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Campus police at the University of Central Florida released surveillance video taken from a helmet cam as they unlocked the door to James Seevakumaran's room, finding the student dead from an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police say two packages had been mailed to Seevakumaran containing new ammunition clips, and he had made a timeline of what he planned to do. NBC's Brian Williams reports.
The student who planned a massacre at the University of Central Florida before he shot himself to death was going through a checklist for the day, that included "pull fire alarm," then "give them hell," police said.
Details were emerging Tuesday about James Oliver Seevakumaran, 30, described as a loner who reportedly avoided eye contact with his own roommate — until the day he stared him down while holding a gun.
Police say he pulled the fire alarm at his dormitory on Monday, causing a panic, then went back into his apartment and pointed the gun at the roommate. The roommate fled into a bathroom and dialed 911.
A 911 recording of the incident was released late Tuesday. In it the dispatcher asks the roommate, "Where is he at now?"
"I don't know," the roommate says. "I just he … like … the fire alarm went off I opened the door to see what was going on and he's there with like some sort of gun, like large assault gun. I don't know if it's a real gun I don't know what it is. I just saw it I just slammed my door shut and locked it."
When campus police arrived, they found Seevakumaran dead in his bedroom, apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police and investigators also found a .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol, a .22-caliber tactical rifle and a backpack with four homemade explosive devices. Two 110-round magazines were also found as well as more than a thousand rounds of ammunition.
James Seevakumaran
At a news briefing on Tuesday, police offered new information on the case but some aspects remained a mystery. Police revealed that two packages were found that had been mailed to Seevakumaran but unopened that contained new ammunition clips and a sling for the tactical weapon.
Police also showed a video, taken by an officer wearing a camera, that showed an officer entering the dorm room and more officers quickly walking around the apartment as strobe lights flashed and the fire alarm blared. It shows them locating the body and seeing a weapon.
UCF Police Chief Richard Beary said there is nothing that has turned up yet to indicate that Seevakumaran had ties to any group or had engaged anyone as an accomplice.
"There is no motive," Beary said.
Seevakumaran, Beary said, had made out a timeline, a checklist, that indicated what he planned to do. It included going to an Orlando bar to drink as well as other items. Each item had been scratched off through the day. The last item scratched off before the suicide was "pull fire alarm," Beary said. "Give them hell" was next.
These writings, Beary said, revealed a timeline of violence that the former business major planned to carry out at the school, a plan that only went awry when officers quickly showed up after the 911 call.
Seevakumaran was a business major who had been enrolled at UCF from the fall of 2010 to last fall, according to university officials. He had transferred to the university, which is in Orlando, from nearby Seminole State College, officials said. He grew up near St. Petersburg and was a 2001 graduate of Seminole High School.
An image taken from a police video recording shows University of Central Florida officers investigating reports of a man with a gun in a campus dorm.
According to The Tampa Tribune, Seevakumaran had lived with his parents and younger sister in the city of Seminole on a cul-de-sac of single-story homes built in the 1980s. The rare neighbor who remembered him recalled him as "quiet." In elementary school, he was honored for math proficiency, the newspaper reported.
At the University of Central Florida, Seevakumaran seemed to have had mounting financial problems. He had not paid his tuition or his housing bill for the spring semester, which began Jan. 7, but had not yet been evicted, university spokesman Grant Heston said.
Seevakumaran's family issued a statement through the university late Tuesday:
"The family of James Oliver Seevakumaran states that James was a loner and did not have a history of violence," it reads. "The family does not wish to make any further comments to the media, and they are requesting privacy during this difficult time."
Beary, speaking about the family, said "naturally, they are heartbroken."
An audio clip posted on the student news outlet KnightlyNews.com features a 3-minute interview said to be with Arabo "BK" Babkhani, the roommate who fled into the bathroom and called 911. Babkhani told UCF Knightly News that Seevakumaran seemed to have few family or friends, didn't have visitors and didn't talk on the phone with anyone.
Indeed, Babkhani said, Seevakumaran never made direct eye contact with him until their encounter Monday.
On Thanksgiving, Seevakumaran stayed in the dorm and cooked a full meal for himself, Babkhani said in the interview.
According to university officials, Seevakumaran had never sought or received counseling or psychological services from UCF.
A toxicology report was going to be conducted to determine whether drugs were in his system.
A news conference was planned at the university Tuesday afternoon to provide an update on the investigation.
Authorities are saying students and faculty at the University of Central Florida may have had a very close call yesterday after a 911 call from a student who said his roommate had a gun led to the discovery of explosive devices and a possible planned attack. NBC's Mark Potter reports.
This story was originally published on Tue Mar 19, 2013 2:37 PM EDT


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There's a wide range of things to do throughout the Mohawk Valley this week, and here are three events that we think merit your consideration.
Valley residents take note
An agreement between the purchaser of Country Manor and the local employee union could move the Herkimer County adult home's sale forward.
County Legislators at 9:30 a.m. today will meet to vote on a resolution to extend the contract with Advanced Healthcare Management LLC.
The agreement between CSEA and Advanced Healthcare provides all current employees with a position with the new owner at their current salaries. The company also agreed to recognize the union as the collective bargaining agent for the workers, according to the release.
County legislators must vote on the resolution prior to the sale being finalized.
It's been a contentious battle that's not over yet. The resolution is not guaranteed to pass as legislators are in disagreement.
Meet the Comets up close, personal
You've seen them mixing it up on the ice. Now it's time to meet them in person.
At 2 p.m. today, the Utica Comets will be at the New Hartford Public Library on Library Lane in New Hartford.
Get an autograph from your favorite player or pose for a photo worth framing. Either way, you're showing support for a team that's done wonders to boost Mohawk Valley pride.
It's a great opportunity for fans to get up close and for players to meet their loyal advocates.
A new twist on New Year's Eve
Looking to try something fresh for New Year's Eve this year? Maybe downtown Utica is the place.
Club Stanley's inaugural New Year's Eve Bash at 9 p.m. Tuesday at the Stanley Performing Arts Center will have all the features of the big venues, a lot closer to home.
Live music, open bar, hors d'oeuvres, champagne toast and more, all in the elegant setting of the historic theater.
Advance sale tickets are $35 and can be purchased at The Stanley Box Office or by calling 724-4000. Tickets are also available through Ticketmaster.com. Party goers must be 21 or older to attend.
For more information, go to http://www.thestanley.org/events

subset: commoncrawl


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Python and Gimp
Posted 14 November 2007 - 10:46 PM
You my hero!...now i can try again... :h: :h:
Posted 22 November 2007 - 09:55 PM
now i got python option...
but gimp install(2.4.2) is screwed up...no filter, no script fu in Xtns menu, ...it can not even open a jpg (unknow file type...)
As usual should be a problem of wrong paths...i hoped was fixed but again happened
i had to correct all paths in preference....now i get all menu back...more python
Posted 22 November 2007 - 10:58 PM
Posted 25 November 2007 - 02:24 PM
i just discover a handy py script that you may like
is to create and edit brush...I always wonder why was no possible in gimp edit brush on the fly as is possible with any other image (brush are images) well the script help doing it
Author is Tanda and the script "edit brush" is listed in the Plugin repository, there is a english and a spanish version...only little disturbance it create a new menu (...i already get too much extra menu: pandora, video,python -fu, script-fu, FX_foundry...and more ....)...anyway that could be changed by simply opening the script with a text editor and changing the script path(s) as for script fu...only the paths to correct are much more then one and must be corrected all (or none) for the script to work
Posted 17 January 2008 - 10:46 PM
all you need to add Python to Gimp in a single pack (installers+ how to)
Pack is updated at 18/1/2008, but all the links to check if newer version are available are included, anyway if you notice the need to update something, please, let me know
Posted 19 January 2008 - 12:09 AM
Posted 19 January 2008 - 12:51 AM
Posted 31 January 2008 - 03:31 PM
Posted 16 March 2008 - 04:46 AM
Posted 16 March 2008 - 05:23 PM
Here's one link that might be helpful, maybe not.
Posted 16 March 2008 - 06:54 PM
well the usefulness should be that if you have gimp and you know Phyton you may write your script in a language you know instead that learn a new one
then even if less complex then C it may be more powerful then script fu ,and anyway is more widely know and used...hem...Not sure if "more powerful "is a right term
But as example with script fu you CAN NOT add a preview display in the GUI of your script while that with Python is possible
Possible even ,if i well understand not without effort and fiddling with maybe not too documented Py-GTK thingies
Anyway scripting is not in my field of knowledge, if you want better info i will suggest to ask also on the gimp-developers mailing list where you may expect more competent answers
Posted 17 March 2008 - 01:45 PM
Traceback (most recent call last): File "C:\Program Files\GIMP-2.0\lib\gimp\2.0\python\gimpfu.py", line 662, in response dialog.res = run_script(params) File "C:\Program Files\GIMP-2.0\lib\gimp\2.0\python\gimpfu.py", line 347, in run_script return apply(function, params) File "C:\Program Files\GIMP-2.0\lib\gimp\2.0\plug-ins\Edit-Brushes-Tanda-v2.1.py", line 179, in actual pdb.gimp_context_set_brush(nombre_pincel) RuntimeError: execution error
Yep runtime error (i got the latest python (2.5.2) and pyobject pycairo and other. I have no clue why this isn't working.
You also have an image filled with the color black. (It makes me think of Amy Winehouse, but I digress)<--ccbarr :DAdd me on xfire: stradivuckos
Posted 16 April 2008 - 08:10 AM
Basic procedure:
Install Python 2.5.2
Restart (not sure if this is needed)
Install Gimp 2.4.5 (python support greyed out)
Install pycairo 1.4.12-1 (run as administrator)
Install pygobject 2.14.1-1 (run as administrator)
install pygtk 2.12.1-2 (run as administrator)
Restart (not sure if this is needed)
ReInstall Gimp (python support enabled)
Now for the problems / tweaks
- import gtk from python console fails, python cannot find libglib, I think this is a path problem, gtk is installed in gimp folder and python can't find it, just ignore this problem because when gimp is started libglib IS in the path
- When GIMP is started it gives an error on pyconsole.py with a message that g_assertion_message is not defined in libglib. To fix this you need the last version of this dll, I used 2.16.2 at http://ftp.acc.umu.s...in32/glib/2.16/. Place all the files in the bin folder of the zip in the gimp bin folder (replace the old files).
I tested the install with this useful script http://fforw.megamet.../code/SaveLayer
Posted 05 May 2008 - 03:08 AM
An error message occurs.
The procedure entry point g_timeout_add_seconds_full could not be located in the dynamic link library libglib-2.0-0.dll.
Pls help me.
Posted 05 May 2008 - 10:35 PM
Using my favorite search engine, I entered the search terms:
Just as it read from your error. I was lead to this link:
While it addresses Python and Blender, it addresses the specific error towards the bottom of that page along with a recommended solution. I don't use Windows, so I cannot be of any further help with this. Just mentioning this in case it can help you.
Posted 06 May 2008 - 05:47 AM
But on the other hand, the troubleshooting said that maybe other programs are using it so I may have to remove other paths.
These are the paths on the System Variabl>Paths
%GTK_BASEPATH%\bin;%SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%\System32\Wbem;C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel;C:\Program Files\GIMP-2.0\bin
Help plz.
Posted 06 May 2008 - 10:31 AM
Just above your first message there is one that report a similar problem and possible solution
Anyway i believe the path problem happen if you instead that install the GTK you try to use that bundled with gimp,even if that is the advice on http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~rd6t-kjym/t ... graph.html
i'm not sure is the best solution
your second path seems connected with the graphic card at least with the program that control it, i would no touch it, the third is to gimp, about the first i have no idea, howver adding a path should not create problem to other sw that already have a path for the gtk
anyway should be some other problem with Gimp-python on windows:
after a upgrade to gimp 2.4.5 (i suppose may be that the reason but i can't be sure may be some new sw that i installed ) python do no work anymore for me and even reistalling everything didn't solve, i have the python console but no any python script show up in the menu.
Posted 06 May 2008 - 11:18 AM
Posted 06 May 2008 - 11:39 AM
well a radical way to solve the problem.
i wish i could offer a better one but as i said my own install do not work anymore so i don't feel to give advice
Posted 09 May 2008 - 10:24 PM
Any help really apreciated, thanks.
By the way, installing this python extension was a pain, for me using Windows XP SP2, it took python 2.5.2 and gimp 2.4.5.


text:
Asparagus Peeler
Quantity in Basket:
Code: 4421-SP
Price: $9.95
Shipping Weight: 1.00 pounds
The asparagus peeler is designed for peeling thin, long vegetables.
Delicate, breakable vegetables can be peeled without damage. The
peeler can be adapted to the diameter of the vegetable. This
Swiss-made product has a stainless steel blade and is suitable for
right and left handed individuals.
AK/HI/PR & International orders we will contact via email for ADDITIONAL cost of shipping and handling


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In 2002, when Charles H. Entrekin temporarily exited the domestic titanium industry, the number of attendees at the International Titanium Association's annual conference in Orlando, Fla., totaled fewer than 425.
He's back in the industry now and recently was elected president of the trade group at its 2007 annual meeting, which also was held in Orlando. If there is one single statistic that reflects the industry's transformation during that five-year gap, it is the number of people who showed up at this year's meeting 1,050.
Entrekin rejoined Titanium Metals Corp. (Timet) Jan. 1, 2007, and is now president of global operations and chief operating officer of the company working out of its Morgantown, Pa., facility. When he left Timet five years ago, the industry was still reeling from the impact of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and it wasn't until well into 2004 that the first signs of a recovery emerged. There was a general consensus then that another sponge plant would probably never be built in this country.
Today, the industry is coming off a record year in domestic shipments, with this year's outlook at least as strong, buoyed by such new programs as the titanium-rich Boeing 787 commercial airliner. Both of Timet's main rivals, Pittsburgh-based Allegheny Technologies Inc. and RTI International Metals Inc., Niles, Ohio, are planning new greenfield front-end facilities, while Timet, which after Sept. 11 was the only domestic sponge producer, said earlier in the year that it was evaluating a brand-new sponge plant at an as-yet-undeclared location. Moreover, these companies and several others have embarked on various projects aimed at expanding downstream operations.
As newly elected president of the ITA, Entrekin—a Ph.D. who was instrumental in the development and application of electron-beam cold-hearth technology—acknowledges that he speaks for "an industry that's healthy and where most people are doing well. That's reflected in the strength of the audience."
During his hiatus, Entrekin was with private equity firm Safeguard International Fund, serving as managing director of London & Scandinavian Metallurgical Co. Ltd. of Britain and president and chief executive of Toronto-based Timminco Ltd. Today, as the top operating officer at Timet, one of the world's largest producers, he occupies a role in the industry different from that of his predecessor, Edward Sobota Sr., president of privately held Tech Spec Inc., Derry, Pa., who made it one of his goals to promote the role of the smaller company.
Entrekin said he's no less eager than Sobota to boost ITA's "mom and pop" members but also cites the "additional challenge" of globalization along with tighter disclosure rules for larger, publicly owned companies via Sarbanes-Oxley and other regulations. (Coincidentally, it was recently announced that Timet would join the Standard & Poor's index of the 500 largest U.S. companies.)
Another ongoing challenge is to "promote the role of titanium as the metal of choice in a lot of applications," Entrekin said, pointing out that more downstream uses in particular need to be developed. One example applications that require welding. He said titanium still has the largely undeserved reputation in some quarters as an exotic material for welding but thinks that more education will help erase this image.
However, one thing he isn't spending much time fretting about is the likelihood that the industry will be facing another slump anytime soon. "We're not planning for a recession," he said. "We're planning for next year's conference in Las Vegas to be bigger and for the year after that (when the conference will take place in Hawaii in a gesture to Asia's growing role in titanium) to be even bigger."
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Every month American Metal Market takes a statistical look inside the marketplace.
We actually don't know who his investors are. At the point when we are ready, we will investigate further. There are just so many things to handle and there are a lot of items to be considered with the project."
-- Charles C. Mitchell, Barstow city manager


text:
BROWNSVILLE, Texas (AP) — A gorilla born at a South Texas zoo last month is headed to Ohio to be introduced to a troop at a zoo there because the baby's mother has been ignoring her.
Officials from the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville have been caring for the yet-unnamed western lowland gorilla born Jan. 29. She will be moved this week to the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, where experts hope she will bond with two adult female gorillas kept there.
The mother moved to the Gladys Porter Zoo in 2011 as part of an Association of Zoos and Aquariums species survival breeding plan. The mother was from the Pittsburg Zoo & PPG Aquarium but was on a breeding loan transfer from the Cincinnati Zoo.


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Stumptown Swing
Led by internationally-acclaimed mandolin virtuoso Tim Connell, Stumptown Swing features swinging groove and gorgeous acoustic instruments played with intelligence and passion by four masters of their craft.
Stephane Grappelli and David Grisman Live
Martin Taylor and David Grisman Tone Poems
Jacob do Bandolim Mandolin Master of Brazil, Vol.2
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Hamilton de Holanda Musica Das Nuvens E Do Chao
David Grisman Dawg A Nova
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2004 Dupont MD50 ***NEW PRICE!!!***
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text: I go on a service call and crawl under the house and I find this cat skeleton. I finish up and go write up the ticket and i ask the woman how long she has lived here, she says 9 years. I then ask her was she missing a cat... She said yes..., Her cat Tigger went missing about 2 and a half years ago... I said, Well he is under the house.... (I kidd you not) she says "OH REALLY,,, How is he doing! " I said , Well he is dead, and he is a skeleton now. With a surprised look she says OH MY... really? He always was a dumb cat. I got paid and left.


text:
BTF Sterling 10.25 Diff Ring for Truss BTF11122
The "BTF Sterling 10.25 Diff Ring for Truss" is laser-cut from 3/8" high-strength steel plate. This is the ring that we use with our line of "Kryptonite" Diff Covers. It could be used to build your own diff cover or it could be used as a large washer to keep your stock cover from peeling-up when it is dragged over a rock. Note: The ring may require minor grinding to clear the stock cover.
This ring was designed for use with our truss systems to reinforce the truss to the cover.


text:
Patera Jewelry with Clay
Viewer Comments
I loved the ideas that you showed and you took your time showing each step making it easy for us to be able to have confidence in creating the jewelry.
I was sold on this project from get-go! What a great gift idea. You guys are wonderful! Thank you for opening my eyes to bigger and better!
I'm looking to find how to order the supplies (stay on inks and stencils (stamps). Thanks.
btw...Sue, I agree with you. Can't you just see little clay pieces on our cards & scrapbook pages???
Paulette....you SHOULD be gosh darn impressed! Looks great! I love how you kind of just "wing it" and it works for you. Can you turn anything you touch into gold??? You guys are fabulous, & I love this new technique. Thanks!
I can visualize using small cookie cutters and making elements out of the shapes for cards and scrapbook pages.
I am just learning scrapbooking!!!
this is lovely...
Looks like a wonderful Valentines present to make for someone! TFS!
These would be so much fun for my grand-daughter, who is too young for gold jewelry! I can't wait to make some!
Loved the video. Looks easy enough to do and the jewelry is pretty. Going to give it a try. Thanks....
Love this and I can see using this technique for embellishments for cards and Scrapbooking without the jewelry. You could also use a brayer to smooth out the surface while cutting off the excess.
I'm one of the ones who haven't played with the clay for a while and have tons of it...time to order the Patera jewelry...love it. Now I noticed you didn't mention one other way to color the clay - Pearl-Ex or Perfect Pearls. Just brush them on and seal like you did the others. Makes a wonderful pearly shimmer! Keep up the great work ladies!!!
Thanks so much for the demo I just love making jewelry, I can't wait to try this!! You guys rock!!!
Just like Susan, when I saw Patera Jewelry I thought "I'm not interested" but I decided to watch the webisode anyway. So glad I did! I usually do papercrafting but I'm going to make these as Valentines gifts.
When I saw Patera Jewelry, I thought, "I'm not interested". Then I saw the demo, now I want to give this craft a try! Fantastic!
What a fun way to branch out from papercrafts & still make use tools I already have. Thanks again....
This is lovely. I will tell my girlfriends about this.
Paper Wishes Weekly Webisodes feature free scrapbooking video classes and card making video classes! Every week Paulette and Gail bring you new online scrapbooking or card making classes demonstrating the very latest paper craft and scrapbooking techniques. Each of our free card making and scrapbooking classes also gives you unique project ideas and tips from Paper Wishes' Design Team. Come back often so you don't miss any of the fun in our card making and scrapbooking classes! You are sure to be inspired! Also watch for our "Week of Webisodes" events where we feature new scrapbooking video classes daily!


text:
Candia police investigating possible pitbull fightingBy RYAN O'CONNOR
Union Leader Correspondent
April 23. 2014 4:24PM
CANDIA – A badly-wounded Pitbull was recently left along the road in Candia, and police suspect the injuries and general condition of the canine are consistent with dog fighting.
The white male Pitball, which police estimate is near 5 years old, was found Sunday, April 13, around 7 a.m. in a ditch at the intersection of Merrill Road and High Street in Candia, not far from Charmingfare Farm. He was wrapped in a while-fitted bed sheet, covered with urine and very weak when he was found, said Candia Animal Control Officer Kate Morrill, who is investigating the incident.
"There is a large possibility that he was used for something in a dog-fighting situation," she said. "He has multiple scars on his feet, and his toenails are in very poor shape with sores on the pads of his feet, indicating he was standing in most likely his own urine and feces.
"The dog was extremely lethargic as if he had been given something," said Morrill. "His mouth, in general, was very gross with missing teeth and very gross gums. His feet were possibly broken at some point and his nails were extremely long and some nails had broken off. He had some serious skin issues, most likely due to his living conditions."
Candia Police Chief Mike McGillen said other local agencies have been contacted to determine if any have had similar incidences.
"This was pretty horrible," he said. "I'm absolutely disgusted by it, how someone could do that to this poor animal."
Morrill said the dog maintains a friendly demeanor and noted the woman who found him is interested in adopting him.
Though Morrill said there have been no other pitbull incidents reported, she noted there's been a growing number of stray and unclaimed dogs in both Candia and Deerfield.
Morrill is asking that anyone with additional information on the wounded pitbull or any other dogs that are being left locally to contact Candia police at 483-2318.


text:
John Malkovich is an established actor, producer and director. He started his movie career in the 1980's and continues to appear in mainstream films, with the more recent titles being Red (2010) and Secretariat (2010). Malkovich also appeared in the 2011 box office hit Transformers: Dark of the Moon as the character of Bruce Brazos.
He's currently in the process of producing the film adaptation of Perks of Being a Wallflower.
Upon making his feature film debut in 1984's Places in the Heart, John Malkovich received his first Academy Award nomination for the role of blind boarder Mr. Will. In this same year he portrayed Al Rockoff in The Killing Fields.
Malkovich became a real star when he portrayed the sensual character of Valmont in 1988's Dangerous Liaisons.
In 2002 he made his directorial debut with the movies The Dancer Upstairs and Hideous Man.
No fan sites added yet


text: 'Caps women win Keg Spring Cup March 30, 200812:00AM PDT Previous Next Vancouver Whitecaps FC Women's Development squad claimed the 2008 Keg Spring Cup title with a 2-0 final win over hosts University of Victoria Vikes on Sunday. Jesse Symons' side took advantage of two early UVic mistakes to take the weekend tournament championship at Centennial Stadium on Vancouver Island. It only took the Whitecaps three minutes to score the game winner, as Vikes goalkeeper Rachel Gavin allowed a long ball to slip through her legs and into the empty net. Tracy David's the gifted the Whitecaps a second goal four minutes later, as a poor UVic clearance found its way into the Vikes net for an own-goal. Whitecaps goalkeeper Sian Bagshawe made 11 saves for the clean sheet on Sunday, including a late second-half breakaway by Vikes striker Kendra Flock. Whitecaps forward Amelie Mercier claimed the final's Most Valuable Player award against the team she helped to a 2005 Canadian Interuniversity Sport national championship title. On Saturday, the Whitecaps reached the final with a 2-1 win over the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds. Chelsea Buckland's ambitious long-range strike with less than a quarter of an hour remaining saw Symons' side overcome the 2007 Canada West women's soccer champions. Rosalyn Hicks gave the Whitecaps the lead on 56 minutes after converting a free kick in the UBC box before the Thunderbirds drew level seven minutes later through striker Janine Kerr. After Buckland scored the game winner, a fine diving save from Stephanie Panozzo was needed to secure Saturday's win, with Whitecaps midfielder Katie Thorlakson earning the game's MVP honours. In Sunday's consolation final, UBC and Trinity Western University Spartans played to a 1-1 draw. Previous Next


text:
Whether you favor or oppose Common Core, we should be able to agree on two things: we don't need Washington telling us how to educate our kids and we don't need to inject D.C. style political games here in Louisiana.
Even for those who believe Common Core is not right for Louisiana, our children and teachers should not be used as pawns in the political chess match that is now unfolding.
I have questioned the governor's recent role in this saga for several reasons. First, it comes with only a few weeks left before school starts creating an uncertainty as to which tests, if any, will be used to assess student progress. Secondly, the governor was silent during the legislative debate, not making known his intent to scuttle several years of planning for the new testing procedure. Thirdly, the Legislature debated the issue at length and decided not to jettison the standards.
In fact, in a spirit of compromise, the Legislature voted to delay using standards to assess teachers, only to face gubernatorial veto. Finally, the administration only recently raised questions about compliance with the state procurement code, only as a seeming last resort and way to blame his handpicked superintendent.
Attempting to skirt legislative will with an executive order is wrong when the President does it and it is wrong when the governor does it.
I agree with Gov. Jindal that Louisiana should establish its own standards and tests in Louisiana. But we should do so through the proper legal framework including parents, teachers, the Legislature and the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.
We can continue to debate the merits and the demerits of Common Core, but three weeks before school starts is not the time to start using political games to change the course of the Louisiana education system.
Given Louisiana's natural resources, our port system and business-friendly environment, unprecedented economic opportunities await us. We must make certain that we have an educated workforce ready to step into the jobs that will be created. Put simply, we've got to be able to compete and we owe it to the next generation to measure performance in a consistent manner.
In the acronym-laden world of education, let me propose one more, ARISE: Accountability, Rigor, Independence, Standards and Excellence in Education. This is what should guide the ongoing debate, not what something is called but what something strives to do. We should not create uncertainty and confusion immediately before the school year begins. This only harms those we are trying to nurture and those we need to do so: the students and teachers of Louisiana.
Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne
Baton Rouge


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Another dietician appointment today, and another disappointment. He only gained 1 1/2 oz. She seems to be getting pretty concerned. Now that he is on solids she told me to feed him the cereal and /or avacado twice a day and not once and to keep on charting. Told me I have to bring him in for another weigh in next week, and if there isn't an adequate weight gain she has no choice but to recommend supplements of formula. Said something about how some moms make homo milk and some skim and who knows what kind I make. She said she is also going to be informing my family dr as well. All these appointments and specialists and no one is saying why he isnt gaining what they want him to.
I'm so upset. I'm angry, I'm sad and feeling so much disappointment in myself. No one here can understand why. No one here can relate. And all these specialists keep making me feel like there is something that I am not doing right. This isn't natural and this isn't how feeding is suppose to be or feel. Who needs to chart for over a month? Or worry if your baby doesn't finish a bottle or feed well. I can't put into words how much BM means me. I just wish they would be more sympathetic and understanding


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auctions | MOST RECENT | POPULAR | BUZZ |
Magazine: Culture
Damien Hirst: The Death of Art Explained
Posted byon 10.13.08 |
As Wall Street tanks, the Art Market soars. The Damian Hirst auction at Sotheby's London (Sept. 15-16, 2008) raked in $198 million (£111 million), creating a new jaw-dropping record for a one-artist sale. Hirst's own record for the highest price he has yet fetched for one of his pieces was also surpassed at this sale with a whopping $18.8… READ MORE >
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"Parks and Recreation" co-creator
Michael Schur
and his wife, TV producer and writer
Jennifer Philbin,
have sold their Hancock Park home for $1,775,000 — above their asking price of $1,749,000. The house was in escrow eight days after coming on the market in June, according to the Multiple Listing Service.
The Spanish-style contemporary was built in 2007 with an old world ambience and up-to-date features including prewiring for media, built-in speakers, automated lighting and a remote-control pool system. The 3,604-square-foot house has five bedrooms and five bathrooms.
Schur, 35, created "Parks and Recreation" (2009-present) with Greg Daniels. Philbin, 36, has worked on
Public records show they bought the house in 2007 for $2,215,000.
Jeff Yarbrough of Keller Williams Realty, Beverly Hills, was the listing agent. Robert Kallick of Keller Williams Realty, Los Feliz, represented the buyer.


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Comfort women agreed
Japanese comfort women demand an official apology
The grandmother comfort women "we can not get the money," the Japanese official apologized repeatedly requested
The grandmother comfort women
Damage grandmother comfort women comfort one days are declared invalid agreement and urged the government resolved properly.
South Korea comfort women issue measures meeting the shelter and the 'sharing of the House belonging to the comfort women victims grandmother, six 13 days afternoon, Seoul junghakdong former Ambassador Embassy of Japan in opposite one end of last month concluded without asking a doctor of the victims held a press conference at the Peace of sonyeosang' for an agreement between one days "absolutely opposed" he said.
Gimbokdong (90) grandmother "did not know what we will, but ask you to resolve the comfort women issue to the government so impractical," said, "We are the money (one billion yen by the Japanese is to appear) can not receive," said the hard-line stance.
Kim said he would himself join the grandmother comfort women victims of the Foundation to prepare civil society.
Sonyeosang for the old and demolished problem "sonyeosang can not tell our government to collect our history, the people pay for every dime created by a Japanese government (previous and demolition)," he said atda crucify.
Yiokseon (89) grandmother "has deceived the victim to stop the mouth," said "(yiraeseon) should not," he said.
The grandmother and opposition to the government about visiting the individual comfort women victims explained the government's position, "the Japanese official apology and compensation should be legal," he urged again.
Day demand rallies, the police estimated that about 800 people attended a Ewha Global Empowerment Program Participants which are Asian and African women workers 16 Brightness visit to the Asian Center for Women's Studies invited attended "The Japanese government should apologize officially to the grandmother," he remarks.


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Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini fears qualification for the Europa League could wreck his side's hopes of defending their Premier League title.
City currently lie bottom of Champions League Group D, but know victory away against already-qualified Borussia Dortmund will see them up to third, should Ajax lose to Real Madrid.
But Mancini admits the lack of recovery time between Europa League matches on Thursday nights and Premier League fixtures on the weekend would likely see him rotate his squad heavily between the two.
"When you play in the Champions League, you can play Tuesday or Wednesday, then Saturday or Sunday in the Premier League," the Italian told reporters.
"But with the Europa League, this is impossible. If you don't get any help from the FA, then this is the problem with the Europa League.
"When you play in the Europa League, you don't have a lot of days to recover for the games in the Premier League.
"If we get into the Europa League, we will play different teams, one on Thursday and one Sunday."
However, the 48-year-old insists his club would take the competition very seriously should they qualify, presenting it as a good opportunity to add to their trophy collection.
"But we want to play in the Europa League. We want to stay in it," he added.
"Even though we can't go through to the second stage of the Champions League, it's important we try to stay in the Europa League.
"If in the New Year we could win the Europa League, it could be an important trophy for the club. It's important that we win a trophy this season.
"The Champions League is difficult every year and we had the toughest group this year. But now we can do nothing.
"We can't get to the next stage, so we'll try to do our best to get into the Europa League."
Mancini also took issue with the notion that City should be embarrassed at their early Champions League exit, though he admits they were deserving of their fate.
"Embarrassment? For what I don't know," said the Italian. "We are disappointed but sometimes other teams play better than you and deserve to go through."


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I think that claim is based the lack of change in the verb itself indicating a future tense.
On what is otherwise a nice little study site for learners, I find this:
NB! English is the only European language which doesn't have a future tense. It uses another verb ('shall') to indicate the future.
What motivates that kind of restrictive, and for some users of AmEng impossible, statement? If anyone visits the above site and spots similar "error", could you please post them here? I want to inform the site's creators about such things.
Here's the site: http://www.buzzin.net/english/verbs.htm
Last edited by M56; 27-Jan-2005 at 13:09.
I think that claim is based the lack of change in the verb itself indicating a future tense.
Here's the site: http://www.buzzin.net/english/verbs.htm
Originally Posted by RonBee
Yes, I agree, but a bit of an oversight to miss out all the expressions we can use to talk about the futute.
Oops! Thanks.Originally Posted by tdol
And to plump for 'shall', which is rarely used outside questions in BrE.
I know.
Mind you, they are thinking in British terms, not international- for the British educational system, poor things.
Yes, they are.Originally Posted by tdol
BTW, did you know that the FE Dept. in Britain is now using the term "minor sentence all it's English key stage advisory docs? That really upset a certain M*Y.
I can't get worked up about terminology. I wish they would settle on standard terms simply for the benefit of learners. The FE might use that, but the grammar check in Word uses Sentence Fragment. Some say progressive, others continuous, a few durative. The profusion of terms doesn't help learners greatly. I have no objections to 'minor sentence' at all, and can't see that much difference between it and 'sentence fragment' in all honesty.


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Team Has Won Award Every Season Pam Stuper Has Been Head Coach
NEW HAVEN, Conn. - The Yale field hockey has been recognized by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association with the NFHCA National Academic Team Award for the 2013 season. The Bulldogs also had 13 individuals named to the NFHCA National Academic Squad. The NFHCA announced the awards on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The Bulldogs have earned the National Academic Team Award in each of their nine seasons under head coach Pam Stuper. The award is presented to all NCAA field hockey teams that had a GPA of 3.0 or higher for the fall of 2013.
This year's 13 National Academic Squad honorees from Yale included two seniors who earned the award all four years of their careers: midfielder/back Georgia Holland (Stony Brook, N.Y.) and forward/midfielder Emily Schuckert (Wilmington, Del.). Schuckert was also a two-time Academic All-Ivy League selection.
The National Academic Squad recognizes those student-athletes who have achieved a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.30 through the first semester of the 2013-14 academic year.
Yale's 2013 NFHCA National Academic Squad honorees:
- Jessie Accurso***, Jr., Jamison, Pa./Central Bucks South (history)
- Erica Borgo***, Sr., Randolph, N.J./Randolph (political science)
- Rhoni Gericke*, Fr., Cape Town, South Africa/Herschel (undeclared)
- Brooke Gogel***, Sr., Bronxville, N.Y./Bronxville (political science)
- Georgia Holland****, Sr., Stony Brook, N.Y./Ward Melville (molecular, cellular & developmental biology)
- Emilie Katz*, Fr., Newton, Mass./Buckingham Browne & Nichols (undeclared)
- Steffi Katz*, Fr., Newton, Mass./Buckingham Browne & Nichols (undeclared)
- Grace McInerney***, Jr., Blue Bell, Pa./William Penn Charter (molecular, cellular & developmental biology)
- Kelsey Nolan*, Fr., Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield (undeclared)
- Emily Schuckert****, Sr., Wilmington, Del./Tower Hill (environmental engineering)
- Noelle Villa*, So., Green Brook, N.J./Oak Knoll (statistics)
- Alyssa Weiss*, Fr., Potomac, Md./Winston Churchill (undeclared)
- Molly Wolf**, So., Endwell, N.Y./Maine-Endwell (chemical engineering)
*: number of times honored
Report by Sam Rubin '95 (firstname.lastname@example.com), Yale Sports Publicity


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Restaurant Evening - California (2011)
Adam and Megan K., are the proud parents of three-year-old Emma Joy and Austin, one year old, both of whom are affected with lamellar epidermal nevus.
During Ichthyosis Awareness Month in May, Adam and Meghan decided that they wanted to have an event to raise funds for FIRST and awareness about ichthyosis.
The family had attended fundraisers at Souplantation in the past and thought it would be a good opportunity for them to try. The basis for the event is that participants bring a flyer to Souplantation on the night of the event, and a portion of the proceeds generated from those sales will benefit FIRST. They planned their event for May 19, and began handing out flyers to friends and family hoping to have 30 or so participants attend. However, those family and friends also gave out flyers to additional friends. More than 275 people attended the event on behalf of the Knabe family. On a normal Thursday evening, the restaurant serves approximately 30 patrons, but on this evening, the store doubled their sales, serving almost 600 people. The Souplantation staff and the family were overwhelmed by the turnout! The line was out the door almost the entire evening.
Many thanks to Souplantation, Adam, and Megan for their efforts and raising more than $550.
|Adam, Emma, Megan, and Austin
|A wonderful turnout!
|Emma works the room


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Arctic sea ice cracks record low, and more to go
"Record-breaking ice minimums are becoming the new normal", says Clive Tesar of WWF's Global Arctic Programme. "We're breaking records on a regular basis as the sea ice continues its decline. A week ago in Grise Fiord, Canada's northernmost community, we saw an ice-free horizon that astonished local people. This ice-loss is affecting Arctic life, and the lives of people around the world. As this new record shows, we have little time left to take effective action to help Arctic life adapt."
Ice loss has been shown to have negative effects on southern populations of polar bears. It has been linked to the deaths of walrus, and has led to new species moving into the Arctic. For Arctic peoples, the shrinking ice cover has made some traditional cross-ice travel routes more treacherous, and has led to increased erosion threatening coastal villages. The ice loss also has global impacts, warping weather patterns across the northern hemisphere.
The ice loss is also attracting the attention of industrial interests such as oil and gas development and shipping. WWF is concerned that new developments in the region should take into account the ability of already stressed Arctic systems to absorb more change.
This summer, researchers and WWF staff are taking part in the "Sailing to Siku" expedition to the Last Ice Area between northern Greenland and Canada where the last summer sea ice is projected to remain longest. Scientists on the expedition are assessing climate-related changes to this little-studied, but increasingly important region. This in one of several WWF projects to encourage resilience to climate change in the Arctic. WWF is also working of projects to reduce global carbon emissions.
- The Arctic sea ice minimum extent is generally reached at the end of September.
- In the summer of 2007, Arctic sea ice extent set a record low in early August—more than a month before the end of the melt season. That September, the preferred northern navigation route through the Northwest Passage opened. According to the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), on September 16, 2007, sea ice extent dropped to 4.13 million square kilometers (1.59 million square miles)—38 percent below average and 24 percent below the 2005 record.
- "Sailing to Siku" is a Canon Europe sponsored expedition to research and assess future management options for the Last Ice Area – the region in Greenland and Canada where sea ice is projected to persist in 2040. Expedition members are visiting communities along the route to introduce the Last Ice Area project to local people, and invite their guidance and expertise.
- More information on WWF's climate change mitigation work can be accessed at: http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/footprint/climate_carbon_energy/
- IARC-JAXA Information System is a collaboration between the International Arctic Research Center [University of Alaska Fairbanks] and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency [JAXA]. It conducts satellite image analysis and computer modeling.
- The national Snow and Ice Data centre is a US government organization that collects and analyzes data relating to snow and ice, particularly in polar regions
More informationClive Tesar
Head of Communications and External Relations, Global Arctic Programme
Tel: 1 613 232 2535
Mobile: 1 613 314 9210
About the Last Ice Area
The Last Ice Area is a new WWF project designed to assess the best future management options for the area of Arctic summer sea ice projected to remain the longest. WWF is helping collate and conduct research in this area, and connecting this research to the question of how this area may best be managed in the future to the benefit of both species and people.
About WWF's Global Arctic Programme
WWF is working with its many partners – governments, business and communities – across the Arctic to combat these threats and preserve the region's rich biodiversity. The WWF Global Arctic Programme has coordinated WWF's work in the Arctic since 1992. We work through offices in six Arctic countries, with experts in circumpolar issues like governance, climate change, fisheries, oil and gas and polar bears. www.panda.org/arctic
About WWF
WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with almost five million supporters and a global network active in more than 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.


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Marite (Kelly) Koch
Marite (Kelly) Koch, 64, of Verdant Lane, Warwick, passed away on February 16, 2013 at home, surrounded by her family. She was the loving wife of Peter A. Koch, married for 40 years.
Born in Providence, she was the daughter of the late Matthew and Audry (Delaney) Kelly. She was raised in Edgewood and lived in Warwick the past 40 years. Marite attended St. Mary's Academy-Bay View in East Providence and Regis College in Weston, MA. She was a communicant, former softball coach and religious education teacher at Saint Gregory the Great Church. Marite is well known for her quick wit and sense of humor. She enjoyed traveling, theatre, the arts, cooking, entertaining, the lake house, her book club and spending time with her children. She was a devoted wife, mother, sister, and friend who will be missed by all.
Besides her husband; she leaves four children: Kelly Koch, of Springfield, Massachusetts, Amy Koch, Kristen Koch, and Peter Koch, Jr., all of Boston, Mass. Marite also had two sisters, Patricia McManus, of Warwick and Maureen Longo, of Middletown, Connecticut, a brother, Dennis Kelly, of North Kingstown; fourteen nieces and nephews; and her granddog, Maeby. She was also the sister of the late Michael Kelly.
Marite's funeral will be held on Wednesday, February 20, 2013 at 8:30 a.m., from the Russell J. Boyle & Son Funeral Home, 142 Centerville Road (Rt. 117 – Exit 10 off I-95) Warwick. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. at Saint Gregory the Great Church, 360 Cowesett Road, Warwick. Burial will follow at Quidnessett Memorial Cemetery, North Kingstown. Visiting hours will be on Tuesday, February 19, 2013 from 4:00-8:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be made to: Saint Gregory the Great Church, Religious Education Program, 360 Cowesett Road, Warwick, RI 02886 or Lifespan Neurosurgical Foundation, Attn: Dr. Albert Telefian, Rhode Island Hospital, 6th Floor, 593 Eddy Street, Providence, RI 02903. For directions and online condolences, please visit: www.boyleandsonfuneralhome.com


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Hi All. I am trying to understand different methods of MSAA in GL 4.0 (CORE) I started with GL 3.3 and used the book "OpenGL Superbible 5" as a primary reference to modern pipeline.In the app I have been working on I needed to implement MSAA manuall because I use FBOs for offscreen rendering.The approach outlined in SB5 looks complex where the sample weights are calculated on CPU then passed to shaders and used by texelFetch . But then I took a look into GL 4.0 specs and found a new "Adaptive multisampling and per-sample processing" technique exposed via GL_ARB_sample_shading. It looks really simple to implement :Just enable multisampling , attach mulitsample texture to the FBO ,then in fragment shader
use interpolateAtSample + gl_sampleID . Apparently it looks like this approach does the job.But I would like to know if this is how the optimal MSAA should be done in GL 4.0 ?


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posted by David Adams on Fri 13th May 2011 04:54 UTC
In business school the first thing they teach you about CEOs is: it is the CEO's job to increase the shareholder value of the company. Since taking the position Ballmer has decreased shareholder value, as reflected by stock price, by -56.63%. That. Is. Not. Good . . . Microsoft should be searching for a new CEO right now.


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When "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" opens in theaters Dec. 14, audiences will have the option of viewing the film in a revolutionary 48 frames per second format — a new projection technique that's designed to offer viewers a hyper-realistic "immersive" experience, according to director Peter Jackson.
But even he acknowledged that it will probably take a bit for moviegoers to become comfortable with the new technology.
Jackson spoke with Hero Complex contributor John Horn at Comic-Con International in July, just before announcing that the two-film adaptation of "The Hobbit" would become a trilogy. Watch the first part of their conversation above, and look for subsequent installments in the coming days.
PHOTOS: 60 images from 'The Hobbit'
In the interview, the filmmaker revealed how he selected the footage that was unveiled at the pop culture expo, describing those scenes as "more character based" while still speaking to the feeling of the story and the tone of the film. He also talked about the decision to screen the early footage at 24 frames per second rather than the new 48 frames per second rate he employed for the shoot.
Jackson had screened 10 minutes of the movie at 48 frames per second in April at the CinemaCon convention in Las Vegas to mixed reviews.
Jackson said he was frustrated by the reaction but remains a fan of the format, though he acknowledged, "48 frames per second is something you have to get used to. I've got absolute belief and faith in 48 frames … it's something that could have ramifications for the entire industry. 'The Hobbit' really is the test of that."
As for what moviegoers can expect from the first of the three films adapted from J.R.R. Tolkien's beloved tale, Jackson said, "'I've always tried to make movies that pull the audience out of their seats. … I want audiences to be transported."
– Gina McIntyre
Follow us on Twitter: @LATHeroComplex
'The Hobbit': Meet the company of dwarves
Happy birthday, Peter Jackson, and happy flying
New Zealand releases Tolkien-themed currency
Peter Jackson to craft Shire sound in Dolby Atmos
'Hobbit' trailer: A lighter look at Middle-earth
Peter Jackson tours the Shire and beyond
An unexpected journey? Oh yes.
Peter Jackson and the one true Bilbo Baggins
'Thrones': 'Frodo never gets to go to a brothel'


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Tuesday January 11, 2011
Following her hugely successful guest appearance on hit TV show Glee actress Gywneth Paltrow is set to return.
The show's co-creator Ryan Murphy said: "Gwyneth is coming back for two episodes. She's coming back specifically to date Will."
He added: "Those two have become really good friends in real life and had really good chemistry. She's coming back as a sex education teacher.
"Gwyneth and I are emailing, talking every week: What are we going to sing? We're trying to do something fantastic."
Photo: © Getty


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Join actress Tatiana Maslany at 10 a.m. (Pacific) Wednesday for a live video chat about Maslany's multiple turns in BBC America's sci-fi thriller TV series "Orphan Black."
In the first-year show, Maslany plays Sarah, a hard-luck case wanting to reunite with her young daughter. In the season's first episode, she sees a woman resembling her commit suicide at a train station. Soon, Sarah finds there are many other identical versions of herself -- science geek, soccer mom, punker -- and, yes, they are clones and, of course, there are conspiracies surrounding them and much unraveling to be done.
PHOTOS: Celebrities by The Times
In all, Maslany plays a dozen characters or versions of Sarah playing clones or Sarah playing clones impersonating clones or ... well, we'll stop here because it's making our heads hurt. Whatever the guise, Maslany is amazing. If you want to get technical about it, you could nominate the 27-year-old Canadian actress for an Emmy in lead actress and over in the supporting category for the fully realized way she brings all these characters to life. It's brilliant work, arguably the best of the year, and it's heartening to see that others are recognizing it too.
So join us Wednesday morning, flow charts and questions in hand, as we talk to one of the season's great discoveries.
'The Americans' Matthew Rhys talks 'honey trap' and 'spy games'
'House of Cards': Corey Stoll on sex, politics and going shirtless
David Morrissey on the Governor, 'Walking Dead' and Lynyrd Skynyrd
PHOTOS: TV shows and their spinoffs
Overrated/Underrated 2014
PHOTOS: 101 best-written TV shows of all time


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Closed-back earcups, solid headband, durable cabling and plenty of colour options make these cans a cracking choice for the fashion-conscious commuter. There's a bit of echo and clutter to the sound, but they're largely balanced and enjoyable, with good bass weight for the price.
Sony MDR ZX300 £33
There's something awfully try-hard about Skullcandy's 'gnarly' marketing, but they do make decent cans. In fact, the Lowriders are excellent, with crisp, clear and detailed sonics. Build is unexceptional, but they fold away neatly and sport a mic and one-button control.
Skullcandy Lowrider £40
The iGrados have been giving sonic satisfaction for years now, and with a new driver inside now sound better than ever. Masses of detail, loads of punch and near-perfect tonal balance make for fantastic audio quality, but don't take them on the tube – their open backs leak sound like a sonic colander.
Grado iGrado £50
Blimey, we've not been this torn in ages – these JVCs sound almost as good as the Skullcandys and are incredibly cheap. On the other hand, they're flimsy and have a rather unconvincing grip on your head, making them unreliable when out and about. For home use only, but a bargain in terms of sound.
A price tag of £35 for any kind of headphones is good, but for a noise-cancelling pair it's silly-cheap. More surprisingly still, the noise-reducing tech actually works fairly effectively and they also offer up an impressively clear, punchy and detailed sound. We could do without the background hiss, mind.
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Britney Spears: Grammys Performance Next Month?
Britney Spears arrives at a dance studio for some rehearsal on Tuesday (January 11) in Los Angeles.
The 29-year-old pop princess is rumored to perform on this year's Grammy Awards show, but her reps have told JustJared.com she she will not be performing at the ceremony.
Britney's new single "Hold It Against Me" is already breaking records on its first day of release.
After dropping early on Monday (January 10), the song shattered all previous records for the most number of radio spins for a first or one-day at both Mediabase and BDS.
Britney's new song also jumped to the top of the iTunes singles chart shortly after being released. Congrats Brit!
10+ pictures inside of Britney Spears going to dance practice…


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The Saint Louis University Journal of Health Law & Policy is published bi-annually by the Center for Health Law Studies and a student editorial board. The Journal features articles that provide in-depth analysis of topical and developing issues in health law and policy. One issue each year is devoted to the publication of the proceedings of the Center for Health Law Studies annual symposium. The second issue is devoted to coverage of emerging issues within health law and policy. Students and faculty at the Center solicit and review articles submitted for publication. The editorial board also maintains the Journal website which features a health law blog, podcasts of the Center's Distinguished Speaker Series, special events and annual Symposium, and other information about the Journal.
Notable Past Authors
- Paul Starr, Pulitzer Prize-winning professor of sociology and public affairs at Princeton University. He is also the co-editor and co-founder of The American Prospect. In 1994 he founded the Electronic Policy Network, or Moving Ideas, which is an online public policy resource
- Timothy McBride, health economist and health policy analyst
- Dr. Jerry Menikoff, Director, Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP), part of the Office of Public Health and Science, in the Office of the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
- Susan Bartlett Foote, assistant professor at the School of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management at the University of Minnesota
- Timothy S. Jost, Professor of Law at the Washington and Lee University School of Law and is co-author of Health Law casebook, and of a treatise and hornbook by the same thing
- Robert Berenson, Institute Fellow at the Urban Institute
- Walter Graham, Executive Director President and CEO, United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) Foundation
- Stewart Simonson, former Assistant Secretary for Public Health Emergency Preparedness at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- Len Nichols, Director for Center for Health Policy Research and Ethics, Health Policy Analyst and frequent contributor to major media outlets including New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, CBS Evening News.
- Sara Rosenbaum, Founding Chair of the Department of Health Policy at the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services
Joining Staff
Election to the staff of the Journal of Health Law & Policy is based on an application process and review that is conducted by the editorial board and faculty advisors in the spring semester each year.
To be eligible for the editorial staff:
- Students must have completed two semesters of law school and both semesters of the Legal Research and Writing course.
- The Journal of Health Law & Policy will hold an orientation meeting each spring to review the application process with students interested in applying.
During the first year on the staff, each member is required to write a publishable paper on a health law topic and selected members' papers will be published.


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There�s something happening here
What it is ain�t exactly clear �
I think it�s time we stop, children, what�s that sound
Everybody look what�s going down
� �For What It�s Worth,� Buffalo Springfield
The protests roiling from Washington state to North Carolina say loudly and proudly that America is alive and well as we approach our birthday.
The demonstrations from the right, middle and left are what we�re about, even if the Tea-Party folks protesting the IRS in Winston-Salem might think they have little in common with the folks in Raleigh protesting the legislature, and vice-versa. The protest sounds are our growing pains. We�re Peter Pan, in a good way.
The protesters� rights are guaranteed in my favorite part of our Constitution, the First Amendment. And all protests start locally. The iconic Buffalo Springfield song was written by band member Stephen Stills about demonstrations against a curfew that angered musicians and their fans in LA�s Sunset Strip. But the song has taken on universal meanings that resonate.
Protesters who grew up with the song, wherever they now land politically, are probably finding new meanings in its lyrics.
There�s battle lines being drawn
Nobody�s right if everybody�s wrong
Young people speaking their minds
Getting so much resistance from behind
People protesting against IRS targeting of conservative groups, for a new trial for Kalvin Michael Smith of Winston-Salem and for and against a variety of other things have more in common than they�ll ever know. They�re all underdogs feeling oppressed by big government, or at least by government malfunction and injustice. Protesting stretches back to our founding and extends right through the civil-rights movement to the current day.
The nuances, often forgotten, are many. As just one example, at the 1968 Democratic convention, some leaders of that supposedly liberal party all but condoned the police beatings of hippies and other protesters, many of them who were against the Vietnam War.
Now, Republican Rand Paul and his father, Ron Paul, have ignited a new wave of opposition to foreign wars.
But the right, the left and points in between remain at odds.
What a field-day for the heat
A thousand people in the street
Singing songs and carrying signs
Mostly saying, hooray for our side
From the beginning, our �melting pot� has more often resembled a pot of bad fudge, where the ingredients, instead of merging smoothly, get all grainy and quarrelsome.
That continues to this day. But there has always been reason for hope. We survived a civil war that ripped open our collective soul. We�ve evolved, slowly, into welcoming American Indians, blacks, gays, the disabled and many new waves of immigrants into our quilt and our guilt. We�re the descendants of slaves and Revolutionary War and Civil War veterans. We�re the children of The Greatest Generation, and the friends and family of veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Many of us, including many of us from families divided on issues, will hash it hotly in these days leading to July 4 as our troops serve on in steaming deserts.
Countries around the world continue to try to emulate, often through protests, our groundbreaking experiment in democracy.
And in America, new hope for union comes from an uncomfortable source.
Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you�re always afraid
You step out of line, the man will come and take you away
Many Republicans, Democrats and independents are fed up with revelations about the NSA monitoring, the IRS and President Obama�s waffling on Syria. We�re fed up with Washington gridlock, with President Obama unable to control his administration and make deals with Congress, and with the leaders of the two chambers of Congress unable to herd their cats and make deals with each other or Obama.
The only way that will ever change is for the people to rise up together and demand better, peacefully, by speaking out with our votes and voices.
The protests across our country are part of that process.
And somewhere deep in our collective consciousness, we still long for a bit of unity, something that will stretch past the feel-good hugs of Independence Day. I wish some of these protesters could find common ground. Then they�d really be heard in Raleigh, Washington and everywhere else.
John Railey is editorial page editor for the Winston-Salem Journal. Contact him at email@example.com


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Raise your hand if you wish you could go out and buy a whole new wardrobe each time the seasons change. If your hand is firmly flyin' in the air like mine, let's talk it out. A brand spankin' new closet is, unfortunately, not in the cards for me. I'll splurge for a few fall staples -- new boots, a few new sweaters -- but other than that, this season is all about working with what I've got. And what I've got is a closet full of summer clothes.
All wishing aside, I'll admit I live in a place called Reality and it just don't happen like that here. So it's back to the drawing board: How to make a summer wardrobe work for fall ... and honestly, the solution to my style woes is pretty damn simple. So easy, in fact, that I've got five secrets that'll make the summer-to-fall transition such a cinch you'll be jumping in amazement. Ready to see? Take a look ...
How do you make the change of the seasons work for you?
Image via net_efekt/Flickr


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Dana Waller, 35, of Brockton, was arraigned Monday in Brockton District Court on charges of manslaughter, vehicular homicide and leaving the scene of a fatality in connection with the death of Edward J. Dill III, 36, of Brockton, on Saturday.
Attorney Kenneth Diesenhof was laying out his client's defense when the cry rang out from the back of the courtroom.
"He's a murderer! That's the facts! He's a murderer!"
Heads spun around to find the source the of scream, Anita Dill Fusco, the aunt of the man Diesenhof's client is charged with killing.
A court officer approached Fusco, and Judge Kevin O'Dea warned her that she would be removed from the court if she made another outburst. However, the woman exited the courtroom at that time, sobbing with her head in her hands as the officer escorted her out.
(Editor's note: The original version of this story incorrectly identified the woman as Dill's mother, Janet, who was not in the courtroom.)
The arraignment continued without further incident as Diesenhof continued to present his defense of Dana Waller, 35 of Brockton, the man accused of fatally running over Dill's son, Edward Dill, three times before fleeing.
Prosecutors said about 2 a.m. Saturday Waller allegedly struck Edward Dill with his SUV as he stood in a driveway, then backed over him, dragging him into the road and then drove forward over him again before driving off.
Witnesses said they watched as Waller stopped the car with a wheel on top of Dill's body before running him over again, prosecutor Jessica Healey said.
Dill, 36, died shortly afterward in the hospital and Waller is charged with manslaughter, motor vehicle homicide by negligent operation, leaving the scene of personal injury, negligent operation of a motor vehicle and operating with a suspended license. He was ordered held on $100,000 cash bail.
A witness who is a friend of Dill's said the incident stemmed from the fact that Dill was having a "relationship" with Waller's wife, Healey said.
Waller is the owner of P and P Soul Food at 880 Main St. in Brockton. The restaurant was closed Monday afternoon.
Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz's office announced the manslaughter charge Monday morning before the arraignment and Healey said additional charges might be coming.
"It's still questionable at this time what the final charges may be in this matter," Healey told the judge. "There are witnesses coming forward with information about some intentional acts."
Healey said Dill was standing in a driveway at 897 Warren Ave. when a maroon Ford Expedition driven by Waller pulled into the driveway from Nilsson Street and struck the victim.
Dill and Waller were allegedly involved in another incident on April 14 when Waller "sucker punched" Dill, Healey said.
"There is a bad relationship between the two of them. Because very simply the alleged victim had been stalking my client's wife," said Waller's attorney Kenneth Diesenhof. "As a matter of fact, my client's wife was so concerned about this, she took out a restraining order against him."
According to the clerk's office, there are no Brockton District Court restraining orders taken out against Dill.
O'Dea accepted a motion from Healey to impound the names of four witnesses until Waller's next court date on June 4.
Healey said one witness said he did not want to be identified as a "rat."
Diesenhof argued that the stories told by the witnesses did not match up.
"There are three witnesses who claim to have seen this, and all three of them are giving three different stories," he said.
Waller had two prior juvenile convictions for gun charges, Healey said.
Benjamin Paulin may be reached at email@example.com.


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Drug companies cashing in on human growth hormone abuse
Investigation shows record sales of human growth hormones
A federal crackdown on illicit foreign supplies of human growth hormone has failed to stop rampant misuse and instead has driven record sales of the drug by some of the world's biggest pharmaceutical companies, an Associated Press investigation shows.
The crackdown, which began in 2006, reduced the illegal flow of unregulated supplies from China, India and Mexico.
But since then, Big Pharma has been satisfying the steady desires of U.S. users and abusers, including many who take the drug in the false hope of delaying the effects of aging.
From 2005-11, inflation-adjusted sales of HGH were up 69 percent, according to an AP analysis of pharmaceutical company data collected by the research firm IMS Health. Sales of the average prescription drug rose just 12 percent in that same period.
Unlike other prescription drugs, HGH may be prescribed only for specific uses. U.S. sales are limited by law to treat a rare growth defect in children and a handful of uncommon conditions such as short bowel syndrome or Prader-Willi syndrome, a congenital disease that causes reduced muscle tone and a lack of hormones in sex glands.
The AP analysis, supplemented by interviews with experts, shows too many sales and too many prescriptions for the number of people known to be suffering from those ailments.
At least half of last year's sales likely went to patients not legally allowed to get the drug. And U.S. pharmacies processed nearly double the expected number of prescriptions.
Peddled as an elixir of life capable of turning middle-aged bodies into lean machines, HGH -- a synthesized form of the growth hormone made naturally by the human pituitary gland -- winds up in the eager hands of affluent, aging users who hope to slow or even reverse the aging process.
Experts say these buyers don't need the drug and may be harmed by it. The supposed fountain-of-youth medicine can cause enlargement of breast tissue, carpal tunnel syndrome and swelling of hands and feet.
Ironically, it also can contribute to aging ailments such as heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.
Others in the medical establishment also are taking a fat piece of the profits -- doctors who fudge prescriptions, as well as pharmacists and distributors who are content to look the other way.
HGH also is sold directly without prescriptions, as new-age snake oil, to patients at anti-aging clinics that operate more like automated drug mills.
Years of raids, sports scandals and media attention haven't stopped major drugmakers from selling a whopping $1.4 billion worth of HGH in the U.S. last year. That's more than industrywide annual gross sales for penicillin or prescription allergy medicine.
Anti-aging HGH regimens vary greatly, with a yearly cost typically ranging from $6,000 to $12,000 for three to six self-injections per week.
Across the U.S., the medication is often dispensed through prescriptions based on improper diagnoses, carefully crafted to exploit wiggle room in the law restricting use of HGH, the AP found.
HGH is often promoted on the Internet with the same kind of before-and-after photos found in miracle-diet ads, along with wildly hyped claims of rapid muscle growth, loss of fat, greater vigor and other exaggerated benefits to adults far beyond their physical prime.
Sales also are driven by the personal endorsement of celebrities such as actress Suzanne Somers.
Pharmacies that once risked prosecution for using unauthorized, foreign HGH -- improperly labeled as raw pharmaceutical ingredients and smuggled across the border -- now simply dispense name brands, often for the same banned uses. And usually with impunity.
Eight companies have been granted permission to market HGH by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which reviews the benefits and risks of new drug products. By contrast, three companies are approved for the diabetes drug insulin.
The No. 1 maker, Roche subsidiary Genentech, had nearly $400 million in HGH sales in the U.S. last year, up an inflation-adjusted two-thirds from 2005.
Pfizer and Eli Lilly were second and third with $300 million and $220 million in sales, respectively, according to IMS Health.
Pfizer now gets more revenue from its HGH brand, Genotropin, than from Zoloft, its well-known depression medicine that lost patent protection.
On their face, the numbers make no sense to the recognized hormone doctors known as endocrinologists who provide legitimate HGH treatment to a small number of patients.
Endocrinologists estimate there are fewer than 45,000 U.S. patients who might legitimately take HGH. They would be expected to use roughly 180,000 prescriptions or refills each year, given that typical patients get three months' worth of HGH at a time, according to doctors and distributors.
Yet U.S. pharmacies last year supplied almost twice that much HGH -- 340,000 orders -- according to AP's analysis of IMS Health data.
While doctors say more than 90 percent of legitimate patients are children with stunted growth, 40 percent of 442 U.S. side-effect cases tied to HGH over the last year involved people age 18 or older, according to an AP analysis of FDA data.
The average adult's age in those cases was 53, far beyond the prime age for sports. The oldest patients were in their 80s.
Some of these medical records even give explicit hints of use to combat aging, justifying treatment with reasons like fatigue, bone thinning and "off-label," which means treatment of an unapproved condition.
Even Medicare, the government health program for older Americans, allowed 22,169 HGH prescriptions in 2010, a five-year increase of 78 percent, according to data released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in response to an AP public-records request.
"There's no question: a lot gets out," said hormone specialist Dr. Mark Molitch of Northwestern University, who helped write medical standards meant to limit HGH treatment to legitimate patients.
And those figures don't include HGH sold directly by doctors without prescriptions at scores of anti-aging medical practices and clinics around the country. Those numbers could only be tallied by drugmakers, who have declined to say how many patients they supply and for what conditions.
First marketed in 1985 for children with stunted growth, HGH was soon misappropriated by adults intent on exploiting its modest muscle- and bone-building qualities.
Congress limited HGH distribution to the handful of rare conditions in an extraordinary 1990 law, overriding the generally unrestricted right of doctors to prescribe medicines as they see fit.
Despite the law, illicit HGH spread around the sports world in the 1990s, making deep inroads into bodybuilding, college athletics, and professional leagues from baseball to cycling.
• AP's interactive on the HGH investigation: http://hosted.ap.org/interactives/2012/hgh
- This article filed under:
- News
- Sports
- Health
- Nation/World
- Health & Fitness
- Prep Sports
- College Men
- College Women


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Mike Price recollects the roar of the crowd and the abundance of community support. Kevin Reddick recalls a New Bern football team that never stopped competing.
Mike Price recollects the roar of the crowd and the abundance of community support. Kevin Reddick recalls a New Bern football team that never stopped competing.
That 2007 4AA state championship game still stands as their most memorable football moment.
New Bern was a heavy underdog to perennial powerhouse Charlotte Independence. It lost to Independence three previous times in the early 2000s.
The Patriots had won seven-consecutive state titles.
History didn�t matter to the Bears, who had 26 seniors, and a determined attitude.
�We had a lot of fight,� Reddick said. �Any time we were down, we just kept fighting. We knew we were playing a great team, but we also knew we were a great team and could score at any time.�
New Bern trailed, 14-0, in the first quarter before cutting its deficit to, 14-13, at halftime. The Bears rallied for a 28-17 victory at BB&T Field in Winston-Salem � the first state championship at New Bern High.
�That was my most memorable moment, winning that state championship, because I played a part in that,� said Price, a former New Bern wide receiver. �It was something our county and our school took a lot of pride in.�
The Bears are back in the state title game for the first time since that miraculous 2007 season. They play Porter Ridge at 7:30 p.m. on Friday in the 4A state championship game at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill.
New Bern head coach Bobby Curlings sees a lot of similarities between the 2007 squad and this year�s bunch. Curlings, who was in his second year as head coach at New Bern High in 2007, has been apart of five state championship games as either a head coach or an assistant.
�The closeness is the big thing,� Curlings said. �We have athletes here year-in and year-out, but the thing that separates a good team from a great team has been their ability to put their egos on the shelf and play together like a family.�
The 2007 season was not a cakewalk for the Bears (14-2), especially in the playoffs. They beat Sanderson, 48-20, in the first round. Then, they rolled to a 48-7 victory over Athens Drive.
The third-round matchup against Millbrook turned into one of New Bern�s most dramatic battles.
Reddick plunged into the end zone on a two-yard dive with less than five seconds remaining to hand the Bears a 40-38 win at Caruso-Coates Stadium.
�That was an exciting moment, scoring that last touchdown to advance us to the fourth round,� Reddick said. �It was a team effort. Everybody made great plays to get up the field to the two-yard line.
�The two-yard run was big, but that whole drive was good.�
New Bern beat Leesville Road, 20-10, in the state semifinals to push the Bears back to the state championship game.
Despite trailing at halftime against Charlotte Independence, New Bern took its first lead when quarterback Brett Williams hit Price for a 37-yard touchdown strike. Vince McDuffie added the two-point conversion with a run midway through the third quarter.
�Once I got open, I knew Brett Williams was capable of doing anything with the ball,� said Price, who caught for 104 yards. �When I saw the ball, I knew I was going to come down with it.�
Danzelle Boomer extended New Bern�s lead to 28-17 with 10 minutes remaining after he returned an interception 24 yards for a touchdown.
Boomer�s second interception, with 12 seconds left, sealed the championship.
�There is not another moment right now that can compare to it,� Reddick said. �It was great being in the state championship and representing your hometown of New Bern. It felt great to hold that state championship trophy.�
Williams, the game�s Most Valuable Player, ran for 109 yards and passed for 189 yards.
�Brett Williams was a great quarterback,� Price said. �Outside of being a great quarterback, he was a great person. You could count on Brett in any situation. You knew he was going to give it his all every game, every play.�
Reddick scored two rushing touchdowns and was declared New Bern�s top offensive player, while Boomer was the Bears� top defensive player.
Also starring for New Bern was wide receiver Demarcus Howell, defensive backs Anthony Holloway, Marcus Simmons, Daishawn Styron and Rod Sawyer, athlete Tyrell Lindsey and defensive lineman Terry Vaughan.
�We knew it was going to be a good game,� Price said. �We knew we were the underdogs, so we had a lot to prove. They beat us in the past. We refused to be one of those teams that just got beat by Independence.�
Comparing the stats
New Bern Bears
2007 2012
Records 14-2 14-0
End result won 4AA title playing for 4A title
Points per game 34.1 43.3
Points allowed 17.0 13.6
Key players: 2007: QB Brett Williams; RB/LB Kevin Reddick; WR Mike Price; RB Vince McDuffie; DL Terry Vaughan; DB Anthony Holloway; DB Danzelle Boomer; DB Daishawn Styron. 2012: QB Josh Taylor; RB Jachin Watkins; WR/DB Bra�lon Cherry; WR Chandler Powell; LB Cody Purdie; DB/WR Michael Hughes.
Adam Thompson can be reached at 252-635-5669 or at firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow Adam on Twitter @Adam_matic.


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I'm excited to offer another fun 12 Days of Christmas series at Deal Seeking Mom. Each day through 12/7, I'll post a new 3-day giveaway! Browse all of the giveaways here.
I love Philosophy products, so I was really excited that they wanted to sponsor a giveaway with Deal Seeking Mom. I was first turned on to them about eight years ago when I was pregnant with my first child by a friend that swore by their skincare line, and it's been all downhill since. With dozens of gifts priced under $25, you're sure to find something special for everyone, and here are some of my favorites:
- Purity Made Simple -- I love that this skin cleanser is very gentle and rinses clean. Plus it doesn't burn your eyes so you can use it to remove eye makeup when you're washing your face as well!
- Hope In A Jar -- This lightweight moisturizer is great for all skin types, and I like that it doesn't leave my skin feeling sticky and coated with anything.
- Amazing Grace -- I guess you could say this is my signature scent, and it really does smell amazing! It's just very light and feminine and clean. I can't wear strongly scented products because they give me a migraine, and this is just perfect.
- Bath & Body Gels -- Philosophy is probably best known for their fantastic line of body gels in a wide variety of scents, from Cinnamon Buns to Coconut Macaroon to Vanilla Birthday Cake to Senorita Margarita and many more. My current favorite is the Candy Cane Lane because it's a great little pick-me-up in the morning!
Be sure to check out their stocking stuffers suggestions for cute little treats starting at just $6!
One lucky Deal Seeking Mom reader will win a Philosophy gift box valued at $250!
To enter, tell me what your favorite Philosophy product is or which you would like to try most.
Every reader has three methods available to enter this contest. Choose one each of any combination of method one, two or three, for up to a total of 3 entries!!!
If you are reading this in your email or feed reader, please CLICK HERE to visit the original blog post to enter. Email entries will not be counted.
Methods of entry:
1. Leave a comment. What is your favorite Philosophy product or which would you most like to try?
2. Join the Deal Seeking Mom community on Facebook for more conversation, additional deals and a peek at the freebies I receive in the mail each week. Come back and leave a separate comment letting me know you've done so!
3. Follow @DealSeekingMom and target="_blank" rel="nofollow"@lovephilosophy on Twitter and tweet the following. Be sure to come back and leave a separate comment with the link to your tweet!
Enter to win a @lovephilosophy gift box worth $250 from @DealSeekingMom: http://dealseekingmom.com/?p=63294 #DSM12days
(1) Philosophy Gift Box (ARV $250)
This giveaway ends at noon EST on Monday, 12/6 and is open to all U.S. residents 18 years or older. I'll use Comment Contest to select the winning comment. Winner will be notified by email and listed on my Giveaway Winners page. Winners must respond within 48 hours of notification to claim their prize. Good luck!


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Wall Street rallied on Monday and global equities headed for their best year in the last three as U.S. lawmakers closed in on a deal to avoid a budget crisis that many fear could cripple the world economy in 2013.
U.S. President Barack Obama said Congress was close to an agreement that would start chipping away at the deficit without raising middle class taxes.
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Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell also said agreement was "very, very close."
U.S. stocks rose, capping off a strong year on a high note and leaving the MSCI all-world index on track to end the year up 13 percent. U.S. government debt prices fell.
The deal is not likely to provide a long-term road map to reduce the U.S. budget deficit, which has been above $1 trillion for four straight years.
But without it, $600 billion of automatic spending cuts and across-the-board tax increases would take effect January 1, a blast of austerity that economists fear would thrust the United States into recession and hurt world growth.
"Traders understand that this is a stop-gap measure, but they'll take it," said Quincy Krosby, market strategist at Prudential Financial in Newark. "Markets can rally with some growth, but not with no growth. For now, they don't mind kicking the can down the road."
The Dow Jones industrial average was up 150.93 points, or 1.17 percent, at 13,089.04. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was up 21.80 points, or 1.55 percent, at 1,424.23. The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 59.94 points, or 2.02 percent, at 3,020.25.
European shares also gained after a quiet day in Asia, where Japan's Nikkei and other indexes were already closed for 2012.
Despite recent declines on Wall Street and what seemed like a hopeless stalemate in budget talks, the benchmark S&P 500 was up 12.5 percent in 2012 after a nearly flat performance the prior year. The Dow was up 6 percent and the Nasdaq 15 percent.
With the world's major central banks expected to keep pumping stimulus into their economies at any sign of weakness, most economists forecast further gains in equities next year.
Benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasuries fell 16/32 on the pending fiscal cliff deal to yield 1.76 percent. Treasury yields finished the year only slightly above where they started it, thanks to heavy safe-haven buying and the Fed's asset purchase programs aimed at keeping long-term rates low.
Risks still remain for 2013, investors said.
Europe could lurch back into trouble if slow growth puts further pressure on heavily indebted countries such as Spain and Italy, said Alan Wilde, who helps manage $50 billion at Baring Asset Management in London.
"This pressure point may make acceptance of austere policy measures unpalatable and politicians may find they have to find other ways to cut costs," he said.
In the United States, striking the right balance between growth and deficit reduction will also be a challenge, as will addressing long-term fiscal problems.
"It looks to be another lengthy time of instability and volatility on Wall Street as the real work to address the longer term fiscal health of the U.S. government moves into 2013," said Ron Florance, managing director of investment strategy at Wells Fargo Private Bank.
But in 2012, investors worst fears -- a euro zone collapse, a hard landing in China's once-booming economy and another U.S. recession -- never came to pass.
The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 gained roughly 13 percent this year, largely due to the European Central Bank's vow to tackle the region's debt crisis, and recovered from an early morning dip to end the year at 1,131.64.
Peripheral euro zone bonds also rallied after a roller coaster year. Yields on Spanish and Italian sovereign bonds, a measure of the compensation creditors demand for lending to those governments money, spiked in the summer but have since fallen sharply. Euro zone bond markets were closed on Monday.
The euro was down 0.2 percent at $1.3191 but was up 2 percent for the year. An agreement on the U.S. budget would also be viewed as positive for the euro because it would help boost global growth.
Against the yen, the dollar hit 86.64, its best showing since mid-2010, and was set to end the year 12 percent firmer against Japan's currency, its biggest gain since 2005.
With a new Japanese government led by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expected to pursue a policy mix of aggressive monetary easing and heavy fiscal spending to beat deflation, analysts see the yen staying under pressure in 2013.
Commodities also found recent support as economic data in key emerging economies such as China have started pointing to a gradual pick-up in the pace of growth in 2013.
Gold was $1,675.60 an ounce, up more than 6 percent for the year and on track for a 12th consecutive year of gains. Rock-bottom interest rates, concerns over the financial stability of the euro zone, and diversification into bullion by central banks have boosted the metal. Copper also rose, ended the year up 6 percent after a late rally on Monday.
U.S. crude rose 96 cents to $91.76 per barrel but ended 2012 down more than 7 percent.
(Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Kenneth Barry)


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Tuesday night, America saw President Trump give what 76 percent of viewers thought was a great speech to Congress. But the Democrats saw it as only another chance to express their disbelief and demagoguery, which seems to be their only strategy.
Trump's speech drew much praise for its positive dream of national unity. It offered real hope and promised true change, but if you were watching the Democratic side of the aisle, it looked like a funeral service, with an occasional exception for scattered applause.
Thank you to the Indian Land community from the Friends of the Del Webb Library for another wonderful year. Because of your support of the Friends, we were able to fulfill our mission to promote and support the literary, educational and community roles of the Del Webb Library.
The Friends ended 2016 with 381 members. In addition, we partnered with 42 businesses in the Indian Land community. These businesses support the Friends by offering discounts on goods and services to Friends members or through monetary donations. These business partnerships are ongoing and growing.
Manufacturers such as Boeing are said to be drawn to South Carolina because it's a right-to-work state, something state political leaders tout.
It's spelled out in state law: "The right of persons to work must not be denied or abridged because of membership or non-membership in a labor union or labor organization."
If we as a state make innovation a hallmark of who we are and what we do, we will grow and prosper. If we don't, we will stagnate and die.
The choice is that clear and that stark. Am I being overly dramatic? I don't think so.
◆ "Innovate or die." Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft.
◆ "The only way to thrive is to innovate. It's that simple." Alex Tabarrok, Canadian economist.
◆ "Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower." Steve Jobs, founder of Apple.
Editor's note: This message is from the chairs of the Lancaster Promise Neighborhood Advisory Team – Bruce Brumfield, chief executive of Founders Federal Credit Union, Lancaster County Council member Charlene McGriff, and Dr. Paul McKenzie, research director for the Lancaster County School District.
Every day the news carries another story of community strife, violence or discordant protest. Likewise, we turn on the television and hold our collective breaths, waiting for another turn of bad events.
Restoring hope and opportunity is critical to lifting up our communities who feel like they have been left behind.
We have people all across the country living paycheck to paycheck who are forced to make choices no family should, like whether they should pay for heat in the winter or purchase necessary medications. Our country has witnessed under-employment rates soar, high school graduation rates drop, and poverty numbers remain stagnant.
Billy Dale McCants, my son, was in a car wreck Nov. 12, 1988. I met the then-16th Circuit Solicitor Tommy Pope in 1995 for the trial of the two men that murdered my other son, Deputy James Brent McCants, killed in the line of duty Sept. 25, 1992.
Tommy and his wife, Kim, are the best people I know. They really care for people. You become their friends, and they are yours.
Tommy became speaker pro tem of the S.C. House in 2014. Now he is running for the 5th District congressional seat.
Last week the S.C. House of Representatives adopted, with no objections, a resolution congratulating Gov. Henry McMaster on his ascension to the office – and encouraging him to expand Medicaid in South Carolina. This was unexpected, because the House, at least on paper, has been against expanding Medicaid.
Clearly, no one other than the House member who introduced it and perhaps a few of the cosponsors had even glanced at the resolution.
While Election Day is behind us, there is still a lot going on in local and state politics.
The upcoming meeting of the Lancaster County Republican Party puts you in the middle of it, giving you a chance to meet the candidates, live and in person. The February meeting will be Thursday, Feb. 23, at 7 p.m. at Mike Williams Builders, located at 1351 Charlotte Highway, Lancaster. Here are some great reasons to attend our upcoming meeting.
District 5 congressional candidates
We were saddened to hear about the passing of state Rep. Joe Neal of Hopkins.
First elected to the S.C. House in 1992, Rep. Neal represented District 70 in Richland and Sumter counties. He also served as pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Chester.
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