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With Halloween around the corner, it's fitting that this week's destination has a bit of the devil in its history.
Devil's Millhopper Geological State Park (floridastateparks.org/devilsmillhopper), just a few miles northwest of Gainesville, is a 120-foot deep sinkhole that has attracted visitors since the late 19th Century. Its colorful name, a stroke of marketing genius in the sinkhole promotion game, was inspired by old folk tales concocted to explain its origin.
In the most popular legend, the shape of the hole, which tapers inward from its 500-foot opening, was likened to a grain hopper. The layer of fossilized animal bones at the bottom were discarded remains of creatures on the way to meet the devil.
In another account, the devil kidnapped an Indian princess and created the sinkhole as a trap for those who pursued her. When men tried to climb out of the hole, they were turned to stones that forever cried tears for her.
In reality, the water that trickles through the lush vegetation on the limestone walls comes from 12 springs that feed the shallow pools at the bottom. Talk to someone who visited the park in the early 1970s and they likely will recall climbing down the sides of the sinkhole wall.
Fortunately, there's now a pedestrian-friendly wooden boardwalk, built after the state bought the land in 1974. It's a cooling, scenic walk, accented by mulberry and birch trees and the soothing sound of gurgling spring-fed streams. Keep in mind that the 236 steps seem longer on the way up.
Devil's Millhopper is only about 15 miles north of Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park (floridastateparks.org/paynesprairie), with 22,000 acres of unspoiled hiking trails, picnic areas and a 50-foot observation tower for possibly glimpsing wild buffalo or horses.
On my visit, I was able to watch a few wild horses on the run in the distance. At least that's what two friendly women atop the tower told me. None of us had thought to bring binoculars, which might have made the horses look like more than shapeless, shadowy blobs on the horizon.
There were plenty of sights on the Wacahoota Trail, a very manageable path that takes less than a mile to loop from the tower to the air-conditioned visitor center.
No need for AC in the fall, when temperatures outside are perfect for strolling Florida's unspoiled wilderness.


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Rose Petals Nursery is our little specialty rose nursery in a great rural North Central Florida setting! Down a scenic road, we have many varieties of antique and old garden roses. Each of our own-root roses are available for pickup at the nursery or you may have your selection shipped to you.
In addition, we can help you select a "living antique" as a unique gift for all occasions. Please ask us about shipping your "gift". Gift Certificates are available.
10% Discount to all Active Duty and Retired Military.
Retail and mail order rose nursery. 678 plants listed. 1 photo. USDA zone 8b.
21 favorite votes. Average rating:
Sold as 'R. blanda'.

subset: commoncrawl


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Arconic is at the forefront of lightweighting the auto industry
Pounds of aluminum per vehicle to grow >40% 2015-2028
For the material of today's—and tomorrow's—automobiles, all roads lead to Arconic. Our lightweight alloys and aluminum sheet and extruded solutions are found bumper to bumper—from doors and hoods to heat exchangers.
The automotive industry is increasingly turning to aluminum-intensive vehicles for improved performance and fuel efficiency. Arconic innovation is leading the way with breakthrough products and technologies, like Arconic 951 - an award-winning* pre-treatment that enables the cost effective mass market shift from steel to aluminum intensive vehicles.
Pounds of aluminum per vehicle will grow by more than 42 percent, from 397 pounds in 2015 to 565 pounds in 2028.
Learn more
Our breakthrough adhesive bonding technology, Arconic 951™, is nine times stronger than its predecessor, titanium zirconium. A951 overcomes previous challenges with joining aluminum to itself or other materials in the making of automotives—enabling the production of more aluminum-intensive vehicles.
Learn more
Arconic's breakthrough RSR™ joining system for next generation lightweight vehicles solves long-time automotive challenge of joining dissimilar materials.


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Nava ready to hit leadoff if called upon
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Daniel Nava doesn't exactly remind you of Jacoby Ellsbury when it comes to footspeed. But his penchant for getting on base could make him a good fit to be Boston's leadoff man in 2014.
"I've got to get faster," quipped Nava. "No, I'm not going to change my approach. I think my approach is kind of similar to what a leadoff guy is."
In 2013, his breakout season to date, Nava posted a .385 on-base percentage.
"If that's where they want me to hit in the lineup, it's fine," Nava said. "As long as I'm in the lineup, I don't care if I hit ninth. It doesn't matter."
Manager John Farrell will continue to evaluate the leadoff situation during Spring Training before making a decision on who will replace Ellsbury. Nava and Shane Victorino are the leading candidates.


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25 Birch Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
BITNET: aavso@cfa SPAN: cfa::aavso
July 1, 2015: In AAVSO Alert Notice 522 on the upcoming observations of the black hole X-ray binary V404 Cyg by HST, the date of the detection by the Swift satellite was incorrectly given as 2015 June 16.77197 UT (Barthelmy et al., GCN Circular 17929). The correct date is 2015 June 15.77197 UT.
Our sincere apologies for this error!
Re: REQUEST TO MONITOR 1744-06 RS OPHIUCHI FOR MULTIWAVELENGTH CAMPAIGN
Object: 1744-06 RS OPH
Coordinates: R.A. 17h 50m 13.202s Dec. -06o 42' 28.48" (2000.0)
May 8, 2013: In AAVSO Special Notice #351 (http://www.aavso.org/aavso-special-notice-351), one of the upcoming HST/COS targets was referred to as ASAS1600-48. The name of this system as found in VSX is ASAS J160048-4846.2. Please use this name when reporting observations to the AAVSO International Database. Many thanks.
ASAS J160048-4846.2, scheduled to be be observed 2013 Jul 8 UT, is a WZ Sge-type variable and is 17.9V at min and 12.6V at max.


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genetics, scientific study of the mechanism of heredity. While Gregor Mendel first presented his findings on the statistical laws governing the transmission of certain traits from generation to generation in 1856, it was not until the discovery and detailed study of the chromosome and the gene in the 20th cent. that scientists found the physical basis of hereditary characteristics. A brief summary of the basic laws of heredity and the terms used follows.
Sections in this article:
- Introduction
- Evolutionary Mechanisms
- Basic Laws and Terminology
- Modifications of Mendel's Principles
- Bibliography
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Genetics and Genetic Engineering


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Cruise Ports - Cruise Line Deals
2021 EUROPE CRUISES & CRUISETOURSRoyal Caribbean is proud to announce the cruise line's 2021 Europe cruise and cruisetour season, the cruise line's biggest ever!Travel with the Voyager of the Seas to Venice. Board the Adventure of the Seas and explore the Western Mediterranean seas. Let the Grandeur of the Seas take you from Barcelona to Palma de Mallorca. However you choose, with 10 ships slated to sail Baltic and Mediterranean waters, you'll find a European cruise that's right for you. For the ultimate European getaway, choose a cruisetour and combine your Europe cruise with a three-night stay in Venice or a five-night stay in Florence. Add an excursion to your vacation and explore the Holy Land with a stay in Jerusalem, walk the Valley of the Kings or visit the ruins of Athens' Acropolis. Begin on your plans today and set sail for an unforgettable journey to Europe tomorrow.
Europe Cruise Destinations 2021
Our staff of Cruise Vacation Specialists are expertly trained and experienced cruisers. Call our most educated travel experts who will recommend the best cruise deals, cruise itineraries and cruise ships before making a decision regarding your cruise vacation. Our discount cruises are done with great care and professional travel service. We know the discount cruises market to save you the most on your next cruise or vacation package. Whether you are looking to book a Carnival Cruise, Royal Caribbean Cruise, Celebrity Cruise, Princess Cruise Line and more, you will find that we can handle your cruise request with utmost valued service. Book discount cruises with us call! 1 800 435.7967
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Britain, France push to end Syria arms embargo
By Europe correspondent Barbara Miller, wires
Britain and France have asked European leaders to end an arms embargo on Syria so they can provide weapons to opposition forces fighting against the government of Bashar al-Assad.
The proposal, made at an EU summit in Brussels, was met with little support, according to diplomats.
Despite this, EU foreign ministers will consider the issue again next week.
British prime minister David Cameron said it was time to recognise the international community's current approach to Syria was not yielding the desired results.
"Two years in, 70,000 people are dead," he said. "There's a huge refugee and humanitarian crisis. Assad is still in place."
Mr Cameron said the arms embargo should be lifted because the Syrian regime has access to weapons anyway.
"As things stand today, I am not saying that Britain would actually like to supply arms to rebel groups," he said.
"What we want to do is work with them and try to make sure that they are doing the right thing. And with technical assistance we are able to do that."
French president Francois Hollande went further, saying he would be prepared to break the embargo if agreement can not be reached.
Mr Hollande said he had received guarantees from the Syrian opposition that any arms delivered to them would end up in the right hands.
"I will do everything so that at the end of May at the very latest... a common solution is adopted by the (European) Union," he said.
French officials say, for now, Paris is keener to use the scrapping of the embargo as a bargaining chip to put political pressure on Mr Assad than to actually supply arms.
'Fragile situation'
German chancellor Angela Merkel, a leading opponent of lifting the embargo, said there was a danger that Mr Assad's allies, Russia and Iran, could step up arms supplies to his regime if the 27-nation EU lifted its restrictions.
She said the fact that Britain and France now wanted to drop the ban does not mean the 25 other states must follow suit.
"That will not be the case," she told a news conference in Brussels.
"Others have... pointed to the fact that Iran and also Russia are only waiting for a signal to export arms [and] that one must also be aware of the fragile situation in Lebanon and what that means for the arming of Hezbollah.
German officials cite what happened in North Africa, where guns smuggled out of Libya helped arm Islamists in Mali.
European Council president Herman van Rompuy said leaders had asked their foreign ministers to look at the arms embargo "as a matter of priority" at a March 22-23 meeting in Dublin.
Syrian insurgents are a disparate array of mostly locally-organised units, only some of which are loyal to the Free Syrian Army, which is loosely linked to the internationally recognised political opposition, the Cairo-based Syrian National Coalition.
Others are hardline Sunni Islamist factions, such as the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front, which Washington calls a terrorist group, but which has won prestige for its battlefield exploits.
France and Britain reopened the Syrian issue only days after EU states had hammered out a hard-fought compromise to relax an embargo to allow non-lethal aid to the opposition, such as armoured vehicles and technical assistance.
A French foreign ministry official said any changes to the arms embargo would be gradual and likely be implemented only when the current package of EU sanctions on Syria expires at the end of May.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, said the "staggering escalation" of the conflict in Syria has caused an unprecedented acceleration of the humanitarian crisis.
Mr Guterres has appealed to governments around the world to step up humanitarian aid, calling it a "morale obligation" that is "essential to preserve global peace and global security".
There are more than 1 million registered Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries.


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It's still quite a long time before voters will go to the polls on Primary Day and choose between incumbent Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and possible challenger, Tennessee transplant Harold Ford, Jr., but already Ford is taking the "take the issues out of it" approach to a whole new level.
According to some chatter among the Twitterati, Ford agreed to an interview with the Daily News, but on one condition: that the reporter not ask Ford any questions about the issues, despite the fact that Ford has said in the past that a potential race between himself and Gillibrand would be all "about the issues."
If we can digress here for a moment, saying that a race between Gillibrand and Ford would be all "about the issues" is a tad absurd in and of itself. Both the sitting senator and former congressman from Tennessee have established themselves as flip-floppers when it comes to the issues. Blame having to cater to an ultra-liberal constituency of presumably 8 million New Yorkers for that.
It was easy for Gillibrand to be staunchly in the pro-gun rights camp when your voting base is a bunch of redneck upstaters who like to shoot old Rolling Rock bottles off of wooden fences; it's another thing to be pro-gun rights when lax gun laws across the nation allow thousands and thousands of illegal guns to flood the streets of New York and end up in the hands of criminals.
Ford found this out recently as well, when he backtracked and suddenly supported gay marriage, coincidentally just as new began to circulate that he was contemplating a bid to unseat Gillibrand. It's easy to be against gay marriage when your supporters are Bible-thumping folks from Knoxville, entirely another when you have to campaign in the West Village.
But back to the Ford interview requirements - we could care less! There's nobody who cares less about the "issues" than us here at Pol Position - the muddier the slinging gets the giddier we get. That said, we think we can help out the Daily News reporter and give them a few fail-safe topics that will make for an entertaining interview while allowing Ford to sit comfortably on the fence.
• The Jets recent playoff victory over the Chargers. Note of caution: just stick to the game, i.e. Ryan's "confidence," the "competent" performance of Mark Sanchez, and Reevis' "perfect" game. However, under no circumstances let Ford slip up and say that he stopped caring about professional football once the Titan's improbable end-of-the-season run came to end. Such a careless statement would totally alienate the Tailgate vote.
• Ricky Gervais hosting The Golden Globes. Wow, did Gervais ever stick it to NBC and every other bold-faced name sitting in that crowd Sunday night! Surely Ford has something to say about Gervais' performance, just avoid asking him about the Mel Gibson dig, which could lead to sticky issues like Israeli-American relations, anti-semitism, and drunk driving laws. Stick to James Cameron - Golden Globe voters and regular voters love James Cameron!
• Google pulling out of China. On second thought, this topic is fraught with pitfalls and traps on issues like international trade agreements, American foreign policy as it pertains to Communist nations, the Google phone vs. the iPhone, etc. Better just ask him how cool he thinks the Apple Tablet will be when it finally exists.
Well lucky Daily News reporter (whoever you are), that should get you started. If thing are going good and Ford is feeling a little gregarious, may we suggest other topics, such as the reliefs efforts in Haiti, medical marijuana, and the nation's reliance on foreign oil. Good luck!


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Tampa Bay Rays (23 days until pitchers and catchers report)
We have other things to write about later today, so we won't waste an entire post on Marc Topkin's latest piece. Rather we will just bitch about it here. In the piece,"Rays paying it forward", Topkin suggests that the recent contracts signed by Carlos Pena and Scott Kazmir are an indication that the Rays front office is committed to spending money and retaining the team's talent. The contracts therefore are indications of the team's commitment to winning.
By giving more than $24-million over three years to Carlos Pena and going up to nearly $4-million for a one-year, arbitration-avoiding deal with Scott Kazmir, the Rays on Friday put two of their best players under contract for the upcoming season.
And they may have put to rest questions about their commitment to assemble, and retain, a competitive team.
There is only one problem with this thinking. In the two contracts combined, the Tampa Bay Rays gained ONE extra season out of the two stars. The Rays have now "retained" the services of Pena and Kazmir for ONE additional season.
The Rays and Scott Kazmir agreed to a one-year contract, avoiding arbitration. And where would Kazmir be playing in 2008 if he had not signed the contract? THE TAMPA BAY FRIGGIN' RAYS. Kazmir is arbitration-eligible. NOT a free agent. Unless the Rays decide to trade Kazmir, he will be playing for the Rays for the next three years. He does not have a choice. And avoiding arbitration probably saved the Rays a little money. Topkin does not seem to comprehend this. The Rays avoided arbitration with Kazmir. They have done nothing yet to retain his services beyond what he is already committed.
In the case of Carlos Pena, the Rays reached an agreement on a three-year contract. That deal does keep Pena in a Rays uniform for the first of what would have been his free agency years. Not three free agency years. Not five. Not seven. Pena is now locked into playing for the Rays for one more season than he would have been otherwise.
This is not a knock on the Tampa Bay Rays. They have shown this off-season that they are willing to spend money and that they will retain their young talent, IF THEY CAN DO SO FOR LESS THAN MARKET-VALUE. That is a commitment to the bottom-line. Not to the talent. Not to the team and not to the fans.
If Topkin wants to make this point, he can tell us about the Pena deal. It is not a huge commitment as it is just for one additional year. However, it is something. Topkin can also tell us about the Troy Percival deal and the Cliff Floyd deal. But please…please…don't use the Kazmir-deal as an example of the team's commitment to retaining talent and their commitment to winning. The deal has ZERO bearing on the Tampa Bay Rays in 2008, 2009 or 2010. It does however have a bearing on the 2011 Tampa Bay Rays in that as of now, the chances of Kazmir playing for the Rays beyond 2010 are now a little less.
Here is a suggestion. If and when the Rays reach an agreement with James Shields on a long-term contract, that goes into his free agency years…we want Marc Topkin to erase Kazmir's name everywhere it appears in the article and replace it with the name "Shields". Then he should resubmit the article to his editors, because only then will the article make any sense.
Rays paying it forward [St. Pete Times]
- Gerry Hunsicker appeared on XM radio's The Show. Among the topics covered were the recent signing of Carlos Pena to a three year contract and whether 2007 was a surprising performance. "I got to think in Carlos Pena's case it wasn't that he never showed the talent because that's not true, we were the beneficiary's of Carlos Pena coming to Tampa Bay where there is a little less pressure, the expectations for him might not have been as high and he felt very comfortable. He was given the opportunity to play through the ups and the downs and had a manager that had the confidence in him to put him in the lineup everyday". Hmmm? A manager that had the confidence to put him in the lineup every day? Let's see…He only made the roster out of Spring Training because Greg Norton was injured in the last week before the regular season. The Greg Norton. And Pena did not become the everyday first baseman until the second week of May because Joe Maddon was giving starts at first base to Ty Wigginton and Jorge Cantu. Yes folks. Papa Joe had so much confidence in Pena that he benched him in favor of Jorge freakin' Cantu. [MLB on XM]
- Rays Anatomy offers two points-of-view on what to expect from Carlos Pena in 2008. [Rays Anatomy]


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Behold the POV footage from Kansas City's insane 17-story water slide.
This is the Verrückt, a water slide we've been tracking for sometime now. It's so big it has its own trailer. And now Schlitterbahn Park, home of the Verrückt, has released this video of a sandbag that was pushed down the monstrosity with a camera strapped to it. Note the massive amount of protective netting surrounding the slide. According to the park's website, the ride is still not open to humans, but sandbags ride for free. Looks like some kind of nightmare.
In other terrifying waterslide news, New Jersey's infamous Action Park has re-opened its doors.
[Via Geekologie]


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By DAVID GREEN
Fayette residents will see a pair of infrastructure projects get underway next summer. The village solicitor approved contracts for the Northwest Fulton Street sewer project and the Gamble Road widening project leading to the school.
Village administrator Amy Metz told council members last week that engineering and design work is scheduled to begin in October for the sewer work. Bids will be sought in January and construction is expected to get underway in April.
Engineering work is scheduled next February for the road project and bids will be sought in April. Construction is scheduled for the summer of 2011 after school is over for the year.
Right-of-way acquisition isn't yet scheduled for either project and council members remain undecided on an engineering firm to hire. The selection committee is deadlocked between which one of two firms to choose.
The committee will meet again Aug. 31, with hopes of presenting a recommendation to council at a committee-of-the-whole meeting Sept. 2.
Homenbrink Excavating will donate topsoil from the Dollar General site for use in the Gamble Road project.
SIDEWALKS—Police chief Jason Simon was scheduled to walk Main and Gorham streets this week to determine which sidewalks are still in need of repair or replacement. He will then compute an approximate cost, which the village will pay initially and then assess property owners on their tax bills.
Councilor Tom Molitierno asked if the village has the funds to pay for the work. Metz said carryover money from other departments will be used, such as the $90,000 available in the street fund.
Simon said a typical 66-foot walk will cost about $800 to replace, but Metz added that several walks are only in need of partial repair. In addition, she said, some residents want the village to purchase the concrete, but they will provide their own labor.
DISPOSAL—Nearly 80 boxes of old village records have been approved for disposal and will be run through the wood chipper, which the state accepts as a proper method of shredding. The village will take a quantity of school records for disposal at no charge.
HALLOWEEN—Councilors voted to observe Halloween from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30.
CAUTION—Councilor Mike Maginn urged residents to lock their vehicles and homes because "things are happening around town."(Buy an on-line subscription for full article)


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Watch The Suicide Plan Preview on PBS. See more from FRONTLINE.
You have an incurable illness, you want to die and you want help dying — what can you do? The terminally ill who live in Oregon or Washington can openly ask a doctor for help, but in the rest of country, where physician-assisted suicide is illegal, people who are suffering turn in secret to friends, family and even activist organizations. FRONTLINE explores this shadow world of assisted suicide, where the lines between legality and criminality are blurred, taking viewers inside one of the most polarizing social issues of our time — told by the people choosing to die, and by their "assisters," individuals and right-to-die organizations at risk of prosecution for their actions.
- TV: Tuesday, 11/13 at 8:30pm


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Osteoporosis is a disease that causes thinning of bones. Over time, this weakens the bones and can make them more likely to break. It can affect any bone, but the hip, spine, and wrist are most often involved. It's often called a "silent disease" because people can't feel their bones getting weaker.
Women are more likely than men to develop osteoporosis. This happens because of hormonal differences. Also men have larger, stronger bones than women. Men and women older than age 50 are at the greatest risk for osteoporosis. One in 2 women and 1 in 4 men in this age group will fracture a bone because of osteoporosis. People who are white or Asian are more likely to get osteoporosis than people who are Hispanic or African-American.
Other risk factors that may increase your chances for osteoporosis include:
Small bones
Lack of physical activity or exercise
Drinking too much alcohol
A diet low in calcium and vitamin D
Previous fracture, especially after age 50
Being postmenopausal
Taking certain medicines, for example long-term use of corticosteroids
Family history of osteoporosis
Many people are unaware they have osteoporosis until they have advanced symptoms. These may include a broken hip or wrist, low back pain, or a hunched back.
If your healthcare provider thinks that you have osteoporosis, a simple, painless test to measure bone mineral density can confirm it. The test is called a bone density test.
If you're diagnosed with osteoporosis, a number of medicines are available to treat it. Talk to your healthcare provider about the type of treatment that's best for you.
To help prevent osteoporosis:
Talk with your healthcare provider about screening tests for osteoporosis.
Do regular weight-bearing exercise. This means activities that work your legs against gravity. The best exercises are walking, dancing, jogging, stair-climbing, playing racquet sports, and hiking. If you've been inactive, be sure to check with your healthcare provider before beginning any exercise.
Talk with your healthcare provider about your diet and whether or not you need to take a vitamin and mineral supplement.
Don't smoke. If you smoke, get help from your healthcare provider to quit.
Don't drink alcohol in excess.
For Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts members
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To learn more about our Massachusetts health plans, please visit our Plans & Products page, where you can compare Massachusetts health insurance plans, buy health plans online, and get Mass health insurance quotes.
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Beat the Streak Report: Monday, June 28
All good things must come to an end. This apparently includes 43-game hitting streaks that carry the weight of $3,000,000.
That's right, our dear friend and season leader, Dick George, saw his
43-game streak snap yesterday afternoon thanks to an 0-for-4
performance from Ichiro Suzuki.
I guess the old adage is true — you just never know when Chris
Narveson (career 4.68 ERA) is going to hurl an eight-inning shutout.
Anyway, much kudos to Mr. George for his incredible run. His
streak has inspired millions across the nation and has reminded us all
that this game is in fact, perhaps, maybe if everything goes right and
blind luck is totes on your side, actually beatable.
Time for Monday's picks
Oh, hello there …
? Jose Reyes: .378 AVG (14-for-37) lifetime vs. Marlins starter Ricky Nolasco
? Matt Kemp: .457 AVG (16-for-35) lifetime vs. Giants starter Barry Zito
? David Wright: .386 AVG (17-for-44) lifetime vs. Marlins starter Ricky Nolasco
? Ryan Ludwick: .556 AVG (5-for-9) lifetime vs. Diamondbacks starter Dan Haren
? Carlos Lee: .533 AVG (8-for-15) lifetime vs. Brewers starter Manny Parra
? Kelly Johnson: .500 AVG (6-for-12) lifetime vs. Cardinals starter Chris Carpenter
? Adam Dunn: .421 AVG (8-for-19) lifetime vs. Braves starter Tim Hudson
Feeling kinda spicy?
? Juan Uribe: .500 AVG (5-for-10) lifetime vs. Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley.
Uribe is batting .184 (7-for-38) over his last 10 games and,
sure, I guess you never know how a pitcher does in his first game back
from the DL. But look, there are seven guys listed above who are
actually quality everyday players and have tasty matchups with great
previous success against their opposing hurlers. If you are still
reading this paragraph after reading the "Uribe is batting .184" part,
you clearly have no interest in trying to get a hit or win $3 million.
But, yes, your charming audacity is noted and appreciated.
Let's just move on.
You'll thank me later …
? James Loney: .050 AVG (1-for-20) lifetime vs. Giants starter Barry Zito
? Josh Willingham: .056 AVG (1-for-18) lifetime vs. Braves starter Tim Hudson
? Stephen Drew: .077 AVG (1-for-13) lifetime vs. Cardinals starter Chris Carpenter
? David DeJesus: .171 AVG (12-for-70) lifetime vs. White Sox starter Mark Buehrle
? Adrian Gonzalez: .167 AVG (4-for-24) lifetime vs. Rockies starter Ubaldo Jimenez
Leaderboard time!
Rising from the crowd like a baby Simba clasped in Rafiki's hands gazing over the mountain top, is our new leader — "kbarr9".
"kbarr9" took the lead by doing absolutely nothing and watching his/her
selection, Justin Morneau, sit idly by on the bench in an at-bat-free
game in the Twins' loss to the Mets.
With a 39-game streak, "kbarr9" is 68.4 percent on the way to
the big bucks and could single-handedly re-trigger the slaps bracelet
fad across the nation.
I would not be opposed to this.
Top MLB streakers
? Jose Guillen: 21 games
? Josh Hamilton: 21 games
? Corey Hart: 12 games
? Jose Lopez: 11 games
? Chipper Jones: 10 games
? Paul Konerko: 10 games
? Ruben Tejada: 10 games
40 Comments
Well, Dick George has set the bar high for this year. Here are his comparisons to other BTS leader history. No other leaders reached a 40 gamer or higher before the All-Star break. If kbarr9 moves on tonight, then he too will be at 40.
BTS User, Streak Breaker, Date Ended, Streak
kbarr9, ???, ???, ???
Dick George, Ichiro Suzuki, 6/27/2010, 43
Tanner Nielsen, Joe Mauer, 6/23/2009, 45
Bob Paradise, Ichiro Suzuki, 7/4/2008, 48
Reid Choroszy, Matt Holliday, 6/24/2007, 40
I knew it had to end and a couple of the leaders did have 40 game streaks before the break. Lav got that one confused. On to today. I have Reyes in BTS as he is ripping at night and San Juan is a hitters park or so they said on ESPN last night. Konerko in HR BTS and Cards in Survivor. Kbarr won't be that lucky again to miss two pinch hitting appearances in 4 days of each other.
Much kudos to Mr. Feldman for his kudos to Mr. George. And here's to forever 0-fer's to those spewing such nasty, unsportsmanlike comments towards this guy. Ugh.
Onto Monday, and how I hate Mondays…….am leaning towards Ryan Theriot and the Nats. Strasburg on the mound today.
Good luck to everyone!!! Thanks for the list lavolpe. 🙂
RE: Unsportsmanlike comments… Agree too. I don't mind wishing for 0-fers as that is part of this game. But criticizing one's selection using degrading terms is uncalled for IMO (don't consider "lucky" to be degrading). The bottom line, the leader is picking what they believe is the best for them; not to appease the masses. If I ever get to 40+, I sure won't be reading the blog comments until a week or so after my streak ends.
Some of the stuff was getting a bit personal. But I agree with your 40+ idea!! 🙂
Believe me if I ever get that high I hope I don't hear all that negativity. If I do some of the blog crew is going to be enjoying a Yankee game on me. I know who they are and I won't even do an interview with Dave until about 45 games. I have my strategy that I am going to be using from now to see what happens.
vinny I totally believe you – you have already shown how nice you are!! 🙂
Thank u nardberg. I am nice to everybody believe me.
This isn't a Silver Bullet Lock of a Lifetime, but I have with significant confidence selected Pittsburgh rookie leadoff hitter Jose Tabata for this evening. He is on a productive streak and will face the Cubs' Randy Wells, who has stunk most of the season and particularly this month. Check their numbers; Tabata looks like a hidden jewel.
? Professor Pete
@Professor Pete. I was thinking about that game also but would be more inclined to pick Crosby over Tabata, especially if Crosby is batting 2nd (Neil Walker's spot). Last 6 games…
Tabata: 26 ABs, 8 hits, 4 Strikeouts, 2 BB = 308 avg
Crosby: 23 ABs, 8 hits, 3 Strikeouts, 0 BB = 343 avg
Both got hits last game & are very similar in stats. I tend to like the #2 spot over lead-off for 1st ABs. Note: difference of ABs are due to Crosby's previous batting spot: 7th/8th
^^ Oops: Crosby's 6 day AVG is 348 not 343. Bad math 😦
^^ Better indication; though not a lot of thought on my part. When I was doing my research I didn't get that far once I got to my actual pick for today (CIN). Next time, I'll have to complete the research before I pipe up. Cheers.
You make a good argument, lavolpe, but it seems offset by Crosby's last three games; he went 0-4 on Friday, 0-3 Saturday, and 1-4 yesterday, for an average of .091. Tabata has gone 1-4, 1-3, and 2-4, an average of .364. But, what the heck, Wells is pitching. I would pick my cat Pam if she played for Pittsburgh.
Going with Wright, Mauer and Cabrera today. Follow the leader everybody……. and stop picking ******** players like Tabata and Crosby. Common Lavolpe what the hell……….
@blanco21: "Common Lavolpe what the hell………."
I have no idea what you just said. And regarding picking players, don't assume you know what works for others; you will eventually fall too — laws of probability talking.
See why I picked Reyes. Was .448 at night before his hit and I am good for tonight. 57 here I come.
Have you looked at McCutchen's recent numbers? He has two hits in his last seven games; he's 2-for-22 since June 19.
Dark Horse Pick – Ricky Weeks of Brew Crew v. Astros poor staff. Weeks had two solid hits on Sunday – my fingers are crossed.
HR – Konerko who is hot
White Sox who are white hot with Burhele over KC. Burhele does better at home but what the heck – ChiSox are caliente.
Vinny – Would like to be at that Yankee game with you.
Let's stay positive comments "mantra" is something we all should be doing.
Went with Reyes. Somewhat iffy pick because I am wary of his high #s against Nolasco. Plus in PR. Some wild things are bound to happen there. Even the weather said t-storm.
My other choices would have been Garett Jones, Chris Coghlan, & Brandon Phillips (batting lead-off).
Kbarr's pick oc McC is 50/50. Too many guys in Pitts who can hit Cubs pitcher so someone is bound to be left sitting on a huge elephant dung drop. Plus, Wells is actually due for a good outing. You can only go so much with busted outings.
"Going with Wright, Mauer and Cabrera today" Which one though?
Today's Top Picks of the Top2500
All games included, 104 different batters picked overall
Batter, Times Picked, Percentage
Jose Reyes, 735, 29.4%
Matt Holliday, 458, 18.32 (Leader #2)
Joe Mauer, 136, 5.44
Ryan Theriot, 117, 4.68
Ryan Braun, 113, 4.52
David Wright, 89, 3.56
Justin Morneau, 79, 3.16
Albert Pujols, 60, 2.4
Miguel Cabrera, 55, 2.2
Brandon Phillips, 51, 2.04
Andrew McCutchen, 38, 1.52 (Leader #1)
Billy Butler, 35, 1.4
No Selection, 32, 1.28
Highest "No Selection": Page#13 with a streak of 14 now reset to zero
Yesterday was a typical day with 25.7% being reset.
UserName, Streak, Page#, Pick
blanco21, 20, pg#2, David Wright
popi21, 10, pg#77, Joe Mauer
conjobs, streak of 14 reset yesterday
"Dark Horse Pick – Ricky Weeks" I've tried this approach before w/ very little positives to show for. Its 50/50 based on huge day before approach. Half the time they go bust the next day after a huge day like that. Plus, Weeks cannot hit righties.
"players like Tabata and Crosby." Yeah, I agree. I tried this approach before too and its a bust. You can't regularly rely on these avg. players. They may work as a secret pick here & there but there is a reason why they batting avg. is what it is.
Oops, forgot the category for the 2nd part of the Top2500:
Bloggers Group Top2500
UserName, Streak, Page#, Pick
There you go baby. Jose don't need to wear sunglasses @ night. I am getting first AB hits like crazy now! Just hoping for McC to crumble!@
That was fast. Nearly 30% Top2500 move on tomorrow.
Nice to see the leader "go outside the box" so to speak. Myself I went with Marlon. He hits very well vs the bucs. Then again who doesn't.? GL to all
Melkman just ripped a double of Strasburg. LOL! I will give $100 to anyone who picked Melkman today. I am dead serious!
I am not sure how much outside the box McC is. He is 5for8 against Wells. I think Garrett Jones might be considered more outside of box.
Darn it. I thought kbarr was gonna fall tonight. Cubs simply suck! They find new ways to suck every night. There is not a single player on that team who deserves any accolade except one… We all know who that is.
Misjudged liner to right field and we have a new 40-game leader. Go Cubs!
Pirates need to work on their "I Got It!" calling skills. Crosby out of the game with possible concussion, Walker couple days ago, who next?
The fact is Pirates is a contending AA team. The Cubs is a contending AAA team. What sucks for Cubs is though that their salaray is up the roofs on a bunch of losers. You look at their numbers and you're like "wow, does it get any worse than this?". How does Lee, Ramirez, Fuko, Soriano, & Zam justify the $ they're raking in? Every one of them is a bust. Look @ Pinella. He is hair is all grey now. Only smart move they made this year was the Bradley trade but its not like they're not paying for his salary.
Go Cubs, Go!
Cubs, ugh! Deep consideration for a "do not revive" order and leaning over and pulling the plug. Maybe next year or when the big contracts terminate, whichever comes first.
Matt Holliday takes out the 2nd place leader
Holliday also takes the next two leaders a 29 down. Joe Mauer knocked out 2 at 26.
Well, all the exciting picks have already played. So off to get some shut-eye. Good night all; 'til tomorrow.
Mental note: Got a feeling leader will get to 41 rather easily tomorrow; we'll see.
"Melkman just ripped a double of Strasburg. LOL! I will give $100 to anyone who picked Melkman today. I am dead serious!"
I considered Melky. Can I have half of your $100?
"Darn it. I thought kbarr was gonna fall tonight. Cubs simply suck! They find new ways to suck every night. There is not a single player on that team who deserves any accolade except one… We all know who that is."
Carlos Silva?
"Matt Holliday takes out the 2nd place leader"
I have no idea how this guy's average is near .300.
I considered this guy and then thought, "nah, he always goes 0 for, for me."
and ANOTHER 0 for!
As for being logical in this game with picks.
As Alfred E. Newman said: "I'd rather be lucky than smart."


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Sol Republic, the fledgling headphone company that launched in 2012, has done a great job marketing its products. In a relatively short time frame, it's managed to sell thousands of its distinct looking on-ear Tracks headphones, many of them to consumers who -- whether they admit it or not -- consider headphones a fashion accessory.
Last year (2013), the company released its second-generation Master Tracks, a more expensive over-the-ear model ($199.99 list) that sports a new design with a more comfortable fit. It also sounds better than the original Tracks and Tracks HD, offering up clearer, more balanced sound to go along with the company's signature strong bass.
I liked it. It has a clean, modern design, appears to be sturdily built, and comes with an Apple friendly inline remote/microphone. And like with Sol Republic's previous full-size models (it also makes the Amps in-ear headphones), you can swap out the headband and customize the look of the headphones.
Sol Republic Master Tracks (Gunmetal)See all photos
Since its launch, the headphone has come down in price to around $150 online, which helps its case. While you can get other full-size headphones -- such as the Audio Technica ATH-M50 (and its newer doppelganger, the ATH-M50x) -- that sound better for slightly less, the Master Tracks is a lighter headphone (more mobile friendly) and there's just enough here in terms of design and audio quality to make you think that it isn't grossly overpriced.
Design and Features
Master Tracks are supposed to come in three different "base" color options -- gunmetal, white, and blue -- but at the time of this writing I'd only seen the gunmetal version available for sale. As with previous Tracks models, you can basically disassemble the headphones and swap in a new "FlexTech Sound Track" headband, which is made out of bendable yet very strong plastic that makes the headband nearly unbreakable. The headphones also have detachable cords, so there's a lot of flexibility in terms of accessorizing the product.
"Remix bands" are available in fluoro red, ion green, and progressive purple for $29.99, which is somewhat pricey, but if you are getting bored of your headphones, it's a cheaper way to give them a new look that buying a whole new pair.
I didn't love the fit of the original Tracks, and while I can't say these are incredibly comfortable, I thought they were more comfortable than Sol Republic's on-ear models. It helps to bend the headband so the headphones don't fit quite as snugly against your head. The earcups do have a little play to them, so they will conform to your head -- yes, they offer a tight seal -- but the headphones do not fold up or fold flat.
They are nicely weighted (8.6 ounces) and when you take them off your ears and wear them around your neck, they feel comfortable sitting there. I only mention this because I have feeling Sol Republic's designers considered how they would feel perched on your neck because there's some expectation that people will wear these throughout the day, whether they're listening to something or not.


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Tekotte optioned to Triple-A after return to KC
KANSAS CITY -- The White Sox announced after Wednesday night's 5-2 victory over the Royals that outfielder Blake Tekotte was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte. A corresponding roster move will be made prior to Thursday's series finale.
Tekotte was brought up on Aug. 9 and hit his first Major League homer that day against the Twins. He was 5-of-17 (.294) with a homer, two RBIs and four runs scored in his last 10 games.
Tekotte had the current White Sox-Royals series circled on his calendar after his callup. He hails from Columbia, Mo., just a two-hour drive down Interstate 70 from Kauffman Stadium. With the White Sox arriving on Monday's off-day, Tekotte had the opportunity to drive to Columbia and visit family and friends.
"We flew in and I got a rental car and headed home," Tekotte said. "Got to sleep in my own bed."


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One of my greatest pleasures living in London, is being invited to attend BBC recordings of interviews with famous authors. BBC World Book Club is the most listened to radio book club in the world. And Harriet Gilbert does a marvellous job of the interviewing. As members of the audience, we are allowed to ask questions alongside questions which have been emailed and tweeted in from around the globe. It's always exciting, especially because the author is there in person and we are allowed to participate in a recording that will soon be broadcast around the world.
Yesterday the recording was an interview with John Grisham on his book 'A Time to Kill'. The recording took place in the US Embassy but unfortunately Grisham was unable to actually make it to London and was skyped live into the auditorium where the recording took place. We were all disappointed that he wasn't there in person but he was so charming and well spoken he was soon forgiven for not showing up. 🙂 If you want to hear the interview it will air on April 6.
BBC World Book Club
'A Time to Kill' was Grisham's first novel and is his most dramatic and compelling. It actually didn't become popular until his next book 'The Firm' made it big. The book is about a young black girl who is raped by two white men. The father decides to take matters into his own hands because he suspects that in the deep south the white men will never be fairly tried or punished. In an act of fatherly outrage and retribution, he shoots the men himself and then hopes that lawyer Jake Brigance will be able to defend him in court. Brigance takes on the case, but not without considerable struggle and threats from the KKK.
In the interview, Grisham, a lawyer who practiced himself for 10 years, said the story sprung from a case he himself witnessed where a black girl was raped and the white men got off with very light sentences. He also once saw a young rape victim questioned on the stand in court and seeing her struggle touched him deeply. He admitted that the book is so powerful and graphic, he might not have been able to write it today, after having a daughter of his own. He says he even had trouble watching the movie when it came out.
Grisham also spilled the beans about writing a sequel to this novel which will be coming out in the fall. It won't be a direct continuation but it does also take place in Ford County, again features the lawyer Jake Brigance, and takes place 3 years after 'A Time to Kill'. He said the topic of the new book was "a rich and meaty legal dispute" which doesn't really tell us much since that describes many of his books! Other interesting facts I learned are that he never has had writer's block. He always has more ideas for stories than he can actually write. And he carefully outlines his books before he writes them, knowing exactly what's going to happen. He says he wants his readers always to be "turning pages", and in this, I think it is safe to say, he has succeeded!


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Scrum Sevens
Flooding through the turnstiles
April 22, 2010
Leinster silenced the Munster army in 2009 © Getty Images
Wasps are set to record a huge gate for their St. George's day game against Bath at Twickenham this weekend, only a week after Saracens recorded their best attendance at Wembley Stadium with a win over Harlequins. With this in mind we take a look at some of the biggest attendances for club games in our latest Scrum Seven.
82,208 - Leinster 25-6 Munster, Heineken Cup semi-final, Croke Park, Dublin
The world record crowd for a club game was drawn by the enticing prospect of seeing the blue and red quarters of Ireland go head-to-head for a place in the Heineken Cup final at the home of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), Croke Park. The GAA had opened the doors of the stadium to rugby in 2007 during the renovation of Lansdowne Road and duly hosted Ireland's 2009 Grand Slam as well as this classic performance from Leinster.
Gordon D'Arcy, Brian O'Driscoll and Luke Fitzgerald, all of whom would don red for the Lions later in the season, scored tries to exact revenge for defeat at the hands of their fierce rivals in the corresponding fixture in 2006 and lay the platform for a first title against Leicester at Murrayfield.
81,601 - Leicester 10-9 London Irish, Guinness Premiership final, Twickenham, London, 2009
With Leicester out to claim their eighth English title the cheeky chappies at Twickenham installed an extra seat in order to break their record, set a year earlier. The extra seat went to Tigers fan Toby Warren, who watched his side take home top prize against a London Irish outfit making their first final appearance.
Jordan Crane's second-half try proved the crucial score as the Exiles missed several gilt edged opportunities, with all of their points coming from the boots of Peter Hewat and Delon Armitage. This record is likely to stand for some time, although with Saracens ambitiously aiming to pack out Wembley at some time in the future the bragging rights will again belong to administrators of the round ball game.
81,600 - Wasps 26-16 Leicester, Guinness Premiership final, Twickenham, London, 2008
The professional era's two greatest English combatants went head-to-head in this end of season showpiece, with the gate smashing the previous best of 66,000. The Tigers were facing a Wasps side that had produced a trademark late surge, although a pressure-phobic Gloucester had finished top of the table in the regular season before missing out by a point in the semis. The record crowd stood to a man to applaud Wasps skipper Lawrence Dallaglio from the field on the occasion of his final game, and the World Cup-winner celebrated with the trophy at the final whistle.
Tom Rees and Josh Lewsey scored first-half tries as Wasps secured a fourth Premiership title in six seasons, surviving a late fightback inspired by five-pointers from Tom Varndell and Harry Ellis.
81,076 - Leicester 9-25 Wasps, Heineken Cup final, Twickenham, London, 2007
Leicester's 2007 season was close to perfect. Comfortable victories in the Anglo-Welsh Cup and Guinness Premiership finals had paved the way for an unprecedented treble. Wasps had failed to hit the heights of previous seasons but had swept past Northampton, who would be relegated from the Premiership at the end of the season, in the semi-finals to set up an all-English affair that smashed previous records.
On the day, the form book wasn't consulted. Wasps powered home and collected a sixth straight Twickenham final win following two Heineken Cups, three Premiership play-off finals and an Anglo-Welsh Cup success. Eoin Reddan and Raphael Ibanez scored the tries, hours after ERC chairman Jean-Pierre Lux had announced that French and English clubs had agreed not to boycott the 2008 tournament following a dispute with the tournament organisers.
79,779 - Stade Francais 29-0 Toulouse, Stade de France, March 2008
In recent seasons Stade Francais, backed by the bulging wallet of Max Guazzini, have made the Stade de France a home from home. The colourful French club set the record attendance for a French club game in 2008, when eventual Top 14 champions Toulouse were dispatched 29-0. They have also racked up impressive figures of 79,741 against Toulouse in 2007 and 79,619 against Biarritz in 2006 in Saint Denis.
Guazzini's plans also brought about the amazing spectacle of their Heineken Cup pool clash with Harlequins in 2008. Quins' season ended with the disgrace of 'Bloodgate' but hit the heights in Paris, when following a ridiculously OTT opening ceremony they silenced a record 76,569 crowd for a pool game thanks to tries from Jordan Turner-Hall and Tom Williams.
54,000 - Sharks 19-20 Bulls, Super 14 final, 2007
King's Park's entry in the list of Super 14 finals was a big, big deal. The first all-African final and the first final hosted on African soil drew a bumper crowd and the game did not disappoint. Bulls speedster Bryan Habana cut his way through a tired Sharks defence for an injury-time try that set up the match-winning conversion that was slotted by fly-half Derick Hougaard.
The Sharks, who played host to the final after topping the table during the regular season, dominated proceedings in the first half but were unable to build a commanding lead. They scored tries of their own through Albert van den Berg and JP Pietersen but fell agonisingly short at the death, the clock reading 82 minutes when Habana pounced.
48,000 - Leinster 20-12 Ulster, Magners League, Lansdowne Road, 2006
The Magners League record attendance was recorded on a sad, but special, day for Irish rugby as they bade farewell to Lansdowne Road. The Dublin ground, scene of countless classic games along the years, was packed out by the home support and a travelling contingent of 20,000 Ulster fans.
The men in white were second best on the day as Leinster scored three tries, to Denis Hickie, Owen Finegan and Jamie Heaslip, to keep alive the race at the top of the table. It was a race that Ulster won, securing their first Magners title.
© Scrum.com
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Baja 26 Day Yoga Teacher Training
- Yandara Yoga Institute
- Yandara Yoga Institute Carretera 19, KM 74, Todos Santos, Baja Calif. Mexico
- Mar 8 - Apr 3, 2021 (27 days)
About This Event
The natural setting of our yoga teaching training in Mexico is as much a part of your experience as the yoga instruction itself. This secluded Baja location offers stunning beachfront vistas featuring open-air buildings to keep you in touch with your surroundings and all the beauty that nature has to share with us. These comfortable outdoor settings take advantage of the warm temperatures that Mexico offers drawing from its natural beauty, we allow you to connect with your surroundings while also connecting with those you are on this journey with. Our staff has refined the process of integrating yoga training within this natural setting being mindful that your environment is integral to your learning process. Away from your hectic everyday life, you'll discover an inner-peace with the mountains at your back and the warmth of the soft sea breeze on your face. Our approach is all about teaching yoga from the heart. This setting and approach helps cultivate a love of yoga, your students and yourself.
Welcome to Your Baja Yoga Experience
Located in Southern Baja, Mexico, about an hour from Cabo San Lucas, your all-inclusive stay with its organic feel and quiet appeal, will include:
Cuisine: Drawing upon Mexican heritage, your dining experience will also feature an internationally influenced menu. A menu choice is rarely ever repeated, and focuses on fresh, local organic ingredients.
Culture: On Sundays, you receive either a full or half day to explore the local culture. You may choose from a variety of local attractions. A few favorites are Todos Santos which is just a short 20 minute drive away, designated as a Pueblo Mexico ("magic town"), this town features art galleries, historic buildings, and the very best in local restaurants. Nearby is also the renowned surfing beach Los Cerritos and the world-famous sandy beaches of Cabo San Lucas.
Climate: Enjoy an arid desert climate, where it's always warm in the sun and cool in the shade. The daytime temperature never drops below 70s during the day, and nights feature cooler temperatures for a restful sleep.
A Taste of How You'll Spend a Day
Morning - Your day starts sunrise over the mountains and a yoga class to awaken your senses and ready you for the day. After a refreshing shared community breakfast, we then move into our technical training where we break down poses together in the natural beauty of one of our 3 open-air studios. Next, we pause for a delicious group lunch focused on health and nutrition for both mind and body, followed by an hour break allowing for time to relax on the beach and connect with your fellow students.
Afternoon - After lunch, our focus turns to you as a teacher. We are here to assist absolute beginners in becoming educated and inspiring yoga teachers, as well as to assist seasoned teachers in the deepening and refining of their yoga teaching skills. This part in your day will allow you to become more comfortable in front of a class and take on the role of a confident yoga teacher. You will become not only more knowledgeable in yoga within this training but also more knowledgeable of yourself as we encourage you to carry what you have learned onward to your own students. This supportive and encouraging environment is built to elevate each and every one of our students to their full potential as a yoga teacher.
Evening - Every night we offer community activities that are unique and crafted to keep you entertained, engaged and enlightened. Enjoy music and dance with our local house Jaya Band comprised of 4 fellow yogis. Join us in the magical experience of music-chanting meditation or sit back with your fellow students and instructors for an evening of watching educational films on ground-breaking yoga approaches followed by a group discussion.These evenings are built to encourage our community of students and teachers to connect, have fun and head to bed with a full heart and soul.
Join us in Mexico for your Yoga Teacher Training and be a part of something truly special and unique. We look forward to meeting you!
- Pool
- Free Parking
- Yoga Studio
Menu Types
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- Pescetarian
- Gluten Free
- Dairy Free
Reviews To review this event, visit the page for the venue or retreat leaders (above).
Similar Retreats You Might Like
Amansala Eco Chic Resort – Tulum Quintana Roo Mexico Tulum Quintana Roo Mexico
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Life Synergy Retreat – Playa del Carmen Quintana Roo Mexico Playa del Carmen Quintana Roo MexicoDec 28, 2020 - Jan 1, 2021 (5 days)
Rukhsana's Wellness & Heavenly Retreat – San José del Cabo Baja California Sur Mexico San José del Cabo Baja California Sur MexicoNov 8 - 15, 2020 (8 days)
Thank you!
We're glad you've joined our retreat community. See you around :)Return to my event ×


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You searched for: Author: Wallace, Alfred Russel Image Format: drawings Image Keyword: work
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1. The Malay Archipelago: the land of the orang-utan, and the bird of paradise. A narrative of travel, with studies of man and nature Page 384
New York, Harper and Brothers, 1869, pg. 384


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Malik Bendjelloul, Director of Oscar-Winning Searching for Sugar Man, Dies at 36
Malik Bendjelloul died in Stockholm late Tuesday, but details about the cause of death have not been revealed
Malik Bendjelloul, the acclaimed Swedish film director behind the Oscar-winning music documentary Searching for Sugar Man, has died. He was 36.
Police spokeswoman Pia Glenvik told the Associated Press Bendjelloul died in Stockholm late Tuesday, and said no crime is suspected in relation to the death.
Bendjelloul's older brother, Johar Bendjelloul, confirmed to the Associated Press that Malik committed suicide Tuesday. Johar told the daily newspaper Aftonbladet that his brother had struggled with depression for a short period.
"Life is not always simple," Johar Bendjelloul was quoted as saying, adding that receiving the message that his brother had committed suicide was the worst thing he had ever experienced.
"I don't know how to handle it. I don't know," he said.
The director was widely known for his enthusiasm, kindness and high spirits – so the news Wednesday that he had taken his own life shocked colleagues around the world.
Searching for Sugar Man detailed the life and career of American singer Sixto Rodriguez, and it won the Oscar for best documentary in 2013.
Bendjelloul grew up in central and southern Sweden and acted in Swedish TV series Ebba and Didrik as a child during the 1990s. He studied journalism and media production at the Linnaeus University of Kalmar in southern Sweden and later worked as a reporter for Swedish public broadcaster SVT.
He resigned from that job to travel the world, and he got the idea for Searching for Sugar Man during one of his trips.


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"I've been to a couple of playbacks," comments one journalist after hearing Madonna's MDNA in full for the first time. "The louder they play the album, the more worried the record label tend to be about it."
'How loud was this particular listening session in the bowels of Abbey Road?', you ask. In a word, earsplitting.
For those of you unfamiliar with the story of MDNA so far, this is Madge's 12th solo album in total, her first for Universal and it has spawned her lowest ever charting debut single in 'Give Me All Your Luvin''. Its follow-up 'Girl Gone Wild' has hasn't been rapturously received either, so there's a fair bit riding on this swanky event attended by pretty much every major media outlet in the country... and your humble reporter.
Despite the obvious temptation to declare a phenomenal comeback after the disappointing Hard Candy or a continuation of that muddled slump, what follows is a guide to where the album is at. Not how good it is.
Opinions need time to fester and we wouldn't want to embarrass ourselves 12 months later for the sake of some easy hyperbole. This is simply our account of what happened when a 53-year-old singer's latest dance-pop record, primarily aimed at a market of teenage Radio 1 listeners, was played to a room of music critics in their early thirties.
1) Girl Gone Wild
The album's second single, revealed via a cringey lyric video, sets the mould for MDNA. That mould being a whole lot of synth and some frivolous good time lyrics. A modern on twist on the old school fun of 'Holiday' and 'Open Your Heart'.
2) Gang Bang
Despite the eye-raising title this track is more concerned with smoking firepower than demeaning group sex. An orgy of pithy lyrics for your earholes, this song includes the hilarious spoken word kiss off "If you're gonna act like a bitch, you're gonna die like a bitch!" Cue blazing shotgun My notes also mention the phrase, 'Obligatory dubstep breakdown'. Take that as you will...
3) I'm Addicted
Produced by Benny Benassi, 'I'm Addicted' is the track from which MDNA gets its name. You can pick this up quite easily because Madge takes to chanting her album's title repeatedly over some squelching electronic vibrations. A song with an irresistible chorus which comes pretty close to an instant favourite.
4) Turn Up The Radio
So far the Material Girl she hasn't pulled any punches in pushing for a club-friendly audience but 'Turn Up The Radio' feels more like one for the oldies. That is, the theatrics are toned down a bit in favour of a whopping chorus which goes something like this, "Turn up the the radio, turn up the radio. Don't ask me where I wanna go, we've gotta turn up the radio." Big but in no way clever.
5) Give Me All Your Luvin' feat. Nicki Minaj & M.I.A.
For all its flaws, it's easy to see why 'Give Me All Your Luvin'' was selected as the lead single for MDNA. A likeable song with the guest vocals from two critically claimed and commercially successful rappers could have spelt chart gold. If only the whole affair didn't seem so half-hearted.
6) Some Girls
The first of five William Orbit tracks on the album, this is a disappointment for those expecting the blissed out vibes of Ray Of Light. These come a little later, so for now it's another slightly tired banger which goes heavy on the vocoder while pushing the vocals right to the back of the mix. Seems to be trying too hard to impress but will hopefully even out on repeated listens.
7) Superstar
Not the first song to see Madonna name check Marlon Brando, this is decent enough mid-album album fare. "Ooh la la, you're a superstar" goes the idiosyncratic chorus and we bob our head along obligingly. As another bassy wobble reigns in, the album is beginning to feel like a more refined version of Britney's Femme Fatale. We liked Femme Fatale, a lot.
8) I Don't Give A
Just when we were getting worried MDNA was too light on personality 'I Don't Gives A' arrives to allay our fears with lashings of brash sentiment. Tabloid hacks will no doubt have a field day with Guy Ritchie referencing lines like, "I tried to be a good girl. I tried to be your wife". The real scene stealer comes at the end of the track however, with Nicki Minaj proclaiming, "There's only one Queen and that's Madonna. Bitch!" On this form, it's hard to disagree with the 'Stupid Hoe' chanteuse.
9) I'm A Sinner
As everyone knows, Jesus Christ died for Madonna's right to make mildly controversial statements. While not quite up there with 'Like A Prayer's' comparison of solemn meditation to a good old blowjob, an "I'm a sinner and I like it that way" line at least keeps up the tradition of Catholic-baiting. William Orbit's track through and through, this mix of looping drums and reverb-laden guitar tees the album up for a decent home run.
10) Love Spent
Featuring a banjo-lead intro and a proper (auto-tune assisted) key change, 'Love Spent' is a silly little romp which we were rather fond of. Much like Confessions On A Dance Floor there's no real message to MDNA, just a series of four-to-the-floor tracks and more reflective numbers like this one.
11) Masterpiece
The album's penultimate offering and its only straight up ballad, 'Masterpiece' is overwrought but underwhelming. Admittedly Madge isn't famed for her cracking pipes yet a sudden reach for the high notes would do well to distract from a humdrum acoustic backing track. It's no 'Crazy For You' that's for sure.
12) Falling Free
A complete contrast to the opening synthetics of 'Girl Gone Wild', 'Falling Free' is a sombre and string-drenched affair. After an avalanche of opening dramatics, it's pleasing to hear MDNA end on a reflective note. "We're both free, free to go," coos the world's best-selling female artist of all time.
In truth, we would leave but there's the small matter of some bonus tracks to skip through. Of this ramshackle bunch 'Beautfiful Killer' and 'I Fucked Up' reward our perseverance but 'B-Day Song' and 'Best Friend' feel a bit kitsch on first impressions at least.
Madonna has stepped back into the pop fray with a something for everyone. The first Demolition Crew and Benny Benasssi-produced half of MDNA sees her try and play to a synth-hungry 21st century audience. The second returns to the comforting fold of William Orbit's mellow ambient bliss.
What we'll be grappling with as we get down to our review is whether the record hangs to together well enough as a whole. In the opulent surroundings of a free bar and several bowls full of jelly beans, it's easy to get carried away with your own enthusiasm. Still, we arrived at Abbey Road with no little trepidation and left reassured that Madge hasn't succumbed to Top 40 drudgery yet. That will do for the meantime.


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'FT' Offers Free Google Nexus 7 Tablet With Subscription
Vanishing are the days of free cosmetic cases and tote bags with your newspaper or magazine subscription: In an aggressive effort to boost circulation numbers leading into 2013, the Financial Times is offering Google Nexus 7 tablets free with a one-year subscription in the U.S.
The five-month-old Nexus 7, which retails for $199, is widely considered to be the best Android tablet on the market. A digital-only subscription to the FT begins at $447 per year. Annual access to the print and digital editions costs $597. The offer runs until Dec. 17.
This isn't the first time a publication has bundled a tablet with a media subscription: Earlier this year, Barnes & Noble knocked $99 off its $99 Nook Simple Touch E-Ink e-reader and its $199 Nook Color tablet with a one-year digital subscription to the New York Times. Discounts were also offered in conjunction with a digital subscription to People magazine. The promotion, however, occured after the holidays — a time when B&N was looking to clear its inventory of e-reading devices. Indeed, the bookseller noted in its fiscal 2013 first quarter earnings report that post-holiday returns of its e-readers were exceptionally high and that it was forced to buy back stock from several third-party retailers.
The FT's offer is perhaps less motivated by a need to clear Google's tablet inventory than a desire on the FT's part to promote its mobile readership. In fact, the paper boasted in a statement about the offer that mobile devices now account for a quarter of all traffic to FT.com.
A spokesperson for the FT said that the paper "worked with Google on supplying the tablets," but did not confirm if they were secured at a discount.
Image courtesy of iStockphoto, pixelfit


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|Search: 'photographer, photographic studio, Daguerreotypist, Dorchester' (8 of 2579)
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|No. 8: Walter Baker House
Photograph of Walter Baker House, Washington Street. Published in Official Program, Dorchester Day, Saturday, June 7th, 1913.
| Known as the Walter Baker mansion, this house was built in 1737 by Lieutenant Governor Andrew Oliver who lived there, using it as a country house, till 1782. The house was located approximately where the Lucy Stone School is now on Regina Road off Washington Street near Park Street. Oliver graduated from Harvard in 1724 and was the brother of Chief Justice Peter Oliver. In 1765, soon after he received the appoint of Stamp Collector, he became a very unpopular fellow. He was burned in effigy in a riot, and the mob attacked his house on Fort Hill, Boston, breaking all the windows, destroying the furniture and wrecking the house. He resigned the position. Then in 1770 he was appointed Lieutenant Governor. Some of his letters to friends in England were discovered there by Franklin and sent back to Boston. He was accused of perjury and suspected of subverting the government of the colony. He couldn?t bear the disquiet and misery caused by his position in these affairs, and he died in March 1774, aged 67.
The house was purchased by Col. Benjamin Hichborn who used it as summer residence until 1817 entertaining General Lafayette there in 1783. James Penniman used the parlor for a school-room to aid the founding of Dorchester Academy in 1831. Shortly after, Walter Baker came into possession of the house. He died in 1852, and his widow lived there till her death in 1891. It was then occupied by the Bichloride of Gold Institute and later by the Colonial Club of Dorchester. A development was proposed for the property on which the building stood, but it replaced by the Lucy Stone School in 1937.
|Map: Scan of detail from 1910 Bromley atlas plate 17.
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Created: November 30, 2003 Modified: July 6, 2005