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|[ << Issues ]
|[ Regression tests >> ]
|[ < Bug Squad setup ]
|[ Up : The Bug Squad ]
|[ Issue classification > ]
8.2.2 Bug Squad checklists
When you do Bug Squad work, start at the top of this page and work your way down. Stop when you've done 20 minutes.
Please use the email sorting described in Bug Squad setup.
This means that (as Bug Squad members) you will only ever respond
to emails sent or CC'd to the
bug-lilypond mailing list.
Emails to you personally
You are not expected to work on Bug Squad matters outside of your
20 minutes, but sometimes a confused user will send a bug report
(or an update to a report) to you personally. If that happens,
please forward such emails to the
bug-lilypond list so that
the currently-active Bug Squad member(s) can handle the message.
Daily schedule as of July 2015
Monday: Federico Bruni Tuesday: Graham Percival Wednesday: Simon Albrecht Thursday: Colin Campbell Friday: Ralph Palmer Saturday: Colin Campbell Sunday: Graham Percival
Emails to
Some of these emails will be comments on issues that you added to the tracker.
- If they are asking for more information, give the additional information.
- If the email says that the issue was classified in some other manner, read the rationale given and take that into account for the next issue you add.
Otherwise, move them to your
Some of these emails will be discussions about Bug Squad work; read those.
Emails to
Dealing with these emails is your main task. Your job is to get rid of these emails in the first method which is applicable:
- If the email has already been handled by a Bug Squad member (i.e. check to see who else has replied to it), delete it.
If the email is a question about how to use LilyPond, reply with
this response:
For questions about how to use LilyPond, please read our documentation available from: https://lilypond.org/website/manuals.html or ask the lilypond-user mailing list.
If the email mentions "the latest git", or any version number
that has not yet been officially released, forward it to
If a bug report is not in the form of a Tiny example, direct the
user to resubmit the report with this response:
I'm sorry, but due to our limited resources for handling bugs, we can only accept reports in the form of Tiny examples. Please see step 2 in our bug reporting guidelines: https://lilypond.org/website/bug-reports.html
If anything is unclear, ask the user for more information.
How does the graphical output differ from what the user expected? What version of lilypond was used (if not given) and operating system (if this is a suspected cause of the problem)? In short, if you cannot understand what the problem is, ask the user to explain more. It is the user's responsibility to explain the problem, not your responsibility to understand it.
If the behavior is expected, the user should be told to read the
I believe that this is the expected behaviour -- please read our documentation about this topic. If you think that it really is a mistake, please explain in more detail. If you think that the docs are unclear, please suggest an improvement as described by "Simple tasks -- Documentation" on: https://lilypond.org/website/help-us.html
If the issue already exists in the tracker, send an email to that
This issue has already been reported; you can follow the discussion and be notified about fixes here:
(copy+paste the google code issue URL)
- Accept the report as described in Adding issues to the tracker.
All emails should be CC'd to the
bug-lilypond list so that
other Bug Squad members know that you have processed the email.
Note: There is no option for "ignore the bug report" – if you cannot find a reason to reject the report, you must accept it.
Regular maintenance
After every release (both stable and unstable):
Issues to verify: go to
You should see a list of issues that have been marked as 'Status::Fixed' by a developer. If the developer has done their job properly, the issue should have the milestone set to the corresponding version.
This will help you work out which you can verify - do not verify any issues where the claimed fixed build is not yet released. Work your way through these as follows:
If the issue refers to a bug, try to reproduce the bug with the latest officially released version (not one you've built yourself from source); if the bug is no longer there, mark the issue "Status::Verified" (i.e., "the fix has been verified to work").
Quite a few of these will be issues tracking patches. You do not have to prove these patches work - simply that they have been pushed into the code base. The developer should have put information similar to "Pushed as as d8fce1e1ea2aca1a82e25e47805aef0f70f511b9" in the tracker. The long list of letters and numbers is called the "committish". Providing you can find this at the git tracker:
then you should mark the issue as verified. A quick way of finding these is to enter the committish at the following address:
The Issue tracker also requires that any issues labelled as "Duplicate" are also verified. Check that the linked issue is a duplicate and verify the issue.
A few (approximately 10%) of the fixed issues relate to the build system or fundamental architecture changes; there is no way for you to verify these. Leave those issues alone; somebody else will handle them.
The official regression test comparison is online at:
If anything has changed suspiciously, ask if it was deliberate. If the text output from LilyPond (the logfile) changes, the differences will be displayed with a + before text added to the logfile and - before any text removed from the logfile. This may or may not be suspicious.
More information is available from in Precompiled regression tests.
- Check for any incorrectly-classified items in the tracker. This generally just means looking at the grid to see any items without a Type.
|[ << Issues ]
|[ Regression tests >> ]
|[ < Bug Squad setup ]
|[ Up : The Bug Squad ]
|[ Issue classification > ]


text:
Blog Archives
Travel news
Issue 2/2013
Can you afford to hit the road on your own?
Traveling by yourself can be very expensive and complicated. Single travelers are often charged a supplement, offered tiny rooms somewhere in the back and get treated like a second-class traveler. Retired lawyer Steve Lyden-Brown thinks this is unfair and decided to do something about it. He started Single Tourist Action Centre (STAC), an organization that fights for the interests of those who vacation alone. Are you traveling solo? Did you have a bad experience or had to pay extra for a double room because there were no single ones?
Stieg Larsson's Stockholm
Are you by any chance a fan of the Millennium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson? Want to know where computer hacker Lisbeth Salander lived and where Mikael Blomkvist office was located? Well then you shouldn't miss out on the Millennium Guided Tour in Stockholm. It's a two hour walk where you get to see and hear about many of the intriguing places described in the Stieg Larsson Trilogy. City tours have a tendency to be quite boring so this could actually be a fun way to explore a new city.
Talking travel in Berlin
Do you want to find out what's new and cool in the travel business? Then we recommend that you pack your bags and take off to Berlin, Germany, where the world's leading travel trade show ITB Berlin will be held on 6-10 March. This is THE place to be if you want to learn about the latest travel trends, analyse market developments or just establish a new important business relationship. ITB Berlin is open to the public on 9-10 March (the other days are reserved for travel professionals).

subset: commoncrawl


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There's a king of the castle at Franklin & Bash — or should we say queen?
Heather Locklear is joining the TNT lawyer dramedy for Season 3 as a new series regular named Rachel King, Entertainment Weekly reports. King, a new partner at the firm, is described as "a stunning trial lawyer, with stiletto heels and clothes tailored within an inch of their life."
Garcelle Beauvais not returning to Franklin & Bash for Season 3
Locklear, 51, enters the series following the departure of Garcelle Beauvais, who played Hanna Linden, a senior partner at the Infeld Daniels firm during the first two seasons.
This will be Locklear's first series regular gig since NBC's short-lived drama LAX in 2004. She also starred on Spin City and recurred heavily on the original Melrose Place for most of the soap's seven-year run. She guest-starred on the 2009 reboot and more recently on Hot in Cleveland.
What do you think of the new cast addition?


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Call us 01444 413551
"We are delighted to introduce you to our latest summer arrivals, dresses blouses and tops in soft romantic pastels with hints of sparkle chiffon floaty fabrics and cool chrisp cottons and classic linens which we at JoJo Boutique personally selected from PartTwo and YAYA. Footwear from beautifully crafted Hogl and trend leaders Maruti offering styles and luxuary which you will not find anyhere on the high street.
Read more
Copenhagen Inwear was created as a fashion label for cool city girls with a contempory, urban, and confident look. The brand's iconic style is a success to this day it still defines the brand as a shining example of versatility and stylish looks.
The Oui brand has roots that go back more than half a century. From the boom and influence of the fifties Oui was started as a family business. Now run by the third generation, it is always, then as now, the collection of the star! Unmistakable and unmistakable. Superb quality and fit and the use and joy of colour in each collection is the expression of the ultimate joie de vivre. We love the stand out, unique items Stylish and always exciting. Effortlessly fashion conscious, sophisticated, surprising, unique, inspiring and full of zest for life.
Part Two was established in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1986 and created fashion for the woman who wants to look great yet at the same time feel good while enjoying the authentic moments in life. All collections provide a credible quality expressed through attention to great design, comfortable fit, richness in fabrics and excellent craftsmanship.
We are excited to show you YAYA which always surprises us with beautiful contempory look and feel. Always with fresh ideas and never shy of turning style on its head; easy to wear and super cool YAYA is a breath of fresh air.
Our garments are all finished by hand to ensure flawless quality, offering the incredible softness and versatility cashmere is famous for. Only the finest Mongolian cashmere is used to create stylish, contemporary and luxurious styles which never goes out of style. Enjoy the luxuary of pure cashmere.
Mariane have been handcrafting stunningly beautiful shoes since 1974. Made in Spain by craftsmen, designed by people who understand that stylish women want shoes that are not so high that they can't even stand in them. Devotion to achieving the highest quality footwear with style with grace.
Just Ballerinas was re-branded in 2013 as Elia B. Designed in London and made in Italy.
The collection has a range of timeless classics, including our iconic styles 'Loaf About' the penny loafer, 'Gilly' the tassel loafer and 'Softy', our much sought after driving shoe. Ever expanding the brand is currently stocked in many leading fashion boutiques in Britain including The House of Fraser, Oxford Street.
From Holland the coolest range of footwear you will find.
Hair on leather timeless classics for you to get inspired with.
A Small family run buisness which is turning the world upside down; a proud member of the Australian Fashion Association which support and build an ethical brand to be proud of locally and internationally. We found the styles effortlessly chic and contemporary with fresh ideas of style and fashion.
Made in Germany our collection of bugatti footwear the new superstar on the block, comfort like you have never known, style by the bucketload and price to keep the wallet happy.
At JoJo Boutique we have chosen the latest fashion trends to keep your wardrobe contemporary and relevant. Independant strong and instpirational women live active busy lives and our collections offer you uncomplicated fashion and style to suit your lifestyle. Any woman of any shape size and age, we have the seasons best just for you. Shop latest fashions from PartTwo, YAYA, OUI, InWear and Elk
£59.95 £35.97
One Size, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16


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ENGS 23: Distributed Systems and Fields
A study of the fundamental properties of distributed systems and their description in terms of scalar and vector fields. After a summary of vector-field theory, the formulation of conservation laws, source laws, and constitutive equations is discussed. Energy and force relations are developed and the nature of potential fields, wave fields, and diffusion fields is examined. A survey of elementary transport processes is given. Particular attention is given to the relation between the description of systems in terms of discrete and distributed parameters. Applications are chosen primarily from fluid mechanics, electromagnetic theory, and heat transfer. Includes a set of laboratories.


text:
About us
Strategy 2017-2019
MMS Manifesto
Executive committee
Media contacts
Media Releases
In the media
Corona and the international cooperation
Global Health and Switzerland
Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
Human Resources for Health: Global Shortage
Chronic diseases: The global epidemic
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Focus: Global Health and the Media
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Economic Crisis and Health
Shortage of Health Personnel: The Swiss Safeguard Clause as an inappropriate instrument
News of 10 January 2007
News of 22 December 2009
News of 4 September 2007
News of 29 April 2009
News of 15 November 2006
News of 6th August 2008
News of February 8, 2006
News of March 8, 2006
News of 6 June 2006
News of 07 May 2008
Public Health and the Global Village
Universal Health Coverage: Dancing around the issue
Development Policy: In whose interest?
Youth and the sexual and reproductive rights
Which Global Health Goals for the Benefit of All?
How powerful is Universal Health Coverage really?
The Right to Health
Human Rights in the Daily Routine of the Projects
News of 23 June 2009
News of 13 March 2007
News of 27 January 2009
News of 25 August 2009
News of 25 November 2008
News of 17 October 2007
News of 8 June 2010
News of 11 January 2006
"Arab Spring" and Global Health
News of 10 June 2008
News of 28 July 2009
Global Health and the Media
Calling for the Right to Health
News of 16 December 2008
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News of 24 March 2009
News of 25 September 2008
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News of 26 January 2010
News of 2 May 2007
News of 6 June 2007
News of 18 July 2007
News of April 4, 2006
News of 6 February 2007
Sexual and Reproductive Health
After the UN Summit against NCDs: Will they do the job properly?
Black Box Bern: A cosmopolitan Parliament?
New Political Leadership for the Swiss Development Cooperation
WHO at the negotiating table
MMS Website Reloaded
Dangerous Isolation
In which direction will WHO go?
News of 7 July 2008
News of 26 February 2008
On the ECOPOP Initiative
The Resurrection of Primary Health Care
The Black Brothers: Poverty, Migration and Child Labour
Post-2015 Development Agenda and Health
Post MDGs: Is Universal Health Coverage the Way Forward?
Swiss Health Policy - internationally reflected
News of 13 December 2006
Mother and child health needs a comprehensive approach
HIV, Health and Development
Debate about the Ecopop Initiative in Switzerland
News of 21 November 2007
News of 19 December 2007
News of 16 February 2010
News of 15 April 2010
News of November 30, 2005
News of 24 November 2009
News of 4 October 2006
Corporate Justice: Swiss Corporations are compelled to respect Human Rights
Swiss Health Foreign Policy: Following which interests?
Organ Trafficking: Consequence of Poverty and Vulnerability
Improving Maternal and Child Health
Country Cooperation Strategy between WHO and Switzerland
Swiss Development Cooperation before transformation?
News of 17 February 2009
News of 28 October 2008
News of 11 May 2010
Shortage of Health Personnel: Broad Solidarity
HIV, AIDS and Advocacy: Bringing about change in policies and practice
News of 3rd July 2008
News of September 5, 2005
Filipino Nurses for Switzerland - a quite critical issue
Comprehensive Approach in the Fight against Non-Communicable Diseases
News of 26 July 2006
News of 6 September 2006
News of 27 October 2009
News of 10 May 2006
News of October 11, 2005
News of 6 July 2010
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World Health Report 2010
Young, eager for knowledge and vulnerable
News of 4 April 2007
Medical tourism and its consequences
Now more than ever
New debate on pharmaceutical patents?
Violence against women


text:
Travis Lupick on April 12th, 2017 at 11:23 AM
The federal Liberal government is expected to table legislation to legalize recreational marijuana on Thursday (April 13), exactly one week ahead of the world's annual 4/20 celebration of all things cannabis.
- Justin Trudeau: Liberal government would look at overturning convictions for marijuana crimes
- Decriminalization versus legalization: marijuana advocates scrutinize competing plans for reform
- Canadian government expected to table recreational-marijuana regulations one week ahead of 4/20
- Charges laid against Marc and Jodie Emery in Toronto could mean life in prison
The proposed law will be debated in Parliament. Then it's likely that each province and territory will require some time to work out regulatory details.
In the meantime, long-time advocates for marijuana reform want to know if Ottawa has any plans to provide relief on past offences.
Just last month, Canada's most prominent marijuana advocates, Jodie Emery and her husband, Marc, were charged with conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, possession for the purpose of trafficking, and possession of the proceeds of crime.
In a telephone interview, Jodie said that once the new laws come into effect, she wants the federal government to look at expunging records of crimes that are no longer crimes.
"We should have amnesty, pardons, and an official apology from the government," she told the Straight.
Other advocates have made similar calls.
"A great way for Justin Trudeau to show leadership on cannabis would be to announce amnesty for simple possession when tabling new law," Victoria lawyer Kirk Tousaw posted in an April 11 message on Twitter.
At the same time, Jodie painted a bleak picture of how she predicts the Liberals' regulatory framework for marijuana will work.
"We know the government will not apologize for prohibition because we know they intend to maintain it," she said. "The form of legalization that they are going to put forward is really just an economic opportunity for a select few people while everybody else continues to be arrested….Growers and dispensaries will continue to be criminalized and they will introduce even tougher penalties for people operating outside the legal system."
The Straight asked Justin Trudeau about amnesty at a campaign stop in Vancouver in August 2015.
"That's something that we'll be looking into as we move forward," he said. "There has been many situations over history when laws come in that overturn previous convictions, and there will be a process for that that we will set up in a responsible way."


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Am interested to know what changes will i have to do so that my application developed in framwork 1.1 will run smoothly with framework 2.0.
To best of my knowledge it will run in framework 2.0 w/o any modifications. Let me know if am wrong and what changes will i have to make to run it in framework 2.0.
Also is it possible that if i developed an appln in framework 2.0 can I run it using framework 1.1 provided new features introduced in 2.0 are not used.
Will framework 2.0 be installed on my 1.0 GHz / 256 Ram /Win 2000 m/c where framework 1.1 is already been installed or i would be very happy to know the hardware requirements for both frameworks. (Not expecting link to MSDN)
thanks in advance.


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-----Original Message----- From: jean-frederic clere [mailto:firstname.lastname@example.com]
I have ported slapd to BS2000. The BS2000 is an EBCDIC mainframe. The C compiler of the BS2000 supports an option: "-K literal_encoding_ascii" that allows to handle strings in ASCII. I have compile OpenLDAP with the options: "--without-threads --enable-ldbm --with-ldbm-api=berkeley --with-ldbm-module=static" and I have used bdb 4.1.24. After some fightings I have got a running slapd.
Find enclosed the corresponding patch against the actual HEAD.
Some comments: clients/tools/ldapsearch.c: That is not BS2000 specific: I need the same correction to build on Linux when configure --without-cyrus_sasl.
OK, the ldap_pvt_tls_destroy() call should have been #ifdef HAVE_TLS.
getopt (libraries/liblutil/getopt.c and include/getopt-compat.h). I have a getopt but it is EBCDIC based I have to redefine the OpenLDAP getopt to use an ASCII one.
The OpenLDAP getopt() is the one I use for OS/390. It takes care of charset conversion already, which removes the need for your patch in slapd/main.c.
libraries/liblber/stdio.c: The writting to a pipe is not working well and I think writting to /dev/null is faster (and I keep the /dev/null open to make sure to have better performances).
libraries/liblunicode/ucdata/ucgendat.c: I think that the IBM machine also needs a similar patch because the *.txt should be in EBCDIC (text files).
The fgets function has already been #defined to ber_pvt_fgets, which already does the translation. This patch in ucgendat.c should not be needed.
I also have had to patch the configure: +++ Index: configure =================================================================== RCS file: /repo/OpenLDAP/pkg/ldap/configure,v retrieving revision 1.508 diff -u -r1.508 configure --- configure 23 Apr 2003 14:50:56 -0000 1.508 +++ configure 20 May 2003 14:42:31 -0000 @@ -9722,10 +9722,12 @@ /* Override any gcc2 internal prototype to avoid an error. */ /* We use char because int might match the return type of a gcc2 builtin and then its argument prototype would still apply. */ -char regfree(); +#include <sys/types.h> +#include <regex.h>
int main() { -regfree() +regex_t *preg; +regfree(preg) ; return 0; } EOF if { (eval echo configure:9732: \"$ac_link\") 1>&5; (eval $ac_link) 2>&5; } && test -s conftest${ac_exeext}; then +++ But that is to prevent using the system regexp but I think that makes sense to #include regex.h before using regfree().
After configure I have modified include/portable.h, because the configure does not find that the machine is EBCDIC and __atoe(), __etoa() and __atoe_l() have different names in BS2000.
You should find out why the EBCDIC test failed and let us know.
+++ $ diff -u ./include/portable.h.ori ./include/portable.h --- ./include/portable.h.ori Mon May 19 17:44:13 2003 +++ ./include/portable.h Mon May 19 17:47:10 2003 @@ -16,6 +16,13 @@
/* end of preamble */
+#define OSD_POSIX 1 +#ifdef OSD_POSIX +#define HAVE_EBCDIC 1 +#define __atoe(x) _a2e(x) +#define __etoa(x) _e2a(x) +#define __atoe_l(x,l) _e2a_n(x,l) +#endif
Your atoe_l definition looks backwards.
/* Define to empty if the keyword does not work. */ /* #undef const */ @@ -1067,7 +1074,7 @@ #endif #endif
-#ifdef HAVE_EBCDIC +#if defined(HAVE_EBCDIC) && !defined(OSD_POSIX) /* ASCII/EBCDIC converting replacements for stdio funcs * vsnprintf and snprintf are used too, but they are already * checked by the configure script +++
Why have you disabled these function replacements? That's going to cause a lot of other conversion issues.
Because the BS2000 has already those ASCII functions, it defines them like: +++ # define fgetc __fgetc_ascii # define fgets __fgets_ascii # define fputs __fputs_ascii # define fputc __fputc_ascii # define fread __fread_ascii # define fwrite __fwrite_ascii # define ungetc __ungetc_ascii # define gets __gets_ascii # define puts __puts_ascii +++
I think the patch to libldbm/ldbm.c is generic, should be HAVE_EBCDIC not OSD_POSIX.
Since I finished porting back-bdb, I no longer use ldbm so this escaped my notice before. With that said, you should probably be using back-bdb as well.
I will try.
-- Howard Chu Chief Architect, Symas Corp. Director, Highland Sun http://www.symas.com http://highlandsun.com/hyc Symas: Premier OpenSource Development and Support


text:
Sea Sickness Relaxation Self Hypnosis MP3
Stephen Armstrong DHP; Faith Waude DHP Acc. Hyp.
- Length: 25:26
- Download: 24MB
Enjoy being at sea with the power of hypnosis.*
Is sea sickness spoiling your enjoyment of life?
If you love yachting, cruising or boat trips then sea sickness can deprive you of a pleasant voyage.
Sea sickness can occur as a result of an imbalance of the inner ear but if this condition has been ruled out then it could be a fear of being sea sick that makes it recur.
How Hypnosis Helps
Hypnosis helps by addressing the part of the subconscious mind that took this fear on board (no pun intended).
This hypnosis download has successfully helped many people to overcome sea sickness. It will guide you into a gentle state of relaxation during which time the deepest part of your mind will be receptive to the positive suggestions contained.
Please note: this session is intended for relaxation purposes only. It is not a medical or therapeutic device and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any medical condition or disease.
Download MP3
Get this hypnosis download and start benefiting today for just $12.95
How do I listen to this MP3?
Once you have ordered an MP3, you will receive an email with a link where you can download the hypnosis recording as an MP3 file and listen to it whenever you wish. You can also 'burn' the MP3 onto a CD for your personal use - this will enable you to listen to the hypnosis MP3 at bed time, for example.
How long does the MP3 take to download?
This depends on the speed of your connection. For broadband users, it should take less than ten minutes to download the hypnosis MP3, while retaining the high quality of the recordings.
What software do I need to listen to the MP3?
Virtually all modern computers are capable of playing MP3s. Software such as Windows Media Player, iTunes, QuickTime or Real Player will enable you to listen to hypnosis MP3s with ease.
For more questions and answers, read the complete FAQ here
Hypnotic World's MP3 offerings are based on the highly popular scripts library that we have been building for many years and perfecting through experience and qualified expertise. The MP3s you download can be listened to from your computer, transferred to an MP3 player or even burned onto a CD for your listening, and you can use the MP3s as many times as you like as you see beneficial.
The Voices behind the Hypnosis
Founder of Hypnotic World, Faith has been practising hypnotherapy for over ten years in Yorkshire, England, and has treated many hundreds of clients for a vast range of addictions, phobias and other issues. Read more
Stephen records many of the hypnosis MP3s on Hypnotic World. In his own words
* Results may vary from person to person. For peace of mind, Hypnotic World offers a 100% money-back guarantee on self-hypnosis MP3s. If you are not entirely satisfied with this MP3, simply contact us for a full refund.


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Steam's Autumn sale is live – hide your wallets
Steam's Autumn Sale is live, and to look over the list of numerous goodies sure to make your wallet cry, head through here. The sale runs today through November 26. A screencap of today's deals as well as the flash sales are below.
Here's a sampling of today's deals:
- XCOM: Enemy Unknown
- Magic: The Gathering
- The Walking Dead
- Darksiders II
- Age of Empires III Complete
- Terraria
Be sure to keep checking back with the sale page, because new flash sales start throughout the day.
There are also loads of other deals available through the service, such as Microsoft Game Studios titles and offerings published by Reverb, but you don't need us to hold your hand in order to find them.


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Obama Hopes to Repeat Maryland Primary Win in November
-- Democrats have largely dominated the state politics of Maryland for the last century and all signs suggest the blue state will maintain its traditional color in this season's race for the White House.
With 270 electoral votes up for grabs, Maryland offers ten votes. The border state, lined by two large, liberal-leaning metropolitan areas, Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C., contributed to Sen. Obama's "Potomac Sweep" after Super Tuesday. The Senator decisively won the state's primary in February, helping Obama gain momentum over Sen. Hillary Clinton.
"Tonight we're on our way," Obama said in his victory speech from Madison, Wisconsin. "We now have won East and West and North and South and across the heartland of this country we love."
Maryland is also home to the popular Democratic Governor and former Baltimore Mayor Martin J. O'Malley as well as Democratic House Majority Leader Rep. Steny Hoyer.
The latest ABC News assessment categorizes Maryland as "Solid Democratic," but check back to see when ABC News heads to the state to learn more about the developing race.


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PBEM helping residents 'get ready' during Oregon Earthquake Awareness Month
March is Oregon Earthquake Awareness month. There are many reasons, many reminders why it's important for Portlanders to prepare for a major earthquake.
Three years ago this week, a deadly 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck Chile. In a few weeks, Japan's recovery from a 9.0 magnitude quake will reach the two-year mark. Scientists believe Oregon is due for a subduction zone earthquake similar in nature and size to Japan's. In fact, Gov. Kitzhaber's Oregon Seismic Safety Policy Advisory Commission is now reporting an eye-opening estimate of statewide damage from such an event, totaling in the tens of billions of dollars.
Throughout March, the Portland Bureau of Emergency Management (PBEM) will highlight this vulnerability and help Portlanders ready themselves. At the top of the priority list: educating homeowners about seismically upgrading their homes. On March 21st, PBEM and the Portland Bureau of Development Services (BDS) will continue a series of classes on this topic. This class is geared toward Southwest neighbors, taking place at the Multnomah Arts Center, 7688 SW Capitol Highway at 7:30 p.m.
Later in the month, PBEM director Carmen Merlo and Portland City Commissioner Steve Novick will appear on KBOO Community Radio discussing earthquake vulnerability and the need for new policy geared toward structural seismic upgrades.
Yesterday PBEM unveiled a video tour of the city's new 30,000-square foot emergency coordination center (ECC) now under construction near Portland's 911 center. Click here to watch the video. The ECC is scheduled for completion later this year.
PBEM is pleased to announce the newly revamped, ever-growing PublicAlerts.org emergency notification site is now hosted in the cloud making it much more likely to remain online after a regional earthquake.
Ongoing PBEM projects include: preparing the Basic Earthquake Emergency Communication Node (BEECN) system for it's inaugural test later this year and updating PBEM's Basic Emergency Operations Plan for City Council consideration.
To view the ECC tour video, learn how to become a Neighborhood Emergency Team volunteer, sign up for real-time alerts and access one of the best collections of the earthquake preparedness resources online, visit PBEM at https://www.portlandoregon.gov/pbem/.


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Blushed pink
Get cheeky with a pop of color that brightens your face and defines your features. Our creamy, lightweight bareMinerals Blush gives your skin a healthy, fresh vibrancy that looks and feels natural — because it is natural.
- Uses a healthy mix of 100% pure bareMinerals
- Keeps your skin clear of preservatives, fillers, binders, and build-up
- Gives your face a warm, beautiful hue
- Provides a pop of pure, vivid color
- Lets you layer colors for added richness
- Has a creamy texture that buffs on silky smooth
- Offers versatile color for cheeks, lips and eyes
- Works beautifully for all skin tones and types, including sensitive and problem-prone skin


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Afton House Inn
Historic Inn and Restaurant on the Scenic St. Croix River with 25 Lodging Rooms with Jacuzzi & gas fireplace.
Golden Lantern Inn
Tudor-style B&B located near downtown Red Wing.
High Woods B&B
Located in the North Woods of Minnesota. Peaceful, quiet get-a-way.
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Dodgeball team aims to beat Guinness World Record during 43-hour game Friday
There's nothing like a good thwack, whack or making your opponent groan after you catch the rifle-hard dodgeball they've just thrown.
It's all part of the game, and Ballston Spa, N.Y., teacher Rob Immel and his fellow dodgeball enthusiasts this weekend will try to set a new Guinness World Record for the longest contest ever played.
A group of 20 players, including one from Tokyo, plans to start at 7 p.m. Friday and will play for at least 43 hours until late Sunday afternoon.
"People are encouraged to come and slap us in the face to help keep us awake," Immel said. "We're going to be playing competitively the whole time."
He was part of a group that set a previous world record of 31 hours three years ago at Washington Avenue Armory in Albany, only to have it eclipsed by students from Castleton State College in Vermont.
Now, he's out to get it back.
Immel, a physical education teacher, is captain of a team called Upstate Empire that includes Brannigan Bryant of Wilton, N.Y., a Ballston Spa first-grade teacher. He's even invited a high-caliber player from Japan, where dodgeball is highly popular.
They'll be competing against a squad comprised of players from New York and the Capital Region.
The event, in addition to being a fun athletic challenge, is also a fundraiser for the Wounded Warrior Project that benefits injured veterans.
Immel, 31, a Galway native, said he caught the dodgeball bug while going to school at SUNY Cortland.
"Sometimes we'd sneak into the gym and play 'outlaw' dodgeball," he said. "Other times, we'd drop the nets and play outdoors on tennis courts. In winter, we'd spread salt at 7 a.m. and be able to play by 10."
The game involves many of the same skills found in major sports such as baseball and football.
"It combines the quickness needed to steal a base and the power for hitting home runs with the agility of a running back," Immel said. "Unlike baseball, you don't just throw the ball. You've got to move out of the way, too."
Teams have 10 players each, but games start with 12 players -- six on six -- and six balls. Players are eliminated when an opponent hits them with a ball, or if an opponent catches a ball they've thrown.
"We could play up to 1,000 games in the 43 hours," Immel said.
Athletes may eat and drink when they aren't playing, but must stay courtside for the entire marathon to be eligible for setting a new record.
Immel founded Hometown Dodgeball in 2005, and his team has gone to the world championships, held each summer in Las Vegas. So far, their best finish has been fourth place.
He's also captain of a professional team, New York Epic in the National Dodgeball League, and of Team USA, which has competed against teams from the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
He'd like nothing more than for dodgeball to become an Olympic sport. Realistically, he doesn't think it will happen.
"In my dreams," Immel said. "There's just so much involved."
For now, he's determined to get back in the record books, even if it means doing without a little sleep. Immel said he's done a great deal of endurance work to get ready for this weekend's event.
"The best training you can do for dodgeball is play dodgeball," Immel said.
For information or to donate to Wounded Warriors, go to www.43hours.com.


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You are here: Home ‹ Board index ‹ Movie Discussion ‹ All Other/Older Movies ‹ (2007) The Number 23
The Critics on 23
Discuss this movie. Available on DVD and Blu-ray.
another critic gave it Grade C
1 out of 4 stars
http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20 ... 061018.asp
Joblo is positive (7/10)
This is too!
Sure that 23 is not everyone cup of tea but I think it will be mine as from the last two reviewers here! So... Enjoy the film!!!
I have to wait till 23th march...
San Francisco Chronicle
The movie looks terrific, and though it always keeps moving, it never feels headlong or rushed. This is a very good movie that could have been better still: Alas, the denouement is just a little off. 75/100
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f ... ype=movies
I thought the critics went a little too hard on it. If you look at other movies that came out this week they all got C's and D's too.
"No time outs. Only DEATH!"
"I don't like to brag and I won't cuz I don't have to!"
Empire Review
Two talents aching to be taken A Bit More Seriously — Jim Carrey and director Joel Schumacher — join forces for a nimble, deranged conspiracy thriller. Carrey plays a dog-catcher whose life curls down the existential U-bend when he chances across a paperback — the titular Number 23 — that combines his own memories with a murderous gumshoe yarn.
What starts out as Ace Ventura: Hex Detective mutates into a snaking noir with much paranoid numerologising as '23' pops up everywhere. The who-wrote-it revelation folds under scrutiny but it's fun getting there, Schumacher revisiting the brash stylistic tics of his '80s hit Flatliners with mucho gusto.
Genuinely intriguing in places and romps along at a satisfying pace for a conspiracy thriller.
So, the reviews in Belgium are comin' in, since the film opens today.
After bashing Joel Schumacher;
"Too bad for Jim Carrey and he's co-actors Virginia Madsen and Danny Huston, they are all desent actors. Could someone please push Carrey's career in the right direction? The guy can be irritating as a face-pulling comedian, but we absolutely adore him in serious roles. In fact, there's no doubt he is one of the best actors of his generation. Seeing one of our favorite actors going way down in such a terrible 'movie' like this, is a nightmare coming true.
Meanwhile Schumacher is 67. Maybe in a year or ten he's finally done. Don't watch 'the Number 23', watch 'Pi' instead." ,- KUTsite. (0 out of 4)
I have seen the movie for Jim essentially and I have yet to read a negative review about his performance. He always gives 110% of what he's got and it shows.
Well, that's funny you say it, two minutes ago a 'critic' on the radio (Belgium) said this;
"... we all know that feeling when we are reading a book and recognize ourself in the story or character. And for the story of the film, that would have been enough, but the problem is they absolutely wanted to hang the whole thing on that number. The result? it's extremely dull, absurd an laughable. Bad even. Specially when they feel the need to explain the damn thing for -what must be- 23 minutes long!
People keep asking me if it's funny, what means Jim Carrey has a lot of fans out there that keep asking for a new comedy. But the fact is that he's doing well in both serious roles in 'the Number 23', but, well, actually, he's doing what he can with this crappy material." ,- Jan Temmerman (TVone)
Another review from Belgium.
We have always liked Jim Carrey. Because the actor was nothing less than brilliant in 'Man on the Moon', 'the Truman Show' and above all, 'the Majestic'. In his first thriller -yeah,that's right, theover-the-top comedian in a thriller- Carrey is proving he can handle the role. Too bad the scenario is dull, the writing is bad and the end is extremely predictable. Joel Shumacher is trying and trying. But it ain't working. A missed uportunity. ,- Cinevision.be
Well, we can say that in Belgium all the reviews come down to the same thing. Jim Carrey can handle the role and does a nice job in a dull thriller, badly directed by Joel Schumacher and not well written.
More positive review I found on net.
http://winnipegsun.com/Entertainment/Sc ... 9-sun.html
this one is bit negative.
http://media.www.ramcigar.com/media/sto ... 9139.shtml
[i][b]Somebody to luv me(Jim)[/b][/i]
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An advisory group said the U.S. fast-track approval process for medical devices is fatally flawed and should be replaced, but the Food and Drug Administration said the recommendation was a non-starter.
The FDA had asked for the Institute of Medicine report as part of a broad agency review of its device unit, an area dogged by high staff turnover, funding woes and major recalls in recent year of devices ranging from artificial hips to heart defibrillators.
The IOM found the fast-track approval process, called 510(k), does not adequately protect patients and recommended a more thorough approval process likely to raise the costs for device makers with pre-market and post-market device reviews.
"What we are recommending is that the 510(k) is fatally flawed in terms of it not evaluating safety and effectiveness of a device," said Dr. David Challoner, chairman of the IOM's committee.
But the finding was swiftly rejected by the FDA's top device official.
"FDA believes that the 510(k) process should not be eliminated, but we are open to additional proposals and approaches for continued improvement of our device review programs," Dr. Jeffrey Shuren, director of the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health, said in a statement.
The 510(k) program allows medical devices to get to market faster if they are "substantially equivalent" to an existing product.
Critics say the accelerated 510(k) process is too widely used and leads to inadequate testing for some risky devices, but it is defended by the industry as necessary to speed technologies to patients.
The medical device industry has argued for either leaving the 510(k) process as it is or further streamlining the approval process. Most new medical devices -- about 4,000 in 2009 -- are cleared through the accelerated program.
The FDA has proposed changes, including the possibility of creating a new category of more risky devices that would require more data to win approval.
But the IOM committee said the FDA should not waste its limited resources on changing the current program. Instead, the committee said the FDA should focus on developing a new framework.
High-profile incidents include a massive recall last year of artificial hips by Johnson & Johnson's DePuy unit. Some 93,000 patients worldwide had that line of hip implant.
Automated external defibrillators, used in public places such as airports to revive cardiac arrest victims, have also made up a significant portion of 510(k) recalls in recent years. Health officials are looking at thousands of reports of malfunctions which may have led to patient harm or death.
Medical devices range from simple bandages to complex implants such as pacemakers, stents and artificial knees. Other than Johnson & Johnson, the largest medical-device makers include Medtronic Inc, Boston Scientific Corp and Abbott Laboratories Inc.
The IOM suggested the FDA start collecting information to build the new process, including post-market data for devices. Congress should then enact legislation to design the regulatory framework, according to the report.
"A new system needs to be put in place that will be more effective especially in post-market surveillance," said Challoner.
ReutersLast Mod: 30 Temmuz 2011, 12:11


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Fourteen years ago, a provincial government bent on cost-cutting and privatization contributed to a deadly water-borne disaster that unfolded over the Victoria Day long weekend — one that Ontario taxpayers are still paying for.
Now, a new would-be Progressive Conservative premier, Tim Hudak, is pledging to slash 100,000 public sector jobs — cuts far deeper than those that paved the way for the Walkerton, Ont., tragedy in May 2000.
Some worry history could be repeating itself.
"It can happen again," Walkerton resident Phil Englishman said of the public health crisis.
"(Cuts) can lead to another tragedy in other areas of the province — it doesn't have to be just water."
That message was not lost on Liberal Premier Kathleen Wynne, who took her election campaign to the midwestern Ontario town of 5,000 on Thursday to make that point.
Speaking at the Walkerton Clean Water Centre, built following the disaster as a water-quality training and research facility, Wynne took aim at Hudak's promised cuts.
"We need to learn from, and avoid returning to, the mistakes of Ontario's past," Wynne said.
"Decisions have consequences, cuts have consequences: Safe drinking water is not an optional service."
The E. coli outbreak that engulfed Walkerton killed seven people, including a baby, and sickened about 2,500 others, after floods swept farm manure into a vulnerable drinking-water well.
An exhaustive judicial inquiry faulted two brothers in charge of the water — they were later criminally convicted — for falsifying records and failing to maintain proper disinfectant levels.
However, the inquiry also found the cost-cutting government of former Tory premier Mike Harris contributed to the tragedy by privatizing water testing and axing Ministry of Environment jobs.
Hudak has said he wouldn't cut jobs that put people at risk, such as nurses, doctors and police officers.
In response to Wynne's comments, Hudak accused the premier of using the tragedy to score political points and insisted he would not chop water inspectors.
"I don't think anybody would even contemplate that," he said at an event in London, Ont.
Knowing just where Hudak does contemplate his cuts is critical, said former Walkerton mayor Charlie Bagnato.
"He's proving that he's a disciple of Mike Harris and what happened with Mike Harris ultimately was fairly negative," Bagnato said Thursday.
"Mike Harris came in with a flourish and appeared to be accomplishing something, but then we paid the price and we certainly just hope that never happens again."
To date, according to the latest figures, about $74 million has been paid to more than 9,000 victims of the E. coli outbreak — Englishman among them — but some compensation bills are still outstanding.
In addition, the province has forked out tens of millions of dollars more in legal fees, helping the town rehabilitate its water system, and footing the health-care bills for those affected.
Some of those who lived in the town at the time are still coping with the after effects of E. coli infection — like Kody Hammell, who was just shy of two years old when his kidneys were permanently damaged by the bad water.
Englishman blames the water for a stroke he had, and notes the trauma of those terrible days still persists — often in small ways.
"A lot of people, like me, still don't drink the water," he said.
The tragedy did lead to huge improvements in Ontario's drinking-water regimen, with the Liberal government implementing every one of the recommendations that flowed from the inquiry led by then-justice Dennis O'Connor.
Government, Wynne said, exists to help protect people.
"I cannot myself test my water. I rely on government to make sure that the water that I drink and the water that my children and my grandchildren drink is safe."
Campaigning in Toronto, NDP Leader Andrea Horwath denounced Hudak's plans.
"When you talk about kicking 100,000 families to the curb, you're actually endangering the services that Ontarians rely on," Horwath said. "That's irresponsible."
With files from Will Campbell and Maria Babbage


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Newtown's heartbreak has a lot of us asking, "What can I do?" Thinking about this, I took to Twitter and asked people to imagine what would happen if all of us committed to 20 acts of kindness to honor each child lost in Newtown. I added, "I'm in. If you are, RT #20Acts."
Tens of thousands of people on Twitter and Facebook not only seized the idea, they increased it to #26Acts, to include the heroic teachers, and are launching acts of kindness big and small all over America. The acts are spreading overseas, including one tweeted from Borneo.
Some changed the hashtag to #26ActsOfKindness, some wanted to increase it to 27, and 28. All good. You are in charge of this wave now.
We are curating some of the acts shared so far, as a way to inspire you, and maybe help heal us all.
Fred Rogers once said that when he saw scary things in the news as a boy, his mother would say, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping."
Below, find some of the helpers.
Are you in?
To view more #20Acts / #26Acts tweets, click here.
Source 2


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Kenny Finkle's "Alive and Well" is neither. The Old Globe world premiere, detailing a mismatched couple's romantic road trip across a Civil War battlefield, brings to mind the likes of "The African Queen" and "It Happened One Night" without much awareness on display of what makes their genre tick. The germ of a good idea – a Southerner and Northerner acting out America's attempt to transcend its blue state/red state differences – founders on the shoals of illogic and unlikability.
Our red state rep is Zachariah Clemenson (James Knight), a professional Civil War recreator with disdain for anything or anyone "farb" (inauthentic). Highest on that list is Carla (Kelly McAndrew), a visiting Yankee journalist he's been engaged to guide across Virginia in search of the legendary, ghostly "Lonesome Soldier," an obvious symbol for the ongoing tensions the events of 1861-65 couldn't bring to closure.
The script never clarifies whether Zachariah is a true hick, poet in the raw or intellectual manque, forcing Knight to juggle wisps of those personas while justifying silly, out-of-character crying jags.
Still, he mostly maintains presence and appealing authority, which is more than one can say for the smug, overbearing McAndrew. A highly unprofessional Carla says she needs this assignment, but she's done no research and shows no reporter's interest in the environment, mostly complaining and squealing brittle quips.
Finkle sidesteps truly deep-seated North/South tensions, including basic nomenclature (most Southerners insist on "War Between the States"), in favor of sitcom cliches: Zach likes Jeff Foxworthy and eats noisily, while she cherishes her BlackBerry and Charlie Rose.
They bicker less than credibly until too many sips from a flask bring the hair down. Come the dawn, Carla again sports her characteristic sourpuss and the game tediously resumes. An 11th hour plot twists fails to convince.
Jeremy Dobrish's staging displays little affinity for commercial comedy conventions. Besides indulging mannered wordplay (from both thesps) and outrageous mugging (from McAndrew), he permits the tone to lurch from farce to maudlin sentiment without adequate setup.
He steers Michael Gottlieb to some delicate lighting effects, while betraying a curious indifference to given circumstances. The pair's shouting and movement in a diner would never be tolerated by patrons or manager. Seeking shelter from a punishing storm, they bounce around a deserted cabin as if hopped up on speed; after days of tromping in the mud she pulls a People magazine from her boot (don't ask) and it's fresh as a daisy.
The absence of exhaustion, or of any reality of being drenched, is just plain farb.


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Imagination in Teaching and Learning: Ages 8 to 15
Routledge, 1992 - 178 pagine
Young people learn most readily when their imaginations are engaged and teachers teach most successfully when they are able to see their subject matter from their pupils' point of view. It is, however, difficult to define imagination in practice and even more difficult to make full use of its potential.
In this original and stimulating book, Kieran Egan, winner of the prestigous Grawemeyer award for education in 1991, discusses what imagination really means for children and young people in the middle years and what its place should be in the midst of the normal demands of classroom teaching and learning.
Egan uses a bright and witty style to move from a brief history of the ways in which imagination has been regarded over the years, through a general discussion of the links between learning and imagination. A selection of sample lesson plans show teachers how they can encourage effective learning through stimulating pupils' imaginations in a variety of curriculum areas, including maths, science, social studies and language work.
Cosa dicono le persone - Scrivi una recensione
Altre edizioni - Visualizza tutto
Riferimenti a questo libro
Bilinguality and Literacy: Principles and Practice
Manjula Datta
Anteprima limitata - 2000
Critical Events in Teaching and Learning
Peter Woods
Anteprima non disponibile - 1993


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By DAVID GREEN
Three tax abatements for Palm Plastics were approved by Morenci city council members Monday.
According to city assessor Marty Marshall, standard 50-percent abatements will lead to a revenue gain of about $41,000 annually for the city when the company's expansion is complete and production is underway.
Palm Plastics chief financial officer Todd Vanbynen told council members that six plastic pallet production lines are currently in operation and three more are coming. Some equipment for the manufacture of smaller products has been moved into storage to make room for the pallet division.
The three abatements include:
• $12.5 million for the new Palm facility to be built in the industrial park;
• $2.5 million for equipment now in storage that will be transferred to the East St. South location;
• $3 million for new equipment that will be located in the East Street South location.
The projects are expected to add 36 new jobs in Palm's existing location on East Street South and from 80 to 90 jobs in the new facility within the first 18 months of production.
COUNCILORS' ROLES—Following debate at a special meeting Oct. 23, council members voted Monday to accept a resolution regarding the working relationship of the council, mayor and paid staff. State law, the City Charter, city code, the employee handbook and employment contracts were reviewed.
A portion of the resolution states that:
"Council hereby interprets those governing documents to mean that individual council members, including the mayor, have no authority by virtue of their respective offices to govern the day-to-day activities of paid staff. Department heads are amenable only to the full council."
GEAR—Council approved a request by the fire department to spend $10,000 for four sets of turnout gear to replace aging equipment.
LIBRARY—Stair Public Library was given permission to spend $1,257 for a DVD kiosk to display the growing DVD collection.
TREES—The city will apply for a $200 grant from the Arbor Day Foundation to plant two trees on Arbor Day.
A realignment of council committees resulted in the following assignments:
• Public Safety–Tracy Schell (chair), Leasa Slocum and Jason Cook.
• Public Works–Art Erbskorn (chair), Greg Braun and Slocum.
• Finance, Legal, Personnel, and Economic Development–Keith Pennington (chair), Schell and Erbskorn.
Mayor Doug Erskin serves as an ex officio member of each committee.
COMPLAINT—Property owner Kyle Schaffner told council he believes he is being unfairly targeted in property maintenance issues. Rules must be enforced equally on everybody, he said.


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A new analysis of a survey of the stars in our galaxy has found a number that appear to have reached escape velocity, moving fast enough to exit the Milky Way. These aren't the first stars we've found that are moving this quickly, but all the previous ones are large, blue stars that were thrown out of the galaxy's core by its supermassive black hole. These are smaller stars, similar to our Sun, and they clearly do not originate at the galaxy's core. In fact, they're moving fast enough that they could have potentially originated in another galaxy.
The study relies on the Sloan Extension for Galactic Understanding and Exploration, a project that has mapped the location of 240,000 stars within our galaxy. With multiple exposures, it's possible to track stars as they move across the sky.
The authors of the new study limited their analysis to G- and K-class stars, those similar in mass to the Sun and often referred to as G and K dwarfs. Even so, that limitation provides a lot of candidates; there were about 43,000 G dwarfs alone in the survey's population. From there, the authors converted the apparent motion of the stars to motion relative to the galactic core. They could then identify those stars that are moving very quickly relative to the galaxy itself. They took only those stars that were clearly moving fast enough to escape our galaxy's gravitational clutches—600 kilometers a second and up.
That initial analysis picked out 42 possible high-velocity dwarfs, but there were potential problems with many of them, such as possible confusion with other nearby stars or too few exposures to get a good measure of the velocity. Even so, it was possible to identify 17 stars where the researchers could determine a velocity that they considered "reliable."
All of that seemed solid, which leaves a rather significant question: how did they possibly get moving so quickly? We know how this happens at the galactic core. A binary system of two stars can wander close to the supermassive black hole at the very center, which captures one of them. Nearly all the momentum of the system gets transferred to the other star, sending it rocketing out of the galaxy.
But many of the stars in the galactic core are larger and bluer than the dwarfs found in this study. More significantly, the direction these stars are moving indicates that they couldn't possibly have come from there. The stars are moving so fast that they could have come from the core of a nearby galaxy. M31/Andromeda is close enough that stars moving this quickly could cross the distance in just a billion years; these types of stars burn their fuel so slowly that they could last for tens of billions of years. Nevertheless, the stars don't come from the right direction, although other, more distant galaxies can't be ruled out.
Of course, that assumes the cores of nearby galaxies are very different from the Milky Way's and have a population of dwarf stars. The authors suggest that it might be time to consider alternate mechanisms for creating hypervelocity stars. One option could be complex interactions within dense groups of stars like dwarf galaxies and globular clusters. Still, these stars don't look like they came from globular clusters, either.
One prospect researchers are intrigued by is that the stars were once part of a binary system but got blasted loose when their partner went supernova. That, they suggest, should paint the fast-moving stars with debris, which should be possible to pick up with further observations. There should be a chance to return to this story when follow-up observations are made.
The arXiv. Abstract number: 1308.3495 (About the arXiv). To be published in The Astrophysical Journal.


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The papers continue to pile up on the desk – invoices, billing statements and receipts suddenly act more like a tablecloth than proofs of financial activity. It's tax season again – one of the more stressful times of the year. When in stress mode, people get into a "state of dis-ease," in which harmful naturally occurring chemicals can negatively affect the immune system.
After a long day of sifting the payments, there is nothing better than coming home and just relaxing to remove some tension, especially if you have a four-legged on-the-spot happiness generator waiting for you at the door. Ask any pet owner and they will tell you how happy their pets make them, but did you know a pet can improve your health?
Pets are natural mood enhancers
It only takes 15 to 30 minutes with a pet to feel less stressed and anxious. The level of cortisol, a hormone associated with stress, is lowered while the production of serotonin, a chemical associated with well-being, is increased. These physical changes save your body undue wear and tear. Take a quick walk with your pet to help sooth nerves or simply reach over and rub their belly for an almost-instant calming affect. In one study, stockbrokers with high blood pressure who adopted a cat or dog ended up having lower blood pressure readings in stressful situations compared to the people without pets.
Furry depression fighters
Therapists and counselors often prescribe a pet as a way of dealing with and recovering from depression. The unconditional love of a pet is unmatched; they will listen to you talk for as long as you want without even a bark or a hiss. Taking care of a pet, like grooming or playing with it, takes owners out of the moment, and helps them to take their mind away from their troubles and to the simple joy of pet ownership – the bonding behavior between pet and owner can foster a sense of security, need and mutual understanding.
Owning a pet is not a replacement for the treatment of serious medical conditions, but, veterinarians, psychologists and researchers all concur that it's no coincidence pets can be good for our mental and physical health. Besides, how could you not crack a smile when your dog wags its tail or your cat greets you at the door with a purr the moment you open it – even if you just left to take out the trash.


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"Harv, I just wanted to say thank you for everything you've done to help better our world! You've changed so many people's lives...including my own! Personally, I wanted to share that I was able to reach my goal of saving $10,000 for investment purposes, mostly because some of the tools I've learned in your trainings. Thanks to you, I've definitely raised the bar for myself and what I can accomplish."
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- David Jackson
This online training is absolutely FREE.
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The stunning bombshell and actress Salma Hayek and her adorable daughter Valentina are taking a stroll the Los Angelos International Airport.
Salma Hayek's sweetheart
Posted by Alisa on Monday, October 24, 2011
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At the Goats (Menhart Palace, Šrámek's House) - Celetná Street 17/595, Old Town
Celetná Street 17/595, Old Town
Originally a Gothic house got its current Baroque look in 1706 and after 1750 (F. M. Kaňka) after a number of reconstructions, it was also adapted in Classicist style. The portal on the left side is Baroque, portal on the right was added during a reconstruction of the object in 1980's. In an alcove between the floors there is a statue of St. John of Nepomuk from around 1755. The interiors on the groundfloor have preserved late Renaissance and Baroque vaults, some rooms have late Baroque parquet floors and Rococo doors. The interior painted decorations are by P. Molitor (1736). In the courtyard of the house (a passageway to Štupartská street) there is a wooden statues of Hercules with a lion, most likely a work by L. Widmann from mid-18th century (sometimes J. J. Bendl is mentioned as the author). There is also a copy of a statue by M. B. Braun. Owners of the house included the Renaissance cavalier Kryštof Harant of Polžice and Bezdružice, author of one of the first Czech book of travels and a key participant in the estates rebellion. In 1706-38 there was a theatre and a concert hall of art-loving masters of Menhardt, where German and Italian travelling theatre ensembles used to perform. In 1756-76 there was a college of the educational Piarist Order where the enlightened historian G. Dobner, founder of Czech critical historiography, used to work. After 1780 the house served as a textiles manufacture. At present time the Theatre Institute and the Theatre in Celetná.
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Up the eye-candy. When you want more than just a plain hoop, reach for these November birthstone earrings. Simple yet special, they lend a welcome element of sparkle to your ensemble. Glistening birthstones hang from an eye-catching oval ring to catch the light as you move.
- Approximate measurements: Stone 1/2in; Ring 1in x1/2in; Hangs 2in from the ear
- November Birthstone: Two genuine citrine, measuring 11mm (1/2in) each, dangle gracefully from each ear
- Hardware: Hook with plastic stoppers
- All jewelry comes packaged in a coveted gift box with grosgrain ribbon.
- each gem is hand selected for optimal color and brilliance. gemstones may vary slightly in color, size, and shape. photos examples of gemstones
- Hand-made in Colorado


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Earlier this month, an algae bloom in Lake Erie contaminated the water of more than 500,000 Toledo, Ohio residents, leading to a drinking water ban lasting several days.
On a smaller but no less heartbreaking scale, a family living just down the road from our headquarters in St. Paul, Minnesota experienced the passing away of their beloved pet dog, after it had found its way into a blue-green algae bloom in a nearby pond.
With stories like these, the issue of algae blooms continues to occupy the news cycles, with information regarding what is causing these blooms, what to do if you encounter one and, most troublingly, future risks.
As we reach the mid-way point of August, we also find ourselves mid-way through National Water Quality Month – a month set aside by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for us all to recognize the impact we have on this resource – and think about what more we can do to protect it for future generations. Unfortunately, with drinking water shortages, pollution and distribution challenges present on such a global scale, it can sometimes be difficult to find that one perfect niche in which we can make a difference. Fortunately, battling back against the creation and spread of algae blooms just happens to be one of those niches.
What Are Algae Blooms?
Algae can exist as anything from single-celled bacteria to large seaweeds with little to no root structure. These types of life-forms produce their own food using energy from sunlight, a process called photosynthesis, which you just may remember from science class.
When weather conditions are just right, from warmer temperatures to stronger wind patterns, nasty looking algae will grow and spread rapidly giving a distinctly mucky look to bodies of water. A form of algae, cyanobacteria – more commonly referred to as 'blue-green algae' – poses perhaps the greatest threat as this variety can be blamed for both the recent issues in Toledo and the passing of the family dog in St. Paul.
Dogs, farm animals and small children, in fact, are most at risk for exposure and sickness from algae blooms by virtue of the very behaviors that make them unique. Farm animals and pets are not the most discerning when it comes to their drinking water source. Children are not the most discerning when it comes to the bodies of water in which they play. And dogs double-down, by drinking anything, playing anywhere – and in the case of Labradors, especially – frantically licking their fur.
For parents and pet-owners, this resource from the California Department of Public Health is an invaluable bookmark as it provides detailed instructions regarding what you will need to do in the event that your child or pet is exposed.
Is Human Activity Solely To Blame?
Not entirely. These types of organisms are primitive forms of life that have no trouble surviving and spreading through purely natural conditions. That said, human activity can be held responsible for some of the rapid spread we are seeing.
Some types of activity called out by Nate Drag of Buffalo Rising include:
- Fertilization by commercial farms and residential lawns that can result in the runoff that helps to feed these organisms
- Reduction in wetlands that act as a natural filter for the chemicals that contribute to these blooms, through any activities that increase our footprint (carbon or otherwise)
- Pollution of plastic debris that can act as a vector helping algae blooms to spread
While the causes may be known, the global solutions are not quite as simple as they may seem. Commercial industries depend on fertilization in order to sustain crops, while also depending on clean water. This balance can be seen played out in many of the debates happening around the country over the Clean Water Act. In regards to the protection of wetlands, reduction in greenhouse gases and end of plastic pollution, well, if these were easy issues they would have already been solved.
What Individual Actions Are Most Effective Against Such A Global Issue?
As with anything else, one immediate action we can all take is to ensure we are as educated about this issue as possible. If you are reading this post, you are taking a huge step in the right direction. The more we know about what's causing algae blooms, the more we can do to support initiatives meant to battle them back, and the more we can do in our daily lives to encourage global change.
As algae blooms have become more common in the some of our Great Lakes, many politicians on both sides of the aisle have supported legislation to help control this issue.
In July, President Obama signed the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2014, proposed by Ohio Senator Rob Portman (R.) This Republican proposed bill was championed by those on the other side, including Democratic Senator Bill Nelson from Florida and Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici from Oregon. This legislation authorizes $20.5 million per year to the algae bloom battle, with a specific focus on the Great Lakes. Actively supporting this type of legislation, by contacting your elected officials or attending any local meetings where new ideas are shared, can help ensure these initiatives continue to receive support.
Support can also be provided through monetary donations to political action groups or charities that support algae bloom control, including Ocean Champions and Water Defense, an organization led by actor Mark Ruffalo and founder of OPFLEX water purification technology, Scott Smith.
There is also a great deal you can do in your personal life to help in the battle against algae blooms, few of which will have any noticeable impact on your day to day activities and many of which will seem like common sense.
First and perhaps most easily, commit to not adding to the plastic pollution problem through littering. You can even go one step further and replace your plastic water bottle with one of the eco-friendly water bottles available at our online store.
When you use lawn fertilizer, select a blend that does not use phosphorous. You can even help to support a reduction in the amount of fertilizer needed by commercial farms by choosing to buy more of your fruits and vegetables from local organic farms.
Finally, if you have the opportunity and ability, riding a bike or carpooling to work can help lessen the types of conditions that nurture the growth and spread of algae blooms. Thanks go out again to Nate Drag of Buffalo Rising, for sharing many of these ideas in his post linked above.
What Else?
This is where I would love to hear your ideas regarding your experience with algae blooms, whether that means supporting legislation or making simple changes to your daily activities. I also encourage you to share any advice based on experiences you've had dealing with algae blooms, whether that means contamination issues with your drinking water or exposure issues with your pets or kids.
Finally, I always invite your comments sharing more about how you are helping to recognize and minimize the impact you have on water – whether during National Water Quality Month – or any other time of the year! All comments are always invited and always welcome below.
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Cobb nets his first Player of Week Award
Rays right-hander turns in two big starts to support postseason push
In helping to keep the Rays in fine standing in the American League Wild Card race, Tampa Bay starter Alex Cobb has been named the league's Player of the Week.
Cobb won both his starts last week, posting a 1.65 ERA, striking out 22 and issuing just three walks in 16 1/3 innings. He led all Major Leaguers in innings pitched last week and was tied for first in wins and strikeouts. Opponents hit .193 against Cobb.
It's Cobb's first career weekly honor, joining teammate Evan Longoria as the Rays' honorees this season.
In his first start of the week, on Monday, Cobb gave up two runs on six hits and struck out 10 in an eight-inning outing against the Rangers. Tampa Bay held off Texas, 6-2, in a critical game for the postseason race, and the victory ensured the Rays of their sixth consecutive winning season. It was Cobb's third career double-digit strikeout game, his first since striking out 13 against the Padres on May 10.
The righty then gave up just one run on five hits while walking two and striking out 12 in a season-high-tying 8 1/3 innings in Saturday's 5-1 win against the Orioles. Cobb carried a shutout into the ninth, improving to 7-0 with a 2.81 ERA in 13 home starts this season. His last loss at Tropicana Field came on Sept. 17, 2012.
Cobb, who missed two months of the season after being struck in the face by a line drive on June 15, is 10-3 with a 2.90 ERA this year.


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Discipline and balance: These are the key principles behind the strategy at Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRT), a REIT that specializes in high-quality retail properties.
"The basis of our strategy is a solid platform of high-quality assets that provide superior levels of growth through rental increases and consistently strong occupancy, but allows us to take a much more selective approach to things like acquisition and development. It's low risk, but higher growth. Over the last 50 years we've been very, very disciplined in the way we invest our money in retail assets in the nation's best markets," Andy Blocher, CFO of Federal Realty, told AdvisorOne on Tuesday, adding that despite the trust's 50-year history, it only owns 88 properties.
"Our asset base hasn't expanded nearly to the extent as some of our others, but we've always been very disciplined in how it is that we've approached it. The key to our strategy is owning stuff in the best locations, in the best markets in the country," Blocher said.
FRT owns properties primarily on the East and West Coasts, Blocher (left) says. In California, there are properties in the Bay Area, South Bay and San Jose, as well as in Los Angeles and San Diego in Southern California. On the East Coast, FRT owns properties in Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, Boston and throughout New Jersey. In 2008, Blocher says, they started shopping in insular markets in South Florida, purchasing properties in Palm Beach, Broward County and Miami-Dade County.
In selecting a property, there are three characteristics, Blocher says. "One, those markets, and our properties in particular, have very, very strong levels of population that surround them; there's a lot of people. Two, they have very high household income and high levels of educational attainment. And three, and probably most importantly, is they are insular in nature." By that he means the area is built up enough that the completion is unlikely to purchase land nearby. "The last thing you want to do is have a great asset and then have one of your competitors buy the lot across the street and build the same thing," he says.
While the economy does present challenges, Blocher notes that different markets feel economic pressure in different ways. In fact, while there hasn't been a dramatic improvement in his markets, he has seen "continued strength." For full-year 2011, new tenants are paying 9% more than tenants previously in a particular property, he says. "We're able to find good tenants in order to beef up some of the vacancies that we have. We continue to be able to drive good solid rent deals."
"It's by no means back to where we were in '05, '06, '07, but we continue to see good, solid, stable performance," he states.
Still, looking ahead, Blocher is hopeful. He expects stable increases in rent in 2012 and high single-digit to low double-digit growth in lease rollover. He's also hoping for approximately 50 bps of occupancy improvement over the course of the year. "We feel we're very well set up for the future and not just taking advantage of poor operating performance in an area where there's not a lot of retail development being done," he says. "We've been able to advance plans and move forward such that we can put shovels in the ground for a couple of pretty significant properties. We're getting ahead of the game that way."
Blocher suggests that investors looking at the retail sector should look at it from a landlord's perspective. "Are retailers being disciplined? Are they opening in the right location? At the end of the day, our business in a lot of ways is very supple. Our goal as the landlord is to create environments where the retailers can maximize their sales. To the extent that they're maximizing their sales and have the ability to pay rent, we can charge increased rent. Investors should look for those retailers who have a good solid approach to picking not just any location, but improving their location or picking the right location and having a product that's in demand."
Ultimately, it all comes down to the dividend in REIT investing, Blocher says, and it's one of the forces behind REITs relative success lately. "The equity REIT market as a whole as of the end of January was paying a dividend yield of about 3.4% which equates to about a 2.2% relative to the S&P," he says. "If you're getting that stream of current income, it helps to protect your cash flow. You're getting some of it along the way; you make the decision as to whether or not you want to reinvest it, whether or not you want to hold it as cash. That is a stabilizing force, with respect to REIT performance."
For retirees, that stabilizing force is important. "One of the greatest things from a retiree's perspective is that income that we just talked about," Blocher says. One of Federal Realty's greatest attributes, he says, is its reputation for paying increasing dividends every year. "We have the distinction of having increased our dividends every year for 44 years, every year since 1967." He acknowledges that past performance is no guarantee, but adds that having your money invested in a company that continually pays and increases its dividends, even during the downturn, is a "very strong attribute."
What's more, "People come to expect the increase in dividend," Blocher continues. "There are still original shareholders who participated in the IPO way back in 1962, who will come to the annual meeting and they'll tout the dividend, they'll tout the quality of what is that we own. It's a stock that's been able to demonstrate its performance through thick and thin."
And, after 44 consecutive years of annual dividend increases, Federal Realty is in "elite company of all publicly traded companies in the United States," Blocher adds. "I want to say last time I looked we were 24th in all publicly traded companies, behind companies like Proctor & Gamble, Coca Cola, Tootsie Roll Industries. We've been through all of it: very high inflation, very low inflation, high oil prices, low oil prices, any type of economic crisis and the performance of the company [has allowed] us to increase that dividend every year. In the 50-year history of the company, we've only had three CEOs. The words disciplined and balance are key words. It's a company that always trying to do the right thing and takes its fiduciary obligation to its shareholders very, very seriously."


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Snippet Name: Show mySQL table as HTML
Description: This example use mySQL functions from PHP to display a full mySQL table (every column and every row) as HTML.
Comment: (none)
Language: PHP, MYSQL
Highlight Mode: PHP
Last Modified: February 28th, 2009
Description: This example use mySQL functions from PHP to display a full mySQL table (every column and every row) as HTML.
$table = 'spheres';
IF (!MYSQL_CONNECT($db_host, $db_user, $db_pwd))
DIE("Can't connect to database");
IF (!MYSQL_SELECT_DB($database)) DIE("Can't select database");
// sending query
$result = MYSQL_QUERY("SELECT * FROM {$table}");
IF (!$result) {
DIE("Query to show fields from table failed");
$fields_num = MYSQL_NUM_FIELDS($result);
ECHO "
Table: {$table}
";
ECHO "

";
// printing table headers
FOR($i=0; $i<$fields_num; $i++)
$field = MYSQL_FETCH_FIELD($result);
ECHO "{$field->name}	";
ECHO "
\n";
// printing table rows
WHILE($row = MYSQL_FETCH_ROW($result))
ECHO "
";
// $row is array... foreach( .. ) puts every element
// of $row to $cell variable
FOREACH($row AS $cell)
ECHO "$cell	";
ECHO "
\n";
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text:
What you need to know before you go
Savannah is a great city to explore on foot, and one of the best places for a stroll is River Street. Running along the Savannah River, the street is bordered by 19th-century cotton warehouses, which have been lovingly restored and now house antiques shops, pubs, and restaurants.
You can also take a riverboat cruise, a great way to see the city. Savannah is home to the Savannah College of Art and Design, and arts are integral to the city's character. Sample some culture at the SCAD's Lucas Theatre, which stages music, drama, and the annual Savannah Film Festival.
Trending now in SavannahFeatured stories & fun stuff
10 Best Things to Do in Savannah
Savannah is the oldest city in the state of Georgia. It has a centre that's filled with historic buildings in styles ranging from French Gothic to Greek Revival. The best things to do in Savannah include sipping cocktails at rooftop bars or drinking beers in colonial-style pubs. Alternatively, you can relax on the beach, take a walk through the wilderness, or simply relish the Southern charm of this warm and welcoming city.
Whether you want to explore the battle sites of the Revolutionary Wars or kick back by the waterfront and feel the sand slip between your toes, there's plenty to enjoy in this coastal city.
What are the best things to do in Savannah?Read more
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I am now prepared to rule on the point of order raised by the government House leader and minister for democratic reform on April 8, 2008 concerning the requirement for a royal recommendation for Bill C-445, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (tax credit for loss of retirement income) standing in the name of the member for Richmond-Arthabaska.
I would like to thank the hon. government House leader as well as the hon. member for Richmond--Arthabaska for their contributions on this issue.
In his intervention, the hon. government House leader stated that refundable tax credits are direct benefits paid to individuals regardless of whether tax is owed or not and are paid out of the consolidated revenue fund. He argued that a legislative proposal creating such a tax credit therefore needed to be accompanied by a royal recommendation.
In support of his argument, he pointed to a Speaker's ruling of June 4, 2007, which did not select a report stage amendment to Bill C-52, the Budget Implementation Act, 2007, that sought to create a refundable tax credit because it required a royal recommendation. He also referred to a ruling of May 11, 2006 from the Speaker of the Senate that ruled out of order Bill S-212, an Act to amend the Income Tax Act (tax relief) on the basis that it increased a refundable tax credit.
In response, the hon. member for Richmond--Arthabaska argued that legislation proposing a reduction in taxes has always been permitted under our parliamentary rules, even if this leads to reimbursements being made to taxpayers.
To support his arguments, he pointed to a ruling by Mr. Speaker Parent of October 16, 1995 regarding Bill S-9, An Act to amend the Canada-United States Tax Convention Act, 1984.
The Chair has carefully reviewed Bill C-445, the previous rulings that were cited as well as the comments from the hon. members and believes that the central issue in the present case is whether the creation of the tax credit found in Bill C-445 is strictly an alleviation of taxation or an authorization to spend for a new and distinct purpose. If it is the latter, the bill would need to be accompanied by a royal recommendation before the third reading motion can be proposed to the House.
The bill standing in the name of the hon. member of Richmond--Arthabaska seeks to amend the Income Tax Act by providing for a tax credit to a taxpayer in respect of whom an employer and the employees failed to make required registered pension plan contributions. Whether or not the tax credit is refundable or non-refundable is the key issue in determining the need for a royal recommendation.
Non-refundable credits are deducted from a person's tax payable rather than being calculated separately: they simply reduce the amount of tax payable by an individual. The amount of the credit is limited to the amount of the tax payable.
This is not the case for refundable tax credits, which are unique in the Income Tax Act: they provide for a taxpayer to receive an amount from the government due to a low amount of taxable income and tax payable. Such credits are calculated separately on an income tax return because they are not simply alleviations of taxes otherwise payable.
Bill C-445 is proposing a refundable tax credit. The Chair is of the opinion that the bill would not only alleviate taxation but also potentially allow monies to be disbursed from the consolidated revenue fund, in the event the taxpayer had taxable income for the year that yielded taxes less than the amount of the credit.
The circumstances of Bill C-445 are quite different from those referred by the hon. member for Richmond--Arthabaska in the ruling concerning Bill S-9. There, reimbursements were limited to tax payable. By making a tax credit refundable, Bill C-445 could lead to refunds that are greater than taxes paid. Such spending, for a new and distinct purpose, would need to be accompanied by a royal recommendation.
Accordingly, the Chair will decline to put the question on third reading of this bill in its present form unless a royal recommendation is received.
The debate, later today or on Monday, is currently on the motion for second reading and, as usual, this motion will be put to a vote at the close of the second reading debate.
I thank the hon. government House leader and the member for Richmond—Arthabaska for their comments on this matter.


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West Oxfordshire motorcycle racer Steve Moody is looking to do even better when returning to the Isle of Man next month – five years after he last competed in the Manx Grand Prix.
The father of two, from Carterton, finished 16th in the prestigious senior race in 2009, earning himself a replica trophy.
Competitors in the event are amateurs, racing on the same 37.75-mile mountain course as the professional TT riders.
"It's taken me two years to save up to race on the island again" he said.
"Entry fees, ferry fares and accommodation add up to several thousand pounds and that's before you add in the cost of the bike, spares and riding kit.
"I simply couldn't do it without the generosity of local people."
Moody, who is also leading the EMRA pre-injection championship on his 1999 CBR600fx with eight victories out of eight, will compete in both the junior MPG and full factory senior MPG.
He added: "In 2009 my average speed was 108 mph over a race distance of 150 miles.
"This year my target is 115mph. This may not sound like much.
"But when you think racing is on public roads that are closed for the day, through towns and villages, reaching top speeds of 180mph over the mountain, there's no room for error."