text:
The way it worked was that a few days before your fight you had to do a photo shoot.
They set up the lights and the cameras in a hotel conference room, then booked all the fighters on the card to come have their pictures taken one at a time. If everyone kept to the schedule, there was plenty of time for one to get finished and get out before the next one showed up. Because these are pro fighters we're talking about, it almost never worked this smoothly.
This is how they met.
This was Strikeforce Challengers, November of 2009. Jorge Gurgel was headlining a Friday night card in Fresno, Calif. He had just finished his photo shoot and was walking out of the conference room when he saw Zoila Frausto walking in. She was a good-looking woman and he was a man who appreciated a good-looking woman. But what really caught his eye was her hot pink skirt.
"That's a nice skirt," he told her.
"I'll let you borrow it some time," she said.
That was it. That was all it took. The night of the fight he sat in his locker room and watched her prelim bout on a backstage monitor. She could actually fight, he realized. How about that? But, as even she would later admit, she had "zero jiu-jitsu" at the time. She could use some help there, and that just happened to be one of his specialties. You see where this is going.
Within six months they were living together, training side-by-side in Gurgel's Cincinnati gym. Less than a year after that, they were married. They never really dated. They didn't do any of the normal stuff that normal couples do, because, as he put it, "There's nothing normal about our marriage."
Take what happened after her last loss, for example. It was the last fight of her Bellator contract and Zoila Frausto Gurgel, the reigning 115-pound champ, was fighting up a weight class when she took on Jessica Eye at 125 pounds. She was pumped up for this one. Maybe a little too pumped up, in retrospect. She came out wild and got dropped early. As she scrambled to her feet, Eye locked in a standing arm-triangle choke. A few seconds later, Gurgel was unconscious on the mat.
It was her first loss in over two years, snapping a seven-fight win streak. When they got back to the hotel, she waited to see which Jorge she was going to get: husband or coach?
"It was all coach," said the 29-year-old Zoila. "All coach and no husband."
He told her what she'd done wrong, explained how her approach to the fight had been a mistake. He demonstrated the escape from the standing arm-triangle. He offered plenty of advice, but no comfort.
"It was like he didn't even think about consoling her," said Paul Bowers, Jorge's long-time friend and Zoila's striking coach. "He was her coach first and foremost."
The weird part is, that's exactly how she wanted it. She didn't want any shoulder-rubbing sympathy right then, even though that's exactly what most people would have tried to offer her.
"I didn't feel like I needed comforting," she explained. "I wanted to be talked to as a fighter. I didn't want the husband figure at that time. I didn't need somebody to pat me on the back and tell me it was going to be OK. I'm not that type of person. It was a pretty big loss in a pretty big way, and he knew that. He knew there was no reason for me to cry on his shoulder."
The weirder part is, even if she had wanted a little comforting right then, she wasn't going to get it. Not from Jorge.
"I don't care what she wants," he said. "I don't care what she thinks she needs there. That's how it is with all my fighters."
It's just that, this fighter also happens to be his wife. There's a line between those two relationships, but that line is easily blurred. Just as the fighter doesn't stop being a fighter when she leaves the gym, the coach doesn't always know when to stop being a coach. It's a constant battle for the Gurgels, and yet somehow it works.
"There aren't two more different people that you could meet in your whole life," said Bowers, who has known them both for years. "If it wasn't for fighting to bring them together, I don't think they'd be together. It just works in a weird way that you wouldn't ever imagine."
Abandoning the game plan
Before he met Zoila, Jorge knew two things for sure: 1) he loved his bachelor life far too much to ever get married, and 2) when it came to dating, he wasn't interested in female fighters.
"He always said that, that he would never date a fighter," said Bowers. "It's funny. He's always been that ladies man, never wanted to be tied down. He always had a girlfriend, but I don't think he ever wanted to marry any of them. Then she came along and she was totally different from any woman he'd ever dated."
At least outwardly, they pretended like it was strictly business at first. Her invited her to come train at his gym, and she wanted to go as much for the jiu-jitsu as for the chance to get to know him better.
"When she first came home after she met him, she was so giddy, talking about him all the time," said her younger sister Stephanie, 22, who is also a pro fighter. "I thought, 'Oh, no. I'm not going to see my sister for a while.'"
When she traveled to Cincinnati to train, she stayed in his house like any other visiting fighter might. She was staying there when she got her first offer to fight in Bellator, at an event in nearby Louisville. That was less than a two-hour drive from his place, Gurgel pointed out, so why didn't she just stay there and let him train her for the fight?
She did, and then that June she went to Louisville and knocked out Rosi Sexton in the first round. After that she never really left. This is how she ended up living with Jorge, skipping right over all the other dating stuff that usually comes first.
"I told her, Zoila, there's only rule: I'm the boss and I call the shots," Gurgel said. "I'll always put your career and your priorities first, take care of you first, but I call the shots. She said she could absolutely live with that."
Some days are harder than others. Some days you just don't want to be told what to do. Being married to your coach can be a little like having your boss follow you home after work.
"In the beginning it was a little easier, because the relationship was so new, to let him be my coach when I was there and turn it off when we left," said Zoila. "Now it's a little more difficult because we see each other every day. There are days when I want to be like, 'Forget it, I'm not listening to you today.' But when it comes to the hard stuff, when it comes to the fights, it works out because I always know he has my best interests at heart. He's also the best coach I've ever had."
It was the same revelation her younger sister had after seeing the relationship up close. The two have always been so close, there was little question that Stephanie would end up moving to Cincinnati full-time once her sister did. Now she lives with Jorge and Zoila, and even took the Gurgel name.
As Jorge put it, "I married the whole package. I got a wife and a sister all at once."
The first time she knocked on his door, Stephanie said, Jorge answered in his underwear.
"I thought, well, he's comfortable with himself," she said. At first she was worried about losing her sister to this new guy who seemed to want to be in charge all the time. She'd always hated that part whenever her sister started dating someone new. It took away the valuable time she was used to getting with her big sister.
"But with him, it was different," she said. "I saw that right away. As soon as I saw him teach, I'd never seen anybody that passionate about what he does."
There are times when that passion seems to be his biggest problem. Just look at his MMA career. For years Gurgel has been known as the fighter with a great ground game that he absolutely refuses to use. Even when he tells himself and everybody else that the next one is going to be different, that he's going to stick to a gameplan and exploit his opponent's weaknesses rather than getting into a brawl, he can't help himself.
"I call it the Brazilian mentality," said Bowers. "He gets mad and throws everything out the window and just fights. He's given away a lot of fights that way. … There's no question about his talent and his work ethic, but he's probably the hardest person in the world to coach."
Zoila's different. She listens well, follows instructions, and usually does a better job of subjugating her emotions in a fight, according to Bowers.
"We have to calm him down, but pick her up," he said. "They're exact opposites in the fight world."
When the husband shows up
The Eye fight was an exception. That's where she went about the emotional approach all wrong and paid the price. And after, when Jorge was too busy being her coach to be her husband? The aftermath reminded him of why he married her in the first place.
"After that fight, she didn't fly back with me," he said. Instead she decided to stick around New Jersey so she could attend the Grappler's Quest tournament the next day.
"She took a big risk," Gurgel said. "She just got choked out, and she went on no sleep the next day to a tournament where she could have gotten choked out again. She came home with two medals and a belt the next day, drove home ten hours with some of our teammates. That's how bad she wanted to compete."
When she got home, that's when she found husband Jorge. That's when he knew she would need him, he said. When the coach couldn't help her anymore.
"Since I'm a fighter, I know that when the depression sets in is the next day, when you set foot in your home," he said. "When you have a loss, that night you don't really sleep. The next day you wake up and you pack and people are trying to make you laugh, but you're not really there. When you get home, shower, and sit on your bed in your house, and you're alone? That's when it sets in. That's when you need the pep talk, somebody to say it happens to all of us and you're going to be fine. That's when the husband shows up."
This is one of the advantages to being married to a fighter. When you're with someone who's been there before, they know what you're thinking in moments like that. There's no explanation needed. It's one of the great things about their relationship, according to Zoila.
"Other relationships I've had with people who weren't fighters, it's so hard to get them to understand why you're in the gym so much, why you're eating a certain way, why you're too tired or why you don't want to talk," she said. "Even just why you're around so many men all the time. It's so much easier to be with someone who automatically understands what you're going through."
Easier, but at the same time not exactly easy. For instance, when you have a house with three fighters in it, all of whom have recently suffered losses, the tension can run high. A month after Zoila's loss to Eye, Stephanie suffered a TKO to Cassie Rodish at Invicta 4. A week after that, Jorge lost a decision on the undercard of the final Strikeforce event.
"When we have fights around the same time, that's the difficult part," said Zoila. "There are so many emotions flying around."
That won't be the case forever. While Zoila's career is transitioning to a new phase now that she's left Bellator and signed a contract with Invicta, Jorge's is coming to an end. He knows that. He's 36 years old and he doesn't want to end up like some of the other guys, fighting on smaller and smaller shows for less and less money, hanging around to let some young up-and-comer capitalize on whatever's left of his name.
"I have no intention of doing that," he said.
He also knows that as much as he's enjoyed his time as a fighter, he's probably better as a coach. He's found more success telling other people to stick to the gameplan than sticking to it himself. He puts so much into all his fighters – both the ones he's related to and the ones he isn't – that he has less and less time to devote to his own career.
"He's hard-headed about it, but I think he knows his greatest talent is as a coach," said Bowers. "I think he's got to know that he left everything in the cage, that he did everything he could. He's such a competitor, that will be the hardest part for him."
Eventually, that time will come. When it does, life in the Gurgel household will be "a lot easier," according to Zoila, who admitted that there are times when her husband puts too much into her training, increasing the pressure on himself and on her.
"But going through all this, the stress of our lives as fighters, it's made our relationship so strong," she added.
And that's the part that some people might not understand, Jorge said. On the outside, it seems like he did exactly what he said he'd never do when he married a female fighter. It might seem like another instance of Jorge Gurgel failing to follow his own game plan. But what they don't get is that he didn't marry a fighter – he married Zoila.
"She's the reason," he said. "It's not about being two fighters. It's about being Jorge and Zoila."
(Pictured: Zoila Gurgel)


text:
The Weekend Brew: With Wings As Eagles
But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:31)
I've been a little tired lately. There is so much going on in my life right now. Family, ministry, work, final preparations for my daughter's wedding in just about 7 weeks! Needless to say, I've been overwhelmed, tired and somewhat cranky. I look around my house and realize I've been neglecting my role as "homemaker" — piles of laundry falling off the couch, dust collecting in corners, old food found in the refrigerator. But God has reminded me today that I simply cannot do it all. My role is to place my trust and hope in the LORD, and He will give me the strength I need to accomplish all that I must do. What does it mean to "soar with wings like eagles"? An eagle glides effortlessly through the sky. That's how the LORD desire we be. Life is so much easier with Him. He promises that we will not grow weary and faint.
I would love for you to join me for Fresh Brewed Sundays. This is where we share a scripture with just simple insight. No heavy words necessary. Feel free to use the button in your post and link up below!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
GIBRALTAR ISLAND — When a predator shows up near a campsite in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, it can be a completely natural and unforgettable wildlife experience. But it can just as easily be a sign of habituation, and that can be bad for humans and animals alike.
Wolves, cougars and black bears are found throughout the park, and suspicious encounters often demand a followup investigation.
On a sunny afternoon, The Vancouver Sun accompanied human-wildlife conflict specialist Todd Windle and resource management officer David Redpath on a 30-minute ride from Ucluelet to Gibraltar Island in the Broken Group Islands to check on a report of a wolf at a kayakers' campsite.
According to the report, the kayakers were sitting around their campfire one evening when they spotted the wolf on the beach, but it wasn't looking for handouts. The next morning, the kayakers were taking down the tarp over their kitchen area when the wolf reappeared just 10 metres away. A large male member of the kayak party eventually shooed the animal way.
Wolves are known to routinely swim from island to island in the Broken Group, preying on black-tailed deer as well as river otters, raccoons, mink, harbour seals and occasionally the washed-up carcasses of sea lions. "I've watched them flipping over significant boulders to eat the shore crabs and gunnels (a small fish)," Windle said.
He has also observed a wolf swim 1.3 kilometres across Coaster Channel — a cold waterway, beset with currents — before coming ashore and collapsing in the sun for two hours.
Wolf attacks on humans are extremely rare — but do happen.
A man was severely bitten by a wolf in 2000 while sleeping outdoors in his sleeping bag on Vargas Island in Clayoquot Sound, north of Tofino. He received more than 50 stitches to his scalp. Two young wolves that had a history of being fed by humans were killed.
Windle was also working in Cape Breton National Park in Nova Scotia in 2009 when two coyotes attacked and killed Toronto singer-songwriter Taylor Mitchell during a break in her Maritimes music tour.
Back at Gibraltar Island, Windle and Redpath anchor their inflatable craft and walk up to Rod McDowell, of Surrey, and Shawna McDowell of Langley, a father and daughter who are out on a four-night paddle in their stylish red-cedar kayaks. "We haven't seen anything," she says. "But we were told to keep an eye open and not to keep food in our tent."
Windle looks at the kayakers' cooler and remarks: "If you go out for a short paddle, you don't want to leave that out. A wolf can get the top off that."
They scour the beach for fresh wolf tracks, but only find a bleached-out bone from a deer.
Then they walk five minutes into the forest to investigate a trail camera installed about a metre up the trunk of a western hemlock to monitor for wolf activity. It shows none, indicating that the wolf has either moved to another island or set up shop elsewhere on Gibraltar.
For the moment, Windle doesn't suspect the wolf is associating humans with food. "But that doesn't mean it won't happen."
Just as the visit is wrapping up, he receives an email message from his office of yet another human-predator interaction — this time with a cougar on the West Coast Trail. A couple were sitting around their campfire when the big cat came out from the boulders and looked at them. A total of five hikers worked together to yell at the predator and chase it off into the forest — exactly what park staff want to see.
Cougars have proven to be a dangerous predators both inside and outside the park.
In 2013, a 60-year-old woman at Flores Island in Clayoquot Sound had her skull crushed by a cougar but survived. The animal was speared to death.
In 2012, a seven-year-old boy was attacked at Sprout Lake near Port Alberni, receiving serious injuries to his head and shoulder. The cougar was shot.
In 2011, an 18-month-old boy received head injuries in an attack at Kennedy Lake, within the national park. The cougar escaped.
Windle had his own encounter in 2011 when, with the help of a dog team, he tracked a cougar stalking a man inside the park. The search reached an unsettling conclusion outside the park at Cox Bay, near Tofino. "I shot that one off someone's back porch while it was eating his house cat."
Visitors are urged to report wildlife sightings to 250-726-3500.
Watch - Video: The Long Beach Challenge: a west coast equivalent to the Grouse Grind
Watch - Video: Touring the Nitinat Narrows, access point of West Coast Trail


text:
• Home
• People
• Labs
• For Students
• Publications
• Software
• Events
• Locations
• Internal
Natural Language Processing research at Columbia University is conducted in the Computer Science Department, the Center for Computational Learning Systems and the Biomedical Informatics Department. Due to the broad expertise and wide ranging interests of our NLP researchers, NLP@CU has a distinctive combination of depth and breadth. Our research combines linguistic insights into the phenomena of interest with rigorous, cutting edge methods in machine learning and other computational approaches.
The NLP@CU group consists of seven senior researchers who serve as principal investigators on multiple projects, and who advise graduate students at all levels. In any one year, the number of Ph.D. students ranges from approximately fifteen to twenty-five, and the number of masters students is much larger. Other members include post doctoral researchers, visitors, undergraduate research assistants, and consultants.
Areas that we have particular strengths in include:
Our research benefits from a cohesive, thriving environment: NLP@CU group members have many internal collaborations, and collaborate closely with other Columbia University researchers in related fields such as databases and machine learning. We have an extensive network of collaborations globally.
To learn more about NLP@CU, visit our Labs, Groups and Projects page.


text:
The promising new label "&Other Stories" by H&M grants another insight. Besides providing us with high-quality fashion and accessoires it will cover us in a "Rose Revival".
A new smell for a new era - a self-explanatory match.
We are getting even more curious about the brand launching next spring.
Stay tuned for further information and inspiration!
Some exclusive pictures after the jump.


text:
2mm Billabong SAMURAI Wetsuit Socks
Order Now: $37.50
The Billabong SAMURAI wetsuit socks are a new and innovative product that is great for moderate water temps.
These wetsuit socks are extremely flexible and do a great job keeping water from flushing. The sole provides excellent traction, but is not thick enough to help with abrasion from shells and rocks.
Note: If you wear a half size then choose smaller, not larger. (ie) 9 1/2 should purchase size 9 1yr Warranty (more . . .)


text:
Concurrent Degrees
A student may pursue two degrees of the same level in a given matriculation period, e.g., two baccalaureate degrees, two associate degrees, or two graduate degrees, when minimum graduation requirements are met with additional coursework for the appropriate degree level. A student may not pursue mixed levels of degrees simultaneously. (Students having earned one degree at any level may subsequently pursue another, either associate or baccalaureate. (see Subsequent Degrees) Students must complete all of the requirements in effect at the time the student declares the major in each degree program. While some of the hours earned from one degree may count toward another degree, students must earn at least 15 additional approved semester hours for another associate degree or 30 additional hours for another baccalaureate degree. This translates to a minimum of 75 hours for two associate's degrees and a minimum of 150 hours for two baccalaureate degrees.


text:
Highlights / General details
Visit the beautiful region of Chianti with us and immerse yourselves in the picturesque Tuscan scenery that you have always imagined. The beautiful ruby-red color and the characteristic bouquet with scents of violet are the special features that reveal the identity of one of the most famous wines in the world: Chianti. This wine results from the wise blend of Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, and originates from the hilly area from which it draws its name. We will lead you to the discovery of the breathtaking, uncontaminated landscapes that have been cradling the Chianti vineyards for centuries, presenting you a harmony of colors that can only be found in the hills of this region. The sounds, scents and flavors of this land will capture your senses through a unique experience that you will live, relish and comprehend by visiting ancient churches, medieval castles and small villages where the rhythm of life remains unaltered over time.
The tour continues with a visit to a charming wine estate where you will take part in a guided tour of the wine cellars in order to gain insight into the various stages of wine production and in a tasting of the various wines that the winery produces, paired with samples of sliced cold meats, bruschetta and salami. During the tour you will see the characteristic fortress of Monteriggioni. There you will find some shops specialized in typical Tuscan products, as well as elegant cafés where you can stop and enjoy a coffee or a gelato. Subsequently, the tour includes a second tasting of olive oil and wine in another local winery.
Free shuttle service from/to Montecatini; Travel by GT coach or minivan with air conditioning; Expert multilingual escorts; Wine, oil and balsamic vinegar tasting; Snack with sliced cold meats and typical salami; Visit to a famous estate with tour of the wine cellar; Self-guided tour of the Monteriggioni fortress and a local winery.
Languages available: English, Spanish, Italian, French, Portuguese, German, Russian.
Drop off (€6,00 per pax); Gratuity.
Hours of operation
Available: Daily; Departs at 2:30pm.
Approximately 5 hours.
Meeting Point: Florence, inside Santa Maria Novella train station, in front of the pharmacy with the green cross (check in closes 15 minutes before departure).
10:30am: Shuttle from Montecatini, Piazza Italia (Check point Bus, near the train station) to Florence Santa Maria Novella train station.
2:30pm: Tour departs from Florence, Santa Maria Novella train station, in front of the pharmacy with the green cross.
7:45pm: Tour returns to Florence, Santa Maria Novella train station.
8:30pm: Shuttle from Florence inside Santa Maria Novella train station (in front of the pharmacy) to Montecatini, Piazza Italia (Check point Bus, near the train station).
Participant restrictions
Customers must be able to climb and descend stairs.
This tour requires a minimum of 2 people to operate.
Guests are required to be at the meeting point 15 minutes before departure time.
Complete information, including local telephone numbers at your destination, will be included on your Confirmation Voucher.
**All information requested must be supplied or booking is subject to automatic cancellation**


text:
SACRAMENTO (AP) — Not everyone is conscientious about paying their tax bill, and the scofflaws cost California an estimated $9 billion a year in uncollected revenue.
Lawmakers and Gov. Jerry Brown want to change that dynamic by creating a task force charged with bringing the state's underground economy into the open and collecting the corporate, personal, and sales and use taxes owed the state.
The Democratic governor on Monday announced the signing of legislation is intended to reduce the amount of tax revenue eluding the state each year.
An analysis of AB576 says much of the $9 billion the state loses each year in tax revenue is due in large part to income that is under-reported or not reported at all.
Evading tax payments reduces the amount of money available to fund government services, leaves workers without basic job protections and creates unfair competition for legitimate businesses, according to the bill by Democratic Assemblyman V. Manuel Perez of Coachella.
AB576 creates a pilot program until 2019 in which several state agencies will join forces to combat criminal tax evasion that is associated with the so-called underground economy. A signing statement from the governor said the state Department of Industrial Relations will oversee the Revenue Recovery and Collaborative Enforcement Team, which is required to produce a report to the Legislature by Dec. 1, 2017.
That report is to include the number of complaints received by the team and cases investigated or prosecuted.
Brown also said he wants the Department of Industrial Relations to recommend to him "ways to improve our effectiveness in attacking the underground economy."


text:
Kendrick, Howard send Phillies over Mets 4-0
Recommended Video:
NEW YORK (AP) -- Kyle Kendrick pitched the best game of his career, throwing a three-hitter and getting home-run help from Ryan Howard to lead the Philadelphia Phillies over the New York Mets 4-0 Friday night.
The Phillies ended their three-game skid and dropped the Mets under .500 for the first time this season.
Kendrick (2-1) scattered three singles and didn't permit a runner beyond second base.
Philadelphia broke a scoreless tie in the sixth inning when Michael Young hit an RBI single and Howard followed with a long three-run homer.
Kendrick was in complete control and beat the Mets for the second time this year, looking every bit the ace like All-Star teammates Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels.
Kendrick struck out five and walked one during the second shutout of his seven-season career. Making his 128th start in the majors, he threw his third complete game and first since he blanked St. Louis on seven hits in May 2012.
The only Mets runner to get past first was Ruben Tejada, who singled with one out in the first and was stranded at second.
Kendrick clearly aimed to finish what he started. When the top of the eighth ended, the 28-year-old right-hander was already on the rubber before any of the Phillies took their positions for the bottom half.
Kendrick struck out with a wild swing to end the top of the ninth, went back to the dugout to retrieve his glove and then jogged to the mound.
Howard picked on Dillon Gee (1-4) and the Mets once again. Earlier this month, Howard's homer sent Gee toward a quick exit -- the slugger has four home runs in 12 career at-bats against the righty.
This time, Howard launched his 36th career homer against the Mets, most among active players. The drive to right-center field was Howard's third of the season and his latest hit during a two-week surge.
Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley opened the sixth with solid singles. Young added a sharp RBI single, drawing cheers from the many Phillies fans at Citi Field.
The game was delayed for nine minutes in the bottom of the first when home plate umpire Brian O'Nora left with flulike symptoms. It resumed with three umpires after first base ump Adrian Johnson changed into his plate gear.
NOTES: Howard has five homers and 19 RBIs in his last 11 games vs. the Mets. ... Slumping Phillies CF Ben Revere didn't start for the second game in a row while resting sore quadriceps. ... All-Star C Carlos Ruiz can be activated Sunday when his 25-game amphetamine suspension ends. Asked if Ruiz would go right into the lineup, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said, "More than likely, yeah." ... Young played at Citi Field for the first time. He's played big league games in 36 parks in his 14-season career. ... Mets RHP prospect Zack Wheeler had his second straight rough start for Triple-A Las Vegas. Mets manager Terry Collins said Wheeler could be "trying to overthrow, due to the league." The Mets' top affiliate shifted in the offseason from Buffalo to Las Vegas in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.


text:
This material has 2 associated documents. Select a document title to view a document's information.
written by
Cleon Teunissen
The Ejs Great Circles model displays the frictionless motion of a particle that is constrained to follow the surface of a perfect sphere. The sphere rotates underneath the particle, but since there is no friction, and the sphere is perfectly spherical, the motion of the particle is not influenced by the sphere. The simulation shows simultaneously the trajectory with respect to the inertial coordinate system, and the trajectory as seen from a point of view that is co-rotating with the sphere. The particle remains co-rotating until the Release/Launch button is pressed. On pressing the Release/Launch button the particle commences to move along the great circle that is tangent to the initial latitude. You can modify this simulation if you have Ejs installed by right-clicking within the plot and selecting "Open Ejs Model" from the pop-up menu item.
Ejs Great Circles model was created using the Easy Java Simulations (Ejs) modeling tool. It is distributed as a ready-to-run (compiled) Java archive. Double clicking the ejs_nl_teunissen_GreatCircles.jar file will run the program if Java is installed. Ejs is a part of the Open Source Physics Project and is designed to make it easier to access, modify, and generate computer models. Additional Ejs models for classical mechanics are available. They can be found by searching ComPADRE for Open Source Physics, OSP, or Ejs, or by visiting the author's web site: http://www.cleonis.nl/index.htm.
Last Modified June 6, 2014
This file has previous versions.
The source code zip archive contains an XML representation of the Great Circles Model. Unzip this archive in your Ejs workspace to compile and run this model using Ejs.
Published January 19, 2009
Last Modified November 3, 2009
This file has previous versions.


text:
White House Puts Fresh Focus on Federal Job Training Efforts
President Barack Obama is again taking aim at the "skills gap" separating many unemployed workers from the companies that could hire them.
Mr. Obama, in his State of the Union address on Jan. 28, said he had asked Vice President Joe Biden "to lead an across-the-board reform of America's training programs to make sure they have one mission: Train Americans with the skills employers need, and match them to good jobs that need to be filled right now."
Mr. Biden's report is being released Tuesday, the same day the White House says Mr. Obama will sign into law the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, bipartisan legislation that passed the Senate and the House this summer by wide margins.
"The mission here is very simple, and it goes back to the central economic vision that has guided us since our first day in office: building a strong and thriving middle class," Mr. Biden wrote in the 76-page White House report, "Ready to Work: Job-Driven Training and American Opportunity."


text:
The Language Learning Institute offers an array of language classes and courses from beginning to advanced levels. We are constantly updating and creating new language study opportunities for our adult population. We work very hard at bringing you quality programs delivered by talented teachers who love what they do and are trained in the methodology created by Nancy Scarselletta.
Most of our courses run in sessions of 10 weeks. Each session consist of 10 60 or 90 minute classes. Each course has its own textbook and workbook and other support materials to facilitate learning. Every 10 weeks the sessions are renewable and we continue with the book where we ended in the last session. Each course runs until the book is complete and then our students move to the next level.
On this page is a list of our currently scheduled and recently offered language classes and courses for adults.


text:
I really appreciate your help. I should add that I am using an older version of BIBM - 1.14.
The Windows 7 and Windows 10 partitions are labeled bootable, while the other partitions are not. However, in all cases the bootable setting is greyed out (and labeled obsolete).
But I think there is something wrong with my partition table. For starters, there is no free space listed, but I know there is free space on the drive (at least at the end). But worse, when I look at the Properties of the Data partition (which is the last partition) a message comes up saying "Invalid Head and SPT values exist in the BPB. Fix it?" I said No. Should I say Yes?
I tried removing the Data partition from the Windows 7 Boot Edit configuration, but Windows 7 still would not boot.


text:
Emma Stone turns to Ryan Gosling for career advice
The 23 year old is a relative newcomer to the industry after her breakthrough role in Superbad, and although she has her own managerial team, Stone often sends potential scripts to Gosling – knowing he will always look out for her best interest and give his honest opinion.
She tells Interview magazine, "I've asked him to read a couple of scripts. I just really like hearing his viewpoint because I know that it's never going to be tainted. He's very much his own person. It has really just been scripts so far, because I only met him two years ago when we did Crazy, Stupid, Love, but it was like meeting a member of your team or something…
"I immediately felt a kinship with him… I really like his brain."
The pair has continued to grow its friendship on the set of new 2013 crime film Gangster Squad, in which Stone and Gosling will again play lovers.


text:
- Directly from the podcaster's website (using your computer with the speakers turned on).
- Through a computerized subscription service such as iTunes.
- Via any .mp3 player after you've transferred the files.
- Usually free
- Archive of previous podcasts.
- Pause, rewind & play.
- Listen as many times as you wish.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE GENEALOGY & HISTORY PODCASTS (if you want to listen "manually").
- Anna-Karin's Genealogical Podcast (about Swedish roots) http://annakarin.libsyn.com
- British History 101 http://british_history_101.blogspot.com
- DearMYRTLE's Family History Hour (oldest) http://podcasts.dearmyrtle.com
- Genealogy Gems http://www.genealogygem.tv
- Genealogy On Demand http://genealogyondemand.wordpress.com
- History Podcast (particularly Small pox in Hawaii & Philippine-American War) http://www.historyonair.com
- National Archives Podcast Series (from England) www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/rss/podcasts.xml
- Nuestra Familia Unidad (Spanish heritage) http://nuestrafamiliaunida.com/podcast/index.html
- Oxford University: Podcasts from Medieval English lectures http://tinyurl.com/2v7pn3
- Sparkletack – The San Francisco History Podcast http://www.sparkletack.com
- The Genealogy Guys (longest continuously running) http://www.genealogyguys.com
LISTENING AUTOMATICALLY VIA iTUNES (free software)
GET ITUNES - Download from http://www.apple.com (Mac & Windows platforms). This software manages purchases of music (singles or albums), movies, TV shows, podcasts, radio and cell-phone ringtones.
OPEN the iTunes software on your PC.
SEARCH the iTunes "store" for:
Once you find a listing you'd like, CLICK THE SUBSCRIBE BUTTON to add the podcast to your personal iTunes lineup on your computer.
ALLOW TIME for .mp3 file download.
CLICK PODCASTS in the left navigation bar on iTunes to view the list of podcast feeds & individual podcast episodes.
SELECT a podcast episode by double clicking, and it will begin playing.
Note, the Swedish roots podcast titled Anna-Karin's Genealogy Podcast 20080126 is 21 minutes and 44 seconds long, and was released on 1/26/2008.
NOTE CONTROLS (above the listing of podcasts) to pause, skip forward, and adjust volume in the iTunes screen shown above. At this point, the listener has heard about 13:35 minutes of the show, and has another 8:08 minutes to go in the podcast.
COPYING FILES TO YOUR .mp3 PLAYER
Follow manufacturer's instructions. This class includes a demonstration of how to transfer podcasts from iTunes to an 80gig iPod.
Myrt :)
DearMYRTLE, Your friend in genealogy.
© 2006-2008 Pat Richley, All Rights Reserved.


text:
Turkish Government Strikes Deal With Demonstrators
Emre Peker has details on a compromise reached between Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and antigovernment demonstrators, which could end two weeks of violence. Photo: Getty Images.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... the the ... Mr widget it began and where is the news of anti government demonstrators struck a chord miserly Friday morning ... up to two weeks of protests not buy gifts and thousands of injuries ... and repeated joins us from isn't it simple with the D tells the boy in ... I ... so what has been agreed to and will it marked the end of this long sometimes violent would deal ... Jim ACCA Heico IV D it ... represents a sudden demonstrates is the next ... at about midnight that defined a Synod ... meeting that ran for more than three hours ... and when they came out of it that's been in the morning they said ... to the premise is composed of town ... it just takes me two CDs redone in the area ... and he would cause of the pudding he offered them to put to the ... upside in the day into a public road to ... development projects that ... but to present as I'm not going to say she The a ball through to the dentist it isn't that by and see if they will abide by ... this is Disney park that was ... been earmarked for development and that's what treated ... the ... purchase but the but the actual claims of purchases of more than something much larger than just this issue for us ... absolutely I mean what started out as NMI mental stress tests including two broad based ... opposition to the government ... the right to do that because of the heavy handed police crackdown ... and that two outs and tens of thousands into the streets ... to demonstrate against the government ... and now ... people averages same complaints ... you know I've been to issues ... including a ... recent ban on ... cause those advertisements the Prime Minister's insistence and encouragement to fall out so sad that these three kids ... that earns an abortion and a ... this is the changes to education system ... on which a growing portion of society view as the encroaching on their personal space and so that that that season they see it and ... that is popping the trigger but backed out from squid being the focal point is processed ... are protests is ... vacating the area ... yes you read sites and apps and concerns that Senseo did a whole Countrywide protests as ... the police in Sydney UCWeb crucially on Friday and said Tuesday night ... to clear the area ... and did did I stumble warrants ... demonstrates is not to return and has said the area had been closed off to the public but for the past two nights ... tens of thousands of people have still been flocking to it in a peaceful demonstration that can ... affect this time in this where an ... amazing lows as was chance ... the end of the police ... had been meaning that the public to then says and a peaceful inside ... some offices to top it last night ... so is that they were a surprise that the postings for and how nice was that ... a dentist imprinted that ... polls in Istanbul is was will see you what happens in Times Square ... soon on this ... deal has has ... made progress ... and we thank you very much to time ...


text:
A bevy of strange sea creatures that had washed ashore on beaches around the world, a purported video of Bigfoot lurking in an Ohio forest, and a forthcoming search for a legendary treasure that was lost at sea are among the strange, unusual, and intriguing stories that popped up on our radar this past week.
In an exciting story that should unfold further later this year, maritime archaeologists from Spain and Mexico announced this week that they have formed a joint venture to search for a legendary lost ship containing what is believed to be a massive treasure. The Nuestra Senora del Juncal sunk nearly four centuries ago off the coast of Mexico while en route to Spain with an enormous cache of gold, silver, and other riches. In the ensuing years, no one has been able to find the downed vessel, but an expedition set to take place this coming May could finally locate the ship and the whopping 120 to 150 tons of treasure that went down with it.
Speaking of mysterious sea monsters, for some strange reason this past week saw three cases of curious creature remains washing ashore on different beaches around the world. First, in South Carolina, a woman walking her dog stumbled upon a gruesome carcass that she suspects could have been a monkey that had escaped from a nearby testing facility. Then, over in Scotland, the sizeable remains of a still-unidentified animal appeared on a beach following a storm. And, in Mexico, the body of a bizarre eye-less creature of some kind was found near the popular tourist destination of Puerto Vallarta.
Easily the most talked about story in paranormal circles this past week came by way of Ohio where a pair of hikers claimed to have captured some rather fantastic footage of what they contend to be Bigfoot. The lengthy video features what appears to be a large hairy bipedal creature walking through the forest at Salt Fork State Park. However, not everyone was convinced that this was a genuine Sasquatch encounter, pointing to the way in which the footage was edited and the almost 'too perfect' conditions that the witnesses encountered the creature.
For more strange and unusual stories from this past week, check out the Coast to Coast AM website.


text:
In our town, there is one Council meeting every two years opened by the City Manager. This is the first meeting following the expiration of the Mayor's term when the City Councilors choose one of their colleagues to be the boss of the dais for the next two years, and another of their colleagues to be the underboss.
Now, Charlottesville is a bit of a machine politics town; all the Councilors are Democrats. They do argue amongst themselves, have healthy debates, intrigues, kerfuffles. They get things done, spend money.
Still, I like the pretense that a vote will be taken; it just feels more democratic.
So, do they do this every time– telegraph the result of the vote before the vote? That is Mr. Jones, our excellent City Manager, sitting on the mayoral throne, gaveling open the January 3 meeting. And the sign in front says Huja.
Satyendra Huja is the mayor who was elected several minutes later.
Commentator Bill Emory puts up a new photo nearly every day at billemory.com/blog.Read more on: city councilsatyendra huja
41 comments
Behind closed doors - this has been the modus operandi of much of council's decision making of late, and the symbolism you captured was not lost on the public. Thanks Bill for documenting this.
What is it about elected officials that love closed doors and keeping information away from the public?
The reality, Charlottesville officials get away with whatever they choose to do. They make sure the rules are spun to suit themselves and their mission. Works every time because no one stops them.
Before Christmas the discussion was about The Community Water Plan.
On Jan 3rd it was about The Cost Share of a few of the components.
No public vote caused the change, so what do you think happened?
I don't know if it's quite that sinister.
Basically I think they talk and decide how they're going to vote ahead of time, then they do it officially.
Oh I get it. The "gods of Charlottesville" decide in private the come public and advise the public, vote unanimous and move on. Sounds like a monarchy to me.
Not sure why the chosing of the new mayor is being treated like some nefarious conspiracy. It's basically what dan1101 said. There'd been talk for months prior to the 1/3/12 meeting about electing Huja. Dave Norris has been at it for what, going on four years now? They decided to give somebody else a shot. Everybody, including the general public, knew months ago that Holly and Dave Brown were not seeking re-election, so that would leave Huja as the next longest Councilor after Edwards' and Brown's departure. So is that some nefarious conspiracy, or is it just common sense?
Does Bill Emory seriously expect that none of the Councilors and City Manager were going to talk about what I just outlined, and then arrive at the meeting completely clueless, proceeding blindly?
But while we're on this subject, I personally don't think that the mayor should be somebody that's chosen by the other Councilors. The Mayor should be chosen by the people.
You guys are making a mountain out of a mole hill. This is merely how they pick the person who bangs the gavel - a largely ceremonial position with no real authority. It hardly constitutes some sort of sinister cover-up.
In a town this size, the mayor should absolutely NOT be an elected position. We already have a city manager performing the executive functions of city government. Trusting those functions to the vagaries of small town politics would be foolhardy.
@ Chuck Bartowski
I'm not following your logic. Could you better explain what you mean?
How about the Boards & Commissions? They drag out the nominations, no discussion, then a vote. Unanimous.
Galvin got RWSA, why? What are her qualifications? Why not Smith who has followed RWSA for years?
Its all behind closed doors in the privacy of the "gods of Charlottesville".
@ Richard Lloyd
How is it a monarchy of the gods of Charlottesville? There was nothing different this year than how it's been in past years.
The people elect the councilors.
The councilors decide who among them should receive the "figurehead" title of Mayor.
How is it a monarchy? The people elected Huja. Just like the people elected every other councilor that's ever become mayor.
Where's the conspiracy here?
Your logic makes no sense. Even if the councilors and City Manager had *not* discussed anything prior to the 1/3/12 meeting, and just proceeded blindly, making it up as they went along, but then still decided to unanimously support the idea of Huja being the new Mayor, how would that have been any different?
You're not making any sense.
@ Not a conspiracy:
No problem.
Local governments come in many shapes and sizes, but they all basically have some form of legislative authority (city council, town council, commission, board of supervisors, etc...) and executive authority (mayor, city manager) with separation of powers and checks and balances between the branches.
In most small towns, legislative functions are served quite well by a popularly elected body responsible for policy decisions, passage of local ordinances, and appropriations. However, the job of overseeing administrative operations, implementing policy, and advising council is done much better by a professional hired for that purpose - someone who is not beholden to a particular political structure and who has some training in the field of local government administration - than to a popularly-elected but possibly unqualified and certainly transitory (depending on term length and/or term limits) mayor.
The Manager serves at the pleasure of the popularly-elected Council (providing an adequate check on his/her authority - in my mind), and his/her powers are strictly delineated by City Charter.
Strong mayors may work just fine in large cities with more (and more autonomous) departments and more heterogenous populations. But a town the size of Charlottesville does not need a popularly elected mayor, at least not one with any authority.
Not a conspiracy, Lloyd is correct.
There is bad blood. In fact, we have dictators as officials. There is little genuine diversity. Just a WHITE City council OVERSEEN by Democrats only. Are not 20% of city residents independents or Republican? The ward system must be fixed to provide representation.
@ Chuck Bartowski
I get what you're saying, though you're delving way more into whatever it was that I was getting at with my original comment. ("The Mayor should be chosen by the people.") I suppose in the end for a town of this size it doesn't matter that the mayor is determined by the council vs. the people. But I would disagree that Charlottesville's mayors don't have any authority as you're saying. As 1/5th of the voting Council, they're part of the very small group of people who are determining all the laws and ordinances for the entire city. So they do have authority - though it's an authority that's shared with the other four councilors.
And also, the Council hires and fires (or "fails to renew the contract of") the City Manager. The City Manager is at the mercy of the Council's whim, of which includes the Mayor.
Council makes the rules and policies that govern and affect everybody in the City. Council hires and fires the City Manager. So with this in mind, it means what you were originally saying ("We already have a city manager performing the executive functions of city government. Trusting those functions to the vagaries of small town politics would be foolhardy.") makes no real sense either. The City Manager position doesn't have the power that you seem to think it does. And a City Manager that isn't in line (and kissing the butt of) the Councilors is a City Manager that will most likely see their job go bye-bye when their contract is up for renewal.
@ Big John
"There is little genuine diversity. Just a WHITE City council OVERSEEN by Democrats only. Are not 20% of city residents independents or Republican? The ward system must be fixed to provide representation."
We have a purely white council? Really? Since when is Mr. Huja considered white? Last time I checked he was from India. I bet Mr. Huja would love to hear that he suddenly became white!
And how quickly you forget that we just had Holly Edwards for the last 2 years. You're making it sound like Charlottesville's had nothing but all white people on its council for decades. (And that's not even counting the black City Manager who's been in effect since 2010.)
If non-white people of Charlottesville *chose* not to run for Council this past year then how is it the City of Charlottesville's fault when there's a lack of additional non-white people on the Council?
Get out there and start pointing fingers at the non-white community of Charlottesville for not being more involved. All the Hispanic, Asian, Native American, African American, Middle Eastern etc. residents of this city who sat back and *chose* not to get involved with running for Council.
You want a non-white majority council then get out there and start organizing. You have a year before Dave Norris and Kristin Szakos' positions will be open and available. That's plenty of time.
I'm with you when it comes to the complaint about the all Democratic council. I'm not a Dem, (not a Republican either for that matter) but I would love to see a little more political diversity in this city. But I don't get how you can insinuate that there is a racial conspiracy when it comes to who's who on the Council, at this point in 2012. **It's a lack of people who want to get involved.** Let's see, we had one Native American running last fall - James Halfaday - who turned out to be pathological. So, nobody voted for him. Then there was one African American woman, Colette Blount. And she simply didn't garner enough votes. There were seven whites and only two non-whites competing for the three available positions last fall. Where were all the other people of color besides those two?
The only way more non-white people can get on Council is if more non-white people get out there and make it happen.
It's time for a ward system. Let's make that happen
@ Not a Conspiracy:
I think we are talking past one another. Or in circles. I'll try this again...
1. Charlottesville's mayors DON'T have any particular authority BEYOND that of a City Councilor (with the exception that they get to talk the most in meetings and bang the gavel). They are certainly not considered the chief executive officer of the city in the sense that mayors in large cities are thought of. That being the case, I see no reason to hold a distinct election to fill such a ceremonial position.
2. Practically speaking, city managers ARE insulated from much of the political intrigue that surrounds Council. Even though he/she serves at the pleasure of Council, a competent City Manager will serve for a much longer duration (and provide greater stability/continuity) than an elected mayor who must periodically interrupt his/her administrative obligations to seek re-election or who must step aside to comply with term limits. The ability of Council to hire and fire the City Manager should be considered an appropriate check by the legislative branch on the executive branch. Nothing more.
3. Whether preparing budgets, hiring administrative officers, overseeing record keeping, supervising the heads of various departments, etc..., whatever authority the city manager exercises (and it is certainly more than you seem to think) is far better exercised by a professional administrator than by a part-time politician.
So you say the City Manager is elected by and serves at the pleasure of City Council. True as shown in Section 5 of the City Code. http://library.municode.com/index.aspx?clientId=12078
But City Council has no regard to Section 6 which says Officiers elected by City Council SHALL live within the city limits. http://library.municode.com/index.aspx?clientId=12078
As much as I like our City Manager, the "gods of Charlottesville" feel like they can disregard the Code of Charlottesville and substitute their own wishes.
@ Chuck Bartowski:
"3. Whether preparing budgets, hiring administrative officers, overseeing record keeping, supervising the heads of various departments, etc..., whatever authority the city manager exercises (and it is certainly more than you seem to think) is far better exercised by a professional administrator than by a part-time politician."
Nobody said anything about the City Manager until you, which is why I asked you earlier if you could clarify, because your logic wasn't making sense. All I said was that there wasn't some nefarious conspiracy concerning Huja becoming mayor, and then I added my two cents opinion that I felt it should be up to the people to determine who the mayor is, not the Council. Then you replied, "We already have a city manager performing the executive functions of city government. Trusting those functions to the vagaries of small town politics would be foolhardy."
That's where the trouble began. Your comment was implying that I was saying that a mayor determined by the people would somehow be taking over for the "executive functions" of the government. I said nor implied no such thing. All I said was that I felt the decision should be in the people's hands. But I never implied that there would somehow be a grand change in the mayor's job duties were he to be decided by the people versus the Council.
From there it just went downhill. Your next post answered my request for clarification with several paragraphs about the legislative functions of a City Manager - again, which nobody here was even discussing. I mean yeah, thanks for responding so quickly to my request for clarification, but at the same time it's evident now that the answer has just created sidetrack nonsense, which I then had to respond to, which caused yet another post from you debating the City Manager's job duties and functions. So we're not "talking past one another." Rather, you made an initial wrong assumption early on, which thus inserted superfluous side track debate about the City Manager into the discussion. Spouting on and on about the job duties of the City Manager does not make one right about the initial discussion/debate at hand: which is whether there really was some nefarious conspiratorial machinations at work in nominating Huja for Mayor.
As far as this goes: "That being the case, I see no reason to hold a distinct election to fill such a ceremonial position." I never said the process had to be a distinct election. I merely said that it should be a position determined by the people. Whatever process that would involve. So, that was you making assumptions there. BUT, as I mentioned earlier: "I suppose in the end for a town of this size it doesn't matter that the mayor is determined by the council vs. the people." I mean, I *did* say this, so, I conceded that point. Not sure why you're still beating on that dead horse.
Now, as far as what Bill Emory said in his article above, "Still, I like the pretense that a vote will being taken; it just feels more democratic....[...] So, do they do this every time– telegraph the result of the vote before the vote?" All I can say is that again, even if the councilors and City Manager had never discussed anything amongst themselves prior to the January 3rd meeting, and just made it up as they went along and decided spur of the moment to unanimously vote in favor of Huja being the new Mayor, then *it's the same flippin' outcome.* So what's Bill Emory's issue? Seriously. **What exactly is this guy arguing about??**
Of course the councilors and City Manager discussed Huja becoming the next mayor ahead of time. Probably months ahead of time. Everybody already knew that Dave Brown and Holly were leaving, and that Norris was approaching his four year mark as Mayor. They probably figured it was time to give somebody else a chance, and Huja is the logical common sense conclusion, being the next longest term Councilor. If Szakos wins re-election then she'll most likely be the next Mayor after Huja. This isn't conspiracy Bill Emory and folks. It's not even psychic powers and "seeing into the future." It's common sense.
...And meanwhile, there's actual real, serious conspiracies happening all around us in the world.
Charlottesville had a Ward for a century before dropping ca 1959.
Legal question - is the city manager serving illegally ? Or asked in another way - is city council breaking the law ?
It's too bad that Council didn't choose the best candidate for Mayor instead of the one who has served longest. Based on his performance at the first 2012 council meeting, Huja is going to be a hard pill to swallow.
bill emory must be smiling if he reads some of the comments posted.
a keen and wry observer of the local scene; over the years he has been to a few meetings
of commissions and all in this town ; and knows the drill.
he usually tags his photography with perhaps one line; here he expanded a bit.
the code words are not difficult to find....the city council as a "pond";
the cheeky reference to the "boss" and the "underboss"
"the pretense " and it "feels" democratic...
emory ends taking you back to the beginning..."the mayoral throne" of this pond of a town.
fair to say bill emory has made his point.
think he might agree with richard lloyd comment about "the gods of charlottesville
So lets see;
City Council met in private to discuss and decide who the Mayor and Vice Mayor Shall be. Then publicly voted the pre ordained vote.
Then they met in private to fill all the Boards and Commissions vacancies. Then publicly voted the pre ordained vote.
Then they violated the requirement that the City Manager actually live within the city by writing a contract revision permitting that to occur in private. Then publicly voted the pre ordained vote.
All this in the very first meeting of 2012.
Now in the second meeting what do we think will happen to Section 28
Sec. 28. - Sale of public utilities; approval by voters.
The rights of the city in its gas, water and electric works, and sewer plant, now owned, or hereafter acquired, shall not be sold even after such action of the council as is prescribed by Code of Virginia of 1919, [4] section 3016, until and except such sale shall have been approved by a majority of the qualified voters of the city, voting on the question at a special election ordered by the council and subject in other respects to the provisions of section 24 [27] of this Charter applicable to a special election.
@ Not a Conspiracy:
Don't get your panties in a wad.
I see now that I did read more into your initial comment than you had intended. Though to be fair, most folks around here who seek an elected mayor, seek one with some actual authority (i.e. Strong Mayor) - not the puffed-up ceremonial figure (read: Weak Mayor) that we currently have - which would, in turn, at least partly obviate the need for a city manager. Dave Norris, for instance, has recently ruminated publicly on the need for a full-time, elected mayor. And he certainly does not intend the position to be merely ceremonial. Thus my confusion over your initial assertion that "the Mayor should be chosen by the people". I reasonably assumed you were following a train of thought similar to Dave's. Apologies.
And yes, I suppose you did eventually concede (weakly) the point that it does not really matter how the empty suit that we call "mayor" is chosen. However, doing so by way of a rather circuitous defense of the power of Charlottesville's mayor ( "But I would disagree that Charlottesville's mayors don't have any authority as you're saying..."), only muddies the water further (at least from where I sit).
While we're beating this dead horse, I'm confused about something else. What exactly did you mean by: "it should be a position determined by the people. Whatever process that would involve."?
I'll bite. What process WOULD that involve besides some sort of election? I mean, God forbid that I make another false assumption about your meaning, but what else could you have possibly meant? Maybe a city-wide rock, paper, scissors tournament where the winner gets to pick the Grand Poobah? Cow-flop bingo? Darts?
On the bright side, we DO agree that there was nothing nefarious in Mr. Huja's selection to the center seat.
@ Richard Lloyd
"City Council met in private to discuss and decide who the Mayor and Vice Mayor Shall be. Then publicly voted the pre ordained vote."
hmmm. Not sure what part of this you're not getting: "...even if the councilors and City Manager had never discussed anything amongst themselves prior to the January 3rd meeting, and just made it up as they went along and decided spur of the moment to unanimously vote in favor of Huja being the new Mayor, then *it's the same flippin' outcome.*"
That outcome being the nomination of a new - figurehead - mayor. Somebody who happened to be the next longest term councilor after the departure of Brown and Edwards, and thus was logically the next in line to inherit the figurehead title.
Really not getting what the problem is regarding Huja's nomination to mayor.
Somewhere a Happy Meal is missing a few of its fries.
(btw, me taking on the illogical conspiracy theorists doesn't mean I'm a fan of Huja, or that I'm against the idea of conspiracy theories. I just like to challenge people who are being illogical. :D )
Good catch, Bill.
Otherwise, folks: Virginia law prohibits elected officials from doing public business in private. If three Councilors were to meet in private to discuss a matter on an upcoming agenda, they would be in violation. Just Google: Virginia open meeting laws.
Looks to me like an illegal meeting decided who would be mayor. As noted above, Virginia law prohibits elected officials from doing public business in private.
Is Jones still not a city resident? If so, it's time to hire someone who cares enough about this city to live in it. THat should be Huja's first priority as Mayor.
We are giving Jones a loan to pay off his mortgage in the County, and we will finance a house in the City limits also. He will then be in compliance. He's going to have to pay it back, just interest free. Times are hard for people making 200K a year.
BTW, what makes him (Jones) so excellent? Please tell us...how do you define excellence Bill? By showing up? By looking good?
I don't believe you can offer an interest-free loan...........
@ Antoinette Rhodes
"Otherwise, folks: Virginia law prohibits elected officials from doing public business in private."
Well here's an interesting question - at what point does personal chit chat step over the line and become something that constitutes public business being done in private?
"Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit." - Aristotle
Since we're getting philosophical,..
Wouldn't acting rightly in Jones's case have included adhering to the terms of his employment contract? I would say so.
How many failures to act rightly are allowed in an excellent person? What if a single failure to act rightly has precipitated a series of additional failures? In this case Jones's failure to honor the terms of his contract has led to the failure of city council to do their duty to enforce the term of the contract they entered into on our behalf.
In my view, the idea that there is any "excellence" at work in City Hall is a joke. Jones's hiring was itself an example of behind the scenes decision making. The "search" for O'Connell's replacement was as transparent of a scam as the "vote" for Huja and was nothing but a money wasting sideshow leading to the inevitable. Jones has been given a free pass twice now it seems (if not more) and frankly, I can't see a thing he's done for the city to have earned that.
Bill that's just more elitist B.S....why do you say Jones is excellent? What makes him excellent to you?
Now we have to go along with a city counsel of which we wonder :What were they thinking?, a mayor of whom we can wonder: "What was he saying?"
Bill wasn't imputing excellence to Jones, only pointing out what excellence truly consists of...
We here in America, where all works out for the best in this best of all possible worlds, we use the term loosely...
Read it again Angel. He says..."That is Mr. Jones, our excellent City Manager, sitting on the mayoral throne." Excellent City Manager imputes that he is an excellent city manager. So one more time, what makes him so excellent? That's what I thought. No one can say. He's sitting on a throne alright. A politically correct one atop a cult of personality.
I took his use of the phrase " our excellent City Manager" as an example of irony.
Merriam-Webster defines irony as:
1: a pretense of ignorance and of willingness to learn from another assumed in order to make the other's false conceptions conspicuous by adroit questioning —called also Socratic irony
2: a) the use of words to express something other than and especially the opposite of the literal meaning
b) a usually humorous or sardonic literary style or form characterized by irony
c) an ironic expression or utterance
3: a) : incongruity between the actual result of a sequence of events and the normal or expected result; an event or result marked by such incongruity
b) incongruity between a situation developed in a drama and the accompanying words or actions that is understood by the audience but not by the characters in the play —called also dramatic irony, tragic irony


text:
All Product Details
Stripe Queen Flat Sheethttps://www.brooksbrothers.com/Stripe-Queen-Flat-Sheet/HB00003_____YELM_QUEN_____,default,pd.html
$ 158.00
Please contact us by phone inside the U.S. at 800-274-1815.
Please contact us by phone outside the U.S. at 001-860-741-4800.
Please contact us by FAX at 800-274-1010.
This site is optimized for the use of Landmarks and Headings Menus of ARIA-compliant devices.
Popular in
Welcome Back! As a Preferred member of My Brooks Rewards,
you'll enjoy free standard shipping.
Great News! We've upgraded your benefits. As a VIP member,
you now receive Free 2-day shipping.
The classic feel of luxury in pure American Supima® cotton loomed in a twill construction. Yellow and white stripe with a blue and white stripe accent border. 300 thread count. 92" x 114". Made in Turkey. Machine wash cold. Avoid bleach. Tumble dry low.
$ 158.00
We use cookies for analytics and advertising and to improve our site. By closing this message box or continuing to use our site,
you agree to our use of cookies. To find out more, see our Privacy Policy.


text:
by Katrina
Medusa Costume Photo 2 of 6
Rate this costume:
108 votes
|14 comments · add a comment
|Costume type:
|Costumes for Girls
This homemade costume for girls entered our 2013 Halloween Costume Contest.
A word from Carrie, the 'Medusa' costume creator:
My daughter Jailyn totally killed it Halloween night as MEDUSA! I made a "traditional" toga with some cream fabric, needle and thread just by folding over a yard and a half (similar to wrapping a... Read more »
Similar costumes:


text:
Winner of the 2014 BLADE Show Overall Knife of the Year Award and limited production of only 525 numbered pieces.
It's a "rip and tear your way out of a bad situations" sort of beautiful. And that's exactly how Ken Onion designed it. The Hi-Jinx is a gentleman's beast of burden blade with all the classical curves and subtle elegance that has become the anthem of Ken Onion knife design. With a sand blasted 6AL4V titanium handle and premium Sleipner blade steel, satin drop point blade that is flat ground and measures nearly a quarter inch thick along the spine. The Hi-Jinx™ is made in Maniago, Italy with centuries of knife-making expertise milled into the scalloped handles. The blade opens with a flipper and includes an IKBS™ ball bearing pivot system that facilitates fast and smooth opening. A titanium frame lock seals this knife in the open position like a bank safe and a lock overdraft protection is built into the ornamental pivot to avoid overextending the lock. The stainless steel pocket clip is reversible for left or right handed tip up carry and is designed to sit deep in the pocket. Ken Onion designed the Hi Jinx™ knife to stroll comfortably into a business meeting with all the confidence and beefy brawn necessary to cut a hole through the wall for a fast getaway– should the need arise. Check it out at www.knifecenter.com


text:
CHICAGO -- An all-oral antiviral combination led to sustained virologic response (SVR) in more than 90% of patients with the most common type of hepatitis C (HCV) infection in North America.
Patients with HCV genotype 1a had a 97% SVR after 12 weeks of treatment with the ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitor ABT-450/r, the antivirals ombitasvir and dasabuvir, and ribavirin. The same regimen without ribavirin led to a 12-week SVR of 90% in patients with HCV 1a.
Reported here at Digestive Disease Week, the results add to previously reported data showing 99% SVR with or without ribavirin in patients with HCV 1b.
"Although both numbers are impressive (for the 1a cohort), I think it leads [to the conclusion] that patients with genotype 1a, with this regimen, will require three direct-acting antivirals and ribavirin," David Bernstein, MD, of Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine in Manhasset, N.Y., told MedPage Today.
"Equally important is the fact that the medications were extremely well tolerated, with dropout rates of less than 1% in a study of over 400 patients. To me, that shows that even with ribavirin, this is an extremely tolerable regimen."
Findings from the 1a and 1b cohorts were reported simultaneously in the New England Journal of Medicine.
HCV genotype 1 is the most common HCV infection worldwide. Of 11 subgenotypes, 1a and 1b account for most HCV infections. HCV 1b is the most prevalent genotype worldwide, and 1a is more prevalent in North America.
Treatment options for HCV 1 include pegylated interferon plus ribavirin in combination with a direct-acting antiviral agent, noted Bernstein, Peter Ferenci, MD, of the Medical University of Vienna in Austria, and colleagues in the NEJM article.
Peginterferon is associated with potentially severe adverse events that can complicate treatment adherence.
SVR (often used synonymously with cure) can vary between HCV 1a and 1b depending on the type of treatment. Patients with HCV 1a tend to respond less well to regimens that include an NS3 protease inhibitor or an NS5A replication complex inhibitor. Lower response rates in HCV 1b have been observed with regimens that include the nucleoside analog sofosbuvir.
Though ribavirin has been a mainstay of interferon-based regimens, trials of interferon-free regimens containing direct-acting antivirals have indicated that ribavirin is not always necessary.
Ribavirin appears less toxic when given without peginterferon, but is teratogenic in its own right and associated with hemolytic anemia. Identifying patients who can be treated without ribavirin has substantial clinical value.
To address some of the issues raised in the interferon-free era, investigators performed two parallel randomized clinical trials involving patients with HCV 1a and 1b infection.
The so-called PEARL-IV study accrued patients with HCV 1a infection at 53 sites in Canada, the U.S., and England. The PEARL-III trial, reported at the recent European liver meeting, included patients with HCV 1b, enrolled at 50 sites in Europe and the U.S.
Other than the difference in HCV genotype, the trials had an identical design. Investigators randomized patients (1:1 in PEARL-III, 1:2 in PEARL-IV) to ABT-450/r, ombitasvir, and dasabuvir with or without ribavirin. Treatment continued for 12 weeks, and the primary endpoint was SVR (defined as HCV RNA <25 IU/mL) at the end of treatment.
The PEARL-IV cohort consisted of 305 patients with HCV 1a infection and no prior exposure to antiviral therapy for HCV. In both trials, eligible patients had no cirrhosis, as documented by liver biopsy, transient elastography, or noninvasive assessment of serum markers. Patients with HIV or HBV co-infection were not eligible.
The results showed a virologic failure rate of 2.0% in patients who received ribavirin and 7.8% of those who received the regimen without ribavirin. Bernstein, Ferenci, and colleagues reported that 97 of 100 patients assigned to the ribavirin-containing regimen attained SVR at 12 weeks as compared with 185 of 205 randomized to ribavirin-free therapy.
Both regimens -- with or without ribavirin -- were noninferior and superior to historical results with telaprevir plus peginterferon and ribavirin in patients with untreated HCV 1a. In PEARL-IV, the ribavirin-free regimen did not meet statistical criteria for noninferiority versus the ribavirin-containing regimen.
Of the 18 genotype 1a patients who did not achieve SVR, 16 were in the ribavirin-free group. In addition to the two virologic failures with the ribavirin-containing regimen, a third patient did not complete follow-up testing after week 12.
Adverse events were more frequent with ribavirin (92% versus 82.4%, P=0.03), but severe and serious adverse events occurred infrequently (about 2%). The most frequently reported adverse events with or without ribavirin were fatigue (38% overall) and headache (27%).
Low hemoglobin (defined as lower limit of normal) occurred in 42% of patients treated with ribavirin versus 3.9% of patients who received the direct-acting antivirals without ribavirin (P<0.001). Additionally, 4% of the ribavirin group had hemoglobin ≤10 g/dL versus none in the ribavirin-free group (P=0.01).
As previously reported by MedPage Today, patients in the PEARL-III trial had almost identical SVRs (99.5% with ribavirin, 99.0% without), and both regimens met statistical criteria for noninferiority and superiority versus historical data for the telaprevir-peginterferon-ribavirin regimen.
Additionally, the ribavirin-free regimen demonstrated noninferiority to the ribavirin-containing therapy in PEARL-III.
The findings offer another reminder of how far treatment of HCV has come in a short period of time, said Donald M. Jensen, MD, of the University of Chicago.
"If we think back 3 or 4 years ago, genotype 1 was our problem genotype. It was the most difficult to treat. Now we have sustained virologic responses in over 90% of patients."
The focus in therapeutic development could turn to genotype 3, which accounts for about 10% of HCV disease in the U.S. Patients with that genotype have among the worst SVRs, typically in the 60% range, he added.
PEARL-III and PEARL-IV were supported by AbbVie.
Bernstein disclosed relevant relationships with AbbVie, Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS), Genentech, Gilead, Merck, Janssen, and Vertex.
Ferenci disclosed relevant relationships with Boehringer Ingelheim, Janssen, Tibotec, Vertex, Rottapharm Madaus, Gilead, GlaxoSmithKline, Idenix, Achillion, Merck Sharp & Dohme, and BMS. Ferenci also disclosed a patent interest.
One or more co-authors disclosed relationships with AbbVie, BMS, Genfit, Idenix, Kiaria, Lumena, Merck, Sundise, Vertex, Vital Therapies, Roche/Genentech, Gilead, Janssen, Salix, Kadmon, Novartis, Tibotec, Alvine Pharmaceuticals, Ikaria, Hyperion, ViralED, ViiV, Janssen Cilag, and Beckman.
Primary Source
New England Journal of Medicine
Source Reference: Ferenci P, et al "ABT-450/r-ombitasvir and dasabuvir with or without ribavirin for HCV" N Engl J Med 2014; DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1402338.


text:
On the Farm Dog Kids Placemat
Regular price $19.95
Personalized Dog Placemats just for kids! Our fun Kids Personalized Placemats add a decorative touch to mealtime for any child. Kids love dining on their own Personalized Placemat with their name boldly displayed. Our 12x18 kids placemats are made of thick card stock, picture is printed on both sides, are laminated on both sides, and feature rounded corners making them safe for young children. Simply wipe them clean with a damp cloth to reuse!
- What's included in the price: One double sided, laminated with round corners placemet.
- Size: 18" x 12"


text:
Thanks to reality TV and America's desire to stuff their faces like these are the last days of the Roman Empire the job title of chef has grown in stature and prestige.
But before you become a chef, you have to work your way through the kitchen. Farm Bloomington, a restaurant in Bloomington, Indiana, figured there would be so many applicants with culinary stars in their eyes for their line cook position that they posted a Craigslist ad with 44 intricately detailed job requirements.
They include "Only answer 'yes, chef' or 'oui, chef' and "Always show up to work, even if you are sick as a dog. Let the chef see that you're really sick and send you home."
If taken separately, the requirements are overbearing but not necessarily unreasonable. But when you read them all together it offers a horrifying peak inside the id of the restaurant industry.
Harry Shaffer, the general manager of Farm Bloomington, has admitted the ad was posted in haste by a sous chef and the restaurant quickly took it down.
However you can't really ever erase something from the internet. You can see the entire list that should make any wannabe Food Network star reconsider their path below.


text:
The main navigation bar is on the left side of each page. If you are visually impaired and would like to bypass the navigation bar, use the skip navigation link at the beginning of the page.
The navigation bar provides several ways to access information:
If you are interested in a subject, you can choose it from an alphabetically sorted list under "Main Topics", or search for it using the "Search All Topics" feature.
Topic Index - Select a letter and browse through a list of "main topics" (approximately 400) to start your search. The main topics are privileged topics and have been identified as frequently used topics by a team of IRS tax law professionals.
Topic Search - Using as few words as possible, type in the word(s) that represent the subject you are looking for and press go or enter. This feature searches all the approximately 5000 topics in Tax Map, including the main topics, and provides users with a convenient way to find topics rather than scrolling through long lists. See "Search Help" on the left navigation bar for information on how to search.
The navigation bar also has links for search help, comments, and infomation about how Tax Map is created.
A topic page is the "home page" for a topic. The middle of the topic page has links to products that contain information about the topic. The right side of the topic page has links to related topic pages.
Each topic page contains a "contextual menu" that is located below the topic heading and any synonyms it may have. The "contextual menu" links to the groups of documents that are relevant to the topic. There may be groups of forms, publications, faqs, tax topics, and articles on web sites. The "contextual menu" will only list those groups that are available for the particular topic. Select the product group of interest and link down the page to that group.
Each text page has the following navigation features:
Previous Page | Table of Contents | Index | Next Page - Each publication is chunked into standard units for screen presentation. At the top of each page, links are available to allow users to page between previous and next units of information, and to access the table of contents and index for that publication.
Topic links - When available, topic links will appear next to publication headings on text pages. Selecting the topic will link the user to its topic page. If blue arrows appear on either side of the topic, it denotes that there are multiple occurrences of that topic within Tax Map. Selecting an arrow will take the user to the next or the previous occurrence of the topic.


text:
Here is my entry for pg21's Back to School Anime/Manga challenge! I started this one a while ago, but have been too busy to finish it until now! I originally wanted them to both be holding their swords, but that didn't work out so well and I chose this picture instead! It's one of my favorites! Ayase!(left) XD! Rimi (right), Ayase and Background, and Font: Evanescence. Awesome just like the band!
I'm a vampire!


text:
The inception of the Lincoln Chaplaincy Corps started with a proposal in May of 1978 from the People's City Mission and by April of 1981 was a coperative mission involving the Police and Fire Departments. The People's City Mission had initially focused its activities on a jail ministry. While undertaking this work, the idea of developing an effort to assist police and fire personnel began to unfold. This new ministry would assist police officers and firefighters during their routine response calls when requested to do so.
The concept of an emergency services ministry was presented to the Lincoln Fellowship of Churches, which enthusiastically endorsed the idea. The Police and Fire Chaplaincy Corps began to become a reality. Within a few months the Fellowship of Churches selected those persons that would be invited to participate on the founding advisory board. Invited were representatives from a broad spectrum of denominations and faiths. The advisory board developed mission and goal statements and researched the laws regarding the clergy's rights of confidentially.
The advisory board adopted the following policies:
- The Chaplaincy Corps should be as ecumenical as possible.
- Chaplains would make referrals to a victim's own pastor or spiritual advisor as well as to the appropriate Human Services agencies.
- Chaplains would not serve in a law enforcement capacity.
- They should operate under a Code of Ethics.
- The Chaplaincy Corps would be independently governed so as to have credibility apart from the agencies they serve.
The Lincoln Police and Fire Chaplaincy Corps is guided by a board of directors with an elected chairperson and vice chair, representative liaisons from the Police and Fire Departments and a permanent emergency operations center (911) board representative, to advise, along with lay representatives. The Administrative leaders, known as the Senior Chaplain and Assistant Senior Chaplain, direct the day to day operations of the Chaplaincy Corps and are the direct contact person for both the Police and Fire agencies. The Senior Chaplain conducts the regular monthly in-service training updates. These training sessions teach the chaplains how to deal with the various situations to which they may be requested to respond. Training sessions have included dealing with; death and suicide, emotionally distraught persons, domestic violence, fire scene protocol and dangerous and hostile situations. This training has brought fresh depth and diversity to its mission.
New Chaplaincy Corps clergy are mandated to participate in a training program which consists of role playing, radio training, and other work areas pertinent to police recruit training. For many Chaplains, ride-alongs and site visitations with officers and fire-fighters provide the Chaplains insight into what police and fire officers experience on a regular basis. During this time many Chaplains develop personal relationships with members of both agencies.
A typical tour of duty begins at 9 a.m. and ends 24 hours later. The Chaplains, while on duty, use a portable radio, cell phone, and vehicle provided by the City of Lincoln. At the end of each respective tour the on-duty Chaplain picks up a replacement and is driven home or to work by the oncoming chaplain. During this time the chaplains discuss any pertinent issues necessary for the operation of the next shift. The on-duty chaplain then conducts normal daily activities which will also include attending a police shift meeting and visiting a fire station while keeping in contact with the emergency operations (911) center, which will dispatch the Duty Chaplain when needed.
The Chaplaincy Corps also provides guidance, counseling, and comfort in time of crisis to the Police and Fire personnel. Chaplains serve as a resource to the community when requested by an officer or a citizen in time of personal or family crisis. They may also be dispatched during disasters as requested by emergency personnel.
The Chaplaincy Corps clergy universally testifies as to their growing respect for police and fire personnel and the high quality of professionalism under constant and often severe stress. The success of the Chaplaincy Corps has been the result of the affirmation by personnel who choose to offer the Chaplaincy Corps services to the citizens they serve.
Chaplains are volunteers. Their respective places of worship participate by allowing their clergy to undertake this service to the community in addition to their regular church duties. Support from one's congregation is essential for the task, and most receive overwhelming support from those they represent. Since this service is a 24 hour, on-call basis, a busy day can be an exhausting and sleepless experience. Yet, those who have served in the Chaplaincy Corps have found it to be a very rewarding ministry.
If you desire more information on the Lincoln Police and Fire Chaplaincy Corps contact: Lincoln Fire & Rescue, 1801 Q Street Lincoln, NE 68508 or phone (402) 840-8537.To complete a Chaplaincy Corps Application.


text:
Complete Story
Time Warner Cable to Add 125 Telemarketers
By: John Eggerton, Broadcasting & Cable
Time Warner Cable Inc. announced Wednesday that it is adding 125 employees to the company's marketing department, which is housed in its downtown Milwaukee office.
All the positions are in the telemarketing area, including outbound sales and sales order entry. The additional employees, all of whom will be in place by Aug. 3, will increase Time Warner Cable's total employee count in Wisconsin to more than 2,100.
"In these economic times, it is rare to see a company grow, much less increase the size of its staff. The addition of 125 new employees demonstrates our commitment to Wisconsin, our employees and the community," Time Warner Cable spokeswoman Bev Greenberg said.
New York City-based Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC) is the primary cable TV provider for southeast Wisconsin.
Source: http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/07/20/daily46.html