text:
As China reaches an agreement with Russia to buy Sukhoi Su-35 fighters, the domestic J-20 fighter program might have developed problems that China cannot solve on its own anytime soon.
Seemingly prompted by the well publicized Su-35 deal, photos of the second J-20 prototype undergoing flight tests became easily available on Chinese websites recently, likely to assure the public that the J-20 program is proceeding well. This aircraft made its first flight last May. The first prototype made its maiden flight in January 2011, grabbing much international attention. It made more than 60 additional flights that year. A third J-20 prototype is believed to exist, but only for ground and lab tests.
The recent J-20 photos featured white circles on the fuselage of No. 2002. These are thought to be markings for optical measurements of the airplane from the ground or from another aircraft, as is routine in new combat aircraft development. Some unofficial Chinese commentators concluded that J-20 weapons systems tests had begun, marking an important milestone.
In contrast to the optimism based on a few photos, however, the fact that China has yet to succeed in developing a powerful engine for the J-20–the much-expected WS15–tells a different story. Of the two J-20 prototypes that have been made known to the public, one is powered by the Russian-made AL31FN and the other by the domestically built WS10G. The Chinese version of the Su-27SK, the J-11, is powered by the WS10A. Many observers believe that a strong incentive for China to buy the Su-35 is the airplane's 117S engine, an AL31 derivative.
According to some estimates, the J-20 program will take at least six years to complete, meaning that the J-20 would not become operational until 2017. But deliveries of 24 Su-35s and an unknown number of spare engines are expected to start in 2015, granting China time to cash in on new Russian technology gained from that program. As some Russian officials have noted, it would take China a long time to copy the Su-35, a process that ostensibly would not be cost-effective for China. What China urgently needs is a technical breakthrough in the development of fighter jet engines.
China does not seem so deficient in radar technology, and the Russian Irbis-E radar of the Su-35, though ranked among the world's best, might not be something the Chinese are desperate to acquire.
Michael (not verified)
March 8, 2013 - 1:22pm
The entire purpose of buying the SU-35, if that's actually the case, is for the engines. To this day, China has not successful built a turbofan engine. But, there's no way you can reverse-engineer a gas turbine so I'm not sure what China can get out of this one. China has mastered the "art" of manufacturing air frames and aerostructures since the early 2000s.
The first turbofans ran in the late 60s but were in reality were only used in the 1970s. In other words, China is 40 years behind America and Russia in this field. This is the LAST major technical obstacle for China to overcome in order to become a major weapons supplier.
Another nation that has put HUGE amounts of resources into developing a turbofan is Japan; so far there has not been any tangible results. Without a working turbofan engine, America can cut off all engine parts to Japan. Japan's entire fleet of jets and military ships would be out of operation in 3 months. This is a powerful stranglehold on Japan.
Wonder who's going to succeed first: China or Japan?
MAun (not verified)
March 9, 2013 - 12:42am
India is another country which is trying hard to develop an indigenous Engine (called Kaveri), right now they are struck too, although they have made good progress in composite materials and radar
Dalmatian28 (not verified)
March 9, 2013 - 3:58pm
Chinese deserve credit regardless how we happen to feel about them! They have manage to get to space, build their fighter jets, design their CPU's etc. for fraction what US and Russia used to do the same. Why keep reinventing the wheel if you don't have to??? Chinese can mange their "pride" like nobody else out there! Yes, US and Russia got there much earlier... but "today \tomorrow" is what matters! China is NOT hundred years behind as many trying to make it appear! Off course they run into issues, everyone does! What they do great is throw tons of new educated personal on the issue and they get around it. They went from WW II airplanes to J-20 in twenty years! Good luck replicating that!
They are demonstrating a text book example on how to mange high risk R&D projects and save tons of money in the process...
Ps. Yeah they still tech ...so does everyone else!!!
sengko (not verified)
March 15, 2013 - 1:42am
well said Dalmatian, i concur fully!
as for Michael's assertion that china has not
successfully built a turbofan, this is clearly bull
as all J11b, J15 are now flying with ws10a.
pse give credit where credit is due.


text:
Cushion for Josef Frank's rattan sofa 311. In the picture shown with the Gripholmsruta print. The price does not include fabric.
Cushion for Josef Frank's rattan sofa 311. In the picture shown with the Gripholmsruta print. The price does not include fabric.
In the event of a complaint, please send an email with information and attached image to firstname.lastname@example.com.
Only valid for Sweden, Finland and Denmark.
1. Pack the item/items that you would like to return in the original package (Svenskt Tenn tries to keep waste to a minimum, so please consider the environment and re-use our packaging as much as you can).
2. Fill in the return form. Put the return form inside the parcel.
3. Peel off the pre-paid return label and attach it to the outside of the parcel, making sure that you remove or cover the original address label.
4. If you have received your parcel by DHL it is important that you send it back to us from a DHL service office. If you have received the parcel as a postal package it is important to send it back from a PostNord service office.
5. When we have received and approved your returned item, the freight cost will be deducted from your refund. We will refund you using the same payment method as you used when the order was made. Please remember that financial responsibility for the return is yours until it reaches us so we recommend ensuring the item and packaging it well.
For other countries, the following applies:
If you withdraw from your purchase, you must send the product back to us unused (but you are allowed to examine the product to see that is not faulty), along with the enclosed return paper and in its original condition. The product should be returned in its original packaging. But you have to pay for the cost of the return freight yourself.
Svenskt Tenn
Lyftkransvägen 11
142 50 Skogås
Our goal is that you shall be completely satisfied with the product or the products you purchase from us. If you order from the website or from our customer service you have a right of retraction, regardless of your reason, within 14 working days from your receipt of the product. You must, however, notify our customer service. We kindly ask you to observe that you cannot exercise your right of retraction simply by refusing delivery of the product or by not collecting the parcel.
In addition to the right of retraction, we provide 30 days right of replacement, regardless if the purchase has been made through our website or from our customer service. The period starts from the day you placed the order.
You can exchange the product with another by placing a new order on our website. Return the goods in unaltered condition, ideally in their original packaging. The return slip includes the address that you should use. If you use your right of return/exchange, the return shipping will be charged retrospectively if you have chosen to use our Svenskt Tenn's return slip. In the case of exchange or return, you are responsible for transport risks. Always save guarantee/delivery notes until the return is completed, as these show your return package number which you will require in the case of any claims.
Cushion for Josef Frank's rattan sofa 311. In the picture shown with the Gripholmsruta print. The price does not include fabric.
Art nr: 102256
Design: Svenskt Tenn
Material: Synthetic/feathers
Size: 158x67x15 cm
Fabric requirement: 130 cm: 4 m | 150 cm: 4 m | Printed fabric: 4,5 m
Josef Frank grew up in Vienna and studied architecture at Konstgewerbeschule. In the 1920s he designed housing estates and large residential blocks built around common courtyards in a Vienna with severe housing shortages. In 1925 he started the Haus & Garten interior firm together with architect colleagues Oskar Wlach and Walther Sobotka. Svenskt Tenn hired Josef Frank in 1934 and just a few years later he and Estrid Ericson made their international breakthrough. Although he was already 50 when he left the burgeoning Nazism in Vienna for Sweden, Frank is considered one of Sweden's most important designers. Read more

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Try it Now FREE orSignup for a Demo
Fidesic allows you to automatically manage your Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable processes so you can get back to managing what matters: your business.
Fidesic allows you to approve invoices from anywhere with an internet connection.
More info
Let your customers manage their account directly through their own customized portal. They can pay invoices, print past invoices, review payment statuses and update their account.
Data entry costs thousands of dollars a year and with Fidesic it will be a thing of the past. Our OCR technology will change the way you manage your invoices.
I've found Fidesic to be a flexible and user friendly product, that's adaptable to our specific needs/requirements. A support staff that's professional, responsive and easy to work with. I would highly recommend this product to anyone
Robert Penick
Account Payable Specialist Avella Specialty Pharmacy
The Fidesic platform really has been a game changer for us internally in how we communicate and manage expenses.
J.P. Hannan
Chief Financial Officer Cumulus Media Inc.
[Fidesic] seamlessly extend GP functionality for common manual processes, to their hosted solution; adding well thought out and comprehensive automation.
Steve Chapman
Solutions Consultant Rose Business Solutions
Many industry leading companies use Fidesic to manage their AR and AP processes. Here are a select few:


text:
The Innovation Voucher initiative was developed to build links between Ireland's public knowledge providers (i.e. higher education institutes, public research bodies) and small businesses. Innovation Vouchers worth €5,000 are available to assist a company or companies to explore a business opportunity or problem with a registered knowledge provider.
In an independent survey of companies that participated in the Innovation Voucher Programme:
The Innovation Vouchers initiative is open to all small and medium-sized companies registered in Ireland.
Applications are not restricted to clients of Enterprise Ireland.
Small and medium-sized enterprises in the agricultural sector are excluded in line with State aid guidelines.
Companies with charitable status, commercial semi-state companies, "not for profit" organisations, trade associations, company representation bodies such as Chambers of Commerce, Sports Bodies & Associations, Sports Clubs and other non-commercial bodies or associations are not eligible to participate in the innovation voucher initiative.
Small and medium-sized company definition (SME):For the purposes of the Innovation Voucher Initiative, a small and medium-sized enterprise is defined as a company or (if part of a group) a group of companies where the total number of full-time employees in the company (or the entire group) is less than 250 and has an annual turnover total not exceeding €50m and/or an annual Balance Sheet total not exceeding €43m. (Exclusions: small and medium-sized enterprises in the agricultural sector are excluded in line with State aid guidelines).
Small and medium-sized companies may make use of a maximum of three vouchers, one of which must be a 50-50 co-funded Fast Track voucher.
Companies that have been approved in excess of €300,000 (includes funding under the Enterprise Ireland Innovation Partnership programme) funding from Enterprise Ireland in the previous 5 years are not eligible to apply for a fully funded 5k Standard Innovation Voucher, but are eligible to apply for a Co-Funded Innovation Voucher provided they satisfy all other eligibility criteria.
A company may have one 'active' voucher at any point in time. Companies should ensure that the voucher has been redeemed by the knowledge provider before applying for a subsequent voucher.
Companies will not be eligible for further vouchers until their accounts with the knowledge providers are settled in full (including the payment of VAT).
Your voucher will also be accepted by registered knowledge providers in Northern Ireland as part of Enterprise Ireland's arrangement with Invest Northern Ireland.
Please note that Innovation Vouchers are EXCLUSIVE OF VAT. You will be charged VAT by the knowledge provider and this cost MUST be settled separately by the company.
If you wish to apply for an Innovation Voucher, there are two options:
You may only apply for a Standard Voucher during one of our open calls and the option to apply for a Standard Voucher is only available within the Online Application System during an open call. Outside of the open calls, a Sample Standard Voucher application form is available for download to help you prepare for submission in advance of the next call. Please note that this is available for information purposes only and should not be used to submit your application. All standard voucher applications must be made via the Enterprise Ireland Online Application System in the normal fashion during one of our open calls. See Call Schedule below
We are pleased to announce that the "continuously open call" for standard vouchers will be extended into 2020 and we will be accepting applications for the standard voucher at any time throughout 2020.
50-50 co-funded Fast Track Applications - may be submitted anytime.
Innovation Vouchers can be used for any kind of innovation such as:
Vouchers can be exchanged for knowledge transfer projects from the knowledge provider.
For the purposes of this initiative, a knowledge transfer project is defined as one that transfers knowledge of a scientific, technological or innovative nature that it is new to the small enterprise. The small enterprise may then use the new knowledge to innovate a product, process or service.
The Innovation Voucher may not be used to cover the costs of:
If potential solutions to the knowledge question already exist in the marketplace, then Enterprise Ireland is likely to reject the application on the basis that the proposed activity may be undertaken by the private sector.
Our Online Application System for Innovation Vouchers allows you to apply for both Standard 5K Innovation Vouchers and Co-funded Fast Track Innovation Vouchers. All voucher applications must be made via the Enterprise Ireland Online Application System. If you are a first-time applicant, you will have to register on the Enterprise Ireland Online Application System and create your own account.
All applications for our Standard Voucher must be made during one of our open calls, and we strongly recommend that you commence your application well in advance of the call close date and time.
Applications submitted beyond the call close date will not be accepted.
Download and read Frequently Asked Questions about our Innovation Vouchers initiative.
Watch John D'Alton, Director of Grafico talk about how he worked with the TEC centre at Cork Institute of Technology to develop a prototype of a stock management tool for beer kegs:
To access the skills and research expertise in third level institutions you need to contact one of the knowledge providers listed below who have signed up to participate in the Innovation Vouchers initiative.
Enterprise Ireland is delighted to announce that Invest Northern Ireland is now also operating the Innovation Voucher initiative in Northern Ireland. As a result, there are an additional 10 Knowledge Providers from Northern Ireland participating in the initiative, bringing the total number to 38 in Ireland.
Siobhan Lee
+353 90 646 8116
Neil McLoughlin
+353 42 9370453
Helen O'Reilly
+353 91 742742
Niall McEvoy
+353 71 9155385
Padraig Gallagher
+353 74 9186062
Fiona Neary
+353 91 492400
Ciara McDonagh
+353 1 808 9546
Maria Johnston
+353 1 700 7597
Danielle Whelan
+353 1 4027143
Ann Marie Phelan
+353 1 2394625
Claire Mac Namee
+353 1 8851502
Jack McDonnell
+353 1 4042864
David Bramley
+353 1 6364271
Dr. Anu Sahni
+353 1 4498622
Seamus Browne
+353 1 4028651
Hugh O'Neill
+353 87 616 7857
John Wrigley
+353 1 7163721
Beverly McRoberts
+44 75 00800023
Rachel Burns
+44 28 90265150
Christine Haydock
+44 28 86768143
Fergal Tuffy
+44 28 71276390
Lorraine Neill
+44 78 11 998113
Karen McClure
+44 28 92626776
Paul Cairns
028 82255223
Aislin Trainor
+44 28 38 397778
Kerry Patterson
+44 28 9036 8603
Aileen Deasy
+353 1 214 4100
Josette O'Mullane
+353 21 432 6697
Stephen Rooney
+353 59 9175270
Dr. Siobhan Mac Sweeney
+353 66 7191846
Yvonne Doyle
+353 504 28266
Deirdre Clayton
Kieran Downey
+353 25 42677
David O'Connell
+353 21 4205121
Paul Dillon
+353 61 202611
Waterford IT directory
Aisling O'Neill
+353 51 302975
For further information about the Innovation Vouchers initiative, please contact the Innovation Vouchers Programme Manager:
Innovation Vouchers Programme Manager
If you would like to collaborate with an Irish University or Institute of Technology on a larger research project, go to Innovation Partnerships Initiative. For more information on Enterprise Ireland Research and Innovation supports, go to our Research and Innovation section.
The Innovation Voucher Initiative was a key recommendation of the Small Business Forum in their report Small Business is Big Business, published in 2006.
Legal and State Aid Basis: The Innovation Voucher Initiative can be run under the powers set out in the Science and Technology Act, 1987. The State Aid basis for the Innovation Voucher Initiative is the 'de minimis rule'.


text:
This is an optional Outerwears Performance Short Course Truck Shroud, for use with the Traxxas Slash 4x4. Outerwears shrouds are what your truck needs to protect the electronics from dirt and debris. Unlike lexan covers, Outerwears shrouds allow your electronics to breathe, but the material is still water repellant. This shroud is easily installed, using velcro strips along the sides of the chassis to secure the shroud, while allowing effortless installation and removal. Plus, this version of the shroud features a zipper closure that makes it easy to access to the components and remove/install your batteries.
NOTE: This is not compatible with Slash 4x4 trucks equipped with LCG chassis.
- Keeps chassis electronics and components free from dirt and debris contamination
- Zipper closure for easy chassis access
- Easy to install
This product was added to our catalog on June 25, 2015


text:
The final regular-season episode of "The Ultimate Fighter 12: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck" airs tonight as part of a two-hour special.
Four semifinalists will be reduced to two finalists from a pool featuring Team Koscheck's Nam Phan and Team GSP's Jonathan Brookins, Michael Johnson and Kyle Watson.
The two winning lightweights meet at Saturday's live finale, which airs live on Spike TV from Las Vegas.
As tonight's regular-season finale begins, head coaches Georges St-Pierre laments the fact that "there are no more teams" because of the Jonathan vs. Kyle fight, which is tonight's first. He doesn't want to show favoritism, so though they'll train as a team, and Georges won't offer either fighter individual tips.
Team GSP assistant coach John Danaher explains that Kyle and Jonathan are the most well-rounded athletes and probably should be the final fight rather that a semifinal bout.
In a confessional, Kyle explains he started his MMA career later this most and actually paid to get his first fight. Faced with a move to Chicago for a job promotion or his MMA career, he chose fighting and continued teaching jiu jitsu at the H.I.T. Squad in Illinois.
While training with Dane Sayers, Kyle works on technique. He knows that he and Jonathan have a very solid understanding of the other's overall game and that his edge may be standing.
At a Team Koscheck session, Marc Stevens is a bit bummed that head coach Josh Koscheck apparently has called in his final training sessions. Marc says he's not the only one on the team disappointed with the lack of training, which Jeff Lentz echoes in his own confessional. Back at the house, they're especially disappointed that Team GSP brought in so many great trainers to improve everyone's game.
As the fighters lounge around the house and play pool, an intoxicated Marc shares his impersonation of their head coach. His teammates enjoy the performance, especially his boastful claims, dual cellphones and texting, and his constant need to fluff up his air. But Josh then quietly pulls into the driveway and walks into the house without Marc noticing it.
Josh just leans against the bar and smiles.
"I'll let that go because I know alcohol can make people do stupid things," he says.
Josh ultimately pours drinks for the team (except Nam, who's fighting) and then wants information about training sessions at Team GSP. Cody McKenzie is all too happy to explain how much they enjoy Georges and the training, which seems to get under Josh's skin.
The following day, Jonathan explains how he has trouble getting alone time and how he enjoys the isolation of the backyard. But he said he came to "TUF" with specific goals, and he's proud he didn't waste his time. He said he wants people to watch the show and ultimately predict him to be the one who goes on to great things. He admits, though, that he likes Kyle, knows his style well, and that it's not his ideal fight because of their relationship.
"My game plan is just to be quicker," he says.
One guy who's spending a lot of time with Jonathan is Nam, which riles his Team Koscheck teammates. They'll feel he's being two-faced by spending time with the other team and think he may be fishing for information on his opponent, Michael.
Jonathan knows the team has turned on him, and he wonders if Nam may be talking badly about him behind his back. Back in the house, Michael confronts Nam for talking trash about him. Jeff essentially sells him out and tells Michael that Nam has been talking trash about him. Nam said he knows he's an easy target with his teammates because he doesn't really fight back verbally.
Back at the gym, Jonathan and Kyle weigh in for their fight. Both guys make the 156-pound limit and embrace after the usual weigh-in photo opportunity.
Once back at the house, each fighter get through the usual pre-fight routine of calming nerves. But they're soon off to the gym for a first semifinal matchup:
Team GSP's Kyle Watson (13-6-1) vs. Team GSP's Jonathan Brookins (11-2)
UFC president Dana White does the intros, Steve Mazzagatti is the ref, and we're underway. The fighters trade jabs and then combos before Kyle lands a nice low kick. A quick Jonathan darts in and out with punches, but Kyle gets through a short left. He then combines for a nice elbow to the chin and another solid punch before Jonathan resets and scores the single-leg takedown. Kyle works butterfly guard and gets to a knee with his back against the cage, and then he muscles his way to back to his feet. Jonathan pushes him into the cage, and they jockey for position while in the clinch. Jonathan goes for the legs and wants the takedown, but Kyle makes him pay with punches, and they reset. The fighters trade punches from distance before Jonathan gets another takedown. Kyle is against the cage and tries to get back up, but Jonathan keeps him tied up. This battle continues for the better part of a minute, and after failing to take Kyle's back, Jonathan unloads a nice barrage of ground and pound before moving into full guard. Jonathan again delivers more heavy blows before the round ends. Jonathan finishes strong and takes the round, 10-9.
After some corner instructions, round two is underway. Jonathan works jabs and Kyle low kicks. Jonathan shoots, but Kyle initially stuffs it. Jonathan is relentless, though, and ultimately gets it. Kyle tries to create distance with his legs but ultimately settles for pulling guard. The taller Jonathan postures up to deliver punches that land pretty frequently. Kyle begins back-crawling to the fencing as he ties up Jonathan's arms. He then nearly kicks his way free, but Jonathan swarms back in and takes his back. But unable to secure his hooks on the kneeling Kyle, the position stalls. After meticulous work, he moves into side control to deliver stringing elbow strikes. Kyle again neutralizes him and then pops him with an upkick, but Jonathan returns to full guard. Kyle delivers elbows from below, but he's tiring. Jonathan postures up and delivers a few more punches before moving into half guard. Kyle, though, holds him tight and gets back to his feet just as the round ends. But it's again a round clearly belonging to Jonathan, 10-9.
In the semifinal fights, we get mandatory three-rounders, so this bout enters the third and finale frame. Both fighters look exhausted but come out strong. Jonathan works the jab, and Kyle moves in for a clinch. Jonathan reverses and puts him against the cage. Kyle delivers some knees to the body and circles off to reset. Kyle lands a nice right-left combo. Jonathan, though, shoots again and gets the double-leg takedown. Kyle is seated against the fence and tries to get to his feet. Jonathan tries to hold him down, but Kyle gets back up. Jonathan instantly clings to his hips and eats a couple body punches and then a few blows to the head. He still clings to his opponent and finally gets the slam takedown. Kyle secures full guard, and the pace slows. Jonathan finally unloads a couple forearm strikes, and Kyle again tries to get back to his feet. Neither guy has much energy, though, and the pace stalls against the cage with Jonathan on top. Kyle makes a last-ditch effort to get to his feet, but Jonathan clings to his back to close out the round. It's closer, but Jonathan gets it 10-9 for the shutout decision win on the MMAjunkie.com scorecard.
It's a pretty lopsided fight, and the judges all give it to Jonathan, 30-27.
"I don't know if I've ever seen anybody as respectful and humble as Brookins for as talented as he is," Dana says in a confessional.
Georges meets with Kyle, who feels he didn't fight to the best of his ability. But he's excited to take his GSP tips back to the gym and improve his game.
With Jonathan as the show's first finalist, the attention soon turns to Michael and Nam.
More specifically, some Team Koscheck members are curious about Nam's "hour-long showers" and some possible extracurriculars. They decide to do a surprise inspection to see if they can catch him in the act, and though blurred, Nam's crotch seems especially soapy.
"I don't know what you call it in America," British cast member Aaron Wilkinson says. "But I think he was blue-balled."
Nam confronts the peepers as Kyle, who's in another room, wonders where the 10 giggling girls came from.
Ultimately, Nam just wishes his teammates would leave him alone as he prepares for his fight.
Back at a Team GSP training session, Georges is giving Michael a brutally honest fight assessment and says Nam has him outclassed in most areas. But he says Michael is stronger and more athletic, and he's more than capable of upsetting the Strikeforce veteran.
To lighten the mood on the ride home from the gym, Cody shares a joke with his team.
"What does the yellow team (Team Koscheck) and Nam's wang have in common?" he asks to a round of laughter. "They've all been choked on national TV."
Back at the house, Nam is running by himself and warming up in the backyard. Jonathan, though, takes a look and is a little pissed that his whole team turned on Nam, especially when he still has a fight left.
Nam finally asks the team, specifically Sevak Magakian, to give him time to focus on his fight and to leave him alone.
The Team Koscheck training session at the gym has just one attendee: Nam. The coaches apparently had their own stuff going on, and Nam's teammates had a long night of partying and opted to sleep in. So Nam goes through his training session and fight preparations in isolation.
"You've gotta have thick skin," he says.
The following day, the full team joins him, and it's clear he probably was better off by himself. They continually joke about his alleged shower hijinks and tell Josh about it. But he doesn't care.
"Whatever you're doing, keep doing it Nam," Josh says in front of the whole team. "It's obviously working."
Knowing Nam is his only chance to represent the team and get him a victory, Josh gives his fighter some one-on-time in preparation of the fight.
At the subsequent weigh-ins, Michael weighs 156 and Nam 155.
In a confessional, Dana says that despite Michael's first-round draft, he thinks Nam is more well-rounded and likely enters the fight as the favorite.
Rather than take the high road, though, the following morning, Michael decides to pile on like Team GSP.
"I can't get beat by someone who jerks off in the shower," he proclaims during breakfast.
It's not clear if Nam heard the dig, but regardless, they're soon off to the gym for the final semifinal fight. After the usual pre-fight prep, we're underway with:
Team GSP's Michael Johnson (8-4) vs. Team Koscheck's Nam Phan (16-7)
Dana again does intros, and Josh Rosenthal serves as ref. A touch of gloves gets us started. Nam goes high with a kick but immediately is put on his back. Nam tries to roll free, and Michael lets him up before looking for another takedown. He gets it and puts Nam into the fencing and takes him down before delivering a few shots and again letting him up. Nam catches a kick, punches his opponent and sweeps him to the mat before they reset. Michael shoots again, and Nam waits with a solid uppercut. The fighters trade punches and kicks from distance, but Michael shoots and again easily gets the double-leg takedown. Nam quickly gets to his feet, though, and we start again. The fighters trade punches to the head and body, and each does a little damage. Nam throws a solid high kick but doesn't have much behind it. Michael then explodes and chases with a solid combo before Nam stuffs the subsequent takedown attempt. Lots of action midway through the first. Michael does damage from the clinch and then from distance with looping shots and knee strikes. One forces a cut right above Nam's right eye as he's pressed into the fence. Nam swings free and resets, but Michael quickly pins him against the fence before he escapes again. Michael shoots, but the attempts are slowing. Nam wipes away blood from his eye while trying to keep his opponent at bay with high kicks. A body kick is caught, and Michael presses Nam into the fence and connects on some punches before the round ends. MMAjunkie.com scores an entertaining opening round 10-9 for Michael.
Nam's eye is cleaned up for round two, but it could be an issue. Both fighters breathe heavily as the frame begins. The fighters swing and miss with looping shots, but Nam connects on a body kick. Michael moves in quickly with punches, but Nam backs away to avoid anything substantial. Michael tries again, but Nam is getting better with his defenses. Nam unloads a crushing body blow, and Michael clinches and pushes Nam into the fence to catch a breather. Nam breaks off with a short punch, but Michael swarms and puts him against the fence again. Nam, though, avoids punches and circles away. Michael shoots, but Nam reverses the position on the way down and pops his opponent with some punches before they're back standing. The fighters trade heavy blows in the center of the cage, and Michael seems to be slowing. The fighters rest a bit while clinched against the cage, but Michael keeps swinging for the fences while Nam wings and connects on the occasional body shot. Nam fires off punches and knees to the body before scattering away from Michael's clinch. The fighters cautiously trade the occasional punch or kick before quickly creating distance. Michael lands a nice body kick and tries to steal the round with a flurry. The round ends with the fighters in a clinch. It's close, but MMAjunkie.com scores it 10-9 for Nam.
Entering the third and final frame in a likely tie, both fighters obviously are tiring but seem fueled by their corners' pep talks. Dana roots them on before the ref signals for the start. Nam works body kicks while Michael goes head-hunting with punches. Michael secures a single leg, and Nam pulls guard looking for a submission. Nam fires off elbow strikes from his back while Michael does little from the top. Michael finally gets position to unload a few punches, but the elbows keep coming from his opponent. Nam finally escapes as a tired Michael can't stop it. Both swing wildly and actually connect before clinching against the cage. Nam circles off but eats a left on the way out. Back to the center of the cage, Nam delivers another solid body shot. Michael corrals him and puts him against the fence, and Michael dips looking for a takedown. He gets the single leg and puts Nam on his back. Nam looks to escape and does so easily. The fighters swing sloppily before again clinching against the fence. Both are tiring. Michael lands a few knees to the body, but Nam again escapes. Michael lands a nice lunging uppercut and again puts Nam against the cage. He dips and looks for a takedown, but Nam fends it off. Michael resets and then moves in with a lunging knee. Nam answers with a body punch and misses with an overhand right. Nam's glove is falling apart with strings of tape dangling, but he's undeterred while looking for an opening. Little lands in what could have been decisive final seconds. It's another very close round, but MMAjunkie.com scores it 10-9 for Nam based on the escapes and more active ground game.
Before the decision is read, the coaches and Dana talk through the replays. The general consensus is that Michael won the first round and Nam the second. They're split on the decisive third round, and each coach thinks his respective fighter won.
The judges, in fact, are split. In the end, Michael gets the nod via scores 29-28, 28-29 and 29-28.
Michael is ecstatic, and Nam is understandably dejected.
"It's hard when you get close and lose a split decision," he says.
Josh is bummed, especially since the finale now features just Team GSP fighters.
"But I get to redeem myself, and that comes in December when I get to beat Georges St-Pierre's ass," he says.
After a final "TUF 12" staredown between finalists Jonathan and Michael, this season is in the books.
Join us on Saturday for live coverage of the finale, where the latest "TUF" champ will be crowned.
For the latest on this season, stay tuned to "The Ultimate Fighter 12" section of MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).
Catch new episodes of "The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck" every Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Spike TV. MMAjunkie.com recaps each episode of the reality series, and full series coverage can be found on "The Ultimate Fighter 12" page.


text:
Aspen fighting to remain host for Winter X spectacle after 2014
ASPEN -- After 12 years, the Winter X Games here are more than a business boom. Yes, the event fill hotels and restaurants. It bolsters the reputation of resort operator Aspen Skiing Co. The busiest weekend of the winter, the snowy bacchanal fires an economic engine that fuels a valley.
But more important, Aspen X has become a vital tradition, a high-profile, youthful gathering of the tribe where goggle-tanned lovers of winter celebrate stars, mourn losses and randomly fist-bump parka-swaddled strangers.
The idea that ESPN might move its snow-sports circus from Aspen after the 2014 games -- there are at least three other locales vying to host the event from 2015-17: Utah's Park City, California's Lake Tahoe resorts and Canada's Quebec City -- is equivalent to a sort of amputation.
"Think of it like losing the December holidays, Presidents Day weekend or the Fourth of July," Michael Goldberg said as he wrapped up an atypical Wednesday night where the band Bloc Party shook his intimate Belly Up nightclub in downtown Aspen. "But the loss of the tradition -- one of the things that makes living here so special -- would be felt well beyond the business community. We will survive if they leave, but it won't be nearly as much fun. Or as profitable."
The 200 competing athletes draw more than 100,000 visitors for the four-day festival at the Buttermilk ski area, with the peak show Saturday topping a record 45,000 last year. The Roaring Fork Valley's lodges, hotels and inns swell to 98 percent occupancy during the X Games. That's as big as the New Year's Day and Labor Day holidays.
Aspen, ESPN and Aspen Skiing don't discuss the economic impact of the X Games, but the city's sales-tax report last January shows that Aspen's lodges harvested $21.1 million, and restaurants and bars saw $10.8 million in spending for the X Games month.
That was a 10 percent increase from January 2011, delivering $1.7 million in sales- and lodging-tax revenue to the city.
But the brief bump in cash is only part of the benefit of Aspen's X Games jubilee. Last year, ESPN's telecast of the action-sports gala reached 232 million homes in nearly 200 countries. Today's digital reach has expanded the breadth of the X Games exponentially.
That global presence elevates the Aspen name, floating not just the ski areas but the valley's vibe. A dozen years ago, before the X Games arrived in Aspen, the valley's signature hill in downtown Aspen didn't even allow snowboarders. Now, Aspen is ground zero for the hottest, most progressive snow sports in the world.
Reaching those young riders and future skiers and snowboarders -- planting the seed that no place plays harder than Aspen -- is something money can't buy, said Aspen's longtime mayor, Mick Ireland.
"Someone who comes here when they are 13 for the X Games and they are really excited about it, they are going to remember that -- and you can't reach that person any other way," Ireland said. "You can't justify special events like this on the two-, three-day bump in lodging. The effects go much longer."
Aspen Skiing, which is privately owned, carries most of the weight in hosting the X Games, pretty much turning over the keys to its Buttermilk ski area for months of preparation. But the community, too, is in deep. This year, the City Council increased its contribution by $25,000, providing $125,000. A transportation council of regional officials delivered another $100,000 for transit service.
Aspen, in the past dozen years, has honed its X Games operations into a science. Buses from across the state rally in the valley, ferrying visitors with the efficiency of the New York subway. Vacationers can easily ski three other areas while the traditional beginner-friendly Buttermilk hosts the X Games invasion. And Aspen is no stranger to throwing a party.
"We really do have it down to a science," Ireland said.
John Rigney, the Aspen Skiing vice president of sales and events who has spent countless hours negotiating with ESPN over the 12 years and the contract renewals that have kept the X Games in Aspen through the 2014 event, said his company treats X "as a long-term positioning investment."
"We've long been known for celebrating athletic achievement at its highest levels, and yet this event is the biggest on the planet for winter sports. Our community has a legendary reputation for vibrancy and nightlife, and still X takes this to another level," Rig-ney said. "Aspen represents so many different things to so many different people, and X is simply another incredibly appealing and inspirational component of our resort."
Potential hosts have until April 2 to submit formal proposals, and ESPN is expected to announce the 2015-17 Winter X host by the end of this year.
"We love it here. They are phenomenal hosts," vice president of X Games global events Chris Stiepock said Wednesday at the news conference to open this year's X Games. "It's a place where we know and a place that we love."
Athletes have a range of opinions on the potential venue shift, but they share a universal appreciation of Aspen. The Buttermilk course is the best in the world, the Aspen nightlife is unrivaled and the X Games is a party that generates memories for a lifetime.
"I think Aspen has proven itself," said local snowboarding queen Gretchen Bleiler. "I think ESPN is hoping Aspen pulls it together with the best bid because it's just so easy for them here."
Aspen halfpipe skiing phenom Torin Yater-Wallace recently relocated to Park City to train in the Olympic-caliber halfpipe, but he still leans toward keeping X in his hometown.
"Aspen is the best fit. Park City would be a good place for it, but I think no place will be better than Aspen," the 18-year-old said.
Shaun White, the California kid-turned-action-sports superstar who competes in both ESPN's Summer and Winter X Games, is the athlete most responsible for floating the network's X franchise. Maybe so much that it has outgrown its Buttermilk home.
White has trained at Park City Mountain Resort. His home hill is Lake Tahoe's Northstar. He has built a multimillion-dollar career off his 23 X Games medals.
"I love Aspen, but a change of scenery would be fun," White said. "Change is good, right?"
Even if ESPN picks a new host for the event in 2015-17, Ireland says not all will be lost for Aspen.
"I doubt if the X Games leaves Aspen, that would mean they would never come back," he said. "We are the perfect place for X."
Jason Blevins: 303-954-1374, firstname.lastname@example.com or twitter.com/jasontblevins
Spots mark the X
Denver Post staff writer Jason Blevins outlines four sites said to be in the hunt for the Winter X Games:
Park City, Utah
The 3,330-acre Park City Mountain Resort was the alpine venue of the 2002 Olympics and several World Cup freeskiing and snowboarding contests. The area has proposed an April Winter X Games. The traditional end-of-January schedule for Winter X overlaps with the city's Sundance Film Festival. Bob Kollar, special-events director for the Park City Convention and Visitors Bureau, said moving Sundance isn't an option. Kollar declined to discuss details of his city's X Games bid. The resort is a training area for many of the top riders in the superpipe, and the area continues to host offseason training.
Lake Tahoe
A partnership has united South Lake Tahoe's Heavenly ski area -- owned by Vail Resorts -- with Alpine Meadows and Squaw Valley, owned by Denver's KSL Capital Partners. The proposal would divide events among the locations, separated by a one- hour drive. Next year, Heavenly will host the U.S. freestyle nationals, and Squaw will host the U.S. alpine championships. "Hosting the Winter X Games is an immense commitment. However, the gains are pretty substantial," said Andy Wirth, CEO of Squaw-Alpine and a former Steamboat executive. "To participate in the next evolution and the next staging of winter sports is pretty incredible."
Quebec City
Sarah Matthews, a spokeswoman with the 400-acre Le Massif de Charlevoix ski area, said resort executives and Quebec City marketing and promotions group Gestev are analyzing the possibility of hosting the winter event. The resort is about an hour northeast of Quebec City on the Saint Lawrence River. "It is a really nice project that could be very interesting for Le Massif. But for the moment, there are too many details that are unknown," said Matthews, declining to discuss specifics.
Whistler Blackcomb
Host of the 2010 Winter Olympics, which lost to Aspen in a two-year X Games extension despite a reported promise of $750,000 in support to lure the event, the Vancouver, B.C.-area resort is not commenting on whether it is bidding for 2015-17. Last May, when ESPN announced Winter X would remain in Aspen through 2014, Whistler leaders promised to keep alive the fight to host the X Games. "ESPN has shared with us that they also believe Whistler would be a great fit, and we would certainly be open to discussing future opportunities with ESPN if the occasion were to arise," Whistler Blackcomb president and chief operating officer Dave Brownlie said last year.


text:
Weekend Cook and Tell Round Up: Keen on Quinoa
Our last challenge for Weekend Cook and Tell was for all of you to share your favorite quinoa dishes. We called this Keen on Quinoa. Quinoa seems to be an acquired taste for some. While everyone agrees on its healthful properties, some of our Serious Eaters work around the texture to include it in their diets. The rest of us enjoy its nutty flavor. Here are your top quinoa dishes that quiet the naysayers.
JulietRomeo loves the texture. To add flavor, she cooks it in broth or seasons the water with a bouillon cube. Once cooked, JulietRomeo lays it on a cookie sheet to cool. Her favorite salad with it is like a pico de gallo: diced tomatoes, green onion, cilantro, lime, and if on hand, diced cucumber and black beans. It sounds positively refreshing!
If you're looking for a Quinoa Tabbouli or Quinoa Soup, Ken G is your guy. Right about now, some warm, savory quinoa soup sounds divine. It's getting a little chilly out there and soup is right up our alley.
sharig58 has a recipe that's so good, she makes enough to eat for lunch and dinner. "Mix cooked quinoa with fresh spinach to wilt it. Let cool, and then mix with green and red bell peppers, sun dried tomatoes, chickpeas, crumbled feta. In a separate bowl, mix lemon juice with EVOO, dijon mustard, pepper and truffle salt (gives it extra depth). Pour over mixture and enjoy!"
For some, it both provides protein and an alternative to rice. hungrychristel uses it because "mostly because I suck at cooking rice." Her favorite cold quinoa salad is as follows:
- Quinoa, cooked in 1/2 water, 1/2 tomato juice - 3 scallions, diced - 1 red bell pepper, diced - Crumbled feta - Fine-chopped fresh parsley (not dried! no way!) - Fine-chopped kalamatas - S&P
Toss with a dressing of 1/3 lemon juice, 1/3 olive oil, 1/3 rice wine vin (this is for a tarte version, you can do your own) bind with dijon.
juliasalbum prefers to use quinoa whenever her family orders Chinese or Thai takeout. Better nutrition and a bit more texture. She also likes to serve quinoa on the side with her Thai Red Curry Sauce with Chicken.
Finally, mangotomato shows us a different way to eat quinoa - for breakfast! She likes to add orange zest, apples, pecans, cranberries, and milk to her quinoa, stir it together and enjoy. mangotomato suggests you can use this to replace oatmeal. Great suggestion! (just don't tell Erin)
A big thank you to everyone for sharing their keenness for quinoa for this week's Weekend Cook and Tell challenge. Be sure to head over to Talk and read about next week's challenge: The Savory Side of Pumpkin
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


text:
Enough performance for almost all tasks
Impressively fast processor
Thin and light for a mid-range device
High-contrast AMOLED screen, Smooth user interface
Has almost all the features of its last flagship Galaxy S III
Jelly Bean out of the box
Has good call quality
Lag-free smooth Android Jelly Bean experience
Unexceptional, boring and hard to get excited about
As powerful as a Galaxy S3, Compact, lightweight design
Attractive build quality
First free mobile broadcast TV phone.
Live local TV on the go
ReviewGist helps you find the best products to buy by making sense of online reviews.
We are currently aggregating 376,500 reviews
covering over 29,474 products.
© 2020 ReviewGist.com. All Rights Reserved.


text:
Her Daughter's Dream
- Francine Rivers Author
- 2011 7 Sep
EDITOR'S NOTE: The following is an excerpt from Her Daughter's Dream, Marta's Legacy Series #2 by Francine Rivers (Tyndale).
Hildemara lay in the darkness, her nightgown damp with perspiration. Night sweats again— she should be used to them by now. Her roommate, Lydia, snored softly. Lydia had been steadily improving since she arrived six weeks ago, which only served to depress Hildemara more. Lydia had gained two pounds; Hildie lost the same amount.
Two months and still no improvement, hospital bills mounting daily, crushing Trip's dreams beneath their weight. Her husband came each afternoon. He'd looked so tired yesterday, and no wonder when he had to work full- time and then go home and take care of all her duties: laundry, cooking, seeing to Charlie's and Carolyn's needs. Hildie grieved over her children— Charlie on his own so much of the time, Carolyn being raised by an indifferent babysitter. She hadn't touched or seen her children since Trip brought her to the hospital. She missed them so much, she felt physical pain most of the time. Or was that just the mycobacterium tuberculosis consuming her lungs and decimating her body?
Pushing the covers back, Hildie went to the bathroom to rinse her face with cool water. Who was that gaunt, pale ghost staring back at her in the mirror? She studied the sharp angles, the pallor, the shadows beneath her hazel eyes, the lackluster brown color of the hair around her shoulders.
I'm dying, Lord, aren't I? I haven't enough strength to fight this disease. And now I have to face Mama's disappointment in me. She called me a coward last time. Maybe I am giving up. She cupped water in her hands and pressed her face into it. Oh, God, I love Trip so much. And Charlie and sweet little Carolyn. But I'm tired, Lord, so very tired. I'd rather die now, than linger and leave a legacy of debt.
She'd told Trip as much last week. She only wished she could die at home, rather than in a sterile hospital room twenty miles away. His face had twisted in anguish. "Don't say that. You're not going to die. You have to stop worrying about the bills. If your mother came, I could bring you home. Maybe then . . ."
She'd argued. Mama wouldn't come. She'd never helped before. Mama hated the very idea of being a servant. And that's exactly what she'd be— a full- time maid and washerwoman, babysitter and cook, without pay. Hildie said she couldn't ask such a thing of Mama.
Trip called Mama anyway, and then he went down on Saturday with Charlie and Carolyn so he and Mama could talk things over. He'd come out this morning. "Your mother said yes. I'm taking a couple of days off to get things ready for her." He wanted to repaint Carolyn's room, buy a nice, comfortable bed, a new dresser and mirror, maybe a rocking chair. "Charlie and Carolyn will have the small bedroom. You and I'll be together. . . ."
"I can't sleep with you, Trip. I need to be quarantined." She could barely absorb the news that Mama had agreed to help. "I can't be near the children." At least, she could hear them; she could see them. Mama said she'd come. Mama was moving in. Hildie trembled, taking it all in. She felt a little sick to her stomach. "I'll need a hospital bed." She gave Trip instructions about her room. No rug. A window shade rather than curtains. The simpler the room, the easier to keep sanitized. Trip looked so hopeful, it broke her heart. He leaned down to kiss her forehead before he left. "You'll be home soon."
Now, she couldn't sleep. Rather than get back into bed, Hildie sat in a chair by the window and looked out at the stars. What was it going to be like, having Mama living under her roof, taking care of her, taking care of her children, taking care of all the chores that needed to be done so Trip didn't have to do everything? Would Mama despise her for not fighting harder? Her eyes burned; her throat ached just thinking about having to lie in bed sick and helpless while Mama took over her family. She wiped tears away.
Of course, Mama would do it all better than she ever could. That realization hurt even more. Mama had always managed everything.
Even without Papa, the ranch ran like a well- oiled machine. Mama would fix Trip wonderful meals. Mama would be the one to give Charlie wings. Mama would probably have Carolyn reading before she turned four.
I should be grateful. She cares enough to come and help. I didn't think she did.
When the night air had cooled her, Hildie slipped beneath the covers again.
She wanted to be grateful. She would say thank you, even as she had to watch the life she loved slip away from her. She had fought hard to be free of Mama's expectations, to claim her own life and not live out her mother's impossible dreams. Even the one thing at which she'd excelled would be stripped from her before she closed her eyes for the last time.
Mama would be the nurse. Mama would carry the lantern.
Carolyn was happy that Daddy let her stay with Oma Marta in Murietta until Oma was ready to move to their house. If she had gone home with him and Charlie, she would have had to go to Mrs. Haversal's across the street every day while Charlie was at school and Daddy went to work. It had been like that for a long time, ever since Mommy went away. But now, Mommy was coming home and Oma was coming to stay. It would be wonderful!
Carolyn played with the rag doll Oma had given her, while Oma packed her suitcase with clothing and a trunk with sheets, crochet- trimmed and embroidered pillowcases, two blankets, and a pink rose tea set with tiny silver spoons. Oma put the suitcase and trunk in the back of her new gray Plymouth, and then she stacked two cushions in the front seat so Carolyn could sit high up and see out the window on the long drive home. Oma even let her roll her window down so she could put her hand out and feel the air.
They pulled into the driveway just when Charlie got off the school bus. "Oma!" He came running. Oma took the front door key out from under the flowerpot on the front porch.
Everything had changed inside the house. Carolyn found her bed and dresser in Charlie's room.
A small table stood between Charlie's bed and hers. She went back to her old room and watched Oma swing her suitcase onto a new, bigger bed. The pink walls were now bright yellow, and new lacy white curtains hung over the windows. There was a big dresser with a mirror on top, a little table and lamp, and a rocking chair with flowered cushions.
"I'm going to be very comfortable here." Oma unpacked her clothes and put them away.
Oma stepped to the window and drew the white lacy curtains aside. "I'm going to have to get used to having neighbors this close." She shook her head and turned away. "I'd better get dinner started. Your daddy will be coming home soon."
"Is Mommy coming home?"
"In another day or two." Oma opened the door into the spare bedroom. "This is where she'll be." Leaving Carolyn in the bedroom doorway, Oma headed for the kitchen. Carolyn didn't like the room. It felt cold and strange without a rug on the floor and no curtains on the window, just a shade pulled down to block out the sunlight.
Carolyn came into the kitchen. "Mommy isn't going to like her room."
"It's exactly the way she wants it. Easy to keep clean."
"Mommy likes plants on the windowsill. She likes flowers in a vase." Mommy always had pictures in frames on her dresser.
"Mommy doesn't like germs." Oma peeled potatoes.
"What are germs?"
Oma chuckled. "You'll have to ask your mother."
Oma had dinner ready before Daddy came home from work. They all sat around the kitchen table. "When do you pick her up?" Oma set a pitcher of milk on the table and sat in Mommy's chair.
"Day after tomorrow."
"Plenty to be thankful for, haven't we?" When Oma stretched out her hands, Charlie took one and Carolyn the other. Daddy took their hands too so they made a circle. He hadn't said grace since Mommy went away. He spoke quietly now, calmly, said amen and sighed, a smile tugging at his lips. Oma asked questions about his work, and Daddy talked for a long time. When everyone had finished dinner, Daddy stacked the dishes, but Oma shooed him away. "You and the kids go visit or play or whatever you normally do. I'll take care of cleaning up."
Daddy took Charlie outside to play catch. Carolyn sat on the front steps and watched.
Oma handled the baths that night, Charlie first so he could do his homework. She sat on the closed toilet while Carolyn played in the bubble bath. Oma gave Daddy a book to read to them, with Carolyn on one side and Charlie on the other. When he finished, he kissed them both and sent them to bed. Oma tucked them in with prayers.
In the middle of the night, Carolyn awakened. She'd gotten used to sleeping with Oma. Charlie didn't have monsters in his room, but Carolyn worried about Oma. Crawling out of bed, she crept down the hall to her old bedroom and opened the door. Oma snored so loudly, she'd probably scared all the monsters out of the house with the noise she made. Scampering back to Charlie's room, Carolyn dove into bed. Snuggling down into the covers, she looked at Charlie sleeping on the other side of the room, thought of Mommy coming home, and went to sleep smiling.
Daddy left for work right after a breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, and fresh- baked biscuits. As soon as Charlie left for school, Oma tipped Carolyn's chin. "Let's go brush your hair and put it in a ponytail. What do you say?" She took Carolyn by the hand and led her into her bedroom. She patted the bed and Carolyn climbed up onto it. While Oma brushed her hair, Carolyn watched her grandmother in the mirror. She liked her white hair and tanned, wrinkled cheeks. She had warm green-brown eyes like Mommy's. Oma smiled back at her. She brushed Carolyn's long, curly blonde hair into her hand. "You look like Elise. She was my little sister, and she was very, very pretty, just like you." When all the tangles had been worked out, Oma wound a rubber band around Carolyn's hair. "There. That looks better. Don't you think?"
Carolyn looked up. "Is Mommy dying?"
Oma smiled at Carolyn. "No. Your mother is not dying." She ran her hand over Carolyn's hair. "She needs rest. That's all. Now that I'm here, she can come home and rest. You'll see your mother every day."
Carolyn didn't see the mixture of emotions in Oma's face that she had seen in Daddy's. Oma didn't look uncertain or sad. She didn't look afraid. Oma wore glasses, but behind them Carolyn saw clear, warm eyes filled with confidence.
Oma told Carolyn they were going for a ride. "I need to get to know the area, find out where things are."
"What things?"
"Grocery store, for one. You and I are going to explore!" She made it sound like a great adventure. "We're going to find a library, where we can check out enough books to last a week. And I want to stop by the church, meet the pastor. Your daddy said you haven't gone for a while, but that's going to change."
"Will Mommy go, too?"
"No. Not for a while."
Oma drove fast, pointing this way and that, while Carolyn perched on pillows, taking in the sights. "Look over there. What do you know! A cheese factory! We'll pick up some good Swiss or Gouda cheese while we're in town. And there's a bank."
Oma took her to lunch at a small café on Main Street. Carolyn ate a hot dog and drank Coke. Before heading home, Oma wanted to wander through a department store. She looked through all the kitchen gadgets and bought a few. Then they went to the grocery store, and Oma filled the big basket. "Time to head home. We want to be there when Charlie gets off the bus."
Oma pulled into the driveway just as the school bus disgorged boys and girls. "Perfect timing!" Charlie ran up the street, whooping. Oma laughed and told him he sounded like a wild Indian. She handed him a bag of groceries. "You can help unload." She gave a smaller bag to Carolyn and carried in another bag and the package from the department store.
Charlie sniffed out the package of Fig Newtons like a bloodhound, opened it, grabbed a handful, and headed out the door to find his friends. Amused, Oma shook her head. "He's like one of my Summer Bedlam boys." Oma tore brown paper from the package and opened a big white box. "Look what I found when we were out shopping." She laid out a small embroidered tablecloth and matching napkins. "You and I and Mommy are going to make high tea every afternoon. It's been years since I've done it, but I have all the recipes right here." She took a worn leather book from her purse and set it on the table. She got a dreamy look on her face. "We're going to make this a special homecoming." She glanced at her watch and suggested they sit on the porch and enjoy the sunshine.
When Daddy brought Mommy home, Oma stood, holding Carolyn's hand. Mommy climbed out of the car, waved hello, and went straight into the house. Carolyn called out to her and followed them inside, but her father blocked her. "Leave your mother alone. She's going to bed." Mommy went down the hall into the cold room with the strange bed and closed the door. When Carolyn tried to go around Daddy, he caught hold of her and turned Carolyn around. "Go play outside for a while so Oma and I can talk. Go on now." He gave her a push.
Confused, Carolyn sat on the front steps until Daddy came out. He went right past her, got back into his car, and drove away.
Oma came out onto the front porch. "Your daddy had to go back to work. You'll see him this afternoon."
"Can I see Mommy?"
"No, Liebling." She shook her head and ran her hand over Carolyn's head. "Do you want to stay out here or come inside and help me make lunch?" Carolyn followed Oma back inside.
Her mother didn't come out of her room at all that day, except to use the bathroom. And every day after that was the same way. If she saw Carolyn in the hallway, she waved her away. Mommy didn't sit at the kitchen table for dinner or with the family in the living room when they listened to Lux Radio Theater. No one except Daddy and Oma could go into Mommy's room. Daddy often spent all evening behind the closed door while Oma took a book from the pile she'd checked out of the library and read stories to Carolyn and Charlie.
Carolyn often went outside after Charlie went to school. One day she picked daffodils that had sprouted up from bulbs Mommy had planted a long time ago. Mommy loved flowers. They made her happy. When Carolyn had a fistful, she went inside, crept along the corridor to Mommy's room, and opened the door. Mommy lay on her side, sleeping. Carolyn tiptoed to the bed. She stood chin level with the top of the mattress.
"Mommy?" Reaching up, Carolyn touched her mother's hand. Her mother's eyes flickered open. A smile curved her mouth. Carolyn held up the daffodils. "I brought you flowers, Mommy, to make you feel better."
Mommy's expression changed. Pulling up the sheet, she covered her mouth. "You're not supposed to come in here, Carolyn. Go! Now!"
Her lip trembled. "I want to be with you."
"You can't be with me." Her mother's eyes filled with tears. "Get out of here, Carolyn. Do what you're told."
"Mommy . . ." Carolyn reached out to give her the flowers.
Her mother reared back. "Mama!" Mommy started to cough. "Get away from me!" she choked out between coughs. When Oma appeared in the doorway, Mommy waved frantically. "Mama! Get her out of here! Get her away from me!" Sobbing now, still coughing, Mommy bunched the sheet over her mouth and hunched over. "Keep her out!"
Oma hustled Carolyn out of the room and closed the door firmly. Frightened, confused, Carolyn wailed. Oma picked her up and carried her into the living room. "Hush now! You didn't do anything wrong. Listen to me." She sat in the rocker. "Mommy's sick. You can't go in that room. If you do, she'll go away again. You don't want that, do you?"
"No." Why couldn't she go in? Oma did. Daddy did. Charlie stood in the doorway and talked to Mommy. Why did she have to stay away?
"Shhhh . . ." Oma lifted Carolyn into her lap and rocked her. Carolyn stuck her thumb in her mouth and leaned against her grandmother. "Everything is going to be fine, Liebling. Your mother is going to get better. You'll have plenty of time with her then."
Carolyn never went into Mommy's room after that. The closest she came was standing against the wall outside the door when Oma took in a tray of food. She could catch a glimpse of Mommy then. When the weather warmed, her mother came out of her room wearing a pair of slacks and a sweater. She sat on the front porch, where Oma served tea, egg salad and dill sandwiches, and pecan cookies. Carolyn waited inside until Oma told her she could come out, too. She sat in the chair on the farthest end of the porch as far away from her mother as she could get. Her mother drew the blue sweater more tightly around her thin body. "It's cold."
Oma poured tea. "It's seventy- three degrees, Hildemara Rose. You need fresh air."
"It's hard to keep warm even with the sun shining, Mama."
"I'll get you a blanket." Oma put another sandwich on Mommy's plate.
"No blanket, Mama. It's better if we try to look as normal as possible."
"Normal? The neighborhood already knows, Hildemara Rose. Why do you think they all stay away?" Oma gave a tight laugh. "Cowards! The lot of them."
Mommy nibbled at the small sandwich. "You're a wonderful cook, Mama."
"I learned from the best." Oma set her teacup in its saucer. "I learned from Rosie's mother. They had a hotel. I've told you that, haven't I? Chef Brennholtz tutored me at the Hotel Germania. He returned to Germany and got caught up in the war. Last I heard, he was chef to one of the ranking Nazis. After Warner Brennholtz, I worked for the Fourniers in Montreaux. Solange shared her French recipes. Lady Daisy's cook, Enid, taught me how to make these tea cakes." Oma talked about Lady Daisy's love of Kew Gardens. Oma pushed her in a wheelchair, and they visited the park every day. "It was hard work, but I never minded. I love English gardens. Of course, it's too hot in Murietta. . . ."
Oma and Mommy talked about Carolyn, too. "She needs a playmate."
"Well, the mothers won't want their children having anything to do with her."
"I've been thinking. It might be good to get a puppy."
"A puppy?"
"For Carolyn."
"I don't know, Mama. A dog is a big responsibility."
"It wouldn't hurt her to learn a little. It might make her less dependent." Oma smiled at Carolyn. "She's become my little shadow."
Mommy leaned her head back and closed her eyes. "I'll talk to Trip." She sounded so tired.
That night at the dinner table, Daddy, Oma, and Charlie talked about getting a puppy. Daddy suggested buying a cocker spaniel. "Small enough to live inside the house and big enough that it couldn't squeeze through the fence."
"You don't have to buy a dog." Oma gave a short laugh. "People are always trying to give pups away. Any mutt will do."
Charlie groaned loudly. "Not a mutt. Can't we get a German shepherd, Dad?" He'd stayed overnight with a friend whose family had a new television set. "Roy Rogers has a German shepherd. Bullet runs so fast, he's like a streak of lightning."
Oma looked unconvinced. "And where's he going to run? A big dog like that needs space."
Charlie wasn't about to give up. "We've got a yard in front and a yard in back."
Dad kept eating. "I wouldn't have to worry as much with a police dog around. He'd have to be trained, though. I know someone who can give me pointers."
A few days later, Dad lifted a ball of fur with drooping ears and bright brown eyes out of his car. He handed the pup to Carolyn, who snuggled it against her chest. "Hang on. He wiggles a lot. Don't drop him." He laughed as the pup licked Carolyn's face. "I think he likes you."
After that, Carolyn spent most of the day outside with the puppy, which they named Bullet. When she went inside, he sat by the front door and whined until she came back out. Mommy would come out and sit on the porch while Oma worked in the kitchen, and Carolyn ran around the yard, Bullet on her heels, leaping, yipping.
Whenever Oma went anywhere, Carolyn went with her. Sometimes they drove as far as the strawberry fields in Niles, where Oma talked with the Japanese farmers and bought flats of fruit to make jam. Other times they went to the cheese factory by the bridge over the creek that ran through Paxtown. Oma would take her into the storage room with the old Greek gentleman, who bored samples from big wheels of cheese while he and Oma talked of their old countries. Oma ran all the errands for the family: she shopped at Hagstrom's grocery store, picked up supplies for repairs at Kohln's Hardware, and bought clothes for Charlie and Carolyn from Doughtery's department store. Sometimes Mommy argued with her about that.
Every Sunday, Oma took Carolyn to the Presbyterian church while Daddy and Mommy and Charlie stayed home. Daddy always said he had work to do, and Charlie stayed home because Daddy did. Once a month, Oma took Carolyn with her to the farm in Murietta. While Oma talked with the Martins, Carolyn climbed into the tree house or fed carrots to the white rabbit or watched the chickens. Carolyn slept with Oma when they visited the farm.
Carolyn didn't suck her thumb when she slept in Oma's big bed. She curled up against Oma and felt warm and secure. She dreamed about tea parties with the white rabbit that ate carrots from her hand. He stood on his back legs, tapped his foot, and told her he wanted ice cream tomorrow. She giggled in her sleep.
Everything felt good and safe and comfortable.
About the Author
New York Times best-selling author Francine Rivers began her literary career at the University of Nevada, Reno, where she graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in English and journalism. From 1976 to 1985, she had a successful writing career in the general market, and her books were highly acclaimed by readers and reviewers. Although raised in a religious home, Francine did not truly encounter Christ until later in life, when she was already a wife, a mother of three, and an established romance novelist.
Shortly after becoming a born-again Christian in 1986, Francine wrote Redeeming Love as her statement of faith. First published by Bantam Books, and then rereleased by Multnomah
Publishers in the mid- 1990s, this retelling of the biblical story of Gomer and Hosea, set during the time of the California Gold Rush, is now considered by many to be a classic work of Christian fiction. Redeeming Love continues to be one of CBA's top-selling titles, and it has held a spot on the Christian best- seller list for nearly a decade.
Since Redeeming Love, Francine has published numerous novels with Christian themes—all best sellers—and she has continued to win both industry acclaim and reader loyalty around the globe.
Her Christian novels have been awarded or nominated for numerous honors, including the RITA Award, the Christy Award, the ECPA Gold Medallion, and the Holt Medallion in Honor of Outstanding Literary Talent. In 1997, after winning her third RITA Award for inspirational fiction, Francine was inducted into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame. Francine's novels have been translated into more than twenty different languages, and she enjoys best- seller status in many foreign countries, including Germany, the Netherlands, and South Africa.
Francine and her husband, Rick, live in northern California and enjoy time spent with their three grown children and taking every opportunity to spoil their grandchildren. Francine uses her writing to draw closer to the Lord, and she desires that through her work she might worship and praise Jesus for all He has done and is doing in her life.
Visit her Web site at www.francinerivers.com.
Copyright © 2010 by Francine Rivers. All rights reserved.
Visit Tyndale's Web site at www.tyndale.com.


text:
If you are considering a hair transplant Tamworth then make appointment for a consultation with one of our plastic surgeons in Birmingham. We provide consultations at a convenient location in central Birmingham. Our clinic is located in Edgbaston close to the medical district. During your consultation we will discuss your history and undertake an examination. We will then discuss your available options for hair transplantation.
Our hair transplant clinic is located in central Birmingham which is within an hour from Tamworth. To find out more about hair transplant Tamworth please call us or complete our free online consultation form.
Where can I discuss hair transplant Tamworth?
Our surgeons provide consultations at our flagship Birmingham clinic. We offer treatments in our purpose built clinic in central Birmingham.
Why choose Skin and Follicle?
Our doctors are qualified plastic surgeons that are fully registered with the General Medical Council (GMC). Skin and Follicle provides the full range of hair transplant procedures from the traditional strip FUT to the revolutionary robotic hair transplant ARTAS. We are the only provider in the whole of the Midlands offering the state of the art ARTAS robotic hair transplant system. Our clinic Birmingham also offers a wide range of non-surgical treatments and minor operative procedures. These include procedures such as fillers, thread lifts, and mole removals.
How do I make an appointment for hair transplant Tamworth?
Please call us now on 0800 7723501 or use our online consultation form.


text:
Lillian Musial: The woman behind The Man
Lillian Musial: The woman behind The Man
And indeed, behind The Man, there was Lil.
Lillian Susan Musial (née Labash) died on Thursday evening at the age of 91. She leaves behind her husband, a Cardinals great, as well as four children, 11 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Also remaining is her own legacy, one formed separate of her husband's and largely out of the limelight in a city that became the Musial's home.
"We have lost a valued member of the Cardinals family," Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. said. "She was a remarkable woman who touched the lives of so many people."
Though the story of these high school sweethearts began in Donora, Pa., where Lil first set her eyes on her future husband while watching him play in a semi-pro baseball game, they made their life in St. Louis. Married in 1940, Stan began his 22-year career with the Cardinals a year later.
The Musials never left St. Louis, and Lil spent the years during and after her husband's career making an indelible mark in the local community. Lil had a particular devotion for helping children and advocating education.
"I think she just had a passion and a softness for kids who are often forgotten and don't have the resources that many of us are lucky to have," said Suzanne Wagener, the executive director of the Covenant House Missouri, one nonprofit organization that benefited from the Musial's support.
"They were always that voice in the community for us."
Before Lil's work began with the Covenant House Missouri, she was one of five women who founded the Cardinals Pinch Hitters group. Along with Mary Devine, Mary Marian, Mary Schoendienst and Dorothy Silve, Lil formed the organization in an effort to assist children's charities.
The group's yearly charity event -- a fashion show held on a Sunday summer evening at a downtown hotel -- began as an intimate gathering before outgrowing hotel venues. It eventually moved to nearby Grant's Farm, and in later years sometimes also featured a variety show of sorts. The event would include a dinner and auction, and all monies were donated to a charity that worked with local children.
"[The Musials] felt that they wanted to give something back to the community," said Judy Barada, who joined the Cardinals' front-office staff in 1967, when Stan Musial was the team's general manager. "That was the M.O. for Lil. She always wanted to help."
While her work with the now-defunct Cardinals Pinch Hitters continued, Lil and Stan Musial were approached about attaching their name to a golf tournament that would benefit a local children's shelter. In 1998, that shelter took the name Covenant House Missouri, and at the time of Lil's death, she had worked with them for more than 20 years.
An annual golf classic gave way to the Stan Musial Hall of Fame Gala four years ago. Combined, the two events have raised more than $20 million dollars for Covenant House Missouri, whose mission statement notes an emphasis on empowering the homeless, runaway and at-risk youth to live independently.
"I really think that because of their involvement, it helps people listen," Wagener said. "They were always so gracious talking to people and the kids and getting people excited about what is often a forgotten population."
Lil was honored at the 2011 gala, as the Covenant House Missouri used the gathering to celebrate her 91st birthday. Nicknamed "Sugar," Lil enjoyed Sugar's Sweet Station -- which featured various flavors of gooey butter cake -- that night.
"It was one of those really special moments and now you are even more appreciative that you were able to share that moment," said Wagener, who was also struck that evening by the affection the Musials showed to one another.
"You could just tell by the way he looked at her. I always thought they had the sweetest, most enduring relationship."
At the time, the Musials had already been married for 71 years.
"She told me once that when she saw him, she knew he was the one," Barada said. "There was always a warm feeling in that house. No pretense, very welcoming -- just down-to-the-earth people."
The woman who used to watch other players' children so those wives could have a day to themselves will not soon be forgotten by those whom she touched. While the Musials have already granted the Covenant House Missouri permission to continue using their name with the annual gala, the nonprofit organization has already begun discussing the possibility of creating an annual award given out in Lil's memory.
That honor, Wagener surmised, would be presented to a woman who embodied all that Lil did.


text:
CARD TYPE: Flat
DIMENSIONS: 5 x 7
ORIENTATION: Horizontal
ENVELOPES: Standard white envelopes are included.
TURN-AROUND TIME: You can have your cards in hand only 3 business days after you complete your card order with several shipping options to choose from. Your order will be sent to print immediately after you complete your purchase. Orders ship out 48 hours after purchase. Complications with your order may delay the printing process, such as low resolution images, or images that will not crop well after printing/cutting. Please consult our Photo Requirements tab to ensure that your image selections will not cause delays in your order. Shipping options available to you during checkout are 10-day, 2-day, or overnight.
Questions about your photos, our graduation card finish type options, or need help ordering? Check out our FAQ page, populated by questions customers have had. Always feel free to contact us. We are happy to answer further questions. We want you to be completely comfortable (and totally excited!) to order your graduation photo cards from us.
Grunge Graduation Photo Announcements
Photography provided by Eldeen Annette High School Portraiture.


text:
This weekend welcomes The Camden Crawl, and with it the start of the UK's annual summer festival season. What's more, this year's event sees the Crawl celebrate its tenth birthday, having first emerged at the height of Britpop in 1995. Undoubtedly the first festival of its kind in the UK, initially encompassing numerous artists across five different venues and stages, the Crawl has since spawned the likes of Dot To Dot, The Great Escape and In The City, as well as growing in size considerably ever since. Despite taking an eight-year break between 1997 and 2005, the relaunched version of the festival will this year see over two-hundred and fifty artists play across fifty venues of varying shapes and size across the London borough of Camden. While probably quicker to list those artists we're not bothered about seeing than the ones we are, DiS would like to take this opportunity to wish the Camden Crawl a happy tenth birthday by taking a look back through the archives at some of those artists who've graced the festival since it first opened its doors back in the spring of 1995.
Trawling down memory lane, examining line-ups that featured the good, the bad and the great, we ask ourselves whatever did happen to Joeyfat and why weren't AC Acoustics so much bigger? Sit back, reminisce and enjoy our selection of nine acts whose presence on previous Camden Crawl bills has enhanced the festival's reputation as one of the most revered of its kind.
1995 - Kenickie
Hailing from Sunderland in the mid-nineties just as Britpop was about to explode, this four-piece centered around the two Gofton siblings Lauren (Laverne) and Peter (aka Johnny X) burst onto an independent music scene re-energised by labels like Slampt and Chemikal Underground. Combining intelligent lyrics with a sassy delivery and riffs stolen straight out of Kat Bjelland and Courtney Love's lockers, any mention of future careers as television presenters and one of Frankie's Heartstrings would have been scoffed at back then. Their appearance at the inaugural Camden Crawl saw them take the stage at the tiny Laurel Tree, long since closed and currently an Italian restaurant alongside the likes of Bob Tilton and Quickspace Supersport. That the band themselves imploded just three years later makes little difference, as their performance lives long in the annals of Camden Crawl's artifacts.
1996 - Prolapse
Leicester, so much to answer for. Musically responsible for bestowing the likes of Engelbert Humperdinck, Showaddywaddy and wannabe Mancs Kasabian upon the world, it doesn't take much to realise why this part of the East Midlands has had little to sing and dance about over the years. However, one band they can claim ownership of are experimental noise pop septet Prolapse, a band whose output travels far beyond any realms of singular genre classification. Between 1993 and 1999 they released a string of excellent EPs and albums, while simply terrifying the living daylights out of anyone who crossed their path in the flesh. In 1996, the Crawl's second year, they had the distinctive honour of sharing the Dingwalls stage with Mogwai and Dweeb, and if time travel wasn't limited to just sixty minutes on a Saturday evening courtesy of the Doctor and Miss Pond, that is one place I'd gladly exchange the present for right now.
1997 - Snow Patrol
Sitting halfway down a Dingwalls bill below the likes of Hardknox and Warm Jets, if anyone had predicted Snow Patrol's rise to mainstream popularity less than a decade later they'd have probably found themselves escorted out of the venue by men wearing white coats. A band for whom the term "second division indie" was invented, their (then) recent signing to Jeepster Records coupled with an endorsement by that label's current high fliers Belle And Sebastian ensured Snow Patrol's prominent position on a few industry approved line-ups back in the day. However, by the turn of the millennium and second album When It's All Over We Still Have To Clear Up's nondescript flop, their time seemed to have come to an unremarkable conclusion. Cue six minutes of commercially accessible melancholia ('Run') being latched onto by everyone from Radio One to Simon Cowell and beyond, and the rest, as they say, is history.
2005 - Le Tigre
Returning after an eight-year hiatus, the Crawl re-emerged bigger and stronger encompassing even more venues than many outsiders even realised existed and a stellar line-up that read like a who's who of the new wave of post punk sweeping the nation at the time. Sticking out like sore thumbs were Le Tigre, the brainchild of original riot girl Kathleen Hanna and assorted others whose brand of politicised, energetic leftfield pop managed to fill many a dancefloor regardless of the theme and created the Queens Of Noize's shortlived career in the process. While 'Deceptacon' dates back a good six years from their Crawl show at the Barfly, one can be sure its devastating impact left both audience members and fellow bands (The Others shared the same stage that evening) shellshocked.
2006 - ¡Forward Russia!
Having played second fiddle to Manchester for so long, it was the turn of Leeds to finally dominate the north westerly music scene, and thanks to labels like Dance To The Radio and the emergence of bands like The Kaiser Chiefs and Duels, the city became a force to be reckoned with. Leading the way in the leftfield stakes were this four-piece, whose songs at the time were represented by little more than numbers signifying the order they were written in (Their first song was called 'One', then 'Two', then...you get the drift). Five years ago their appearance at Dingwalls was the stuff of legend, this here site proclaiming it "their At The Drive-In goes terminal on Jools Holland moment". As with all good things, ¡Forward Russia! seem to have come to an end, with the band announcing an indefinite hiatus shortly after the release of their second album Life Processes in 2008. Nevertheless, those chaotic live shows take pride of place in the memory and one can only live in hope that they grace the stage as a collective unit once more in the future.
2007 - Adele
Say what you want about Adele Adkins (and I'm sure you will) but there's no denying that she has been THE British musical success story this past year. Remarkably back in 2007, she was sharing a bill at The Flowerpot venue with Hot Club De Paris and Late Of The Pier, still a relatively unknown graduate of the Brit School for Performing Arts. However, those stripped down performances of little more than an acoustic guitar and a big voice paved the way for what followed, and even if like me you're sick to death of hearing 'Someone Like You' by now, one can't help feeling that shows like this (and indeed her first performance in my home city at Bunkers Hill) suggest she's earned her success the hard way.
A year later, The Flowerpot also played host to the likes of Wild Beasts and Johnny Foreigner among its mouthwatering line-up courtesy of DiS itself, and if you don't believe us, here are the pictures to prove it! Standing out from the crowd though were the delectable M83, fresh from releasing their fifth and arguably definitive long player Saturdays = Youth literally weeks earlier. Equally lauded by both the underground techno and shoegaze communities, their devastating set catching the eye of many previously unaware punters in the process. Oh, and did we mention that Saturdays = Youth was awarded the distinctive honour of Drowned In Sound album of 2008 later that year? Legends in the making...
2009 - The xx
Still something of an unknown quantity outside of London, The xx undoubtedly went some way towards securing their destiny with their performance in front of barely one hundred people at the Enterprise in 2009. Despite having only released a couple of singles at the time, it was clear to all and sundry in the room that the atmospheric poise and grace exhumed by Romi Madley Croft, Oliver Sim, Jamie Smith and Baria Qureshi was more than just a beat-laden addition to the minimalist shoegaze revival taking place. Eighteen months later, their self-titled debut having received a unanimous wave of plaudits across publications far and wide, the Mercury Music Prize was theirs. Who'd have thought it back then in that sweaty upstairs room, eh?
2010 Gaggle
Alright, so maybe those of you who said this little lot would be forgotten about twelve months from now will be guffawing inanely at the fact Gaggle haven't quite progressed in the way many observers (i.e. us) predicted this time last year. However, as far as yours truly is concerned, 2010's Camden Crawl stands out mainly for the fact this twenty-three piece combo left me and several others gobsmacked with their unique show stopping performance at the Electric Ballroom, not to mention quick witted banter beforehand.
Apologies for leaving out many people's favourites, whittling this list down to just nine was an arduous task to say the least! Before we head off to this year's long weekend of festivities, who's to say we won't be talking about the likes of Star Slinger, Various Cruelties or Bright Light Bright Light as highlights of 2011's showcase in years to come?


text:
Canadian thrash metal veterans SACRIFICE played their first-ever European show this past Saturday (April 30) at the Keep It True festival at Tauberfrankenhalle in Lauda-Königshofen, Germany.
Commented the band: "Thank you to everyone that organized and attended Keep It True. We had a great time playing our first show in Europe. Met many SACRIFICE fans from the beautiful country of Germany, and around the world. Thank you for having us, we are sure that will not be the last time we perform in Europe. A big cheers to all that attended."
Video footage of SACRIFICE's performance at Keep It True can be viewed below.
War On Music Records released "The Ones I Condemn", the latest album from SACRIFICE, on vinyl for the first time on March 26, 2010. It was made available as a limited pressing gatefold LP. The first three albums from SACRIFICE — "Torment in Fire" (1986), "Forward to Termination" (1987) and "Soldiers Of Misfortune" (1990) — were also re-released on vinyl via War On Music Records (on February 26, 2010).
For more information, visit www.waronmusic.com.
"The Ones I Condemn" was made available in July 2009 via Brazil's Marquee Records. The CD was recorded at Rouge Valley Studio in Toronto, Ontario with engineer Darius Szczepaniak, who has previously worked with I MOTHER EARTH, SUM 41 and EDWIN, among many others. Guest musicians on the album include Jed Simon (ZIMMERS HOLE, TENET, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, ARMOROS), who "[laid] down a total whammy-bar barrage," and the band's old Scarborough metal comrade Dave Hewson (SLAUGHTER, STRAPPADO), who lent some guest vocals to "The Devil's Martyr".
The Canadian version of "The Ones I Condemn", featuring an exclusive bonus track — a cover of RUSH's "Athem" — is available in the USA through Relapse, Metal Haven Chicago, The End Records and Century Media mailorders.