1.5" and for ¾" width collars are just over an inch. If you are unsure on sizing you can contact us for help.
We can also make our collars into half check chain, or put a different buckle on to suit your needs, just let us know!


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ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Top state officials led by Gov. Martin O'Malley hosted Maryland county and local officials at a meeting Monday dedicated to reducing stormwater runoff, a major source of Chesapeake Bay pollution. But many worry about the cost of reducing it.
The governor opened the daylong meeting by acknowledging that controlling runoff is a big challenge, but urged the officials to take advantage of the innovation and resourcefulness of their employees. The governor noted that progress has been made in other areas, such as blue crab restoration, when leaders followed the science and made a commitment.
"Now, that we know we have to do this, I want to ask you to please unleash that creativity," the Democratic governor told the local officials.
Environment and Natural Resources officials also reminded the officials of grants and other financial aid that is available.
Natural Resources Secretary John Griffin noted that the proposed Chesapeake Bay trust fund budget for fiscal 2014 contains $33 million in funding for stormwater reduction and that urban tree canopy and stream restoration programs also have funding for programs that can help reduce runoff.
The meeting was held as county officials are increasingly chafing at regulations imposed by the state and federal governments.
A Baltimore law firm is recruiting counties to challenge the bay restoration effort, arguing that the threat posed by sediment deposited behind the Conowingo dam across the Susquehanna River, a major bay tributary, has not been properly accounted. Farmers from rural counties also rallied at the State House last month to protest a new septic law, part of what some are calling a war on rural parts of the state.
Secretary of the Environment Robert Summers noted that progress has been made in cutting bay pollution from farms and sewage treatment plants.
"We need to begin to turn the tide on stormwater as well," he said, adding that the state could face tougher EPA regulation if the state doesn't meet its commitments under a new federally led bay restoration plan.
The new strategy breaks up the six-state bay watershed geographically and imposes daily pollution limits. Failing to meet the new limit could lead to a federal takeover of permitting that's currently conducted by the state and expansion of federal regulation of animal feeding operations, stormwater permitting and other activities, Summers said.
The local officials were also given low-cost examples of how to cut runoff. Many involved removing asphalt, concrete and other impervious surfaces. That allows it to penetrate into the ground, where the soil will filter out pollutants before they make their way into waterways where nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizers, auto and power plant emissions and other sources can fuel oxygen-robbing algae blooms that create dead zones unable to sustain life.
Maryland Environmental Services Director James Harkins said "harvesting asphalt," or removing pavement, can provide big benefits.
Gary Pusey, Somerset County's planning director, said the county has stormwater policies in place for new construction, but meeting the goals in the bay restoration plan means stormwater reductions also have to be made elsewhere.
"How do we go back and address a lot of this when it's already in private ownership?" Pusey asked.
Pusey said his county recently looked at 20 projects costing a total of $1 million that would cut nitrogen runoff about 145 pounds a year.
The county, meanwhile, needs to cut 37,000 pounds of nitrogen, Pusey said.
"It's big," Bill Sterling, a project manager for the city of Salisbury, said of the costs. "This is an information gathering opportunity for us."
Calvert County Commissioner Susan Shaw asked for help in working with homeowners associations because her county had several large, private developments. Shaw said about a quarter of her county's residents live in older housing communities that were built without any stormwater controls. And the houses are tightly built, leaving little open space for rainwater to soak into.
"It's the house and the driveway, and that's it," she said.
(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)


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James Robertson "Freddy" Kline, Jr., 53, of Cleveland passed away Tuesday, November 27, 2012. Visitation will be held from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. Thursday, November 29, 2012, at Ray Funeral Home. A second visitation will be held from 1:00-2:00 p.m. Friday, November 30, 2012, at Calvary Episcopal Church in Cleveland. A celebration of his life will immediately follow beginning at 2:00 p.m. Friday, November 30, 2012, at Calvary Episcopal Church in Cleveland with The Very Right Reverend Larry Maze officiating. Interment will be in Shaw City Cemetery.
Mr. Kline was born August 19, 1959, to James Robertson Kline and Betty Sue Satterfield Kline. On July 9, 1983, he married Mary Martha Disharoon in Port Gibson, MS. He was a lover of the outdoors and was an avid hunter. He also was a lifelong farmer who enjoyed life and spending time with his family.
He is preceded in death by his father, James Robertson Kline, Sr.
Mr. Kline is survived by his wife, Mary Disharoon Kline of Cleveland; daughter, Mary Clay Kline of Cleveland; son, James Henry Kline of Cleveland; mother, Betty Kline Johnson of Benoit; sister, Linda Kline Hull (Leon) of St. Cloud , FL; brother, Henry Earl Kline (Dana Ann) of Boyle; nieces & nephews, Nicholas Kline, Matthew Kline, Cassie McClellan, Sammy McClellan; Uncles, Travis Satterfield (Nancy), Warren Satterfield (Carolyn).
Memorials can be made to Calvary Episcopal Church in Cleveland.


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Marlins shut out scuffling Phillies
Miami, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - Tom Koehler and three relievers combined to throw a five-hit shutout, leading the Miami Marlins to a 5-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday night.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit a two-run homer for the Marlins, who opened the three-game series with a 5-4 win in 11 innings on Tuesday.
Koehler (6-6) picked up his first win in five starts after giving up just three hits and a walk in six innings and striking out seven in this one.
He went on the paternity list after the game to be with his wife as they await the birth of their first child.
"We're excited about that," said Marlins manager Mike Redmond, "and that he got a big win on a big day."
Mike Dunn, Kevin Gregg and Chris Hatcher finished the game out of the bullpen.
Cole Hamels (2-5) failed to go seven innings for the first time in 11 starts and the Phillies matched a season high with their sixth straight loss. They were shut out for the 11th time in 84 games this season.
Hamels, who carried a 2.84 ERA into the game, allowed three runs on five hits and four walks in five innings.
"I wasn't really able to get command of the fastball," Hamels admitted.
Koehler retired 15 straight batters after Ben Revere and Jimmy Rollins hit consecutive singles to start the game. The next batter to reach was Tony Gwynn Jr., who drew a walk hitting for Hamels leading off the sixth inning.
The game was scoreless until Donovan Solano's bases-loaded hit in the fourth gave the Marlins a 1-0 lead.
Hamels escaped the jam with a double play but gave up two runs in the fifth on RBI doubles by Ed Lucas and Casey McGehee, who drove his hit off the left- field wall.
Marcell Ozuna singled off Mario Hollands in the eighth and Saltalamacchia drove his eighth homer over the wall in left-center to make it 5-0.
Game Notes
The Phillies were 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and stranded seven men on base ... The teams have split 12 games this season ... The Phillies also lost six in a row from May 31-June 5.


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Waitress Discovers Ancestors' Photo on Wall of Restaurant
The biscuits are warm at Cracker Barrel, but the fuzzy feelings you can get are even warmer.
A woman who works at one of the chain's restaurants in Owensboro, Kentucky recently discovered a long lost photo of her great-great-great grandmother on the wall of the eatery, according to a report from area radio station WBKR.
While sweeping one day, the woman, identified as Sandra, noticed a photo of a young woman and a baby. Thinking the woman looked like her late niece, she snapped a photo of the picture and sent it to her niece's mother — Sandra's mother-in-law. A quick search revealed the baby was Sandra's great-great-great grandmother. In fact, Sandra's great-grandmother used to keep the picture in her house.
The eerie coincidence comes with a happy ending: Plans have been put into motion to return the photo to Sandra's family.


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Christina Georgina wrote:Are you having food items donated ? Not sure you can do your meal for $5.00 and include fresh fruit and all the rest you propose.
In any event, those large, electric roasters may ease your oven crunch. The ham, for sure , could be done in one. Have never used said roaster for something like strata but have used them for industrial servings of lasagna which worked. For eggs, would look for a non-stick interior. At the very least they work very well as warming ovens.
I love planning large # events but have only gone as high as 60 for a do it myself event. Good luck
Nope, no donations. I bought the ham, so $70 has been spent and that leaves me $330 for paper goods, fruit, eggs, potatoes, bread, flour, sugar and the rest, and with Costco and Cash and Carry around that will go pretty far.


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Blacksmithing ToolsPosted in Man-made, Photoshopped, Picture on 10/14/2012 11:55 am by ifferjenn
I went to Old Sturbridge Village last month with John's photography class's field trip, which was only my second time there, despite being born next door. (Well, next town over, at least.) We've also upgraded our picture-filing software from Picasa to LightRoom, as Picasa tended to hang up a bit. LightRoom also will do photo processing, which I used on this one. I like a lot of the features in LightRoom, though I really need to start working more with it to take full advantage, as John does.


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Ask a Physicist Answers
Under acceleration, a helium-filled balloon inside of a car will jump forward in the direction of acceleration. I have been searching for the reason why with no definitive results. This is the dilemma: An acquaintance of mine, who has a degree from Johns Hopkins is attempting to argue for some magical force that drives the balloon forward, also that it has something to do with gravity.
Asked by: Eric from Sioux Falls, SD
The simplest way to think about the helium balloon in the accelerating car is to invoke Einstein's Principle of Equivalence: a constant acceleration is the same, in all respects, as a gravitational force. To make matters as simple as possible, we'll ignore the real force of gravity (i.e. what's pulling the car toward the Earth) and just think about the forward acceleration of the car.
Image Credit: Tessa Ricci
According to the Principle of Equivalence, the effect of this acceleration is exactly the same as a gravitational force pointing to the rear of the car. But everyone knows what a helium balloon, immersed in air, does in the presence of gravity: it rises, i.e. it moves in the direction opposite to the gravitational force.
So when the car accelerates, the balloon moves forward. Incidentally, the Principle also explains why, when the car accelerates, a passenger is jerked backwards: because, unlike the balloon, the passenger falls downward, in the same direction as the gravitational force.
In answering this question, I'm assuming you accept that a helium balloon rises in the presence of Earth's gravity. Because helium has a smaller density than air, the buoyant force of air will push it toward the sky against gravity. If you want a more detailed explanation of that, please submit another question.
Answered by:
Alan Chodos, PhD
Associate Executive Officer
American Physical Society


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Ultimate Pilates Workouts is all about Pilates and Pilates-inspired exercises. Let Katherine & Kimberly Corp, former Radio City Rockettes and Pilates studio owners for 19 years, take you through workouts that will both flatten your abs, sculpt lean legs and fit into your busy lifestyle. Workouts range from as short as ten minutes to just over an hour, with levels ranging from absolute beginner to advanced. Kimberly and Katherine have created a goal and lifestyle-oriented playlists for you to follow so that you get the most out of your workouts.
Genre: FITNESS
Genre: FITNESS
Pilates Reformer Training
Select Season
Pilates Mat Pilates with Stretch Band Pilates with the Small Ball Pilates inspired Barre Workouts Pilates with the Stability Ball Pilates for Abs & Core Pilates for Arms & Back Pilates for Lean Legs Pilates for a Better Bum Pilates for a Total Body Workout Pilates with the BoSu Pilates with the Pilates Ring Pilates with the Foam Roller Pilates Reformer Pilates Cadillac Pilates Chair Pilates Arc Barrel/ Spine Corrector Pilates Ladder Barrel CARDIOLATES Pilates Mat Training Pilates Reformer Training Pilates Cadillac Training Pilates Chair Training Pilates Ladder Barrel Training Pilates Arc Barrel/ Spine Corrector Training


text: Was Hurricane Sandy a freak combination of weather systems? Or are hurricanes increasing in intensity due to a warming climate? How did this perfect storm make search and rescue so dangerous? "Inside the Megastorm" takes viewers moment by moment through Hurricane Sandy, its impacts and the future of storm protection. Through first person accounts from those who survived, and from experts and scientists, "Inside the Megastorm" gives scientific context to a new breed of storms.


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Actualizado por última vez en
TV white spaces allow the use of unlicensed spectrum to provide connectivity solutions to traditionally unserved areas, especially rural and remote communities. This book explores this innovative approach to spectrum both the policy, regulatory and technological perspective. APC access specialist Mike Jensen wrote a chapter on "The role of TV white spaces and dynamic spectrum in helping to improve internet access in Africa and other developing regions", and other APC members participated in the initiative: Ermanno Pietrosemoli, from EsLaRed, co-edited the book, and Carlos Afonso, from Instituto Nupef, wrote the chapter "New cognitive radio approaches, white spaces and the digital dividend in the Brazilian context".


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Review: Enjoy 'Iftar' during Ramadhan at Bangi Golf Resort
>> Sunday, April 23, 2017
Feels as if it's been a long time since I last attended any reviews! Relocation sure brings about loads of changes & adjustments of lifestyle. There are other areas to explore, discover & experience as I move on to a new phase of life.
It's my pleasure to share with you this great promotion that Bangi Golf Resort (BGR) Restaurant is offering during the month of Ramadhan. Their signature Ramadhan Buffet has been a tremendous hit each year & this year will not disappoint as well! From 29th May 2017 - 23rd June 2017, this halal-certified restaurant will bring you on a gastronomic experience with its sumptuous spread of up to 200 dishes, featuring the Kambing Bakar (slow-roasted lamb on the spit) from the Malay section of the buffet & their special Sous Vide Eggs with Mushroom Espuma from the Western section of the buffet spread.
This year, the kitchen team is proud to present their Nasi Lemak Istimewa as one of the main attractions, consisting of Rendang Daging Taik Minyak, Sambal Sotong Kembang, Ayam Bercili Masak Ketumbar, Ikan Masak Asam Kari & the Telur Rebus Goreng Masak Sambal Tomato. Don't miss this year's latest addition of the Peri-Peri Chicken Drumlets as well! I think it goes just as great with the nasi lemak spread...hahaha...
We thought that their Rendang Daging Taik Minyak tasted flavorful & the meat was tender. I'll recommend that above the rest of the dishes for the nasi lemak.
Rice-lovers would be further tantalized with the latest edition on BGR's menu i.e. Hainanese Chicken Rice, where fluffy grains of rice cooked in rendered chicken fat is served with succulent pieces of chicken & accompanied by fresh garlic & ginger chili sauce.
Chicken & Beef Satay
Western section: Spaghetti & Lasagna
Noodles section: Mee Soto Ayam
Noodles Section: Mee Rebus
I particularly thought their dessert spread was truly eye-catching! The myriad of colors & texture just made me, a non-dessert-lover, to want to begin the buffet with desserts first! (yes, it's true) Their favorites like the Spanish Churros with Thick Chocolate Sauce, Signature Italian Tiramisu & a selection of homemade, traditional Malay kuih & puddings are must tries! Some of the new desserts added to the dessert spread like the Serawa Durian, Assorted Swiss Rolls,Ivory Sesame Mocha Cake, Tropical Nectar & Lychee Rose Cake will probably fill you up if you actually try all of them before trying the main dishes...hahaha.
Look out for the "Durian Runtuh" section of the buffet as well, where fresh durians from Raub, Pahang, will be available to all durian-lovers & those who would like to try durians for the first time ;) There's also the freshly-churned gelato from Sweet Scoopz, a gelato producer known for its Musang King & unique P.G.A. (Passion Fruit, Guava & Asam Boi) flavors.
Desserts: Food to the eyes...so colorful & inviting!
Spanish Churros
The final cup of Durian Musang King gelato for the PerutBesi :P
Live music performances will entertain guests from 6:30pm - 9:30pm daily, so you can be sure to enjoy the lively atmosphere while breaking fast during the month of Ramadhan together with the rest of the guests.
Their buffet price is probably the cheapest or one of the cheapest in town (coupled with GREAT-tasting, EXTENSIVE variety of dishes & ample car park for all guests) i.e. RM58.00 nett/adult & RM28.00 nett/child. For more savings, make your group reservations & enjoy the buffet at RM49.00 nett/adult & RM22.00 nett/child!
For more information & reservations, please contact the following:
Bangi Golf Resort (BGR) Restaurant
1, Persiaran Bandar
Bandar Baru Bangi
43650 Selangor
Tel: (+60) 1700 81 8557
Email: email@example.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/bangigolfresort/
IG: @bangigolfresortofficial
Enjoyed the buffet experience,
Read more...


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The Israeli medical personnel working with IsraAID/FIRST have been operating in Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince for five days now, both within the government hospital as well as outside the city in a makeshift clinic in a football stadium.
The 15 members of the team have been asked by Operation Blessing, its partner on the ground, to provide treatment in the local football stadium where more than 2,000 injured people have gathered, in need of emergency medical aid. As word of the clinic spreads, the injured continue to stream in.
"The situation is horrible… people are hungry and wounded. There are constant waves of injured people coming to the stadium," said delegation member Alan Schneider.
Due to the continuing need for assistance, IsraAID/FIRST will be sending an additional team of 12 medical and logistical staff to Haiti over the coming weekend.
Medical and other urgent supplies will be purchased in the Dominican Republic and the team will also use items provided by the US.
IsraAID's emergency response in Haiti is supported by UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, the American Jewish Committee, B'nai B'rith International, The Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago, The Jewish Federation of Los Angeles, The Jewish Federation of Cleveland and The Jewish Federation of San Francisco, and other federations in North America.


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One lens one story #5
The sensor size for the X-mount is 23.5mm x 15.6mm.
So how long is it diagonally? The answer is 28.4mm
You do not need to know trigonometric function to come up with the answer. All you need to remember is the horizontal axis of the MTF chart for the APS-C format goes up to the image height of 14.2mm. It covers the image circle with the radius of 14.2mm or 28.4mm in diameter.
Today, we like to talk about XF27mmF2.8.
It is the smallest and lightest lens for the X-mount.
The lens size was at the top of the priority list upon designing the lens.
So does that mean that we see compromises on the image quality and its optical performance?
The answer is NO.
There is a reason XF27mmF2.8 is named "XF" even if it is missing an aperture ring.
We will not go in depth, but it is easier to design a lens when the diameter of the image circle is closer to the value of the focal length of the lens. The lens can be smaller in size in such case without sacrificing on the image quality.
This also means that as the focal length gets longer or shorter than the the value of diameter of the image circle, then the lens becomes larger in size.
So the size of XF27mm became naturally what it is.
It can even be said that in order to achieve both image quality and compact size, the focal length of 27mm was chosen.
Which prime lens is the best seller for the X-mount?
The XF35mmF1.4 R is the No.1, and the XF27mmF2.8 comes in second place.
This shows the characteristics of many X-mount users who are snap shooters that prioritize on the compact size and flexibility.
With the XF27mm, they know that they do not need to compromise on the image quality.
Continue to read Episode 6
One lens one story – Episode 6: XF27mmF2.8 Part 2


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MONTREAL - Water levels on the swollen Richelieu River and Lake Champlain are expected to rise even more on Friday and into Saturday before stabilizing, an expert says.
The rise for Friday is expected to be between one and three centimeters, according to Sophie Latreille, director general of Hydro-Météo, the agency that tracks water levels for the provincial government. The water will rise a further two to four centimeters by 6 a.m. Saturday, she said. The levels should stabilize late Saturday or Sunday, she added.
The level of the Richelieu in St. Jean sur Richelieu was 30.69 metres Friday at 10 a.m., she said. That is nearly a metre higher than the normal level for this time of year, which is 29.70 metres, Latreille said. And a normal high-level during a spring thaw is 30 metres.
Even though there is no rain in the forecase for the Richelieu area through Monday or Tuesday, don't expect water levels to lower before three or five days. It takes at least 24 hours of stability before waters recede.
"When it rains the ground soaks up the rain water and that causes streams and runoff that can still manifest itself for 48 hours after the rain has stopped," Latreille said.
A graphic provided by the Canadian Space Agency shows stunning before-and-after the flood images of St. Jean sur Richelieu. You can view it here.
On Thursday in St. Jean sur Richelieu, Quebec Premier Jean Charest stood in the pouring rain beside the swollen Richelieu River to express compassion for residents coping with the region's worst flooding on record.
"Everyone is here to reach out a helping hand to people who are affected by floods that are very severe, the most severe I have seen in my 30 years in politics," he said.
About 600 troops arrived Thursday and immediately got to work distributing sandbags in the region southeast of Montreal, where rising waters have affected 2,500 homes and caused 500 families to evacuate.
Authorities closed down the campus of the Collège Militaire Royal in St. Jean and issued a warning about tap water as rain continued to push up river levels.
"Since the flooding in the Saguenay, it's probably the worst catastrophe we have had in Quebec," added Charest, who asked Wednesday to have the armed forces come in to relieve local authorities, worn out after two weeks of piling sandbags and monitoring household pumps.
Charest noted while the 1996 Saguenay floods were sudden and violent, the Richelieu has risen gradually but relentlessly over the past fortnight and residents are close to their breaking point.
Charest added it is too soon to assess the damage or make specific promises for government assistance since, with more rain expected Friday and Saturday, water levels will probably continue to rise.
In neighbouring St. Blaise sur Richelieu, where flooding affects at least 475 of the town's 900 dwellings, only 80 families had evacuated their homes.
"I want to stay. This is my place," said Yolande Gadoury, 45, a mother of five who wore hip-waders to carry her 5-year-old son, Marc-André, through two blocks of thigh-deep water to the main road, where a friend, Manon Pelletier, had arranged to pick him up.
Gadoury's clapboard house is usually a block away from the river, but now water laps at the foundation.
However, Gadoury said a pump in the basement is keeping the main floor dry. She uses an inflatable raft to ferry groceries to the house.
"I'm going to stay as long as I can," she said.
Gadoury shared a tearful hug with Pelletier, who was taking Marc-André to her upper duplex in St. Jean to give the child a break from being cooped up inside all day.
"It's boring for a child to stay in the house all the time," said Pelletier, 38.
Gadoury's neighbour, Sylvain Goyette, 31, said he has temporarily moved in with his girlfriend because his house is under a metre of water. Goyette had dropped by to check up on things.
Nearby, St. Blaise's town hall has been turned into a military command centre.
"We will stay as long as we are needed," said Lt.-Col. Simon Bernard, commander of the military operation. "We can sense that citizens are exhausted," he added.
In the coming days, the troops will assist provincial police and civil authorities by visiting homes to assess residents' needs, Bernard said.
"There are many people who refuse to leave their homes. We will visit those residents," Bernard said. However, he emphasized that at present there are no plans for a forced evacuation.
St. Blaise Mayor Jacques Desmarais said like many of his neighbours, he is intent on staying in his home as long as possible. However, he has sent his two sons, age 17 and 14, to stay with friends.
"People are intelligent enough to know when it is the time to leave," said Desmarais, who is also a Montreal police officer. "Let's hope that time does not come."
Alain Comtois drove to St. Blaise to survey the damage to his trailer. Much of his 600-by-300-foot wooded lot is under water.
"It's terrible," he said.
"But when I see other people with big houses, I think, at least it's only my chalet."
His son, William, Comtois-Jean, 12, surveyed the swampy land where he likes to run free on his summer vacations. "It's going to be a big mess," he said.
William, who lives with his mother in St. Jean, has been staying with family in St. Hubert since Monday because his house is flooded.
Gilles Bérubé, a journalist at Le Canada Français, a venerable local weekly, said he has covered spring floods for 33 years, but nothing matches the current disaster.
Lake Champlain water levels reached 103 feet above sea level this week – a foot higher than the previous record of 102 feet set in 1869, he said.


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Monday, May 23, 2011
Kind acts, evil doers, and everything in between
22 comments :
Now that doggie sign is pretty special, you don't see things like that every day!
Today, I think I'll just be happy if my Tesco delivery arrives on time and they haven't missed anything out. Perhaps not a random act of kindness, but it'll certainly make me happy!!
Good luck with that book edit.
CJ xx
- May 23, 2011 at 2:42 AM
- Dr. Cheryl Carvajal said...
I have to tell you a story to go with yours. One day I was parking at my college, and every spot is metered (with a five-hour limit). It was pouring rain, and I noticed the car in front of me had its headlights on. Even though it was raining, I left a note telling the owner I had jumper cables and was parked directly behind him, so I could give his car a jump if the battery was dead when he returned.
I got out of class VERY late, and I knew the meter on my car had run out. The owner had never called me, but at that point I was more worried about my meter, not wanting to pay an automatic $10 fine (again). I saw a slip on my windshield, too, and the meter reader had just passed my car. Darn!
Instead of a ticket, though, there was a note, from Tony. He thanked me for the offer of jumper cables, but had called AAA, and when he left, he saw my meter was low and put in a couple more quarters.
People are kind, I think, in general. All too often it is our sour side we show others, but what a joy when we share the good stuff!
- May 23, 2011 at 3:55 AM
- Danielle Spears said...
Thank you for this post this morning! My life has just been the opposite and I was thinking the other day how everything seems to be going wrong. I'm with Shakespeare on the fact that we often show our sour sides to people. I have to admit, I have been that person lately. I have been kind of a bitch for no reason. I think it's because I've been dieting. I will try to be nicer today, promise!
- May 23, 2011 at 4:26 AM
- Sarah W said...
Shakespeare, that's a great story.
I have one of my own:
I have a regular Wednesday patron at the library. She's interested in a range of historical figures, and I've set aside books that I think she might like. She can't check them out because she doesn't have a fixed address, so she reads them at a table near the staff desk and comes up occasionally to ask questions about what she's reading. Her speech isn't very clear, but we're patient with each other.
She doesn't have much, just a suitcase, sometimes, but she gives me things -- a new Bic pen, because I'd mentioned that I could never find one, a little notepad from a bar because I like to write stuff down so I don't forget it, and last week, a little guardian angel pin that someone had given her.
She always makes my day.
- May 23, 2011 at 4:39 AM
- Linda G. said...
That was an incredibly classy letter from the dog owner, and an equally classy response. Restores one's faith in humanity. :)
- May 23, 2011 at 4:47 AM
Just what I needed to read this morning!
Thank you!
- May 23, 2011 at 5:05 AM
- Patty Blount said...
My office has glass doors everywhere. They're big and quite heavy and I struggle with them on a daily basis. It's a pet peeve of mine when people who know someone's walking behind them let the door close on me.
Recently, as I was heading to the exit, I approached one of these heavy glass doors and a random guy hurried over to hold it open for me and then went BACK the way he came. That really impressed me. He wasn't even going in my direction.
I now do that for others.
- May 23, 2011 at 6:13 AM
- Kimberly Sabatini said...
Perfect way to start a Monday! :o)
- May 23, 2011 at 8:25 AM
- Matthew MacNish said...
There are villains in Romantic Comedies?
- May 23, 2011 at 8:27 AM
I loved Shakespeare's story, but what really made me laugh was getting to the last comment, which for me was Matthew's.
- May 23, 2011 at 8:56 AM
- Trisha Leigh said...
Love, love the dog park sign, Tawna. It kind of put a lump in my throat but then again, it is about that time of the month ;)
- May 23, 2011 at 9:04 AM
- Terry said...
I will! I used to try and do one good deed a day. Nothing bit, just a compliment, or letting someone go first, or bringing in a cart. Now that I work from home...I need to find a new way to pass on a little kindness. Thanks for the challenge!!!
- May 23, 2011 at 9:46 AM
- Steph Schmidt said...
That dog owner is a real class act. Bravo to them for not only leaving the note but also taking the effort to correct the problem.
The last act of kindness I received was getting hit on by the grocery clerk when I was wearing sweats and no makeup. The attention made my week because he was a freshman and rather hunky if naive.
- May 23, 2011 at 9:49 AM
- Unknown said...
One of my villains wants to save the world. Uhm. Make that several of them. There's just something about saving the world that gets the world into a lot of trouble...
I only do good deeds so I don't feel guilty when I'm doing bad ones. You say that isn't the way to do it?
- May 23, 2011 at 11:26 AM
- Bethany Elizabeth said...
I do dislike one dimensional characters, although sometimes I do love a bad guy who's just... bad. And pulls it off. I think a too common error in making the villain relatable is making him too likable, or worse, weak. I dislike weak villains worse than one dimensional ones.
That's an opinion though. :)
Also, added to my to-do list: Random acts of kindness. :)
- May 23, 2011 at 1:07 PM
- Patrick Alan said...
Is it ok if I give you a compliment that is both creepy and offensive and backhanded? Yes, both of those three things!
I really wish I wasn't such a one dimensional blog commenter.
- May 23, 2011 at 1:46 PM
- Sara {Rhapsody and Chaos} said...
Aw, omg. That note about the dog's behavior is AWESOME! So is your optometrist.
I always hold doors and help elderly unload their grocery carts and try to do little things like that because 1) I think it's the right thing to do, 2) it doesn't take long and it could make a big difference in someone's day (look, you even blogged about the nice things people said to/did for you) and 3) the few times I've been too busy--I've felt horrible for a LONG time for passing up an opportunity to help another person out.
Also, yes times a million to making villians multi-dimensional. In the first novel I wrote (never to see the light of day) I had bad guys who were bad for the sake of being bad. It still makes me cringe.
I pledge with you to commit at least one random act of kindness this week :)
- May 23, 2011 at 2:47 PM
- Geoffrey Cubbage said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- May 23, 2011 at 3:06 PM
- Geoffrey Cubbage said...
I think I've got about forty more years to go before I can start praising random women's beauty at the grocery store, but I'll try to find something else nice to say.
As far as the lack of a wedding ring goes, I can assure you with confidence that most men trying to impress an attractive woman out of base and carnal motives will neither notice nor give a good goddamn whether there's a ring or not. Their (our?) attention is elsewhere.
- May 23, 2011 at 3:07 PM
- Jan Markley said...
I'm a fan of complex characters and 'bad guys' that we feel a tad bit of sympathy for. My latest good deed - finding a new home for my friend's dog when she couldn't keep him anymore.
- May 23, 2011 at 7:53 PM
- Allie Sanders said...
I'm constantly amazed with people and their capacity of kindness. Most of the time we focus on the bad but there really are a lot of nice people out there. A guy buying a kid a soda because he was a dollar short, holding open a door for someone who could have opened it themselves, spending a few minutes on your knees (no pervy comments please!) talking to a kid who's agitated while the mom is digging through her purse or dealing with another kid. It doesn't take much and sometimes that little kindness can brighten up someone's day without you even thinking about it. I take your challenge. I will *not* hit on someone in a grocery store. I live in a tiny town and if I randomly hit on someone everyone will know and that is a very shudder-worthy thought.
- May 23, 2011 at 8:56 PM
- Liz said...
It's so weird you posted this topic the same day a friend shared this story on Twitter: http://www.zenmoments.org/the-cab-ride-ill-never-forget/
Must be a sign! I always try to compliment people about their clothes or their work or their hair or whatever. I often think to myself those compliments, but I don't always say them for some reason. But I know how much it means to me when someone compliments me.
As for villains, my pet peeve is stupid bad guys. You want your hero to be witty and successful, but that doesn't mean your bad guy should be a moron. What challenge is there in defeating an easily defeated bad guy?!
- May 24, 2011 at 4:04 PM


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The annual Game Developer's Conference is taking place next month, and it has been revealed that the keynote presentation will be made by none other than Metal Gear Solid mastermind Hideo Kojima. Titled "Solid Game Design: Making the 'Impossible' Possible" the keynote will focus on the hurdles involved with creative game design, specifically covering those encountered during the development of Metal Gear Solid games.
"The Game Developers Conference has invited Hideo Kojima to keynote every year for as long as I can remember, so we couldn't be more excited that, at long last, he feels that it is time for him to address the game development community," Meggan Scavio, the event director for GDC, explained. "The anticipation is already huge to see how one of the community's most revered and elusive creators will inspire attendees to further push the limits of game development."
Kojima will be joining a solid line-up of speakers for the conference, which includes the likes of Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, Media Molecule's Mark Healy and Alex Evans, and Peter Molyneux of Fable 2 fame. The talk should be especially interesting considering Kojima's recently expressed desire to create a more Western-focused game for his next project, possibly even a first-person shooter.
GDC will be taking place March 23-27 in San Francisco, with Kojima's speech landing on the 26th. Keep your eyes on OT for further news about the conference, as well as some exclusive content when the show finally kicks off.


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We leverage the power of Open Source to provide affordable, secure, and maintainable solutions to our customers, who range from small and medium sized business to multinational corporations.
Notable News:
ISG is teaming up with partner Tova Systems to provide a free informational seminar about the challenges that small manufacturers face when they try to automate quality control. The seminar is ideal for manufacturing companies in the Medical Device, Defense, or Aerospace industries, or companies that are ISO certified.


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Crush the Castle 2 Players Pack
With hundreds of castles submitted, the Crush the Castle 2 Players Pack was made for the fans by the fans. Thanks to everyone who submitted. :) A plague has befallen the people of King Blutias's empire. Those who are infected seem to be possessed by some kind of voodoo. The Redvonian King is afraid the plague will spread to his empire so he has sent you, his trusty Siege Master, to destroy the castles of those who are infected. New special "foundation" blocks have been added as well as a new Undead Mode that tests your trebuchet skills. Produced In-House by Armor Games Inc. Programmed by Joey Betz. Art by Chris "Con" Condon and James "Jimp" Pearmain Special thanks to John, Dim, Joel. Want to stay active in the Crush the Castle Community? Check out the forums and share your creations. Version 1.0.13 Pressing load more on the my castles tab no longer loads random castles. Version 1.0.12 Level 'Use the Force' modified again. Fixed player names showing up only some of the time in the People's Empire. People's Empire total shares value fixed.
Mouse to Fire, Release, and Reload Arrow Keys to View Castle.
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The Wrong Buy Back Program
Police are investigating Monday a fatal shooting that took place during a dice game in the West Side's Austin neighborhood.According to a report from the police First Deputy Superintendent's office, a gunman approached a group of people "playing a dice game of chance" on the street and fired a handgun multiple times. The gunman was dressed completely in black clothing, Banks said.
- Two men are in stable condition early Monday after being shot while playing chess late Sunday in the Englewood neighborhood on the South Side.
Harrah's and Trump Casinos have decried the anti-dice movement, claiming that they run legit businesses in various states of the nation and there has never been an act of violence in any of their casinos (aside from recent events in Vegas and Atlantic City where people happen to have gotten in the way of stray bullets somehow). This is widely seen as an effort to stave off threatened marches by "reverends" Jackson and Pfleger.
Labels: silly people


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About Human Genome Project
The "Human Genome Project" (HGP)
It did contribute much to biology. However, the amount of money used and the way it was done (process) were not the best example of performing scientific projects.
1. Was it really a 'human' project?
No, it was not for the whole humanity. How much consideration was put in for all ethnic groups? It is more of a "Caucasian Genome Sequencing Project".
2. Was it very scientific?
No, it was more commercially driven with commerical promises that eventually helped the biological stock market disaster and giving bad names to biological ventures.
3. Was it so meaningful?
If $3 USD was used not for 'sequencing' but for actually understanding the human genomes, it would have been much more meaningful.
Genome Sequencing Project is not necessarily 'genomics'. It is a small part of it.
4. Was it sound in principle?
It seems it was full of hype and big egos involving an old technology accompanied by huge amount of money by fairly new comers of the field.
5. Is it useful?
Yes. As it is free (instead being owned by a company).


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lwes_pure 0.1.4
The original lwes gem is a thin wrapper around the c library, and does not handle data types for dynamic LWES events. This gem allows users to define the data type of attributes in an clear way, so that your LWES event listeners will be happy. This library includes the following components.